Battle Report: The Traitors Reveal Themselves! (Part 2)
This is the second part - Read Part 1 Here!
If you thought the battle was bloody so far - at this point in the story things get really ugly and a whole lot starts to die...
Turn 3 - Grimdark
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| The trap is sprung |
Uncontrolled repetition:
The Alpha Legion, in preparation for the coming reinforcements began to soften up the enemy by bombarding the Blood Angel's Sicaran Tank, succeeding in shattering its hull and leaving it a smoking wreck. The Venator tank destroyer moved up to blast at the Deredeo, but the laser energies were deflected by the Atomantic Shielding, dissipating in a roiling ball of flame.
Then the Alpha Legion sprung their trap! The Vigilator and his 15 strong outflanking unit appeared behind the cover of the nearby Sicaran Battle Tank wreck and sprayed a massive amount of bolter fire through a narrow channel of sight at the Blood Angel's Cataphractii. The Terminator squad was whittled down by a single member before the Vigilator struck. He fired his legendary Nanyte Blaster at a Cataphract, and the uncontrollable AI nano-bots swarmed all over his armour, shredding him and themselves to their constituent molecules. Unfortunately both parties suffered too much damage in the process and they failed to replicate, sparing the Angels some exciting fireworks.
The predatory Sons of Horus saw the opportunities in the carnage taking place and launched a Scorpius barrage into the midst of the enemy Cataphractii, killing another terminator and (via an errant scatter) annihilating an Assault Marine to boot. Abaddon moved up with his squad to fire on the vulnerable Cataphractii terminators, but they all missed their mark miserably. They then attempted to charge but were encumbered by their massive war plate and stumbled forward unsuccessfully under a hail of equally fruitless over-watch fire.
Turning the tide in the Blood Angel's favour, or; Punching Abaddon in the face so hard the Justaerin peed their pants:
The Deredeo opened up on the Venator with its autocannons hitting nothing but cover, and then fired its missiles at the Sons of Horus Whirlwind in the back field, scoring another hullpoint of damage on a glancing blow.
The remaining Blood Angels Tactical Marines and Assault Marines all moved in unison against the outflanking Vigilator; the Assault Squad jumping over walls and the ruin of their Battle Tank in their haste to enter the fray, spurred on by their Chaplain. Both squads opened fire with their bolt pistols at the Alpha Legion to little effect, but then the blazing cannons of the Mortis Pattern Dreadnought added to the cacophony of gunfire and scored two Alpha Legion casualties. With a roar from the Chaplain and backed by the screaming whine of half a dozen chain swords, the massive infantry charge began. The Alpha Legion, quick to react, blasted apart two Blood Angels Legionaries on the charge, but then the enemy was on them!
The ensuing crash of ceramite on ceramite was a brutal bloodbath on both sides, neither side gave a step under the onslaught, fighting with blade and bolter to the bitter end. The Blood Angels Tactical Squad fought to a standstill with the Alpha Legion on the right flank, three battle brothers from each falling to overwhelming stab wounds from combat blades.
The Vigilator stood at the rear of the melee, sniping head-shot after head-shot with his bolt pistol, cutting down the Assault Marines before they could strike his brothers. Then the zealous hero of the fight, the Chaplain, came to the front rank of the Angels, spurring them on. He swung back and forth with his mighty dual headed power axe, joylessly slaughtering every Alpha Legionnaire he set his gaze upon. Even so, the Alpha Legion took a surprising toll on their enraged and zealous attackers and the fight continued, evenly matched.
The Plasma Support Squad finally made its move, pulling into range of Abaddon with their Rhino, and opening fire. They took out a single Justaerin warrior under a rapid plasma volley, but one Blood Angel's weapon overheated. With no way to vent his plasma gun inside the Rhino he perished in a burst of atomic fire. The Blood Angels terminators also opened fire on Abaddon, wounding him and then following up with a brutal charge.
The Blood Angels Sergeant and Abaddon roared mighty challenges at one another and broke off from the onrush to duel. The elite Justaerin quickly killed one charging terminator where a lightning claw found a chink in armour, but were then overwhelmed by the pounding of power fists; resulting in the demise of all but one Sons on Horus terminator.
Turn 4 - The charge for glory
Seeing the forces of the Angels occupied, a mad dash for their deployment zone begins:
With time running out, the Alpha Legion forces begin to scout up the field. The Master of Signals and his squad ran for the enemy battlements at full speed. The Venator pushed into overdrive, driving forward whilst firing miss after miss at the Deredeo. Seeing the Venator's lack of success, both Scorpius Whirlwind batteries fired into the Deredeo. The Alpha Legion claimed the kill which allowed their friendly Sons of Horus contemptor to move up towards the enemy lines unimpeded.
The charging Sons of Horus Contemptor made to fire a blast at the Rhino and succeeded in wrecking it, but the heat of a blazing sun failed to dissipate from the cannon, causing a massive plasma cascade which melted the charging contemptor into a stumbling heap of slag, viciously charring the ancient pilot within and fusing his scorched remains to the metal of his sarcophagus.
Abaddon and the Blood Angel's Cataphract-clad champion continued to beat mercilessly at one another, gouging and clawing with their power fists ineffectually - armour and brute toughness preventing all injury. Eventually as they circled, both struck a hooking punch at the same instant, crunching into one-another's face plates and mutually laying each other low. Seeing Abaddon fall, The final Justaerin's resolve broke. He grasped his fallen commander's armour and began to flee, dragging the limp form of Abaddon behind him.
In the other melee, the Alpha legion had finally begun to crumble. Though the Vigilator entered the fray and took down another three Blood Angels, his squad was diminished to only three weary survivors. Finally the Chaplain swooped in to land the blow to break the auroch's back; cleaving the Vigilator's breastplate open, causing a vicious mortal wound. The surviving Alpha Legion Tactical Legionaries, exhausted by the intensity of the fighting, could do little as they were run down by the red armoured Angels.
With time running out, the Alpha Legion forces begin to scout up the field. The Master of Signals and his squad ran for the enemy battlements at full speed. The Venator pushed into overdrive, driving forward whilst firing miss after miss at the Deredeo. Seeing the Venator's lack of success, both Scorpius Whirlwind batteries fired into the Deredeo. The Alpha Legion claimed the kill which allowed their friendly Sons of Horus contemptor to move up towards the enemy lines unimpeded.
The charging Sons of Horus Contemptor made to fire a blast at the Rhino and succeeded in wrecking it, but the heat of a blazing sun failed to dissipate from the cannon, causing a massive plasma cascade which melted the charging contemptor into a stumbling heap of slag, viciously charring the ancient pilot within and fusing his scorched remains to the metal of his sarcophagus.
Abaddon and the Blood Angel's Cataphract-clad champion continued to beat mercilessly at one another, gouging and clawing with their power fists ineffectually - armour and brute toughness preventing all injury. Eventually as they circled, both struck a hooking punch at the same instant, crunching into one-another's face plates and mutually laying each other low. Seeing Abaddon fall, The final Justaerin's resolve broke. He grasped his fallen commander's armour and began to flee, dragging the limp form of Abaddon behind him.
In the other melee, the Alpha legion had finally begun to crumble. Though the Vigilator entered the fray and took down another three Blood Angels, his squad was diminished to only three weary survivors. Finally the Chaplain swooped in to land the blow to break the auroch's back; cleaving the Vigilator's breastplate open, causing a vicious mortal wound. The surviving Alpha Legion Tactical Legionaries, exhausted by the intensity of the fighting, could do little as they were run down by the red armoured Angels.
Barely taking a moment to pause for breath the Blood Angels re-enter the fight:
The Cataphractii re-engaged and clobbered the fleeing Justaerin into the merciless earth, but as he fell the warrior who was once a respected Luna Wolf struck out and took his killer to hell with him. The rest of the Terminators, shocked by the parting violence of Horus' Sons, and wary of the sound of incoming artillery shells, skulked away to regroup and lick their wounds in cover.
The Mortis Contemptor fired into the advancing Sons of Horus Cataphractii, collapsing the Void Shield generated by the Master of Signals. Renewed from recent victory, the Chaplain left the Assault Squad to join the Legion Tactical Squad's last two members. He instructed his new unit to fire wildly into the Sons of Horus Cataphractii, scoring a wound against the Master of Signals in their midst. The tactical squad and Chaplain then engaged the Cataphractii in melee, desperate to hold them back and expel them from the Blood Angels' lines.
The three remaining legionaries of the Assault Squad jumped onward to charge The Alpha Legion Venator, bouncing primed Krak grenades off of its hull but failed to damage its hardy plate.
The Cataphractii re-engaged and clobbered the fleeing Justaerin into the merciless earth, but as he fell the warrior who was once a respected Luna Wolf struck out and took his killer to hell with him. The rest of the Terminators, shocked by the parting violence of Horus' Sons, and wary of the sound of incoming artillery shells, skulked away to regroup and lick their wounds in cover.
The Mortis Contemptor fired into the advancing Sons of Horus Cataphractii, collapsing the Void Shield generated by the Master of Signals. Renewed from recent victory, the Chaplain left the Assault Squad to join the Legion Tactical Squad's last two members. He instructed his new unit to fire wildly into the Sons of Horus Cataphractii, scoring a wound against the Master of Signals in their midst. The tactical squad and Chaplain then engaged the Cataphractii in melee, desperate to hold them back and expel them from the Blood Angels' lines.
The three remaining legionaries of the Assault Squad jumped onward to charge The Alpha Legion Venator, bouncing primed Krak grenades off of its hull but failed to damage its hardy plate.
Turn 5 - The desperate gambit
The dice gods looked down on the slaughter and decreed it was enough, this would be the final turn!
The death toll becomes Bloody:
The Alpha Venator, unperturbed by the assault marines nipping at its flank powered on towards the enemy defences, crashing fully into the Aegis Line, daring any and all to attempt to dislodge it. Both Scorpiuses fired over its position at the enemy Legion Support Squad but they were well entrenched and most of the firepower missed its mark for a rare change.
The absence of the Venator they were attacking left the last three Blood Angels Assault Marines very conspicuously in the open. The Alpha Legion Tactical Squad continued to press its advance, inching the front marine into the enemy deployment zone and then turning as one to rapid fire into the exposed Blood Angels. Two Assault Marines fell under the sustained volleys of bolter fire and the final man lost all morale and fell back, running for his very life from the battle.
The Sons of Horus Cataphractii struggled on under the charge of the Blood Angels, striking down one marine but also losing terminators to the swinging power axe of the Chaplain and the power fist of the Blood Angels sergeant...
Holding them back at all costs:
The absence of the Venator they were attacking left the last three Blood Angels Assault Marines very conspicuously in the open. The Alpha Legion Tactical Squad continued to press its advance, inching the front marine into the enemy deployment zone and then turning as one to rapid fire into the exposed Blood Angels. Two Assault Marines fell under the sustained volleys of bolter fire and the final man lost all morale and fell back, running for his very life from the battle.
The Sons of Horus Cataphractii struggled on under the charge of the Blood Angels, striking down one marine but also losing terminators to the swinging power axe of the Chaplain and the power fist of the Blood Angels sergeant...
Holding them back at all costs:
...the remaining Blood Angel Sergeant raised his fist and broke the Master of Signals' Spine. Then the angered Cataphractii crushed him to a fine ceramite paste and struck down the Blood Angels' Warlord, but not without sustaining major casualties; as all but one of the terminators were slain.
This, it transpired was a bad result for the Sons of Horus as the falling Chaplain bore witness to the final terminator suffering the wrath of the plasma support squad. The dying force commander saw his death was not in vain when the last member of the potentially scoring enemy squad fell into the dust with him.
With almost nothing left for the Angels to bring the bear, the Mortis Pattern Contemptor opened fire on the advancing Alpha Legion Tactical Squad. The blistering hail of Kheres shells obliterated the front rank of the advancing warriors, killing the marines who had dared to attempt to enter the Blood Angels deployment zone and thus denying the enemy at the very last step.
This, it transpired was a bad result for the Sons of Horus as the falling Chaplain bore witness to the final terminator suffering the wrath of the plasma support squad. The dying force commander saw his death was not in vain when the last member of the potentially scoring enemy squad fell into the dust with him.
With almost nothing left for the Angels to bring the bear, the Mortis Pattern Contemptor opened fire on the advancing Alpha Legion Tactical Squad. The blistering hail of Kheres shells obliterated the front rank of the advancing warriors, killing the marines who had dared to attempt to enter the Blood Angels deployment zone and thus denying the enemy at the very last step.
The Results:
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| A glimpse at the finale |
Primary Objectives
Hammerblow Assault:
- Loyalists: 2x1 VPs for holding the line (Cataphractii & Tactical Support)
- Traitors: 2 VPs for breaching the defences (Sicaran Venator)
Secondary Objectives
Slay the Warlord
- Loyalists: 1 VP for slaying Abaddon
- Traitors: 1 VP for slaying the Chaplain
Martial Hubris of the Alpha Legion
- No VPs awarded
Last Man Standing
- Loyalists: 3 VPs for surviving units (Cataphractii, Mortis Contemptor and Tactical Support Squad)
- Traitors: 4 VPs for surviving units (Sicaran Venator, Legion Tactical Squad, 2xWhirlwind Scorpius)
Final count
Traitors: 7 Victory Points
Narrow Victory to the Traitors!
Thanks for reading guys, I hope you enjoyed this battle report. Let me know any comments or suggestions below :)
Thanks for reading guys, I hope you enjoyed this battle report. Let me know any comments or suggestions below :)
Great battle report. Great retelling of those crucial moments and great detail.
ReplyDeleteAwesome report bud. Brilliant!!!
ReplyDeleteThanks guys, I love how brutal HH games are... There are massive casualties inflicted on both sides! No one is safe...
ReplyDeleteI think my favourite moment was the massive three squad combat which was surprisingly well matched, even with assault marines diving in. The ability of Consuls to multiply the force of their unit is really impressive. My Low of the game was losing my gorgeous Alpha Contemptor in the opening moments of the first turn before he even made an impact.
MVP of the match for me is definitely the Whirlwind Scorpius tank, it can do some brutal damage and having two in a game is a real system shock to the defender. There's something about having light recon forces spotting for big guns in the back field which is really satisfying for me. I don't think a turn went by when each Scorpius didn't reap multiple wounds or hullpoints of damage. Not to mention the fact that a sustained barrage from even one scorpius was enough to blow up the Vindicator, Sicaran and Deredeo!
My favorite moment was my Terminator sergeant fightng off against Abaddon and surviving a round of combat before a double KO!
ReplyDeleteMy low point was the opening salvo from 2 scorpius and 2 masters of signals and realising how destructive 30k games can be. Really shows how capable everybody is at killing marines.
MVP for me is tough, lots of guys did well but no one did amazingly well. I think I'll go with my duel Kheres contemptor dreadnought. Was able to help whittle down some termies kill of some alpha legion tactical marines threatening my deployment zone. He made it a game when it was starting to go poorly for me.