Get Morty!

The Seer Council, following a probability thread through the skeins of fate, determined the future of an Exodite world is in extreme peril. Bother Mortis ("Morty", to his friends) of the Emperor's Brethren Chapter will one day rise to prominence and eventually perpetuate a genocide against the exodites. The Seers have divined this Marine's moment of peak vulnerability is at hand. 

A Battle Host was summoned to slip through the web ways and set up an ambush to intercept a marine strike force that includes Brother Mortis. The Marines had just engaged a large force of Orks on Xoxigar Primus and return to their Thunderhawk gunships, secured in a nearby landing zone, fatigued and low on power, fuel, and ammunition. They will not be in a position to engage in a protracted battle. 

SCENARIO

We played the Ambush Scenario straight out of the Core Rulebook - except on a much smaller table. As the table was smaller, we shortened the scenario by one turn. Essentially the defending Marines had 4-6 turns to get 1/3 of their units out of the Kill Zone (off the table).

FORCES



Battle Host Thymiltelyir
Battalion Detachment – (as Biel-Tan) - +5CP (=8 Command Points)

HQ
Farseer Thymiltelyir– Warlord Trait: Natural Leader (Biel-Tan)
Powers: Smite, Guide and Executioner
- Shuriken Pistol, Witchblade, Spirit Stone of Anath’lan (Power Level 6, 110 points)
Warlock Bro'wyn– Powers: Smite and Enhance/Drain
-Shuriken Pistol and Witchblade (Power Level 2, 55 points)
Warlock Adrellewi– Powers: Smite and Empower/Enervate
-Shuriken Pistol and Witchblade (Power Level 2, 55 points)

Troops
Dire Avengers (5)
-4 with Avenger Suriken Catapult and Plasma Grenades
–Exarch with Shuriken pistol, Plasma Grenade, and Diresword (Power Level 3, 56 points)
Dire Avengers (5)
-4 with Avenger Suriken Catapult and Plasma Grenades
–Exarch with Shuriken pistol, Plasma Grenade, and Diresword (Power Level 3,56 points)
Rangers (5)
-Shuriken Pistol and Ranger Long Rifle (Power Level 3, 60 points)
Rangers (5)
-Shuriken Pistol and Ranger Long Rifle (Power Level 3, 60 points)

Elites 
Howling Banshees (6)
-Shuriken Pistol and Power Sword (Power Level 6, 78 points)

Fast Attack
Warp Spiders (9)
-8 with Death Spinner
-Exarch with 2 Death Spinners and Power Blades (Power Level 9, 154 points)

Heavy Support
Wraithlord
-Shuriken Catapult, Flamer, Wraithbone Fists, Bright Lance (Power Level 8, 111 points)
Wraithlord
-Shuriken Catapult, Flamer, Wraithbone Fists, Aeldari Missile Launcher (Power Level 8, 111 points)
Wraithlord
-2x Shuriken Catapult, Wraithbone Fists, Scatter Laser (Power Level 8, 92 points)

61 Power Level
998 Points


Strike Force - Emperor's Brethren Space Marine Chapter
Battalion Detachment – (as Ultramarines) (+5CP )

HQ
Captain/Chapter Master on bike
Sergeant Chronos

Troops
Tactical Squad (5)

Tactical Squad (5)
Tactical Squad (5)

Elites
Terminator Squad (5)

Heavy Support
Devastator Squad
Thunderfire Cannon and Tech Marine
Whirlwind

Outrider Detachment (+1 Command Point)
HQ
Lieutenant

Fast Attack
Attack Bike

Attack Bike
Attack Bike

Command Points: 9


THE GAME



Auspex scanners of the lead squad was giving some strange returns. It kept sensing life forms ahead, but then they would disappear off the screen, only to reappear off to the flank. The Chapter Master had the Terminators and three other teams (two tactical and one devastator) take cover in a ruined building in their path, and the rest huddled in behind the building.



And there they stood, in silence, waiting... There were no friendlies operating in the area, but there'd been no other reports of Xenos in this area... More scans were made.



A third tactical team took up the rear, watching for anyone who would attack them from behind...



Then all hell broke loose.



Three Wraithlords poured fire down on the Marines position, pinning them down, momentarily, with the weight of their fire.



The Marines returned fire with brutal efficiency. Bolter shells slammed into the Eldar lines and the Whirlwind and Thunderfire cannon hammered the Eldar right flank, knocking out one of the squads of Dire Avengers and half the squad of Howling Banshees.



As the Whirlwind started to rumble forward a squad of Aeldari Rangers open fire from concealed positions on the Marines left...



While over on their right a second group of rangers opened fire on the Chapter Master and a swarm of  Warp Spider popped into reality and shredded an attack bike with their monofilament Death Spinners.



The Squad of Marines in the building swung left and prepared to charge into the ambushing Rangers.



Marines in the building pushed out to attack the flanking units while continuing to bring heavy weapon fire down on the Wraithlords. One of them was rendered inoperable by this fire.



The two remaining Warithlords charged the Marines position. They utterly wiped out one Marine tactical team



Farseer Thymiltelyir's escorting Wraithlord out-paced his own advance and left him unprotected in the open when the Whilwind came roaring around the corner!



The Chapter Master charged directly into the squad of Rangers on his bike, scattering them.







Warlock Bro'wyn, who had been escorting the Howling Banshees, was also outpaced by his companions and caught in the open by the Marines. Their withering fire injured him severely and made him flee for cover.



Farseer Thymiltelyir took some serious fire from the Whirlwindand other marines, and was obliged to withdraw.



Another of the Wraithlords was damaged, while the remaining one continued to pummel Marines in melee.



the target having been eliminated, the remaining Eldar fled the scene.



The remaining marines gathered their wounded and dead and pushed on to the waiting Thunderhawks before more Xenos could show up and finish them off.



The last Wraithlord covered the retreat of the Battlehost...

The cost was grave; many of the Aspect Warriors were killed or severely injured. Even the Warlocks and Farseer were unable to escape without injury. The target was slain, and many of his battle brothers with him, but with the clipping of this thread how many new possibilities would it create as the lose yarn frayed and unravelled....


END GAME

The game ended after Turn Four and the Marines lost - having not exited a single unit off the table. I've played this scenario (on larger tables, mostly) and the defender really needs to start moving on Turn One. Other Tim kept his marines sitting still for the first turn or two and tried to destroy Eldar - but, unlike a lot of other scenarios, there isn't much to gain in doing so - no victory points for first blood or killing the enemy warlord or taking out enemy units. The ONLY path to victory is getting stuff off the table. Eyes on the prize! Kill only what you need out of your way or might otherwise prevent you from succeeding in your objective!

All the Marines had left on the table at the end of the game was a single Terminator, one full team of five Marines, two more with three and one marine remaining, an Attack Bike and the Whirlwind. All I had left on the table was a single Wraithlord that was down to 6 wounds. I'm not sure he even had enough stuff close enough to the edge of the table to GET 1/3 of his power level off the table even if it had gone another two turns...

I do like these narrative scenarios better. Clear, sensible objectives - rather than ones that shift ever single turn!?


Coming Soon to Tim's Miniature Wargaming Blog: 

No games planned and lots of stuff on the workbench... So I imagine it will be a painting update... but I have no idea what it might be... Lots of Grey Knights nearing completion... but there is a lot of other stuff crowding the painting table as well - Necromunda Gangers (Ratskins and Cawdor), Chaos and Eldar Stuff... and then there's all the stuff I've been THINKING about lately... so scattered.