Rise Up! Scenario Three: Infiltrate!

4.536.020.M42

This is Game Three in our little narrative 40K campaign.

You can read more about the campaign background here:

Rise Up! ANOTHER Short Narrative Campaign for Warhammer 40K

You can read about Game One here:

Rise Up! Scenario One: The Ambush!

You can read about Game Two here:

Rise Up! Scenario Two: Sabotage!

The scenario design ended up being a little... last minute... and kind of incorporated elements of TWO different scenarios I'd had in mind (I initially had about a dozen ideas for scenarios, but then realized we'll only really have time for about five...). Play balance is hard. The best laid plans never survive first contact with the players... or their dice...

Scenario 

This Scenario had a number of objectives.

Primary Objective: Escort the Sanctus

There is a Genestealer Cultist Sanctus - a cult assassin - operating in the groups region and is on an assignment to infiltrate behind enemy lines and assassinate a critical enemy leader. They must aid the Sanctus in getting through the lines.

To infiltrate the Sanctus must either exit off the far edge of the table or enter the sewer system (he couldn't simple enter the sewer system on the Genestealer Cult side of the lines, because the Imperial Forces have blown most of the tunnels connecting the two - but there is an entrance right by the front line!). To enter the Sewer the Sanctus must begin the Genestealer Cult Movement Phase wholly within 3" of the sewer entrance and neither the sanctus, nor the Sewer Entrance, may be within Engagement Range of the Enemy.

Any Troop Units within 6" of the Sanctus when either option is achieved receives a bonus 3 Experience Points.

If this Primary Objective is achieved, all surviving Genestealer Cult characters (not taken out of action - regardless if they survive their recovery roll!) gan an additional Advancement Point.

Secondary Objectives

I the same lightly held part of the line where the Sanctus is to make his infiltration attempt, there is an Artillery Forward Observer in a tower and two self-propelled artillery pieces (Basilisk and Manticore) behind the lines. They have been bombarding the Genestealer Cult positions throughout the city and must be taken out!

A Genestealer Cult Troop that takes out any of these will gain an additional +3 Experience Points

Spotting

The Imperial Guard Forces will not act until the Genestealer Cult forces are spotted.

The Imperial Guard Forces will automatically spot any Genestealer Cult forces that they have line of sight to and are in the open.

The Imperial Guard Forces can attempt to spot any Genestealer Cult forces that they have line of sight to and are in cover. A single Ballistic Skill test is made and if they pass the unit is spotted.

Once Spotted The Imperial Guard may call on reinforcements from the Response force. They may test once per turn (so, a maximum of one unit will show up per turn). On the first turn that the genestealer Cultists have been spotted, reinforcements show up on a 5+. Thereafter reinforcements show up on a 4+. The first element to show up will be a Squad of the RAPID Response Force in a Chimera!

The Manticore and Basilisk will not fire anything but their Heavy Bolters. Shooting artillery like that on a small table is just silly... SILLY!

Forces

Imperial Forces
Starting Forces
Elements of F Battery, XIVth Gravalaxian Artillery Regiment
Master of Ordnance
Command Squad
Manticore
Basilisk

Elements of C Company, XXXIIIrd Gravalaxian Infantry Regiment
Commissar
Infantry Squad

Response Force
Elements of C Company, XXXIIIrd Gravalaxian Infantry Regiment
Patrol Detachment - Cost: 2CP - Command Benefit +2CP
HQ
Captain - Company Commander

Troops
Infantry Squad
Infantry Squad
Infantry Squad

Elites
Command Squad

Transport
Chimera


Genestealer Cult Forces
Battalion Detachment - Cost: 3CP - Command Benefit +3CP

Ian:
Idunt Noe - Magos - HQ - PR4 - 0AP
Abilities: Psychic Might0
Psychic Powers: Smite, Psionic Blast, Might From Beyond.

Troops -Neophyte Hybrids (10) -  PR4 - 5XP - Blooded
Battle Honours: SharpShooters

Finnegan:
Ehxmuhnxd Ebonyviper II - Primus - HQ - PR4 - 2AP
Abilities: Stealthy, Camouflaged

Troops -Neophyte Hybrids (10) -  PR4 - 0XP - Green

Oliver:
Phil Lip - Primus - HQ -  PR4 - 2AP
Abilities: Impervious, Toughened Armour

Troops -Brood Brothers Infantry (10) -  PR4 - 4XP - Green

Power Level: 24


The Game



The Imperial front line in part of the ruins of Gehardog Fol



The Lads setting up their Cultists.



GEnestealer Cultists attempt to sneak up on the imperial lines.



Sneaky...



Stealthy...



Until George, who wasn't fully briefed on the mission's objective and the need for silence, spotted the Imperial lines and points and shouts "I say, Guys! There's IMPERIALS over there!? let's GET THEM!!"

They were spotted...

On turn one...

AGAIN!?



Advancing under fire, Cultists take up firing positions in a ruined building.



The Sanctus eyes his objective...



Pulling a Gary: trying to sneak along the very edge of the table... when there really isn't room to move along the edge of the table...



These two squads under Magos Noe and Primus Lip were determined to take out the artillery pieces.



Rapid Response force arrives and joins in pouring fire down on the buildings opposite.



More reinforcements arrive to defend the Artillery.



Genestealer Cultists under Ebonyviper II break out!



...and charge the Guard positions to - hopefully - create a big enough distraction for the Sanctus to make his move!



The other Squad of Guard join in...



The Neophyte Cultists are overpowered and defeated - and the two Primus escorting the Sanctus are caught in the open!



Pouring fire on them DIDN'T take them out - so in a last ditch effort, the Guard CHARGE!



A second squad of guard arrive to defend the Artillery - just in time, as the first one was wiped out!



Imperial Guard Platoon Command arrives.

Magos Noe, apparently, had been briefed on his predecessors demise. He heeded the warnings about steering clear of Imperial razor wire!



He kind of completely ignored the warnings about STANDING IN THE OPEN, AWAY FROM FRIENDLY TROOPS, AND BEING THE CLOSEST UNIT TO THE ENEMY!?



The Genestealer cult characters succeeded in making out their Guard assailants - they took some fire from the newly arrived Guard Command - Primus PHil Lip had to make use of the Unquestioning Loyalty rule - to leap in front of incoming fire to save the Sanctus and complete the mission!

Post Game

Wow... I totally thought they'd take at least ONE of the guns out!? And FOR SURE thought Oliver would be gunning for the Artillery Observer in the tower - I don't think a SINGLE SHOT was fired their way the ENTIRE GAME! I mean, the Sanctus could have TOTALLY taken the Master of Ordnance out of action with a single shot - ignoring the Command Squad that was accompanying him as a Meat Shield!?

Magos Idunt Noe, though taken out of action, recovered from his wounds.

Primus Phil Lip, however, did not make his recovery roll... Yikes! Oliver had built a character to withstand some serious damage (recovering one wound per turn, increasing saving throw) - but the Unquestioning Loyalty rule cares for none of that. If you sacrifice yourself to soak damage for another character, you are take out of action, regardless of how many wounds you have!

Noe and Lip's squads  did survive (through the judicious use of the Cult Reinforcements stratagem!) and each gained ONE experience point for participating... That Brough Lip's squad to a total of five and they gained a Battle Honour: Sharpshooters.

Ebonyviper II survived and gained 2 Advancement Points (as they DID complete the primary objective!). Ha gained a new ability: Swift Advance (or... retreat!?) When this model Advances, add 6" to its move characteristic for that movement phase instead of rolling d6"

They weren't able to keep Ebonyviper's squad in play through Cult Reinforcements as, by the time they needed it, they were completely surrounded and there are very specific rules about how the reinforcements must be placed (within coherency, but not within 1" of enemy!)

I think the Patriarch is starting to realize this groups utterly lack of subtlety and may have some OTHER sorts of missions for them in the future... Stay tuned for Game Four: Break Out!


Coming soon to Tim's Miniature Wargaming Blog:

Lots of stuff on the paint desk nearing completion.

Later this week, Finnegan and I will be playing Game Three in our other campaign: The Signal!