40K - Recovering an Aeldari Artefact.

Picking up the narrative from the Aeldari Ambush (Kill Team scenario) The real purpose of Maesenir's Ambush was ... deadly... 

BACKGROUND

3.859.021.M42 - Xoxigar Tertium

Maesenir's Rangers have been tasked with keeping an eye on the Ancient Aeldari ruins deep within the jungles of the planet know to the Mon-keigh as Xoxigar Tertium. Recently, Genestealer cultists, fleeing Imperial forces after a failed uprising in the city of Gehardog Fol, have taken up residence in caverns connected to some of the Aeldari ruins. They have looted some of the ruins, though they know not what the use of half the stuff they made off with is. Unfortunately, one of the items is an artifact of great power and it has been determined too great a risk to leave in their hands, lest they discover it's secrets... Or, more likely, it is stolen from them by someone who does know it's purpose and can use it... Like the forces of the inquisition that have been prowling the area. 

To determine where, exactly, the Genestealer cult spirited the item off to, Maesaenir laid an ambush for a group of the Cultists and implanted their leader with tracking devices which allowed them to follow them back to their lair. It turned out that there were many more cultists in their 

SCENARIO

The scenario, itself, was based on the 8th Edition Narrative Play Mission: Rescue. There were four stashes in which the artifact could be located. Aeldari forces had to move within 3" to determine if the artefact was within and recover it.

In addition to the regular forces, the Defending Genestealer Cult got some extra sentries. The scenario called for a unit of troops of 10PL or less... since the scenario, as written, assumed a force of 50-100 Power Level (and we were only using 25) rather that taking a full unit of 10 Neophyte Hybrids, we agreed upon six. The sentries were the ONLY defending forces on the table. The rest would only arrive if/when the alarm was sounded. 

FORCES 

Biel-Tymm Combat Patrol

Headquarters

• Farseer Thymiltelyir - Shuriken Pistol and Witch Blade - 6 PR
• Warlock Conclave (Adryllewi and Broelwyn) - Shuriken Pistol and Witch Blade - 4 PR 

Troops

• Rangers (5 - Maesenir, et al) - Shuriken Pistol and Ranger Long Rifle - 3 PR
• Rangers (5 - More of Maesenir's Rangers) - Shuriken Pistol and Ranger Long Rifle - 3 PR
• Dire Avengers (10 - Shrine of the Fading Night) - Avenger Shuriken Catapult and Plasma Grenades plus Exarch with Shuriken Pistol and Diresword - 5 PR

Heavy Support

• Dark Reapers (3 - Shrine of the Sunset Bouquet... it makes more sense in the original Aeldari...) 5PR

Power Level: 26

This varies from the original team I put together for a Combat Patrol level Crusade Campaign force - that force had a Wraithlord, which I thought made no sense bringing that down into caverns, so I replaced it with 3 Dark Reapers and added five more Dire Avengers... this brought the total to 26... but that was okay because the force Finnegan wanted to use was also 26... so... 

Ebony Viper Genestealer Cult

Headquarters

• Patriarch 7 PR
• Magos 5 PR

Troops

• Neophyte Hybrids (10) 4 PR
• Acolyte Hybrids (5) 3 PR
• Acolyte Hybrids (5) 3 PR

Elites

• Kellermorph (1) 4PR

+6 Neophyte Hybrid Sentries 

Power Level: 26

THE GAME

All set up and ready to go. 

Cache #1 

Cache #2 

Cache #3

Cache #4

On the left flank approaching Cache #1

Farseer Thymiltelyir and the Dark Reapers of the Shrine of the Sunset Bouquet on the center-left. 

Exarch Bylizek leads his Dire Avengers of the Shrine of the Fading Night on the center-right, towards the central cavern containing Caches #2 and #4... 

Maesenir and his Rangers, accompanied by the Warlock Conclave on the right flank. 

ROUND ONE - Aeldari

The Rangers sneak up through the shadowed corridors in utter silence. 

Exarch Bylizek leads his Dire Avengers of the Shrine of the Fading Night towards the central cavern. A sentry is spotted, but it seems completely unaware of their presence... 

(the sentries only spotted stuff within line of sight and up to a certain distance - for all units of 5 Power Rating or less, that distance is 3"!) 

Aeldair forces moving forward. 

On the left, Rangers snuck into the cavern containing Cache #1 and took out the sentry with silenced Shuriken Pistols. 

(Silenced Weapons was a 1CP Strategem - allowing you to shoot and not raise the alarm) 

The Cache was clear. 

ROUND ONE - Genestealer Cult

Until the Alarm was raised, the only thing that happened on the Genestealer Cult turn was moving teh sentry. each sentry was diced for and the winner got to move them up to 6". Ties meant the Sentries stayed where they were... 

I won all by one of the roll-offs so the SEntries got bored and wandered off to gather in the central cavern for a coffee break and to play cards... or... something... 

Sentires leaving their posts... 

One did not leave his post... he wasn't liked much by the other Neophyte Hybirds. He turned and looked down a corridor and wished he hadn't... 

The defenders also has a strategem that, for one Command Point, they can double the distance that one of their sentries can see... so... the Dire Avengers were spotted and the alarm was raised. 

As soon as the alarm is raised, the defenders get to play a regular full turn and can dice for the arrival of the rest of their force. 

The sentry spotting the Dire Avengers fled, shouting and screaming about the intruders... running only meant he died tired. 

More neophyte Hybrids were the first to arrive on the scene!

(actually they were the ONLY ones to arrive on the first turn!?) 

they could not see the Dire Avengers, though... so that's about all that happened on their first turn. 

ROUND TWO - Aeldari

Aeldari moving with more speed and purpose, now that the alarm has been raised. 

Dark REapers falling behind Farseer Thymiltelyir - the tight tunnels made it difficult for them to maneuver with their Reaper Launchers. 

(rolled six for the Farseers advence. Rolled one for the Dark Reapers...) 

The Farseer quickly despatched the Sentries with Psychic Powers (Smite and Executioner) 

Dire Avengers poured into the central cavern and while surveying the scene and making plans to destroy the enemy, they also check Cache #2 and it was clear. 

Maesenir and his rangers and the two Warlocks swiftly moved about the flanks, hoping to check the Third Cache without drawing the attention of any of the hostiles. 

ROUND TWO - Genestealer Cult

And then the hordes arrived... 

A Kellermorph and a unit of Acolyte Hybrids arrived on the Aeldari left... 

Though they could not spot the Rangers in front of them... 

The Neophtyes surged into the central cavern, followed by a Cult Magos. 

The Cult Patriarch also arrived, along with a brood of acolyte Hybrids. 

The Neophytes blasted away at the Dire Avengers. Three were injured and forced to retire to the Rally Point.

ROUND THREE - Aeldari

The Dire Avengers advanced into the cultists fire, returning fire and preparing to assault - those cultists were standing in the way of their objective - Cache #4

Teh FArseer and Dark REapers also moved forward into the cavern. 

The rangers on the right took up firing positions to hold off the aDvancing cultists on the left flank. Their fire only managed to take down one of the Acolyte Hybrids... 

Maesenir and his rangers on the right rushed forward to check Cache #3 and fire on the Patriarch. 

The Cache did not contain the Artefact. 

The Dire Avengers of the Shrine of the Fading Night stormed the neophytes position and saw them off. They consolidated into cover. 

(technically, they couldn't check the cache as that is only done if they end a MOVE within 3" of the cache... they'd have to survive to the following turn... which might be easier said than done! 

ROUND THREE - Genestealer Cult

The Magos and Patriarch moved towards the Dire Avengers! 

The Kellermorph and Acolyte Hybrids rushed forward, blasting away at the Rangers cloaked in the shadows... though the RAngers were barely visible in their cameleoline cloaks the sheer volume of fire was telling. Two of their number were severely injured and a third left to escort the others to the Rally Point. The other two remained, hoping to pin and slow the advance of the monstrosities charging them, that the others might make their getaway and protect the flank of the others searching the last caches. 

Both Patriarch and Magos charged in to fight the Dire Avengers. 

The last two Rangers on the left saw their position overrun and were obliged to retire from the mission, with serious injuries. 

Which, unfortunately, left their flank open... 

The melee in the dark shadows of the dank cavern was brutal. Four more of the Dire Avengers were taken out of action. But the Dire Avengers managed to take down the Magos. 

ROUND FOUR - Aeldari

The two remaining Dire Avengers, Zaelanys and the Exarch Bylizek, fled the Patriarch and secured the Artefact...

The Rangers and Warlocks on the right took down the last of the acolyte Hybrids accompanying the Patriarch.

The Farseer and Dark REapers maneuvered into the Central Cavern and brought fire down on the Patriarch, injuring it severely. 

The followed up their fire with a charge into melee... which proved to be their undoing... no furhter damamge was dealt the Monstrosity, but the Farseer was gravely injured in the combat. 

Their hope was to buy the Dire Avengers time to escape with the Artifact. 

ROUND FOUR - Genestealer Cult

Avolyte Hybrids moving in on the left flank. 

Teh Kellermorph broke off from the Acolyte Hybrids and went directly after the Dire Avengers that were making off with their loot... clearly it was something of importance! The Kellermorphs usually deadly accurate fire was not able to find it's mark... 

The Patriarch cut down the Farseer in their protracted melee... 

ROUND FIVE - Aeldari

The Dark Reapers fell back from the Patriarch - realizing they were of no use there. They dragged away their fallen commander. 

The Warlock Conclave charged the Patriarch, hoping to buy the others time to escape - and possibly finish off the Patriarch... (seriously, it was down to two wounds... they had two attack each, hit on 3+, their Witch blades always wound on 2+... and dealt d3 damage... but NOTHING could get past that 4+ invulnerable save!?) 

Maesenir quickly tried to redeploy his Rangers so they could help the others escape! 

ROUND FIVE - Genestealer Cult

Things not looking good... 

Acolyte Hybrids sneaking in from behind. 

The Kellermorph blasted into the chamber!

Surrounded... 

The patriarch blasted the Dark REapers with Psychic energies - taking down two of them. 

The Kellermorph shot down the last two Dire Avengers. They had to abandon the artifact and crawl away, injured, in the darkness. 

Acolyte Hybrids charged the remaining Dark Reaper. 

As did the Patriarch, finishing them off...

ROUND SIX - Aeldari 

In a desperate last ditch effort, Maesenir's Rangers moved into position and brought fire down on the Acolyte Hybrids... but only managed to down one of them. 

ROUND SIX - Genestealer Cult

The Rangers were blasted with Psychic energies, shot at by the Acolyte Hybrids and then charged by the same.... They were unable to recover the artifact, but bought the others a little time to escape to the rally point. 

POST GAME

Well that was a lot of fun!

Are we going to use these forces again...? Not sure... but I suggested we treat them like Crusade Campaign forces and check for survival and award experience accordingly. Crusade forces and Kill Teams track survival and experience a little differently, though, so we also decided that units made up of elements of Kill Teams we might do a little differently. 

Crusade Force Units that were taken out of action check for survival as a group - on 2+ they are fine - injuries or losses weren't serious enough to disrupt the integrity of the team - they may have had members die, but they are immediately replaced and the overall efficiency of the unit isn't compromised. On a one, though, they have to choose Devastating Blow or Battle Scar. Devastating Blow means the team loses d6 experience and does not gain any from this mission. Battle Scar means they roll for a permanent penalty of some sort (presumably this option if for experienced units that have gained really cool Battle Honours and don't want to lose them with the loss of experience points. 

I don't love this system - I actually like the campaign system in Age of Sigmar where you actually roll for individuals survival within units and, until they are replaced with Requisition Points, that unit starts battles. I may have to modify this for our campaign... Of course that would require re-reading BOTH sets of campaign rules, and, considering how often we're playing... it might not be worth my time... We shall see. 

ALL my units were taken out of action, so there were probably injuries or deaths among the units, but for the units that passed the survival roll, the injuries weren't so bad that some time in the super advanced Aeldari medical facilities - just beyond the webway gate - couldn't fix/regrow... Rolling for my forces, everyone was okay - except for the Dark Reapers, which failed the roll. So I said the Dark Reapers, one of the last to go down, stayed behind and fought to the last to delay the Genestealer Cultists and give the others time to escape to the Rally Point and then to the Webway gate to escape. None of the Dark Reapers bodies were recovered. 

The Dire Avenger Squad and Rangers were made up of members of Maesenir's Rangers Kill Team, however, so I rolled for all of them individually. Again, as the units were all wiped out, one can expect there were a lot of serious injuries among them... but also, advanced medicine would be able to repair a LOT of those injuries relatively quickly. there were a few individuals who were so seriously damage that they would have lingering impairments... 

Crusade Forces also gain experience differently. Each unit gains ONE experience point just for participating in the battle, regardless if they survived or were taken out. They also gain one additional point for every THREE units they take out. ONE unit is designated as Marked for Greatness and gains three experience points. In Kill Team there is no participation experince points - they only get experience for individually taking out enemy operatives, and completing mission objectives or Tac Ops... of which there are none in regular 40K. So I suggested that any models that are members of Kill Teams just get one experience point (like the crusade forces) and that was it for them. The other Crusade Force units could track experience as per normal. 

If it seems like we might use these again, I might create a Page to track the status of the forces - much like I did for the Daemon World Crusade Forces.