Kill Team: Imperial Fists - Scouts (Detachment-Xn)

After nearly two months of not painting anything, I got busy this week and started working on a few things. Mostly I've been assembling things from the Chalnath box set (which, I get it, is absurd, considering I haven't even finished ANY of the Octarius box set... for what it's worth, FINNEGAN bought this set, and I'm assembling and painting the T'au for him - along with a bunch of other T'au he's had kicking around for some time). 

One thing I DID finish this weekend was an Imperial Fist Scout Sergeant I needed to finish up a Scout Kill Team. This is a reorg of Detachment Xn. The previous incarnation was lead by a Space Marine Captain and Sergeant in full Power Armour... The new Kill Team doesn't, currently, allow for the mixing of different types of Marines, so I acquired a Sergeant and painted him up to lead this team

Sergeant Reece - Imperial Fists Scout Sergeant

The Scouts of Imperial Fists - Detachment-Xn 

• Sergeant Reece - Scout Sergeant - Chainsword, Bolt Pistol
• Brother Moran - Scout Warrior - Shuriken Catapult (as Boltgun), Fists
• Brother Zadir - Scout Warrior - Boltgun, Fists
• Brother Mennod - Scout Warrior - Boltgun, Fists
• Brother Lorgok - Scout Warrior - Bolt Pistol, Combat Knife
• Brother Thrun - Scout Warrior - Bolt Pistol, Combat Knife
• Brother Kalz - Scout Warrior - Bolt Pistol, Combat Knife
• Brother Fornel - - Scout Warrior - Bolt Pistol, Combat Knife
• Brother Teraq - Scout Warrior - Astartes Shotgun, Fists
• Brother Bekurt - - Scout Sniper Warrior - Scout Sniper Rifle, Fists

Ideally I would like to pick up a couple more snipers. All of these are metal miniatures and I don't care to mix metal and plastic within units (or Kill Teams). I don't think there were ever any Scouts with Heavy Bolters of Missile Launchers made in metal, so I won't be adding any of those to the unit... But a couple more snipers might be fun... 

The Signal - Scenario Three - Getting Down

The 1FO-R-6ET checked his schematics again. Much had changed... but much more than expected had stayed the same. A cargo elevator that should be able to take them down to the level where the source of psychic signal emanated lay just ahead. 

"There should be a way down this way" the Techpriest announced to the rest of the team.

Captain Rhogen started barking orders; "First team, take the lead! Second Team, you're at the rear! You! Guard! You are not to engage unless absolutely necessary! your duty is to protect the Astropath and Techpreist - at all costs! Let's MOVE!"

The group continued to shuffle forwards along the Techpriests suggested line of advance. 

"CONTACT!" 

No one was surprised. They couldn't possibly have expected to get all the way there without running into more Cultists... 

In this third scenario in The Signal Campaign - our small scale narrative campaign to try out Warhammer 40000 (9th Edition) - the Imperial Strike team must make their way to an elevator descend deep, DEEP into the bowls of the underhive....

For some background on the campaign:

The Signal - a Short Narrative Campaign for Warhammer 40K

The Signal - Scenario One - A Chance Encounter

The Signal - Scenario Two - Breaking In

Scenario

The Imperial forces must make it to the elevator to get down to the level from which the Psychic Signal is emanating. Only those that fit into the elevator will be allowed to continue in the campaign - those left behind or taken out of action during the scenario are out of the campaign - regardless of recovery rolls. The Tech priest is required to operate the Elevator.

The Genestealer Cult starts with ONE Troops unit and one HQ unit on the table. Another unit arrives at the end of each movement phase and a Second may be diced for - rolling a d6 - if the result is equal to or less than the round number a second unit arrives. Newly arrived units must be set up within unit coherency and wholly within 6" of one of the four hatches (reinforcements locations set up before the game)

Forces

Imperial Strike Team - Vanguard Detachment (CP Cost: 3)

HQ
1x Space Marine Captain - PR5
1x Astra Militarum (Counts As) Company Commander - PR2

Troops
1x Veteran Space Marine Scouts (9) - PR15

Elite
1x Astra Militarum Veteran Squad (6) - PR5
1x Astra Militarum Commissar - PR2
1x Astropath - PR1
1x Techpriest Enginseer - PR2

Power Level: 32


Genestealer Cult Battalion Detachment (CP Cost: 3)
Command Benefit (+3 Command Points)

HQ options
1x Primus
1x Magos

Troop Options
2x Neophyte
2x Hybrid Acolytes

Elites Options
Sanctus


The Game



Finnegan setting up his deployment hatches around the edge of the table



One starting Troops unit with a Primus.


ROUND ONE



Imperial Force set of at a quick, but cautious, pace towards the anticipated location of the elevator down (Advancing, but unable to roll higher than 2...).



The scouts split into two teams to advance down two parallel corridors to keep an eye out for cultists that may ambush them from the side of their line of advance.



The Guard and their charges were pushing up close behind, urging the scouts to move more quickly - perhaps feeling a little less cautious - or a bit MORE anxious - THEY kept rolling 5s and 6s to advance!



Spotting the movement in the corridors ahead, the Cultists guarding the elevator advanced to cover!



And MORE Cultists started spilling forth from their hidyholes.



and MORE!



Dispositions at the end of the first Round!


ROUND TWO



The Scouts moved up even slower and began firing upon the approaching Cultists! Two were taken out of action

(By the Light of the Emperor that kid can roll a LOT of 5s and 6s for saving throws!?)



Captain Rhogen rushed around the flank to try and head off a large reading on his Auspes - before the path to the elevator was entirely cut off!



The Marines pour more fire down on the Cultists that have taken up position at the end of the corridor, in preparation for an assault... that failed to materialize.



The assault team element of the Scout Squad also failed to charge... the initiative was lost...

The return fire from the Cultists was withering. Brother Kalz was the first to fall.



A Magos joins the newly arrived Neophytes.



MORE Hybrid Acolytes pour forth from the hatch!


ROUND THREE



The Assault team finally makes their move and charges the cultists position, but rather than overrun their position, one Neophyte holds them back and further holds up their progress. Brother Thrun is also lost in this assault.

Down the other corridor the fire support element also rushed the Cultists positions.... only Brother Teraq made it through!



Captain Rhogan snaps off a couple shots from his Bolt Pistol and takes down a Hybrid Cultist, that was preparing to join the fray with his scouts.



The Neophyte finally fled the melee as the Hybrids moved up behind into an assault position.



More Hybrids swarming into the room!



While al this action was taking place a Sanctus - a Cult Assassin - quietly slipped into an adjoining room and set up a firing lane... just waiting for the Imperials to walk by...



Things are looking bad for the Imperials - the scouts have lost half their number and not one of them has made it to the elevator and more and more cultists just keep pouring into the scene!



The situation goes from bad to dire...



The Hybrids attack!



Brothers Fornel and Teraq and taken down in the assault.


ROUND FOUR



Captain Rhogen moves to single-handedly take on and entire squad of Neophytes. He throws a grenade, but it goes wide and explodes down a side passage with no effect.



The Imperial Guard detail and their charges move up - a vicious, desperate combat playing out before them! Will the Scouts breakthrough and clear a route for them to get to the elevator?

They rush past the last two scouts holding back the Hybrids, only to discover a Primus hiding in a side corridor.



Rhogan Charges. He cleaves one in two as they rush to meet him, but there are just too many!



MORE Neophyte Cultists arrive!



The last two Scouts are finished off by the Hybrid Cultists, who then charge the Guard that were trying to sneak past them, but ended up waylaid by the Primus.



The Sanctus waits... biding his time... Watching things all play out in front of him.



The second squad of Hybrids joins the fight against Captain Rhogan.

Tehy score SIX wounds - at -2AP.... Yeah... like I can roll six 5+ saves...



Oh, apparently I can!?



The Guard are overwhelmed by the savage assault of the Hybrid Cultists coming to the aid of their Primus!



Though the Scouts and Imperial Guard Troopers were all down, and they could hear hordes of the Cultists closing in from all directions, to the Guard Command and Specialists, only two Hybrids seemed to be blocking the way to the Elevator Door.



Moving up, the Astropath dropped one of the Hybrids with a blast of psychic energy, Commissar Biafra dropped the other with a blast of hot plasma! Captain Rhogan seemed to be holding two whole squads of them at bay! Could this be their chance!?



Lieutenant Naismith told them to go for it while he covered the flank - charging the Primus lurking around the corner.



The commissar stalled (failing charge roll) but the Techpriest saw his chance and leaped from cover and charged across the open area before them.



Swinging his great Omnisian Axe, the Techpriest cleaved one of the Hybrid Cultists attacking Captain Rhogan as the Techpriest ran past on the way to the elevator door.



The Cultists finished off Captain Rhogan, though, and swarmed the Techpriest before he could get past and open the door for the others.



Genestealer Cultists closing in! The path is blocked!



Having dropped the Primus Naismith and the Astropath found themselves facing the Sanctus - a Cult Assassin - a shot from it's long, deadly sniper rifle rang out from the dark shadows... and MISSED!

(BS2+... rolled a one... used a Command Point for a re-roll... another one... just wasn't meant to happen!)



Hybrid Cultists take down the Techpriest!



At this point, with only the Commissar, Naismith and the Astropath surviving and Hordes of the Genestealer Cult closing in... All hope of success seemed utterly lost and we called it a game...


Post Game

Naismith, Biafra and the Astropath fled, but it was clear they would not all get away. Naismith told Biafra to get the Psyker out and warn Command that they had failed. He would attempt to hold them off as long as he could to give them a bit of a lead. With a laspistol, a chainsword and a refractor field... Naismith could not hold them long...

As the hordes closed in on the remaining pair, Biafra ordered the Astropath to scream - a Psychic Scream - as loud as she could to try and let the Command know the situation... Biafra was preparing to overcharge his plasma pistol and kill the both of them (and maybe take a few of the Genestealer Cultists with them).

She screamed.

The Psychic scream melted Commissar Biafra's brain. Blood and other liquified tissues poured from his eyes and nose and ears as he dropped to the floor like a sack of corpse starch. It killed a few of the Genestealer Cultists in the immediate vicinity as well... but not nearly enough...

The Scream had left even the Astropath stunned and bordering on unconsciousness. She stumbled to the corpse of the Commissar and retrieved his plasma pistol. She finished the job of overcharging it and pulling the trigger. The Psyker, the bodies of the Commissar and Lieutenant Naismith, and scores of Cultists that were closing in on her from all directions flashed out of existence as they were vaporized in a giant ball of hot plasma - like that of a miniature star. The blast caused a massive hive-quake - large enough that it was registered by the Imperial forces on the wall surrounding Hive Secondus.

For a brief moment those that had seen the collapse hoped it signalled success for the mission. but when they noticed that nothing had changed for the Psykers and Astropaths, they knew the mission had likely been a failure.

The Astropaths Scream was not registered on Necromunda, it was entirely drowned out by The Signal.

It WAS registered by the Astropath aboard the Light of Vengeance, as it translated out of the Warp at the edge of the system. With some distance from Necromunda, and not inconsiderable skill, the Astropath was able to separate the scream from the background noise of The Signal.

The ship was bringing Lord Inquisitor Dianna Kyros and her elite strike team of the Death Watch, commanded by Watch Captain Gremos Vantarias, to Necromunda.

The Lord Inquisitor looked to Captain Vantarias and said; "It seems the Imperial Fists were unsuccessful in their attempt. It is good we are here. This signal is indeed a beacon for the Hive Fleets and must be extinguished with as much of the cult as possible. Ready your men, Captain."

I didn't bother with survival rolls at this point... we just made up some stuff - for the narrative.

To make this a BIT more playable I probably should have said no reinforcements on the firs Round and one each turn thereafter and rolling for a second if the roll is LESS than the turn number (i.e. need a 1 on Round Two, need a 2 on Round Three, etc...)

Sometime in August we will return to The Signal campaign - with Finnegan playing the Death Watch and me playing the Genestealer Cultists! Hopefully the experts of the Death Watch will have a little more success against this Xenos infestation!


Coming Soon to Tim's Miniature Wargaming Blog: 

Later this week we'll be playing another game in the Other narrative Campaign - Rise Up! - and another game the last week of July.

In August, in addition to returning to The Signal campaign, Amanda and I will (maybe) be getting back to playing Warhammer Quest: Blackstone Fortress and I'll be running a new Narrative 40K campaign - with the FULL 9th edition rules - set on a Daemonworld in the Eye of Terror.

Lots of stuff on the workbench I'm trying to finish up - some Imperial Wall of Martyrs terrain for the next Rise Up! Scenario, the Death Watch for the next arc of The Signal Campaign (and... other things...), hordes of Daemons for the Daemonworld Campaign, Cultists and explorers for Blackstone Fortress, and so much other stuff!

The Signal - Scenario Two - Breaking In

The Imperial Strike Team approached the ruins of Hive Secondus under cover of darkness. A preliminary auspex scan revealed a point of access... but also a number of sentries... 

Yesterday afternoon, Finnegan and I played out the second scenario in our narrative 40K campaign. You can read the background to the campaign here:

The Signal - a Short Narrative Campaign for Warhammer 40K

You can read how the first scenario went down here:

The Signal - Scenario Two - A Chance Encounter


Scenario

The Imperial forces are approaching the outer layer of the Hive and must break in and work their way deeper into the hive itself - exiting off the far end of the table.

The Doors are all locked. Doors can be opened in the Command Phase if a model is within 1" of a door. Genestealer cultists may automatically open all doors. The Techpriest will open doors a 3+. Marines can try to force the doors with their superhuman strength - a single marine can do it on a 6+ (and gains +1 for each other Marine in contact with the door).

The Guard...? I guess they could try and blast their way through...? They are T8 and have 6 wounds...

Genestealer Cult can deploy a squad of Neophyte cultists as Sentries - as per the rules in Warhammer 40000 (8th Edition) Core Rulebook (because the free PDF rules we have for 9th that we have don't define such things...) with the following exceptions; four may be deployed outside the hive, four a may be deployed inside the hive, two are deployed in the prepared position in the middle of the table and will not move from there (don't roll for them when sentries are normally moved)

Once the alarm has been raised The Genestealer Cult may roll for reinforcements - but the hive is a big place and reinforcements aren't necessarily that close - of they will only arrive on a 6 the first turn after the alarm has been raise, a 5+ on the turn after the alarm has been raised, and on a 4+ on all other subsequent turns. Reinforcements are deployed within 2" of the side table edges (not the exit edge) within the hive.

Forces

Imperial Strike Team - Vanguard Detachment (CP Cost: 3)

HQ
1x Space Marine Captain - PR5
1x Astra Militarum (Counts As) Company Commander - PR2

Troops
1x Veteran Space Marine Scouts (10) - PR15

Elite
1x Astra Militarum Command Squad (4) - PR2
1x Astra Militarum Veteran Squad (10) - PR5
1x Astra Militarum Commissar - PR2
1x Astropath - PR1
1x Techpriest Enginseer - PR2

Power Level: 34


Genestealer Cult Battalion Detachment (CP Cost: 3)
Command Benefit (+3 Command Points)

HQ
1x Primus PR4
1x Magos PR4

Troops
2x Neophyte (10) @PR4=8
2x Hybrid Acolytes (5) @PR3=3

Sentries: 6x Neophytes, 2x Hybrid Acolytes

Power Level: 19 (not including Sentries)

Total Power Level: 45

Yes, "the Ebony Viper" he wasn't, in fact killed in the previous adventure - when the Marines assaulted him he slunk under the tractor and found a hole to crawl down into and hide. The Marines tossed a grenade in after him, but he somehow survived the blast and remained hidden until they had passed...

The Game



The map The Imperial Strike Force sets up within 6" of the western edge and need to exit the table off the east edge - delving deeper into the hive! The West half of the board represented the ash wastes at the edge of the hive. The Eastern Half of the board was inside the hive. There were three possible entrances.



The Strike force approaching the outer wall of Hive Secondus - trying to stay under cover and sneak up on the sentries.



Scout Team Two deployed to take out one of the other sentries.




Genestealer Cult sentry wandering the abandoned corridors of the Hive.



Acolyte Hybrid Sentry - messing around with the Thermic Plasma Conduit again... even though he's be told NOT to... MANY TIMES!!!



Two sentries at the main entrance. The crates contain beer... and... ammo...


ROUND ONE



Scout Team Two stealthily approaches a sentry who is standing back to them gazing at the hive. He is thinking how boring the architecture is and how he really should have followed his dreams to become an architect, such structures he would have designed - they would have been breathtaking!



Scout Team One started deployment within charge range of the sentry they were to take out. Lt Naismith lead his Command Squad a little closer to the Sentry they were tasked with taking out.



A quick, silent rush and they were there - Scout Team One takes out their sentry is the silent, efficient manner they were trained to....

Scout Team Two... not-so-much... Five Veteran Scouts with TEN attacks between them (3+ to hit... 3+ to wound... 5+ save) failed to take out the lone sentry... and thus the alarm was raise on the very first round...



Naismith and his Veteran Command Squad ALSO failed to take out the Sentry they were tasked with silencing... But they're just Guard... they're pretty much expected to FAIL!? Should have sent in Captain Rhogen to do it. Of course THESE guys will be blamed for the the alarm being raised - no one will ever speak of Scout Team Two's failure...

So the Genestealer Cult immediately got their turn... and NO ONE showed up and reinforcements!?

and THEN the Sentries died in their second round of combat.


ROUND TWO 



Imperial forces pushed on towards the outer hive wall. The jig was up - the alarm raised. There was nothing for it now, but to get in there and past all the other guards as fast as they could!



The Scout teams rushed the sentries positions at the main entrance, guns blazing. The two sentries went down in a hail of bolt gun fire - no sense in being subtle about it now!



On the GEnestealer Cult turn the Primus and Acolyte Hybrids showed up from one direction.



... and a Magos with some Neophyte Hybrids showed up from the other direction.



The other sentries inside the hive rushed to the main entrance - conveniently opening the door for the Marines!


ROUND THREE



All imperial forces started heading towards that main entrance



The Marines prepared to assault (I specifically DIDNT shoot - as I was within charge range and if I shot I'd have definitely take out the sentry and then wouldn't have been able to advance into the hive with a charge move!



Scout Team Two breaches the Hive and quickly overrun the first sentry they encountered within!



They press on finishing another further down the corridor.



On the Genestealer Cult turn the land Acolyte Hybrid Sentry just hid behind the beer coolers and blasted away at the marines rushing down the corridor - no sense in doing their job for them by suicide charing into their midst...



The squad of Acolyte Hybrids, led by the Primus, charged out of the hive, in an attempt to flank the Imperial forces!



The Neophytes on the opposite side of the table caustiously skulked about in the darkness, moving into a position to block the Marines entering the Hive.



The acolyte Hybrids charaged Lt. Naismith and his Command Squad!

(totally forgot I could have done a Heroic Intervention with Captain Rhogen there....)



They took out three of the Command squad, but Lt. Naismith avenged his fallen soldiers - singlehandedly taking down three of the Acolyte Hybrids!

The remaining member of the Command Squad failed morale and fled the table... we said she was actually just gathering up her fallen comrades and dragging them to relative safety where she could apply first aid!


ROUND FOUR



Scout Team Two blew away the Acolyte Hybrid Sentry and rushed the last remaining Neophyte Sentry...



Scout Team One moved into the Hive, trying to keep up with the furious advance of Team Two - who were probably overdoing it a bit to make up for their earlier blunder...



Team Two took out the sentry and rounded the corner to find...

Uh, oh...



Outside, Lt. Naismith and Captain Rhogen finished off the Acolyte Hybrids and then moved on the door Acolytes had conveniently left open.



The Veteran Guard of 3rd Squad, was already ahead of them, though, and charged in through that open door - only to find Genestealer Cult Primus lurking there in the Shadows. In a short, but violent, exchange of blows, the Primus was wounded, but he took out a few of the Veteran Guard!



On the Genestealer Cult turn, the Neophytes quickly fanned out and formed something akin to a firing line and shot Scout Team Two to pieces....



When they were done with their preparatory fire, only Brother Moran was standing... bloody, but crying out in defiance "Come on you BASTARDS!"



And on they came... and Brother Moran went down as well...



The Primus fell back from the onslaught of the Veteran Guard - letting the Neophytes that had arrived behind him the previous turn blast away at them and then rush the remains of the squad...



Like the Marines before them, the Genestealer Cultists rounded the corner, after finishing off Brother Moran, to find MORE Scout waiting for them. And they looked ANGRY!


ROUND FIVE



The Commanders of the team rushed the entrance through which they could heard the horrifying sounds of slaughter - and from which a few of the surviving wounded staggered.



After they all fired or threw grenades into the dark portal, Lt Naismith, followed by Captain Rhogen Charged in!



Likewise, Scout Team One blasted away at the Cultists that had clearly just overran their battle brothers, and then charged into the mass!



The Cultists were taken aback by the ferocity of the assault!



Those that were not killed outright fled before the terrorizing visage of the Imperial Fists Veteran Scouts!



Naismith and Rhogen got into a rather protracted melee with these Cultists, slaughtering them as more poured into the gap.



Their numbers were overwhelming though and Lt. Naismith was wounded again and again!



Before the last of the Neophytes were cut down, the Magos projected raw warp energies directly into the fray, injuring one of the Marines.


ROUND SIX



But the Marines quickly finished off the Cultists, and the Magos found himself surrounded by them!



Lt Naismith eventually felt the hands of the GEnestealer Primus, who had re-entered the struggle. But Captain Rhogen stepped into the breach...



...and that was about the end of it...

End Game



It was a great game! So glad to be playing with this guy again!

(now if only I could get his sister interested again!)

I have to admit, when I was planning this scenario I was so worried it was totally going to be a cake walk - the marines would take out the sentries one-by-one and either never raise the alarm - or it would be raised so late that there would be nothing the Genestealer Cult would be able to do about it... and then I worried Finnegan might think I was going to make ALL the scenarios too easy and get bored and not want to continue on... Instead it ended up a REAL nail-biter!

Rather than being bored, Finnegan, gentle soul that he is, was actually pretty distraught part way through when it looked a little like he might just wipe out my force! He's totally bought into the narrative and is rooting for the Marines. I, on the other hand, was only too excited to see that I'd actually come up with a VERY dynamic and challenging scenario!

Afterwards we did some recovery rolls. Things were looking pretty bad with over half of the Scouts out of action along with both squads of guard!

Most of the marines superhuman, quick healing abilities kicked in and they all survived. Only one of the marines was so badly wounded he wouldn't be able to continue; Brother Moran lost his leg and part of his abdomen and would need some significant augmetic reconstruction before he'd be able to fight again...

Of the Guard, only two were killed in action (or bled out shortly thereafter) - one from the Command Squad and one from 3rd Squad. But two of the others in the Command Squad and three of the others in 3rd Squad were so seriously injured that they could not hope to carry on. Trooper Piece, the platoon's medic chose to stay with them and try to help them move back to the wall that surrounds Hive Secondus - or at least to a safe enough location that they could try to call in a dust off with Trooper Darad's Voxcaster.

So the Command Squad will not be continuing on and the Squad of veterans was reduced to six troopers.

Going forward, there would be no such hope of retreating to get help....


Coming Soon to Tim's Miniature Wargaming Blog: 

Thursday Da Boyz will be back for round two of the Rise Up! Campaign.

Friday, Finnegan and I had originally planned to do another game in THIS campaign... but I think that's going to be a bit much for one week - I still have a Wrath & Glory game to prepare for Saturday!

I think next week I'll limit it to one game for each campaign - and so both will play out into the beginning of August.

After that I'm planning a little Paths to Glory/Daemon World Campaign!