Rise Up! Scenario Five: Defend the Hive!

The Imperial Oppressors tighten the noose. With the latest batch of reinforcements to the Gehardog Fol have come and Inquisitor of the Ordos Xenos and a Death Watch Strike force. They have penetrated the outer defences of the hive and none are left to defend the patriarch, save our Heroes! 

4.583.020.M42

SCENARIO

The Inquisitor and her Death Watch Kill Team are here to take out the Patriarch. The Genestealer Cult must hold them back until reinforcements can arrive. In that time, if the Genestealer Cult can prevent the Inquisitor and the Death Wathc Kill Team from taking out the Patriarch they win. If the Patriarch is taken out of action, the Imperial forces win!

I'd briefly thought of using the Assassinate! Scenario from the Core Rulebook, But it's played over only five turns and points are given per turn that damage is done  to the Warlord (10 points per turn) and if the warlord is done at the end (bonus 40) and the defenders get points if the warlord survives (50 points) and if the Warlord kills ANY models in a given turn (10 points per turn). Given the terrain we were using, however, it would have been INSANELY easy for them to turtle in the corner and plug the bottlenecks with hordes of crap troops and deny any ability to GET to the Warlord... 

So I didn't put a limit to the number of turns, but made the Power Levels pretty close... 

FORCES

Imperial Forces
Inquisition Strike Force - Combat Patrol - Cost: 2CP - Command Benefit +2CP

HQ
Lord Inquisitor Drusilla Kyros PR4
Death Watch Captain PR5


Troops
Death Watch Kill Team (7) PR14

TEmpestus Scions (5) PR3

Elites

Eversor Assassin PR5

Vindicare Assassin PR5

Acolytes (6) PR6 (using the ability to add ONE Agents of the Imperium to any Imperial Detachment without taking up a slot) 

Total Power Level: 42


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

Finnegan:
Ehxmuhnxd Ebonyviper II - HQ - Primus - PR4 - 6AP
Abilities: Stealthy, Camouflaged, Inspirational Leader

Troops -Neophyte Hybrids (10) -  PR4 - 6XP - Blooded
Elites - Sanctus - PR3 - 6XP - Blooded
Elites - Kellermorph - PR3 - 0XP - Green

Ian:
Idunt Noe - HQ - PR4 - 1AP
Abilities: Psychic Might, Master of Lore
Psychic Powers: Smite, Psionic Blast, Might From Beyond, Psychic Stimulus

Troops -Neophyte Hybrids (10) -  PR4 - 8XP - Blooded
Battle Honours: SharpShooters


Oliver:
Phi Lip - HQ - Primus - PR4 - 1AP
Abilities: Impervious, Toughened Armour

Troops -Brood Brothers Infantry (10) -  PR4 - 6XP - Blooded
Battle Honours: SharpShooters

Extras:

Patriarch - HQ - PR7

Purestrain Genestealers - Elites - PR4

Total Power Level:

THE GAME

how it went

The lads setting up their Cult Ambush markers. This was the first game that it really made sense to do so! 

ROUND ONE - IMPERIUM

Imperial Forces lead by Lord Inquisitor Drusilla Kyros enter the extensive networks of caverns below Gehardog Fol - determined to erradicate the Genestealer in gestation! 

Deathwatch Kill Team lead by a Deathwath Terminator - originally from the Salamanders Space Marine Chapter. 

Lord Inquisitor Kyros and a few of her loyal Acolytes. 

(Originally I'd planned to use the Tempestus Scions as Acolytes, but then realized Acolytes only have a save of 5+! Scions have carapace armour that gives them a 4+! So I just used some preachers as Acolytes and brought in a full Squad of Tempestus Scions) 

Inquisition Stormtroopers (Temestus Scions) lead by a commissar (used as a Tempestor) 

An assassin from the Eversor Temple, skulking around in the Caverns around the flanks... 

All Advanced... which meant there wasn't a lot else they could do this turn... 

ROUND ONE - Genestealer Cult

Deciding who goes where... 

Genestealer Cultists pop out from their ambush locations 

(Actually this was done after the Imperial forces movement phase, and the Scions got off one shot from a Grenade Launcher - an Assault weapon - which took two neophytes out of action) 

Neophytes pour fire down on the approaching Scions - all were taken out of action with one round of fire! 

The Purestrain Genestealers charged the Deathwatch Kill Team. They were utterly wiped out before they even got to the Kill Team... I should have let one live to get into combat... so I could have piled in - moving forward! - and then consolidated a bit further! 

The Kellermorph got in a few lucky shots at the Eversor and caused FOUR WOUNDS from shooting... then it charged (mistake). The Eversor Assassin handed the poor Kelermorph his own ass.

ROUND TWO - Imperial Forces

Deathwatch Captain and Vindicare assassin moved up - the Vindicare got a show off at Phi Lip - one of the Cult Primuses...? Primi...? Whatever... hit and wounded, but one of the nearby Brood Brothers jumped in and took the hit! 

The Deathwatch Kill Team moved up and blasted one of the squads of Neophytes to bits with fire (Ian's). 

Then they charged what remained.... and killed the rest of them...

 And consolidated in the main chamber - within striking distance of the Primarch. 

The Acolytes moved up to the position where the Scions had been taken out and blasted away at the Neophyte Cultists. 

They too charged what remained of them, slaughtering the lot of them!  

They too consolidated into the main chamber!

(Acolytes are BRUTAL against their Quarry!) 

ROUND TWO - Genestealer Cult

The Genestealer cult used Smites and Psychic blasts against the Deathwatch Kill Team - taking out two of them. A squad of Brood Brothers unloaded everything they had at them... and did NOTHING... The Brood Brothers then charged, and were utterly wiped out by the Overwatch Fire. 

Then the Patriarch charged! It took out FOUR of them! The remaining Deathwatch Marine actually PASSED his morale check! 

Phi Lip Charged the Acolytes and took one of them out of action. They dealt a wound or two back to him (actually I think they did five, but he actually saved four!?) 

ROUND THREE - Imperial Forces 

The Acolytes fell back from their combat with the Primus and Lord Inquisitor Kyros stepped in... Between shooting and smiting, the Primus was taken out! 

The Vindicate relocated again! Though he had to advance to get into a position where he could target anything... would any still be there on his next turn?

The end of Round Four for the Imperium... not a lot left on the table! Patriarch, Primus and Magos on the Genestealer Cult side. 

ROUND THREE - Genestealer Cult 

The Patriarch moved up to charge the Watch Captain of the Deathwatch. ON his way by, he smited the lone remaining battle brother... The Patriarch charged the Watch Captain and dealt him some grievous blows, the Watch Captain did his best to fight back 

The Magus took out two of the Acolytes with Psychic Powers, and Ebonyviper took out the remaining one with his pistol!

ROUND FOUR - Imperial Forces

The Vindicate Assassin shot and wounded Ebonyviper II, the Eversor Assassin then charged in and finished him off... Not quite close enough to catch that wily Magos... 

The Inquisitor joined the melee with the Patriarch, dealing it some serious hurt... It continued to hammer on the Watch Captain, but failed to take him out. The Watch Caption fought back and injured the Patriarch further! 

ROUND FOUR - Genestealer Cult

The Magos retreated away from the Eversor Assassin, blasting it with psychic energy, reducing it to one wound... 

The Patriarch finished off the Watch Captain with a Smite... but the Watch Captain use Only in Death Does Duty End - a stratagem that allows a Deathwatch Character the ability to fight, as though it was the Fight Phase, if it is taken out of action - and with his dying breath, he slew the Patriarch! 

Ah, well... if he didn't the Inquisitor would have totally taken it out... 

END GAME

We didn't track any experience as this was the end of this little narrative - though I suggested to Finnegan that maybe we could could Ebonyviper II's games for experience if he were to build a Genestelaer Cult Crusade force - and count this as the first game for his Inquisition/Deathwatch Crusade Force (though I'd need to finish up the rest of his Deathwatch - and he'd likely need ONE MORE unit - probably a Kill Team - or maybe a Dreadnought)! 

Limiting Overwatch is HUGE. That Deathwatch Kill Team could deal out some CrAzY amounts of overwatch fire! I think that may have been the first time I saw a unit actually be WIPED OUT with Overwatch Fire - which normally would have meant it would be able to do so again if another unit charged it - like the Patriarch did... and it would have laid down some SERIOUS hurt on that Patriarch! 

Psykers seem like they could be a little overpowering in smaller games throwing all those Smites about... especially if their opponent has none (or few) to deny psychic abilities. 

Coming Soon to Tim's Miniature Wargaming Blog:

Tomorrow I'll be posting a wrap up of all the games we played in July. We got off to a slow start, but ended up playing quite a few over the month! Especially 40K - with all the campaigning we've been doing! 

Coming up in August - we're planning a second narrative campaign of sorts with the lads - Daemon Prince Garfongdong has invited four champions of Chaos - four Warlords from four different legions, representing the four different gods - to battle for supremacy over a Daemonworld. We'll be using the new Crusade Campaign rules - with a few modifications/limitations. 

Rise Up! Scenario Four: Break Out!

With the surge of reinforcements, Imperial Forces are tightening their stranglehold on Gehardog Fol. The patriarch has commanded all loyal to trying break out - all along the line - breakthrough and run amok behind the lines creating chaos and instability. It is the Cult's only hope...

4.567.020.M42

Scenario

The Genestealer Cultists must break through the enemy lines by exiting of the far end of the table.

This scenario uses Variable Game Length.

Characters that exit off the far side of the table before the games ends gain an additional Advancement Point.

Units that exit off the far side of the table before the games ends gain an additional 3 Experience Points.


Forces

Imperial Forces
Elements of C Company, XXXIIIrd Gravalaxian Infantry Regiment

Battalion Detachment - Cost: 3CP - Command Benefit +3CP
HQ
Captain - Company Commander - PR2
Primaris Psyker - PR2

Troops
Infantry Squad - PR3
Infantry Squad - PR3
Infantry Squad - PR3

Elites
Command Squad - PR2
Commissar - PR2

Heavy Support
Heavy Weapon Squad - PR3

Fortification Network - Command Cost: 1 (Command Benefit: +1)
Imperial Defence Line - PR4
Imperial Bunker - PR5

Total Power Level: 29


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

Finnegan:
Ehxmuhnxd Ebonyviper II - HQ - Primus - PR4 - 4AP
Abilities: Stealthy, Camouflaged

Troops -Neophyte Hybrids (10) -  PR4 - 0XP - Green
Elites - Sanctus - PR3 - 0XP - Green
Elites - Aberrants (4) - PR7 - 0XP - Green

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

Troops -Neophyte Hybrids (10) -  PR4 - 6XP - Blooded
Battle Honours: SharpShooters

Heavy Support - Leman Russ Tank - PR9 - 0XP - Green

Oliver:
Phi Lip - HQ - Primus - PR4 - 0AP
Abilities: Impervious

Troops -Brood Brothers Infantry (10) -  PR4 - 5XP - Blooded
Battle Honours: SharpShooters

Heavy Support - Goliath Rockgrinder - PR6 - 0XP - Green


Power Level: 49


The Game



Imperial Forces holding the line... They know something is up - there is movement out there in the ruins of central Gehardog Fol.



The lads, having been given they objectives, marshal their troops.



Magos Idunt Noe and his squad of Neophytes are joined by a captured Leman Russ tank!



Primus Ebonyviper II's troops are joined by a Sanctus and a squad of Abberants - though Ebonyviper II and the Aberants all piled into the Rockgrinder - which had joined the other Primus - Phi Lip and his squad of Brood Brothers.



All lined up and ready to go.



The crackle of autogun shots at the high-pitched whine of mining lasers charging up alerted the Guard of the insurgents approach! The troops behind the Wall of Martyrs started taking casualties, but they held!



A mining truck roared ahead of the group while the Leman Russ pumped off shots from it's Vindicator cannon and Lascannon into the surrounding rubble of the city, as if they were drunk or fighting an enemy that only they could see!?



The Brood Brothers kept up some intensive fire on the bunker and troops behind the wall - trying to keep all their heads down!



Ebonyviper's troops rushing the enemy lines - while the Sanctus picks out his targets...



The Magos blasted the troops in the trenches with arcs of warp energy.



The Rockgrinder revved up it's engines...



and... CHARGED THE BUNKER!?

I guess... why not? It's a truck that's designed to tunnel it's way into solid rock in a mine, right...?



It utterly DESTROYED the bunker!?

(They told me it had 6 attacks and when it attacked with the dozer blade it got d3 attacks per attack... some vehicles - utusually TITANIC vehicles do stuff like this - like knights often have 5 or 6 attacks and if they use their stompy-stompy they get three attacks per attack used... but those are knights and are 25 Power Level... this is a 6 Power truck... but whatevs, I wasn't going to argue... so they took 18 Strength 7 attacks against my bunker.... looking this up after the game, they in fact, should have had a MAXIMUM of 6 attacks - d3 was how many attacks they should have had, given the damage it had already taken, +d3 additional attacks for charging... so 2-6 attacks.... not 18... but, whatevs... )



The truck didn't last long, however, concentrated fire from the surviving weapons teams finished if off in a jiffy (actually, if I'd remembered to use my PSYKER - IT could have finished it off as it only had a few wounds left....)

And then in blew up. They actually used a 1CP Stratagem "Rigged to Blow" which means a vehicle that is destroyed doesn't have to rolled to see if it blows up (usually 1 in 6 chance) it just blows and does d3 mortal wounds to every unit within 6"!? That included my Company Commander, the Primaris Spyker, the Heavy Weaon Squad, the Command Squad, and TWO Infantry squads... it was devastating...

Ebonyviper II and the Aberants that were onboard the truck that was rigged to blow? Never fear - they just walked away untouched... Yeah... one of my biggest qualms with the system is the survivability of troops transported in vehicles that are destroyed. Regardless of whether they blow up or not, they simply roll a d6 for each model on board and on a 1 the model is lost... I kind of feel like if you use that stratagem, EVERY troop transported on board should be lost... but whatevs...

Though, by the same token, my troops inside the bunker had survived it's utter destruction (it's basically treated like an immovable vehicle...). So...



Ebonyviper's Neophytes prepare to assault the Imperial troops still holding the line!



Genestealer Cultists close in!



Ebonyviper II and his troops charge the line!



It is a mad, desperate fight, but the Imperial troops are dying!



Cherry-pickers sit back and watch - taking shots at the surviving guard still holding the line.



The Company Commander, Primaris Psyker and Commissar all join in the fight - to prevent the line from being overrun!



Guard fire nearly wipes out Lip's Brood Brothers!

(likely they had Command Points to burn nd brought back three - including the heavy weapons team!? with the Cult Reinforcements stratagem!)



Ebonyviper Breaks through and makes a run for it!



His troops also disengage - leaving the bewildered Imperial commander holding the trench alone.



The Imperial Commanders chase them down - but are cut down.



The MAgos' troops finally decide to get in on the action and overrun the solitary guard left holding the trench on the other side.



Ebonyviper II and both his squads made if off... but the others ended just short of the line when the game ended... Overwhelming Imperial reinforcements arrived and they were obliged to retire and give up their position. Ebonyviper and his troops took refuge in an abandoned warehouse and slipped back through the line under cover of darkness...


Post Game

Well... they all survived... for once... but they failed in their mission of getting off the far edge of the table.

Ebonyviper II gained an advancement point for surviving and one for getting off the table for a total of 6! Which gained him a new ability. He took Inspirational Leader.

The other two Characters also gained one Advancement Point... which also gained them a new ability... because it was their first Advancement Point as both were replacements and/or hadn't survived a game to gain ANY advancement Points... Phi Lip took Toughened Armour and Idunt Noe took master of Lore (and Psychic Stimulus to go with it)

Ebonvyviper's troops gained a whopping SIX experience points - the most in a game so far! That catapulted them directly to "Blooded" and gained them a Battle Honour.

The others each gained one as a participation award.


Coming Soon to Tim's Miniature Wargaming Blog:

I'll probably post some pictures of the Wall of Martyrs defence line I finished up for this scenario, at some point. Perhaps with some more Sector Imperialis scatter terrain I was TRYING to finish up for this game, but didn't....

Next week will be the epic conclusion to this campaign (I have a few things I need to paint for THAT as well!)

After that...? Getting ready for the Daemon World Challenge in August - more on that soon!