“Sir,” the voice of one of his adjutants echoed in Melthas’ ear as he rode the descending drop pod towards the surface. “We have visual confirmation of the enemy now, they comprise forces of multiple Chaos Gods.”
“There should only be foes sworn to Nurgle here,” Melthas mused. “Something is wrong in our intelligence reports, this should not be.” He knew that High Command would need to be notified, but first he would need to see what he could do to help his “allies” manage their withdrawal.
“Prepare to be cleansed!” Marshall Melthas and his escort squad burst forth from their drop pod to bring the fight to the unfeeling Rubric Marines of the Thousand Sons.
Tau Broadsides set themselves up in the ruins, their weapons watching the skies.
A second Templar drop pod falls right in the middle of the enemy forces, preparing to do what they can to dismantle the Landraider.
“Kroot, stand firm!”
A skirmish line is established to protect the fragile Fire Warriors.
“All is dust!”
The Rubric Marines hiss their ancient battle cry as they fire upon Melthas and his squad. The Black Templar hold firm and the Thousand Sons storm forward like methodical machines to come to grips with their foes.
Chaos shooting disables the Pathfinder detachment.
The Tau will suffer for a lack of markerlights to aid their shooting
Chaos Heldrakes sweep out of the skies, though do surprisingly little to moderate damage to the assembled Tau infantry.
“Blood for the Blood God, skulls for the Skull Throne!”
A surprise attack, not just three, but all four Gods of Chaos are represented here! Kharn and a squad of berserkers leap out of a Thousand Sons Land Raider and charge into the Space Marine lines.
The Noise Marines strike up some heavy metal riffs, their sonic weaponry devastating their field of fire.
The Templars fought bravely.
The Templars fought nobly.
And the Templars died.
Kharn reaps a bloody toll as he collects his skulls.
The Gunline still stands, and begins unleashing return fire.
“Stand firm, brothers! The fury of The Emperor is made manifest in your rage!”
Marshall Melthas holds his men in place as they do battle with an overwhelming number of Rubric Marines, but Melthas is a deadly opponent and fells all who stand before him, will it be enough to turn the tide?
Some Tau broadsides had hoped that the ruins would protect them from assault (horrid, horrid assault, the Tau have long petitioned that it be removed from the game because it is cheesy)
Unfortunately, the slurping bodies of the Chaos Spawn flow and spring through the rubble as though it were not there.
The results are predictable.
One of the Templar sergeants stands toe to toe with Kharn.
…it will end badly for him.
Tau battle suits drop down amidst the enemy lines, attempting to bring enough firepower to bear to force back the Chaos forces.
An overview of the battle lines.
The Templar push has been met hard, the right flank crumbling under Kharn, and the left bogged down in the battle with the Rubric Marines.
Meanwhile Chaos continues to drive forward.
Disembarking from their Spartan Pattern Land Raider, the Black Templar forces move to reinforce the flagging defense lines.
Sternguard drop down amidst the teething masses of Cultists and Spawn, firing with abandon at their sea of targets.
Firepower is brought to bear on the Heldrakes, but though they are battered, they still command the skies.
The Chaos Spawn withdraw from the approaching Templar to seek easier prey.
The Noise Marines are torn up by Tau firepower.
The flagging Imperial/Tau lines.
A daemon Prince roars in to land near the Crisis Suits, cackling in pleasure as it readies its weapons.
Obliterators stalk through the ruins, lending their firepower to the wave of spawn overrunning the gunlines, the Sternguard who had been here are wiped out to a man.
Waves of balefire sweep through the Tau lines, destroying Tau and machine alike.
The casualties begin to mount up.
The left flank crumbles as Chaos claims an objective.
Their Rhinos erupting in explosions around them, the Black Templar hold firm, knowing that to fail to face Chaos is as good as embracing it.
“The Ho'or-
ata-t'chel is upon us!” The Crisis uits are torn apart as the Daemon Prince howls in victory.
Chaos spawn tear apart a Hammerhead.
“We need more shooting gue’la!” A Heldrake is blasted from the sky.
Imperial shooting and a Rhino tank shock manage to down most of the Obliterators on this flank. Though the left flank is crumbling if the right can be held perhaps a draw can be forced.
Marshall Melthas is last reported standing atop a pile of fallen Chaos Marines and singing invocations to The Emperor before all contact is lost with his squad.
The Heldrakes continue to circle, unleashing devastating colums of flame down on the Tau lines, incinerating them in droves.
“Let’s kill this now, blood, blood, BLOOD MAKES THE GRASS GROW!”
After felling a Templar squad almost single-handed, Kharn unleashes his rage upon their Spartan, destroying it in moments with brutal cuts from Gorechild.
“Why doth you walk with Gentukama?” The Black Templar Sergeant, Guntram, batters down the Herald of Tzeentch and demands answers.
“Foolish mortal, you don’t even understand what is at stake here.”
“Maybe not, but I know my duty.” Guntram promptly drives his combat blade into the laugh daemon’s face, banishing it back to the Warp.
He looks out across the battlefield and shakes his head. The presence of Chaos is strong here, and they have not the men to make the difference. He sends the signal to reconsolidate on his position.
The Tau rather agree with that idea.
“Retreat, for the Greater Good!”
The Ethereal leads his people from the field.
blog!
1,500 Points II 
125
