Inquisitor Delenthos, Grandmaster of the Ordos Historicus Veritus wheezed slightly as he sat in his chair, the inbuilt devices in his armor hissing and buzzing as they worked to keep him alive. Behind him stood Inquisitor Luthor Dominatus, Fifth Seeker of the Burning Secrets, Warrior of the Ordos Hereticus and some of his retinue. A young noblewoman mind-witch, a square-jawed gunslinger, a silent Knight of an ancient order, holding a powered sword in a mechanical grasp, a grinning techpriest, his body crowded with ‘upgrades’ to his flesh. Across from them stood a single figure, Chapter Master Azamerac of the Immortal Host.

“Per the Concord I have come,” Azamerac considered Delenthos and his assembled men carefully, “what is this matter that is of such import to you?”

“You are aware of the artifact, the Key of Heaven, known to the Eldar as the Elendil Thrakul?”

“I am.”

Delenthos gave a wan grin, his waxy features twisting about, “you are aware of the power and purpose of the device?”

“Aware enough.” Azamerac shrugged, “I know that Chaos seeks it, and that is reason enough to make sure it stays out of their hands.”

“It is currently held by the Black Templar.” Delenthos tapped a stud on the table, creating a hololithic image of the planet Denaaria. “They and their Imperial Fist allies stole it from us, and currently hold it here, in a planet besieged by Death Guard and daemonic Nurgle forces. We must reclaim it.”

“They will not return it?”

“Their intent is to destroy it.”

“That is…troublesome,” Azamerac frowned, “but it is the Templar way, I see no means to convince them to do otherwise.”

“Nor I, which is why we’re going to use force.” Azamerac’s face went still. Behind Denethos Inquisitor Luthor and his retinue shifted uneasily, they had not foreseen this either.

“I will not raise a sword against my fellow Astartes, that is the way of Heresy.” Azamerac rose to depart, “feel lucky that I do not strike you down now for even speaking as such.”

“You cannot strike me down, not by the words of the compact!” Denethos rose up, the servo units in his ancient armor squealing as they lifted his decrepit body from his chair. “You and yours swore an oath to me, all for a name and a location, and you will honor those words now!”

“Perhaps this is unwise,” offered Luthor, “if we instead-“

“If I have a witch-kin I wish to have hunted down I could see a reason to seek your opinion,” snarled Denethos as he silenced Luthor with a sharp cutting sweep of his hand, “your insights are not needed here!”

“You are being foolish, Denethos,” Luthor’s eyes glittered from beneath the shadows of his broad brimmed hat, “I am trying to help you, do not allow yourself to confuse desire with dedication.”

“Your concern is noted, and dismissed.” Denethos turned back to Azamerac, “by the compact?”

“This is your final request, you were only granted three,” Azamerac’s voice sounded like a caged tiger considering its jailer very carefully. “Are you certain this is what you want?”

“I am.”

“Then it shall be done,” Azamerac growled as he turned on his heel, “the Templar will not make it easy.”

=====================================

Brizelya Maerrett, 2nd daughter of the House of Maerrett, the Thunderhead of the Cerulean Storm listened to her spies reports. They had come here to steal the Elendil Thrakul from the mon’keigh who held it, only to be told to wait in a rather secluded and silent valley.

It was that Farseer’s fault, really. Brizelya had always been quite content with Vect’s ban on the filthy psykers within Commoragh, little good could come from cavorting with the beings and energies of The Warp. But the strange little seer had assured her that if she wanted to claim the Elendil Thrakul that a frontal assault or a sneak attack was not the best method, but rather waiting in ambush here…in the middle of nowhere.

“M’lady,” one of her toadies…she’d forgotten his name, though recalled that in addition to his handsome face he was well endowed in…other areas. “We have captured some more of the local defenders, if you would care to participate in the blood-letting…?”

“I am bored of casual blood-letting, I want the glory of open battle,” she was yelling again, and she realized he had annoyed her. She stood up slowly, deciding she’d kill him unless she could remember his name shortly, his endowed gift or no. Heck, she could always keep it as a remembrance of…what was his name? She glared at the warrior, her eyes narrowing dangerously, and his face went slack with panic as he realized he had caught her in a foul mood. Brizelya was quite pleased that her reputation tended to make even her sisters uneasy to disturb her when she was angry.

That was when she heard the roar of engines. Forgetting to kill…what’s-his-name for a moment she turned, watching as an armored colum advanced up the road, pulling to a stop as one of the vehicles became damaged. The vehicles were filled with the Losseainn warriors, the “Astartes”. These wore purple livery though, not the black of the others on this planet. Brizelya frowned as she considered their hurried actions as they took up defensive postures and repaired their vehicle. Wait…there! Clutched in the hand of their engineer menial was an item she knew well, the Elendil Thrakul!

Brizelya smiled as she turned, purring in glee, to the frightened male next to her. “Prepare the troops for battle, and prepare yourself afterwards, I often have a thirst after a good fight,” she smiled wickedly at him as she swatted his tight backside to send him on his way. This was a good day!

=====================================

Gentukama, greater daemon of Nurgle, sat upon his throne, his bloated and postulant body quivering with anticipation. He had foreseen all of this, he knew that Tzeenth had thought he had been outwitted, but chortled with glee at the thought that soon he would outwit his fellow daemons.

The Thrakul was within his grasp, and he had sent two of his most skilled sorcerers to claim it at the last moment, then, then this entire sector would rot!

Gentukama laughed!

1000 points per side except Immortal Host (IH) who have 1500.
No composition requirements (though there was a suggestion of ‘don’t be a dick with allies’ as a design concept).

IH start in the middle of the board surrounding a rhino (with extra armor that they get for free but can only be used to transport the artifact) that has the Elendil Thrakul inside and all of his forces surrounding the rhino. IH must deploy forces within 12" of the rhino and must deploy first and will move first. They have no reserves, except those that would come in via deep strike or drop pod or flyers. The other players roll off to choose deployment zone. The players will then choose either a quarter of the remaining table or one of the long edges that doesn’t have an occupied quarter, deploy and play in that order for the first turn. Each player can deploy in his deployment zone up to 6" away from the demarcation line from the other players deployment zones and 18" from IH rhino. Their reserves can come in from any edge of their deployment zone.

Following the first turn the players will roll off for who goes next. Highest roll going first. This happens every turn.

If the rhino is destroyed place an appropriate marker to signify the Elendil Thrakul on the table (we ended up using a poor techmarine who was studying it). The marker is treated similar to the rule of the relic, except that it can be moved up to 12".

IH wins if after the end of the game they have the relic in possession or get it off ANY table edge. The other players win if they have it in possession or get it off their table edges.


At Stake
This battle will help shape the final results of the campaign.

With the Eldar having gained control of Farseer Diyneer in the Prison Break mission (still available at excellent 40k forums near you!) this mission is important for Chaos if they want to get ahold of something to prevent them having to be the attacker in the upcoming ‘Ritual’ mission. It is also the last chance for the Inquisition faction to have things go their way, and also for the Black Templar to advance their ‘anti-xenos’ policy.

If The Black Templar win the battle – they will destroy the Elendil Thrakul, ‘The Ritual’ mission will be scrapped, the Eldar will flee, and the final question of the fate of Petod will be settled at Iunden.

If the Immortal Host win the battle – they will deliver the Thrakul to the Inquisition, during the final battle Diyneer will attempt to disrupt their ritual while Chaos is attempting to seize the artifact as well.

If Chaos win the battle – Diyneer and the Inquisition will rally elements of the Imperium to oppose Nurgle’s plot to wedge open the opening portal to allow warp energy to seep into the sector, rotting and corrupting all life there.

If the Dark Eldar win the battle – the Eldar will hold both the artifact and Diyneer, they will ally with agreeable Imperial forces to face off against Chaos’ attempt to sieze the artifact,a dn will attempt to bring balance and safety to the portal opening.

The Immortal Host This week, ‘counts as’ Iron Hands

Chapter Master on Bike w. various upgrades.
2x Sternguard w. Flamers in Rhinos w. Dozer Blades
2x Tactical Squads w. Melta Guns in Rhinos w. Dozer Blades
Las/Plas Pred
Dakka Pred
Dakka Dread
Vindicator w. Dozer Blades
2x 5 Man Legion of the Damned

The Black Templar Army? We don’t need no steenkin’ army!

Chapter Master w. loaded out kit bag of relics and goodies.
2x Priests
1x Inquisitor
10x Assault Termies
1x Spartan Land Raider

The Death Guard 1,000 points ain’t what it used to be
2x Sorcerers on Bikes (ML 3, other upgrades)
2x 5 MoN Marines on Bikes
Obliterator
Obliterator


The Cerulean Storm Am I the only one who brought an army to an army fight?

Baron Sathypants
Beast pack (3 Masters, birds and dogs)
4x 5 Warriors w. Raider and Blaster
3x Trueborn w. Venom
1x Ravager

The battle will take place in a worn down shrine district, the Immortal Host will be ambushed on their escape route.


In concept it looks simple ‘get off a board edge’ in reality…probably not so much.


The Immortal Host place first, circling around their Rhino carrying the Elendil Thrakul as they prepare their escape under the sharp orders of Chapter Master Azamerac himself. Revered Ancient Turvin Lokk takes silent watch in a nearby shattered ruin – alert for any attackers.


He doesn’t have to wait long.
“Brother Azamerac!” The Dread’s ancient vox speaker crackled in warning, “Chaos bikers, Death Guard, to the Northeast!”


“For Gentukama, for the Ruinous Powers, and for Grandfather Nurgle, we ride!”
The dark sorcerers of the Death Guard urge on their men as they roar towards the target.
“Prepare to crush the-“ begins Azamerac.


“Brother Azamerac!” Eldar pirate skimmer craft to the south!
The knife prowed vessels cut silently through the forests as strange creatures loped along in front of them, already slavering in glee at the thought of the feast to come.
“Okay, regroup, defensive posture, two fronts,” Azamerac regarded his men, “we can handle these xenos scu-“


“Heretics! We shall destroy the xenos tainted device, and any who stand in our way!”
“Brother Azamerac, to the west, the Black Templar pursue!”
“Oh, for The Emperor’s sake!” Azamerac shook his head. “Right, whatever, shock and awe time, we’re picking a direction and blasting through, we have to get out of here now!”

The Battle of Four had begun.

The Immortal Host know they need to get out of the murder grounds as soon as possible. Loathe to engage the Templar, they consider the xenos and heretical threats. The Death Guard are well regarded as durable and able to withstand damage so the Host decides to turn its full might to bear upon the Dark Eldar forces.

Early salvos cause a miss from the Vindicator and a poor showing from Azamerac’s orbital bombardment. A predator finds a use though, as it blasts a Venom from the sky, and other Raiders are scorched and damaged.


The Sternguard unleash waves of flame into a Raider and one of the disembarked squads, cutting a swath in the xenos line, their goal to burn a hole to allow Azamerac and the Thrakul to withdraw.


The force of the Imperial armor surges forward, an unending tide of spirit and steel.


What’s this!
The Black Templar enter play with an *unpainted* Inquisitor!?!
HERESY!


The Black Templar spring from their Spartan as it fires upon the Imperial battle line. “Sword Brethren, with me!” Melthas takes command, forming up they let loose a howl of eagerness as they rush upon their former battle brothers. All they know is the Immortal Host has twice showed dishonor, and now appears to be corrupted by a desire for heretical xenos tech!


Flames blast forth from the Rhino firing ports, but the shields and armor of the Templar Terminators proves proof against such minor annoyances.


“Kill them all, bring me the Thrakul!”
Chaos moves forward quickly, unleashing a punishing array of melta shots into rear and sidearmor of assorted Immortal Host vehicles.
…anyone who knows John’s dice will be unsurprised that the end result is not much of anything.
He also perils on himself and wounds a sorcerer putting up invisibility (which he got on both sorcerers and both basically cast every turn)


A scene of the Chaos advance, also visible is the damage caused by the Templar assault on the convoy, as well as how stuck in the Immortal Host got into the DEldar.


“They dare seek to deny me my prize?” Brizelya laughed in a crazed way that almost sounded like a howl of anger even as she smiled. “To arms! To blood, pain, and fury!” She waved her arm and at her command a wild pack of strange beasts roiled along after her, advancing on the Immortal Host.


“To the Thunderhead!” The Trueborn are not going to be left out of the fight, and rush forward, eager to bring their blasters to bear on the filthy mon’keigh rabble.


You almost can’t tell that the DEldar took any damage, as their entire force begins to muscle in on a small part of the Immortal Host army. Basic DE tactics – never fight fair.


The Beasts charge in, absorbing some damage from the Sternguard flamers, but closing the distance.


“Ahhahahaha!” Brizelya sweeps along the side of the Predator, her hellglaive sawing through the thick armor like nothing as she tears it to pieces, disabling the warmachine. Meanwhile, in an amazing showing, a single Sternguard manages to survive the assault, I can’t remember if that was my bad dice or his good ones, but that was the result – not that I was complaining really. I’ll take a turn of not being shot to death.


In a flash of fire and a bright flare of 3rd edition Goblin Green, the Legion of the Damned appear, already starting to fire on the Dark Eldar.


Meanwhile a Chapter Master decides he can handle two Dark Eldar.


Azamerac actually takes time out of his day to deal with one of them in assault.


A Rhino tries to force its way past the line, still trying to push through the Dark Eldar ambush.


“Heretics one and all, we shall cleanse you with fire and fury!”
Marshall Melthas leads the way, battering aside Immortal Host Marines as he and his men rip apart the rear of the armored column, vehicles erupting in flame around them as their thunder hammers flashed and sparked in the fiery gloom.


There are few sights so furious as two sides convinced of their righteousness engaged in open battle.


“The xenos taint is inside that vehicle, let us welcome it back to the light, my brothers!”


As the Templar advance continues on seemingly unstoppable their Land Raider, previously untouched by any damage suddenly erupts in a blast of flame, torn apart by a single shot.


“AV 14?, lol!”


A little hard to see here, but the entire DE army had actually moved sideways, easing away from the core conflict, and eradicating a Rhino, and then Brizelya and the beasts dealt with the Sternguard inside.


The Dark Eldar consolidate their position and consider the situation and how to best exploit it. (the first core idea is ‘let’s not fight that Termie death star till it gets beaten down a bit!’)


A Sorcerer pays the toll of being invisible, by having his brain melt out of his ears. The invisible bikers had been functionally invincible to all damage except that they were causing themselves by perils.


The Nurgle forces are playing it a bit like the DE, waiting to see which Marine chapter comes out on the top of that brawl.


You can also see some of the…awkward alliances the mission was creating. The Vindicator was basically flanked by DE behind it, and had backed up next to the bikers, but both armies weren’t attacking it in the hope it would drop a pie plate on the Termie deathstar and poke some holes in that unit.


Dark Eldar shooting and just shredded the Legion of the Damned, who failed every single save they were asked to make.


Marshall Melthas grabbed up the Elendil Thrakul (or, rather, the corpse of the Techmarine who had been holding it…morbid!)
He had two options of retreat, one of them back along a relatively open field, and the other straight towards Chapter Master Azamerac.
“Azamerac! I shall have words with thee!”
The Templar choose the path of glory.


The Templar Deathstar and the Immortal Host beatstick meet in a brutal clash of steel as Azamerac and Melthas meet in challenge. Azamerac will suffer two wounds before it is over.


“Your vile alliances with the Inquisition and Xenos end here!”
“Fool,” snarled Azamerac, “you cannot save this sector without them!”
“I can save everything within the reach of my blade!”


More Legion of the Damned appear as Azamerac falls back from the fury of Melthas.


The Vindicator eases up and drops another huge blast on the Black Templar. Thus far, besides it’s attempted shot (and miss) on the DE, it has fired at the Templar every other turn.


Melthas rallies with the Legion of the Damned and, swinging his thunder hammer around his head, leads them back in against the Black Templar.
“Give me the artifact! We can yet save this sector!”
“If the only way to save it is with xenos heresy, then better it burns, like you shall!” Melthas raises his flaming blade and leaps to the attack.


Again Melthas calls out Azamerac, this time the Immortal Host Chapter Master chooses to avoid the fearsome Marshall. The Templar settles for tearing apart the Legion of the Damned, his men’s weapons flashing and sparking as they battered their foe into submission.


The Legion’s damage rolls probably don’t exactly help their situation.


“So it is a bunch of Termies, with priests who let them re-roll failed saves? Okay…um…let’s just keep circling around them!”


“So it is a bunch of Termies, with priests who let them re-roll failed saves? Excellent, let’s kill them all!”
Brizelya and the Beastpack burst upon the scene, roaring into the melee.


Fangs and claws meet ceramite and powered weaponry as the three way battle becomes a true bloodbath.
The Dark Eldar succeed in downing a priest, which does hamper the Templar, the Legion are cut down to a man. Templars and beasts fall.



Azamerac, deciding discretion is the better part of valor again, withdraws, the Dark Eldar meanwhile use hit & run to spring out of the fight.


“In this life or he next, coward!”
Melthas continues to call out Azamerac, not feeling their duel is settled.


Unfortunately, he should have paid more attention to the Dark Eldar, who just wanted the chance to charge again.
“Your pain is my meat, your sorrow my wine, and your screams…ah, your screams are sweet music!”
Brizelya leads the way, and this time, without rerolls on their armor, the Termies are brought down by sheer weight of attacks. Brizelya herself grabs up the Elendil Thrakul, letting out an estatic war whoop as she orders her force to start withdrawing.


“NURGLE!”
Their last sorcerer slain (by, yeah, you guessed it, perils) the Death Guard figure it is now or never, so as Azamerac peacefully withdraws past their lines, the bikers rush forward, guns blazing, as they take their stab at the Dark Eldar.


Their combined shooting only wounds a flock, and in the assault Brizelya happily duels one of their sergeants as her beasts tear apart the other bikers. Leaving only one alive, the Dark Eldar again use hit and run, retreating through cover as they gain more distance on their foes and fall back through a waiting support gunline.


Every single Immortal Host vehicle you can see is a wreck (the Vindicator and a Pread had been gunned down by DE shooting, as well as one of the Oblits) The lone Nurgle biker is all that is left of the Nurgle army beside one Oblit that can’t be seen in a building off the right side of the picture. You can see the edges of the DE Warrior line, all but one Raider had been shot apart (and that one immobilized) so the Warriors were now in a loose skirmish line guardin the exit path.


The last of the Immortal Host units, besides also the Dread in the tower.

At this point, with a lot of the DE army still on the board, Azamerac down to 1 wound, and the Templar and Death Guard either totally or almost tabled, the game was called because nothing was going to be able to stop the fleeing beast star.

Dark Eldar win!

Immortal Host MVP/WTF
I think the big winner for the Immortal Host was probably Azamerac, he was the unit with the mobility and board presence to really make a difference. The Vindicator is an interesting option, because he was able to talk people into not shooting it for about 3 turns because “we need it to stop the Templars”. He was true to his word and kept firing at them…until the DE figured they were going to drop the Templar and thus quickly shot it apart to stop it from shooting the beast pack.

WTF is…hurm, maybe the Dread. Not that the Dread did “bad” per se – but, literally no one ever even shot at it. That was the level of threat it represented to everyone. Maybe the better guess would be the 1st squad of LoD, who failed 4 wounds in quick order to make them basically a non-threat thanks to a single squad of Warriors firing at them.

Black Templar MVP/WTF
I think Melthas in specific and the beat stick squad in general for MVP. Literally the Templar almost pulled off the win by fielding an army of, basically, one unit – because that unit was just damned hard to kill. There was a period of about two turns when 75% of all shooting was done at that squad. Melthas was also terrifying, basically mauling whatever he got ahold of. If they had opted for the quicker board exit direction they might have pulled it off as it might have kept the Beasts off them for another turn.

Their WTF was probably the Spartan. A few decent shots, and then the Dark Eldar sneezed in its direction and blew it apart with one lance. If it had been alive during the exit moment, its bulk and firepower could have been game changing, instead it was a smoldering stain on the ground.

Death Guard MVP/WTF
MVP and WTF for them is, I think, the same thing. The Sorcerers. Basically they had about three rounds of functional invulnerability when no one even tried to hurt the bike squads (and I think the DE were the only ones shooting at the Oblits)

But, then, y’know, perils. The Death Guard killed off their own HQs prior to the moment they were really needed, and thus lacked the ability to do enough in assault to worry the Beast Pack.

Dark Eldar MVP/WTF
MVP is Sathypants – specifically hit and run, which really saved the day on that unit and was exactly what I hoped it would be, between the monstrous Init value and that power I was able to, once I got the relic, keep bouncing away from anyone, preventing me from being locked up.

My WTF was the Trueborn. The Venom went down immediately, and then the Trueborn snapped off a few shots, did nothing, and had a Chapter Master stomp their face in. Compare to the less expensive Ravager that went the distance and was continuously helping out…and then also consider that I dropped a Ravager to field the Trueborn and…yeah. I’m sorry Ravagers! I’ll never stray again! I still love you best of all!

Lothfalas and Gilgard watched as Brizelya paraded around the camp, the Elendil Thrakul clutched in her hand, still splattered with blood, a goblet of firewine was in her other hand, and she was quaffing it eagerly as she loudly described the battle to her men and the skill of her battle prowess. She was still coated in a layer of gore and sweat from the battle, and was now adding to it by spilling her drink upon herself as she described felling a particularly imposing black armored warrior. She capped off the description by flinging away her goblet and grabbing one of the more attractive males from her circle of admirers, forcefully kissing him till he gasped for air before dragging him along with loud proclamations of how she was needing a good limbering up after the battle.

“Disgusting.” The icy cold voice behind them could only belong to Lady Aine, the Radiant Scorpion. The two Dire Avengers turned and offered her hurried bows of greeting. “That grox of a woman, she is louder than an Orkin and possessing of as much social grace.”

“She did accomplish what she was asked to do, though,” offered Farseer Diyneer softly as she approached, “and for that we should be thankful.”

“I’ll be thankful when we are well done with our cousins.” Lady Aine glanced sharply at Diyneer. “We have the Thrakul now, is it not wise to take it and withdraw, hide it somewhere so deep even Gentukama and his Nurgle ilk cannot find it again?”

“No,” Diyneer’s eyes glittered, seeming to dance and swirl with the flickering green light of the copper torches the Dark Eldar favored. “We hid it for a time, but Gentukama will find it, he will always find it. But now,” she glanced up at the stars overhead, “now it is time for another matter.”

“The stairway is opening?” Lothfalas breathed the words uneasily.

“Yes, and we must make sure that the door is sealed properly this time, with the key on the correct side, then and only then,” she looked meaningfully at Aine, “will the Craftworld be safe again.”

Lady Aine’s features were sharp, cast in eerie shadow from the flames of the camp, but she nodded her head ever so slightly. “What will you require of the Path of Warriors?”

“Gentukama and others will take…exception to our goals.” Farseer Diyneer looked out at the Dark Eldar who were preparing, doubtless, for another of the debauched feasts that Brizelya so favored. “We will need the fury of our cousins, and we will need the numbers of the mon’keigh, we cannot do this alone.”

“The last time you spoke like that, I had to go break you out of a mon’keigh prison world.” Aine crossed her arms over her armored chest and frowned.

“Don’t worry, this time, I think I better understand how to arrange the matter.” Diyneer smiled as she turned and walked away.

“I hate when she does that,” offered Aine to no one in particular. She gave a sharp sneer to Gilgard and Lothfalas. “I go to gather the warriors of the Craftworld, we shall wear the war face soon enough.” She spun sharply on her heel and stormed off. Gilgard and Lothfalas watched her slim shape seem to meld into the darkness and disappear from sight.

“Did you ever find yourself wishing you had just walked the Path of the Scribe or something?” Gilgard glanced over at Lothfalas. His more thoughtful companion chose, perhaps wisely, to say nothing.

===========================