The dark silhouette of the Black Ship Eternal slowly drifts toward the Hive Ship. The Inquisitor stealth ship escaped detection from lingering Bioships and spore mines guarding the Tyranid mother ship.
Inquisitor Lord Antonio let out a sigh of relief as he watch a Razorfiend drift by.
“Power down gravity controls, open cargo block D doors, and release the boarding pod,” Antonio instructed. Freed from the restraints of artificial gravity, a small boarding pod drifts out of Eternal’s hanger bay into space. After distancing itself from the Eternal, the pod’s thrusters kick into action and rocket toward the Hive Ship.
All sentinel Bioships and spore pods suddenly became alert of the intruder’s heat signature, but by then, it was too late. The boarding pod punches through the Hive Ship’s soft underbelly, landing in the inner intestines. Pressurized doors blew open, releasing its deadly cargo. A lone figure emerges.
Wearing Animus Speculum, the Culexus Temple Assassin lock onto the Hive Ship’s Dominatrix psychic signature and stalk off toward his prey. The Hive Ship’s internal defenses activate. Hive Guards, Tyranid Warriors, and scuttling Rippers Swarms rush toward the intruder. However, anything that gets close to the Etherium assassin succumbs to the negative psychic energy he emitted. Cut off from the Hive Mind and repelled by the Culexus Assassin’s presence, the would-be defenders reverted back to their primeval instincts, and fought amongst themselves. The assassin waded through the Bioship’s mutiny. Blasting through membranous hatches with his Animus Speculum, the Culexus finally reach the core chamber. The Dominatrix thrashes in its bindings, struggling to distance itself from the approaching anti-psyker. The Culexus brings out a large canister filled with gene-venom and injected the bio-plague into the Dominatrix. Completing his mission, the assassin turn and left, making his way back towards the boarding pod, and leaving the Tyranid fleet to its own demise.
The virus quickly spread throughout the synaptic network, triggering a chain of hyper evolution. Under the new gene code, the Tyranid fleet and ground forces rapidly morph. Their innards convulse as their internal organs bulge, rip, and tear into each other. Anything that survives the painful transformation pops into a pool of slime and organs as their outer layer skin or chitin armor turns paper-thin. The Tyranid Invaders is decimated.
…
Inquisitor Lord Antonio watches the scene in awe, proud of his handy work. Having retrieved the boarding pod carrying the sleeping Culexus Assassin, Eternal was on course, returning back to Cyron I.
“Inquisitor Lord, our scanners have picked up a massive object on a trajectory course toward Cyron I,” chirp a ship Servitor.
Antonio frowns. “Display the reading on the main auspex,” he commanded.
The screen flickers on, showing the outline of an asteroid flying through the Tyranid fleet. Anything caught it its path disappeared from the screen including Bioships that passes near it.
“Connect me to the Canoness once!” Antonio yelled.
…
With the Tyranid threat gone, the fragile alliance between the Imperial forces and rebel Astartes shatters and fighting resumes. Canoness Dianus was back on the front lines, battling enemies of the Imperium.
“Orks? Why would they have any interest in this miserable dirtball,” Dianus muttered over the vox to Antonio. Rebel Space Marine bolter ricochet around the Canoness, forcing her to take cover behind an Immolator.
“It seems our conflicts here on Cyron I and the Tyranid invasion fleet have lured them here. Remember Canoness, they are a warmongering race that thrives on the heat of battle,” answered Antonio.
“Have you tried orbital bombardment with the Adeptus Mechanius fleet?” Dianus asked, lining her bolter’s cross hairs on a rebel Astartes who stuck his head too far out.
“We were able to destroy the Ork Rok after it made planet fall, but their ground forces are protected by some force field,” Antonio replied, “you and your sisters will need to neutralize it.”
“Emperor Protects,” Dianus somberly replied, pulling the trigger, and was rewarded with a headshot.
Sorry for the delay. I’ve been busy with schoolwork and haven’t had time for anything else. Even now I’m busy taking summer courses at a local community college. But enough of my personal life, here’s the much-awaited continuation to my
GT battle reports!
Setting:
This is round 3 of ConQuest
GT SF Ragnarok.
Deployment was preset to Pitched Battle and Mission was preset to modified Annihilation. Units valued 250 points or less are worth 1 Kill Point while anything above is worth 2 Kill Points. One model from both sides is nominated as general and is worth 3 Victory Points. 2 more Victory Points is awarded to whichever player scores the most kill points.
Ork Player nominated his Big Mek as his General. I nominated my Palatine.
Army List:
Sisters of Battle (Order of Faith):
-Palatine, Bolter, Book of
St. Lucius
-5 Celestians Retinue, 2 Meltaguns, Immolator, Smoke
-5 Celestians, 2 Meltaguns, Immolator, Smoke, Search Light
-5 Celestians, 2 Meltaguns, Immolator, Smoke, Search Light
-5 Celestians, 2 Meltaguns, Immolator, Smoke
-5 Dominions, 2 Flamers, 2 Meltaguns, Immolator, Smoke
-5 Dominions, 2 Flamers, 2 Meltaguns, Immolator, Smoke
-5 Dominions, 2 Flamers, 2 Meltaguns, Immolator, Smoke
-10 Battle Sisters, Veteran Sister Superior, Book of
St. Lucius, Meltagun, Heavy Flamer, Rhino, Extra Armour, Smoke
-10 Battle Sisters, Veteran Sister Superior, Book of
St. Lucius, Meltagun, Heavy Flamer, Rhino, Extra Armour, Smoke
-5 Inquisitorial Storm Troopers, 2 Meltaguns
-Immolator, Extra Armour, Smoke
-Exorcist
-Exorcist
My opponent brought a hybrid Ork list featuring Kustom Force Field Battle Wagons.
Orks (Da Mega Kompany):
-Warboss, Power Klaw, Attack Squig, Cybork Body, Warbike
-Big Mek, Kustom Force Field, Bosspole
-5 Meganobz, 4 Kombi-weapons, Battlewagon, 2 Big Shoota, Grot Rigger, Reinforced Ram (Big Mek joins)
-20 Ard Boyz, Nob, Power Klaw, Bosspole
-30 Boyz, Nob, Power Klaw, Bosspole, 3 Rokkit Launcha (Warboss joins)
-30 Boyz, Nob, Power Klaw, Bosspole, Stikkbomb, 3 Rokkit Launcha
-Runtherd and 19 Gretchins
-Squad of 3 Wartrakks
-Squad of 3 Wartrakks
-Squad of 3 Killa Kans, Grotzooka
-Squad of 3 Killa Kans, Grotzooka
-Battlewagon, 2 Big Shoota, Grot Rigger, Reinforced Ram (Ard Boyz ride)
Deployment:
I dreaded this mission the most. My army contains a whopping 23 kill points, most of which is invested in weak fragile squads and non-extra armor vehicles. I lost the roll off (for the third time in a row). My opponent opted to deploy first.
The Orks start out in the top left corner. Two Battle Wagons park next to each other. Left Battle Wagon carries 5 Mega Nobz along with the Big Mek. Right Battle Wagon carries 20 Ard Boyz. A squad of Killa Kans forms a single line between the two Battle Wagons. A second squad of Killa Kans line up left of the Big Mek’s Battle Wagon. Both Wartrakks squadrons hid behind the Battle Wagons. First Boyz join with War Boss and deploy between the Big Mek’s Battle Wagon and left board edge. Gretchins deploy in the far back, sat there for the rest of the game. Second Boyz with stikkbomb was worth 251 points, making it the only Ork unit worth two kill points. They stayed in reserves.
I deploy my forces in bottom center. Three Celestians and two Dominions form first rank vehicle wall. The rest of my forces deploy behind with Battle Sister Rhino and Dominion Immolator on the left, Inquisitorial Storm Troopers Immolator and Palatine Immolator in center, Battle Sister and two Exorcists on the right.
I roll to seize the initiative and succeed!
Turn 1 (Sisters of Battle):
Everything moves forward.
Left Exorcist wrecks a Killa Kan from the right Killa Kans. Right Exorcists gets within side arc of the Big Mek’s Battle Wagon and unleashes a barrage of rockets, but are deflected by Big Mek’s kustom force field.
Turn 1 (Orks):
Boyz and both Battle Wagons shuffle a few inches forward. Left Killa Kans and right Killa Kans stomp forward. Left Wartrukks sped off to left while right Wartrukks zooms right.
Right Wartrukks, aided by unorky shooting, manages to land five rokkits on a right Dominion, blowing up the Sister transport. Dominions stumble out and pass their pinning test. Left Wartrukks shoots a lead Celestian Immolator on the left, blowing its turret clean off, and shaking its crew. Left Killa Kans attempts to shoot the same Immolator, but to their dismay, discover they are out of range. Right Killa Kans run forward, determined to close the distance.
Turn Two (Sisters of Battle):
In center, two Celestians Immolators rolls forward and takes the lead. Celestians in both disembark. On the left, Battle Sister Rhino, Dominion Immolator, and third Celestians Immolator advance behind. On the right, Dominion Immolator and Battle Sister Rhino drive along the right flank. Dominions on foot move follows behind a Dominion Immolator. Inquisitorial Storm Troopers, Palatine Immolators, and both Exorcists sit back from a safe distance.
Lead left Celestians are within melta range of the Big Mek’s Battle Wagon. They take a shot. One is deflected by the Big Mek’s kustom forcefield while the other glances and shakes the Battle Wagon. Second Celestians fires into the right Killa Kans, reducing them to a single Kan. Right Exorcist bombards the right Wartrukks, obliterating all three in a single salvo. Left Exorcist fires at the left Killa Kans, scoring three pens, but all three makes their cover save.
Turn Two (Orks):
Both Battle Wagons pull back, not ye ready to fully commit. Boyz move and run through terrain along the left flank toward the Battle Sister Rhino. Warboss fails a dangerous terrain test and takes a wound. Second Boyz became available from reserves and appear in the back, hiding behind the Battle Wagons. Left and right Killa Kans closes in on the two disembarked Celestians. Left Wartrukks heads left, zooming behind the Killa Kans.
Left Wartrukks unleashes a barrage of rokkits into the left Battle Sisters Rhino, shaking it. Left Killa Kans fires their grotzookas into the left Celestians, splattering two. Right Killa Kan shoots the other Celestians squad, but misses both as the blasts scatters wildly off.
Left Killa Kans multi-charges left Celestians and Celestian’s Immolator. They slaughter all three remaining sister elites and immobilize the Immolator. Right Killa Kan assaults the right Celestians, crushing two sisters. Celestians passes their moral test and continues fighting to the bitter end.
Turn Three (Sisters of Battle):
On the left, Dominion Immolator and Battle Sister’s Rhino intercepts the Boyz and Wartrukks. Both Sister vehicles form a wall with a narrow gap in between for the Battle Sisters to shoot through. Disembarked Dominions do the same against the Wartrukks. In center, an empty Celestian Immolator gases forward through a narrow gap between Left Killa Kans and ongoing combat between right Celestians versus Killa Kan. A third Celestian Immolator follow suit, but shred its treads across rocky terrain, becoming immobilized. On the right, Dominion Immolator gases toward Ard Boyz Battle Wagon, disembarking its passengers within melta range. Dominions on foot follows behind, trying to catch up while Battle Sister Rhino tread carefully through terrain.
Disembarked Dominions fires their Meltaguns into the Ard Boyz Battle Wagon, but fail to hit their target. This leaves an empty Celestian Immolator with nothing to flame except the broadside of the Big Mek’s Battle Wagon. Its Heavy Flamer glances the Battle Wagon, destroying a Big Shoota. On the left, Dominion Immolator and Dominions fires into the Wartrukks, reducing them to a single Wartrukk. Battle Sisters open up with rapid fire Bolters, Meltagun, and Heavy Flamer, at the Boyz, killing eleven and taking another wound off the Warboss. In the back, left Exorcist attempts to pick off the remaining Wartrukk, but is unable to damage it due to cover. Right Exorcist unleashes a barrage of rockets into the left Killa Kans forcing three covers saves. All of which fails and three rockets hit their mark, destroy all three Kans.
In assault lone Killa Kan flounder his attacks against the Celestians.
Turn Three (Orks):
The trap is sprung! Ard Boyz Battle Wagon rams the empty Celestian Immolator. Despite moving a mere 6”, it penetrated the Immolator, resulting in a big explosion. Ard Boyz jump out, setting their beady red eyes on the nearby Dominions. With the path clear, Big Mek’s Battle Wagon drove through my line and disgorging Mega Nobz in the center of my forces. On the left, Boyz, lead by Warboss, close in on the Battle Sister Rhino. Lone Wartrukk speed forward, getting a side shot at my left Exorcist.
Rokkit hits, shaking the Exorcist crew. A giant “Wagghhh!!” erupt from the green horde follow by the rumbling sounds of Orks, stampeding towards the Sisters. Mega Nobz pushes 6” deeper, getting within grips of the left disembarked Dominions. Boyz moves closer along the left flank.
Due to sloppy movement on my part, I accidentally left a large gap between my Rhino and Immolator, which was originally intended to protect my Battle Sisters from frontal assault. The Warboss exploits this gap in my defenses and charges into the Battle Sisters. The rest of the first Boyz follows their leader, assaulting the Battle Sisters Rhino. Three Battle Sisters are mauled or ran over by the Warboss, but the Rhino surprisingly remains intact, suffering multiple stuns (downgraded to shaken thanks to Extra Armour) and one weapon destroys. In center, Mega Nobz multi-charges Dominions, Dominion Immolator, and immobile Celestians Immolator. Two Dominions survive, the Dominion Immolator is turned into scrap metal, and the immobile Immolator is unscathed as the one Mega Nobz attacking it trips against the back armor. Killa Kan smashes two Celestians into a blood pulp, sending the surviving sister elites fleeing. On the right, Ard Boyz assaults Dominions and Dominion Immolator, making mincemeat and scrap pile out of both.
Turn 4 (Sisters of Battle):
On the left, Battle Sister Rhino retreats, ramming a Wartrukk in its way, but fails to penetrate. Shaken Exorcist pulls back. Celestians regroup and move two inches toward the Killa Kan. On the right, Battle Sister Rhino tank shocks to the left of the Ard Boyz, forcing them into a nice knot for maximum flame coverage. Battle Sisters disembark. Dominions outflank the Ard Boyz from the right. In the center, Celestians from the immobilized Celestian Immolator disembark and closes in on the Ard Boyz.
Battle Sisters, Dominions, and Celestians blaze away into the Ard Boyz, burning the green skins to a crisp. Regrouped Celestians pop the Killa Kan that was harassing them previous turn. Right Exorcist pops a few rockets into the lone Wartrukk, finishing it off.
Mega Nobz finishes off two Dominions. Boyz and Warboss on the left bludgeons the Battle Sisters to death consolidate towards the center.
Turn 4 (Orks):
Warboss split off from the Boyz, chasing after the Battle Sister Rhino. Boyz stampedes towards the middle. Both Battle Wagons pull back while Second Boyz transverses across terrain, rolling the needed 6” terrain test to assault the Battle Sisters and Dominions.
Warboss crunches the Rhino like an aluminum can. Mega Nobz multi-charge immobile Celestian Immolator and regrouped Celestians, annihilating both. On the right, second Boyz multi-charge Battle Sisters, Dominions, and Battle Sister Rhino. Dominions are wiped out, Rhino is unscathed, and six Battle Sisters somehow survives the onslaught. They stubbornly pass their moral test and fight to bitter end.
Turn 5 (Sisters of Battle):
In the center, Celestians move and hop into the Battle Sister Rhino. Battle Sister Rhino chases after the Big Mek’s Battle Wagon, getting its firepoint within melta range. Palatine, Inquisitorial Storm Troopers, and both Exorcists retreated. Both Exorcists pummels the Mega Nobz, reducing the squad to a lone Mega Nobz.
Second Boyz finish off the Battle Sisters.
Turn 5 (Orks):
Meganobz finds cover. Warboss rejoins with the Boyz and chases after the retreating Palatine. Second Boyz finish off the Battle Sisters. Second Boyz crushes the Battle Sister Rhino, forcing the Celestians out.
Game ends.
Orks: 15 kill points
-2 Celestians
-3 Celestians Immolators
-2 Battle Sisters
-2 Battle Sisters Rhinos
-3 Dominions
-3 Dominion Immolators
Sisters of battle: 4 kill points
-2 Wartrukks
-2 Killa Kans
Neither side killed the other’s general, but the Ork player scored more kill points than me. Ork player is awarded 17 Victory Points while I earn a dismal 5 Victory Points.
Result: Victory for the Orks!
Aftermath:
In hindsight, there are a lot of things I could have done differently that may have prevented me from suffering a devastating defeat. I was overconfident, thinking I could just drive up, pop a few vehicles, and incinerate the Ork masses. However, I was gravely mistaken. The Ork player knew he had to play conservatively. My Immolators posed a huge threat to his Orks. He did the right thing by castling himself in a corner behind a lot of terrain. This forced my vehicles to funnel through narrow choke points, allowing his Orks take out my lead tanks and infantry one-piece meal at a time. I underestimated the Big Mek’s Kustom Force Field and was plague by ill luck whenever my units shot at them. When most of my forces got close enough, the Ork player went on the offense, wreaking havoc with his Mega Nobz and Ard Boyz.
What I should have done was not rush the Orks at all. Orks shred through behicles moving cruising speed. With all their attacks, they are bound to score a lot of 6’s. On turn 3 and 4, I lost a lot of kill points to overwhelming number of attacks from multi-charges. What I should have also done was spaced my vehicles farther apart and keep far away from the Orks. Let the Exorcists score kill points and force the Orks to come to me.
Despite crushing my army with a landslide victory, the Ork player was actually a nice guy. I enjoyed playing against him. He had a good sense of humor and whenever there was a conflict in rules, he gave me the benefit of the doubt. Towards mid-game, he felt bad about crushing my army and asked if I wanted to continue. He’s also one of the few Ork players out there who doesn’t didn’t field Nobz Bikers. For all of this, I gave him good sportsmanship score and even voted him as my favorite opponent. At the end of the tournament, he won Second Best Overall.
Also, kudos to the folks at
http://bloodofkittens.com who had a press pass and allowed me to link the picture they took of the Ork Player’s army.
“Sisters, fall back!” Dianus yelled over the vox.
The mission was a complete failure. A clever trap setup by the Orks lured the Sisters into a narrow canyon. There, the Orks lauched a surprise attack, smashing the flanks and front of the Sisters convoy. Suffering tremendous casualties, Canoness Dianus had enough and ordered her remaining forces in full retreat.
…
Back at Red Cliff, a small desert village located outside the canyon, surviving Sisters regrouped. Sisters, still in fighting condition, setup a defense perimeter around the town in case of another Ork attack. Inquisitorial and Adepstus Mechanicus Valkyries flew in, replenishing supplies, and ferrying the wounded. The village town hall was turned into a makeshift command bunker. There, Dianus Canoness kept in contact with Inquisitor Lord Antonio aboard the Eternal hovering in orbit over Cyron I.
“Canoness, we are observing strange Ork movement on the planet surface,” informed Antonio. “They are surprisingly well organized.”
“Yes,” Dianus agreed, “I’ve fought many battles against the greenskins. Normally they charge recklessly into battle like savages. These Orks weren’t like any I fought before. They were organized. They had strategy. Their tactics are alien to their own kind.”
“One minute Canoness,” Antonio said. Two minutes later he returned. “I’ve just received news from my field agents. There was a huge spike in xeno psychic energy connecting to the Orks. Someone or something was using telepathic relay.”
“That doesn’t make sense,” Dianus said. “The Tyranids have been wiped out of the system and the rebel Astartes would never ally with xenos.
“Then there’s only one other faction left on this planet who’s capable of telepathic relay,” Antonio concluded.”
Just then a Celestian interrupted the meeting between the two commanders. “Canoness, our auspex radar is picking unidentified objects flying in from the east,” said the Celestian.
The Canoness took a quick glance at the auspex radar screen. “Eldar,” Dianus answered.
Knowing that a unit won't run away when you tank shock it is gold dust; it lets you shape his army into nice little, flame-template-shaped piles 