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Brother Caius…yes, that had been his name. Succumbing to the curse very shortly after their pact with the Dark Gods, Caius had died, screaming ,as the flames engulfed him, dragging his soul into the depths of the Warp. A small fragment of Caius still remained, lending strength to the Sorcerer in times of need. He, along with many of his other fallen Battle Brothers of the former Flame Falcons Chapter, lived on, not through their gene-seed, or even their accomplishments, but through the unholy powers of former Librarian Ukobach, now a Sorcerer of the Hakanor’s Reavers warband.

“You always did enjoy the rush of battle, Brother. I will do my best to honor you this day” Ukobach whispered to his blade, the Force Sword that had once been his symbol of office as a Librarian. As Brother Caius’ soul slipped away, adding to the swirling, invisible aegis of psychic power that surrounded the Librarian, Ukobach could almost feel the presence of his fallen Battle Brothers, many of whom had perished over centuries of warfare. Since that cursed day when their Chapter Master had made the pact with the Dark Gods, the armor of the former Flame Falcons crackled and burned with unholy heat, reforming and melting in intervals, like lava. Every so often, the burning armor would claim an unfortunate Battle Brother.

However, the pact was not without its perks. The armor constantly cracked and reformed, allowing the armor to repair itself, and to an extent, the warrior beneath, making the Reavers highly resilient. Warriors who had been blasted asunder by Battle Cannon rounds had stood up, defiantly, in the face of overwhelming odds. Ukobach himself had taken hits from Imperial Storm Eagle rockets, and would have been blasted asunder had it not been for the gifts of the Dark Gods.

The shouts and barks of mundane soldiers caused Ukobach to look up, slowly, from his kneeling position. The Imperials had advanced in great numbers, with dozens of Guardsmen taking up offensive positions, preparing to rain fire down upon the Reavers. The Reavers had made quite a mess on this Imperial world, and it appears that Imperial Guardsmen, specifically, the notoriously hardy Vostroyans, had come to fight them. Sheathing his blade, Ukobach reached for his Rhino’s vox transmitter, bellowing

“To Battle!”

---
Hello, everyone! After my game with Nuggz, I played yet another game against Imperial Guard, this time an infantry based Vostroyan list. I brought the following list:

Hakanor’s Reavers:



HQ:
Sorcerer (MoS, Lash, Wings)

Elites:
Chaos Dreadnought (x2 DCCW)

Troops:
Chaos Space Marine Squad:
X10 Marines
Champion (Power Fist)
X2 Meltaguns
->Rhino

Chaos Space Marine Squad:
X10 Marines
Plasma Gun
Autocannon

Khorne Berzerker Squad:
X10 Berzerkers
Champion (Power Sword)
->Rhino

Plague Marine Squad:
X7 Plague Marines
X2 Meltaguns
->Rhino

Fast Attack:
Bike Squad:
X5 Bikes
Champion (Power Fist)
X2 Meltaguns

Raptor Squad
X5 Raptors
X2 Meltaguns

Heavy Support
X3 Vindicators (Possession)

And my opponent’s list went something like this:

Vostroyans, 2,000



HQ:
CCS
Officer
Sniper
Nork (the Ogryn bodyguard)

Troops:
-a boatload of Infantry Platoons, and I cannot remember their wargear and composition to save my life. All I remember is Autocannons. Lots and lots of Autocannons. Autocannons make my Rhinos cry. There were a few scattered Commissars floating around too.

Veteran Team:
X3 Meltaguns

Fast Attack:
Sentinel Squadron:
X2 Sentinels (Lascannons)

Vendetta

Heavy Support:
X2 Hydras

X2 Leman Russ MBT (H. Bolter Sponsons, H. Stubber, not squadroned)

We used the same mission as the last game; VP, and units killed by your General count as double VP. My general was the Sorcerer again, and my opponent’s general was the CCS with Nork. I did not win the roll to deploy and go first, so my opponent deployed;





And I deployed;



However, I did manage to seize the initiative, so the first turn went to me.

Scout moves saw the Vendetta shift forward towards my Vindicator.

Reavers, Turn 1:
“Stay in formation!” Ukobach cried as the vehicles in his formation advanced. The Rhino APC’s turned, and Ukobach clapped his hands together, summoning a dark plume of smoke to conceal the vehicles under his command. Using sorcery instead of relying on smoke launchers produced mostly the same effects, and Ukobach wanted to ensure that his Dark Brothers weathered the incoming storm from the Imperials.

A low, angry howl accompanied the loud report of a Demolisher cannon; the Daemon guiding the siege tank had missed its target by a large margin, and the beast inside of the machine was furious. Ukobach sighed, hoping that the Daemon spirit would calm itself for its second barrage; fire support from the possessed machines was crucial.

I moved nearly everything up, blowing smoke on all of my Rhinos. Vindicators used the Rhinos as cover, and the Bikers and Raptors hid behind the Rhinos as well. The Dreadnought rolled normally for his Insanity check.



Shooting saw me completely miss the Vendetta with a Vindicator. The Autocannon in the backfield picked off a Guardsman.

:C


No assaults were launched this turn.

VP Count:
Reavers: 0
Vostroyans: 0

Vostroyans, Turn 1:
Snapping, barking ,and attempting to quickly marshall his forces, the Vostroyan General directed his troops like a choir conductor; at his every command, Guardsmen snapped into action, setting up positions, loading heavy weapons, and firing on the General’s command. Autocannon shells sailed into the dark miasma, and after an obscene amount of firepower lanced towards the last known position of the enemy Berserkers, a loud explosion rewarded the General’s efforts. The General allowed a small grin to play across his face as his large, imposing Ogryn bodyguard chuckled lowly.

Movement saw very little of my opponent’s army move; the Veterans disembarked from the Vendetta, and a Guardsmen squad advanced towards the Undivided Rhino, which pretty much summed up my opponent’s movement.



The Veterans were issued “Bring it Down!” against the Vindicator. Passing this test, all three Meltaguns hit, and subsequently rolled one glance for armor penetration (being outside of 2d6). The Crew Stunned result was ignored by the Possessed status of the Vindicator.

Everything else in the army dumped fire into the Berserker Rhino, which made a hilarious number of smoke saves until the Hydras finally blew it up. I took zero casualties from the explosion.

Dead Rhino:


No assaults were launched this turn.

VP Count:
Reavers: 0
Vostroyans: 35

Reavers, Turn 2:
The Vostroyan General’s smirk dropped as a large plume of flames rose behind him, pushing the General and his retinue forward. Simultaneously, the Berserkers advanced, throwing themselves recklessly into the hapless General’s unit. It was Ukobach’s turn to smirk as the frenzied devotees of Khorne hacked the General to pieces, slaughtering the valiant warrior before he could even draw his sword.

Elsewhere, the pustulent Plague Marines, accompanied by the Bikers, plunged into close combat against the largest group of Guardsmen on the field, denying this group use of their heavy weapons as they were forced to fight for their lives.

Movement saw the Berserkers run up the field, towards the Command Squad. The Undivided Marines also disembarked, along with the Plague Marines. Both groups, along with the Bikers, advanced towards the nearest Guardsmen squads, intent on assaulting them. The Raptors hopped up towards the Hydras. The Dreadnought rolled normally on his Insanity check as he continued to advance.



Shooting saw the Autocannon squad take down the Veterans, while the Vindicator blew the Vendetta from the sky. Vindicators picked off a few Guardsmen here and there. The Sorcerer Lashed the CCS towards the Berserkers in order to ensure combat.

What Vendetta?


Assault bore more fruit for me, as my Undivided Squad, Berserkers, Plague Marines, and Bikers made a devastating Turn 2 assault. The Undivided Squad killed the 10 man Guardsmen squad, while the PM and Bikers took down blob members. The blob held. Elsewhere, the Berserkers hit the CCS, with predictable results, wiping most of the squad before they could strike! Nork did get some hits in on the Zerkers, rolling 6 hits and taking out 3 Berserkers.

BLOOD FOR THE BLOOD GOD:


CSM vs. Guardsmen:


VP Count:
Reavers: 690 (ish)
Vostroyans: 35

Vostroyans, Turn 2:
Most armies would have crumbled with the loss of their General, but to their credit, the hardened fighters of the Vostroyan Firstborns kept up the fight. Fighting back against the traitor Astartes, the Platoon Commanders quickly rallied their troops, concentrating fire on exposed squads. The burning power armor of the Reavers could only hold for so long, and the fallibility of these warriors was confirmed as Lasgun rounds, autocannon shells, and plasma bolts quickly found their marks.

Movement saw nothing move.

Uh-oh...


No more CSM:


The left PCS issued “First Rank, Fire!” on the Undivided Squad. Between the left blob shooting, the Hellhound, a Leman Russ, and the PCS itself firing on the Undivided Squad, enough 3+ armor saves were failed to wipe the squad. The Sentinels took out the Undivided Rhino. The right side of the board opened fire on the Berserkers, killing all except the Champion!

Assault saw me chip away at the blob some more.

Blob combat:


VP Count:
Reavers: 690 (ish)
Vostroyans: 520

Reavers, Turn 3:
Succumbing to the burning fury at the heart of his soul, the frail body inside of the tainted Dreadnought issued a furious roar, throwing his metallic form forwards into the fray. Limbs flew as the machine smashed Guardsmen asunder, and though the Guardsmen tried desperately to hold the line, the combined efforts of the Chaos Space Marines overwhelmed them.

Movement saw the Dreadnought roll a 6 on his Insanity check, resulting in him pounding forward towards the blob in combat. The Raptors leapt up towards the Hydras, while the Sorcerer (still in the PM Rhino) shifted left.

Dreadnought goes FFFFFUUUUUUUUUUU-


Shooting saw the Sorcerer Lash a PCS into Vindicator formation, while the Raptors did nothing to the Hydras, despite being in 2d6 Melta range. The Vindicator dropped a blast on the PCS, rolling enough ones to keep the unit alive.

Melta rolls:


Assault saw the Dreadnought join the fray, and with the help of the Dreadnought, the Chaos Marines prevailed, overrunning the Guardsmen. The Berserker Champion assaulted the Leman Russ, attempting to use Krak Grenades, to no avail.

Chaos beating the blob:


VP Count:
Reavers: 800-ish
Vostroyans: 520

Vostroyans, Turn 3:
The Platoon Commanders, feeling the pressure of the advancing dark Space Marines, continued to desperately rally their troops. One Platoon Commander showed particular initiative, taking careful aim with his Plasma Pistol and sundering the armor of one of the pustulent Marines. The others continued to resist, intent on holding the Reavers back.

My opponent began by moving a PCS towards the Plague Marines.

PCS takes careful aim...


Shooting saw him drop the Plague Marines with a Plasma CCS; between 6 plasma gun shots with a Plasma Pistol, the Plague Marines fell. The left side blob opened up on the Vindicator, shaking it (which was ignored by Possession). The Leman Russ MBT finished off the Berserker Champion, while the right side troops fired on the Raptors, taking out two of them.

Nothing assaulted this turn.

VP Count:
Reavers: 800-ish
Vostroyans: 665

Reavers, Turn 4:
Continuing its sanguine rampage, the Dreadnought pushed through the crushed remains of Guardsmen, throwing itself headlong into a Heavy Weapons Team, who stood no chance against the hulking monster in close combat. The Raptors concluded their demolition mission by destroying the Imperial anti-air guns, while the Bikers attempted to cut down the Vostroyan right flank in one fell swoop.

Deciding that the remaining Platoon Command Squad had irked him enough, Ukobach disembarked from his Rhino, using a wall of flames to pull his enemies closer.

Movement saw the Sorcerer disembark, while the Bikers moved right, attempting to hit a Guardsmen squad and the Russ in one fell swoop. The Dreadnought rolled yet another 6, running towards a Heavy Weapons Team.



Shooting consisted of the Vindicators picking off a few more Guardsmen here and there, while the Raptors wrecked a Hydra. Biker Meltaguns at the Russ missed, while the Autocannon put one more Guardsmen on the left side down. The Sorcerer lashed the bottom blob into Vindicator formation. The left side Vindicator proceeded to drop a direct hit pie plate onto the blob, killing off all but the last two members! The survivors miraculously held.

The Bikers multi-charged the Russ and Guardsmen squad, with predictable results all around. The Bikers only managed to pop the turret off of the Russ, however, but the Guardsmen squad fell. The Dreadnought hit the Heavy Weapons Team, killing them all with Instant Death before they could even swing in a futile manner. The Raptors assaulted the last Hydra, killing it.



Biker multicharge:


VP Count:
Reavers: Between 900-1000
Vostroyans: 665

Vostroyans, Turn 4:
The last surviving officer, holed up in the western ruins, made one final stand, defiant until the end. Directing his troops, the Officer saluted to the east, where his men engaged the Chaotic Raptors in close combat, before opening fire. Ukobach was pelted with heavy caliber Autocannon rounds, lasbolts, and sniper rounds. Taking a knee, Ukobach was knocked onto his back by an Autocannon shell, sending his helmet tumbling from his head as he lost consciousness. The last thing Ukobach saw was the explosion of his Rhino behind him.

Nothing moved in my opponent’s turn.

Shooting resulted in the Sorcerer getting obliterated, with the Rhino swiftly following. The Sentinels fired on the Dreadnought, doing nothing to it (to my surprise). The Russ hit the Bikers, killing off a few of them.

No more Sorcerer:


Assault saw the last Guardsmen on the right side assault the Raptors, killing one of them, while the Raptors killed three Guardsmen. The Guardsmen broke and ran, while the Raptors cut them down.

VP Count:
Reavers: Between 1,000-1,100
Vostroyans: 845

Reavers, Turn 5:
The remnants of the Chaos strike force pressed the Vostroyans, who would pay for their defiance with their lives. This land would smoulder in the burning grasp of the Reavers, and the land would be dedicated to Chaos!

The Dreadnought began the turn by rolling normally, scooting towards the Russ. The remains of the Biker squad moved up towards the left, while the Raptors jumped in towards the immobilized, turret-less Russ.

The Vindicator on the left side dropped another pie plate onto the middle level blob, killing off a few members. The Autocannon team finished off the bottom blob.

Assault saw the Dreadnought hit the Russ in CC, blowing it sky high. The Raptors failed to do anything to the Russ.

Dreadnought assaults!


VP Count:
Reavers: Between 1,300-1,400
Vostroyans: 845

Vostroyans, Turn 5:
The Platoon Commander died with his weapon in his hands, bellowing orders and fighting until his last breath. All of his railing and shouting did little to slow the Chaos advance, as his men were effectively backed into a corner. The few remaining men fought like demons, pouring fire into the enemy.

Nothing moved this turn.

The top-side blob managed to wreck my far-right Vindicator, while the middle tier blob and PCS killed my middle Vindicator. The Sentinels again tried to hit the Dreadnought, doing nothing to it.

These guys were destroyed:


Nothing assaulted this turn.

VP Count:
Reavers: Between 1,300-1,400
Vostroyans: 1135

We rolled to see if the game continued, which it did not. Victory went to Chaos!

A dark wall of flames rose near the form of the fallen Sorcerer, who slowly stood. Ukobach blinked; he could no longer feel the soul of Brother Caius within his psychic reservoir.

“You damn fool! Why?! Why let me live?!” the former Librarian growled, sheathing his Force Sword. Bartering his own soul for the life of his former Librarian, Brother Caius’ soul now truly belonged to Chaos. The former Librarian was responsible for collecting the souls of his fallen brethren, afraid of what would happen when they passed. His former brother had given his soul, and now, was gone forever.

Unfurling his cursed wings, Ukobach landed in the ruins where the Vostroyans had made their final stand. Blasted to rubble by the remaining Vindicator, Ukobach stared coldly down at the fallen Platoon Commander. In an animalistic fury, the Sorcerer landed blow after blow upon the charred, blasted remains of the man, feeling armor and bone snap and crack. The dead body lay limp, and Ukobach sunk to his knees, staring blankly down at his hands. He had fallen far from his former days as a Librarian, but Ukobach still mourned the passing of a comrade, and the many more who had fallen this day. There was nothing left but to continue; standing, the Sorcerer leapt down from the building, striding off to rejoin the remnants of the warband.

This game was a lot closer than the last one; my opponent was fairly demoralized at one point, but I was on my toes the entire time. Killing all of those Guardsmen was very, very hard, and I didn’t manage to wipe all of them.

Hope you all enjoyed, and thanks for reading!

Great report keep em coming mate ; ) I really like the reavors, not many people play variant schemes like yours...

This is what a true battle report should look like, with great painted armies.

Excellent report, keep em coming! These kinds of lists are exactly what make a great game of 40k.

Nice game mate and well played, though i do not understand why your opponent did not take out those vindicators asap...

Really loved the report, the Chaos army is gorgous.
Well done!

Great armies and awesome report buddy! Thanks for sharing

Wow that was great, very good story and great paint jobs on both sides.
People should look to this thread to see a good battle report. +1

Effing awesome batrep!
Great paint jobs and terrific underlying story

Great Bat rep and great story to go with it. Nicely painted armies on both sides. Awesome all around.


The only thing I did not completely understand was the victory points.. I know this is different from kill points, but having not played Rogue Trader, Second Edition, then breaking until 5th Edition, I have never played Victory Points.. But great bat rep

Victory points work by calculating the points cost of the unit (for example, a Possessed Vindicator costs X points), which is then counted towards the VP total. So, if my opponent killed my Vindicator (costing X), a CSM squad (costing Y), and a Sorcerer (costing Z), the total number of victory points held by my opponent would be X+Y+Z (I'm not going to include points costs; sorry for the confusion).

Thanks for commenting, everyone! I really appreciate all of your comments, and you taking the time to post/compliment our paintjobs. I think this might be the last game I've played with the CSM, as I'm probably selling them off soon. It was a fun run while it lasted, though!

Great battle report, was easy to read and entertaining seeing IG faces smashed in and blown to bits. Loved that the Dreadnought fethed gak up! Nice work on the models too, they look great.

Outstanding report!

Nice to see fully painted armies. I ended up just looking at the pictures

Great looking armies!

Great report! Really enjoyed the bits of story in-between.

@Artanis: Oh yeah, it's always great to watch a choice everyone decries as a steaming pile of gak really take the fight to the enemy! People say to me all the time "Oh, what are you taking a Dread for? They suck!". It's great to watch their faces as the Dread gets into CC and ends up mowing stuff down. Granted, he's not as killy as, say, a Furioso Hatemower Dreadnought with Blood Talons, but he gets the job done.

@Loricatus: Thank you for the comment!

@Imperial Monkey: Well, the pictures still tell the story pretty well, so that's just fine. And besides, fully painted armies are a rarity at my store...so I'm glad you enjoyed this matchup!

@Reecius: Thanks! My opponent says thanks, too!

@Gits: Oh wow, it's Gits! Always thought you were the best dad ever for bringing your two kids through WH40K; wish my dad did the same. Thanks for commenting!

The right amount of fluff, pix and captions explaining action. Great batrep.

Good report!! Nice to see reports with nicely painted armies.

Mad props for the beautiful armies!

Nice to see Chaos still rockin' in the free world!