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Tracts you don't want found in your rucksack during inspection:

"Bonked by a Mechanicus Crane"
"Crushed by a Krootox"
"Harker and the Ladies"

KILLL THEM ALL AND LET THE GREATER GOOD SORT IT OUT!!!!!! FUSION FOR THE FUSION GOD!

Shas'o Rymr, top of turn 5. At least, I wish I'd thought to say that.

Thing I did say "Well, admittedly my troops are in the building. However, it isn't my building. Doesn't that mean I can shoot it?"

 Briancj wrote:
Don't look!

Spoiler:

--B

Awsome game table! Thanks for the game. What you can't really understand from the pictures is that the Ordinatus is actually being excavated! The giant tank is in the table! Built in like a layer cake! Which is probably a good thing as the Tau would have been trying to take it out for a joy ride.

Found my tape measure... ...in my pocket.


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You can see it buried into the table here:





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A really amazing set up!

Here's a few more pictures from the game - Briancj was a tremendous host, built the table, and GM'd it. The Tau battled inquisiton several years before the second Taros war, thus forming a Prequel storyline with the Dark Mechanicus plotting towards a sinster end, and Shas'o R'myr siding further into darkness as Chaos gnaws at the edges of his "soul?". Do Tau have Souls?

R'myr had given aid to an imperial ship attacked by orks, and as a gesture of good will returned the survivors to Umia, a world currently occupied by the Mechanicus, who were excavating past glories, including the Ordinatus! R'myr was providing escort for a water caste Diplomat and touring the facility when Inquisitor Westwind accompanied by Imperial Guard, ON(SF) Marines, and Arbites arrest squad appeared suddenly on the landing field nearby. Moved by impulses he didn't quite understand, R'myr entered the mechanicus fortress which had suddenly been left open and obtained a heavily armored data canister. He was in the process of carrying it away when flanking chimeras roared up and he was under attack by gaudily clad imperial warriors. Wounded, suddenly disoriented, and wracked by weird sensations, he and his bodyguard unaccountably fell back, leaving the caninster in Imperial hands. Roaring with rage, he rallied his forces as contingency crisis teams dropped from the Thunderchild. Massacring the Imperials in his sector, he listened to the Mechanicus Comms as his loyal troops carried the relic canister away in a Sunfish Gravcar. He then called for General Order 2 - and the Tau opened fire on everything in sight, Imperial and (previously neutral) mechanicus. The mechanicus turned on the Tau with a brutal fury, but his Crisis team gunned down the mechanicus leader and he found he really didn't care about the casualties that might not have been necessary.

In the meantime, Kroot warriors carried off the wounded inquisitor across the table. Would they eat him? Return him to R'myr? Or form a new alliance?

We've requested another episode from Briancj, so hopefully we'll get to find out!

A few of my favorite pics....



R'myr contemplates the open door to the heart of Darkness....







































The Kroot drag the inquisitor down after a 3 turn melee, but then flee the board!



Chuma Death or Glories a Rhino, before the Duo is gunned down by enraged Arbites with Shotguns!

Amazing all around. Really appreciated it - thanks again!

So the Starstriders needed a few flight attendants.



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Also a tank commander?

Some say the Starstriders Flight Attendent were recruited from Necromunda Spyrer Hunters. Others suggest a darker history, where they gained both their skills and flight gear fighting amongst the tall spires of the dark city Commorragh

Looks like it was a great battle. I’m envious of having a GM to enable some real plot twists in the games. Really looking forward to more.

-Rids

Thanks - it was indeed a luxury!

Should the tank commander be mounted on a tank? Looks like a cool figure.

Next two games are at the moment "All your mule are belong to us", a series of kill team and small battles designed for a single day, and Assault on Dawnwater's edge (October) a combined BFG and Spacestation assault.

In the meantime, here is the first Euclidian Starstrider. Mostly done with Contrast.











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The rest won't have any green, but I felt it really worked for that figure.

She is looking wild!

With the next game featuring Kroot, I've dug out an ancient project.... ...The Krootasaur! Sadly, it is looking kind of muppetish. With the next games featuring old school kill team (the "sneak past the brutes" thing), I feel there should be a Krootasaur pen. You can sneak through it... ...if you want to take the risk of being stomped.




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Dubbing around with Kroot Kill Team. I'll need some more figures - the lizard guys would be counts as Kroot. Hoping to borrow some of Briancjs!



The Wargames Exclusive Kroot archer is I-Walker's. Although a Kroot in a halter top is pretty silly, this is actually a really great figure, one of my favorites from that line.
I may repaint the rock to provide more contrast with the figure.





Plus a very early Chaos Kroot conversion of mine from many years ago.

Been busy, and I probably should be doing something other than posting pics here, but screw it!

The all your Mule are Belong to us Scenario is nearly finished....

45 klicks from Installation 6B, a Kroot encampment near a cave complex in the mountains at dawn...



Although appearing sinister, the Kroot Butcher Pole is in fact just a way of keeping meat (rare on Taros) out of the reach of enterprising Kroot Hounts.





Some of the limited Biosphere the tau are trying to instal on Taros is in evidence.



Utterly unaware of how many cliche's they have just committed, the Kroot have captured the niece of a Mine Overseer sympathetic to the Imperial Cause based on a tip from Tau Sympathizers. The Mine Overseer was supposed to link up with the Imperial Invasion force, but sadly the Kroot have eaten him (more meat than the Niece). Now they plan a dark sacrifice to the "Luminous Ancestors", the new cult rising among them followed by another gruesome feast.



Imperial rescuers arrive!



Will they try to sneak through the Krootasaur Pen?



Wasting no time they assault the Shaper blasting brute squads as they go!



Melee with the Kroot takes a heavy toll as they flee with the agent.



Only the Sgt survives to escape the field! Hopefully the information will be worth it!










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The Kroot, on the other hand, will eat well this morning. So well, they will not bother to warn their erstwhile allies nearby. Between their gluttony and timely information about treachery among the human population, the Imperium will have the advantage in the next game, as the small force of loyalists try to secure transport.

Yesssssssss....

Interesting and creative stuff, as always. I love the shot of the kroot in front of the cave with the supply crates and the meat pole. This blog has such a unique feel to it, its what the hobby is all about.

Why thanks! That was my favorite picture too.

Choosing their moment, the loyalists descended on a remote mining outpost, seeking additional transport.





The defenders - a couple of Tech Magii and their servitors, a gang of miners and hangers on, the Drones who are almost always to be found "minding" remote areas, two "counts as" powerlifter sentinels, and an Ogrryn!









The imperial forces were equally eclectric, consisting mostly of... ...high performance cars?





Roaring down into the outpost, the battle for the Mules is on!

Nice rides! I want to see those cars in action. This looks to be yet another very unique battle.

I'm loving these unique and creative scenarios Kestral

Credit where Credit is due - this one is I-Walker and the Previous is Briancj! I'll be up again in October.

Transport Heist:

The Imperial forces entered the Mining outpost and swiftly seized one Mule despite suppressing fire from heavy bolter servitors in one of the building.

The miners managed to grab the Mule in the shop and get it going with the Tech Priest's Repair Servitors.



The "Powerlifter Sentinels" took damage but remained a threat, particularly since the Tech Priest continued to repair them!



Emerging from the caves, a mining gang assaults a Car - and winds up looking rather foolish.



Sadly, a heavy flamer ruined the day of the first Magos as the Imperium took out the central building fortress with extreme prejudice.



The Tau are quick to send aid to their subjects - there are always drone "minders" on hand.



And they take charge of the third Mule!



They try to box in the Imperial Mule, but it escapes. Still the forces of Tau/Chaos/Kroot/Miners? are up two mules to 1 in the final battle!



As night falls, a Kroot Kill team prepares to repay the Imperials for their visit....



Stealthily they move into camp, devouring one picket brute squad after another.



90% of casualties are caused by the two Kroot Hounds, their beaks slick with blood!



Aided by some good rolls, the Kroot manage to make it into striking distance from the objective.



The Final assault! Some kroot are lost to the imperial officer, but...



They get away with the Comms Unit. And the Comms Officer. Victory for Kroot. Or maybe Chaos.

Nice double battle report. I like the unique scenario with the vehicles and then the throwback to the original Kill Team rules.

There is something almost cute about the drones piled into the mule like that.

Great report, also!

I love drones personally, partly because they aren't 14' tall and covered with spikes, guns, and gore. They're humble war machines and emblematic of what I like about the tau.

Another unit I really love - Insurgency Walker's Stretch Sentinel - a storied model on and off the table, now painted. Not sure about the basing, may just copy the rough riders, probably just leave it for now until a set of sentinels are painted at some point.









I put a little more paint on the Duo, but didn't have a chance to post a picture IIRC...
(And made the flamer more threatening).





I wonder if I should try some mottling or lining on the wings...



I also rebased them.

Here's a WIP on the Kroot Kill team - I'm very fond of the hunchbacked one...

That stretch sentinel is HOT.

Interesting conversion of the Sentinel kestrel.

Cheers,

CB

Looks like some dirty Tau are going to be eating IG assault ramp.

I can’t wait to see that thing painted and in a battle report, Insurgency Walker.

Cool! What is it?

That is a Mortian Infantry Assault Vehicle. A Mias? It's basically a minigorgon. (FW kit). It's by the same guy that does the scaled down Macharius. I thought it would be based on the same hull as his tank which would have put it on the cusp of super heavy size but this kit is very similar to the old Chimera in volume. Not as wide, bit longer.

Has enclosed option too.



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Another new kit I'm fond of is the Kangaroo APC,
Or Chimaroo as I'm going to call it.




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After actions report. Col Helstrom 123rd Armored Regiment.

Of course having volunteered for the first assault wave from the Quasimodo I was considered to have put myself in considerable peril. Still, I desired to make contact with the 4th Battalions recon squads while gathered intelligence was still actionable and I was no stranger to fighting behind enemy lines having come up through the ranks of the recon. The enhanced communication network of the Knights host allowed me to receive the first reports on Tau movements from the 4th. The opportunity to get one of the enhanced auspex pods that utilized the knights house heavenly host close to a priority target being defended by a Tau hunter cadre was foremost in my mind. I found an element targeting installation 6B, though the volunteer pilot was concerned about flying a mission with the modified drop pod. I left a reluctant navy pilot with my command staff to ride down in our assigned Valkyrie while I personally redirected an auspex pod onto the waiting Arvus.


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I had passed my first Arvus check ride only a year ago and this would be my first orbital combat drop as pilot. The Arvus hull not being reinforced for combat missions, I chose a target zone well masked from the searching Tau guns. Unfortunately, I missed my mark.




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Most of the detachments Valkyrie were already on site along with an Escorting Vulture. Being exposed I put the Arvus autocannon to good work targeting the closest Tau combat suit. Soon I was nestled into my original desired landing zone with a cargo of sappers ready to disembark and begin the arduous task of burning out the Tau defenders from the closest fortification.


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Much like Basilisk crews that proudly proclaim that you can't hide from the earthshaker canon, the Tau have their own weapons that can strike from outside of direct line of sight. The Arvus was struck repeatedly along with the deployed sapper squad. With minimal damage to both the Arvus and the sapper squad we joined the assault.

Great fluff! And the Chimeroo looks sweet.

After action report continues....

After a Tau raingun hit disabled the autocannon on the Arvus all I could do was watch the battle progress from within the cockpit. Outflanking Admech forces with Ogren assault squads and special weapons teams seized the southern and central objectives while the Grenadiers moved to take the northern hill. Coming under heavy assault from Tau stealth teams and warriors the Grenadiers won the day due to their faith, carapace armor, and the Sgts deft use of a powersword.

Unfortunately, quality auspex imagery was not available of the aftermath.




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Enemies of the Emperor should fear any veteran or elite troopers backed by a Priestess of Diane.

Our primary mission objectives secured it was time to move to the secondary objective of the day. Survival! Not all of the deployed troops had transport. While the general order of the day was to deploy with extra fuel instead of extra weapons on the pylons of our VTOLs not all volunteers were equipped as such either do to personal preference or a shortage of drop tanks. My own Arvus was an example of a craft that did not have the fuel reserves to make the trip to my designated FSB (Forward Support Base) with a full load of troops. Some volunteers chose to stay at installation 6B to face the approaching Tau counter attack. A quick check of our maps showed an Imperial mining facility near by. A brave Grenadier Sgts, one Bastonne, chose to make contact with the miners to secure transport and fuel. I had enough fuel to get the squad out of the danger zone of Installation 6B, however past that we would have to go our separate ways if I was going to fly to my rendezvous with the 4ths recon element.


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While meeting with a loyal Taros Militia at FAB (Forward Action Base) Saber I received the good news that the troops who remained at Installation 6B held the day. Although looses were high the installation remained under our control and the Tau reinforcements driven off. However, we also received the dire news that the closest mine works to 6B were occupied by a group of Tau sympathetic renegades. Worse still was the report that a local Kroot clan seemed to be sacrificing people to ***********. I needed to confirm the presence of ************* cultists! This one bit of intelligence could have a major impact on our entire campaign!
Having deployed without our Chimeras, and with the assigned Valkyrie and Vendettas grounded from battle damage it would take hours to repair, I was left with two options. We still had a few functional Skytalons. Several Skytalons had been deployed carrying containers to establish FSB (Forward Support Bases) to better arm loyalist Militia and resupply survivors from the surprise assault. We could deploy a few infantry by transport via cargo containers, or transport some light armored vehicles that were airmobile. I chose the second, and when we caught up with Sgt Bastonne team Cannon ball was formed.


.


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After a quick battle two things were determined. We didn't get enough mule to transport all the remaining survivors. Without guidance of the Imperial ecclesiastic some citizens of Taros had turned to darker faiths. Much darker.