I've been playing a few games against my friends imperial guard army lately and have been testing out different army combinations and it has also given him the opportunity to do the same.
Sister of Battle list: (will abbreviate wargear for simplicity's sake):
HQs:
Canoness Amelia (BW, IP, Cloak,
MB)
Celestian Retinue (
VSS, Evisc, Flamer x2, Frag and Krak)
St. Celestine (my actual first time playing her, I had been withholding it in favor of fluff, but I caved for a test run).
Priest (Evisc.) - Running with canoness
Elites:
Inquisitor (Evisc, IP) - Running with canoness
Calidus Assasin
Troops:
Helena: 10 x
SoB (
VSS, Flamer x 2, Book, Evisc)
Clare: 10 x
SoB (
VSS, Flamer x 2, Book, Evisc)
Kate: 10 x
SoB (
VSS, Heavy Flamer,
MG, Book)
Cynthia: 10 x
SoB (
VSS, Heavy Flamer,
MG, Book)
Fast:
Jacynth: Seraphim x 7 (
VSS, Flamer x 2, Evisc)
Heavy:
Invictus and Dies Irae: Exorcist x 2 (EA on Dies Irae)
Beth: Retributor x 5 (
HB x 2, Immagifer, Immolator, Smoke, EA) - The immagifier proved to be completely worthless. Welps.
I unfortunately do not have my friends imperial guard list due to him not having his laptop at the time (spreadsheet help so much). He ended up doing it on paper, which I still have, but I cant understand half the things he wrote.
Basically he had Command Squad x 2 with Masters of Ordnance in each, a few gunlines, some special weapon squads, a massive 50 man conscipt squads, a mortar squad, a platoon command squad, a basilisk platform, a leman russ punisher and an exterminator, 3 heavy bolter sentry guns, an ogryn squad and finally Marbo. His conscript squad was a mess until I asked him to position them for some flamer template goodness.
We rolled for mission and got a pitched battle with seize ground (5 objectives) for the game. He won the initiative which I then failed to seize. We also left the calidus and marbo in plain sight as a reminder to roll for reserves.
The game ended after three and a half turns since both of us had plans for the evening.
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Imperial Guard deployment:
The frog thing in the bottom right is the 1st objective (had to improvise for that one due to a lack of material)
The second objective is not seen on the picture, but it's between the fortress tower and the bunker hidden by it.
Sisters deployment:
Third objective is found within my grasp on the bottom left.
Fourth objective is in the middle between the cratter and the grass/forest patch.
Last one can be found top right, its the eldar relic blade.
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Canoness Amelia had seen her share of fighting in the past and lately her stay amongst an imperial guard regiment had been a small improvement. She had been keeping her subordinates sharp and the soldiers of the imperium sharper by throwing them in mock battles. Commissar Yarrick, who was briefly visiting the planet, had commended the newly appointed canoness and congratulated her after one of her veterans had managed to knock him down during a sparing match he had decided to oversee.
While she had taken no pride in her victory, for why take personal pride when you are guided by the Emperor, she had failed to notice that the guardsmen had become resentful of the outcome of that last match. Even more so after the Commissar had berated them, before leaving the planet, for their lack of motivation and drive to win. The seeds of discord had been planted...
She was finishing her morning devotions when a knock at her door brought her back to herself. Opening she found an Inquisitor, one she did not know, standing there.
"Greetings Inquisitor, how may I be of assistance?"
"Well met canoness. I have heard great things of you, but I will have to cut the formalities short. I have been informed that this planet holds an ancient xeno artifact and require your assistance in securing it. You have three hours to gather your sisters at the north landing pad for we leave on the eve to be on site tomorrow morning."
"Very well, Inquisitor...?"
"Inquisitor Josiah, canoness. While I will provide you with this answer, be aware that I do not tolerate unnecessary questions. Remember, three hours."
Amelia closed the door as the inquisitor left and called for servants to fetch Jacynth and her veterans and bring them to the council room. She entered the room fifteen minutes later, dressed in battle attire, to find her most trusted present.
"May the Emperor's light shine on you Amelia. I apologize for my boldness, but what brings you to call us this early?"
The question had come from Jacynth, Amelia's right arm and most trusted advisor. She was a canoness in title hersef, but had remained at Amelia's side.
"Good morning Jacynth. I will be brief. An inquisitor named Josiah has just come to me. We are to assemble the sisters and be ready within the next two hours. We depart on a mission to collect a xeno artifact... apparently on this planet."
"Xenos here!? When did this happen?"
"I am sorry sister Helena, but I have no more answers than you do. Please, all of you, gather your squads and make ready to be at the northern landing pad two hours from now."
As the sun made it's way across the sky, Amelia watched over her mission assembling. By the time she spotted the inquisitor walking out of one of the administrative building, her soldiers were waiting in ranks by the landing part. Sheer disbelief struck her when she spotted Celestine, the heroine of so many crusades walking out of the same building and following the inquisitor.
"I am glad to see that your sisters are ready canoness. I trust that everyone of them is ready to depart?"
The sound of the inquisitor's voice took Amelia out of her stupor.
"Indeed Inquisitor Josiah. My soldiers are at your command. We may leave whenever it is convenient for you."
"Now would be very convenient. Oh and this one has requested to accompany us during our mission. I will now board the transport freighter and would like you to join us aboard the command vessel."
Amelia could barely watch the inquisitor walk up the boarding steps so enthralled was she by Celestine. What was one such as she, a chosen of them Emperor, doing here?
"Greetings Canoness Amelia. I've had the pleasure of watching you lead your sisters in battle. Sparring matches they might have been, but you showed fire I rarely see in a sister... And please call me Celestine. The Saint part gets annoying. There will be plenty of time to anoint me once I've accomplished my mission in this life."
Not believing what she heard, Amelia could only nod as she ordered her sisters to board.
As the hours flew by Celestine offered to do a reconnaissance mission with the seraphim's squad. Jacynth offered to accompany them as the veteran for she had been promoted from one. Amelia would remain with the inquisitor to safeguard his person. Furthermore, a priest of the ecclesiarchy would also accompany them.
The following morning came and went and eventually news came from Jacynth that they had tracked down the emplacement of the artifact, amongst some ruins, but that some complication had arisen. Apparently some imperial guard soldiers had shown up and had set up camp not too far away. They had bombarded them upon sight and attempts at communication had failed. Jacynth was requesting immediate assistance to suppress the attackers.
Shortly after arriving, Inquisitor Josiah attempted to order the guardsmen to stand down over short range transmission.
"I do not know who is leading your ragtag bunch, but you harlequins are bombarding an Inquisitorial site. As it stands I sentence you all to ten years of hard labor. Step down now and you will walk away still alive."
"Sorry Inquisitor sir, but we have a debt to settle with the freak you brought along. They bring down old man Yarrick and we get crap for it... We'll see if the Emperor really protects them when we bring the sky crashing down on their heads."
"Then by your words you are sentenced to death! Canoness you will protect me as I teach those dogs a lesson. Please order your soldiers to secure the artifact."
Turn 1:
Imperial Guard:
The sisters had to shrug off three ordnance attacks as they tried to get into strategic position. Unfortunately, yet fortunately, Amelia and Kate were the only ones to see sisters die in the ensuing explosions as they had failed to take proper cover.
The two leman russ behemoth rolled forward with the Exterminator unleashing a deadly salvo against the Immolator. The sisters behind were well used to fire and as the vehicle blew up in front of them, they managed to survive the inferno unleashed around them.
Clare saw one of her protege fall as a bolt from one of the tarantula turrets pierced her above the right knee which "amputated" the bottom part of her leg.
Sister of Battle:
Invictus and Dies Irae forward to provide cover for the advancing sisters. Invictus took a Shot at his basilisk launching four missiles) which resulted in turret blowing up. Dies Irae managed to get 2 missiles off, which wounded one of the mighty ogryn.
Canoness Amelia rushed forward behind Dies Irae with her squad of eviscerator wielding purgers.
Jacynth and Celestine took a gamble and safely ran the seraphims in the ruins after having moved close to it.
Helena stayed put in the ruins to guard the fuel barrels.
Clare went forward behind Invictus in hope of seizing the eldar blade for the Inquisition.
Cynthia and Kate both ran across the trench, leaving Beth behind to provide cover fire while they gained a more strategic position near the supplies. Beth managed to spot the towering ogryns in the distance, but the obstacles in the way proved too much of a cover for the heavy bolters to do any serious damage.
Turn 2:
Imperial Guard:
Stunned at the loss of the basilisk they had tolled at for so many hours getting into place, the guardsmen decided to keep their grounds and open fire on the sister squads within range.
The mortars and masters of ordnance rained fire on Helena, but she held fast within the ruins and her squad shrugged of the mighty barage. Unfortunately a shell blew close to Amelia which took down two of her celestian bodyguards
Marbo, who was taking a stroll not far from the fighting site, happened to come across the skirmish. Not sure of what was transpiring, he joined his fellow guardsmen, but hid behind one of the bunker ruins rather than attack a sister of battle without knowledge of the situation.
The officers gave their orders and a squad opened fire on the sisters that had taken place amongst the trees. Kate's squad was pummeled by lasgun fire and trees started burning around them from the concentred lasgun shots. After the dust settled, six of her sisters had fallen. She inspired the rest and they crouched down to fire back at their assailants. At the same time Jacynth's squad, who had taken refuge in the ruins, saw a wall collapse, after it had taken too many lasgun shots, on 4 of her sisters pinning them to the ground and taking them out of the fight.
The Exterminator opened fire on Dies Irae and one of the autocannon ammunition managed to hit the organ blow up some of the tubes rendering the baroque weapon useless.
Sister of Battle
Amelia ordered her group forward, accross the trenches to follow Dies Irae into battle.
Inquisitor Josiah pulled an ace out of his sleeve and ordered the assassin he had brought along to take down the first command platoon. The calidus assassin obeyed and after a brief fight, cut down the squad and silenced one of the master of ordnance. She then made a run for the Punisher in order to lure it away from the artifact.
Helena ordered her squad to stay still and guard the base camp.
Clare moved forward behind Invictus to seize the xeno artifact, apparently an eldar relic sword.
Kate opened fire on the guardsmen line in front of her, fully knowing that they could not win this fight. A few guardsmen fell, but too many had managed to take cover in the crater created earlier by a basilisk shell.
Cynthia stayed put in her own crater looked for what was giving Kate so much trouble, but failing to spot anything within range or sight.
Celestine informed Jacynth she would try to deal with the ogryns while she engaged the guardsmen's gunline. She was able to bring an ogryn down on the charge after moving out of the ruins.
Jacynth got close enough to the guardsmen's line to order her two sisters to bathe them in holy fire. With disbelief she noticed she was dealing mostly with conscripts equipped with crude bows and arrows. She ordered an assault and dispatched another few guardsmen.
Beth once more opened fire on the ogryns, but failed to do any substantial damage.
Invictus shot at the second command squad taken some of the senior guardsmen down, but failing to bring the real threat to an end.
Enraged at the loss of her weapon, Dies Irae's driver decided to run her vehicle at the line of soldiers in front of her in hopes of scattering them.
Turn 3:
Imperial Guard
The imperial guards dealing with Jacynth's squad saw yet a few more of their own die in battle, but cheered on as they took down one of the sisters. A look of surprise came over their face as they saw the seraphims fly away, heading directly for the command squad that was coming in to their aid.
The other guardsmen squad took another shot at Kate and finally brought her and her last sisters down under a hail of lasgun fire.
Marbo, who had remained unnoticed by both sides so far attempted to move into combat range with Celestine to talk with who he believed was the leader of the sister of battle. After trying to waive what she believed another guardsmen away with her sword, he counter attacked, but lacked the spirit that usually drove him and caused no damage.
The ogryns not knowing who they were dealing with attempted to club the golden lady to death, but failed to do so before they took a beating themselves and saw her fly away.
The Punisher took the bait and shot at the Calidus assassin. Agile she might be, but the bullets flying around her eventually bested her. The exterminator attempted to stop Dies Irae in its track, but failed the bullets failed to penetrate the ornate armor.
Sister of battle
Amelia trying to catch up to Dies Irae that had sped forward noticed Marbo by the ruins. Not knowing him either she took a shot at him with her inferno pistol. Burned and stunned, Marbo decided he had had enough of this nonsense battle and vanished in the ruins to not be seen again.
Jacynth opened fire on the second command squad and a few more enemies were purged by fire. They then launched an assault against the last master of ordnance, but his bodyguards valiantly protected him.
Helena, Beth, Clare and Cynthia moved into more strategic positions, but otherwise held their grounds.
Celestine's radiance illuminated the guardsmen who had felled Kate previously and the glare from her sword made them fear her even more so as she assaulted them.
Invictus shot at the punisher hitting his side armor and stunning the crew. A lucky missile manage to hit the main weapon, blowing the turret right off the tank.
Dies Irae sped forward into the imperial ranks. The ogryns, who had just witnessed a miracle (how could a simple female stand up to them and then fly away!?) turned over only to see a metal behemoth speeding towards them. They broke rank and started running away. As Dies Irae sped past them, a lone commissar keeping line in check stepped foward with his melta bomb and stopped the metal monstrosity in a feat of astounding bravery.
Turn 4:
Imperial guard
The command squad, trying to deal with Jacynth and her lone sister, ordered the conscripts to back them up. The ensuing charge proved to be too much and it is with stunning disbelief that Jacynth fell into unconsciousness, clubbed by bow shafts.
The ogryns rallied up once they saw the commissar single handedly show them how easy it was to stop a tank in its track. They sped forward towards Amelia along with the commissar, the infantry and flamer wielding squad.
Amelia and her bodyguards steeled themselves at the sight of flamers, knowing full well that the flames of the emperor could not hurt them. Unfortunately they could not evade the ogryn's firing at them Amelia saw her two bodyguards fall to the ground as she bit her tongue with the sharp pain of a round entering her left shoulder.
Inquisitor Josiah was not so lucky, never having been on the receiving end of a flamer. The priest had shielded him with his body and for that he would be martyred, but he was still wounded badly enough that he could not continue the fight and had to retreat, ordering Amelia to cover his escape. Guardsmen piled around her and the wave of bodies engulfed her.
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Amelia steeled herself as she saw her sisters laying around her, the burned husk of the priest that had accompanied them still somehow twitching in it's death throes. She could see the madness in the eyes of the mens charging at her and felt pity for them for they had lost their connection to the Emperor.
Her blade connected with bodies several times and she took no joy in the senseless slaughter. As the soldiers piled around her, she was eventually submerged in a sea of sour smelling bodies.
Her last thoughts before losing consciousness were of how lucky she had been of spending those few hours with Celestine, a chosen of the Emperor, and that hopefully she had managed to save the Inquisitor and his mission...
...
"Amelia, please... wakeup..."
Slowly opening her eyes, Amelia first looked into the face of a gentle sister hospitalier looking over her. Turning her head painfully, she found Jacynth sitting in a chair by her bed, a bandage around her head and several bruises on her face.
"Ha, I guess that will be act as a reminder to wear your helm when you go out to battle Jacynth."
"Bah, I don't think any of us were really expecting a battle there, but it's good to see you have not lost your sense of humor my friend."
"We jest, but the day is grim. Please tell me what happened? How can I be in this bed right now?"
"Sister Helena reported to me after I was awakened. She indicated that Inquisitor Josiah had managed to make it back to base and explained that you had stayed behind to allow him to capture the artifact and they were to now escape with it. Helena informed him that Clare had already secured the artifact and was on her way. As the Inquisitor was boarding his vessel, she rounded up Beth and Cynthia's squad and came to recover us. Kate unfortunately was gravely wounded and we do not know if she will survive."
"I see, pray continue"
"When they found us, apparently the guardsmen were pointing at our bodies, laughing amongst themselves and boasting about knocking out the mighty Amelia... Our sisters opened fire on them and they broke ranks and ran away within the surrounding forest when they saw Celestine join in. I am blessed to have flown with her..."
"Yes, you are, but from what you're saying, this sounds like petty revenge for the last fights. Maybe those sparring matches were not such a great idea after all..."
"There will be time for you to think about that later Amelia, for now you must rest."
"Wait a moment Jacynth, what of the Inquisitor?"
"He left with the xeno blade, but not before seeing the first guardsmen that had returned executed. I don't think any good will come out of this situation and I will pray no more of these men lose their path to the Emperor. Rest well my sister."
Closing her eyes, Amelia let the medications act on her body and fell into blissful sleep.
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Game results and synopsis:
Sister objectives: 3
Guard objectives: 1, contested
My friend's goal in that game was to actually take down my canoness. The last two games he had been unable to even score a wound against her and was out for revenge. He nearly completely ignored the objectives and just tried to do as much damage as possible. While it made it easy for me to win, it also made sense in light of previous events.
That assault heavy canoness squad would have been fun if it had pulled the charge off, but that unfortunately backfired. They at least got to take down Marbo before he got his demo charge off. My friend had tried to play him "safely" by keeping him hidden. Such a waste of his point value.
18 / 3 / 6 since 6th ed. 