In the many centuries since the Horus Heresy, both traitor and Loyalist Astartes have crossed blades, the conflict between brothers repeating itself through the dark history of the Imperium of Man. Space Marine fought Space Marine; one upholding the doctrine and message of the Emperor, while the dark Chaos Space Marines moved to spread the foul teachings of disorder and anarchy. Today would be no different; Veteran Sergeant Keefe of the Imperial Fists stared grimly at his auspex readings. On the horizon lay the siege weapons of the Iron Warriors, the mortal enemies of the Imperial Fists.
Keefe and his Sternguard Squad had come to this small moon to investigate rumors of a Genestealer cult, as part of a small Inquisitorial detachment. There was no way a small five man squad of Imperial Fists could hold back this tide of warriors, and for a moment, everything had seemed lost, before a pair of blue Thunderhawks touched down. With a winged sword dominating their boarding ramps, the Thunderhawks deposited a small cadre of Space Marines; Keefe could see that their heraldry tied them to the Dark Angels. This must be one of their successor Chapters; a voice over Keefe’s vox channel confirmed this.
“Sergeant, I am Librarian Trozas of the Marines Mendicant. We have been tracking this particular band of traitors for some time now, and request your assistance in this matter”
“But of course, Librarian. Your assistance is welcomed this day” the Sergeant sighed into his vox channel, relief flooding through him. Surely with the aid of these new allies, the Iron Warriors would be driven off. Loading Hellfire shells into his Bolter, the Sergeant marched forward to meet his enemy, repeating the endless cycle of violent clashes between former brothers. Dorn himself had fallen in combat with the Iron Warriors, and Sergeant Keefe swore that he would either triumph on this day against his Chapter’s nemesis, or die in the attempt.
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Hello, everyone! We played a 2,000 point game last night; my Space Marines versus my opponent’s
CSM. I brought the following list:
Marines Mendicant, Imperial Fists & Deathwatch Space Marines
(gogo Coke can drop pods!)
HQ:
Techmarine Reynolds (Vulkan)
Librarian (Null Zone, Avenger)
Elites:
Sternguard:
X5 Combi-Meltas
->Drop Pod
Sternguard:
X2 Lascannons
Dreadnought (
MM/
HF)
->Drop Pod
Troops:
Tactical Squad:
Sergeant (Combi-Melta)
Melta
X7 Marines
Lascannon
->Drop Pod
Tactical Squad:
Sergeant (Combi-Melta, Power Fist)
Melta
X7 Marines
Multi-Melta
->Rhino
Tactical Squad:
Sergeant (Combi-Plasma)
Plasma
X7 Marines
Lascannon
->Rhino:
Fast Attack:
Land Speeder (
MM/
HF)
Land Speeder (
MM/
HF)
Assault Marines:
Sergeant (
SS/
PW)
X2 Flamers
X7 Marines
Heavy Support:
Devastator Squad:
Sergeant
X2 Missiles
And my opponent brought the following:
Iron Warriors & Assorted Allies:
HQ:
Sorcerer (
MoS, Lash, Warptime,
JP)
Elites:
Chosen:
X2 Meltas
X3 Flamers
Terminator Squad:
MoT
Heavy Flamer
X3 Power Fists
X1 Chainfist
Troops:
X3 Berzerker Squads (6 Zerkers/Squad, Rhino)
X6 Thousand Sons
Fast Attack:
X5 Raptors (X2 Meltas, x2 Lightning Claws)
Heavy Support:
Land Raider
X2 Possessed Vindicators
Mission type was Seize Ground with 3 objectives, while Deployment type was Dawn of War. My opponent won the roll to deploy and go first. He deployed a single Rhino and Zerkers. I then deployed a Librarian with a Combat Squad in a Rhino. I didn’t bother to seize the initiative.
Chaos, Turn 1:
Smoke belching from their smokestacks, the vehicles of the Iron Warriors advanced under the cover of darkness. Librarian Trozas narrowed his eyes; though the warrior had changed the color of his armor, he still knew exactly who he faced this day. His enemy had once been a Librarian of the Dark Angels Legion, and now posed as a Chaos Space Marine, leading this band of traitors. Gripping his force halberd, Trozas watched as the Iron Warriors began to take up offensive positions.
Everything sans the Chosen and Terminators rolled onto the board. No shooting occurred this turn.
Loyalists, Turn 1:
Advancing into a defensible position, Veteran Sergeant Keefe watched as his Battle Brothers set up their Lascannons, bracing the weapons in cover while they prepared for dawn to break. A pair of Drop Pods descended from the heavens, one bearing the crest of the Inquisition, while the other bore the insignia of the Marines Mendicant. A proud Dreadnought strode from the latter pod, while five Deathwatch Veterans, seasoned Astartes all, emerged from the first. In but a moment, the combined fire of these veterans tore the traitorous Land Raider asunder.
I selected the Sternguard Combi-Melta Pod and the Dreadnought Pod as my first wave of drop pods. Both came down pretty much where I wanted them, with minor scatter. Everything else waltzed onto the board.
Shooting saw the Dreadnought miss, despite the
MM being twin linked! However, the Sternguard obliterated the Land Raider.
Nothing assaulted this turn.
Chaos, Turn 2:
“Infiltrators!” was all the pilot of Trozas’ Rhino had time to cry before a pair of Melta blasts tore into the rear of the Rhino, tearing the vehicle apart.
Trozas came to in the middle of a fireball, as the dark silhouettes of the traitors advanced through the smoke and flames. Rallying the remnants of his squad, Trozas began to fall back, firing his Bolt Pistol towards the Chaos Marines in order to discourage pursuit.
The Chosen came in this turn; outflanking, they rolled a 3, coming in behind my Rhino. Crap.
The Berserkers climbed out of the ruined Land Raider, and prepared to assault the Sternguard. Meanwhile, Berserkers disembarked and prepared to hit the Dreadnought in close combat.
Shooting saw the Vindicators blast away at the Land Speeders, supported by the Raptors, felling both of them (I failed my flat-out saves, a pattern which would continue to haunt me for the rest of the game). The Chosen blew up the Rhino, and I took one casualty, and THEN failed my Morale check! This was probably for the best, however.
The Berserkers assaulting the Sternguard wiped them before they could strike (I couldn’t roll armor saves today at all!), while the Dreadnought took a Berserker with him before the Power Fist blew him up. No Berserkers were harmed in the explosion.
Loyalists, Turn 2:
“Rally to me!” Trozas cried, raising his fist into the air.
“We shall know no fear!” the squad replied, moving to link up with the Imperial Fists. Trozas turned, advancing towards the outriding Traitors, intent on avenging his fallen Battle Brothers. Channeling his fury, the Librarian summoned a rolling plume of flames, incinerating the warriors before they could respond. As Trozas pulled upon the power of the Warp, an insidious voice began to whisper to him.
“So you have found me, Trozas of the Marines Mendicant. Come to bring me back to your Brothers? To your Inner Circle?”
Trozas’ eyes narrowed.
“I have come to bring you to justice, heretic. Repent, for tomorrow you may find yourself within our grasp” Trozas replied mentally. The Librarian could swear he could hear the voice chuckling at him.
“How deluded. You cannot conceive of the pain and suffering I have endured over these countless centuries, whelp. Your pitiful interrogations pale in comparison to what I suffered in the Basilica of Torments”
Trozas raised his Force Halberd and charged, the words of the traitorous Sorcerer ringing in his ears. Unable to focus his power, the Librarian’s first swing was wide. Only his power armor saved him from the retaliatory strike from the first traitor Marine, and Trozas gritted his teeth, mentally cursing the band of traitors.
The Librarian’s squad rallied thanks to
ATSKNF, and the Librarian went his own way, in order to attack the Chosen.
Shooting saw all three of my Lascannons miss completely, while Krak Rockets killed off two Berserkers. Storm Bolters picked off Berserkers on the backfield, along with a few Raptors (I LOVE Storm Bolters on Drop Pods!)
Fffffuuuu-
I assaulted the Chosen with my Librarian, rolling 4 1’s to hit. I made my Armor saves, thankfully.
Chaos, Turn 3:
“Watch, Librarian, as I demonstrate the teachings of a millennia of combat!” the Sorcerer’s voice whispered in Trozas’ mind. Pulled forward by an unseen force, the Assault Marines in Trozas’ retinue were suddenly in the thick of melee, the devotees of Khorne hacking at them in close combat. The Marines were held captive by whatever unseen force compelled them forward, as their token attempts to defend themselves were lackluster. Many Battle Brothers fell before the blades of the Berserkers, but a few held their ground, refusing to give in.
Elsewhere, Veteran Sergeant Keefe watched in surprise as three large forms descended from the skies, firing as they landed. One of Keefe’s Battle Brothers was killed instantly, and in seconds, the Traitors were upon them. Keefe drew his Combat Knife, only to watch in shock as the crackling Lightning Claws of the Traitor Marine Champion cut the weapon into pieces. The two squad leaders locked eyes for a moment before the Champion sunk his lighting claws into Keefe’s helmet, pulling downwards as the three pieces of Keefe hit the ground with a wet noise.
The Sorcerer joined the Berserkers in the center. The Vindicators scooted around, and the Sons stumbled forward. The Raptors landed in front of the Sternguard. The Terminators came in this turn, right next to my Lascannon combat squad.
Shooting saw the Raptors kill off a Sternguard Veteran with a Meltagun shot, while the Vindicators peppered the Devastators with fire, killing one. The Sorcerer Lashed the Assault Marines closer.
The Berserkers assaulted the Assault Marines, killing six of them, while I did absolutely nothing. The Raptors hit the Sternguard, where I AGAIN rolled nothing but 2’s and 1’s for my To Hit, Wound, and Armor Saves! The Sternguard were obliterated, but the four Assault Marines held in close combat. The Librarian whiffed on his attacks, as did the Chosen. (this would continue for quite some time)
Loyalists, Turn 3:
Troas watched as the back hatch of Sergeant Necros’ Rhino opened, and the Tactical Sergeant led his squad into battle in order to save the beleaguered Assault Marines. With a battle cry on their lips, the Tactical Squad charged into battle. For an instant, Troas swore that the Emperor himself had forsaken them as the Assault Squad was cut down, and the blows struck by Sergeant Necros’ squad seemed to have no effect on the Chaos Marines.
“Your resolve falters, and your courage is false! Your false Emperor has forsaken you!” the Sorcerer cackled gleefully as Sergeant Necros’ attempts to hit the traitor with his Power Fist failed repeatedly. The Berserker Champion’s Power Fist, however, was unhindered by such luck, and smote Sergeant Necros where he stood.
I disembarked my middle Tactical Squad, while the left Combat Squad moved up to hit the Raptors.
Shooting at the Vindicators and Terminators was fruitless as usual; I just couldn’t hit anything to save my life! However, the left Combat Squad felled a pair of Raptors, and the Squad then failed its Morale check, forcing them to withdraw!
The Tactical Squad leapt into assault to save the Assault Marines…only to have the Sorcerer wipe them all. My wonderful pattern of whiffing EVERY roll continued here, as I didn’t manage to score a single wound on the Berserkers! The Powerfist hit WOULD have killed the Sorcerer…but my opponent’s die bounced off of my hand and landed with a 5, saving the Sorcerer. My own hand betrayed me! Between No Retreat saves, I lost the Tactical Squad.
The Librarian and Chosen continued to fail in close combat.
Chaos, Turn 4:
“Rain fire upon us, and we shall return it!” the Devastators cried as the bolts fired by the Terminators bounced harmlessly off their armor.
The advance of the Terminators saw the five Chaotic Champions slaughter both Devastator and Tactical Marine alike; unprepared for close combat, the Marines were cut down quickly.
“I am coming for you, Brother…” the voice in Troas’ head hissed as the Sorcerer landed, running the Librarian through with his cursed sword. Troas managed to look his enemy in the eye for a single moment before passing out; the Sorcerer flicked his wrist, sending the form of Troas to the side in a heap.
Movement saw the Vindicators advance, while the Berserkers moved towards the left objective. The Rhino rammed the Drop Pod, doing nothing to the Pod, while the Pod immobilized the Rhino (
LOL). The Sorcerer peeled off to hit my Librarian. The Sons hopped onto the right objective.
Shooting saw the fleeing Raptors kill the Drop Pod (wut), while the Vindicators scored PERFECT HITS danger close to the Terminators, killing a Tactical Marine.
The Berserkers assaulted the left Combat Squad, with predicable results (what do you think happens when you throw a kitten into a blender?). The Sorcerer assaulted the Librarian and killed him fairly quickly. The Terminators multi-charged the Combat Squad and Devastators, killing them off.
At this point, we called the game; there was absolutely no way I could win (or even draw) at this point, especially with my craptastic rolling.
Victory went to Chaos!
Troas awoke to the armored forms of dozens of Chaos Marines surrounding him. The splayed bodies of Veteran Sergeant Keefe, the Deathwatch Marines, and his own retinue lay scattered around him. Even the dessicated form of Brother Hypax, the occupant of the Dreadnought, was defiled; Troas realized that he had been chained to the sarcaphogus of his fallen Brother.
“You came to find me, Brother? Well, here I am” the Sorcerer sneered, removing his foul helmet to reveal a scarred face, with tattoos dedicated to Slannesh engraved on his flesh. The Chaos Marines roared with laughter as the Librarian struggled vainly to free himself.
“In time, Brother, you will learn to respect the path I have taken. Allow me to show you a glimpse of what I have learned since my awakening to power” the Sorcerer whispered as he strode up to the Librarian, pressing his palm up to Troas face…
Whew, what a game! Some funny moments were had, but worst of all, I couldn’t believe my dice rolls! I’m glad I wasn’t playing my Deathwing, though; that would have been an even worse disaster. A fun game as always, with one of the more seasoned players in my area.
Thanks for reading!
Shadowkeepers (4000 points)
3rd Company (3000 points) 
Tempest Cadre 
Emerald Knights 