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Its been a while since I had time to actually....do a battle report. Its all narrative for the time being, centered around my C:SM DIY Chapter, The Silver Lances
And away we go.
Chapter 1: Red Dawn

The Ghoul Stars are no place for the weak of heart or soul. Librarian Trajanus of The Silver Lances 4th company knew this well. However times were trying. The effort to firmly establish a new chapter in a dangerous area of space made every day a struggle, even for the Emperor’s finest. The Lances didn’t garner the respect and awe the warriors of the older chapters did; they didn’t have the history or reputation to back up their heritage.
Trajanus stroked his chin as he paced the deck of the Lance’s Strike Cruiser “Mataris”, glancing at the tactical displays of the bridge, watching intently the progress of the scout team on the ground. Sergeant Lairan was a fine officer, and was leading an expedition to the surface of the world Victus II, to investigate the rumors spreading of dangerous raiders on the planet attacking any who crossed them, potentially with stolen imperial equipment. The mission so far, three days in had been unfruitful, a small armored contingent and tactical squad holding a LZ, while Lairan and his men worked in concert with Phalanx Praetorians to locate any enemy forces.
Three days was a long time to wait, even for a marine, Trajanus had been on edge. Captain Xiphos sat on the command throne of the ship, coordinating fleet movements to patrol for threats, and had urged restraint, but Trajanus’ blood boiled for the rage of battle once more. A distress beacon’s shrill chime broke this reverie however, as Trajanus hurried to the Captain’s side to view the report.

The Captain greeted him with a nod
“Seems brother, that your prayers for action have been answered, take Sergeant Geralt’s squad, along with Silvus and Argentum to the surface, and aid our brothers, they are under attack from heavy armor, marine varieties...”

His eyes burned with anger
“Traitors?! Here!? We must effect a full deployment of the company!”
“Unconfirmed” Replied the Captain stoically, and calmly “The Codex would dictate an escalation, rather than fully committing ourselves to a battle. Be sure of the situation before you engage, the last thing we want right now is a diplomatic incident. I will ensure your operation remains undisturbed.”
“Yes my lord, right away.”

Trajanus put out the call to the suggested brothers, as they gathered in the drop pod bay.
Brother Geralt’s squad, draped in the colors of veterans of many campaigns, proudly marched aboard their pod, checking their wargear as they walked.
The hot-blooded veteran cried “Finally! Action at last! Another chance to win glory for the 4th brothers! Make the most of our chance!”

His voice, however was almost drowned out by the stomping of Silvus and Argentum as they entered the deck, the pair of drednoughts dated back to the first Lances, and their wisdom was sorely needed these days.
Silvus’ booming voice added to the cocophany.
“For the 4th! For Him on the Throne! Unto the Anvil of War!”

The Silver Lances

Librarian 100 (Avenger/Gate)
x3 Pods 105
x10 Stern 290 X4 combi meltas x4 Combi -Plasma
Predator Tank 85 HB Sponsons
Predator Tank 85 HB Sponsons
Predator Tank 85 HB Sponsons
Ironclad Dred 145 Meltagun/Flamer
Ironclad Dred 145 Meltagun/Flamer
x10 Tacticals 170 Ml/Flamer
x5 Scouts 100 ML/Snipers/Camo Cloaks
x4 Bikes 190 Plasma/Melta + MM attack Bike
1500

The Black Templars
Chaplain, Artificer Armor
11 Man Crusader Squad in LRC w/ plasma gun and power fist
11 Man Crusader Squad in Land Raider w/ plasma gun and power fist
10 Man Crusader Squad in rhino with plasma gun/ Missile Launcher
x1 Land Raider Crusader
x1 Godhammer Land Raider
x1 Rhino
X1 Dreadnought with Lascannon/ML

Mission: The Scouring
Initiative: Silver Lances

Enemy seizes the initiative

Turn 1

A few scant moments later, a wave of drop pods decended into the atmosphere of Victus II

Brother Lairan’s scouts ducked behind cover atop their building perch, a great view, but a prime firing position. The enemy was certainly marines, marked as Templars, and their armor was far too formidable for the scout’s single missile launcher. Fortunately the maintenance of the LZ’s beacon and prayers to the machine spirit had worked, and help was on the way. Hopefully it would be enough, because they were sorely pressed.

As if on que, the enemy dreadnought, responsible for destroying half his scouts earlier, fired a salvo of missiles and lascannon fire at predator Teritius, which detonated in a large fireball. Lighting the area like a bonfire.
Fortunately, the enemy’s land raider crusader shot forward, firing it’s meltagun at Predator Secundus, but the shot went wide into the dirt. It pours bolter and assault cannon fire into the Silver Lance tactical marines in the open, however their power armor holds fast. Meanwhile on the flank where Predator Teritius used to be, a rhino shot forward towards a strategic position.

On contrails of fire, the first wave of drop pods landed behind the highly extended enemy, Brothers Silvius and Argentum emerging from their pods, Argentum firing his melta into the enemy dreadnought, causing it to explode with a cry of despair. Silvus fired his into the rear of the land raider crusader, however the powerful hull of the vehicle absorbed the shot.

The Phalanx Bikers moved to intercept the rhino, as the autocannons and heavy bolters of Predators Secundus and Primus tore the vehicle to shreds, exploding it as well. Tank Commander Arcayus, a veteran of many campaigns, and a close friend of the captain shouts over vox. “CALL IT A KILL BROTHERS! INTO THEM!”

The bikers run into trouble however as they hit terrain and one brother is dismounted, and another’s plasma gun malfunctions, however the bikers kill several marines as they emerge from the wreckage of their transport. However, they are too far away to assault.

Turn 2
The enemy in reply turn their guns on the venerated brothers, blasting Argentum’s formidable form to slag from lascannon fire and melta shots. Sergeant Lairan prayed for his recovery, for the brother’s experience would be hard to replace in a young chapter.

The marines, seeing a target, charge into the maligned bikers, killing a couple, and losing a member in reply. The melee holds however as they batter each other.

Another drop pod lands, bearing the blue of the Silver Lances’ elite warriors, it lands next to the enemy land raider crusader. The vox feed comes alive with updates as Librarian Trajanus and Veteran Sergeant Geralt’s squads take the field.
To support, a combat squad of tactical marines with a flamer moves up to rapid fire range of the vehicle, anticipating the outcome.

“Combat squads now! Attack pattern “HullCracker”!” Cries the sergeant, separating the Veterans into plasma and melta squads.
Brother Silvus moves in behind the land raider to try again to destroy the vehicle and assist his brothers, his melta missing due to some cover.

Sergeant Geralt screams “FIRE!” as three combi-meltas open up on the land raider, destroying it utterly, as the explosion rocks the marines, of the 3 combat squads however none are claimed by shrapnel. The enemy emerges from the wreckage into the face of the rest of the Veteran squad, as Trajanus places his hands together, sending a boiling cloud of warfire into them, killing 5 marines as they are incinerated. The rest are gunned down by plasma fire, supporting bolter shots and tank fire, wiping out the aggressors, including their leader, a chaplain by the looks of it.

Meanwhile Scout Sergeant Lairan had ordered the team to fire on the Godhammer land raider, to no avail, seeing its weapons charging

Turn 3
“NO!”
The godhammer land raider opens fire on Brother Silvius, managing to slag several servos of his mighty frame, and sending him plowing into the ground with a cloud of dust, meanwhile, the Templars within disgorged into a building, seeing an objective.
On the other side of the battlefield, chainswords screeched against armor as the Templars dragged the bike Sergeant off of his vehicle into the dirt. However, working as a team, the attack bike crew has managed to survive, and fights on bravely.
In response to the untimely loss of Brother Silvius, Trajan turned wildly around, and yells for his men to relieve the beleaguered attack Bike. It’s multi-melta would be sorely needed.
Frustrated by the lack of Targets, Commander Arcayus hollers to the driver to move out, finding a weakened wall in the structure protecting the Templars, and begins pouring fire into them. *THUD THUD THUD* goes the tank's main gun, a heart-warming sound to the veteran, grinning with satisfaction as the autocannon and heavy bolters tear into the building and the men hiding behind it.
Sergeant Lairan and his Missile Launch remain impotent against the might of a land raider. His frustration evident at his inability to aid his brothers.

Brother Geralt’s Sternguard and Trajanus’s squad pounded across difficult terrain, gravel and rock spraying under their hurried steps, piling into the dusty mess of an assault, cutting down all but one marine, who wildly battles on.

Turn 4

The Godhammer Land Raider advances to the center of the battlefield, and begins opening fire into Sergeant Lairan’s squad, they duck into cover as the anti-tank ordinance passes harmlessly overhead.
“Wait but a moment brothers, a Godhammer pattern Lascannon can fire twice before it recharges. Trust in your Wargear, and wait.”
The scouts to their credit, did as requested, as another lascannon salvo slammed into their cover.
Meanwhile, the Black Templar, against all odds, survives the assault ongoing against Trajanus and his men.
“DAMN YOU HERETICS! YOU WILL ALL BURN! YOU WILL BURN WITCH!” Yells the Crusader
“Like your Brothers did Traitor?! You opened fire upon us, and my fury will NOT be stayed!” Replies the incensed Trajanus

The Silver Lances continue to pour fire into the land raider and remaining Templars, their shots finally managing some lasting glancing damage against its hull.
Trajanus cries out in victory as the melee ends with the last Templar slumped on his blade, shoving him off onto the ground with an armored boot.
“Come on men! We have a battle to win yet!”
Sergeant Geralt’s men flank a small building to come up behind the land raider with their final combi -melta, while Trajanus and his men, along with the attack bike, heads towards the remaining Templars and their Mechanical Monstrosity.

Turn 5
Lascannon and Heavy Bolter fire rakes the ground around the Attack bike, as they zip dead on to their target, one beam manages to strike the bike, however some clever maneuvering manages to negate any real damage.
The remaining Templar squad opens fire on Trajanus, who is shoved aside by a Veteran, whom catches a plasma bolt in the chest, slumping to the ground in agony. Another Veteran is lost to the myriad bolter fire wizzing past.
Realizing their peril, and the immediate proximity of a squad of angry, chainsword wielding Templars, led by their champion, Trajanus simply utters. “Brothers, follow my lead” Before running back towards his men, and to approximate safety.

Upon seeing they were past any immediate danger, the squad turns back to fight, advancing on the enemy. Combined fire from Sergeant Lairan’s scouts, Tactical combat squads, Trajan’s warpfire, Vengeance round fire and tank commander Arcayus’s salvos, manages to reduce the Black Templar squad and champion, as well as their cover, into a memory.
However, the Attack Biker finds naught but frustration as the multi-melta fails to hit against the colossal land raider, their displays ionized from the near-hit of the lascannon.
Sergeant Geralt lines up his combi melta, having flanked the land raider, and presses the activation stud, a lance of heat streaking from the weapon into the hull, melting armor, however, the vehicle remains in motion.

Turn 6
The land raider turns, vaporizing a Veteran from Geralt’s squad, and heavily wounding a member of the attack bikers with heavy bolter shells.


Preparing to fire again, the attack bike stopped unexpectedly.
“Brothers! Why do you hesitate! Fire! Destroy them!”
“Sir…the Land Raider has powered down, only residual power signatures.”
“Strange, Sergeant Geralt, investigate!”

Minutes later, it was found….there were no pilots in the vehicle.
It was then noticed there were no Templar bodies on the field either, not a trace was to be found. Only the broken hulls of their vehicles.

Trajanus made no delay in reporting such, upon assuring the assembly of his men.
“Sir….I can no explain what I have seen here.”
“Friend I trust you have given me accurate account, and I can essentially confirm what has been said, there is no sign of a supporting ship or means of transport for them. Is this some kind of sorcery we are dealing with?”
“Perhaps my lord, I will continue to investigate, and report my findings, we are gathering the honored dead and the wounded. Brothers Argentum and Silvius have been restored to us, let us leave this place.”
“Stole the words from my mouth, this place feels…wrong. Mark it as a restricted world until further notice, with beacons to stay away.”

Captain Xiphos slumped onto this console, this was going to be one heck of a report he would need to create… fighting ghosts? Something was going on, and he was determined to find out.