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This thread is going to be a repository of battle reports for my Imperial Guard Armored Regiment, the 1st Concordian Armored (1CAR). I put great stock into the fluff, and so will be writing these battlereports from an in-universe perspective, usually from the commander or highest authority present at the battle as an in-universe AAR (After-Action Report).

I will also be posting these battle reports in the thread specifically about my regiment, just so I can use it as a one-stop-shop (as it were) for information about my troops. I also have not yet gotten used to taking pictures of the battles-in-progress, and so they will be devoid of pictures until I start remembering. In some cases, the pre-battle items (such as determining scenario, et cetera) will be considered from an out-of-universe perspective, for the purpose of better understanding the battle report.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
After-Action Report
3/09387|041.M42

From: Lord Commissar Catherine Lynaris, Regimental Commissar, 1st Concordian Armored Regiment (1CAR)
To: Lord Marshal, Departmento Munitorum Segmentum Command, Segmentum Tempestus
Copy: Inquisitor ++REDACTED++, Ordo Xenos

Lord Marshal,
It is my sacred duty to report the arrival of a new enemy upon the battlefield. The Tau Empire's industrial and technological strength continue to improve. While it is no match for His Imperial Majesty's holy warriors, it warrants notice nonetheless.

It is similar to the new “Riptide” suits. Our troops have taken to calling the machine 'R'Varna' after shouts heard during the battle. At any rate, I will now begin the report proper.

Walk in His holy light,
Lord Commissar Catherine Lynaris, 1CAR

Midafternoon, the first squadron of the 1st Company rolled upon the enemy positions. 1st Platoon, 5th Company joined them in their Chimera armored transports. Attached Imperial Navy assets included the Vendetta gunship Wing and a Prayer though its Stormtroopers were busy with other business. The final element was myself, riding Indomitable in the vanguard.

The battle started out well. Under the command of Podpolkovnik Illius Krasnov in Malleus Machinarum/101, a Concordia-pattern Vanquisher, the infantry units deployed from their Chimeras. Across from them were a small squad (three) of the nearly ubiquitous Tau battlesuit 'Crisis' surrounded by a swarm of drones. Lasgun and plasma gun fire from the two infantry squads downed many of the drones, which dove in sweeping arcs in front of the incoming fire in what appeared to be rather suicidal attempts to save the suits. It was all for nought, however, as a single thundering blow from my very own Indomitable's battlecannon left only a smoking crater where the black-armored battlesuits were.

Elsewhere, the two squadron vehicles (Vis Chalybdis/112 and Vis Ferris/113 of the Ferrus Fractatii) engaged a single enemy Broadside that appeared on the second floor of a damaged building. The Broadside proved impervious to their battlecannons, but one of the alien drones was clipped by shrapnel and fell smoking to the ground. Malleus Machinarum/101 fired one of her rare Hunter shells at the new Riptide lurking barely in sight behind a building, but once again the round was intercepted by a rather unfortunate drone.

The enemy's return fire was ineffectual against His Imperial Majesty's tanks, although some surprised infantrymen were killed by the invisible Stealth battlesuits. The Riptide suit appeared to malfunction, its force-field sparking and causing apparent electrical damage as the suit twitched and rattled. Nonetheless, its fire managed to blow the gun off of Chimera 513 and destroy Chimera 514.

The next major event was the destruction of Malleus Machinarum/101. Enemy Crisis battlesuits jumped in from an unexpected quarter, punching holes in the rear armor of the tank with their weapons. Although the ammunition did not explode, the tank did catch fire and the crew was forced to abandon her. The suits, including what appeared to be the enemy commander, did not survive return fire from Vis Chalybdis/112 and Vis Ferris/113.
Eventually, I was forced to abandon Indomitable, which had suffered multiple armor breaches, though not before running down and destroying the rather irrelevant enemy Broadside suit, which had come down from its perch on the ruins. In trade, however, Infantry Squad 3 in Chimera 513, missing its hull weapon, nonetheless managed to drive deep into the enemy's rear areas and deploy into cover. Eventually, having suffered a number of damaging hits from Wing and a Prayer, the Riptide apparently suffered further electrical damage as its main gun appeared to throw out a massive number of sparks and possibly even flame, before the whole suit stood immobile and sentinel over the battlefield, wreathed in smoke and totally inert.

The only enemy unit left alive was the Stealth unit mentioned earlier, who were able to elude the remaining tanks and infantry in the growing darkness. The 1CAR held the field, and though the loss of the Indomitable was a grievous blow to my pride, the damage was found to be reparable (as the tank did not explode), and its thermic reactor was found still operating. Even as I write this to you, Lord Marshal, I await word from Magos Coldatus Arcturus and his workshop with regards to the repair of such an ancient and venerable engine of war – nay, Lord of War. Similarly, Malleus Machinarum/101 is reparable, although that is more thanks to the durability of the Leman Russ design than it is to the ineffective nature of the enemy's guns.

Perhaps with the knowledge of the weaknesses of the electrical systems on the new enemy suit, the Inquisition and His Most Holy Majesty's Imperial Guard will be able to avoid such losses in the future.

++END++

For this battle, we played the Battle for Dal'Yth battle from the Farsight Supplement, which my ally was running. The Chaos Space Marines took the place of the Imperial Space Marines in the scenerio, and brought 3000 points. The Imperial Guard brought 1500 points, and the Tau Empire brought 1500 points, to match the 3,000 points of the other team. The Imperial Guard army also included an allied detachment of Space Marines. The rules used for the regimental command Baneblade are the rules for 212 Arethusa, which is indeed a regimental command baneblade itself.

After-Action Report
3/09390|041.M42

From: Marshal Orlov Malinenko, Regimental Commander, 1st Concordian Armored Regiment (1CAR)
To: Inquisitor Lord Grendel, Overseer of the Eastern Fringe, Authority (Rank 1) on Ta'u, Ordo Xenos

++REPORT SEALED BY ORDER OF HIS MOST HOLY INQUISITION; CLEARANCE LEVEL VERMILION REQUIRED TO PROCEED++

++CLEARANCE ACCEPTED; OPENING FILE++

Inquisitor,
I am writing to inform you of the success of your plan. We were able to simultaneously study the new Tau suit and rout the "Steel Panthers" Chaos warband from the world in a dramatic engagement. We were even successful at destroying the Chaos Warhound Blood Strider with the assistance of the powerful Tau suits.

Per your orders, our Naval transport was re-routed an we conferred with your acolyte on how to proceed. Just as you predicted, our arrival on the world was hindered significantly by a warp storm, though it did prove navigable. As such, however, the Tau were already hard-pressed by the Chaos forces overrunning their world. It is unknown, precisely, what the Chaos legions were after, but the Steel Panthers warband dragged along an enraged Titan, Blood Strider along to the war.

Another small, but perhaps worthy, note: A Space Marine Strike Cruiser Power of Knowledge was found to be orbiting the planet upon our arrival. It immediately contacted us and offered support, though inexplicably did not send much. Our landing forces were reinforced by Iron Father Elix Atropos and a small squad of Space Marines in a Rhino. They belonged to the Logicians Chapter, whom I had fought with before and was pleased to fight with again, though I have never personally met Iron Father Atropos before.

I hope we may continue to serve your research,
Marshal Orlov Malinenko, 1CAR

It was late morning by the time I was able to assist the Tau from my perch in Wrath of the Brazen God/001. Without waiting for the rest of the regiment to disembark, I set off with a small force of Tau of the Predator Cadre and support units from the 5th Company including a Tech-Priest Enginseer with a servitor retinue and Arx, our recovery tank. I did not wish to lose the Wrath of the Brazen God/001 if it could be helped. On the way to the front, Iron Father Atropos joined our marching column in his Rhino.

At the front, the attacking Chaos troops were throwing themselves upon the Predator Caste in several sectors. They were holding on, though, by employing the mobility of their suits to the fullest. It was a strategic demonstration the likes of which I had rarely seen. Blood Strider, though, was leading a breakthrough of Chaos forces in the outskirts of the city, and so it was here that I brought my small company.

The opening volley of the engagement was a tribute to the immense firepower of Wrath of the Brazen God. Waiting until Tau firepower from a Broadside and a Riptide battlesuit (data attached) stripped the Traitor Titan's void shields, I ordered the tank to open fire. The Titan shrank back under the impact of the Baneblade Cannon an its supporting weapons, the lascannons and the demolisher cannon. It was severely wounded, staggering about and bleating from its loud hailers. The return fire, however, was terrible. A unit of stealthsuits was assaulted by ravening Slaaneshi Keepers, wiped out to a man in a flurry of scything blades and whipping tongues. The Titan itself charged and fired its Plasma Blastgun at the Wrath of the Brazen God/001. Catching a Logicians Dreadnought and Rhino in the explosion, the thick armor of the Baneblade's frontal hull absorbed the energy of the blast. The Dreadnought, however, exploded, showering metal fragments everywhere, while the Rhino ground listlessly to a halt and began to smoke. The Vulcan Mega Bolter on the Titan's other arm buzzsawed rounds into the Riptide suit, shattering the drones but ultimately failing to do meaningful damage to the Suit itself. Around Blood Strider's feet, the ravening hordes of Noise Marines and Daemons continued to advance unhindered.

Fortunately, it was at this moment that other units arrived from the backfield. From the skies, Tau suits recently liberated from other duties rained down on the enemy, causing havock in their lines. Chimeras 513 and 514 arrived from the Regimental dropzone, dispatched to ensure the safety of the Wrath. Lord Commissar Catherine Lynaris was leading them, riding in 513 with the squad. Their arrival and subsequent las volleys wiped out the lead Slaaneshi elements. The rest of the Line fired again at Blood Strider, wounding it further but failing to kill it. A valiant unit of Crisis suits, however, landed just behind the poor Titan, firing fusion blasters into its vulnerable rear armor decks as they descended. There must have been an uncontrolled reactor breach - the Titan stopped and quivered for a moment, before blaring out a single note of defiance as its reactor detonated.

The detonation wiped clean much of the enemy army, which had been clustered around its feet. The Wrath crushed a Soul Grinder under-tread, and its main gun and demolisher cannon finished off a Forgefiend that survived the titanic explosion. After this, it appeared that the Steel Panthers had been repelled. But it was not the case! Swooping low, a flying Daemon Prince (ref:SP0103) landed with a thud next to the Riptide, who turned. The Daemon lifted itself from the ground and flung itself towards the Riptide, snarling in rage. The hapless robot could do little to fend off the creature, which shredded the machine with alarming rapidity. However, Tau aircraft arrived to support the counterattack, and the flying Daemon Prince was caught up in an aerial battle from which it could not find escape.

But it wasn't enough - the loss of their Titan and the practically unharmed nature of Wrath put too much pressure on the Steel Panthers. Under intense counterattacks on all sides from Tau suits and Imperial tanks, the Chaos assaulting echelons fell back, and the city was saved. This single dramatic engagement must have broken the back of the Chaos warband, as they fled the planet in droves after the news of the Blood Strider's demise spread.

Hopefully, this report and the attached data packets and vid-feeds will help you in your research, Inquisitor.

++END++

I like the stories, I hope to see more Armored company Reports.

Now we need some photos of things blowing up. Extra internet cookies if you photoshop them a little bit to show fog of war/other easy filters

M.