Operation Vengeful Stranger - Imperial Guard vs. Tyranids, 1500 (Vassal, lots of fluff!)

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**Spinner**

I'm just going to go ahead and warn you now...there's a lot more story in this one than I intended! Guess I just had too much fun writing it...I also forgot to get a picture of one turn, but I think you can get the general gist of what happened still.

GALBREN PRIME
QUICKMIRE JUNGLE, NORTHWEST QUADRANT
2900 LOCAL TIME
OPERATION “VENGEFUL STRANGER”

“What a bloody clusterfrak.”

Captain Harken Scytor scanned through the vid-relay screens again and sighed. Sixth clearing patrol in the past two weeks – ostensibly to ensure that the xenos had not yet breached the polar cordon, but he had an idea it was mostly busywork intended to keep the Harvestmen out of trouble. Not that it seemed to work all that well. He sighed, rolled his chair back down to the other end of the screen bank, and started over.
“Anything on the auspex, Vanden?”

Lieutenant Leni Vanden looked up from her own row of instruments on the other end of the Chimera, one of the half-dozen servo-skulls that constantly hovered about her turning to follow her gaze. “Nothing, sir.”
“Keep scanning. No sense in ignoring precau – “

“No, sir, I mean there’s nothing. At all.” The technical officer shrugged, a slight whir giving away her augmetic shoulder. “This deep in the jungle? Must be some kind of interference. This place teems, boss. Plus…” She scanned over a map taped to the wall and nodded. “Yeah. Supposed to be some kind of outpost just over that ridge. Foot patrols should have visual confirmation momentarily.”

The guardsmen assigned to his command squad paused in their quiet conversation, apprehension drawing their faces tight. Kallock knew how they felt. It could be a simple glitch with a cranky machine spirit, but…

“Sir!” The vid-relay system crackled. Sergeant Marnes – Fifth Squad. They had the point. “I…I think you’re gonna want to see this.”

====================================
“The hell happened here?” Trooper Retir whispered, his face damp with sweat as he leveled his lascarbine at the settlement. At what was left of it, in any case. Groves of trees blackened and twisted by chemical fires, buildings collapsed and scattered across the ground…only a few tiny native huts and a watchtower were intact, although what looked like the outposts’ central building was in better shape than the rest. Still not great, but it hadn’t entirely collapsed.

“Cool it, Retir. Keep it together, boys and girls.” Marnes hissed. He scanned the area, panning left and right to make sure the Captain got it all. “Something tore through this place good. Not seeing any survivors.”
“Not seeing any bodies either, sarge.” Retir said. “Where the frak are the settlers?”

“Beats me.” The sergeant replied, raising an eyebrow. “Let’s go find out. On the double, people. Heading for that hab. Keep it tight, eyes up. Hollowes, you got point.”
====================================
“Sir?”

Scytor pulled himself away from the screen at the nervous note in the Lieutenant’s voice. She was crouched over the auspex again, one hand on the long-range vox linking the patrol back to Firebase Primus. “Readings are back. Interference just…disappeared.” She swallowed hard. “There’s something on the other edge of the clearing. Something bi – “

“Hold your fire! Retir, Throne dammit, hold your fire!”

Scytor bolted back to the screen. “Talk to me, sergeant. What’s going on out there?”

“Got a live one, sir. I…think.”
====================================
Marnes studied the robed man as he clung to Hollowes, whimpering and clutching at the man’s armor. “Ease down, friend. You’re gonna be all right.”

“All right?” The man’s pale, twitching face turned to fix the sergeant with a haunted stare. “That’s what he said. Plant the pheromones, set the capsule, and we’d be all right. Nothing could go wrong, nothing at all, foolproof plan, foolproof weapon, draw them right to the generator…” The man giggled. “Plan worked, oh yes it did. It drew them. It drew all of them-”

The sound of crashing underbrush on the other side of the clearing interrupted him. The canopy shook, leaves and smaller branches scattering. Something was drawing closer. Suddenly, the survivor collapsed, shrieking.

“They’re still here! Oh, Him on Terra, they’re still here! You’ve got to shoot me! Don’t let them get me! Don’t let them get – “

Hollowes clocked the man across the head with the butt of his carbine, sending him slumping bonelessly to the ground. The trooper kept his cool, but his eyes were glued to the approaching menace. “Orders, sir?”
====================================
Vanden’s fingers flew across the controls, plotting coordinates and focusing instruments as she yelled into the vox.

“Firebase Primus, this is Dustfall Three requesting immediate artillery support! Xenos contact! Repeat, tyranid positive contact at the following coordinates!”

Scytor took a deep breath, staring at the massive, twisted shapes as they burst from the jungle. Slowly, as if in a dream, he depressed the button that ordered the vox-spirits to contact his entire force.
“This is the Captain. Hold your positions. We’re engaging.”

LISTS

21st Dustfallen Harvestmen “Diplomats”, B Company

Captain Harken Scytor and Staff, Company Command Squad with plasma pistol and bolt pistol on the Captain, Master of Ordinance, and a Chimera - 147

Corporal Fraggin’s Sniper Team, five Ratlings – 50

1st Squad “Regulators” under Sgt. Gaines, Veterans with shotguns, three meltaguns, a Chimera with a hull heavy flamer, and Demolitions - 185
2nd Squad “Grim Fables” under Sgt. Tavish, Veterans with shotguns, three meltaguns, a Chimera with a hull heavy flamer, and Demolitions - 185

Lt. Jeram and Staff, Platoon Command Squad with four flamers and a bolt pistol – 52
3rd Squad, Infantry Squad with meltagun and heavy bolter – 70
4th Squad, Infantry Squad with meltagun and heavy bolter – 70
5th Squad, Infantry Squad with plasma gun – 65
6th Squad, Infantry Squad with plasma gun – 65

Lt. Merial and Staff, Platoon Command Squad with missile launcher and sniper rifle – 50
7th Squad, Infantry Squad with Commissar Langerton and plasma gun – 100
8th Squad, Infantry Squad with plasma gun – 65

Vengeance Squad, ten Rough Riders with two flamers and meltabombs on the sergeant – 120
Vandal Squad, three Sentinels with missile launchers and searchlights - 138
Reaper Squad, three Sentinels with missile launchers and searchlights - 138

Vicious Gribbly Winged Menace

== HQ ==
Hive Tyrant (1) - Twin-Linked Devourer - Brainleech Worms, Twin-Linked Devourer - Brainleech Worms, Wings = 230 pts.
Tyranid Prime (1) - Deathspitter, Scything Talons = 130 pts.

== Elites ==
Zoanthrope (1) = 50 pts.
Zoanthrope (1) = 50 pts.
Zoanthrope (1) = 50 pts.

== Troops ==
Tyranid Warrior Brood (8) - Deathspitter, Scything Talons = 280 pts.
Termagant Brood (30) - Fleshborer = 120 pts.
Tervigon (1) - Stinger Salvo, Scything Talons, Taken As Troops = 195 pts.

== Fast Attack ==
Gargoyle Brood (20) = 120 pts.
Gargoyle Brood (20) = 120 pts.
Hive Crone (1) = 155 pts.

== Total ==
1500 pts.

Mission was Crusade, Night Fighting was not rolled to start. He got boosted synapse for his trait, and I got boosted reserves (everyone on both sides started on the table - we wanted blood!). My two objectives turned out to be Skyfire Nexii - incredibly useful! His top one turned out to be a Scatterfield, whilst the other one was Sabotaged (that never did come into play...)

Cpl. Morik “Fraggins” Wibrim hummed tunelessly to himself as he trained his scope on the closest bug. Ugly creatures, but he’d seen enough of them not to panic like a juvie. Take out the big ones, and the rest would scatter. Usually, anyway. He inhaled, aiming for an especially large abomination.

“Say goodnight, bea – “

Some sixth sense, something primal and honed to perfection by the ratling’s dangerous lifestyle, flared up. Fraggins rolled away just as something that appeared to be a tree branch lunged, flashing past his head and taking Specialist Tarver in the throat. The sniper cursed, knowing that not only had he lost his shot, but this was not the perfect cover he’d been hoping for.

“Everyone back behind the lines, now!”

The ground shook as the ratlings scurried about, far-off Basilisks landing surprisingly accurate shells amidst the xeno swarm. A series of lesser explosions confirmed that the patrol’s Sentinels were adding to the barrage. The enemy must be closing…Fraggins stopped short.

“Hold it! Back to cover, we’re sitting grox in the open!”

Specialist Marri stared at him as if he’d gone insane. Fraggins shoved the little ratling hard.

“They’ll be on us in seconds! C’mon, I know what I’m doing!”

With that, the ratlings disappeared back into the foliage…

“What the frak are they doing?” Sergeant Gaines hissed, her head barely clearing the top of the Chimera. She winced as a hail of murderous insects followed the four ratlings into the trees. Within moments, three of the rotund snipers scurried back out. “Poor little beggars.”

She ducked back into the transport, slamming the hatch closed behind her. “All right, the bugs are closing the distance. This is it, people. I want meltaguns primed and ready. We’re going to be pointing them at the biggest damn bug you can fi – “

The Chimera rocked slightly as the sickening splatter of tyranid ammunition against metal filled the compartment. The Harvestmen’s faces grew grim.

“Here they come…”

“Here we go!” Trooper Dasker whooped as chunks of termagant filled the air. Vandal Squad was at its finest, crashing through the thick jungle growth to deal death to the xenos. His Sentinel effortlessly, one leg pistoning up to crash down atop –

“Hey, wait a second.” The guardsman growled. “Where’d it – hold still, you nasty little -!”

The termagants refused to cooperate, darting back and forth between the giant metal legs of their attackers, never holding still long enough for the guardsmen to do any real damage.

Further south, the Chimeras inched as the bombardment continued, plumes of exhaust blackening the air behind them. Trooper Halsh shifted in the saddle, his odonat restive beneath him. The noise and smoke made the insectile creature uneasy, and with the guardsman and his gear weighing it down, its wings wouldn’t take it more than a few feet off the ground. Hardly comforting for a creature that relied on speed and reflexes to survive.

“Easy…” Halsh whispered, patting his mount’s carapace. “We’ll get through this all right.”

Something shrieked as it died out there past the Chimeras, a horrible sound that drilled right into his eardrums. He gritted his teeth.

“You’ll see.”

“Steady…” Gaines growled, looking out the viewport as the enemy surged forward, leathery wings beating the sky. “Steady…” She pointed at the biggest one, a monstrosity with a wingspan larger than their transport. “That’s the one, we’re going to mess that one up just as – “

Someone screamed from the controls at the front of the Chimera, accompanied by a liquid burbling and a hot, acrid stench. Gaines’ eyes widened. “Out! Everyone out!”

First Squad bolted from the doomed transport, coughing as the smell of burning plastics filled their lungs. Both of the transports were smoking and broken; the sergeant could just make out Sergeant Tavish and two of Second Squad dropping from the top hatch. The tyranids were almost on top of them, swarms of screeching gargoyles harassing the Harvestmen lines as the two massive leaders continued to volley shots into the wreckage. She gritted her teeth.

“Right! We’ve got them right where we want them!”

Scytor slammed his fist down onto the vid-bank. “Now!”

Outside, the center of the clearing had transformed into a hell of smoke, flame, and flesh. Lieutenant Jeram and his breaching squad advanced, unleashing lethal gouts of prometheum into the swooping gargoyles. Burning carcasses fell from the air as the Regulators discharged shotgun shells and melta bursts into the enemy tyrant. The beast finally fell, its corpse cratered and half of its head entirely unrecognizable, but First Squad didn’t stop the onslaught until each one of them had reloaded. The familiar thunder of artillery rocked the jungle, followed by the sharper detonation of a demolition charge; Scytor blinked in surprise. He’d thought Tavish gone, but the man’s vid-relay crackled back into life as the sergeant fired wildly at the few surviving gargoyles. Behind him, the rough riders had leaped forward, their mount’s delicate wings giving them enough of a boost to engage the winged abomination feasting on the Chimera crew. Several of them fell screaming, coated in digestive acid. Others were thrown as the burning transports spooked their mounts, hitting the ground hard enough to break bones. Enough reached the crone, however. The Captain grinned as its chest detonated under the rider’s hunting lances.

“No sense in counting one’s poultry before it hatches, but I’d say – Emperor’s bowels! Vandal Squad, watch your south! South!”

Dasker winced as the Captain’s voice grated in his ear.

“Sorry, top, can you repeat that? I’m having a hell of a time getting a bead on these things, and there’s a lot of background noise, lot of crashing in the trees, almost like…”

The Sentinel jockey blanched, turning just in time to see the tervigon bearing down on him. He had time for one scream before it ripped him from the pilot seat.

Elsewhere, Commissar Langerton surveyed the battlefield. The larger organisms appeared down for the count. Some of the smaller xenos had reached the line, true, but it appeared that Lieutenant Jeram had the situation well in hand. He nodded in approval as the man blew a termagant’s head off with his bolt pistol before the creature could get a hold on him.

“Excellent technique.”

The Commissar turned to address the men – ill-disciplined and gung-ho, for the most part, in need of a little extra motivation every now and then, but capable enough – then screwed his eyes up. Some sort of blinding flash…suddenly, the remnants of First Squad were running toward him, as was the sole remaining odonat rider. Sole remaining? His mouth thinned as he spied the smoking corpses littering the ground around the Chimera hulks. There was no sign of Sergeant Tavish or his two remaining men.

“It appears the second line of battle shall be needed after all. Weapons hot, soldiers!”

Fraggins sighted at the last running gaunt. Twitchy little fellow, but if you watched, they tended to fall into a pattern. Run, run, leap – there! He squeezed the trigger, gratified to see the creature’s head detonate like an overripe ploin.

“Nothing to it, see?”

====================================

“Come on! We can get back to – “

Sergeant Gaines skidded to a halt as the grim features of the Commissar confronted her. He drummed his fingers on the grip of his bolt pistol, raising one eyebrow.

“Going somewhere, sergeant?”

She swallowed. “Tactical relocation, Commissar. All that’s left are the medium-size bugs, and my squad doesn’t have the range to effectively engage them. I thought the second line would be able to – “

“You are not required to think, sergeant.” Langerton stated flatly. “You are, however, required to turn around and face the enemy. Are you capable of that action?”

Gaines nodded, slowly. “On our way, Commissar.”

No one noticed Trooper Halsh skimming past, his flamer cast away to allow his mount an easier time of it. His part in the battle was done for sure, and he had no intention of sticking around as a shield. As he fled, the sound of detonating missiles echoed through the clearing behind him…

“How do we stop that thing?” Lieutenant Merial gasped, staring at one of the floating tyranids. The thing had turned away shot after shot, lasbolts disappearing as they reached the glowing nimbus around it, missiles spiraling away into the undergrowth. Not only a xenos, but a xenos witch.

“No gorram fair!” She snarled, rounding on the heavy weapons team. “Put another krak missile upside its greasy face, that ought to – “

Suddenly, the glow around it intensified. The Lieutenant brought her hand up just in time to guard against the flash…

Sergeant Gaines blinked, shocked to still be alive. First, she ticked off the Commissar. Next, another one of those damned explosions went off right next to her. And the Commissar…

“Whoops, sorry.” Sergeant Yorrel of Seventh Squad drawled, nudging Langerton’s prone form with a boot. “Guess I meant you should have gone left. I get those two mixed up sometimes.”
He grinned at Gaines.

“So, you want to point the way out there?”

After a moment’s hesitation, she returned the grin and nodded.

“I think we’ve got them on the run, people! Keep with it, we don’t want to lose them in the dark.”

Captain Scytor grinned, watching the carnage from his vid-screens. Excellent system, easy to see why the Departmento Munitorum outfitted them with it. Behind him, Vanden mimed gunshots from her finger at disappearing contacts on the auspex.

“Pew pew pew! Hah, there goes another one. Chimera just lit up one of those brain things for us…oh, yeah, he doesn’t like the light! Hah! Doesn’t like missiles much, either! Sir, is Vandal Squad still out there? They could make a clean sweep of it if they’re free.”

Scytor shook his head.

“Lost contact with them. No confirmation, but I don’t think they’re coming back…”

[TRANSMISSION DISRUPTED]

[ACCESS FILE – GALBRETH PRIME CROSS-REFERENCE LORDS ORTHON, MANCE, JULLS]

[AUTHORIZATION CODE DELTA VIRIDENS CONFIRMATION REQUESTED]

[FOOTAGE INACCESSABLE]

[DATA CORRUPT]

[RESTORING PREVIOUS PLAYBACK]

[ALL PRAISE TO THE OMNISSIAH]

“Wait, wait, I think I’ve got something.”

Scytor slapped the screen, hard. It was faint – lots of static, very blurry, but it was there.

“Readout says this is Dasker’s system.” The Captain let out a sigh of relief. Dasker was a bit of a loose cannon, but there was no denying the man’s effectiveness. “Dasker, do you copy? Where are you? I can’t quite make that out.” He squinted. Looked like the Sentinel was moving through the trees. And the way it was bouncing…”Dasker!”

“’Scuse me, sir.”

Vanden pushed past him, staring at the screen. Her eyes widened.

“Sir…that camera’s attached to his helmet. At that angle, we should be seeing something of him, even if he took it off. I don’t – Sir! Sir, that’s our Chimera!”

Before Scytor could reply, the transport walls reverberated with an earsplitting roar…

[recording transcript of servo-skull designate Omicron-Alpha-Four-Two-Six]

[recording damaged]

[unidentified noise]

“ - Archus and Fralls confirmed down! Where’s the Captain? Where – “

[garbled vocalization]

“Here! Under the door! Get it off him, quick!”

[recording damaged]

“ – Vanden? She make it?”

“Here, sir, I’ve been through worse. Where did – “

[noise consistent with tyranid species designate TERVIGON]

“Frak! It’s there! It’s right frakking there!”

“Shoot it! Bring it down! Bring it down now!”

[lasgun discharges]

“Fall back! Get the Captain out of here! Come on, we can hold it at bay, get him out!”

[recording damaged]

“ – think it’s gone. It’s over. Throne, that was close.”

[recording ends]

End result - lots of bodies, and victory to the Guard

**medikant**

That was a fun battle report to read.

**AdeptSister**

Awesome! I loved the fluff.

**Mythra**

Very enjoyable except for the Nids losing! Need to redo it tho from the Nids point of view!

**MUCKSTER**

The Nid player from this game here. If I wanted to write a report up similar to this one from the nids view it would be more like.

"SCREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE"
nomnom nom
"SCREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE"
Pew pew "SCREEEEE"

Then a large portion the game
"SCREEEEEEEEEEEE these SCREEEEEEING DICE SCREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE"

Maybe next time Ill write one up as well

**Mythra**

Coulda gone like this tho....

The Tyrant sensed the loss of the Termagaunts from burning weapons of the enemies Chimera. It Knew it had to move one of its pulsing floating brains to take care of the problem but there was also the urgent pounding of the enemies artillery that was ending the lives of its Gargoyles to the south. She headed towards the Artillery as she sent the Brains to deal with the Chimera.