Battle Report: The Ambush at Alhambra
Album link for pictures more pictures (like close up of armies
):
https://imgur.com/a/yU0ZdH6
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The wind swept across the war torn landscape of the Terran city Alhambra. Buildings were caved in from the countless shelling of traitorous Iron Warrior forces, and once beautiful statues and moments now lay in ruin. Even the generators that powered the hab-block have grown silent - leaving only the music created from the wind blowing through broken windows and doors. Clausius adjusted his shield silently, weighing it proportionally to his sword. The objective was simple - a light contingent of Dark Mechanicum Forces has invaded this part of terra, and apparently had been “abducting” Terran civilians. While reports of what happened to these citizens were scattered, at best, they all were malicious and foreboding in nature. Looking behind him, the Sagittarium guard were checking their ammunition supplies, while the the great Augustus, wrapped in his Telemon body, stood as silent as a fresco painting. Hopefully - mused Clausius - “light contingent” meant easy fight, and he could return to the much more important duty of engaging the immortal enemy in the webway.
He spotted the enemy in the distance and chuckled as it seemed to be a line of thralls - however the quick whine of the Telemon powering up his weapons made Clausius pause. Why would a Telemon require such massive firepower for a mere Tech-Thrall squad. In that moment of thought - his visor screeched with an unholy sound and static washed across his screen like a tide. In mere milliseconds that Thrall squad become three times as large - and now he was staring at no less then 4 squads of large Mechanicum cybernetica robots. Chilling even him, he saw an sight stuttering across the battling. Opening his comms to his squad, as well as his Captain Commander, he shouted what he saw.
“Large contingent of Mechanicum Cybernetic Units - request immediate reinforcements. Anacharis Scoria is leading force!”
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**5000 battle between Dark Mechanicum and Talons of the Emperor**
Mission Parameters - Blood Feud. In an attempt to clear the city of Dark Mechanicum forces in order to save civilian lives - a detachment of Custodes was sent out to wipe out any traitorous filth that dare harm the subjects to the Emperor. Mechanicum forces have chosen to kill off infantry type units for 1vp each, while Talon forces have chosen to kill Monsterous Creature squadrons for 2vp each. Dark Mechanicum forces have Seized.
Map:
Shield Captain Tribune and Anacharis Scoria - two titans of the battlefield.
Turn 1: Dark Mechanicum
Seizing the initiative, the Dark Mechanicum wasted no time absolutely mauling the line of Custodian forces. The Castellax’s with Multi-Melta’s strode up and quite literally blew off the lower joint of one of the noble Achilles Contemptors. Then as quickly as the Melta’s spewed out, 8 dark lances speared across the battlefield - piercing straight through the armoured carapace of the contemptor and reducing it to molten aurimite. Seeing their noble brother fall, the custodians braced, and held against the withering fire of the rest of the forces - even as plasma fire rained from above from the Thanatar siege guns.
Turn 1: Talons of the Emperor
Wanting to take revenge for their fallen comrade, the entire custodian line rushed forward - knowing that a large amount of reinforcements were awaiting teleportation into the battlefield (damn near half the army was in reserve - two 6 man squads of Ventari, a squad of Heteron with the Tribune and even the Aquillons!). The Sister Acquisitor flew up as fast as possible, and then used a boost from its engines to fly further forward - knowing that they needed to disgorge their deadly contents as quickly as possible. Even though many shots rang across the battlefield, nothing significant took damage.
Turn 2: Dark Mechanicum
Scoria knew that the Vorax were not needed yet, and so sent a data-code to their cortex to stay in hiding. The Mechanicum line shifted again, this time targeting the Galatus dreadnought that was coming uncomfortably close. Multi-Melta’s and Dark Lances rang out - and almost felled the warrior - but by the grace of Emperor he stood still, racing to engage the Dark Mechanicum forces (damn dude stayed on one wound - boss move!). Fire rang out again, but the custodians were much more prepared and no one took serious casualties. However the trap was sprung, as 9 menacing Urserax jumped ahead with their powerfists blazing - engaging a small unit of Custodian guard. They held their shields up in an attempt to prevent the heavy damage that they might incur, but it was too little too late as the swarm engulfed the small squad and smashed them into paste (it turns out that 18 S10 powerfist attacks is really goos against T5 custodes
lol!). Even worse, the large squad of Domitar continues their unstoppable march up the board.
Turn 2: Talons of the Emperor
It seems that Scoria’s mastery of dark technology was apt, as only one Venatari squad was able to confirm their drop coordinates. Despite the static, they were able to stick the landing quite close to their intended assasination target - a lone Dominus Magos assisting a Thanatar unit. Most of the Custodian fire laid into the Urserax, but by sheer mechanical fortitude only a few were downed. The Venatari also laid fire into the Dominus, but the Thanatar quickly stepped into the fray and took most of the shells. The Galatus, still reeling from the amount of firepower it had taken the previous turn, slammed into the Castellax line, complete shearing a robot in two. The Castellax put their fists together in order to slam the Galatus down, but it rang harmlessly off the shield that he held up. Further, the Sisters have disgorged from their transport and charged one of the Thallax units in an attempt to destroy them, and while successful, realized that their success also left them heavily vulnerable to return fire from the Dark Mechanicum forces.
Turn 3: Dark Mechanicum
Scoria, again with masterful skill, scanned the battlefield and data-coded targets instantly to the cybernetic cortex’s ’ of his force. The Sisters of Silence, an annoying sight to the Archmagos, was reduced to a glassed crater as Plasma and Dark Lances rained down into the sister squad. The Galatus, still smoking, again swung and cleaved another Castellax in two; the remaining two attempted to smash his defenses again but he held strong (bro... Galatus MVP). A vorax squad, too far ahead of the force to be under the command of the cybernetic cortex, lost control and showed up near the Telemon and Sagittarium unit. The Domitars, now close enough, charged into the Telemon and Sagittarium guard. All seemed lost - but a brave guard lifted his Adrathic beam and cored a Domitar through his cortex, his wrecked body stumbling the attacks of the incoming Domitar (in game, the damn Sagg did the single shot adrathic, got a 6 to hit, 6 to wound, failed invul, instant death... and then the domitar missed all their attacks.... BRUHHHH). The back Ventari were charged by the Castellax, but amazingly were unharmed but their attacks!
BRUH moment
Turn 3: Talons of the Emperor
Again, Scoria’s scrap-code interference with the teleportation coordinates played themselves, as only a Aquillon unit arrived into the battlefield. They did, like the Venatari beforehand, land perfectly behind the Urserax in an attempt to delete them from the battlefield before they can kill more custodian guard. Their bolters rang out... AND... nothing... it seems that these Urserax are far more hardy then normal ones (I am so done... these things have survived everything with only a 4+ and a 5+++.... the hell
lol!). The Domitars again swung into the Telemon and Saggatarium guard, however minimal damage was only inflicted to the Telemon. Krak grenades did not seem to be damaging the armour of the Domitars. On the other side of the battlefield, the Galatus swung, but it seems its damaged carapace seemed to weigh on the frame and did not hit their targets, but he again blocked the smashing of fists from the two Castellax. The Achilles (you forgot I had another didn’t you!) finally finished its flanking maneuver and charged into a Domitar and attached Dominus - and with an impaling lunge completely skewered the Dominus out of her abeyant. In the middle of the board, another Custodian Guard unit charged into a thallax unit, but the two seemed not to be able to hurt each other. The Ventari in the back line began to suffer casualties as the Castellax begin to charge their shock fists and pulp the guard into a bloody paste.
Turn 4 - Dark Mechanicum
Sensing blood in the water, the other Vorax squad appeared behind the Aquillon guard, in order to lend support to the Urserax and the remaining Domitar dialing in its plasma mortar shot. The many poised bolts of ammunition pinged into the Aquillon, but despite a few cuts, none had fallen. Then from above two plasma balls reigned down - as the dastardly Magos overrode the Thanatar capabilities and allowed it to fire twice. The plasma smacked right in the middle of the Aquillon guard, felling one of the brothers. Then the Urserax charged in, and in mutually assured destruction, all but one Aquillon remained amongst the carnage and bodies. The Domitars began to whittle down the Telemon, when a Vorax unit came charging from the side, cleaving through its side and finally silencing the Warrior. The Heteron Guard unnerved, attempted to take a reposition, but were easily cut down by the Vorax in pursuit. On the other side of the battlefield, Scoria had enough of the Galatus, and with a swift stroke of his staff he electrified, and silenced, the Galatus Dreadnought who had held on for so long. The Achilles, seeing his noble brother fall, swiftly maneuvered his spear to cut the Domitar in half to reposition and take revenge. Meanwhile, the Sister Acquisitor was charged by angry Castellax robots, but very little harm came to the elusive tank.
Turn 4: Talons of the Emperor
Enough was enough, and throwing caution into the wind, the Shield Captain Tribune Helios teleported straight onto the battlefield (thank god for turn 4 auto arrival of reinforcements
lol). His teleportation was right on target, as he and his retinue of Heteron Guard with paragon blades appeared right in front of Scoria. The Achilles took this moment of shock to charge into the squad, and impaled a Castellax straight though the chest with his lunge, but yet again Scoria took his Dark Mechanicum spear and overloaded the circuits of the Contemptor, laying it inert on the battlefield. On the other side of the battlefield, the Domitars raced up the middle to alleviate pressure on the middle Thallax unit, and they did just that, smashing their fists down in fury, using their graviton fists to pulp the guards into the ground (S10
OP,
pls nerf
lol). The final Venatari deep struck close to the remaining Aquillon Teminator, in an attempt to assist it with the incoming Vorax unit. Between the pistols and the charge of the Aquillon, they quickly felled the foul machines - yet there was another unit of Vorax coming for them still.
Turn 5 - Dark Mechanicum
Scoria felt - fear...caution...an emotion? - something that he had not felt in a long time when seeing the elite unit of Heteron Guard and Tribune materialize with a thunderclap before him. Angry at his own slip of emotion, he quickly repositioned his units to be spread out, in order to spread out the heteron unit and make their decision on who to take on much harder. Their guns lashed out, but nothing seemed to take effect against the unit. The remaining units on the other side of the battlefield struck out at the aquillon and Venatari, but only managed to fell two Ventari - spelling doom for the remaining Vorax unit.
Turn 5 - Custodes and Dark Mechanicum
The Heteron Guard and Tribune yelled in fury, and charged both squads of Castellax and Scoria. The Tribune issued a quick challenge to Scoria, who accepted and menancily skittered to the Captain who would be foolish enough to utter a challenge. The Captain lashed out with his spear, finding repeated holes in Scoria mechanical body and defense, but Scoria still stood. Again taking his staff he struck out - the Captain smirked as he raised his shield - but whatever dark sorcery powered the staff took hold and pierced straight through the shielding and straight into the Captains chest. Not sure if Scoria saw anger or shock, the captain fell to his knees and remained there (OK OK OK - HOLY EMPEROR - Scoria gets like 3 wounds in right after rolling 3 out of 5 5+ on his hits right?- totally easy to save on a 3++ - NOPE - fail all three and scoria proceeds to do 9 damage to him.... welp....). The Heteron guard, unaware of the fall of their Tribune, easily cut down two Castellax with their blades. On the other side of the battlefield The Ventari and Aquillon, whether to avoid the oncoming Domitar or to vanquish that final vorax unit - quickly shot then charged the brutal creatures, dismantling them quickly and efficiently.
Turn 6 - Dark Mechanicum and Talons of the Emperor
The final turn was quick yet brutal. The Heteron Guard seeing their fallen leader quickly rallied and held long enough for the teleportation to take them back to their base of operations. The Aquillon attempted to teleport out as well, but was cut down by the remaining forces. The Venatari were able to power up their jump packs and fly to a safer evacuation zone.
Final score: Dark Mechanicum 12 to Talons of the Emperor 8. Victory to the Traitor forces of the Warmaster!
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Tutting, and sneering almost condescended, Scoria carefully lowered his Abeyant claws to pick up the Tibune, but his annoying retinue of Heteron guard kept pushing him back. Annoyingly, in a loud clap of light, the Heteron squad and the body of the Tribune disappeared, leaving Scoria with no body to test on. Looking across the battlefield, he had suffered losses, but not to major that it would bother the Warmasters efforts at all. The Custodian bodies across the battlefield were of no use to him and his experiments into dark sorcery and machinations - they were all pulverized by the brutally powerful fists of his Domitar and Urserax units. Thankfully, as he looked back, he could hear the wailing of many of the civilians he had procured from this area. He skittered his body around, relishing what new demonic machinations he could combine with weak human flesh...
After Action report:
Dark Mechanicum:
I don’t want to say some bad dice rolls won me the game... but
lol at the Tribune dying like the damn weak fleshling he is. Should have had a nice spider body to be awesome. Overall it was a very VERY tight game up until the end and just those dastardly rolls. MVP -
def the Urserax. When you have enough points to take 10 of them... with powerfist... its just ewwww. Close second would be either the Domitars or Thanatars.
Custodes:
...Really tribune... really? Super close game until that 2 point swing at the end (Warlord, infantry) and the inability for anyone to teleport on the damn battlefield. Sooooooooo many 2’s rolled on reserve it hurt. With 2000+ points in reserve in a 5,000 point game, not making those clutch 3+ reserve rolls hurts you like hell. MVP - oof - the Ventari did fricken awesome. I just realized the pistols are master crafted, and at S7, AP3, they are pretty damn coo at taking out high value targets (sans terminators of course). The other MVP, even though he died at the end (or did he?) was the Galatus. Tanked 16 Dark Lances, 4 MultiMeltas, and 4 combats of S10 smashes. Don’t care that he died... thats just straight boss. Should’ve dropped an Achilles and taken more Galatus
lol. Fun game though.
Album link for pictures:
https://imgur.com/a/yU0ZdH6
Edit: I should point out that the terrain is from Gamemat.eu and Battlefield in a box. I am not sponsored by gamemat, and had to purchase the terrain with my own monies. The reason I say this is because when I say I actually love their terrain - I don’t want you guys to think I am being paid to say that
lol. It was packed super nicely, and really just pop out of box and play. Plus if I wanted to repaint them, its super easy too as well. So yeah if you are busy, and just want pre-painted terrain - gamemat is legit the absolute best for its price and shipping. Also it got to my door quick. Mat is
FLG mat as well.
