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This thread will include battle reports from our 40k/BFG campaign located in the CA Bay Area.

Here is a report written by one of our players, detailing an engagement between Imperial Guard and Space Marines, for control of a starport.

The Last Stand of the Aeniean 2/226th “A” Company
Having received reports from all over the planet of invasion, it became a priority to secure the spaceport. With the “Old Man” rallying forces in the South, Lord Creed took command of what forces he had and made a bold move to secure the spaceport. This would prevent enemy forces landing on the Xerxes. Creed’s force succeeded in capturing the spaceport, but was soon under siege by a Space Marine strike force. These were not the agents of Chaos but in the confusion of the invasion it was unclear as to anyone’s loyalties or agenda.

Creed’s mission also was to secure the remains of a local martyr in hopes of using it to rally the local resistance to the Imperial cause. It seemed the Space Marines also had the same objective. Lord Creed deployed his forces to defend the spaceport and secure this local relic.

The Guard, were to draw first blood as the marines approached the landing pad where the relic was being stored. Two marine fire teams were positioned to move out of cover while two more occupied the buildings to either side. The Big Guns opened up on one of the fire teams in the cover of a crater. A pair of Griffins and a Basilisk pounded four marines into dust forcing their sergeant to fall back from the battlefield.



The marines responded by shooting at the armor that was deployed in front of them and managed to get a few glancing shots on a Griffin and Chimera. This was caused partly by the arrival of a Land Raider.

The three Chimeras carrying squads Mabee, Zunov and Lord Creed all opened up on the marine fire teams while the Leman Russ “Iron Martyr” began taking shots at the Land Raider. With the combined fire of the Chimeras and squad heavy weapons, they were able to kill another four marines and force the lone missile launcher wielding marine to retreat from the field. During this time, Techpriest Metellus was making repairs on Zunov Chimera even while under fire. He was successfully and the vehicle was back to full operation.

The Land Raider then dropped its front ramp and a squad of five assault terminators moved towards the Iron Martyr. Knight Commander Pask had been unable to even damage the Land Raider and was soon slain as his tank was ripped to shreds. One of the terminators managed to hit the munitions and the tank exploded. Squad Mabee Chimera also exploded from the Land Raider’s shooting killing four troopers. At this same time, a squad of terminators with their massively winged commander who wielded a mighty crackling hammer teleported in to the left of squad Zunov’s Chimera. The battle had quickly turned as the two groups of terminators pressed in on the veterans of Mabee and Zunov.

The Hellhound tank “Trail Blazer” went to attack a marine fire team that was heading for the relic but a dreadnought burst out of the cover of a building and began hunting it. The tank then turned its attention on the newly teleported terminators and their commander killing a terminator that saved his chaplain.



Squad Zunov’s Chimera moved to face this threat and it fired on the enemy commanders unit with no effect. Zunov then ordered his men to fire all their flamers at the assault terminators. Even the heaviest armor could not protect the squad from the combined flamer fire and four terminators were cooked in their armor including their sergeant.

Techpriest Metellus seeing the veterans situation threw himself and accompanying servitors at the enemy commander’s unit. Metellus personally challenged the commander who promptly smashed the adept with a single blow from his hammer. His servitors were dismantled with ease by the hateful chaplain’s crozius.

Meanwhile having delivered its deadly cargo the Land Raider pivoted and fired. It wrecked Zunov’s Chimera and destroyed the Griffin in a fireball. The artillery tank squadron was unfazed and continued to lob shells at the marine fire teams. One fire team had moved up close to the relic. Before Trail Blazer could respond a marine with a meltagun fired at it and immobilized the flame tank.

Squad Mabee was in the cover of the wreckage of their Chimera firing at the enemy commander but the return fire claimed Sergeant Mabee along with his vox-caster operator and heavy weapon team. The remnants of the squad who were now being commanded by Lord Primaris Jurga turned to see the lone assault terminator charged at them. Jurga shot him through the eye with his laspistol which the men weren’t sure was skill or some form of witchcraft from the pysker. They did not have much time to dwell on this as the enemy commander’s squad of terminators charged both squads of veterans and wiped them all out.



Around this time, having weathered the fire from the preying dreadnought, Trail Blazer was assaulted by the fire team that had immobilized it and they wrecked the tank with krak grenades. This fire team was then hit by the Big Guns and all but their sergeant were annihilated by an earthshaker round. This sweet revenge was answered quickly by the Land Raider, which destroyed the Basilisk.

With just Lord Creed’s unit in his Chimera and the lone Griffin the end seemed near. They would fight on though. Creed had ordered his men to die before they let the relic fall into enemy hands, soon though even Creed himself was embroiled in combat. The enemy commander advanced and blew up his Chimera. The well armored command squad only lost a gunner from the lascannon team from the explosion. Creed and Kell rallied the men to fire, but soon it was just Creed and Kell facing the marine commander and terminators.

Kell saw that his great commander could fall this day and although both were severely wounded managed to escape while their squad sacrificed their lives. Both were able to get to a shuttle nearby and hoped they could reconnect with an Imperial force in a nearby system. They watched as Space Marine forces began to land in even greater numbers onto Xerxes.

In its last act of defiance, the lone Griffin fired on the surviving fire team veteran sergeant who had managed to make it on the landing platform to retrieve the relic. The shell hit right on target exploding the sergeant’s torso in a fountain of gore. The crew had lost sight of their commander, but in that short moment before their end they knew the relic had not been lost while they drew breath.

Here is a report written from the Space Marine point of view, detailing the Imperial Guard v Space Marine battle.



As dawn broke over the Starport, or what was left of one on this war torn planet. Captain Ulysander activated the rune stud on the auspex that he held in his armored fist. "There is something out there" he murmured as he tried to adjust the image. The golden rays of Xerxes' start burned off the early morning mists and revealed a steel curtain of tanks and artillery.



This place wasn't quite as deserted as the scouting report had indicated. The Guard squads were still in their Chimera's and there was no evidence of any trench works. It was likely they had only just arrived themselves. Lord Damacles had said that the Guard were not supposed to be in this sector, and engage any "traitors" on sight. Better safe than sorry.



Chaplain Keiron handed him a data slate. "It would seem that there is little time for delay." He said as the Captain began to read the message.



"Captain Ulysander:

Our fleet has arrived at the Xerxes system. We will be making planet fall soon. You must gain control of the Starport's landing pad at all costs!

The Emperor Protects,

Lord Commander Damacles"



Just then, the first shells from the Basilisk's Earthshaker cannon and the Griffon heavy mortar began landing among our tactical squads. Four battle brothers from 3rd squad were vaporized in that first salvo. Shaken and unable to fight, Sergeant Furius fled the battle field. It seems that the 226th AEN Guard regiment would have first blood in this battle. With that the rest of the Guard regiment opened up and fired their guns at the Space Marines. Though much of their fire was deadly accurate. The Marines power armor allowed them to easily shrug off the shots.



Quickly reacting to the situation, the marines began to move forward. Eager to get out of line of sight of the enemies artillery spotters. The ancient Dreadnaught Severian began circling behind a hangar to get behind the Hellhound that was holding the Guard regiments left flank. At the same time the Land Raider carrying Sergeant Regus and his assault terminator squad began moving forward. It was using the Starports' fuel storage facility as cover to get within Multimelta range of the enemy artillery.



Captain Ulysander told the Chaplain to begin charging the teleporter, knowing it would take a minute or two. "We will deepstrike into that building on the enemies left flank" he said, "With the support of ancient Severian we should be able to collapse the entire left side. While staying out of sight of that artillery."




The marines began firing with missiles and a lascannon from the tactical squads. Still shaken by the loss of their battle brothers, their shots went wide. "The Imperial Truth" is an ancient landraider, with a proud machine spirit. Though her shots were true, lascannons rending great slabs of enemy armor to slag. She failed to do any serious damage to any tanks.



Already reloaded, the enemy once again fired it's big guns. The other half of 3rd squad took several casualties and also ran from the battlefield. Only First squad, led by Sergeant Darnath remained. Five brothers, one with a lascannon were in a ruined building. The other five, with the Sergeant and a melta had moved forward to try and capture the landing pads control node. The Guard Hellhound unleashed a torrent of flame that washed over Darnath's squad. Once again, their power armor saved them from any harm. On the other side of the battlefield the enemy fired the rest of their guns at "The Imperial Truth" though their shots bounced off her thick armor.



"Get me in there now!" Screamed Captain Ulysander as the rune on the teleported turned green, indicating it was ready. With a thunderclap and a flash they were gone. Only the smell of ozone hinting that anyone had been there. Almost on target, the teleport scattered closer to the enemy than expected. This was a good thing. They were right beside an enemy Chimera troop transport. Captain Ulysander had enforced strict bolter discipline with all of his units. Even the veteran Terminator squads.

It was times like these that it paid off. With a brutal volley of fire from their storm bolters and assault cannon they blew the transport wide open, even killing several of the men inside as they scrambled to escape. Sergeant Regus' squad jumped out of the land raider and tore apart the enemies Lemun Russ heavy battle tank. Their thunder hammers making short work of the tanks thin rear armor.



The land raider, and the tactical squad tried snapping a few lascannon shots at the artillery but the shots missed. Ancient Severian climbed atop the hangar facility in order to take a shot at the Hellhound. The unstable footing caused him to only glance the vehicle. Finally, after they failed to damage the Hellhound with their melta gun. Sergeant Darnath's squad decided to charge the tank, despite being at the furthest distance they could possible charge. The emperor protects, and they somehow made it all the way to the hellhound, (11" charge, rolled an 11) and were able to wreck it.



The 226th AEN Guard regiment was reeling from the Marine's assault. But they were not out of the fight yet. The Basilisk's and the Griffon fired again, and more marines died. This time Sergeant Darnath's squad fell victim to their punishment. His squad was vaporized, but the Sergeant managed to survive ducking out of sight behind the Control Tower. The remaining Chimera's as well as one of the Veteran squads unleashed their fire on Sergeant Regus' assault terminators. Withstanding wave after wave of withering fire. Four brothers, including Regus, fell. From the crater of their wrecked Chimera, the other veteran Guard squad was able to kill a couple terminators in Captain Ulysander's squad.



Driven near insane with outrage "The Imperial Truth" destroyed the remaining Basilisk on one side, and another Chimera on the other. The remaining assault Terminator was killed absorbing the overwatch fire from one of the veteran squads. Captain Ulysander along with Chaplain Keiron and their squad of Terminators shot the Guard Veterans and finished off all the squads of Guard Veterans by multi assaulting both of them. All that remained for the 226th AEN Guard regiment was the Chimera with their Command Squad, and one Griffon mortar tank. Seeing his chance to grab the control node, Sergeant Darnath ran up onto the landing pad.




With one last mortar round fired, the Griffon turned Sergant Darnath into a rusty stain on the landing pad. Lord Castellan Creed ordered his Chimera to pull back. But it was too late, Captain Ulysander's squad surrounded his Chimera. They smashed the transport open, and their powerfists made short work of Creed along with Colour Sergeant Kell and their Command squad. The last guard unit, the Griffon was destroyed by "The Imperial Truth" in a fiery explosion. Not a moment too soon. For just then the landing craft of Commander Damacles and the Red Khan could be seen descending on fiery plumes to the Starport. After holding out for months on Xerxes, reinforcements had finally arrived.



The 226th AEN Guard regiment had been removed from the Xerxes Starport just in time. They seemed an honorable foe, perhaps not as "tainted" as Captain Ulysander had been led to believe. Putting those thoughts aside, he went forward to greet his Commander.



:The End:




Automatically Appended Next Post:
Here is a report written by one of our players, detailing a Battlefleet Gothic engagement between Space Marines and Chaos, for control of the Xerxes system.


Artaxerxes Subsector: Fleet Battle of the Xerxes Outer Reaches



Personal Log: Lord Commander Damacles, Commander of the Battle Barge: SMS Glory of Eagles. 2 Months before the Fleets arrival in the Xerxes System. In high Orbit over the Planet Icarus.



We received a message from our forces on Xerxes. They report that the traitors have landed several large forces and were beginning to make their move to conquer Xerxes prime. I immediately contacted the Red Khan. We made plans for our fleets to converge on the Xerxes system at the same time. This will be tricky, as there is no stable warp route near Icarus. We will blaze into the system with our weapons hot, and purge the 64th Chaos Armada from the System. With the Chaos vessels lying in wreckage, and the might of the Imperium commanding the skies if Xerxes. We shall purge those curs and once again claim Xerxes for the Emperor!



::End Log::




After nearly two months in warp space the Khans Battle Flotilla and the Strike Fleet of Lord Damacles translated into the Xerxes System within minutes of each other. Damacles had come to expect such precision from the Khan’s warriors. A dozen ships to take Xerxes. There were eleven Strike Cruisers and the battle barge Glory of Eagles.

They both stood on the bridge of the Adler’s Honor strike cruiser. Admiral Tersius had recommended that all ground forces be moved to that ship. She was an ancient vessel, with a veteran and unshakable crew. He had pointed out that our Battle Barge, the Glory of Eagles would be to slow. While she was engaging the enemy fleet, the Adler’s Honor would drive directly for the planet Xerxes.



“Long range auspex is detecting nine traitor ships, My Lord” reported a servitor in its metallic voice, “One battle ship, the rest are Cruisers of various makes”



A veteran of a thousand such battle Admiral Tersius let out a slow deep breath, and opened the Fleet vox channel “This is Admiral Tersius to all ship Captains. Assume attack formation delta-ceti, variant three. Prepare to execute in three, two…”



“Belay that order!” interrupted Lord Commander Damacles, “All ships drive straight for Xerxes, fire at will, and clear a path for me to get to that Planet!!”




The normally unshakeable Tersius was to shocked to respond. “This fool will get us all killed. The arrogance of these Space Marines never ceases to amaze me” he said to himself. Knowing that it would do him no good to argue with Damacles, he began directing the fleet forward per “Lord” Damacles’ battle plan, or lack thereof as it were. Wary of the range and strength of the chaos guns. He gathered the fleet just outside their maximum range before surging forward at full speed.



The Son’s of Orar vessel, the Leichtes Opfer, was the first to die. She was crippled by vicious lance fire from the Chaos Cruisers. Their combined weapons batteries opened the ship’s hull to the cold void before her reactor went nova. The next victim of the brutal Chaos onslaught was the Opfer Schicksal one of the Strike Cruiser belonging to the Eagles of Ultramar. This ship crippled and barely held together was able to unleash one last crippling volley into a Chaos Cruiser. This would prove to be one of the only effective shots made by Imperial forces in this engagement. Both fleets were quickly engaging at close range, and while the forces of Chaos were able to maintain withering fire against the Space Marines. In return, the shots from the Space Marine ships were proving to be all but ineffective. Damacles continued interference with Admiral Tersius’ ability to command the fleet was getting them all killed.



With nearly every Imperial vessel damaged. And, our Flagship, the Glory of Eagles, crippled and barely able to move forward. Things were looking very grim for the loyalists, when the Adler’s Honor made it into low orbit and finally dropped her troops onto the Star port of Xerxes prime. Just in time to support our forces already on the planet. With Damacles out of the way. Admiral Tersius resumed control of his fleet. Within seconds he had issued new orders to every ship. Time to bug out, and regroup. Next time we come to this system, we will be prepared and stick to the Battle plan. The remaining imperial forces translated into Warp space leaving Damacles and the Khan on the planet, and Chaos in firm control of the System.

Good stuff! If there's one thing I like more than battle reports, it's a full blown campaign of battle reports. Consider me hoooked.

Thanks. Here's the situation in Artaxerxes Subsector at the end of campaign turn 3.




Automatically Appended Next Post:
And this is the Planetary Scale map for Xerxes, where the Imperial Guard v Space Marine battle took place at the Starport (tiles E5).




Automatically Appended Next Post:
The Space Marine v Chaos BFG game, from the Chaos player's point of view.

As Captain Deneb looked at the blackness of space he could not but wait in eager anticipation for the coming battle. Deep scans on the auspex put a fleet approaching the planet and He along with captain Cardvono had just arrived from the construction yards of Targon's Star, While Cardvono's Murder ship had served the warsmith in many engagements his was fresh and eager to rename the ship instead of it's number 412004572.

The scans picked up a warp opening and before the fleet materialized a large space marine fleet with a almost a dozen strike cruisers and a battle barge. The call signs were none that he recognized but Lord Voss Strike of the Stike Cruiser Obsidian's Blade said they were of Ultimar descent. While 412004572 was on the furthest Right of the planet next to Lord Voss Stike cruiser the fleet of marines was predominantly on the left side of Xerxes.The Despoiler class battleship "Python's Flame" was near the left flank and was lined up with the opposing battle barge as if the gods themselves decreed these two titans shall battle.



The "Eternity of Woe" a devastation class carrier was the only ship left of Python's Flame while the Styx heavy cruiser "Blight Nest" was on the right of Capt. Deneb. These ships provided the only fighter escort and bombers while Lord Voss Strike had thunderhawks like the opposing army. Deneb looked out at the approaching ships past the asteroid and prepared for battle.

As the marines came closer the cruiser opened fire on the front runners but only inflicted minor damage before Python's Flame sent out a wave of fighter escorts to defend the other Cruisers. The marines replied with fires from weapons batters and bombargment cannon but those only inflicted negligible damage that was absorbed by the shields. One of the strike cruisers broke off and headed for the planet and avoided the fire directed it's way.The next volley by the Chaos fleet would be the mos telling.



Deneb spent the first hour trading fire with a strike cruiser on the rm but finding the target to difficult to damage moved to join the center of the devastation. Captain Deneb moved alongside with Cardvono to attack the closest strike cruiser of The Sons of Orar as the signature stated. Cardvono fired first and inflicted moderate damage to the weakened ship and when Deneb saw the ship's shields fail from a internal explosion he ordered the batteries to open fire and as the batteries raked across the side of the ship a miniature star was born as the plasma reactor went nova and bathed the area with fire and shrapnel. Deneb took no damage but Consequence suffered the brunt of the explosion with the shields momentarily drained which the marines not caught in the blast fired opened to knock the ship in a crippled state.

After the destruction of the cruiser the Chaos fleet moved on to setting their sights on the battle barge and opened up and caused severe damage. While the right side was faring well things were not as good on the far left flank. Due to damage to necron fleets in the area Python's Flame lost much of their superior crew and could not keep up with a fighter escort and internal struggles inside the ship prevented it from being nothing more than a fire base. The Eternity of Woe was faring much poorer and drew the ire of several strike cruisers and was boarded by marines that caused and extensive fire in the prow and dorsal areas of the ship before the invaders were forced off severely crippling her in the process.



As Capt. Deneb and the rest of their fleet fires into the battle barge it began to pull away and the strike cruisers came between the fleet and limped slowly out of range into the asteroids and executed a emergency warp jump the buffeted nearby ships. The chaos fleet was about to responded when all the other fleets fled as well ending the battle abruptly. Capt. Deneb smiled as the crew congratulated themselves for taking and beating space marines. He then decided after such a feat on the field of battle to give the ship a real name to cristen it's first blood letting calling it "Tempest" and vowed to shatter more ships of "The sons of Orir". Till that time he would patrol the outer reaches and wait for their return. It would not be long...