Welcome to game 20 in our long running campaign. In this battle, two powerful armoured forces clash across a barren valley floor. This is an old-fashioned knock-em’ down, drag em’ out fight –
two armies lined up against each other, charging in and blasting away (
40K tactics purists may wish to look away).
From a campaign perspective, the winning side will break through the enemy and get into their rear areas, leading to a number of breakthrough scenarios for the next few games.
Previous games in this campaign can be found here:
http://www.dakkadakka.com/wiki/en/Gordy2000%27s_Battle_Reports
Note: the scenario special rule for this battle was that any armour killed more than 18 inches from its attacker could ‘respawn’ as per the continuous assault rules.
This encouraged players to get stuck in at knife fighting range, rather than sit back and shoot….
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Major Stone tried to hold himself steady as he peered through the rangefinder of his command tank. Say what you wanted about the Leman Russ chassis
– reliable, tough and well armed – but comfortable was not in the design specs. The valley floor before him was flat and open – good tank country, but he knew from experience that worked both ways.
Following a series of advances by Imperial forces, high command had identified this valley as a key opportunity for a break-through of the enemy front. His Antipodean Armoured Regiment (the Iron 1st) had
been tasked with effecting said breakthrough. He was supported by a strong detachment of the 681st Krieg Assault Army, including a mighty Macharius
– Stone was looking forward to seeing that monster unleash on the heretics. A small Sisters detachment was also attached to his force.
The thought of the enemy brought the major’s eye back to his rangefinder. You could be sure that if command had identified this valley as a key point, the renegades would have as well.
The recent arrival of the traitor Volscani regiment had significantly enhanced the enemy armoured strength, to the Imperial forces dismay.
Swinging the rangefinder to the east, Stone saw a tell-tale smudge on the horizon.
“All units be advised – dust cloud half right of axis. Stand by.”
As he watched, the first dark shapes of vehicles came into view, heading directly towards his own speeding force.
“Enemy sighted – regiment strength. All units engage – for the Emperor!”
Offering a brief prayer, Major Stone hauled himself into his cupola (a visible commander was a requirement of the 1st) and wracked the cocking handle of the pintle mounted stubber. It was time for war.
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Major Stone, Sentinels and Chimeras on the Imperial Left Flank
Sisters, Krieg and Antipodeans in the centre
Krieg heavy armour on the right
Renegade Left flank
Centre
Volscani hold the right, with plenty of heavy weapons teams
The renegades surge forth
Major Stone orders all units to engage at will
The two forces hurtle towards each other across the open valley floor
Sisters units look to close the gap
The Macharius halts to use its guns to full effect
Faster units move up on both sides
The renegade tank killer engages its Krieg counterpart
Renegade transports supported by armour advance
The Krieg Vanquisher trades shots with the renegades
A Krieg Hades drill emerges behind the renegade battle line and engages their rear
Ranger transports pop smoke as they close the distance with the Volscani
So many targets…
Volscani sentinels start to burn
A renegade sentinel gives the Hades a taste of its own medicine
Vanquisher shoot out
Even all that smoke can’t hide the Ranger Chimeras from that many missile teams
The Krieg Vaquisher loses the fight (couldn’t hit the side of a barn…)
Commandos abandon ship mid-field
Bad place for infantry…
Utter mayhem…
Sisters are the next Imperial unit tipped out
An armoured melee develops on the Imperial right
Exalted Captain Faruz, fresh from earlier battles, also finds himself on foot.
His command team are assaulted by a unit of engineers, who had followed the Hades drill from below
However, Faruz is bloated with the power of the Ruinous Powers and the Krieg are cut down.
The Hades drill follows the fate of its engineer squad
The centre of the field is now a tangled mess of armour and infantry units
Sentinels battle it out on the left
Renegade infantry destroy a Demolisher
Major Mordant disembarks from his Centaur carrier and heads towards the enemy vanquisher
A second Hades Drill emerges
Where are these coming from?!
Dismounted renegade infantry suffer casualties from tank fire
Major Mordant and his command team avenge the Krieg Vanquisher, destroying the renegade tank killer
Canoness Hespatia takes the fight to the enemy
Major Stone presses on, heedless of the escalating losses
A Renegade lascannon team lines up the second Hades Drill…
Direct hit!
Tanks are now finding themselves vulnerable to infantry assault
Casualties climb on both sides
Carnage.
Canoness Hespatia burns the heretics
Ogryns close on the Krieg line
But they are spotted by the Sisters Exorcist and obliterated
The Macharius, holding the Imperial right flank almost unaided, spots advancing Volscani missile teams in the open
Boom…the heavy weapons teams are eliminated
Despite the horrendous losses on both sides, most of the Imperial main battle tanks remain operational, whilst the renegades are reduced to a few transports and scattered infantry
The enemy are broken – they do not have the firepower to resist the Imperial heavy tanks. Volscani and renegade infantry mount the remaining transports and withdraw. Victory to the Imperium!
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Major Stone sat atop the turret of his tank, legs dangling over the side and surveyed the view. They had moved a few kilometres past the battle site before, incredibly,
being ordered to halt by High Command. His requests to continue pursuit of the enemy forces had, so far, been met by stony silence.
The wind had picked up, blowing away the smoke from the burning vehicles further up the valley. Stone was thankful for that small mercy at least.
He leaned down into the turret and called out to his radio operator.
“Anything yet?” The operator shook his head. Stone swore and pulled himself back out. He was considering the unfairness of the military command structure,
when a series of booms drew his attention to the sky.
High above, burning streaks cut through the late afternoon sky. They cut a line across the heavens, aimed directly towards the path taken by the retreating enemy.
A smile spilt the Major’s face as he watched the drop pods fall towards the horizon.
“Well that explains the halt order. I almost feel sorry for those traitorous fethers…”
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Well, that was a good fun battle. Not a lot of tactics beyond target selection, but just charging two huge armoured forces into each other and blasting away was surprisingly enjoyable.
Next battle – the Angels of Death arrive…
