Regular Dakkanaut
Planet Funk-O-Tron
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NARRATIVE BATTLE REPORT
Shas'el'ksi'm'yen'Mont'hai and the Falling Leaves Cadre
VS
10111011 UNKNOWN CYBERNETIC ORGANISMS
+++You're late, Shas'el++++ The comm purred in the relative comfort of the XV cockpit.
"I was held up. You saw the Kor report," replied the Shas'el; glancing over to the altimeter which was dropping rapidly.
++++You and your Crisis Teams are deploying in support of two Tash'var Shas'la'rua and their support in the drive to Geryon Airbase. Resistance is expected to be heavy. Good hunting, Shas'el.++++
Meanwhile, three sleek Tau vehicles swooped in to avoid any ground fire.
++++Commander, we are reading energy anomalies, but there are no life forms in this sector. Have the gue'la abandoned this position already?++++
"Perhaps our reputation precedes us? Secure the area for Crisis Team arrival," replied the Shas'el.
At that moment, unearthly shadows rose from the ground. In a number of the abandoned human buildings, cold cogitors came to life-- more life to be harvested for the Star Gods had arrived.
ARMY LISTS
Me:
HQ:
Shas'el'ksi'm'yen'mont'hai (Counts as: Commander Farsight)
Elite:
XV-8 "Fireknife" configuration (Plasma Rifle, Missile Pod, Multitracker)
XV-8 "Fireknife" configuration (Plasma Rifle, Missile Pod, Multitracker)
XV-8 "Fireknife" configuration (Plasma Rifle, Missile Pod, Multitracker)
Troops:
11x Shas'la 1x Shas'ui; in Devilfish with Decoy Launchers, Disruption Pod, Multitracker
11x Shas'la 1x Shas'ui; in Devilfish with Decoy Launchers, Disruption Pod, Multitracker
Heavy Support:
"Hammerhead" assault tank. Railgun, Burst Cannons, Decoy Launchers, Disruption Pod, Multitracker.
Him:
HQ:
Necron Lord with Warscythe, Ressurection Orb, and a 4++ save
Troops:
17x Necron Warriors
17x Necron Warriors
Fast Attack:
5 bases of Scarab Swarms with Disruption Fields
3 Destroyers
TERRAIN:
Standard board with a lot of small, 6x6 area terrain features (like 5 or 6) scattered all around. Forests, ruins, and even a defensive trench were all included.
MISSION:
Seek and Destroy, Gamma level.
DEPLOYMENTS:
Necron Phalanx deployed in cover on his side of the board, Scarabs and Destroyers on the wings.
Tau vehicles in the center of the opposite deployment zone, Devilfish flanking the Hammerhead. All else held in Deepstrike.
FIRST TURN:
++++What are they, Commander?++++
"Unsure, shas'ui. Whatever they are, looks like they destroyed the Gue'la outpost and mean to do the same to us. Consider them hostile."
The alien robots advanced along the flanks, while the central phalanx moved cautiously through cover.
Meanwhile, the Tau vehicles scattered like a school of disturbed sea-creatures to face the sudden threat. The prepared battle plan did not include the possibility of such a menace! Improvisation would be necessary. Against the flying robotic seeker-killer units, one Devilfish and the Hammerhead fired a full spread of weapons fire. In the hail of pulse blasts, a single Destroyer was torn, nearly in half. With an ominous whine, the Railgun charged up and vaporized another. The remaining robotic unit activated its self-preservation program and withdrew. The vehicle gunners cheered at this early success. Meanwhile, on the right flank, the second Devilfish made a beeline for the ruins and the cover it would offer the Fire Warrior Team.
SECOND TURN:
A swarm of robotic insects, silent but for the clicking of their mandibles, descended upon the lone Devilfish. Inside, the Fire Warriors listened intently for as the hull groaned under the assault, the lights dimming under the energy fields generated by the cyber-organisms. Meanwhile, the central phalanx split into two, one group of silent killers moving into a centrally located ruin, while the others covered them from their own vantage points in cover.
"Shas'ui'Yun'al, check your descent. You are deviating from course by 5 degrees. Fire retros and check descent."
++++Retros unresponsive! Electrical system failure! Preparing for a hard landing!++++
As the Commander and 2 of the other Crisis Suits approached landfall, one of them failed to check its descent and smashed into the ground-- practically on top of the insectoid robots. They rapidly descended on the helpless XV, tearing into its systems even before the pilot was aware of his situation.
++++The suit's out of commission, but I should be alrig---YEAAA!+++ The radio died long before the Shas'ui did, torn to shreds by the merciless aliens. Meanwhile, the Commander and one of the other suits landed safely.
On the left flank, the Fire Warriors disembarked their transport into one of the human defensive earthworks surrounding the now-ruined facility as the Devilfish alighted to provide air support. The Hammerhead also returned to a more centered position, the loud whine of the railgun capacitors broadcasting its intent.
On the right, the Fire Warriors disembarked their own transport preparing for a rapid fire maneuver at the creatures clawing their way through the ship's hull. Hell was unleashed on the insectoid insects, blowing nearly all of them out of the sky. The team braced for any counterattack.
On the left, the Hammerhead team prepped a submunition round to dislodge the robotic creatures from their cover. The turret rotated and fired, however the shell malfunctioned in transit and did little more than shake some dust and ash loose from the ruined building. Fire from the Devilfish was similarly ineffective, and the Fire Warriors prepared for a long-range standoff.
TURN THREE:
The cold robotic mind of the Necron Lord surveyed the situation. It knew that if allowed their full strength, these prey had the remote possibility of dislodging it from this position. In order to prevent this, it ordered the continued assault on the lone Devilfish to leave its squad surrounded. Meanwhile, the rearguard of the Phalanx moved slowly and cautiously through the ruins.
The front elements of the Phalanx coldly aimed their weapons directly at the gunship whose heavy weapons constituted a continued threat to their existence. The green beams of their Gauss weapons arcing through the air, the Gunship's main power grid short-circuited, and with a barely-contained internal explosion, it crashed to the ground, smoke coming from the hatches.
The Scarabs dug deeply into the hull of the Devilfish, however the driver was prepared. As the first of the alien creatures appeared through cracks in the pressurized hull, his pulse pistol silenced them. However, an insistent beeping revealed that all onboard weapons were disabled. The crew lept from their stations, drawing their own pistols to fight off the creatures inside their own ship.
The final member of the Crisis Team, Shas'ui'Chu'n'Li impacted the ground several yards from her intended landing point. The Commander and the other XV leapt into action, their weapons fire inflicting serious damage on several of the central cyber-organisms. At the same time, the air was filled with the crack of pulse rifle shots as the Fire Warrior teams on the left and right fired into the Necron Warriors and the remaining Scarabs. While the insectoids were wiped out by hyperaccurate fire, the central aliens held onto their position and their powerful armor protected them from most of the barrage. More terrifying still was their use of evident regenerative subsystems, as several of the damaged cyborgs returned to their feet.
TURN THREE:
Aiming their weapons with murderous intent, the full firepower of the Phalanx was unleashed on the left Fire Warrior team. Cover was no use against the terrifying firepower, and neither was the armor so painstakingly constructed by the Earth Caste. 8 members of the squad fell to horrible deaths, as the others abandoned the position before joining in their fate. The Necron Lord advanced to the front of the pack, breaking the ranks to observe the death and destruction.
++++This one looks different! All units, open fire on the shiny one!++++ exclaimed Ui'Chu'n'li. The units in a position to spot the Necron Lord opened fire on the abomination, scoring two direct hits. The creature staggered back and drew is cloak in about itself; once bitten twice shy.
Meanwhile, the rightmost Crisis suits continued pouring fire into the phalanx, felling several more of the Warriors. Fewer stood up this time. The right flank Fire Warriors reboarded the Devilfish to return to the fray. The left flank Fire Warriors drew their bonding knives, remembering solemn oaths of brotherhood and communion, and in a rage turned to return to the fortifications.
TURN FOUR:
Spotting the insolent Crisis suit who had called attention to their Lord, the Necron Phalanx opened fire at the unit on the periphery of their range. Though before sufficient to destroy tanks and entire teams of infantry, their weapons failed them in firing at this creature. A few shots impacted harmlessly on the armor of the XV-8.
Meanwhile, the Crisis team continued to dart back and forth on the edge of the Necron weapons range, inflicting even more casualties, and again only a few of the cybernetics returned to operational status as the plasma bolts and missiles impacted their sturdy frames. The Devilfish continued to move up the right flank, intending to cut off their line of retreat.
TURN FIVE:
Realizing their predicament and their advantages, the phalanx began to advance out of cover, firing ineffectively at the leftmost Devilfish which had little to do with most of its cargo destroyed. It was now a matter of time for the Tau-- as the cyborgs advanced the amount of cover available would decrease until the sinister aliens were on top of them.
The left Fire Warriors returned to the fortifications, taking great care to keep their heads down and conceal themselves from their enemies' powerful weaponry. The Crisis teams continued to rain fire into the ranks of the Phalanx, but their weapons were not inflicting enough damage on the advancing force to stop it before it reached them. The XV-8s began to shift to the right, hoping to delay the inevitable, the inexorable march of death.
TURN SIX:
The Necrons continued to advance on the Tau positions, breaking from cover completely and charging them. However, their fire (directed primarily at the rightmost Devilfish, which still had a full crew and troop compliment) was ineffective.
Disembarking from the Devilfish, the right Fire Warriors lined up in rapid succession for a full fire kata. In the ensuing hail of plasma, missiles, and charged pulse blasts from the entire Tau force, severe Necron casualties were inflicted. A wave of fog fell over the Phalanx, and as it cleared, no robots remained. The only clues to their existence were the scars of Gauss fire on the surviving Tau units.
"The enemy is breaking off, Command. Permission to pursue?" asked the Shas'el.
++++Denied. We have detected a large Gue'la counteroffensive is in progress. Establish control in your area and prepare for reinforcements.++++
Though close, the battle had been won, and the overhead roaring of the Orca dropships heralded the critical reinforcements needed to replenish losses. They would be needed-- Mont'hai already was working out the best way to meet the Gue'la head-on. This battle had been too close, and if there was anything Mont'hai hated, it was failure. His next meeting with these mysterious forces would be even more successful.
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