Crusade Battle #4 Dormant Powers

 After proper medical attention to most of the sister, it seems that the Hospitallers are something close to miracle workers when it comes to bringing their patients back from the dead. Canoness Praxima was restless throughout the whole ordeal, if they didn't stop the repairs on the webway, the Khar Sorvi could spread their heresy to any corner of the universe. They might even join the Craftworlds against their fight against the Imperium of Man! The notion made Pramixa's gut wrench in opposite directions. This was getting out of hand!

Another crusade battle against Pilon, this time at my place on Sunday. We continued with 35 PL, as I got a bit distracted with my painting. While Rachel went to visit her folks in Fort Saskatchewan, she traded off some of her Sylvaneth (just the extras, she does plan to play WarCry, and hopefully Age of Sigmar in the future still) to a nice guy in Cold Lake that was kind enough to meet her in Lloydminster as she was driving through.

Skitarii reinforcements

But I thought RACHEL was selling her stuff? But that looks like Ad-mech for Jon, I hear you say ALTOGETHER. *waits for garbled crowd to repeat what he just typed* That's correct, I have exchanged Rachel's toys for my own, this is the level of my plastic addiction! I bought Rachel Between Two Cities of Mad King Ludwig as partial payment for the Skitarii she picked up for me.

With the Kataphron Destroyers as troop choices, I can now field them as a Battlion Detachment along with my two 5 robot squads of Ranger and Vanguards, this would also mean Belasarius Cawl would be the HQ or the Tech-Priest Dominus that I have yet to assemble. 

Anyways.... We have a battle on our hand.

Stoic Partisan - Patrol Detachment

No Force Org Slot

Repentia Superior Thessa - 2PL

HQ

Canoness Praxima - 3PL

Troops

Battle Sisters Squad Alwyn - 7PL

Elite

Acro-Flaghellants -2PL

Sisters Repentia - 6PL

Dialogus - 2PL

Fast Attack

Seraphim Squad - 4PL

Heavy Support

Penitent Engine Father Henry - 3PL

Stoic Partisans Ad-Mech - Patrol Detachment

HQ

Tech- Priest Manipulus Advectius Volo - 4PL

Troops

Skitarii Rangers FR-702  5PL

Total: 38PL

Khar Sorvi Patrol Detachment

HQ

High Stormwarden Oktai Thunderlord - 5PL

Troops

Scout Squad  Longsword -4PL

Fast Attack

Assualt Squad Stargaze - 12PL

Heavy Support

Centurion Devestator Squad Starheart - 14PL

Eradicator Squad Firestorm -5PL

Total: 40PL

Well, we were both planning to run 35, but Battlescribe had updated the night before and change some of the PL, also there seems to be discrepancies between the PC version and the mobile version. Might just stick with the codexes next time.

We played The Ritual, Pilon was the defender, he can score 10 pts for preforming an action on the Ritual Site, we could both score 10 for objectives if we controlled two or more and/or controller more then the opponent.

I was looking through the rules, and I swear I saw that they changed objectives to tagging them and walking away, only changing hands once an opponent was within engagement range, but I can't see the rule in the book at all. Am I crazy?

Deployment first turn

 I wasn't able to get first turn which REALLY would have been nice. I had to check to see if seize initiative was still in the rules, but I am pretty sure it was taken out for 9th.

Stargaze's Assault Squad fly through the air, leaving a charcoal cloud from their jump packs behind them, landing only a few meters away from the Sister's first line of defense. Arco-Flaghallents seething with uncontrollable drug induced rage at the sight of the nearest enemies. The squad is ripped into with several shots from bolt pistol fire. Only one manages to stay on it's feet.

Centurions trudge up the middle of the battlefield, firing a steady stream of bullets.

The Repentia Sisters are caught off guard, Thessa was barely able to scream at them to fight with the Emperor's fury before they are torn to pieces. Thessa neural whip coils around a marine's arm sheering them from the bulky warrior's body, a weaker foe would crumble to the ground at the psycho-conductive whips mental embrace.

Sister Mylantra and her Seraphims descend onto the ruins, volleys of molten slang spray onto the Eradicator Squad. Two of the three instantly turn into blobs of super-heated sludge, splattering onto the battleground.

Pilon informs me that he didn't notice that the Eradicator Squad can fire TWICE if they are shooting at one a single target, these new models are nasty!

Stargaze cleaning up the remaining Repentia

Centurion Devastator Squad unflinchingly advances, pounding the Sisters with Grav-cannon and missiles, highly accurate at close range.

High Stormwarden Oktai Thunderlord stands before the shattered webway, communing with the wraithbone, only to be interrupted by the unexpected arrival of the Seraphim.

Unstoppable, Stargaze leads his squad over to the skitarii rangers who were securing an objective on the lower section of the map, taking a few casualties to bolt pistol fire before charging in.

I really feel like there wasn't much action on my side of things, as even before my turn half my force was wiped out, did you see Father Henry? No? That's because he died so quickly! No upgraded flaming for him!

Already, Mylanthra wants to flee the fight.

This time, there isn't a climatic battle in the middle of battlefield

Dialogus had to save the remaining Skitarii from being scrap metal!

Alpha strike was a big factor in this game, before my turn, Repentia, Superior and the Penitent Engine were destroyed. The Skitarii Rangers aren't able to do a whole lot of damage with such a small squad, they also don't want to move if they are hoping to fire their Transuranic Arquebus. Could have deployed a bit further back too. Next time I guess.

For winning, Pilon choose to give his Librarian, Psychic Might, adding an additional Psychic power he can cast in the psychic phase.

Next on the Hobby Desk

More crusade! played another game with Pilon today, hopefully this write up won't take as long.

Crusade Battle #3 - KHAAAAN!!!!

With their mission complete, the Stoic Patrons intercept vox chatter with the other Khar Sorvi, it seems that they were close to what they were looking for. Canoness Praxima knew the dangers of dabbling in technologies that weren't sanctioned by the Adeptus Mechanicus and time was of the essence. Deep beneath the surface of the planet was an old refinery, it had been a site of several battles between the Iybraesil Eldar and the Imperium ages ago. A patrol detachment of Adeptus Mechanicus joined the Sisters, lead by Tech-Priest Advectius Volo with his Rangers, their specialty was to seek out unsanctioned technology to be destroyed, or so they claim.

Sister Alwyn noticed an off white structure within the ruins, she had seen Eldar travel through them before it. A Webway Gate, though this one was in overgrown with local flora, one of the arcs had been smashed into several pieces behind it. The Sisters of Battle would need to move in and claim the Xenos tech before they did, who knows what untold horrors the Eldar warp device might inflict.

Pilon and I decided on a 35 PR crusade battle this time, which meant I needed to do some assembling and painting. As you can see from the Dialogus being invisible till the end of the game when she is substituted for a Battle Sister, it could have went better. 

I mostly focused on the Tech-Priest Manipulus, kitbashing his legs from the Skorpekh Warriors from the new starter set. He is armless so he shouldn't be too hard to fight. I will magnetize the weapon options too. It seems that the Tech-Priest didn't learn from the previous mission about how dangerous unsanctioned technology can be. (But it does look pretty cool!)

With how many of the Battle Sisters Squad that had fled last game, I decided to bolster the Repentia Squad for this game, bumping them from 4 to 9, making them much more useful! (and survivable)

Before both armies, stood the shattered Webway, it's spirit stones still beating within the wraithbone structure, Praxima knew that this gate needed repairs, but did the Khan figure out a way to sing to the wraithbone? She didn't want to find out, the gate must be destroyed!

Turn one deployment, The Relic

The Adepta Sororitas took the first turn, hoping to take out some of the close combat units. With the White Scars ability to fall back and still shoot and charge, it wouldn't tie them up for too long! I drew Spirit of Marty letting me roll a 5+ to let the unit shoot or fight before being taken off the board.

Father Henry takes cover in the dense Barbed Venomgorse

The Sisters Repentia, now bolstered with the faithless that had fled from battle, show their faith in the Emperor by blindly charging into the Vanguard Veteran Squad. Needing to use a Stratagem to allow them to charge after advancing. They succeeded in taking out 2 of their numbers, much better to charge then be charged by them. As they do mortal wounds when they slam into you.

Thessa facing down Khan 

The sound of several jump packs firing in union ruptures the din of combat, the Assault Squad has arrived, unleashing bolter pistol fire into the Sisters Repentia before charging into them. Revving their chainswords, butchering the whole squad.

Father Henry moves in to flame the Khan and the Assault Squad, taking out 4 models, and causing one wound on the Khan. 

After combat.

Assault Squad falls out of combat to shoot at Henry before charging in. Don't think I was able to Overwatch because from the pictures they seemed to have survived getting into combat which doesn't really happen with Heavy Flamer units.

The Librarian takes to the center of the battlefield, claiming the webway for the Khan. Father Henry bathes the Khan in flames.

I believe the rangers tried to get closer to the action only to be shot at by the Khan, and also be very ineffective at shooting back.

Battle Sisters hold the line against the Venguard Veteran Squad

Turgen Swiftspeer's bike engine revs up as he takes off in a wheelie towards Alwyn's Battle Sisters, his armor badly damaged from the previous battle against the sisters. From the look of it, only one of his hearts had been punctured in the previous battled.

Chief Librarian Oktai Thunderlord reaches towards the wraithbone, psychic energy pulsing from his finger tip. The light blue wraithbone twitched on the ground, swaying in it's place on the ground. 

Sister Mylanthra, leader of the Seraphim, witnessed the wraithbone move on the ground. Psychic energy rippled across the battlefield, the wraithbone lifting from the ground. Mylanthra screams, "Sisters, descend on the witch!" They land between the psycher and the webway.

Two of her sisters in battle fall, the voice of Saint Lucia echos in their head, "Pain insists that I stand my ground." they stand up with the last ounce of their strength to shoot at the Heretical Librarian. Leaving Mylanthra to finish him off.

The skitarii side of the force didn't fair very well this battle, only Tech-Priest Advectius Volo taking out the two Assault Marines in combat.

The Martyred Lady Lucia's voice came to Mylanthra as Librariand and her exchanged sword slashes, parrying and dodging on her wings. Both adversaries charged back into the fight at once, killing each other in unison.

Rolled a 5 on of the Spirit of the Martyr, letting Mylanthra fight once more in battle before being slain.

Battle Sisters capture the middle only to be blown off of it by the Eleminators.

Canoness and Dialogus clean up the scout squad, making sure they aren't able to claim the center objective. The Canoness seems to get herself into combat every game, with her staff she actually can do some good damage.

Pilon charged in with the Eliminators as they were his only squad left. Securing the relic but not able to score until the non existent turn 6.

With the Battle Sisters mostly wiped out, the Khan Sorvi take the webway. defending the area till their reinforcements could arrive to repair the webway. Canoness Praxima beats a tactical retreat, what's the point of an act of martyrdom if there isn't a crowd to tell the tale of your brave deeds? 

This was a bloody battle, while playing I asked Pilon if White Scars can retreat, shoot AND charge. He double checked today and it's actually they can fall back and charge back in, not shoot as well. Boy that would have made a difference! Oh well, now we know, and knowing is half the battle!

Next on the Hobby Desk

Somehow Daemons have taken over the hobby desk, jumping in line to get some contrast paint on them. The 90x52 oval bases I ordered finally showed up, so I finished up one of the Bloodcrushers, and well there was only three and the other two were half finished, now the unit (as I only have three from the lot earlier this year.) is done as well as 10 Blood letters. 

This game was closer to the beginning of August, today I had another crusade game with Pilon, so hopefully I can continue to get posts up in a reasonable about of time.

A Scarring Experience

A signal broke through the warpstorm on Delvorth. Inquisitor Mila Baff, of the Ordo Xenos, has it on good authority that the Khar Sorvi (White Scars successor chapter, Black Scars translated into mongolian via Google) are dabbling into eldar technology, trying to get into the webways to find their lost Chapter Master Jaghatai Khan who disappeared into an eldar webgate. It was assumed that he was in pursuit of an Archon that had recently attack the White Scar homeworld of Chogoris. Khar Sorvi is led by Turgen Swiftspear, he has last been sighted on Bel'Kavvek with a small scouting party. Inquisitor Mila has requested the aid of the Stoic Patrisan to hunt down Turgen and stop his heretical actions. 

My high school friend Pilon (we use his last name as a nickname) was free for a game on Monday morning and offered to host. He also has the cutest puppy right now, so of course I wanted to go see it! Which I didn't take pictures of but here is a link to his instagram which has plenty!

Pilon's head canon, Khar Sorvi are actually looking for the perfect pizza and from the state of the universe that actually might be pretty hard to come by.

Imperium on Imperium battle, not that it doesn't happen as some Ad-mech like to reverse engineer technology from Xenos factions all the time. But whenever the devout Imperial agentas come around they just wink and shake their head negatively, no of COURSE we don't do that, that's just to understand the enemy's weapons better.

This was Pilon's first game of 9th edition, we went with a 25 PR game, as I still need to paint and assemble some of the ad-mech stuff that I would like to use for the rest of my 25 PR to make it 50 or a bit over. I might start out with two patrol detachments, but I still need to kitbash my Tech Priest Manipulus as I am giving him the Skorpekh legs that Pilon was generous enough to give me.

Anyways..... the mission is Assassinate, we rolled off to see who was the defender, I was the high roll and picked to be the attacker. As I didn't think my Canoness would survive long if she was a target. The defender gains 10 points for destroying any enemy models in that battle round with their Warlord as well as 40 points if he survived. The attacker gains points for wounding the Warlord and if the Warlord is taken out, they get 50 points. As Pilon's Warlord was under 10 wounds, he would also gain one wound back on his turn and get a 6+ feel no pain.

Pilon chose First Strike as his agenda, getting experience equal to each unit's first strike tally , and I chose Breakthrough, get into the enemies territory.

The Stoic Partisans tracked Turgen down to an overgrown ruined city, Bel'Kavvek used to be dominated by the Eldar years ago, some Xenos technology might still be salvageable. The Sisters of Battle arrived on the scene, Turgen and his men were already at work sweeping the area for technology. "Turgen Swiftspear, you are to cease and desist your salvage operation. Any further actions will force us to take action, by the command of Inquisitor Mila Baff." Turgen's oversized bike squealed it's wheels. "For too long has the Imperium of Man used their narrow minded views to trap us in stagnation. We refuse to conform to your outdated ideals!" Turgen raised his spear, signalling their advance. 

Apologizes for the bright pictures, it was such a nice day outside. I tried to get pictures from the opposite side to make it looks more like the grim dark we are used to.

First round setup.

 I took the first turn, moving up some of the smaller units to hopefully slow the advance of the bikes. The battle sisters took some shots into the scout bikes, but didn't damage them.

Scout Bikes, Assault Squad and Primaris Inceptors storm the Battle Sisters with terrifying speed.

Space Marines turn, advanced swiftly into the sisters deployment zone. Several of the Repentia Squad was cut down from the Scout Bike firepower.

One is the loneliest number!

Turgen skids around in the back doing some sweet donuts.

  Hiding in the back of the battlefield, the Eliminators switch to their Mortis Rounds to take out the Penitate Engine. Wound rolls of 6 will cause a mortal wound plus the normal damage.

Drug fueled Acro-Flagellants charge across the battlefield to get into combat with the Assault Squad, almost being wiped out by their pistol fire.

Alwyn's Battle Sisters take up a defensive position as the Inceptors's jetpacks roar across the sky, landing a few feet away from them. "Ready yourselves Sisters! Our foe has lost it's faith in the Emperor, they are no more different then any Xenos we have faced before."

Plasma Exterminators are no joke!

Anime Chibi for Cherub

The Assault Squad advances on the lone Acro-Flagellant, I believe all of the Assault Marines were able to hit it, but one.... most likely because it was a corpse by then.

Repentia Sister Thessa is surrounded by the Khar Sorvi bikes, circling around their potential kill. As they close in Thessa doesn't show them any fear, only showing them why her Repentia Squad fears the lashing of her whip.

Inceptors jetpacks smash into the Battle Squadron defensive position, their hulking frame crushing one of the sisters before the assault even starts.

Father Henry in his Penitent Engine spews flames into the Assault Squad, killing off two before entering close combat, his pair of buzz blades avenging the Arco-Flagellants that were wiped out. 

Only for one of them to flee and shoot back (because ALL White Scars can do that)

Cannoness Praxima, furious, as she watched her sworn battle sisters. She leapt into battle along side Thessa, her power sword bathing her body in a bright red rage, finding purchase in the joint of the Inceptor's armour. 

The staccato sound of melts gun fire was heard over the battlefield as Mylanthra's Seraphim Squad landed on the flank of Turgen Swiftspear. Bolter pistol fore bouncing off his armour, but the infernos score a couple hits. Mylanthra, full of faith in the Emperor, supercharged her plasma pistol with reckless abandoned. The heretic needed to be punished for his crimes against the Throne.

Meanwhile...

With the Battle Sisters at half strength, they would be more prone to flee, as they would need to make a combat attrition roll after their morale test.

Mylanthra wouldn't let her prey go so easily, dogging Turgen clear across the battlefield. "Forward Sisters, we are the Emperor's judgement, his wrath and his mercy!"

First round of combat, one wound left on Turgen, failed both his saving throw, as well as a reroll, but successes on his feel no pain!

Cannoness Praxima abandons her sister's to the slaughter, trying to give the seraphims a boost to hit, maybe she is actually the heretic here. Also trying to get breakthrough for 2xp.

More White Scar shenanigans of  falling back then shooting then charging again.

By the 5th battle round, I was thinking my Seraphim's only hope was in close combat, but then Pilon reminded me that pistols can be shot IN combat. I am so used to armies that only have one pistol in the whole squad, instead of all the squad having them. This definitely won the game for me, so thank you Pilon for the friendly reminder, sorry I killed your Warlord. 

With a great cry, the Seraphim Squad rejoices in slaying the traitorous Warlord of the Khar Sorvi. The Assault Marine was unfazed by the slaying of his Captain just a couple feet away. He charged in to avenge the fallen.

The shield of faith is strong with the Seraphim, no a wound from the assault marine.

Inceptors firing at Seraphim to deny breakthrough experience and gain kills.

Canoness Praxima comes under sniper fire, then is taken out by the Inceptors, or maybe it was the snipers, either way, no breakthrough experience for the Canoness.

Barely survived...

Canoness Praxima, wounded from sniper rounds orders her troops to tactically reposition themselves. "We have done the Emperor's work and purged a great enemy of the Imperium. The Seraphim launch into the sky, covering the Canoness as they move to recover their wounded.

I really am enjoying these smaller scale games, it definitely helps figure out new armies. That being said the more I play, the more I would really enjoy adding more Seraphims, or MORE Penitent Engines! I have the Ad-mech to paint up for the rest of the list, so I don't need to worry about more Sisters for now. 

Assassinate gives the victor a battle trait, which I gave to my Seraphim, they are now headhunters, adding +1 to hit and wound against characters.I figured that was suiting narrative-wise. Father Henry got a participation award for showing up so he ranked up, and I gave him Accelerator, plus 6" to a Heavy Flamer. That's 14" which is quite nice.My Battle Sisters were my Marked for greatness unit, I almost gave it to the Canoness but she just got a relic so I figured I should spread it out.a bit.

Pilon got a bunch of points for First Strike as his bikes and Assault squad took out a unit each. No ranking up yet as it was the first game.

Next on Jon's Hobby Desk

I just played another campaign game of Warcry with Rachel so that will be coming up soon, close to finishing up the Necromunda gangs, just need to paint a few more details. Then the Glottkin or Ad-mech should be on the table once they are done.