40K - Paluu Ashuriin

[Entrooppi]

Kierros III: Taistelu

Sota repeää kaikilla rintamilla avoimiksi taisteluiksi. Keisarilliset joukot, Tuhon jumalten palvelijat ja Necronit iskevät toistensa kimppuun ja öitä valaisevat palavat kaupungit.

Objektiivi: Tukikohdat
Molemmat pelaajat asettavat Deployment Zonelleen (ennen Deploymentiä, aloittaen ensin Deployaavasta pelaajasta) yhden Objektiivin. Näiden kahden Objektiivin väliin vedetään kuvitteellinen linja, jonka keskipisteeseen asetetaan kolmas Objektiivi. Kolme pistettä per Objektiivi.
Toissijaiset objektiivi: Kill points, Linebreaker, Slay the Warlord
Deployment: Vanguard Strike
Special Rules: Reserves, Yö
Ensimmäisellä vuorolla Night Fighting -säännöt ovat käytössä. Toisella vuorolla heitetään noppaa, 4+ ne ovat käytössä ja kolmannella vuorolla 6+ jonka jälkeen ne lähtevät automaattisesti.
Voittoasteet:
Murskavoitto: 6 pisteen ero
Reilu voitto: 4 pisteen ero
Niukka voitto: 1 pisteen ero

Parit:
Miikka "Miikkar" Riikonen: Dark Angels vs. Timo "Timmon" Immonen: Dark Angels
Joni "DraSa" Tanskanen: Blood Angels vs. Janne "dewil" Puhakka: Dark Angels
Teemu "I Ride in a Dragon" Salo: Space Marines vs. Lauri "Entrooppi" Lattu: Chaos Space Marines
Timo "Dark Servant" Tahvanainen: Imperial Guard vs. Petri "Stuka" Hyvärinen: Blood Angels
Juha "sutenööri" Ettanen: Grey Knights vs. Pasi "Longinus" Pitkänen: Space Marines
Antti "Stone Fist" Martikainen: Necrons vs. "Palmus" Jukka: Black Templars
Hannu "Hansel" Helander: Grey Knights vs. Jori "Pigchampion" Sara-aho: Imperial Guard



Viimeinen pelipäivä 21.4.

[Dark Servant]

Kierros 3.
Timo "Dark Servant" Tahvanainen: Imperial Guard vs. Petri "Stuka" Hyvärinen: Blood Angels
Voitto kaartille wipeoutilla (murskavoitto) + molemmille maalauspisteet

Kiitos pelistä Petrille! Peli kesti viidennelle vuorolle, jolloin minä ammuin viimeiset rimpuilijat pois pelikentältä. Käännekohta oli 2a -vuoro, jolloin minun deep strikettävä stormtrooper-ryhmäni onnistui räjäyttämään Petrin lantikan ja yksi mortar-ryhmä sai death companyyn tehtyä 17 haavaa, joista sitten osa jopa tappoi fnp-mariinia. Yksi muistettavimmista tapauksista oli myös se, kun Petrin 5 hengen hyppyreppuryhmä oli chargaamassa minun talossa kykkineeseen infantry squadiin (joka piti keskikentän objektiivia hallussa) ja kolme mariinia kuoli overwatch-tuleen ja chargematka jäi aivan liian lyhyeksi. Petrin toinen 5 hengen hyppyreppuryhmä yritti kontestoida minun puolellani ollutta objektiivia deep strikettämällä talon toiseen kerrokseen, mutta ensimmäinen yritys päättyi "delayd"-mishappiin ja toinen yritys tuhosi ryhmän.

Outflankkaava veteraaniryhmä primaris psykerillä hoiti kolmen hengen devastaattoriryhmän plasmoilla. Toista kahden mariinin devastaattoriryhmää ampumalla plasmat keittivät reippaasti yli ja mokomat kuolivat pois. Lisäksi piti ottaa testiä. Hieman myöhemmin primaris otti singosta naamaansa kun yritin hivuttaa sitä rohkeasti raunioissa lähemmäs. Ehkä ensi pelissä psyykkerini pääsee jopa käyttämään voimiaan. Sentinelit pääasiassa tulivat kentälle viimeistelemään rippeitä.

Aika pitkälti peli kääntyi minulle siinä vaiheessa kun lantikka räjähti. Death company jäi keskelle kenttää ottamaan vastaan tulta ja vaikka pääsi pari ryhmää lähistelemään, niin se ei enää auttanut kun porukka kuoli heti pois alta ja sitten tuli taas kaikenlaista tulitusta niskaan. Reservistä tulleet joukot tulivat Petrillä tipottain. Minulta tuhoutui koko pelissä vain yksi infantry squad, yksi stormtrooper ryhmä ja primaris psyker. Pari ryhmää oli alle puolen miesvahvuudessa. Yllättävän pieniä tappioita tullut liigan aikana, kun ottaa huomioon että kyseessä on kaarti.
____________________________________________________________________________
Bloodbath

Major Rorsche had his concerns about the changed tactics that Decimus Primus had layed out. They were to engage rather than evade enemy forces. Especially the oncoming battle was unnerving Rorsche, since they were laying a trap to an unknown force. They could have easily evaded this battle, but Primus commanded him to engage. And they were to show no mercy to whatever force they were ambushing.

Soon enough Rorsche saw the oncoming force and he prepared to spring the trap. He hesitated a second when he recognized their foe: They were Blood Angels, forces loyal to the Emperor. As Rorsche was about to cancel the attack, he could hear from vox, that Primus ordered the attack. There were no turning back anymore.

It was dark and because of that the mortar fire was coming short. Snipers managed to ambush a devastator squad sergeant in the open and the mortar fire somehow managed to force another devastator squad to abandon their position in the ruins. But nevertheless, there were a bigger threats than couple of missile launchers. There were two fast Baal predators coming from the left and a majestic Land Raider Crusader from the center with its deadly cargo. There weren't many weapons to harm this behemoth and those capable were short-ranged and the Crusader would certainly slaughter anyone braving close enough to fire a meltagun.

But as the darkness continued, burning fires all around giving some eering light, there were five small bright lights from the sky as the "Skydancers" landed. They made a brave descent and dropped just next to the Land Raider. The "Skydancers" didn't hesitate and fired their meltaguns towards the behemoth that was seconds away of unleashing its firepower to them. Then there was a bright light and the next thing Rorsche saw was that the Land Raider was gone. The "Skydancers" made it! They destroyed the biggest threat on the battlefield. As its cargo was now on the open, they were immediately under heavy barrage as all mortars concentrated their fire on them. It took a great toll on the enemy, but they didn't even flinch and soon slaughtered the "Skydancers" in close combat.

The sun was rising as the battle continued. One of the Baal predators was destroyed as it was struckt by an ordnance barrage big enough to penetrate its armour, hitting in the ammorack. There were also movement in the sky as the Blood Angels jumppacks descented on the battlefield. One small squad tried to descent on the third floor of a ruin where Rorsche had his hq, but the landing went badly and the Blood Angels met their doom, crushing right through the floors to the basement, full of deadly bars that penetrated few of them and the rest were seriously injured. Even though the rest of the Blood Angels descented more safely, they were left on the open under fire and they took casualties. One brave squad tried to charge a ruin where was an infantry squad, but they were gunned down when they advanced.

Around the same time the "Droppers" descented and outflanked the enemy warlord and his death company. With sniperfire and rushing infantry squad they managed to thin the few marines there were to even thinner. Nevertheless they charged the infantry squad, decimating it instantly. By this time they were facing the full force of the Aegis Defence Line and the auxiliaries. They were gunned down in a crossfire of plasmaguns, meltaguns, hot-shot lasguns, lasguns, lascannons and snipers. They didn't have a chance.

Meanwhile Decimus Primus launched his own trap and managed to outflank the enemy devastators. First assault was extremely succesfull and the first devastator squad was annihilated by plasmafire. But then the other devastator squad fired several frag-missiles and they took a toll on the veteran squad. Still they pushed onwards and they would have annihilated the second devastator squad as well, but unfortunately their plasmaguns overheated and incapacitated their carriers. Rest of the squad retreated to a safer location, leaving Decimus Primus to face the few marines alone. He was struckt by a krak-missile and as it exploded, Primus was concealed in a strange forcefield that did not emit from his refractor field. This was something far more potential and it sucked the energy from the explosion, leaving Primus unharmed.

Meanwhile the rest of the few marines left were killed. The whole Blood Angels battleforce was decimated, every vehicle exploded and every marine killed. Even though the marines are tough and can survive a gruelling wounds, there were nothing they could do when Decimus Primus personally executed badly wounded marines on the battlefield. This was another thing Major Rorsche was concerned. It was clear that the Blood Angels served the Emperor and they were no threat to Rorsches troops. So why to ambush them and kill them all, even when there were more than plenty of moments to disengage safely or let the marines to disengage. Major Rorsche was troubled, but he hid it from the Decimus Primus.

Soon they were again on the move.

Aftermath

Encrypted message to Warmaster Jago Kallowen
From Decimus Primus
Start:

"The book has shown me the depth of corruption that is within the forces of the Emperor on Ashur. It urges us to engage them whenever we can, in order to reclaim our mortality as a reward. Purity must be uphold! We will continue our mission, even though means to it has changed."

"When the Book talks to me, I feel the presence of the Emperor. It is clear that this book is one of the most powerful relics there are, one blessed by the Emperor himself when he walked amongst men! To obtain such a relic is a blessing itself! I believe we are nearing our redemption in the eyes of the Emperor and after this is over, we are freed from our honorable duty to serve the Emperor for eternity."

"Our salvation is near!"

End of Transmission

[Timmon]

Kierros 3
Miikka "Miikkar" Riikonen: Dark Angels vs. Timo "Timmon" Immonen: Dark Angels

Murskavoitto Equees Calibanes -veljeskunnalle. Kunnioitetun Primarkkimme Lion El'Jonsonin muistoa häpäisseet kerettiläiset tuhottiin tukikohdasta viimeistä myöten, kaikki objektiivit otettiin haltuun, ja kaikki sekundääriset tavoitteet saavutettiin.

Miikalle maalauspisteet, joka ukko maalissa ja wysiwyg täydellinen. Itselläni nollan armeija tässä suhteessa. Yösäännöt ja kenttää lohkova deploymentti tuottivat melkoista pyöräsirkusta, ja molempien armeijoiden terminaattorit niittivät häpeää sulamassa parilla sarjalla olemattomiiin. Kiitos Miikalle erittäin mukavasta pelistä.

Righteous Might

Master of Hunters Ramoriez was again riding at the point of the recon spear, like he had done all those years he had served as a Second Esque sergeant of the 13th Great Hunt. But this time, instead of a standard contruct pattern marine bike, he was riding a customized heavily armored speeder with overcharged engines.

Ramoriez remembered how he had liked coolly and professionally striking at the enemy then. Now, he was seething with silent rage. The prey had been here, said Extaposer Librarian Larmiel. Might still be here. And now, a task force falsely pretending allegiance to the sacred Primarch Lion El’Jonson was barring the way of the17th Great Hunt. Obstructing the Emperor’s justice! When hailed on the vox, they had even had the audacity to demand complete obedience and honoring their “sacred” standard, all the while blasphemously insisting to revere the sacred Primarch.

Clearly, obedience was out of the question, even the allied forces conceded that. Again, a show of force was needed. But if it would come to depend on Master Ramoriez, the enemy would not be given a show of force, but instead a taste of annihilation.

“Contact!”, Ramoriez said on all units frequency, when the wind blown dust parted enough for him to visually confirm what the instrumentation had revealed a while ago. He was speeding over some rusted metal junk, ruins of a blown out manufactorum or something like that, most of the debris already hidden by the red dust of Ashur. To his left, a large circular base of a stone tower still stood, and behind that, among some rocky gray hillocks and patchy woods, the enemy had drawn up their blocking positions, still mostly hidden in the pre-dawn darkness, made even worse by the ever present dust.

Ramoriez confirmed what he could about the opposing force: a large armored target, possibly a land raider, some kind of heavy weapons squad up on the hills, and possibly... yes, some bikers there, almost hidden by a hill.

A tactical decision was swiftly made. “Ramoriez to Larmiel. Unfurl the Banner! Swing left, strike hard against their flank!” “Confirmed”, came the reply instantly. While Ramoriez eased on the throttle, letting the speeder set lower among the metal junk, behind him the bikes of the 17th Great Hunt roared around the circular ruin, their twin linked bolters erupting at the same time with the noise like a summer thunder.

The first salvo of the Equees Calibanes struck the enemy squads, wrecking an attack bike and felling power armored warriors, forcing the remains of two squads to retreat in more covered positions amid the rocky hills. Land Speeder Typhoons of Victrix Ultra hopped over a ruined building, taking positions well behind the biker Esques, unleashing a stream of rockets, but in the darkness no effect could be seen.

Enemy retaliated. Their heavy armor, a Land Raider Crusader with command markings, pushed forward, between a small copse of local palm-analogues, and a larger rocky outcrop. And then came the bikes, pushing over the outcrop in their haste to confront the Equees Calibanes, one of the raider too clumsy to follow, crashing in the rocks. Their bolters fired in unison, followed by the Crusader’s Hurricane Bolters, felling and disabling a full combat squad of the 1st Esque, but failing to hit others. The Charge of the Calibanes was not broken, especially when the remaining enemy infantry failed to impress with their desultory shooting.

Ramoriez, after giving the command to push left flank, had himself steered close by the circular ruin, started putting togeher the pincer move now that the main charge had pinned the opponents: “Ramoriez to Elders Cataphractii: Unleash Vengeance! Rally to the beacon of the 1st Esque!”. After a curt acknowledgement, Ramoriez turned his speeder again, and called “Ramoriez to the Heavy Hunters. Disable enemy heavy armor!” The attack bikes, attached to his outmost outriders, had flanked the enemy position in the cover of the darkness. Now, the flashes of their multi-melta’s could be seen. But no report of success followed.

Instead, after a bluish flash behind the circular ruin, a steely voice informed him “Master, the Cataphractii have deployed as ordered”. “Excellent! Cataphractii, confront and detail the enemy Land Raider!” “For the Chapter!” came a stoic reply.

Librarian Larmiel didn’t wait for the slow moving Cataphractii to engage, instead spurring the leading Esques forward, riding himself with the Bannermen. A salvo of boltguns, now directed at several targets, didnt overwhelm the enemy, but the plasmatalons and Typhoon rockets felled last of the opposing devastator squad. 2nd Esque charged up a smaller hillock, but one of the bikes was broken, and the enemy foot held the charge, tying up the Esque.

Ramoriez himself took to the right side of the central circular ruin, coolly taking aim before unleashing his twin linked assault cannon against the enemy bikes. Together with his gunner’s heavy bolter, several of the enemy were struck down, but the remaining kept their ground.

The gunfight cast bright yellow flashes on the grey rocks, the pre-dawn darkness still obscuring the battlefield. But again a bluish flash intruded on the yellows. The enemy had deployed its heavy infantry! Librarian Larmiel reported to the master that a squad of terminators had intervened, to oppose the Cataphractii. Over the thrumming of his engines, Ramoriez heard a high pitched rattle of stormbolters on full auto. “We have lost the 2nd Esque”, announced Larmiel curtly.

And then, the Crusader opened fire again. Steely behemoth had no moved, its commander preferring to unleash punishing fusillade of bolterfire instead of closing to assault range. The cataphractii were devastated! Such was the accuracy of the enemy salvo, that three of the veteran terminators were struck down. The fight had taken a grim turn. “Master Ramoriez to Fourth and Fifth Esques. Reinforce immediadly. Elder Hunters, expediate joining the Bannermen!” Crisp acknowledgements followed. The battle would soon escalate.

Ramoriez again repositioned his speeder, doing so almost by instinct. “Closing contact!”, yelled his gunner. A quick glance at the intruments showed the master what was happening. An enemy land speeder tried to bounce on him, dropping from a high flight vector. “That is not going to happen”, Ramoriez murmured quietly, again calling on the huger power reserves of his modified speeder. Enemy closed, but then miscalculated its trajectory, was forced to dodge a ruined wall. A blue flash, multimeltashot, but totally missing its hard jinking target. “Ramoriez to Fifth Esque, enemy speeder, ref C655, destroy.” “For the Chapter!”, came a reply at once.

Getting back on his firing position, Ramoriez noted that the Fifth also confronted an enemy biker combat squad, taking some fire, but the vox traffic from Elder Hunters confirmed that they were using their judgement and taking care of the new threat.

Ramoriez was taking aim at the enemy bikers protecting their Land Raider, when the targeter was suddendly saturated on the visual spectre by a sudden explosion. A comms call informed him about what was plain to see anyway: “Fourth Esque to Master Ramoriez. Enemy Land Raider eliminated!” “Ramoriez to Fourth: Praise to the Primarch!”.

Several power armored warriors had escaped the explosion, now fearlessly assembling ranks around a proud but deceitful standard. A large enemy speeder, with some sort of cloaking device, also still hovered beside the stricken hull of the Crusader, easily evading a melta shot from an outrider attack bike.

Ramoriez blasted the opposing bikers, dropping one or two, activating vox again while his right had still moved the assault cannon targeter with practised precision. “Ramoriez to Larmiel, engage the enemy terminator squad!”. The reply was only an image forming in his mind, a fiercely grinning face of the Librarian, and then red and orange flames of plasma discharge and plasma hits. All the remaning bikers on the Extaposer Librarian’s swarm let loose with their guns. “Three down, Master! We are about to charge!”

“I claim the honor! In name of the fallen Elders!”, a voice of the last surviving Cataphractii interrupted the command frequency. Again, lucky shots from the opposing terminators had disabled a Cataphractii, just seconds before Larmiel’s bikers burned the enemy with righteous plasma. At once, Ramoriez granted this boon to the sole combatant left in the hallowed squad. “Strike with Emperor’s Wrath, Brother!”. In due course, the Cataphractii run down and vanquished his opponent.

Again jinking to avoid desultory fire from the the opposing forces, Ramoriez checked his displays. Evidently, an enemy outrider attack bike had flanked his own reserves, trying to attack the Victrix Ultra speeders, but failed to targed, ending up swallowing the full broadside from both speeders and the attack bike of the allied contingency, before burning on the ruins. The Elder hunters had shot up and charged the enemy bikers, freeing the Fifth Esque to comply with his orders, promptly blowing up the wayward speeder that had tried to confront Ramoriez.

The situation had stabilized. His flankers were still getting hit hard by the enemy command squad, but coping. Third Esque soon roasted last of the opposing devastors off their rocky positions, but was then rendered combat ineffective, as was one the attack bikes. However, the opponents numbers declined even more rapidly.

“Ramoriez to all units. Employ overwhelming firepower. Close quarters only to finish stragglers!” Again Larmiel’s grinning face was the only reply from the Librarian.

---

Epilogue

Larmiel had removed his helm, walking side by side with Ramoriez. When they reached the burned out hull of a large speeder, they stopped. “It was the last to fall. We literally had to run it down, and krak it by hand. For heretics, they had some very good drivers... almost like the Space Marines of the Emperor.”, Larmiel said, his tone unusually reserved. “They were in the wrong side of the Hunt, and that is the end of this, as you well know”, Ramoriez said curtly, banging his gauntleted hand against the hull. Under his hand, burned out white paint picturing a winged sword silently flaked and fell, scattered away in the thrice-cursed red dust of the Ashur.

[Pigchampion]

Hannu "Hansel" Helander: Grey Knights vs. Jori "Pigchampion" Sara-aho: Imperial Guard
8-7
Niukka voitto kaartille, maalauspisteet molemmille

Matsi oli äärimmäisen viihdyttävä ja loppuun saakka jännittävä. Kahden noppakatastrofin jälkeen oli piristävää pelata matsi jossa välillä myös onnistui yrittämissään tempuissa.

Armeijat olivat täysin vastakohtaiset: tankkeja, lentokoneita, tykistöä ja jalkaväkirupua vastassaan pelkkiä paladiineja. Ensimmäiset neljä vuoroa molemmat armeijat pelasivat hyvin puolustavaa peliä. Laukauksia vaihdettiin lähinnä 24 tuuman tienoilla asemia varmistellen, ja pieniä tappioita kärsittiin puolin ja toisin. Paladiinit onnistuivat tekemään riskialttiin deep striken kaartin deplolle ja tuhosivat kotiobjektiivia hallineen jalkaväkiryhmän lähes kokonaan, mutta kaatuivat itse liekinheittimien ja plasmojen voimasta.

Vaikka peli alkupuolella vaikutti IG:n tulituksen dominoimalta, olivat paladiinit vitosvuorolla vielä voitokkaasti hengissä objektiiveilla. Vuorot kuusi ja seitsemän olivatkin yhtä hikoilua ja huutamista kun keskiobjektiivi vaihtoi omistajaa useita kertoja vuorossa. Lopulta voitto ratkesi kaartin panssarinyrkin tehdessä rynnäkön keskikukkulalle toisen Vendetan tarjotessa tulitukea ilmasta. Kasapanos, meltat, plasmat ja lasertykit saivat juuri ja juuri tuhottua Draigon ja viimeisen objektiiville ylettäneen paladiinin. Yksi veteraaniryhmä onnistui vielä säntäämään objektiiville, ja peli päättyi. Loppurähinässä kertyi killpointeja erityisesti Grey Knighteille, mutta Draigon kaataminen käänsi pelin täpärästi rakuunoille.

Kiitos Hannulle hyvästä meiningistä!

Tulossa vielä kuvia.

[Palmus]

Antti "Stone Fist" Martikainen: Necrons vs. "Palmus" Jukka: Black Templars
7-5 Keisarin Vihaisimmille, eli niukka voitto. Kaksi objektiivia+Linebreaker. Antilla yksi objektiivi+Kill Points ja Linebreaker. Maalauspisteet Antille.

Raporttia myöhemmin. (Fluffia vielä myöhemmin.)

------

Alkupelit:
Sen huomaa että Necronit eivät halua lähikseen ja templarit haluavat: Kaikki mitä Antilla oli depottiin suojaan, ja melko kauas deporajalta, kun taas templareilla kaikki mikä mahtui istui aivan rajalla. Paitsi tietenkin yksi ampuva squadi joka seisoskeli kotiobjektia pitelemässä. Antilla tätä tehtävää hoiti joukko Warrioreja. (Pitäisi oikeasti hankkia se kamera tai käyttää Vassalia). Aloitus tuli Necroneille, ja Antin Warlord-traitti sai terminaattorit kalpenemaan, enkä uskaltanut laittaa niitä reserveihin. (+4 reserves too scary)

1a:
Necronit siirtyilivät hieman, mutta kukaan ei ollut ampumakantamalla.

1b:
Kaikki liikkui eteenpäin, asioita ammuttiin ja tuloksena oli kaksi kuollutta Immortalia...Pelin ensimmäinen vuoro oli kaikin puolin melko hiljainen.

2a:
Hetki jolloin tajuan että nyt tuli tehtyä paha virhe, ja että olisi ehkä kannattanut lukea enemmän Necronien aseista. Kumpikin croissantti lentää kentälle ja tiputtaa Gaussi-Immortalinsa asemiin. Toisen ryhmän ja Cryptekin lantikan eteen, toisen oikeassa nurkassa kävelevien termoksien eteen. Muut Necronit jatkavat siirtyilyään.
Ampumavuorolla lantikkaa sattuu kun Stalkeri antaa lantikkaa kohtaan rerollit hitteihin ja Cryptekin sauva räjäyttää sen. Kuitenkin, neljästä unitista joihin tuloksena ollut 6'' räjähdys osui vain immortalit ottivat vahinkoa, menettäen kaksi omistaan. Toisella puolen kenttää immortalivat avasivat tulen, ja tappoivat kaksi terminaattoria. Muu ammuskelu ei tehnyt yhtään mitään marinejen heitelessä 3+ saveja kuin vettä vaan.

2b:
Ammuskelusta vihaiset terminaattorit valmistautuvat käsikähmiin samalla kun marinet lähestyvät objektiiveja.
Onnekas lascannonin osuma iskee Stalkerilta sen ainoan aseen irti, ja täten muuttaa sen täysin hyödyttömäksi rotiskoksi loppupelin ajaksi. Muuta ampumista ei tapahdukaan liikkeiden vuoksi, ja siksi että termokset käyvät mieluummin lähikseen.
Cryptekin ryhmä ottaa turpaansa pahasti, toiset Immortalit tappavat yhden kolmesta terminaattorista overwatchilla, mutta menettävät lähiksessä viisi miestä ja pakenevat. Löntystelevät terminaattorit eivät pääse perään.

3a:
Paennut ryhmä palaa peliin, Overlordi tajuaa että tilanne voi olla hieman huono terminaattorien lähestyessä kummaltakin suunnalta, ja Tomb Bladet siirtyvät asemiin torjumaan terminaattorien chargeja.
Kappalaisen ryhmään kohdistettu ampuminen suurimmalta osalta armeijaa tappa tarkalleen yhden termiksen, ja tekee yhden haavan kappalaiseen. (Yhdessä kohtaa piti heittää 12 savea, kaikki onnistuvat.)
Lähes-kuolleesta termisryhmästä toinen kuolee, mutta juoksee lähes Overlordin naaman eteen.

3b:
Kappalainen lähestyy armottomasti, kuten lähestyy viimeinen toisessa ryhmässä ollut terminaattori. Kentän toisella puolella olevat termokset saapuvat vihdoin ja viimein Antin objektiivia vartioivan ryhmän ampumaetäisyydelle, ja kävelevät marinet ottavat keskiobjektiivin haltuunsa.
Ampumavuoro oli, yllätys yllätys, olematon. Vain warrioreja lähestyneet terminaattorit ampuivat, tappaen neljä. Näitä ne sitten ampuvatkin loppupelin ajan, tekemättä mitään.
Kappalainen yrittää päästä Tomb Bladeihin käsiksi, mutta huono chargeheitto estää sen. Lisäksi yksi naattori kuolee Tesla-overwatchiin. Kuitenkin, yksinäinen terminaattori pääsee taisteluun Overlordin ryhmän kanssa. Epähuomion takia Overlord pääseekin lyömään tätä, mutta Antin mestariheitot jatkuvat ja sisään pääsee vain yksi haava, jonka termis onnistuu läpäisemään, ja voittaa tämän jälkeen taistelun kahdella. Ryhmä onnistuu kuitenkin moraalissaan ja pysyy kentällä.

4a:
Liikkeitä ei enää tarvita, ja epätoivoinen ammunta jatkuu.
Epäonni alkaa viimeinkin saada kappalaisen ryhmää kiinni ja ryhmän viidessä elossa olevasta jäsenestä kolme heittää henkensä. Lisäksi muutama marine kuolee, mutta heitä ei ikävöidä.
Sankarillinen termos heittää henkensä pideltyään Necroneita vuoron verran paikallaan. Warscytheille ei -ttuilla.

4b:
Kappalainen lähestyy Tomb Blade seinämää. Jos mokomat leijupyörät eivät kuole, Overlord pysyy turvassa.
Kaikki marinejen tulitus kohdistetaan Tomb Bladeihin, ja onnekkaan ampumavuoron jälkeen kaksi viidestä kuolee, avaten tarpeeksi suuren aukon kappalaiselle.
Charge onnistuu, mutta overwatch tappaa taas yhden terminaattorin. Tämän jälkeen immortalit tappavat toisen, ja kappalainen jää Mindshacklejen uhriksi (Ups.) Taistelu kuitenkin jatkuu kappalaisen selviytyessä kahdesta +4 invusta, mutta ottaen silti yhden haavan omasta kirveestään.

5a:
Necronit kiinnittävät kaiken huomion keskikentän kahteen marineryhmään. Toinen tuhoutuu kokonaan, ja toisesta jää kaksi henkiin. Nämäkin epäonnistuvat moraalissa...Mutta juoksevat vain 2'' poispäin objektiivilta.
Kappalainen jatkaa lähishäröilyä, ja iskee itseään kirveellä, mutta ei ota haavaa. Jälleen kerran kaksi haavaa, mutta kaksi onnistunutta +4 savea pelastaa papin päivän.

5b:
Juossut marineryhmä palaa peliin ja kävelee objektiiville, napaten sen takaisin Templareille.
Kappalainen rikkoo viimeinkin lumouksensa ja tekee kaksi haavaa Overlordiin, mutta tämä selviää kummastakin. Tämän jälkeen kappalainen ottaa kaksi haavaa vastaan, ja selviää jälleen kerran. Rosarius toimii kerrankin oikein.

Tämän jälkeen peli loppuu onnekkaaseen lopetusheittoon. Olipahan taas pelin, nopat tuntuvat suosivan mua aika lailla tässä kampanjassa. Periaatteessa peli olisi voitu hävitä jo kolmos-nelosvuorolla, mutta jos terminaattorit eivät suostu uskomaan keskiarvoihin, niin sille ei voi mitään.

[Entrooppi]

III Kierros
Black Spiral Brotherhood vs. Angels Valiant 5th Company Interdiction Strike Force
Murskavoitto Kaaoksen voimille
(6-0 Lauri vs. Teemu, ei maalauspisteitä)

Taistelu alkoi Kaaoksen voimien vauhdikkaalla syöksyllä pimeyden turvin eteenpäin. Kyrial ”Steelhead” Arcurion vei Assault Marinensa urhoollisesti pidättelemään Vafthrundiria, joka oli ratsastajineen koettanut koukata sivustaan samalla kun Managarmr liihotteli näiden yllä. Kapteenin urhoollisuus ei auttanut vaan Assault Mariinit lyötiin maahan, Demoninprinssi syöksyi murjomaan muita Mariineja ja muutkin Kaaoksen joukot pääsivät lähituntumaan ottamatta suurempia tappioita. Kun molemmat Vindicatorit tuhoutuivat myös, ei Angels Valiantilla oikein ollut aseita, joilla pysäyttää Tuhon Voimien raskaampia yksiköitä. Reservistä Taktisia Mariineja kantanut Stormraven yritti vielä 5. vuorolla saada peliä päättymään hieman pienempään tappioon, mutta ei onnistunut: peli jatkui 7. vuorolle ja lopussa kentälle jäi lojalisteilta vain Stormtalon.

[DraSa]

III Kierros
Dark Angels, Janne "dewil" Puhakka vs Memoria Sanguis - Atropoksen Kuurian Monitorointisolu: Abditus Indicium (BA) + Illariuksen 19. Komppania (IG), Joni "DraSa" Tanskanen

Tasapeli

Kenraalit totesivat molempien olevan lojalisteja, joten taistelua ei tarvittu.

[kiireiden ja sairastelujen takia ei natsannut aikataulut tällä kertaa :(]

[Longinus]

Crimson Templars (Space Marines) vs. Grey Knights

6-4, eli niukka voitto Crimson Templareille. Maalauspojot molemmille.

"Compromise is akin to treachery."

Vaikka Grey Knightien lentokoneet kylvivät kuolemaa suvereenisti, ei maassa tallustavien terminaattoreiden sotaonni ollut yhtä erinomainen. Yksi toisensa jälkeen Inkvisiition eliittisoturit kellahtivat Crimson Templareiden ja näiden kaartilaisliittolaisten tulituksesten alla. Viimein vain pieni ryhmä Grey Knightejä sinnitteli rauniossa pidellen yhtä objektiivia. Inkvisition ilmaherruus ei estänyt päättäväisiä Crimson Templareita hallitsemasta kahta muuta objektiivia, tuoden heille voiton.

[Entrooppi]

Kierros IV: Kaskeaminen

Joukko-osastot etenevät raunioissa, ryöstäen tarvikkeita ja polttaen sen mitä eivät pysty kantamaan.

Objektiivi: Rauniot
Pöydälle asetetaan vähintään kuusi rauniota, saa siis laittaa enemmänkin. Jos ei satu löytymään tarpeeksi raunioita, sopikaa joitain muita maastonpaloja samaan tarkoitukseen. Rauniot tulisi asettaa jokseenkin tasaisesti, Deploymentin huomioon ottaen. Raunioita voi vallata tai polttaa. Raunioiden sisään ei saa Deployata.
Valtaaminen: Pelin lopussa se, kummalla on Scoring Unit rauniossa (määritelkää rajat, kolmen tuuman päässä EI riitä), saa neljä pistettä. Voidaan Denyttää normaalisti.
Polttaminen: Scoring Unitit voivat myös sytyttää raunioita tuleen. Tästä saa kaksi pistettä ja palavaa/savuavaa rauniota ei voi enää vallata. Yksikkö voi polttaa raunion viettämällä siellä sisällä koko kierroksen. Vuoro täytyy siis aloittaa jo rakennuksen sisältä polttaaksen sen. Yksikkö voi liikkua, mutta ei ampua eikä osallistua lähitaisteluun. Vuoron lopussa Raunio syttyy tuleen. Polttamisen jälkeen heitetään noppaa:
1-2: Raunio jää savuamaan. Sen läpi ei voi enää vetää Line of Sightiä. Sieltä ulos ei myöskään voi ampua. Raunion sisään voi kuitenkin ampua, mutta sisällä olevat yksiköt saavat Stealth -säännön.
3-4: Raunio leimahtaa ilmiliekkeihin. Raunio lasketaan Dangerous Terrainiksi, jossa Woundin saa nopan tuloksella 1-2. Rauniossa voi pysyä paikoillaan, jolloin DT-testiä ei tarvitse heittää. Palavissa raunioissa Vehiclet Immobilisoituvat myös tuloksella 1-2. Move Through Cover -sääntö muuttaa heiton tavalliseksi DT-testiksi, eli epäonnistuu ykkösellä.
5-6: Molemmat ylemmistä tuloksista.
Tuloksesta riippumatta Flyerit ja Flying Monstrous Creaturet eivät voi ylittää palavia rakennuksia.
Toissijaiset objektiivi: Kill points, Linebreaker, Slay the Warlord
Deployment: Dawn of War
Voittoasteet:
Murskavoitto: 8 pisteen ero
Reilu voitto: 4 pisteen ero
Niukka voitto: 2 pisteen ero

Parit:
Timo "Timmon" Immonen: Dark Angels vs. Timo "Dark Servant" Tahvanainen: Imperial Guard
Lauri "Entrooppi" Lattu: Chaos Space Marines vs. Antti "Stone Fist" Martikainen: Necrons
Petri "Stuka" Hyvärinen: Blood Angels vs. Joni "DraSa" Tanskanen: Blood Angels
Miikka "Miikkar" Riikonen: Dark Angels vs. Jere "Palmus" Jukka: Black Templars
Teemu "I Ride in a Dragon" Salo: Space Marines vs. Pasi “Longinus” Pitkänen: Space Marines
Hannu "Hansel" Helander: Grey Knights vs. Janne "dewil" Puhakka: Dark Angels
Juha "sutenööri" Ettanen: Grey Knights vs. Jori "Pigchampion" Sara-aho: Imperial Guard

Kierros päättyy 8.5. Koittakaapa ehtiä ajoissa.

[DraSa]

Kierros IV
Memoria Sanguis - Atropoksen Kuurian Monitorointisolu: Abditus Indicium (BA) + Illariuksen 19. Komppania (IG), Joni "DraSa" Tanskanen VS Ashk Ente (BA), Petri "Stuka" Hyvärinen

Reilu voitto Memorian Hyväksi
Pisteitä tuli minulle 13 (Kaksi taloa hallussa, yksi poltettu sekä Slay the Warlord, Line Breaker & Killpoints) Petelle 8 (Yksi talo hallussa, kaksi poltettu)

Petelle maalaus pisteet, minulle ei.

Molemmilla pelaajilla oli pianoinen pelko siitä, että vastapuolen armeija jyrää ehkä turhankin hyvin. Siitä johtuen minä päätin koettaa varastaa aloitusta Peteltä, vaikka olin aloittavan vuoron hänelle jo antanut.. ja aloitteenhan minä sitten sainkin :D

Sen myötä peli näytti lähtevän suosiollisesti minun kannaltani, kun sain tehtyä toisen baalin ammunta kyvyttömäksi ja onnistuin tuhoamaan lantikan DC:n alta heti ensimmäisellä vuorolla.
Kuitenkin myöhemmät vuorot eivät olleet niin auvoisia Memorian ja Illariuksen liitolle, kun Ashk Enten jokukot etenivät vääjäämättömästi kohti joukkojani polttaen mökkejä ja ottaen vastaan hurjaa määrrää tulta ja kestäen sen.
Puolessa välissä peliä taistelu onni taas kääntyi, kun plasma cannon miehet suorittivat kahden peräkkäisen vuoron ampumiset ja sai niistettyä DC:n ja toisen assault ryhmän käytännössä kokonaan ja näin samalla estäen Peteä polttamasta kolmatta rauniota. Niimpä minun trooppini pääsivät hallinnoimaan raunioita.

Kovin oli jännä skenaario ja joutui ihan miettimään, että miten sitä etenee ja tekee. Kaikkia raunioita ei uskaltanu polttaa ja toisia ei uskaltanut olla polttamatta :D
Kiitos Petelle pelistä, jännää oli :)


* * *

3. Notaarin henkilökohtaiset muistiinpanot

Ashur Primaris, 015.M42
Toinen päivä

...
Näyssä valtava siipi laskeutui Ashurin ylle. Vieraat valot välkehtivät ja hetken luulin nähneeni valkoisten sulkien kimmeltävän lupausta Primarkin voimasta.
Mutta nopeasti, ennen aatokseni huipentumaa näin että se olikin musta, itseasiassa pimeyttä.

Kaksi Kuoleman Enkeliä löi miekkojaan yhteen, kipinät sinkoilivat sytyttäen mustina palavia liekkejä, jokin kätketty nauroi taustalla.
...

* * *

3. Notaarin henkilökohtaiset muistiinpanot

Ashur Primaris, 015.M42
Kolmas päivä

...
Pimeyden Enkelten iskujoukot rullasivat eteenpäin kohti asemiamme. Yhteyttä ei saatu, sillä jokin transmitteri esti viestinnän ja
samalla puhui oudolla taajuudella vaikuttaen jopa visuaalisiin havaintoihin, hyökyen varjoja taistelukentälle.

En voinut ottaa riskiä, vaan komensin tuon ikiaikaisen artefaktin tiputettavaksi. Kun sen lamauttava viestintä oli poistunut uskalsin kurkottaa mieleni kohti agressoreita.
Antakoon Keisari minulle anteeksi, jos ratkaisuni oli väärä, mutta sodan rattaita ei niin nopeasti pysäytetä. Lähdin perääntymään ja komensin uudelleen ryhmittymisen,
mutta osa joukoista oli jo antautunut taistelulle ja tanssi jo viimeistä tanssia.
Aloin ymmärtämään näkyäni...
...

* * *

3. Notaarin henkilökohtaiset muistiinpanot

Ashur Primaris, 015.M42
Kolmas päivä

...
Uskoni on vahva ja sitä vahvistaa sekin, että kohtasimme ystäviä. Veljiä kunnioutetusta Pimeyden Enkelten Jaostosta.
Ei ollut varmaa, oliko aikaisemmin kohtaamamme Enkelit samasta jaostostosta... symboliikka voi hämätä, mutta kun pidimme palaveria, ei tästä voitu olla varmoja.

Jaoimme tiedustelu tietomme ja kokosimme joukkomme. Nostin mukanamme olleet Illariuksen 19. Komppanian rippeet ensimmäiseen taistelu valmiuteen. Ne miehet ovat uskollisia ja ansaittevat tilaisuuden näyttää vaukaumuksensa taistelussa.
...

* * *

3. Notaarin henkilökohtaiset muistiinpanot

Ashur Primaris, 015.M42
Kuudes päivä

...
Tämä kaupunki on valheitä täynnä. kohtasin äsken miehen, joka kulki nelinkontin kuin jokin elukka. Se nuoli paisuneella kielellään visvaa käsistään,
jota tihkui sen kämmenistä, kun niihin oli lyöty vastenmieliset fetissit. Lähetin sen saastaisen sielun pimeän herransa tykö varoittamaan,
että Keisarin puhdistava tuli on täällä!

Näissä raunioissa vilisee lisää näitä kadotettuja, kuin rottia. Aioin polttaa ne kaikki!
...

* * *

3. Notaarin henkilökohtaiset muistiinpanot

Ashur Primaris, 015.M42
Seitsemäs päivä

...
Käskin polttaa kaupungin, sen saasta kuvotti minua. Ilma tiedustelu varoitti jo hyvissä ajoissa, että aamuhämärän suojissa tuntematon joukko-osasto lähestyi meitä,
sodan rattaat pyörien. Lähestyvä armeija tuli saastaisesta kaupungista synkissä panssareissaan. Olin päättänyt tuhota pahan ja polttaa kaiken, en antanut armoa...

Ylistys Keisarille! Kaikki jotka vastustavat, puhdistetaan Keisarin tulella.
...

* * *

3. Notaarin henkilökohtaiset muistiinpanot

Ashur Primaris, 015.M42
Kahdeksas päivä

...
Tunnen kuinka jokin kiristää otettaan. En tiedä vielä mikä se on. Vastaan ottimemme poukkoilevat oudosti, kuin saisivat äänettömiä viestejä.
Tiedän, että jokin yrittää kurkottaa minuun. Pysyn lujana!
...

* * *

[Miikkar]

Miikka "Miikkar" Riikonen: Dark Angels vs. Jere "Palmus" Jukka: Black Templars. Pisteet 13-9 Dark Angel Strikeforcelle, eli reilu voitto. Molemmat hallitsivat lopussa kahta rauniota, lisäksi Dark Angelit polttivat kaksi rauniota, DA:lle piste linebreakerista, killpoint-piste Black Templareille.

Mielenkiintoinen peli eteni sujuvasti ja jatkui kuudennelle kierrokselle. Jerellä nopat pyörivät vaihtelevasti, toisaalta yksi terminator-squad tuhoutui kerralla tulitukseen ja yksi Crusader squad pakeni kentältä jo pelin alussa, toisaalta taas Chaplainin armorsaveissa kolmestatoista nopasta ei tullut yhtään ykköstä. Templarien lähitaisteluterminaattorit liikkuivat menestyksekkäästi lähitaistelusta toimeen, eikä multiple-assaultitkaan hidastaneet vauhtia. Oma Land Raider Crusaderini selvisi loppuun saakka, ja Standard of Devastation tehosti ampumista toivotulla tavalla.

"Place your Faith in the Emperor, The Lion of Caliban (and The Sacred Standard of Devastation), and you shall prevail forever".

Edit: Ja puolikas maalauspiste minulle.

-Miikka

[.-.]

Hannu "Hansel" Helander: Grey Knights vs. Janne "dewil" Puhakka: Dark Angels. Tasapeli.

Jostain syystä en ole saanut yhteyttä kanssapelaajaani useasta viestistä huolimatta? Viimeiset vapaat ajat omalta osaltani alkaa olla takanapäin. Kalenteri on sen verran täynnä jo muuta ohjelmaa että sieltä ei löydy enää aikaa pelille ennen kierroksen päättymistä. Joten tämä kierros olkoon tasapeli näiltä osin.

[Timmon]

Timo "Timmon" Immonen: Equees Calibanes vs. Timo "Dark Servant" Tahvanainen: "Cursed" 113th Imperial Guard Regiment

Equees Calibanes puhdisti kirouksen vaivaaman kaartin viimeistä mosuria myöten. Voitto Equees Calibanesille wipeoutilla kuudennen kierroksen tasoittavalla. Pisteet lienevät olleet jotakuinkin 19-2, koska Kaarti ehti yhden raunion polttamaan. Murskavoitto. Maalauspisteet Kaartista, mulle ei Calibaneseista.

Kiitos Timolle hyvästä pelistä. Ensimmäisellä ja toisella vuorolla kaarti tulitti niin että oikeasti pelotti, mutta lopulta pienistä pyöräryhmistä jäi aina jotain jäljelle. Devastaatiolippu tuhoutui ikävän aikaisin, mutta tässä pelissä panostus special weaponeihin tosiaan kannatti, liekitys poistaa kaartia raunioista ihan kivasti. Ja aina näitä low model count -pelkotiloja iskee kun tuommonen str9 ap3 iso lätty sattuu ikävän kohdalleen. :)

---

Scent of the Prey

"It is confirmed, Brother Ramoriez. This... this presence is one of the prey, if not the Fallen himself. His taint is like a black veil over the ruins. He hides somewhere near". A quick succession of three loud, sharp explosions interrupted the Extaposer Librarian. "It seems he is not alone, Larmiel. Guard issue mortars, if I am not mistaken", replied Master of Hunters Ramoriez.

"Aye. I have scried out their positions in the ruins. Miserable wrecks, some former guard regiment, fallen to chaos, or to something even worse. We will purge them, purge them all!", said the Librarian, his voice issuing from the Master's vox unit and also ringing directly in his ears. "Yes.", said Ramoriez, then thumped the all units command frequency: "Ramoriez to central spear! Disperse and Engage!"

When the enemy had been spotted, Ramoriez had concentrated his main strike force in cover of a ragged edged low plateau on the west side of the tertiary suburb roadway the Equees Calibanes had been following.

Now, as indicated by the heavy mortar fire dropping on that position, it was clearly time to attack. First esque combat squads led the way, bikers revvin’ hard and then expertly pushing up on the plateau and through the ruins. Ramoriez nodded to himself, as not one of the bikers faltered in the challange. The mortars, on the other hand, had already claimed some victims. But such was war.

Behind the plateau, a series of half collapsed houses stood by the roadway. Several enemy light infantry squads had taken cover in the ruined buildings, and despicable mutants armed with long las sniper rifles squrried up the unbroken facade one ruin. Bannermen, led by the Librarian Larmiel, followed closely the leading squads, and then the twin-linked bolter fire gushing forth from the marine bikes hit the opposing force hard. Several enemy squads took losses, but suprisingly, none broke.

Ramoriez himself guided his speeder on the plateau, antigrav purring as the craft glided up the steep incline. The Master opened fire at the same time with one of the Victrix Ulra Typhoons, the other one having suffered some malfunction from mortar shrapnel. From the extreme effective range of his assault cannon, Ramoriez still mowed down several sub-humans trying to scamper up the ruined hab tower. The Typhoon wrecked one of the Sentinel scout walkers strinding boldly on the roadway, the other one of the section began to take aim with its lascannon.

“Requesting permission to engage in close quarters”, the vox chimed in the Master’s ear. A marker for an outrider attack bike of the second esque blinked on the tactical display, but Ramoriez knew the speaker’s gritty voice. “Denied, Brother Miguel. Pursue firepower vector.”. “Master, informing: threat upgrade, multiple plasma weapons, guard renegade infrantry. Firepower solution ineffective.”

Ramoriez had tasked two of his attack bikes with right flank security, expecting static defence from the corrupted guard units. That was reasonable, as usually the dark powers needed powerful motivation of the chaos renegades to get their despicable once-human horders to move. But no primary threat had been spotted. Still, the Equees Calibanes needed their right flank secure, and if Brother Miguel thought an assault would be the needed tactical solution on the changed situation, Ramoriez was inclined to trust him.

“Ramoriez to Brother Miguel. Engage in close quaters when necessary! Diverting 5th Esque to reinforce”, said the Master of Hunters, punching in new routing on the tactical cognitor.

“We cannot catch them on the open, Ramoriez”, informed Larmiel on the command channel. “No matter. Left flanking force is incoming. We will crush them in the ruins, and purify with flames”, Ramoriez replied, at the same time spotting angry greenish flashes in the small woods on the far right flank. A Glance at the tactical display confirmed that position as the one given by Brother Miguel for the traitor guard plasma squad. “Outrider Miguel to Master: enemy squad broken!”. “Acknowledged! Praise the Emperor!”, replied Ramoriez, then added “Be advised, Gladius One reports enemy sentinels approaching your position”. “They will find us ready, Master”, replied Brother Miguel’s confident voice before a vox-off click left the channel silenced.

The enemy sentinel suddenly brought its lascannon up, letting the Typhoon of Victrix Ultra alone and instead aiming at the closer targer, Ramoriez’s speeder. Master’s Land Speeder backed behind a ruined wall, but not fast enough: a blue twinkle surrounded the speeder for a moment, they turned to purple and blinked off. Damage alarms wailed. “Master, several systems need to be calibrated. Weapons not locking to target”, announced Ramoriez’s gunner.

As the gunner run system checks, Ramoriez was assessing the tac display, when an attack bike from the allied Victrix Ulra reported suddenly: “Contact! Enemy has flanked us! Light infrantry with walker support closing in.” On the tactical display, right flank of the battlefield lit up with red pinpricks as the attack bike relayed information. A full squad, and indeed two light walkers, but most likely with anti-armor configuration. “Avoid contact”, Ramoriez adviced, but before the vox connect abruptly closed, he could hear a heavy salvo of lasguns cracking.

Almost at once, the beacon of Brother Miguel’s attack bike also dimmed away, indicating either an equipment failure, or total loss of combat effectivness. Or even a final sacrifice to the Emperor and Mankind. His right flank was caving in under pressure, but the left flank was where the Equees Calibanes were punching hard, progressing as planned.

Again the mortars dropped their deadly payloads on the plateau, but for the most part, Ramoriez knew, his bikers would be too fast to get caught in a barrage. Only the large siege mortars enemy also possessed were a real threat to his Esques. He was beginning to edge his speeder back down the plateau edge, but suddely a proximity alert began its sing song wail. Where? Rear view monitor didnt’ show anything... wait, a soldier, dropping fast, then slowing down just before impact. Grav Shutes! Stormtrooper air insertation!

“Gladius Two, alert!”, began Ramoriez, but was interrupted by piercingly bright blue flashes, from meltaguns at point blank range. Rear view monitor blacked out from overload. Special shielding of the Master’s Land Speeder deflected one shot, the other going wide and vaporising a large round hole in the rugged edge of the plateau.

Ramoriez yanked the speeder around, jumping over the tightly huddled stormtrooper squad. “Gladius Two, target front and center.”, said the Master, pushing his own trigger. “Engaging.”, replied the allied Typhoon, but Ramoriez was already methodically moving down the offending soldiers with his twin-linked assault cannons. “Belay that, Gladius Two. Move to engage enemy walkers.”, said the Master, as one or two survivors scramble up the on the plateau, to hide between some scraggy pines.

“Striking for the glory of the Emperor! ETA 30 seconds!”, a slightly tinny voice announced on the scout com channel. Ramoriez responded “Elder Hunters, move to the point! 3rd Esque, clear out the ruined tower!”. Checking the system board, he saw a lone blue light flashing slowly, then starting to blink faster and faster. He connected the uplink, saying “Cataphractii, zero on homers of the 1st Esque.” “We will bring the purification!”, responded the knight master with his rumbling voice.

As Gladius Two manovered past the Master of Hunters, firing a volley of rockets and bringing an enemy scout walker crashing down, the outriders of the Great Hunt struck. One esque used its flamers to burn out the abhuman snipers from the corner ruin. The Elder Hunters, speeding further against the enemy barricades, used their plasma talons to deadly effect, killing and suppressing most of the enemy squad in a low roadside ruin.

In a teleportation flash, The Cataphractii Elders of the 17th Great Hunt arrived, straight in the middle of the subhighway, facing a narrow side road between two enemy occupied ruins, their corroded facades still going up several stories. They started moving at once, keeping their shields locked and moving as a phalanx, unstoppable.

Librarian Larmiel contacted Master Ramoriez by extending a vision: he was leading the Great Hunt Bannermen down the slope, past smoldering wrecks of a destroyed Sentinel squadron, but then a different picture formed in Ramoriez’s mind: a face under a guard officer peaked cap, or rather a skull, with dark embers seeming to burn where the eyes should be. In metallic tones Larmiel’s voice echoed inside the Master’s head: “This is the source of malice and corruption! It cannot be the Prey, but it must be one of its minions! A chaos-bedevilled rogue psyker! He leads his henchmen against our right flank!”. On the comm, Master of Hunters replied “Ramoriez to Larmiel. Continue to excute plan. We will crush flank threat last.”


Even though Gladius One, the Typhoon that had earlier suffered from the mortar barrage, finally crashed amid ruins as its stressed antigrav-unit gave out, there was nothing the cursed guard unit coud do to stop the Equees Calibanes from rolling up their right flank. Ruins were purged by fire, Bannermen and Elder Hunters smashed weakend infrantry squads with Corvus Hammers, and an exposed heavy mortar carrier exploded from multiple melta hits.

As the carnage was going on at the left flank, 5th Esque arrived on the battle field on the right flank, hot on the heels of the enemy’s own flanking force. With consumnate skill, the Esque manouvered over a grey granite hillock, and put the enemy psyker’s escort squad to the flame.

“Enemy light infantry neutralized, the Sentinels ar....”, the 5th Esque sergeant reported on the comm, but his voice was cut off suddenly, the vox channel cracking eerily for few seconds before the connection was shut down. Larmiel’s voice echeod at once inside Ramoriez’s head, mournfully: “I could not extend my will fast enough... but that rogue will pay for the lives of our brothers!” Ramoriez continued hosing the ruins with his assault cannons, replying curtly on the private comms link “Stick to the plan. Crush the enemy, then we are free to pursue that psyker.”

Cataphractii Elders were pushing over the feeble prefab fortifications, effortlessly crushing a company command squad. Esques on the left were shooting enemy heavy weapons squads to shreds, despite frantic efforts to hide on a jagged granite hillock. Ramoriez directed his remaining support Typhoon to engage last coherent enemy threat, the flanking Sentinels, himself edging his speeder closer to the squadron, skillfully using the ruins as cover.

A ruined Habitat block at center of the battlefield burst in fresh flames. 6th Esque reported “Some incendiary device used. Civilians sighted, enemy squad still holding out. Orders?” Ramoriez considered tac display for a second, then replied: “Maximum firepower. Negate enemy resistance. No other priorities.” “Affirmed. For the Caliban!”, came a reply, accompanied by the staccato of marine bike bolters.

A shriek, high pitched, piercing, and inhuman, broke in over the noises of battle and rumbling of the engines. A shriek also heard inside his head. Stunned, Master of Hunters let his speeder to slow down and settle low on its antigrav cushion. His nose was bleeding, his gunner was momentarily stunned, twin linked heavy bolter slowly swivelling on its gimball mount, released from the marine’s ceramite gauntlets.

Then, an anguished voice of Extaposer Librarian Larmiel. Faint voice, like a rustling of dry leaves on a rockcrete highway: “I failed. In my eagerness to confront that... that abomination, I let my guard down... the witch is slain, but not banished. I fell in his trap...”. The tired voice faded away.

Ramoriez shook himself bodily. His gunner stirred, retreiving the heavy bolter’s grip. The Master’s mouth was dry, as if he had been choking on the hateful dust of Ashur, but he kept his voice steady, announcing “All units! Purge the chaos rotten scum! Fire and Steel! For the Emperor!”. The 17th Great Hunt closed in, mercilessly cutting down the minions of the Prey.

Epilogue

Later, when resting in his thermo shelter, Ramoriez pieced together those last fateful minutes of the last engagement. The warp-mangled rogue psyker had burned two brothers of the 5th Esque, chaos-given powers manifesting as a burning tongue of white flame. The remaining battle brother, undaunted, had revved his bike and ridden down the heretic witch, even cutting off his foul head with precise strike of his monosteel combat blade. And that had seemed to be the end of it.

But, as confirmed by the tactical logs, about five minutes later Librarian Larmiel had become... distracted. Bannermen, recovering from their wounds on the Hunt’s strike cruiser, had confirmed that the Librarian had uttered foul-sounding oaths, his bike had swerved to and fro, and then, with a great battecry praising the lost Caliban, he had spurred his bike up on the rocky escarpment, only to fall limp from saddle. And then, the terrible psychic-enhanced shriek had stilled the battlefield, just before the final purge.

Larmiel had been carried from the field in deep coma. There he remained, a prisoner in his own body. Master Apothecary of the Hunt could find nothing that badly wrong in his space marine physique. Of course, the librarians of the Hunt had conferred, debated and probed the case of the Extaposer. But they kept silent about his possible recovery. And even about whether such a recovery was desirable or not. But the Hunt contined, that much Ramoriez knew. If he should not recover, Larmiel would be missed, but still the Hunt would continue. For the glory of the Equees Calibanes, and for the atonement of their Sins.

-- end of AAR 4 --

[Dark Servant]

Burn the Heretic, Burn the Witch

Decimus Primus had led Rorsche and his troops into a ruined city outside of the main battles fought on the planet. Because of this relative peace, the ruined city was holding imperial refugees. Upon arriving Decimus Primus had issued an order to burn as many buildings as possible, while the refugees were still inside their basements. Rorsche was about to protest, but he kept silent when he felt something evil around Decimus Primus. He felt it would be wise to be silent.

Meanwhile Decimus Primus collected several dozen citizen and took them with him and his squad. Rorsche didn't like the fact that Decimus Primus had a personal squad, that seemed to be more loyal to Decimus than to him, their officer. Whatever corrupting effect Decimus had, it had already spread. Rorsche was left to overseer the burning of the so-called "heretics and witches". He tried to stall as much as he could, by setting up defence perimeters and issuing combat tactics. But he knew, that in the end he had to burn all those civilians or face the wrath of Decimus.

Before Rorsche had to face the horrible mission he was entrusted, an Adeptus Astartes strike force assailed them. Rorsche was reliefed, because now he could do what he did best and was good at. But the Adeptus Astartes strike force was fast. Too fast to react, in fact. The first mortarshells hit their targets and some casualties were made, but it didn't falter the advancing Astartes. By the time Rorsche had adjusted his defence line, they were assailed from the flanks. All Rorsche could do was to watch as his forces were burned down by purging flames. Mortars couldn't follow the speeding Astartes at all and the shells drop amidst own troops.

By this time Decimus Primus returned from his mission and was immediately assailed by an Adeptus Astartes bikesquad. His personal squad was burned down the instant they emerged from the ruins. Decimus Primus draw power from the warp and used some questionable powers to attack the Astartes he was facing. From his mouth came an eering lightbeam, that seemed to suck the life out of the Astartes. Two of them were succumbed to an extremely old age while the third hid in the flames.

By this time Decimus felt another psykers presence. He probed his mind and tried to find a way in. He was denied as the training of the Adeptus Librarians were unknown outside Chapters. But then Decimus found it: A crack. It had appeared the moment the librarian was drawing power from the warp and Decimus took it. He managed to get inside of his head and with a single thought he killed the librarian. He was somewhat preoccupied with his new toy that Decimus didn't saw the remaining Astartes biker driving his bike through the flames and using his bikes momentum and mass to crush Decimus. He was taken by surprise and was hit with extreme force capable of making a mortal man into a bulp of blood and intestines. Even Decimus with his new-found powers was unable to stop this sheer force and he was struck down.

Meanwhile Rorsche was facing total defeat. Enemies were inside his defence line and his troops were diminishing. One of the buildings was burning, as the besieged troopers decided to complete orders they were given by Decimus Primus. As the flames roared near him, Rorsche was facing terminators. The fight didn't last long and Rorsche was struck down.

And as fast as they came, they were gone. The battlefield was filled with the corpses and equipment of the 113th and the civilians fled the area after the battle. It was quiet for some time and the first one to rise again was Decimus Primus. It happened unnaturally fast and his appearance was more menacing. His eyesockets were glowing with warppower and his fingers crackled with energy. He used all his energy to speed up the resurrection of his army. They had a mission to do.

Aftermath

Encrypted message to Warmaster Jago Kallowen
From Decimus Primus
Start:

"Today we were struck down by the fallen Astartes. They also foiled our mission of blood sacrifice to the emperor, in exchange of our freedom. I have come to a conclusion that the emperor enjoys our condition and that he feasts on our deaths. He has created us so that he can have an endless supply of misery and death. We are just toys to him, our death gives him sick pleasure. I felt it today when I was struck down! The laughing eyes of him as he pulled me back to life!"

"I try to appease him with sacrifices. I hope he will let us go when we have satiated his lust of human life and death. Our methods may seem unorthodox and questionable, but it seems that our image of loving emperor was wrong. I feel I am the first one to understand the real emperor since the Great Crusade and believe me, he is not the one we were taught to believe."

End of Transmission

[Sutenööri]

Juha "sutenööri" Ettanen: Grey Knights vs. Jori "Pigchampion" Sara-aho: Imperial Guard

Peli päättyi 9-5 Grey knightien eduksi eli reilu voitto ja samalla ritareiden ensimmäinen voitokas taistelu, molemmille pelaajille maalauspojot.

Tällä kertaa terminaattoripanssarit toimivatkin eivätkä sulaneet ensimmäisen vuoron ampumiseen, lentokoneet kylvivät tuttuun tapaan tuhoa.

-Juha-

[Stone Fist]

Kierros IV

Lauri "Entrooppi" Lattu: Chaos Space Marines vs. Antti "Stone Fist" Martikainen: Necrons
Tulos: 8-7 eli tasan meni, maalauksesta pisteet minulle.

Peli eteni molempien tasaisesti jäätäen. Alkuun näytti että kaaoksen joukot vyöryisivät luurangoista yli ilman vastusta, mutta vastarinta ei kuitenkaan pettänyt.
Tasainen jännä peli kaikenkaikkiaan.

Kiitokset pelistä!

[IRiaD]

Kierros IV

Teemu "I Ride in a Dragon" Salo vs. Pasi "Longinus" Pitkänen
Tulos: 15-4 + wipeout, murskavoitto Teemulle.
Teemu ei saanut maalauspisteitä (hyi minä), Pasi ansaitsi niitä senkin edestä.

Kun Vindicatorit kohtaa, Vindicatorit voittaa. Eka vuoro oli kummankin puolin tehotonta (haavoiksi saatiin stunnattu vindikaattori ja muutama mariini) ja kakkosvuoron aloittava, jolloin joukot päättivät oikeasti alkaa punkemaan, oli valitettavasti minulla. Mariinien ja IG:n liittoumat välineet selvitä tankeista ja lentokoneista hupenivat tasaiseen tahtiin, ja kun Stormraven suostui vielä kiltisti selviämään kahdesta penestä ja terminaattorit olivat samppanjalla aina nelosvuorolle asti oli peli melko pitkälti taputeltu. Lopulta yksinäinen mariinisquadin hoidellut Primarispsyykkeri kuoli armeijan tulituksen alla ja päästiin lopettamaan vuorolle 6A. Noppatuuri kyllä söi vastapuolta koko pelin ajan.

Kiitokset Pasille mukavasta pelistä!

[Entrooppi]

Skenaario: V – Viimeistä edellinen

Armeijakunnat kohtaavat toisensa hyvien tiedustelutietojen pohjalta. Verisen yhteenoton pyrkimyksenä on viimein rampauttaa vihollisarmeijaa ja kieltää tämän eteneminen Ashurin pinnalla lopullisesti. Samalla keräten tarvikkeita viimeistä, ratkaisevaa taistelua varten.

Objektiivi: Kill Points (1 piste per Kill Point) ja Objektiivit (2 pistettä per Objektiivi)
Objektiiveja asetetaan neljä. Molemmat pelaajat saavat asettaa omalle Deployment Zonelleen yhden ja yhden ei-kenenkään-maalle.
Deployment: Hammer & Anvil
Erikoista: Illasta aamuun
Ensimmäisellä vuorolla on käytössä Night Fighting -sääntö. Peli jatkuu automaattisesti kuudennelle vuorolle, jolloin Night Fighting käynnistyy taas. Peli voi jatkua normaaliin tapaan seitsemännelle vuorolle, jolloin Night Fighting on yhä käytössä.

Voittoasteet:
Murskavoitto: 8 pisteen ero
Reilu voitto: 4 pisteen ero
Niukka voitto: 2 pisteen ero

Parit:
-Timo "Timmon" Immonen: Dark Angels vs. Antti "Stone Fist" Martikainen: Necrons
-Miikka "Miikkar" Riikonen: Dark Angels vs. Lauri "Entrooppi" Lattu: Chaos Space Marines
-Joni "DraSa" Tanskanen: Blood Angels vs. Timo "Dark Servant" Tahvanainen: Imperial Guard
-Teemu "I Ride in a Dragon" Salo: Space Marines vs. Petri "Stuka" Hyvärinen: Blood Angels
-Jere "Palmus" Jukka: Black Templars vs. Juha "sutenööri" Ettanen: Grey Knights
-Hannu "Hansel" Helander: Grey Knights vs. Pasi "Longinus" Pitkänen: Space Marines
-Janne "dewil" Puhakka: Dark Angels vs. Jori "Pigchampion" Sara-aho: Imperial Guard


Viimeinen pelipäivä on 24.5.

[Sutenööri]

-Jere "Palmus" Jukka: Black Templars vs. Juha "sutenööri" Ettanen: Grey Knights

7-8 Grey knighteille, mutta tasapeliksihän tuo menee. Maalauspisteet minulle.

Jeren noppatuuri oli aika jumalainen, seize the iniative heittoon 6 ja kappalaisen bioniksit pelastivat kaverin monta kertaa >:(

Noh eipä tässä pöydällä oli 6 vuoron loputtua 2kpl stormraveneita ja 2kpl emperors championin bodyguardin kavereita jotka munat turpeessa pitivät yhtä objektiiviä, mutta sain sen verran reilusti noita killpointteja että ohi kaasuttelin.


-Juha-

[Dark Servant]

Changes

After last resurrection, major Rorsche was understanding better their goal and what Decimus Primus was telling them and wanting from them. To obtain mortality they needed some sacred artifacts outside Ninive. There was heavy Imperial presence, so they needed to move quickly. By the time they managed to reach Ninives outskirts, Decimus Primus had split their forces in three: Primus and his veteran bodyguard strikeforce was one, scout sentinel squadrons was second and the main force was Rorsches infantry.

Rorsche adopted straightforward approach. He secured the first artifact and erected defence lines around it. From that base of operations he would reach out and secure the rest of the artifacts. But by the time the defence line was ready, first reports of enemy movement was reported. There seemed to be a small Imperial Guard force with small Astartes detachment there. With his eyes fixed on his prize, Rorsche didn't hesitate and ordered a full attack in order to wipe them out as soon as possible. They didn't have time for a trench warfare.

Mortars spit their deadly payloads into the mids of the enemy, but darkness hindered their accurary. Infantry squads were advancing and they decimated an Astartes scouts, who were hiding in a close proximity. Fire was inaccurate from both sides, but by the time darkness lifted its shadows reinforces arrived to choke the combined Astartes and Guard. Decimus Primus flanked an enemy officer and his retinue and a heavy weapons team. Sentinels arrived also and targeted other heavy weapons teams. Even Stormtroopers arrived from the skies into the mids of battle with their guns blazing death around them. Enemy forces seemed to be doomed against the full might of his forces.

But as the odds were against the Astartes, they defied them and somehow managed to stall long enough so that the Imperial Guard got reinforces. A librarian in full terminator armour was still standing and he managed to rally the rest of the Imperial forces so that the resistance stiffened and the balance changed back. The combat dragged and the enemy was pushing back. Their powerful librarian managed to duel successfully with Decimus Primus in the psychic realm and either managed to overcome the other. One by one sentinels were knocked out and Decimus Primus veteran squad was in trouble, as they were assailed from all sides. Primus couldn't use his powers in order to destroy the threat his squad was facing, or he would give a chance to the librarian to defeat him in the mental battle. Finally they were overrun and Primus was struckt down by a lucky shot. Stormtroopers also were shot, as their small numbers are not meant to fight a prolonged battle against so numerous enemy.

Despite the casualties Rorsche was confident. The enemy had sustained huge losses and was dwindling. He still had all of his mortars and enough men to win the day, as he watched his infantry advancing from the ruins. And as he increased the bombardment, a lucky strike from the orbit strukt the librarian and put him out of commission. Also enemy command squad was decimated by the shot from Griffon heavy mortar. Leadership of the enemy was now wiped out and only the sergeants bellows kept the ranks together. Victory was in his grasp.

But then Rorsche heard a roar from the sky. The enemy had managed to dispatch Astartes reinforces from the other side of the ruined city of Ninive. Quad-gun belched high-caliber shells to these new targets, but in vain. Their armour was thick. As fast as they arrived, as fastly they started to decimate Rorsches troops. Missiles and assault cannons shred the advancing forces and to make things even worse there were Astartes with jump packs, who descented from their transports. In a blink of an eye they were inside the defence line, slicing through infantry as if they were nothing. The situation started to get bleak, eventhough his troops managed to defend the defence line with success and the Astartes inside the defence line were taking heavy casualties, as the enemy had consolidated their holdings and could overrun Rorsches troops if given enough time.

It was getting dark and Rorsche had a thought to retreat in the cover of darkness, but somehow he felt an urge to continue the fight to its bloody end. He wanted to take with him as many as he could, and as he was practically immortal, he could do it again and again and again. So as the Astartes were driven out from the defence line, Rorsche rallied his troops to engage the incoming assault. But it never came. It seems that the Astartes and the Imperial Guard disengaged using the cover of darkness. Rorsche was filled with incredible rage, as he was denied the last stand and the joy of bloodshed. the rage grew even more when he realised, that the enemy had taken the artifacts with them. They were left nothing but bitter defeat. To vent his rage, Rorsche walked around the battlefield and when he found an enemy still alive, he vented his rage to the helpless victim.

Decimus Primus woke first and he was bursting with warpenergy. His clothes were barely holding together as his body was ripping with powerful energies.

Aftermath

Encrypted message to Warmaster Jago Kallowen
From Decimus Primus
Start:

"It is all clear to me now. We have been following a god so selfish and destructive that our galaxy is in flames because of him. He enjoys the misery of billions of his worshippers as they are slaughtered and still countless billions worship him and works to death to fulfill his wishes of war and destruction. And even that doesn't satiate his appetite of misery! We are his newest whim, an army of soldiers who die again and again and again so he can feed on OUR deaths to the times ends. This is not a blessing, as you so wishfully have been thinking for the last four millenia. This is a curse!"

"I will do whatever I need in order to lift this curse! And eventhough you might think me as heretic from my words, I will do my best to save your soul as well. You are just misguided and you shouldn't need to suffer from it any longer than the rest of us."

"We have one more task here on Ashur. After that I will leave with my forces and search salvation for us all."

End of Transmission