Battle Report: Vadinax Campaign - Mission 7 Da Lucky Gits

 +++++++

As the smoke thinned around battlefield, Regulus extended a gauntlet out to Faustus.  The mission had been to strike the Ork encampment located in The Graves, recover key components looted from Valern Citadel, and destroy the rest. 

Faustus took the offered grip up and lifted his powered down Tactical Dreadnought Armor up to a kneeling position, it would need a few more patches again.

"Well, that did not go to plan." Faustus lightly offered, letting his Chaplain know his mood was still good.

"Not quite as dictated by the Codex." Regulus chuckled.

All around them were the bodies of Orks, piled high at the feet of the terminators securing the area.

"Reports are that we eliminated the majority of the force, but the rest made out with their loot during the fighting."

Chief Apothecary Singa had managed to pull his mangled bionic leg out from under a dead Squig, looked like that would need repairs too. He set about triaging the wounded and collecting gene-seed from the fallen.  

Faustus sighed and gripped the bridge of his nose in a wince, even genetically enhanced humans got headaches from frustration. "Two steps forward..."

Thunderhawks were already arriving, and so it was time to get to his feet and oversee the exfiltration.  But just before turning is thoughts to the task at hand, Faustus decided it was time for a different approach.

 +++++++

A rare second game for the week in the Vadinax Campaign for me.  I faced off against some very lucky, but also well played Orks.  It was a great game and fun was had by all.  My opponent Paul did a great job keeping me off objectives.  He plays as the "lucky" blue Deathskulls, but while he was pretty lucky this game, I think there is probably a bit more to it as he extends his quite impressive win streak.

Battle Report:

Ruleset: Core Crusade 2023 Arks of Omen Grand Tournament - Strike Force, 2023 Q1 Balance Datasheet & Points, and Goonhammer Vadinax Crusade rules
Mission: Arks of Omen GT: 12 Tear Down Their Icons
Points: 1500

My Forces:

++ Arks of Omen Detachment 1492pts ++

**Chapter Selector**: Ultramarines
Battle Size [6CP]: Strike Force(101-200 Total PL / 1001-2000 Points) [6CP]
Game Type: 4. Chapter Approved: Arks of Omen Grand Tournament + Crusade

+ HQ +

• Primus Leo Exevio Faustus - Captain in Terminator Armour: Rites of War, The Sanctic Halo, Power Fist, Wrist mounted grenade launcher, Storm Bolter, Warlord (Warleader)
• Praelior Tarquinius Iulian Regulus - Chaplain in Terminator Armour:  Benediction of Fury  Storm bolter, Canticle of Hate, Litany of Hate, The Imperium's Sword

+ Troops +

• Squad Kaiel- 5 man Tactical Squad - Chainsword, Plasma pistol, Bolt pistols, Meltagun, Bolters
• Squad Vitus - 5 man Tactical Squad -  Chainsword, Bolt pistols, Heavy Bolter, Bolters [Shell Shocked]

+ Elites +

• Chief Apothecary Hulm Singa - Apothecary: Astartes Chainsword, Bolt pistol, Frag & Krak grenades, Selfless Healer, The Armour Indomitus, Conversion Field, Custodian of the Future [Lost Leg Scar]
• Venerable Brother "Fury" - Dreadnought: Dreadnought melee weapon w/ Storm bolter, Twin Lascannon
• Squad Nox - 5man Terminator Assault Squad: Teleport Homer,  5x Thunder Hammer & Storm Shield
• Squad Tourbillion - 5 man Terminator Squad: Teleport Homer, Power sword, Storm bolter, Assault cannon, 3x Chainfist, Power fist
• Kill Team Rubrum - 5 man Terminator Squad: Teleport Homer, Power sword, Storm bolter, Heavy Flamer, Chainfist, 3x Power fist
• Squad Velox - 5 man Vanguard Veterans Squad: Relic Blade, 3x Storm Shields, 2x Thunder Hammers, 2x Lightning Claws (pair) [Disgraced]

+ Heavy Support +

• Squad Nero - Devastator Squad: Power sword, plasma pistol, 2x Lascannon, Missile Launcher, Plasma Cannon [Walking Wounded]

+ Fast Attack +

• "One Charlie" - Land Speeder Tornado: Heavy flamer, Multi-melta
• "Two Charlie" - Land Speeder Tornado: Heavy flamer, Multi-melta

Agendas: Quest for Atonement (Squad Velox), Reaper, Guide the Chapter

Gripstrippas Gits:

++ Arks of Omen Detachment ++

+ HQ +

• Mogbul Godshredda - Warboss in Mega Armor
• Gitzgash Worldrippa - Weirdboy
• Red eyes Green dragon- Big Mek w/ Shokk Attack Gun

+ Troops +

• Gangstas - Boyz
• trukas - Boyz
• smelly fings - Gretchin

+ Elites +

• Burna Buttz Boyz - Burna Boyz
• Da Steel Marauderz - Kommandos
• Da killy gitz - Nobz
• Redeyez Scrapgits - Meganobz

+ Fast Attack +

• Pokistik Boyz - Squighog Boyz

+ Heavy Support +

• Orkapalooza - Lootas
• Red eyes mount - Deff Dreads
• Stompa Stompa - Deff Dreads

+ Dedicated Transports +

• Big Boyz Trukk - Trukk
• Fast & Furious - Trukk

Takeaways & Analysis:

My plan was to first achieve the Quest for Atonement for Squad Velox and clear out their battle scar, and also deploy far back so that I would be able to charge the Orks first.  My analysis had been that they were fast mobile infantry.  I had the right plan, but my execution was really lacking.  First I didn't deploy very far back, and second I threw myself off and failed to shoot at the forward deployed Kommandos on the objective in the first turn.  That center objective was on an interesting elevated bit of terrain, but it meant the only unit fast enough to get there was Squad Velox.  So, my own turn one mistakes really set me off on the wrong foot.  I think the big takeaway here is that two games in a week is a bit much for me.

Another surprise that I didn't know ahead was that these were Deathskulls Orks, so I found out that a bit late about their clan kultur.  While their re-rolls and 5+ shrug are 'lucky' and thematic - the huge one is that all of their infantry have Obsec, which I think is really, really strong.  This allowed the Nobz, who had missed their charge, to steal one of my objectives.

As a consequence of deploying too far forward in some cases, and also standing on objectives rather than back a bit (I need to get the objective mats that show the full zone) I didn't screen out the back as well as I was trying to, and so some Burnaz jumped in.

In the end, we had some punishing battles, but I had managed to clear out most of his models, however, by then I had lost just too many points that I wasn't able to recover.  It was a bit of a strange one though, units that usually die lived, and units that usually live died!  Also, wacky dice rolls: "Orks who couldn't charge and Ultramarines who couldn't shoot!"

Squad Nox falls...

But sets up a decisive counter charge, though Faustus falls too...

For once it is Regulus left standing!

The Deff Dread careens into the speeders!  But they both hang on!

Most of the Orks are slain (except the Shokk Attack Gunner in the upper right, and the hiding Lootaz and Grots)!

Battle Report: Vadinax Campaign - Mission 6 A Thousand Splendid Sons

++++++++

Explicator Bromely briefly looks up from his tome.  The Dark Age teleportation chamber on this ancient battle barge is vast, larger than any he has seen before, with no light reaching the high ceilings. Steam from all around the platforms billow upwards into the darkness.  The rumble in the room is deafening, as the energizers power up, slowly building with a buzzing quality adding in as well.  He cannot see much else beyond two hulking terminators flanking him.  Most of the light in the room emanates from the pad beneath his feet.  He turns back to his recitations.

"The absence of faith is the mark of the weak.  The absence of faith is the mark of the heretic..."

Across the chamber, the main door splits open.  Flanked by servitors on both sides, Praelior Tarquinius Regulus marches through the wide entrance.  Clad in the black tactical dreadnought armor and bone white skull helm of his office.  From his helm vox, his voice roars above the rumble of the teleportarium machinery.

"What is it to be Death?"

In unison, Squads Tourbillion and Nox strike their fisted gauntlets to their chests. The bass notes of their responses echo about the chamber: "It is to be the destroyer, the end of all things."

Bromely is startled by the sudden salute, his own devotions now interrupted.  He swallows hard as he adjusts the goggles over his eyes.

Chaplain Regulus draws near to the wide, low steps to the first tier of the teleportarium.

"What is it to end life?"

"It is an honour, to be the executioners of the Emperor." echo the terminators.

"Twenty three seconds..." drones a servitor across the vox.

Regulus is now on the steps ascending into the amphitheater.  The flanking servitors carry the Benediction of Fury, and the Chaplain's blessed storm bolter.

"Why do we fight?" 

"To protect the Imperium and deliver mankind from the evil of the xenos, the mutant, and the heretic!"

Regulus reaches his teleportation pad, just in front of Bromely.  While Bromely is on the next tier up, Regulus is at eye level with him.  Bromely gasps.

"What is the fate of all foes?" booms the Chaplain, now only feet away.

"To perish in the fire of battle and be cleansed from the galaxy." the squads respond.

Regulus turns to face forward as the terminator squads flanking him on both sides move into battle positions, weapons drawn and raised.  The rumble of the chamber crescendos.  The servitors arm Regulus and quickly run from the pad.

"Six seconds..."

"Who will prevail against the darkness?"

"The Ultramarines!"

"Two... One..."

Bromely grits his teeth as a blinding light flashes from everywhere, all at once.  Despite the goggles, he screws his eyes shut as far as they can go.  There is a thunderous boom!  A jolt of pain and vertigo that is gone instantly.  Then the sounds of war.  As he opens his eyes, the terminators are already in full charge, their storm bolters flaring and thunder hammers crackling.  Regulus is at the fore.

"FOR THE EMPEROR AND THE PRIMARCH! DEATH! BRING DEATH TO OUR FOES!"

    5225023.M42 - Tern's Endeavor, Vadinax Sector

++++++++

We are in the sixth mission and eighth week of the Vadinax Campaign and while last time the Ultramarines saw a hard fought victory at the Valern Citadel, it fell anyway.  Now we fight the LGS Game Master and Crusade Manager himself, the great Quinn and his Thousand Sons (who fight for the space elves).  As per usual, I studied hard and approached the game with a plan, but still there were plenty of surprises.

Battle Report:

Ruleset: Core Crusade 2023 Arks of Omen Grand Tournament - Strike Force, 2023 Q1 Balance Datasheet & Points, and Goonhammer Vadinax Crusade rules
Mission: Arks of Omen GT: 22 Conversion + Tempest of War Secondary Objectives
Points: 1500

My Forces:

++ Arks of Omen Detachment 1492pts ++

**Chapter Selector**: Ultramarines
Battle Size [6CP]: Strike Force(101-200 Total PL / 1001-2000 Points) [6CP]
Game Type: 4. Chapter Approved: Arks of Omen Grand Tournament + Crusade

+ HQ +

• Primus Leo Exevio Faustus - Captain in Terminator Armour: Rites of War, The Sanctic Halo, Power Fist, Wrist mounted grenade launcher, Storm Bolter, Warlord (Warleader)
• Praelior Tarquinius Iulian Regulus - Chaplain in Terminator Armour:  Benediction of Fury  Storm bolter, Canticle of Hate, Litany of Hate, The Imperium's Sword

+ Troops +

• Squad Kaiel- 5 man Tactical Squad - Chainsword, Plasma pistol, Bolt pistols, Meltagun, Bolters
• Squad Vitus - 5 man Tactical Squad - [Shell Shocked] Chainsword, Bolt pistols, Heavy Bolter, Bolters

+ Elites +

• Chief Apothecary Hulm Singa - Apothecary: Astartes Chainsword, Bolt pistol, Frag & Krak grenades, Selfless Healer, The Armour Indomitus, Conversion Field, Custodian of the Future [Lost Leg Scar]
• Venerable Brother "Fury" - Dreadnought: Dreadnought melee weapon w/ Storm bolter, Twin Lascannon
• Squad Nox - 5man Terminator Assault Squad: Teleport Homer,  5x Thunder Hammer & Storm Shield
• Squad Tourbillion - 5 man Terminator Squad: Teleport Homer, Power sword, Storm bolter, Assault cannon, 3x Chainfist, Power fist
• Kill Team Rubrum - 5 man Terminator Squad: Teleport Homer, Power sword, Storm bolter, Heavy Flamer, Chainfist, 3x Power fist
• Squad Velox - 5 man Vanguard Veterans Squad: Relic Blade, 3x Storm Shields, 2x Thunder Hammers, 2x Lightning Claws (pair)

+ Heavy Support +

• Squad Nero - Devastator Squad: Power sword, plasma pistol, 2x Lascannon, Missile Launcher, Plasma Cannon

+ Fast Attack +

• "One Charlie" - Land Speeder Tornado: Heavy flamer, Multi-melta
• "Two Charlie" - Land Speeder Tornado: Heavy flamer, Multi-melta

Agendas: Survivor, Reaper, Guide the Chapter

The Remembrance of Psati:

++ Arks of Omen Detachment ++

+ HQ +

• Atoum bne Psati - Sorcerer in Terminator Armour
• Thoh'out Paphib - Exalted Sorcerer
• Eunophre - Infernal Master
• Pishoi Akhom - Exalted Sorcerer

+ Troops +

• Beniphi - Rubric Marines
• Potephre - Rubric Marines
• Kharakhte - Rubric Marines

+ Elites +

• Honored Kalasire - Chaos Contemptor Dreadnought
• ⲯⲁϯ Ⲥⲁⲭⲙⲓ - Scarab Occult Terminators

+ Dedicated Transports+

• Path of Lamentation - Chaos Rhino

Takeaways & Analysis:

I've had really great luck with Tempest of War so far, and did I mention it's a real fun way to play?  You're never sure what you're going to need to do, but I think it can really level the playing field a bit.  But this was going to be almost a mirror match with terminators vs psyker terminators, dreadnoughts against dreadnoughts, and speedy things against speedy things.  I knew there would be a rumble in the middle (terminators are too slow to do anything else) but what I wasn't quite prepared for was the strong auspex scan style ability that the Thousand Sons had.  

I played it pretty cautiously as I had the first turn.  Aside from sending Two Charlie, and Squads Velox and Kaiel to the near objective, I kept everyone else back behind the ruins.  The Thousand Sons were the first to venture out into the center.

Luckily we had a ruin in the middle of the battlefield that blocked line of sight and allowed me to beam in just in range.  Also, with my newly upgraded Dark Age Teleportarium, I could beam in 2 terminator squads (in front of the third on the board) and the hero of the match Chaplain Regulus sung his song of charging.  On top of that, the fleet Squad Tourbillion with their extra +1 move gave me basically a 5" charge.  Tourbillion, Nox, and Regulus himself didn't really seem to need any of that though, all of them handily making their charges.

Explicator Bromely was in for a ride as he followed Squad Nox into the fray - I elected to strike with them first and dumped two strategems onto them: Fury of the First, and Death to the Traitors - knowing that I had to hit hard to blunt the counter-strike.  Squad Nox (and the dice) came through in a big way with a knockout punch that took out 9 of the 10 Scarab Occult Terminators.

Quinn still had a lot of punch left though.  His warp magic completely nullified Squad Nox's invulnerable saves, and both the dreadnought and the sorcerer on the disc packed quite a punch.  Squad Nox would not fall, but Regulus did (again).  He always takes one for the team which is why I marked him for greatness.  Somehow Squads Nox and Tourbillion stayed alive long enough for Captain Faustus, Kill Team Rubrum, and Chief Apothecary Singa to swing in to support.

Thoh'out Paphib and his Disk of Tzeentch were not to be underestimated though.  While I had won the fight for the center objective, the sheer speed of the sorcerer was trouble for my back lines.  I can see the power of a strong and fast character who can sit in the exact center of an objective and use heroic intervention to bully troops off.  I was lucky enough to get Brother Sergeant Vitus and his squad to hang on just long enough to keep the point lead.  A critical save at the end prevented a point swing of maybe 15 points.  Always stay frosty, even if you feel like you're in the lead, a strong opponent can still do a lot by playing the mission.

Perhaps Squad Nero delayed Thoh'out Paphib just enough...

While in the end I played things right, I wonder if I could have changed things around a bit to use the speeders to chase after the disk and used some of the other units to secure the back line?  Something to look at should I face The Remembrance again.  Ultramarines came out just ahead this time with some key Tempest of War objectives: 91-72.

Battle Report: Vadinax Campaign - Mission 5 Valern Citadel Defense

 ++++Transmission Intercept:++++

COMM-UPLINK: BATTLE BARGE EXCELSIOR <-> VALERN CITADEL STRONGPOINT 87
DATE: 5173023.M42

--- UNINTELEGIBLE ---

DEXTER: ... Repeat, Captain Leo Faustus, this is Samus Dexter, do you copy?

FAUSTUS: ... am receiving your transmission Techmarine, go ahead.

DEXTER: Full power to the Teleportarium has been restored. Thunderhawks have launched, ETA six.

FAUSTUS: Perfect timing, we will clear the landing pads for you. Status of remaining positions?

DEXTER: Not looking good sir.

FAUSTUS: Copy.

++++Transmission INTERRUPTED++++

        Archive: Fall of Valern Citadel, Tern's Endeavor, Vadinax Sector

Week 6 of the Vadinax Campaign was the most fun yet.  It seemed that in prior weeks the Ork and Chaos players had mounted such a significant assault on the citadel that we had a Flash Point event.  All Ork, Chaos, and Imperium players got an extra fate point for battles in this area, and Imperium players had to be defenders with the "Backs to the Wall" bonus which gave light, heavy, and dense cover bonuses to one piece of terrain in the deployment zone, but at the cost of more risk of battle scars.  It was so thematic that I broke out my MDF industrial terrain and set up a battle with Matt for a royal rumble against the Orks!

Battle Report:

Ruleset: Core Crusade 2023 Arks of Omen Grand Tournament - Strike Force, 2023 Q1 Balance Datasheet & Points, and Goonhammer Vadinax Crusade rules
Mission: Arks of Omen GT: 23 The Scouring
Points: 1500

My Forces:

++ Arks of Omen Detachment 1492pts ++

**Chapter Selector**: Ultramarines
Battle Size [6CP]: Strike Force(101-200 Total PL / 1001-2000 Points) [6CP]
Game Type: 4. Chapter Approved: Arks of Omen Grand Tournament + Crusade

+ HQ +

• Primus Leo Exevio Faustus - Captain Terminator Armour: Rites of War, The Sanctic Halo, Power Fist, Wrist mounted grenade launcher, Storm Bolter, Warlord (Warleader)
• Praelior Tarquinius Iulian Regulus - Chaplain in Terminator Armour:  Benediction of Fury  Storm bolter, Canticle of Hate, Litany of Hate, The Imperium's Sword

+ Troops +

• Squad Kaiel- 5 man Tactical Squad - Chainsword, Plasma pistol, Bolt pistols, Meltagun, Bolters
• Squad Vitus - 5 man Tactical Squad - Chainsword, Bolt pistols, Heavy Bolter, Bolters

+ Elites +

• Chief Apothecary Hulm Singa - Apothecary: Astartes Chainsword, Bolt pistol, Frag & Krak grenades, Selfless Healer, The Armour Indomitus, Conversion Field, Custodian of the Future [Lost Leg Scar]
• Venerable Brother "Fury" - Dreadnought: Dreadnought melee weapon w/ Storm bolter, Twin Lascannon
• Squad Nox - 5man Terminator Assault Squad: Teleport Homer,  5x Thunder Hammer & Storm Shield
• Squad Tourbillion - 5 man Terminator Squad: Teleport Homer, Power sword, Storm bolter, Assault cannon, 3x Chainfist, Power fist
• Kill Team Rubrum - 5 man Terminator Squad: Teleport Homer, Power sword, Storm bolter, Heavy Flamer, Chainfist, 3x Power fist
• Squad Velox - 5 man Vanguard Veterans Squad: Relic Blade, 3x Storm Shields, 2x Thunder Hammers, 2x Lightning Claws (pair)

+ Heavy Support +

• Squad Nero - Devastator Squad: Power sword, plasma pistol, 2x Lascannon, Missile Launcher, Plasma Cannon

+ Fast Attack +

• "One Charlie" - Land Speeder Tornado: Heavy flamer, Multi-melta
• "Two Charlie" - Land Speeder Tornado: Heavy flamer, Multi-melta

Agendas: Survivor, Reaper, Guide the Chapter

Bozzbone Bigun's Waagh!:

++ Arks of Omen Detachment 0CP 1,496pts ++
**Clan Kultur**: Goffs

+ HQ +

• Big Mek w/ Shokk Attack Gun
• Bozzbones Bigun - Warboss: Brutal but Kunnin, Da Killa Klaw, Kombi-rokkit, Power Klaw
• Weirdboy: Warpath, Da Jump

+ Troops +

• Boyz - 10 Orks: 9x Shoota, 9x Stikkbombs, Big Shoota, Choppa, Slugga
• Boyz - 10 Orks: 10x Choppa, 10x Slugga, 10x Stikkbombs, Big Choppa, Slugga
• Boyz - 10 Orks: 10x Choppa, 10x Slugga, 10x Stikkbombs, Big Choppa, Slugga
• Beast Snagga Boyz - 10 Orks: 9x Choppa, 10x Slugga, Power Snappa
• Gretchin - 10 Gretchins: 10x Grot Blaster

+ Elites +

• Burna Boyz - 5 Orks: 4x Burna, 4x Stikkbombs, Kustom Mega-Blasta
• Kommandos - 6 Orks: 5x Choppa, 5x Slugga, 5x Stikkbombs, Power Klaw
• Nobz - 5 Orks: Killsaw, 4x Power Klaw, 5x Slugga
• Meganobz - 3 Orks: Kustom Shootas, Power Klaws
• Painboy

+ Fast Attack +

• Stormboyz - 10 Orks: 9x Choppa, 9x Slugga, 9x Stikkbombs, Power Klaw
• DeffKoptas - 3 Koptas: One with Big Bomb

+ Heavy Support +

• Deff Dreads: 4x Dread Klaw

+ Dedicated Transport +

• Trukk: Wreckin' Ball

+ No Force Org Slot +

• Runtherd: Grabba Stikk, Squig Hound

Takeaways & Analysis:

This game was our closest yet!  Last time was close, this time I eeked out a victory by ONE point!  Luckily we started in the morning and had all day for the match, because with the extra complicated terrain and all the Ork and Space Marine infantry, it took awhile.  But it was so much fun.  I set up the battlefield with my industrial complex type, multi-level, MDF terrain.  It really added another dimension to have multiple levels.  We also had a lot of craters and smoke to provide difficult and dense terrain, and we had a section that was a forested hill.  We used the Abandoned Sanctuaries map to make sure that the base profile of the mission was fair, and then we layered on top of that the concept that the fortress was under assault and so just the center building in my deployment area had the 'Backs to the Wall' bonus.  It's likely that the bonus might have just been one of the deciding factors because I was able to win 52-51 which definitely could have gone the other way.

First, we both made good use of reserves/deep strike.  I kept one squad of terminators, and the assault terminators in the teleportarium (along with Chaplain Regulus), as well as my dreadnought.  Matt kept the Stormboyz, DeffKoptas, and Deff Dread in reserve.

Matt got first turn and concentrated a lot of Boyz to the forested hill objective, sent the Trukk with his warboss towards the center objective, the Kommandos to the crater objective, and then held his deployment objective with grotz and kept a bunch of units, such as his beast snaggas, back to screen out my deep strikes.

For me, I had deployed to screen out most of my deployment area to funnel any deep strikes into the forest which paid off.  I got really lucky with my advances and was able to get to the center objective to deny it, and to the crater objective.  It was my first game with the fast Vanguard Veterans, commanded by Brother Sergeant Velox, and they came out aggressive with a Hammer of Wrath strike into the jungle to essentially eliminate one squad of Boyz and chew into another.  While they weren't able to deny that objective, I think they got their value in bogging down 3 units of Boyz, plus the Pain Boy, and Weird Boy, and keep them in an area where my Terminators were able to thin them down with lots of bolter fire.

My Devastators continued to be a bit unlucky with their shots, but since I set them up high in the fortress with the extra cover bonus, they were able to pin Matt down a bit take the attention of the Burna Boyz.  The Burna Boyz had jumped out of the truck and tried to storm them, but they held on which was another key lucky win for me, and Captain Faustus (who had been trying to give his aura to both the terminators and the devastators) was able to jump in and personally finish them off in a heroic moment!

When the Stormboyz, DeffKoptas and Deff Dread flew/beamed in - they indeed got funneled into the corner luckily.  The Deff Dread made short work of the speeder Two Charlie (who wasn't having much luck with his multi-melta) but left him vulnerable to shots from the other speeder, devastators, and my dreadnought when he appeared from reserves as well.  Squad Tourbillion, who had started on the board, took a beating from the Koptas, but hung on.  When it was my turn I swung back with teleportations in to assist the center and to take out the Koptas.  Also, when Venerable Fury came in, I was able to take advantage of the exception for setting up 9" away - because the Koptas were in my deployment zone and fairly close to my battlefield edge (due to their deep strike ability) I was able to bring my dreadnought in 1 inch away from the table edge, but very close (like 4 or 5 inches) to them for an almost guaranteed charge.  It turned out that all of my shooty terminators made their charges too though so the Koptas took quite a beating.  Unfortunately, my Apothecary got left behind which made him a juicy target for the Stormboyz looking for revenge.

The assault terminators (Squad Nox) and Chaplain Regulus also missed their charge into the center with the Warboss, and so when they charged in, Bozzbone Bigun smashed my Chaplain before he could react.  Squad Nox took revenge however, and Captain Faustus had an incredible 12" charge (a cinematic leap from the side of the fortress to the ground level complete with the super hero crater) to finish off Bigun's Nob entourage.  Things were starting to swing in my favor.

But despite things looking bad for the Orks, they still had the lead in points.  They hung in there until the end, but just didn't quite have enough points.  It had all hinged at the end on whether the beast snaggas could deny the center objective for me.  But, One Charlie was able to save the day with an ill advised charge into the beast snaggas and finish them off with a flyby knifing!

Brother, fly in close so I can hit him with my bolter!

Faustus had held the strong point and drove off the Ork attackers!  I was really hoping that we would have victoriously held the Citadel, but when I checked the Crusade Tracker - it turned out that the Imperium didn't do so well in other battles and our control in the zone dropped to 0% - doh!  Oh well, it was still a lot of fun to take part in the the defense of fall of Valern Citadel!

Shoo Gitz!

+++++

I am honoured to fight along with you champions of humanity and heroes of the Chapter, who held this strongpoint so that the rest of the Imperial forces withdraw.  Our work is unfinished.  This citadel is broken and shattered from the onslaught of our foes, but as you proved today, the Sons of Ultramar are not.  Perhaps we will die as warriors tomorrow, but not today!  And, by the Emperor's will, if we do not die, we march will back into this fortress with xenos and heretics under our boots. They will know our wrath!

    Archive: 

    Primus Leo Exevio Faustus, The Fall of Valern Citadel, Tern's Endeavor, Vadinax Sector

    5173023.M42