This year I participated in the 2023 US Open Tacoma Narrative Campaign. Last year I just went for a single friendly match (incidentally, it was at the same convention center, but this year they referred to it as the actual city of Tacoma, rather than by the larger metropolitan area of Seattle). After gaining a lot of experience in the Vadinax Campaign, and having a lot of fun, I went for the narrative crusade this time around, even though it would be a daunting 5 games over two days.
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A tremor rattles through the craft, from bow to stern. Surely we have not translated into realspace, you think to yourself. The journey was meant to last months, not mere days. You make your way to the bridge where it is immediately clear that you have somehow left the Warp. You demand answers from your staff and receive none. They are as shocked and ignorant to the greater situation as you are. One moment they were on a relatively peaceful journey through the Warp, minds and bodies shielded from the insanity around them by the Gellar Field, the next moment they were forced into realspace.
As hours tick by with maddening speed; you begin to develop a picture of the situation. Before you sits a handful of lush and verdant worlds. Seemingly (and shockingly) untouched by the ravaging tendrils of the horror designated Leviathan, from which you were fleeing. Initial scans show the system does carry a name, though even after extensive scrying and aggressive attempts to break security protocols, all that is ever returned is REDACTED. The system is under quarantine by the Administratum, which matters little to you. You are here and with every passing hour; more craft arrive.
An unspoken détente has emerged between the voidcraft that have arrived. No attempts to hail one another have been made, no noosphere updates, no vox calls, nothing. At last check, over three dozen craft sit, seemingly dormant. However, each one is steadily moving towards an area that is empty on all astrocartographs. Despite this, there is clearly something there. At first, you felt it. Deep in your soul, a subtle and longing drive to be there…. Wherever ‘there’ is.
As every voidcraft moves towards the allegedly empty area, you see it. Its surface reflects little light. What augurs and scans the varied ships use return suggestions of subsurface structures and weak bio-signatures, although most unaccountably fail to register the world at all. But it is there.
Its presence is verified by a sudden burst of vox traffic from the surface. Auspex scans immediately identify it as a rescue beacon commonly used by Adeptus Mechanicus Data-Hoard Forges when under attack. The beacon makes clear the importance of the data-hoard on the surface. It is of integral value to the Imperium and thus it is of great value to any enterprising commander, regardless of affiliation or loyalty to the God-Emperor.
You have a choice to make; do you assist this Command Entity (as it refers to itself in the now repeating vox traffic)? Or do you take advantage of this situation and take what the Command Entity has?
You give the order without even considering the options at hand, ‘All forces, prepare for landing’. The bridge explodes in activity around you. You smile as your subordinates enact your will. The planet quietly reveals its name to you.
Occultaris awaits.
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Task Force Faustus was en route back to the Vadinax Sector. After a brutal campaign on Tern's Endeavor, still unresolved, the Battle Barge Excelsior and escorts are pulled from the warp at Occultaris. Vox traffic indicates other Imperial forces on the way back to Tern's Endeavor were pulled into realspace as well - such as Strike Force Pegasus, and non-Imperial forces as well.
An uneasy alliance is formed to assist the Command Entity. The Tenuous Allies...
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Battle Report:
Ruleset: 2023 Tenth Edition Leviathan US Open Narrative Missions, Tyrannic War Crusade
Mission: Kicking the Nest
Mission: Kicking the Nest
Points: 1000
Mission Objectives:
5 VP for each of the following conditions:
- Controlling one or more objective markers
- Controlling more objective markers than the opponent
- Their Warlord is within range of an objective marker that they control
- They Control the objective marker in the center of the battlefield
My Forces:
+ Leaders +
- Primus Leo Exevio Faustus - Captain in Terminator Armour: Warlord
+ (Elites) +
- Squad Tourbillion - 5 man Terminator Squad: Teleport Homer, Power sword, Storm bolter, Assault cannon, 3x Chainfist, Power fist
- Squad Lazarus- 5 man Assault Squad w/ Jump Packs: Bolt Pistols, Chainswords, 1x Grav-pistol, 1x Power Fist
- Squad Uzziel - 5 man Tyrannic War Veterans: Boltguns, Bolt pistols, combat weapons
+ (Heavy Support) +
- Squad Nero - 5 man Devastator Squad: Power sword, plasma pistol, 3x Lascannon, Missile Launcher
- Land Raider One - Land Raider - Twin Heavy Bolter, 2x Godhammer Lascannons
+ (Fast Attack) +
- "One Charlie" - Land Speeder Tornado: Heavy flamer, Multi-melta
Takeaways & Analysis
The Tenuous Allies won priority and got to attack first. Faustus arrived to find the Death Guard had infiltrated the area. Our additional objectives were to secure buildings.
The machine spirits of Land Raider One were appeased after it destroyed both a deep striking Death Shroud unit and the Plaugeburst Crawler.
Meanwhile Squad Lazarus droped from the skies to finish off a squad of Death Guard Terminators engaged with Faustus on the center objective - Hammer of Wrath!
Faustus himself destroyed a bloat drone with a well placed grenade launched from his Auxiliary Grenade Launcher.
While the Death Guard were battered severely, they managed to get their warlord onto an objective marker long enough to achieve whatever foul agendas they were after. (If only I had read the rules and sat Faustus on an objective, I would have kept up enough points for the win). Nevertheless, Faustus achieved 3 points of fame for fighting on the center objective, and overall the Tenuous Allies won the round.
The Ultramarines only suffered one casualty - One Charlie crashed, but both pilots walked away.
My opponent Brian was really friendly and it was a great first game!
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