The Heralds of Silence: Crusade Battle 1

As Khotec the Cruel finished materializing on the world designated as 72720.0 he looked around in disgust.  There was no space marine base in sight.

“Those Sautekh fools had bad intelligence my Lord.” Thotep the Unstoppable growls.

“True, but this may not be a total waste.  Our scouts have found something interesting a few units away.  I believe it may be an artifact from before the Great Slumber and may be of use to my Lord.”  Khophec the Star Killer says.

“There had better be something of use, that Sautekh lord’s useless existence depends on it for wasting my time.  Thotep, move our troops into defensive positions around the location.” Khotec orders.

In short order the First, Third and Fifth Cohorts were in defensive positions as Khotec and his court examined the site.

Khopech points. “Here my Lord!  If you interface with this terminal and input your command codes it will allow access to the chamber below that contains the item.” 

Khotec moves into position and connects an interface cable to the access port.

Thotep turns to face the west as weapons fire is heard in the distance.

“5th Cohort reports that a force of those upstart Eldar are attacking our positions.  Permission to engage with the Legion my Lord?” Thotep asks.

“Eliminate the disgusting fleshlings while I retrieve my prize.” Khotec orders.

Eldar Guardians and Dire Avengers are soon engaging in a nasty fire fight in the nearby ruins with First and Fifth Cohorts.

“Third Cohort! Defend that section of ruins! It’s providing power for the structural integrity field of the chamber below.” Khotec Orders.

The warriors of Third Cohort swiftly move into position and dig in.

In the distance, a Falcon and Nightspinner Grav tanks join the fray.

“I see an Autarch who I believe is the leaders of this filth my Lord, I’ll keep him from interrupting you.” Khopech says before sending his Cryptothralls into the fray.  He quickly floats after them.  Green lighting is soon flashing out to blast the Eldar forces.

Shuriken blades and gauss blasts create a storm of death with both sides taking heavy casualties.  The Necron resilience seems to allow them to hold the line.  The Eldar Autarch, realizing he needs to make a decisive move, sends in his Falcon Grav Tank that disgorges a unit of Wraith Guard and a Far Seer.  He then flies into position and fires his fusion pistol at Khopech. The Plasmancer barely dodges the blast and engages with plasmic lance as the Autarch closes the distance.  Power blade and lance lash out in a dance of death.

Fifth Cohort and the Canoptek Reanimator which had been holding the right and center of the Necron line are soon driven back by the Wraith Guard.  The heavy armor of the Wraith Guard is letting them punch through the Necron line.  Fifth Cohort is soon defeated with the Reanimator falling back to defend it’s Overlord.

Khopech and his Cryptothralls eliminate the Autarch and Dire Avengers on the left flank and engage the Grav tanks nearby.  Khopech desperately attempts to damage the tanks but their shielding holds.  Meanwhile the Far Seer blasts the cryptothralls into pieces with his psychic powers and follows the advance of the Wraith Guard . The Wraith Guard soon finish off the Reanimator which had moved to defend Khotec and the Necron Center.

The Edlar Guardians and the First and Thirds Cohort continues to fill the battle field with fire while their numbers are slowly whittled down.

Khotec howls in rage as he disconnects from the terminal and brings his Hyperphase Glaive to bear on the approaching Wraith Guards.

“My Lord! Behind you!”  Khopech screams.  The filthy Far Seer had managed to approach unseen.  Too late, the Far Seer bops the Overlord on the head dazing him.  In a rage Khopech and Thotep blast the Far Seer and remaining Wraith Guard into ash before they too are injured by enemy fire.

Third Cohort, having remained in their key position, finish off the Eldar Guardians with concentrated fire.  The lone Warpspinner Grav Tank backs away from the Third Cohort, deciding it would be better too retrieve some of their wounded then to finish a fight to the death with the remaining Cohort.

Rising out of the filthy red dust where he had fallen, Khotec inputs the last of the commands opening the underground chamber.  Below, he finds an artifact that grants uncommon health to the user and quickly uses it.  Returning to the surface he turns to Third Cohort.

“Well done, you’ve earned honors for your unit.” Khotec congratulates them.  

Khopech gingerly floats over.  Khotec can see a large blast hole from a star cannon shot slowly regenerating in Khopech’s chest.  The rest of the Legion slowly gathers.

“We continue with our mission.  The Legion will soon have two new Cohorts of Skorpekh Destroyers as well as more Cryptothralls joining us.  Thotep, move the Legion out.”  Khotec commands.

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My pal Steve and I had our first 9th Edition crusade game recently which was an interesting exercise in learning how the new rules worked.  The changes aren’t too onerous but theres enough to slow us down from 8th edition play. Personally I feel that the new rules are a general increase of quality of life for the game.  Though there does seem to be slightly more book keeping involved with scoring and crusade experience tracking.  Steve also decided to play his Craft World Eldar as his Space Marines were still in pieces or taped to paint sticks.

We played a 50 power point game using a 44x30 board and played the crusade incursion mission: The Ritual.  Steve won the roll off and chose to be the attacker.  We each chose two agendas where I chose King Slayer and Sentinel.

The smaller board size sped up the game with casualties mounting early.  Crap dice were rolled by both sized at certain points. The game was close with the Necrons eking out a victory 80 - 60.  I’m please to report that both side earned their battle ready painted 10 points.

In the aftermath Khotec was able to roll on the battle honor chart and received the Heroic Constitution bonus which increases his wound characteristic by 1.  Third Cohort had completed the Sentinel Objective and were marked for greatness letting them also receive battle honors.  They rolled up Swift of Foot which increases the units move characteristic by 1”.

Unfortunately my Plasmancer Khopech received a battle scar and is at -1 Wounds for a chest wound.

In regards to requisition, I spent 3 points to increase my supply limit to 65 and have added two units of Skorpekh Destroyers and another unit of Crytothralls to my order of battle.

I’m very pleased with the new crusade system and look forward to continuing my legion’s story.