Surgical Assault: The Battle for 8820.63
The ground shook with the echos of artillery shelling. Bolter and Gauss fire are exchanged half a unit to east of Khotec the Cruel’s command post. The forces of Chaos have arrived in search of the planets Noctolith stock pile. Illuminor Szeras had placed caches on this world in preparation of building another pillar to extend the Pariah Nexus.
Khotec was unimpressed with the assault so far. The Third, Seventh and Fourteenth legions had stalled the Chaos Space Marines initial assault. Khotec’s First Legion as well as Ninth and Tenth Legions were moving into position to counter attack. Khotec growled in impatience as he watched Warriors from Third Legion gun down a company of Chaos Cultists. He was about to order his legion to link up with Third Legion when he received a communications protocol.
“Thotep! Khophec! Attend me!” He ordered.
His court joined him at his command console.
“We have received data from joint command. The command group of the Chaos forces have been located at grid 1003.2 which is only a few deca-units to the north west.” Khotec gestures at the holographic console showing a display of the nearby terrain.
“I will take 1st Cohort, 1st Phalanx from Second Cohort and Re-animator Alpha and move to attack the enemy command group. The two of you will punch a hole in the Chaos line here at grid 1002.5. This will allow my combat patrol to engage the enemy commander and eliminate them. Once you have eliminated the enemy at grid 1002.5 link up with my forces at 1003.2. With their commander dead this will allow us to turn the enemy flank and massacre the warp tainted.” Khotec orders.
“Your will be done.” Thotep and Khophec chorus.
Ten gigacycles later, Khotec and his combat patrol were closing on grid 1003.2 having successfully penetrated the World Eater battle line.
“There! Second Cohort pin the enemy unit in place! First Cohort and Alpha provide them a base of fire!” Khotec commands.
The World Eaters ahead of the Necron Legion forces come to a pause. They had been traveling up a city boulevard but began forming up for battle upon spotting the Necrons. The World Eaters are soon charging up the boulevard shouting war cries to their dark gods. A small group of Chaos Spawn lead the way with three squads of World Eater Berserkers following closely behind. The commander, a Master of Executions, grins madly and shouts a challenge to Khotec before charging forward himself.
First Cohort and Re-animator Alpha open fire upon the lead Chaos Spawn wound the abominations. The Skorpekh Destroyers of Second Cohort charge in and eviscerate the remaining Chaos Spawn and follow through into a brutal scrum with two of the Berserker squads. The Third Berserker squad flanks around a building but walk out into the open in front of First Cohort. The Master of Executions crashes into Khotec, massive Power Axe meeting Hyperphase Glaive in a shower of energy.
Second Cohort falls to the combined squads of Berzerkers, but not before eliminating one of the two squads. First Cohort guns down the flanking force of Berzerkers in controlled gauss bursts.
In the center of the boulevard Khotec and the Master of Executions continue their duel. A Power Axe strike is deflected by Khotec’s phase shifter. Khotec takes the opportunity of the failed strike to slash through his enemies power armor causing gouts of dark blood to coat the street. Alpha charges in from the flank of the duel. It’s Elongated Claws punch through the Master of Executions defenses critically injuring him. Alpha flicks the body out of its Overlord’s sight.
“First Cohort on me! Secure the area and clean up the rest of this filth!” Khotec calls out.
Khotec grins. With his victory the counter attack will soon drive the World Eaters from 8820.63 and the Illuminor will be able to complete his work.
——
I managed to sneak in a 25 point game against my buddy Rico’s World Eaters. We rolled up the combat patrol assassination mission and I won the roll off and chose to be the attacker. I took the first turn and took pot shots, wounding his unit of Chaos Spawn and then finished them off with my Destroyers. I consolidated into a squad of Berserkers which turned out to be a poor idea.
Rico’s first turn saw two Berserker squads fighting with my Destroyers (and destroying my destroyers) while his Warlord, the Master of Executions charged passed the scrum and got into melee with my Overlord.
Unfortunately the combat didn’t go his way and I made several invuln saves only taking one damage. My counter attack took three of the Masters four wounds leaving him an inch from death.
My second turn saw the destruction of his flanking marine squad while my Canoptek Re-animator charged in and managed to cause the final wound on the Master of Executions, winning the match.
Combat patrol games continue to be short brutal affairs where a single bad choice can lose the game. They are quick and exciting though. The crusade system is really working for me and I look forward to continuing the story of the Heralds of Silence.
Comments
Post a Comment