Battle Report: Bloody Accusations Parts 3 & 4

Bloody Accusations Part 3

Today I played 2 games against the Grey Knights once more. It’s getting harder to come up with anything decent fluff wise for these battles but I can try. First off however the games were at 1850pts each and the lists for the first game were as follows:

Ultramarines 7^th Company

HQ:

-Master Captain Vash Thalion, Plasma Pistol, Terminator Honors, Artificer Armor, Power Weapon, frag grenades

-Command Squad Baelin (6), Company Champion, Apothecary, Standard Bearer, terminator honors x4, Power Fist, frags, x2 Marines bp &ccw

-Master of Sanctity Claudius Veridian, Bolt Pistol, Jump Pack, Terminator Honors, Artificer Armor, frags

Troops:

-Tactical Squad Tyriel (10), Power Fist, Terminator Honors, Frags, Melta Gun

-Rhino APC, Extra Armor, Storm Bolter, Smokes

-Tactical Squad Oscelo (10), Terminator Honors, Power Weapon, Plasma Gun, Missile Launcher

-Tactical Squad Altaris (5), lascannon

-Tactical Squad Eurida (5), missile launcher

Fast Attack:

Assault Squad Herrion (6), Terminator Honors, Power Fist, Melta Bombs, Plasma Pistol x3

Heavy Support:

Land Raider Infernum, dozer blade, extra armor

Whirlwind

Predator Annihilator, Lascannon Sponsons, dozer blade

Grey Knight Task Force Canderous

HQ:

-Grand Master Canderous, Psycannon, Holocaust

Elites:

Terminator Squad (7), incinerator

Troops:

Grey Knight Squad (6), psycannon x2

Fast Attack:

Grey Knight Squad (6), incinerator x2, master crafted nemesis weapon

Heavy Support:

Dreadnaught, TL Las, DCCW

The Sentinel of Ultramar rocked with the vibrations of numerous detonations. The venerable Strike Cruiser streaking through space towards Geron Secundus with not one but two Strike Cruisers in pursuit, their gunmetal hulls gleaming, the symbol of the Grey Knights chapter displayed on their side.

“Captain, what is our status?” Captain Vash Thalion yelled into his vox.

“Fourteen minutes till we pass in range of the Orbital sir,” Captain Trentius replied from his position on the bridge where the old Marine directed the Sentinel.

“What! I wanted the time till we reach drop pod range of the planet!” Vash shouted back running through the corridors to the launch bay where his company was assembling.

“We are unable to launch the drop pods or the Thunderhawks at this time sir, the launch bay doors are jammed shut after that first barrage hit us so nicely.” Trentius replied.

“Then I assume your suggestion is we use the assault craft to board the orbital,” Vash said barely holding his balance as the ship rocked dangerously and the artificial gravity flickered off for a moment. “We will just be stuck on the orbital and not much better off.”

“The orbital may be old sir but it is unarmed and mostly abandoned, however it does still have a compliment of large cargo haulers, you can use them to reach the planet, I will take the Sentinel into the asteroid belt between Geron Secundus and Tertius sir.”

“May the Emperor Guide you captain.” Vash voxed back as he finally burst into the launch bay where Squads Tyriel, Oscelo, Herrion, Altaris, Eurida and his command squad Baelin waited to make planet fall.

“And you Captain.” Trentius replied cutting the link.

“Captain what are your orders?” Chaplain Claudius said walking forward to meet his captain.

“Load as much equipment as you can onto the boarding craft and we will take the rest.” Vash said walking past Claudius to address the company all together.

“The Land Raider won’t fit inside the boarding craft sir.” Claudius said, “not unless we strip out the interior.”

“Listen up, the Grey Knights continue to hound us with their false accusations. The dogs accuse us of heresy, of daemonic taint. Chapter Master Calgar himself with the 2^nd, 4^th and 9^th Companies are en-route but we must hold these cretins off long enough. If they kill us they will forever stain the honor of the chapter, we cannot let that happen. To die in the service of the Emperor is a good death, but to allow these traitors to judge us taints the chapter and that we cannot allow!” Captain Thalion spoke his voice seeming to fill the whole of the launch bay with its magnitude.

“We are with you sir,” Sergeant Tyriel said, his power fist flexing with his anger.

“Thank you sergeant, take the first and third assault craft, tear out as much un-necessary equipment as you can and squeeze as much of our armor inside as you are able.” Thalion said directing his men. “The rest of you take the other vessels and get on board. We will hit the orbital in eleven minutes.”

With graceful efficiency the armor of the company was crammed into the small assault craft and the bulk of the 7^th Company’s fighting strength prepared to put their lives in the hands of a few old ship to ship boarding craft.

++Count down to launch initiated, launch in 5… 4… 3… 2…++

Bursting forth from the side of the Sentinel of Ultramar, six boarding craft sailed out from the ship, crossing the short distance in a matter of seconds as the Strike Vessel passed so close to the orbital that a lesser captain would never risk it. Adamantine tips drilled through the thick hull of the orbital, melta charges blasting the last meter of plate apart and allowing the assault ships to burst open their drill tipped noses and spill the Ultramarines into the orbital.

The first accounts had been mostly accurate, the orbital’s skeleton crew was mostly unarmed but the Ultramarines did have to waste some ammunition putting down a score or so crew who decided to try and stop them, Vash did have to admit they were brave, if misguided.

Nineteen minutes after boarding the orbital the 7^th Company came upon the central deck, where the residences that housed the rich trading families had been located, a great dome of crystal with elaborate stained glass windows covering whole swathes of the view dominated the ceiling. Large manners long since abandoned and gutted of anything valuable filled every block.

“Sir, the Grey Knights activated teleporting devices two minutes ago, prepare to meet resistance.” Captain Trentius voxed to Vash before he passed around to the dark side of the planet.

“Grab whatever you can and prepare some fortifications, Sergeant Tyriel take the rhino and prepare to move out on my order, Claudius you take squad Herrion and hold back behind the fourth street as reserve, the rest of you set up firing positions on this block.” Vash ordered his men jumping to the task whole heartedly. The Grey Knights would find them well prepared.

Terrain: Each corner of the table was dominated by a large building multiple stories high and on a large raised base. The center of the table was strewn with crater impacts with a bunker/trench defensive position on each side and the middle of the table holding a heavy bunker fortification.

Deployment: Two dreads went into the building on the left, another in the building on the right, both GK squads took up positions in the center, the FA GK squads and Terminators in reserve to deep strike. Grand Master went behind one of the GK squads in the center. Third GK squad set up on the edge of the right building.

Tactical squad Oscelo went into the edge of the right building in my DZ, whirlwind went behind squad Oscelo. Land Raider sat sideways in the middle of my deployment zone, assault squad Herrion went behind the bunker position with squad Altaris filling the trench, squad Eurida deployed in a crater to the left with the Predator behind them and the rhino with squad Tyriel hide behind the Land Raider.

Turn 1:

Ultramarines

Luckily I got turn 1 again and opened up by moving both the Land Raider and Predator 6” left. Rhino moved up slightly and Tac squad Tyriel dismounted behind it. When the gunfire was finished 2 GKs were left in one squad and the second was down to 3 men.

Grey Knights

Grand Master and 2 man squad moved towards the bunker, both other squads moved forward. Dreadnaughts marched to the edge of their respective buildings and fired but didn’t manage to damage any of the Ultramarine vehicles.

[IMG]http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m307/Vash113/Picture027.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m307/Vash113/Picture028.jpg[/IMG]

Turn 2:

Ultramarines

Not really any movement except the Rhino driving straight forwards to park right in front of the bunker. Gunfire saw the dreadnaught on the right explode, 2 GKs in the third psycannon squad die and 1 more from the second squad that wasn’t hidden. Another dread got shaken and its lascannon blown off and then destroyed.

Grey Knights

One of the incinerator squads arrived and teleported into the bunker. Tried to destroy the Rhino but failed, psycannon managed to take it out though on a penetrating 6, remember that its important to remember that it blew up… well for next game anyway. 2 man GK squad and Grand Master got on top of the bunker/tower thing. Other two squads continued forward and shooting saw one marine from squad Altaris and one from Eurida die.

[IMG]http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m307/Vash113/Picture029.jpg[/IMG]

Turn 3:

Ultramarines

Third Dreadnaught went up in flames, gunfire saw three men from the incinerator squad go down and squad Tyriel moved forward to take position in a crater and unload on the Incinerator squad. Gunfire saw a couple more GK die leaving the second GK squad with one psycannon and the Justicar and the third squad with the justicar and 2 psycannons. First squad lost its last psycannon marine leaving just the Justicar. Ironically enough the plasma gun in squad Oscelo overheated and the marine died. Too bad.

Grey Knights

Grand Master and all remaining Grey Knight squads moved in and charged Tactical squad Tyriel, when shooting and assault was done it was just the good sergeant alive. Second Incinerator squad having arrived and flamed down a few marines too but the Terminators failing to show again.

[IMG]http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m307/Vash113/Picture030.jpg[/IMG]

Turn 4:

Ultramarines

Assault squad Herrion, and Claudius moved into the crater around the combat preparing to charge, the Land Raider moved forward and divulged Captain Thalion and Command squad Baelin into the crater and ready to charge. Shooting saw the second incinerator squad drop to two men. Close combat saw the Grand Master go down to Claudius but the chaplain die in turn. 3 of the Command squad fell as well but all the Grey Knights in combat died leaving just four GK alive on the field and the Terminators who still hadn’t decided to show themselves.

[IMG]http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m307/Vash113/Picture031.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m307/Vash113/Picture032.jpg[/IMG]

At this point the game was conceded and we moved onto round 2. Victory to the Ultramarines!

Vash spun under the halbard of a Grey Knight, pushing off his rear foot to spin back with his blade whipping around to take the arm and head from the Grey Knight and continuing around to plunge through the chest of another. Champion Quintus deflected a blow from his combat shield and ran his opponent through. Somewhere in the fight Claudius had embedded his crozius in the chest of the Grand Master but had fallen in turn to his opponent’s blade. Several of Baelin’s men were down and Vash could see Sergeant Baelin himself holding aloft the fallen standard of the company.

Seconds later and the fight was over. The last few Grey Knights charged forward to be blown apart by bolter fire. All told the 7^th had taken fifteen casualties but had taken down thirty Grey Knights and the Grand Master, named Canderous apparently, was dead. Chaplain Claidius was helped to his feet and the wounded were gathered up. Apothecary Arvan collected the gene seed of the fallen and the company continued on towards the flight deck. An hour later and the 7^th had made planet fall, their cargo haulers barely touching down in relatively one piece, they were so badly maintained. Nevertheless the company formed up and hastily prepared some defenses. The Grey Knights would come again, perhaps a third of their forces were now dead but more would be coming from the Second Strike Cruiser. The Ultramarines would have to hold till the Chapter Master and reinforcements arrived.

Bloody Accusations Part 4

Moving to another table covered in hills we transferred some trees and defenses over and prepared to get another game in quickly, with about two hours left before the shop closed we decided to move this one along faster.

Ultramarines 7^th Company

HQ:

-Master Captain Vash Thalion, Plasma Pistol, Terminator Honors, Artificer Armor, Power Weapon, frag grenades

-Command Squad Baelin (6), Company Champion, Apothecary, Standard Bearer, terminator honors x4, Power Fist, frags, x2 Marines bp &ccw

-Master of Sanctity Claudius Veridian, Bolt Pistol, Jump Pack, Terminator Honors, Artificer Armor, frags

Troops:

-Tactical Squad Tyriel (10), Power Fist, Terminator Honors, Frags, Melta Gun

-Rhino APC, Extra Armor, Storm Bolter, Smokes

-Tactical Squad Oscelo (10), Terminator Honors, Power Weapon, Plasma Gun, Missile Launcher

-Tactical Squad Altaris (5), lascannon

-Tactical Squad Eurida (5), missile launcher

Fast Attack:

Assault Squad Herrion (6), Terminator Honors, Power Fist, Melta Bombs, Plasma Pistol x3

Heavy Support:

Land Raider Infernum, dozer blade, extra armor

Whirlwind

Predator Annihilator, Lascannon Sponsons, dozer blade

Grey Knight Task Force Larendin

HQ:

-Brother Captain (Grand Master profile) Larendin, Psycannon, Holocaust

-Terminator Bodyguard Squad (7), incinerator

Troops:

Grey Knight Squad (5), psycannon

Fast Attack:

Grey Knight Squad (6), incinerator x2, master crafted nemesis weapon

Heavy Support:

Dreadnaught, TL Las, DCCW

Land Raider Crusader

Terrain: A large cliff dominated the left and right edges of the board with two more cutting the middle almost in half with a break at almost center board and a short gap between the cliff and the board edge on either side. Thus that left two rather narrow valleys on the board. In the north trees were placed on the right and a bunker with a few more trees on the left. In the south (my DZ) I placed a trench on top of the right cliff and at the base of the right cliff.

Deployment: Both Dreads went behind the trees on the right, the Land Raider going behind the trees on the left. Incinerator squads would deep strike, the other three squads went on foot, one to the right, two to the left. Grand Master and Terminators went into the crusader.

Squads Eurida and Altaris went into the left trench, squad Oscelo filling the upper trench. Squad Herrion went behind the lower trench, the whirlwind behind the middle cliff, Land Raider between the cliff and the trench with the rhino behind it. Command Squad went into the Land Raider.

[IMG]http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m307/Vash113/Picture033.jpg[/IMG]

Turn 1:

Grey Knights

I decided to let my opponent go first. Dreads walked out and Land Raider positioned more behind cover. Grey Knights stormed forward. Shooting saw the Predator immobilized.

Ultramarines

I managed to blow the Lascannon off the left of the two dreads and kill two grey knights, one from the first squad and one from the second but that was about it. Rhino moved 12” left and Land Raider 6” forward to get a single shot on the Crusader which did nill. Squad Herrion jumped out behind the Land Raider.

[IMG]http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m307/Vash113/Picture034.jpg[/IMG]

(and at this point my battery decided to die, just great)

Turn 2:

Grey Knights

One incinerator squad came in and deployed where the Land Raider had begun the game. The three psycannon squads marched forward and the Crusader moved through the gap in the cliffs. Shooting saw the Land Raider explode on a penetrating 6 to the Crusader’s assault cannon, 3 of the command squad died in the explosion, 1 marine from squad Eurida bit the dust and other gunfire saw a marine from both squads Oscelo and Altaris. Herrion escaped unharmed.

Ultramarines

Rhino moved forward to get around behind the Grey Knights, assault squad Herrion jumped onto the cliff to charge down on the Grey Knights behind the Land Raider. Shooting saw one Dreadnaught shaken and 3 Grey Knights die from the right squad leaving them at just the Justicar. Land Raider Crusader took a lot of shooting to no effect. Chaplain and squad charged badly and killed only 2 grey knights and got stuck in a rather large combat with the squad.

Turn 3:

Grey Knights

No deep strikers arrived this turn, Land Raider Crusader continued forward and shot down 3 of squad Altaris leaving just the lascannon marine, Terminators jumped out and assaulted command squad. Captain Thalion took two wounds off the Grand Master but fell spectacularly in return. Champion Quintus took down a terminator on his own but in the end they all died horribly. First Incinerator squad and second psycannon squad on the left charged into the fight with the Chaplain. Combat saw 3 more Grey Knights die but the entire assault squad fell and didn’t manage to kill one knight.

Ultramarines

Things look just plain bad. Shooting sees the Justicar from the right most GK squad die, Squad Tyriel jumps out, rushes up the cliff and hoses down the Terminators killing all but 3. Lascannon marine from squad Altaris, who passed his last man standing check shot down another and the Predator Annihilator finished off the last two. Take that Terminators! A lascannon to the chest cures all ailments, so a morale victory if nothing else. In close combat the Chaplain loses two wounds but kills a Justicar and a knight from one of the squads. Only able to kill who is in base to base contact with him.

Turn 4:

Grey Knights

Second Incinerator squad arrives and together with the Land Raider flames and shoots down 8 of the 10 marines in squad Tyriel. Squad Eurida loses one man to a frag missile and falls back off the board edge, yea my luck sucks in this game. Lascannon marine falls back but not off the board. Claudius kills another Justicar and knight but dies. Still that’s 2 Justicars dead.

Ultramarines

Sergeant Tyriel has nowhere to go so charges into the Land Raider and punches at it, he gets 3 hits but doesn’t manage to damage it, which sucks but oh well. Gunfire sees the Plasma Gunner kill himself again.

Turn 5:

Grey Knights

Shooting sees 3 more of squad Oscelo die and the Lascannon marine get shot to pieces. The Rhino blows up too and so did the Predator. Which means the Rhino twice, the Pred and the Land Raider, all 4 Vehicles destroyed in both games have been destroyed on penetrating 6’s. Lots of explosions today.

Ultramarines

Whirlwind accounts for a single Grey Knight and Squad Oscelo opts to kill a few more. Together 3 of the 6 marines of the newly arrived Incinerator squad die.

Turn 6:

Grey Knights

Shooting sees squad Oscelo finally die but the only GK squad to go after the whirlwind is out of range.

Ultramarines

Whirlwind kills a single Grey Knight and the game is over.

Defeat to the Ultramarines… but a morale victory for pegging the Grand Master in the chest with a lascannon… and his terminators. Also my first defeat in almost 9 months and I don’t even have pictures for the whole thing.

After Game Comments:

For some reason I just lost it in the second game, probably cause I’m so tired and starting to get a headache but I just made a lot of mistakes. I shouldn’t have kept the Command Squad in the Land Raider but held them in reserves, charging the Assault Squad into the midst of so many Grey Knights was a bad idea and moving squad Tyriel off and all over was just a poor idea to begin with. I have no idea why I did those things, I should have known better than to make such simple and juvenile mistakes. Still I killed more than half the Grey Knights and all the Terminators, the Crusader was what really told out in the end its guns chewing through squad after squad after squad. Squads Oscelo, Altaris and Tyriel were mauled by all that fire. Ah well, time to come up with some concluding fluff.

Light, harsh, white, blinding light was all Captain Thalion could see as he opened his eyes. Blinking rapidly his vision began to adjust. He was in the apothecarion aboard… he didn’t know which ship. His armor was removed and stacked in a corner, the huge rents in its ceramite plates testament to the punishment his body had taken. On the bed next to him lay Quintus, one lung torn open and his leg almost cut off, both wounds had been stitched back together and now he lay there, his torso bare and the nasty wounds wrapped in thick bandages. Vash tried to sit up but a hand on his shoulder held him down. Looking to his right he saw Sergeant Tyriel, one arm in a sling while his bones mended and his head wrapped tightly the sergeant was covered in tiny wounds where shrapnel had been pulled from his tissue.

“Yo… you don’t look so good sergeant.” Vash coughed, struggling to speak properly.

“True, but you’re hardly one to talk.” Tyriel said smiling back.

“What happened?” Vash asked.

“The Grey Knights took a beating even if they hit us harder, they fell back when drop pods appeared in the sky.” Tyriel said his smile getting wider.

“Calgar arrived?” Vash asked.

“Yes I did.” A voice said from the doorway to the room. Wearing his ornate Artificer Armor and his hands encased in the great Gauntlets of Ultramar, Marneus Calgar entered the room, his presence easily filling it with an indescribable gravity. “It is good to see you awake Captain, the Apothecaries were not certain you would wake.”

“I have suffered worse.” Captain Thalion responded once again trying to rise, but as before Tyriel stopped him.

“True, I suppose you have, nevertheless this situation demands your presence. While you were unconscious I had Tigurius examine you and your men for taint. He could find none.” Calgar said looking at the prone and damaged form of Captain Vash Thalion.

“You had doubt sir?” Vash asked raising his eyebrow.

“Myself, no but the Grey Knights are no fools, that they committed three Strike Cruisers and more than a hundred of their number to the task of destroying you and your men is… highly unusual. I have contacted the Ordo Malleus and the Grey Knights.” Calgar said walking around to the other side of the bed.

“What did they say?” Tyriel asked forgetting his manners.

“The Ordo Malleus has given us an official apology for the actions of a few of their number, it would seem that the political hierarchy in the Ordo Malleus has changed thanks to this fiasco, if you had not held out so long then the situation could have been much worse.” Marneus said smiling.

“What about the Grey Knights, what did they say?” Vash asked pressing the point.

“Ever to the point I see Captain, very well the Grey Knights are of course furious at the loss of so many of their number, including two Brother Captains and a Grand Master, yet given your example we returned the gene seed and wargear of their fallen and they have officially terminated their purge.” Calgar said his smile turning to a grim smile of resignation. “Still I doubt we will find any friends among them for some time.”

“They killed many of my men and cut me up good several times,” Vash replied his smile equally grim. “They won’t find any friends among the 7^th either.”

“What now Chapter Master?” Asked the voice of sergeant Oscelo. Limping into the room on simple metal crutches Sergeant Oscelo looked as banged up as the rest of them. One leg was rather badly mangled and held together in a complex looking medical vice to set it while it healed. His face was also half hidden behind bandages from where bolt shells had smashed his helmet apart. The man was lucky to be alive.

“We return to Macragge, the 2^nd and 8^th Companies have other duties to attend to, and the 4^th is in dire need of fresh recruits as well.” Calgar said, talking about the recent trouble Captain Uriel Ventris had gotten his company into.

“So that’s it?” Asked Captain Thalion from his bed.

“Yes, Captain it is,” Calgar said with a sigh. “We may not like it but thanks to you a great many Grey Knights are dead, and your company has not faired well either, no one was victorious in this, I suspect the Imperium will suffer from these events.”

The Sentinel of Ultramar and several sister ships of the Ultramarines sped through the warp back to Ultramar. Ties with the Inquisition, especially the Ordo Malleus would not be easy in the future but the Chapter’s losses would heal and the Grey Knights would get over their losses too, nevertheless Vash had to wonder how many worlds, how many Daemonic incursions, how many would die because those lost marines were not now alive to stop them. As Calgar had said, the Imperium had lost this day.