THE FALL OF ANTOR EPISODE 1: WAR GAMES (Guard vs
Guard)
Here is the first in a series of narrative battle
reports that will chart the rise and fall of Commissar-General Wolfe
and the First Antor Rifles. I'm afraid there are no pics due to lack
of terrain and some proxies being used. The fluff is the main focus
of these reports, but if you have any questions on the lists, tactics
and fluff, feel free to ask. Enjoy.
My list:
Commissar-General Wolfe, Lord Commissar, carapace,
power sword
Priest, eviscerator
Erasmus Artem, Primaris Psyker, Biomancy
PCS, 4 flamers
3x PIS, flamers
PCS, 4 flamers
3x PIS, flamers
PCS, 4 Grenade launchers
2x PIS, grenade launchers
2x Veteran Squad, carapace, 3x plasma gun,
autocannon
Veteran Squad, 3x meltagun, power fist.
Leman Russ Vanquisher, Baron Hendrich (Pask),
Hull Lascannon, Multi-melta sponsons
Enemy list:
Company Command Squad, carapace, Power Fist,
Standard, Mortar
Lord Commissar, carapace
6 ogryn
2x PCS, 3x flamers
6x PIS, Grenade launchers and Autocannons
Basilisk
Leman Russ Vanquisher, lascannon, Multi-meltas
Leman Russ Vanquisher, lascannon, Multi-meltas,
Pask
SETUP:
Mission-The Emperor's Will
Deployment- Dawn of War
First turn- enemy
Warlord traits:
- enemy: Legendary Fighter (note, despite the Lord Commissar having higher leadership, we allowed the company Commander to act as warlord to better fit the narrative
- me: Coordinated assault
psychic powers for Primaris psyker: iron arm and
haemorrhage
Deployment overview: My opponent won the roll for
deployment, and set up with a vanquisher on each flank, the ogyrn
squad behind the central building, in front of the Company Command
squad. The platoon infantry were spread evenly along the battle line,
one holding the objective and in cover. The lord commissar deployed
on my right flank with a Platoon Command squad. The basilisk set up
in out of line of sight on the left flank.
In return, I deployed my vanquisher centrally,
hidden from one of the enemy vanquishers. I deployed my 20-man
platoon (platoon 1) on the left, 30 men in the centre (platoon 2)
with the Primaris and priest, and the last 30-man platoon (platoon 3)
with the Lord Commissar on the far right. The veteran squads with
plasma guns deployed roughly centrally, in position to move onto the
objective. The melta veterans deploy on the far right, planning to
assault up the flank and provide a distraction.
Commissar-General Wolfe surveyed the
battlefield, and as he saw the lines of infantrymen move into
position, to the sound of grinding tank-treads, he couldn't help but
feel a sense of exhilaration. What better way to crown a glorious
campaign against the upstart tau than to return to Antor as the
victor of the centennial war games between his homeworld and the men
of Savosen? Command the regiment to victory, and he would be beyond
reproach. Fail, and the glory he had fought so hard to win would be
erased in shame. There could be no retreat. His honour, and that of
Antor, was at stake.
Turn 1 overview:
He makes a general advance, moving and infantry
squad to provide cover for the left vanquisher, and presses forward
in the centre, using 'Move! Move! Move!' to speed the advance of the
infantry. The autocannons kills 2 veterans from the left plasma
squad, and his vanquisher hits mine but fails to damage. The basilisk
fires on Platoon 2, killing only 3 guardsmen due to a poor scatter
roll. The Pask vanquisher kills 2 veterans from the other plasma
squad.
I reply by advancing across the board, also using
'Move! Move! Move!' on the platoons. The plasma veterans move onto
the objective and open fire, killing one ogryn. The vanquisher
returns fire, but fails to hit its attacker.
'All units, advance and report in.' Wolfe
ordered, and along the front, men surged forward. He could vaguely
see through the haze of smoke the enemy were doing the same, and
closing fast. Risking a glance over to his left as he ran into the
narrow street, he caught a glimpse of a shell bursting near Second
Platoon. No sooner had the blast stopped ringing than the platoon
commander was on the vox.
'Minimal casualties, sir. Pressing on with the
attack.'
Wolfe was briefly blinded by a flash as the
enemy vanquishers opened fire, and tore apart the nearby veteran
squad. Seemingly oblivious, the veterans pushed on, reaching the
vital gun emplacement and drowning all sound with a torrent of heavy
bolter fire. As they ceased fire to reload, Wolfe heard screaming
from the haze, a howling testament to the accuracy of the veterans of
Antor.
'Baron Hendrich,' he called to the vox, 'damage
report'. The grinding voice of the tank commander matched his war
machine perfectly.
'We're hit, but not damaged. Got the enemy in
my sights...' There was a burst of white noise as the vanquisher
fired. 'Damn it, missed!'.
Wolfe cut off the vox amidst a tirade of curses
from Hendrich.
Turn 2 overview:
He continues to
advance, moving an infantry squad to face the veterans on the right.
The infantry and ogryn move up in the centre. Autocannons kill 4
veterans on the squads holding the objective, and a handful of
infantry from the left and central platoons. The basilisk scatters to
hit nothing, and the vanquisher on the left again fails to damage my
tank.
I press forward on the
right with the platoons and veterans, and in the centre move inside
the basilisk’s minimum range, and open fire on the first wave of
infantry. On the left, I destroy all of an infantry squad bar the
autocannon and grenade launcher, while in the centre I wipe a whole
squad from the board and gain first blood. I manage to glance the
vanquisher on the left with my own. Lastly, the veterans on the
objective use their autocannon and mounted heavy bolter to take shots
at the Company Command squad. The Commander fails his 'look out, sir'
rolls and dies, giving me Slay The Warlord.
Erasmus closed his
eyes as the platoon swarmed around him, focusing on the battle at
large and trusting the men to defend him from any incoming threat.
He felt the skeins of fate twisting around him, and something,
whether intuition or his power, told him that this is where the
battle would be won or lost. Sure enough, he sensed Hendrich's
elation at having gained the upper hand in the vehicular duel,
matched only by the rousing cheers of the men in front of him as they
scythed down rank after rank of infantrymen. He was jolted from this
reverie by the crash of ferrocrete as the enemy artillery shattered a
building to his right. He thanked the Emperor that the shot that was
meant for him had deviated by such a degree, sparing him and his
men. In a wave of emotion, loaded with fateful meaning, he absorbed
the horror of the enemy commander as he dived for cover too late to
avoid losing his arm to the stream of heavy bolter fire. He would
play no further part in the battle. He voxed the General.
' We have struck the heart from them, my lord.
The emperor is with us.'
'indeed.' the Commissar replied, 'Press on,
friend.'
Erasmus grunted his approval, and looked up.
The enemy were drawing close. He withdrew from his sweeping scans,
and channelled his power to his force staff, which hummed eagerly.
Turn 3:
He moves the damaged
command squad into cover, and withdraws what s left of the infantry
on the left. The left vanquisher moves into cover behind a building,
blocking my infantry platoon. The rest of the infantry and ogryn in
the centre advances. The basilisk misses the central platoon again,
and the vanquisher on the right misses mine. The platoon on the right
takes some damage from lasgun and autocannon fire. The ogryn shoot
the central platoon, killing 2, and then charge. Overwatch kills one
and wounds another, but it is not enough to stop the platoon from
being beaten and swept, also killing the priest and primaris psyker.
I continue the advance
on the right, while bringing the rest of my force to fire on the
ogryn stranded in the open. The combined effort of an infantry
platoon, Platoon command squad, and a veteran squad finishes off the
ogryn, at the cost of two veterans lost to 'gets hot'. The platoon on
the right kills half an infantry squad near the vanquisher on the
right. My vanquisher hits and penetrates the vanquisher on the left,
but it passes a cover save from the building. The veterans on the
right charge an infantry squad, and the round ends with the veterans
losing by one, but staying locked in combat.
Hendrich saw the crazed ogryn barrel into the
platoon in front of him, and averted his gaze hurriedly for fear of
becoming distracted. He was still outnumbered two to one by the enemy
armour, and it was not a situation he was comfortable with. Ordering
the tank around to the left, he lined up a shot on the approaching
vanquisher on the left. It was a risky move, exposing his flank to
the other nemesis, a tank ace as well, judging by the ostentatious
markings on his hull, but one he would have to take. He gave to order
to fire, and did not flinch as the cannon roared. Seeing the target
still intact after the smoke cleared was crushing. He risked another
glance at the melee before him, and saw the last guardsmen torn
apart. Erasmus staff cracked with arcane power, but t was not enough
to halt the rampaging abhumans. He saw the psyker go down, and
instantly, the ogryn were lit up by a fail of lasgun, plasma and
flamer fire. When the incandescent flames died down, not one of the
beasts still stood. He almost smiled, but before he could, his tank
was struck. Seething, he engaged the drive and manoeuvred for a final
showdown with the opposing ace. One of them would surely die.
Turn 4: a platoon
infantry squad that was wounded last turn fails to rally and falls
back off the table edge. He reshuffles his forces, getting as many as
possible into cover. The basilisk scatters and misses again, while
the Pask vanquisher lascannon glances the side armour of mine and I
fail a cover save. The Lord Commissar and Platoon command squad join
the melee on the right, but still fail to rout the veterans.
I move my largely
undamaged platoon on the right to join the mass combat, while the
rest of my force tries to pick off as many of the remaining infantry
as possible. My vanquisher moves around to present its front armour
to the Pask vanquisher that glanced it, and in the shoot phase causes
it to explode. My platoon on the right joins the combat, and I wipe
out the Platoon command squad. Our Lord Commissars duel, inflicting
one wound apiece.
Wolfe charged forward, enraged by the fate of
the psyker, and his power sword hissed to life. Blinded by fury, he
was only vaguely aware of the enemy tank exploding to his left.
Amidst the melee, he picked out another Commissar, and issued a
simple challenge. Fight or die. Respectfully, the infantry moved
back, eliminating the remaining opposing infantry with brute force an
bayonet. He struck out at the Commissar, a flurry of blows striking
home only to be turned away by the shimmering refractor field. His
attack lacked his usual finesse, instead consisting of a brutal and
violent string of slashes and lunges, and this haste cost him. A
second too late he moved away from the whirring chainsword, which
tore a rent across his plasteel armour. Roaring in pain and rage, he
slammed a fist into his opponent, any semblance of swordplay
abandoned, and threw him to the ground before planting a boot in his
face, feeling cartilage give way. He stepped back, testing his would,
and prepared for another bout.
Turn 5: Again he moves
into cover as much as possible, and fore the basilisk as my
objective-holding veterans, only for it to scatter once more. In
melee, the challenge continued, and I landed another wound on his
Lord Commissar.
I fire with the
veterans on the objective, killing all bar one of his Company Command
squad, and order the other veteran squad to go to ground using
'Incoming!'. I run a Platoon Command squad to the objective for more
insurance. My vanquisher hits the remaining enemy vanquisher, but it
passes a cover save. In combat, my lord commissar finished the
challenge by killing his opponent for no wounds in return.
Wolfe once more hurled into combat, more
cautiously, and sidestepped a wild slash before striking at his
opponent's arm. The refractor field flashed then failed, and the limb
fell to the ground, the wound cauterised. There was a look of
surprise on the Commissar's face, which Wolfe froze, severing the
head with a single swipe. Powering down his blade, he surveyed the
ruin of the enemy flank, before hearing a tell tale whine of an
incoming shell.
'SCATTER!' He yelled to the remaining
guardsmen, and dived for cover. He hit the ground hard, the wound in
his back shrieking, and saw the flash of the shell burst in the
glazed eyes of his defeated foes.
'Emperor protect me.' he muttered as the
bombardment continued.
Turn 6: the only
notable events in this turn were the demise of my vanquisher, glanced
to death by the its enemy counterpart, and the platoon on the right
moving up to claim Linebreaher. A handful of guardsmen die on both
sides, but both forces are too depleted to do much damage. The
basilisk fires on the platoon on the right, but scatters and misses.
Hendrich searched for the fault, scrabbling
over the body of his dead meltagunner, tools in hand to fix the leak.
Melta fuel was flooding into the sponson at an alarming rate, the
fumes noxious and choking. He turned back to the crew.
'Bail out!' he coughed, and they scrambled to
the hatch, too experienced to argue with the commander's judgement.
Another close-by impact told him to abandon the stricken tank, and he
crawled from the sponson, reaching out towards the daylight. As he
scrabbled clear, the enemy tank landed a direct hit, and the hull
crumpled. He cursed again, angrily gesturing to the opposing tank. He
did a quick head count, and was somewhat consoled to see only one of
the men under his command had died. A tank could be replaced, a crew
this good could not.
Turn 7: the basilisk
kills three infantrymen on the far right, scattering poorly, and it
is not enough to save the game. With his army all but destroyed, and
me leading 6-3 on victory points, the game ends.
Wolfe got unsteadily to his feet, sensing the
barrage had stopped, and looked up in time to see the last of the
Savosen infantry retreating in blind panic, pursued half-heartedly by
his own army. Checking his data-slate, Wolfe almost smiled. Erasmus
rune still flashed as alive, however faintly, and already he could
hear Hendrich cursing over the wrecked hull of his tank. He thanked
the Emperor only once, and strode away, relishing the victory. Glory
for Antor was secure, and his own personal record was once more
untarnished. He waved away the medicae staff who swarmed around him.
His wound hurt, but he had more important things to deal with. He
reached the site of the ogryn slaughter, and began searching for the
body of his wounded friend.
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