Vogen Crusade Battle 4

 Crusade Mission - Combat Patrol - Assassinate

Chaplain Gregorius, fresh from his victory recovering the ammo crates from the orks, learns that the only other warband leader in this sector has been located, and is vulnerable to a quick strike by a small force. He leads  his forces deeper into the city center to try and cut the head off the snake. He knows that without strong leaders, the mass of boyz infesting the city are as likely to turn on each other as they are to unite and fight as a unified force.

Strike Force Arastos - Patrol Detachment

Crusade Blessings - 1

HQ    Terminator Chaplain - Storm Bolter, Crozius Arcanum, Litany of Hate, Recitation of Focus

T        Squad Beta - Heavy Bolter

T        Squad Gamma - Heavy Bolter, Sgt has Chainsword

EL       Terminator Squad Hektor - Assault Cannon, Fleet of Foot

Waaagh Bonekleava - Patrol Detachment

Crusade Blessings - 4

HQ    Big Mek Nogbugg - Mega armour, Kustom Force Field, Kustom Mega Blasta, Power Klaw

            Da Kleverest Mek, WT: Brutal But Kunnin, Da Killa Klaw

HQ    Boss Zagstruk - Choppa, Vulcha's Klaws

T        Boneshredda's Skarboyz - Nob w/ Power Klaw, 29 Skarboyz

T        Skrag's Gretchin - 10 Grots

Agendas

Imperial Fists: King Slayer

Goffs: Survivor (Big Mek Nogbugg)

Pre-game

Goffs won the roll off and chose to be the Defender, to be able to choose which deployment zone they want.

Imperial Fists, as the Attacker, get to choose who will go first, after Deployment.

Goffs Crusade Blessings: 4

Imperial Fists Crusade Blessings: 1

Imperial Fists start with an extra 2 CP (1/2 difference, rounded up).

Big Mek Nogbugg gains the Restoratives special rule for this mission, gaining a 6+++, and regaining a lost wound at the start of each of the Goff Command Phases.

Deployment

Big Mek Nogbugg had to deploy within 6" of the center of his deployment zone. He surrounded himself with Boneshredda's Skarboyz, and set Skrag's Gretchin to lead the way. Nogbugg wasn't planning to hide, he was going to show these 'umies who was boss, and it wern't them!

Grots in the front, then Boneshredda's Skarboyz surrounding Nogbugg.
(The ruin they are in has been removed for this picture.)

Boss Zagstruk deployed across the street, out of sight
behind a ruin, waiting to pounce.

With single minded focus, Chaplain Gregorios deployed his forces like a lance, set to penetrate through the horde of bodies and spear the Big Mek leading the xeno forces in this sector. It had been ordered, and it would be accomplished.

Squad Hektor in the front, Gregorios in the middle, 
Tactical Squad Gamma on the left, Beta on the right.

Chaplain Gregorios sees that the Orks have deployed completely out of sight and realizes they can just stay there, waiting for him to do something they can react to. With that in mind, he decides to take the initiative, and take the fight to the enemy! Forward! For the Emperor! To Victory!

Turn 1 - Imperial Fists

Devastator Doctrine is active.

Gregorios utters the Recitation of Focus, and it is inspiring to Squad Hektor.

Squad Hektor lumbers forward 6" (Fleet of Foot) and uses the ruins on either side of the street to anchor their line as they ready themselves for the Ork onslaught.

Gregorios and the tactical squads move up in support, but leave enough space that Hektor could disengage if they chose to do so.

Imperial Fists await the Ork charge from the tan ruin
in front of them. 

Turn 1 - Goffs

Not wanting to disappoint the beakies in their nice orderly formation, the Goffs pour out of the ruined refinery administratum building they had been sheltering in, grots and skarboyz alike. Boss Zagstruk ignited his rokkit pack, bounding into the air to land on the roof of the shattered hab-block overlooking the street filled with marching marines, their bolters held at the ready.

Zagstruk eyes up Squad Gamma directly below him,
his blitz missile missing the mark.

Grot blasta fire kills one marine from Squad Beta (left),
and slugga fire from the Skarboyz wounds one from 
Squad Gamma.

The Gretchin charge in first, losing three to Overwatch,
and then the Skarboyz charge slams into Squad Hektor.

Zagstruk drops down onto the floor above Gamma,
attacking savagely with choppa and Da Vulcha Klaws.

Zagstruk attacks first, needing a command re-roll to get the job done, but he wipes out Squad Gamma. He decides it would probably be better to stay where is rather than consolidate into a bunch of terminators.

Squad Hektor spends 2 CP to interrupt, attacking the grots and the skarboyz. They only manage to kill 2 grots and 3 boys, even with using Fury of the First.

Skrag's Gretchin fail to inflict any damage on Squad Hektor, but Boneshredda's Skarboyz hack and chop and stab and snarl and spit until two Terminators buckle under the assault.

None of the marines flee, being so close to Chaplain Gregorios and his inspiring rhetoric.

Turn 2 - Imperial Fists

Tactical Doctrine is active.

Gregorios utters the Litany of Hate, and it is inspiring to Squad Hektor.

Squad Beta moves forward as much as they can.

Chaplain Gregorios moves as close as he can to Boss Zagstruk.

Squad Beta and Gregorios both fire at Boss Zagstruk perched up on the second floor of the ruined hab-block, but watch in consternation as their shots either miss the mark (Heavy Bolter), or patter harmless  off the armour, or the beast just ignores the impacts of the explosive bolts altogether.

Chaplain Gregorios determines that only glorious combat will bring the xeno to his knees, and charges in praising the Emperor!

To help Squad Hektor, Squad Beta hurl themselves into the ranks of the skarboyz, dealing death with every stroke. Beta kills 4 boyz, then watches in horror as Hektor gets hacked down before they can defend themselves and rend four members of Beta apart, leaving only Sgt Beta standing resolute in the face of the foe.

Beta and Hektor locked in a vicious struggle.

Gregorios looks on in stunned amazement as Zagstruk
turns aside all blows and jumps down to the Chaplains level...

...and utter lays him low in an overwhelming barrage
of choppa and Klaw attacks.

When the boyz fight, they drag down the rest of Hektor,
and leave only Sgt Beta, who stoically stands in the face
of certain death.

Turn 2 - Goffs

In an avalanche of unending choppa blows, Sgt Beta
quickly succumbs to the enemy.

Goffs Victory as Strike Force Arastos is wiped out!

Unit Experience

For winning the battle, one Goff unit gains a Battle Trait of their choice.

    Big Mek Nogbugg: Resilient (6+++)

Big Mek Nogbugg: +1 XP (Battle), +4 XP (Survivor, Full Health)

Boss Zagstruk: +2 Kills

Boneshredda's Skarboyz: +1 XP (Battle), +3 XP (Marked), +2 Kills

Skrag's Gretchin: +1 XP (Battle)

Waaagh Bonekleava gains +1 RP.

Terminator Chaplain Gregorios: +1 XP (Battle), +3 XP (Marked)

Terminator Squad Hektor: +1 XP (Battle)

Tactical Squad Beta: +1 XP (Battle)

Tactical Squad Gamma: +1 XP (Battle)

Strike Force Arastos gains 1 RP.

No units failed Out of Action tests.

Summary

Even at three wounds, I am amazed at how fast terminators can and do die. Skarboyz are just amazing in these low Power/Points games, especially when they don't get shot to ribbons. I really thought that terminators would and should be able to hold up against one unit of boyz that cost almost half their points.

Anyway, that's the end of the 25 PL games, on to the 50 PL scenarios. The full might of Strike Force Arastos and Waaagh Bonekleava will smash into each other in the next battle! We'll see how Skarboyz do as the lethality of the firepower increases.

Until next time, happy gaming!