Warzone Octarius: Pankallis Assault - Stage 1 Phase 2: Battle 8

 Moving onto Phase 2 of the Assault on the Pankallis Sector in the Octarius Warzone, we have the two forces of the Imperial Fists as the Defenders, Strike Force Darsway and Strike Force Arastos. Darsway will be in the next battle report.

Strike Force Arastos is led by Terminator Captain Lexandro Arastos, and is finally joined by the rest of his command team, Chaplain Dravyn Aximov and Apothecary Iatros Travma. As usual, Arastos is accompanied by Terminator Squad Hektor, who are almost acting as his personal bodyguard at this point. Also making their first appearance is Terminator Squad Drakon, whose main objective is to protect Chaplain Aximov.

On the Attackers side of things, we have Hunter Cadre Sul'an and Waaagh! Bonekleava. Sul'an will lead his mechanized Hunter Cadre in the next battle report.

Waaagh! Bonekleava has a new Warboss that has appeared on the scene, and he has plans on challenging Bonekleava for the leadership of the Waaagh!. But first, he has to earn enough XP to deserve that challenge. Mega-armoured Warboss Garhak Ugul Bludshredda Ghenga plans to smash any force that dares to stand before him, since he is bringing with him his Rukkboyz, who enter the Crusade as Blooded, and get the Battle Trait Ded Choppy so they hit on 2+ right out of the gate as befits a veteran unit.

In this battle of 51 PL, the veterans of Strike Force Arastos are determined to hold the line against the new Warboss Ghenga.

**NOTE**

Rather than play the rather restricting Crusade missions over and over, we've changed things up a bit. We are going to try playing Tempest of War missions to determine the winner of the game, but each player will also select Agendas to accomplish for the Crusade, and we will randomly determine the Crusade reward for victory. So rather than staying at 25 PL, we are stepping up to 51 PL so we can play full board battles.

Battle Size: Strike Force - 51 PL

            Tempest of War

                    Deployment: Sweeping Engagement

                    Mission: Claim the Battlefield

                    Mission Rule: None

            Mission Victor Bonus: +2 RP for the Victor, rather than +1.

Strike Force Arastos - Crusade Blessings: 9

Terminator Captain Arastos    PL 6    Blessings: 5

    Thunder Hammer, Storm Shield, Iron Halo, Crux Terminatus

    WL Trait: Indomitable

    WL Trait: Sentinel of Terra

    WL Trait: Stubborn Heroism

    Relic: The Eye of Hypnoth

    Crusade Relic: The Adamantine Cuirass

Chaplain Aximov    PL 6

    Crozius Arcanum, Storm Bolter, Crux Terminatus

Apothecary Travma    PL 4

    Bolt Pistol, Chainsword, Narthecium

Terminator Squad Hektor    PL 18    Blessings: 4

    2 Assault Cannons, 10 Terminators

    Battle Trait: Markman's Honours

    Battle Trait: Aquila Imperialis

Terminator Squad Drakon    PL 18

    2 Cyclone Missile Launchers, 10 Terminators

Strike Force Arastos

Waaagh! Bonekleava - Crusade Blessings: 6

Warboss in Mega-armour Ghenga    PL 6    Blessings: 2

    'Uge Choppa, Big Shoota, Mega Armour

    WL Trait: Propa Killy

    Relic: Da Krushin' Armour

Big Mek Nogbugg    PL 6

    Power Klaw, Kustom Mega Blasta, Kustom Force Field

Painboy Bloodcuttah    PL 4

    Power Klaw, 'Urty Syringe

Bonegutz's Octarian Rukkboyz    PL 15    Blessings: 2

    Nob w/ Pokwer Klaw, 29 Choppa Boyz (S5)

    Battle Trait: Ded Choppy

Jawchoppa's Lucky Blue Boyz    PL 15    Blessings: 2

    Nob w/ Power Klaw, 29 Choppa Boyz

    Battle Trait: Ded Choppy

Skrag's Mek Gunz    PL 4

    2 Smasha Gunz

Garhak Ugul Bludshredda Ghenga, the new Warboss on the prowl.

Pre-Battle

Captain Arastos sends Squad Drakon on a Shadow Mision. They are sent on a Daring Raid. If they are successful, Epic Deed stratagems the Goffs use will cost +1 CP during the battle.

Warboss Ghenga decides to use the Strategic Gambit. The winner of the battle will earn +1 Planetary Assault points for this battle.

Strike Force Arastos has 9 Crusade Blessings. Waaagh! Bonekleava only has 4 Cusade Blessings. The Goffs receive and extra 3 CP.

Agendas

Imperial Fists

        1. Know No Fear - +2 XP per passed Morale test.

        2. Cull the Hordes - +1 XP every time 6 enemy models are killed by a unit.

Goffs

        1. Krumpin' Spree - +2 XP per character, vehicle or monster killed.

        2. Kingslayer - +3 XP for killing enemy Warlord.

Deployment

Goffs won the roll off and got to choose deployment zones.

Aerial view of the center of the battlefield.

Arastos and Hektor start on their home objective.

Skrag holds the right of the Goffs line.

Bonegutz leads his Rukkboyz in the center.

Jawchoppa leads his mob on the left flank.

Warboss Ghenga, Big Mek Nogbugg and Painboy Bloodcuttah
support Bonegutz in the center.

Turn 1 - Orks

CP

Goffs 9+1        Fists 6+1

Devastator Doctrine active.

Goffs orders. Not so good.

Nogbugg holds the home objective while everyone else moves out.
He performs the Claim Objective action.

Skrag doesn't quite get to the Tempting Target objective.

The Rukkboyz rush at the isolated Squad Drakon.

Jawchoppa's Boyz closing in on an objective.

Goffs discard Deploy Teleport Homers secondary objective.

Turn 1 - Fists

CP

Goffs - 10+1        Fists 7+1

Devastator Doctrine active. Chaplain Aximov recites the Litany of Hate successfully.

Orders issued to the Fists.

Drakon uses Fury of the First (1 CP) and scythes into the Rukkboyz,
gaining 1 XP for killing 16 boyz. Goffs used Force Field Boosta (2 CP)
to try to slow down the incoming damage a bit.

Apothecary Travma claims the home objective, and 
performs the Claim Objective action.

Bonegutz's Rukkboyz failed their Morale test, so the Ghenga used Breakin' Heads (2 CP) for them to count as having passed the test, losing only 1 boy.

Turn 2 - Goffs

CP

Goffs 7+1        Fists 7+1

Tactical Doctrine active. 

Ghenga declares Waaagh!

Score 5 points for holding 1 objective, 2 points for finishing Claim Objective action.

Orders for the Goffs.

Skrag is still not on the objective, but his Smasha Gunz kill two
terminators from Drakon.

The remnants of the Rukkboyz get as close to Drakon as they can.

Jawchoppa's Boyz claim the obective.

Rukkboyz charge Drakon, who Set's to Defend for a +1 BS Overwatch (1 CP).
They kill 4. Rukkboyz use Unbridled Carnage (2 CP) but only kill 1 terminator.

Drakon uses Fury of the First (1 CP), coupled with Litany of Hate,
but only kill 5, thanks to the Waaagh! invul save.

Drakon passed Morale, gaining +2 XP for Know No Fear.

Rukkboyz failed Morale, with 2 fleeing, leaving just 2 left.

Score

Goffs:    7 (one obj secured, 1 claimed)

Fists:      0

Turn 2 - Fists

CP

Goffs    6+1        Fists    6+1

Tactical Doctrine active.

Chaplain Aximov fails to successfully recite Litany of Hate.

Score 5 points for holding 1 objective, 2 points for finishing Claim Objective action.

Shadow Mission was not accomplished. Squad Hektor was kept on mission 1 more turn.

Apothecary Travma does some healing, and revives the downed terminator.

Drakon uses Close Range Bolter Fire (2 CP) and Fury of the First (1 CP) to finish off
Bonegutz's Rukkboyz.
Drakon moves into position to assault onto the center objective
in later turns.

Score

Goffs:    7 (one obj secured, 1 claimed)

Fists:     7 (one obj secured, 1 claimed)

Turn 3 - Goffs

CP

Goffs    7+1        Fists    4+1

Tactical Doctrine active.

Waaagh! stage 2 active.

Goffs score 12 points (2 obj held, 1 Claimed)

Big Mek Nogbugg performs Claim Objective action.

Skrag's Smasha Gunz kill 3 termies from Drakon, and are finally
claiming the Tempting Target (5 points).

Jawchoppa's Boyz charged through the far wall first, taking 4 casualties,
then Ghenga and Bloodcuttah charged Drakon. Ghenga used Unbridled Carnage (2 CP),
killing 3 terminators. Drakon used Counter-Offensive (2 CP) and Fury of the First (1 CP),
inflicting 3 damage on Bloodcuttah, and NO DAMAGE on Ghenga. Jawchoppa's Boyz 
inflict no damage, and Bloodcuttah kills 1 terminator.

The conga-line of Boyz itching to get into the fight.

Sgt. Drakon stands alone.

Drakon passed their Morale (+2 XP Know No Fear).

Score

Goffs:    24

Fists:     7

Turn 3 - Fists

CP

Goffs    6+1        Fists    2+1

Tactical Doctrine active.

Chaplain Aximov successfully recites the Litany of Hate.

Fists score 7 points (hold one obj, Claim 1 obj)

Squad Hektor fails to accomplish the Shadow Mission. Takes 2 casualties.

Squad Hektor arrives from ther failed Shadow Mission.

Hektor promptly removes Skrag's Smasha Gunz.

Sgt Drakon uses Close Range Bolter Fire (2 CP) and a Command Re-roll (1 CP)
to kill Painboy Bloodcuttah. Arastos charges Ghenga, inflicting 3 wounds. Ghenga
uses Counter-Offensive (2 CP) to inflict 2 wounds on Chaplain Aximov. Jawchoppa's Boyz
finish off Sgt Drakon for 1 tally of Blood and Guts. Apothecary Travma fails to inflict any
damage on Jawchoppa's Boyz. 

Goffs threatening to over run the Fists home objective.

Score

Goffs:    24

Fists:     14

Turn 4 - Goffs

CP

Goffs 5+1        Fists 0+1

Assault Doctrine active.

Goffs score 14 points for holding 2 objectives, and having Claimed 2 objectives.

Goffs orders this turn.

The brutal fight in the basilicum.

Nogbugg fires his kustom mega blasta at squad Hektor, but causes no damage.

Arastos attacks Ghenga, but causes no damage.

Ghenga attacks Aximov, using Unbridled Carnage (2 CP), but causes no damage.

Aximov attacks Ghenga in return, but causes no damage.

Jawchoppa downs Travma with his power klaw (5 pts for Assassination), but the Boyz fail to cause any damage to Arastos.

Score

Goffs:    43

Fists:     14

Turn 4 - Fists

CP

Goffs 4+1        Fists 1+1

Assault Doctrine active.

Chaplain Aximov fails to successfully recite Litany of Hate.

Fists score 0 points, since Jawchoppa's Boyz are Troops.

Orders for the Fists this turn.

Arastos and Aximov fight on, despite the overwhelming odds.

Squad Hektor unloads a close range barrage at Nogbugg, inflicting 2 damage. They follow this up with a failed charge.

Ghenga, enraged by his failure last turn to drop Aximov, attacks him again, using Unbridled Carnage (2 CP), wounding him 7 times. Aximov makes 6/7 saves, uses a CP re-roll (1 CP), and passes, for no damage, for a second turn in a row. There's some XP in his immediate future for holding off an enraged Mega-armoured Warboss for two turns, single-handedly. Fists get 1 tally for Blood and Guts.

Arastos attacks Ghenga, but fails to inflict any damage, again.

Jawchoppa lands a single power klaw hit on Arastos, inflicting 2 wounds.

Aximov finally lands a telling blow on Ghenga, inflicting 2 wounds.

Score

Goffs:    43

Fists:     14

Turn 5 - Goffs

CP

Goffs 3+1        Fists 1+1

Assault Doctrine is active.

Goffs score 14 points for two objectives held, and two Claimed.

Goffs orders.

Nogbugg facing down Squad Hektor.

Nogbugg Raises the Banner on the center objective (5 points).

Arastos attacks Ghenga, and finally lands a solid blow with his Thunder Hammer, killing him. However, Ghenga uses Orks is Never Beaten (2 CP), attacks Aximov, and finally, the Chaplain succumbs to the rage of the Beast. This is the third unit killed for Blood and Guts, gaining the Goffs another 5 points. Ghenga gains +2 XP for Krumpin' Spree.

Jawchoppa and his Boyz surround Arastos and buffet him with choppa strikes, inflicting 2 wounds.

Score

Goffs:    62

Fists:     14

Turn 5 - Fists

CP

Goffs 2+1        Fists 2+1

Assault Doctrine active.

Fists score 0 points.

Jawchoppa's Boyz inflict 3 wounds, but Arastos uses a CP re-roll and 
stays alive on 1 wound remaining.

Hektor fails to damage Nogbugg while using Fury of the First (1 CP),
and then fails the charge, even with a CP re-roll.

Score

Goffs:    62

Fists:     14

Summary

Ghenga gets his first win! Apparently the Fists need all their firepower in the battle from the get-go to thin the horde as it approaches.

Goffs Summary

Attacker gets 6 Pankallis Assault points.

Waaagh! Bonekleava gains 2 RP.

Ghenga            +1 XP (Battle), +3 XP (Marked), +1 Kill (m)

Nogbugg          +1 XP (Battle)

Bloodcuttah    +1 XP (Battle)

Bonegutz        +1 XP (Battle)

Jawchoppa        +1 XP (Battle), +1 Kill (m)

Skrag's Mek Gunz    +1 XP (Battle)

Fists Summary

Defender gets 1 Pankallis Assault point.

Strike Force Arastos gains 1 RP.

Arastos        +1 XP (Battle), +1 Kill (m)

Aximov        +1 XP (Battle), +3 XP (Marked)

Travma        +1 XP (Battle)

Hektor        +1 XP (Battle), +2 XP (Know No Fear), +1 Kill (r)

Drakon        +1 XP (Battle), +4 XP (Know No Fear), +2 Kills (m)

The Attackers take a 6-1 lead in the first game of Phase 2. Next time, the two mechanized forces clash, as Strike Force Darsway tales on Hunter Cadre Sul'im.

Until next time, happy gaming!