The Eye of Terror Campaign Battle 1

Battle for the Relic

Deep in the Eye of Terror, as the tendrils of power, both Warp Spawned and of control and possession, swirl and mix, the Forces of Chaos, loyal to their Gods, continue to vie for control of powerful artifacts. On a shattered world, the armies of Khorne and Nurgle clash as they confront one another to possess an ancient artifact of immense power.

Mission Source: Main Rulebook

Mission: Eternal War: The Relic / Hammer & Anvil

Points: 2000

Armies: Khorne Combined Arms Detachment (Crimson Slaughter)
              Nurgle Combined Arms Detachment (Vanilla CSM Codex)

Khorne Combined Arms Detachment (Crimson Slaughter)

Kharn the Betrayer [Warlord]

Khorne Daemon Prince (base)

Hellbrute

10 Cultists

8 Berzerkers, Rhino

8 Berzerkers, Rhino

5 Khorne Spawn

5 Khorne Spawn

Chaos Vindicator

Forgefiend

9 Havocs, 4 Lascannons

Nurgle Combined Arms Detachment (Vanilla)

Nurgle Daemon Prince [Warlord] ML 3, The Black Mace, Wings, Power Armour, Ichor Blood

Typhus

5 Nurgle Terminators

7 Plague Marines, Rhino

7 Plague Marines, Rhino

Chaos Infernal Relic Achilles, Dozer Blades, Legacy of Ruin: Death of Kasyr Lutien, Multi-melta,                                                      Sponson Twin Multi-meltas, Warpflame Gargoyles

Plague Hulk of Nurgle

Chaos Vindicator

Setup

In the Relic, it's all about the Relic. One objective, center of the board. Seems like Khorne would like a mission like this, where they can focus on one point and overrun the enemy. 

There was a lot of pre-game dice rolling this game. Gifts of Mutation on both sides, Nurgle Psykers, Night Fight.

Nurgle

The Daemon Prince rolled Master of Deception for his Warlord trait, which would allow d3 non-vehicle units to Infiltrate. But the Nurgle list was designed to be deployed and function in a certain manner, so this was not useful to the corpulent ones. Also, the Daemon Prince rolled Witch Eater for his Gift of Mutation, but since Khorne has no Psykers, another ability that is useless. Papa Nurgle is not feeling very helpful today, apparently.

The Nurgle Terminator Champion rolled Hatred for his Gift.

Plague Champion 1 rolled +1 Initiative for his gift, and Plague Champion 2 rolled Instant Death Melee attacks. Super handy, since there are 10 spawn running around, though he is armed only with his trusty Plague Knife for a melee weapon.

The Daemon Prince's Psychic Powers were 1) Nurgle's Rot (Primaris), 2) Weapon Virus, both from Nurgle Discipline and from Malefic 1)Summoning (Primaris) and 2) Incursion. They would both come in very handy this game.

The Psychic Powers for Typhus were Nurgle 1) Nurgle's Rot (Primaris), 2) Weapon Virus and 3) Gift of Contagion.

Khorne

Kharn is the Warlord, and his Trait is Hatred Incarnate.

Berzerker Champion 1 rolled +1 Initiative for his gift, and Berzerker Champion rolled +1 Strength for his.

There is no Night Fight.

Deployment

Nurgle won the roll, and chose to deploy and go first.

The Nurgle Psychic Onslaught

The very elite and pricey Nurgle line.

Alternate view of Nurgle deployment.

Khorne Deployment line. Lots of fast things that are killy in assault.

Alternate view of Khorne deployment.

Khorne tried to Seize the Initiative, but failed. Under the shining rays of a nearby star, the force of Nurgle begin their advance.

Turn 1 Nurgle

A note here, before things really get underway. The forces of Nurgle, planning on summoning in as many reinforcements as possible, was not aware that there were no Plague Drones of Nurgle models available, so Dark Eldar Talos models are standing in. Also, while it was realized that Khorne Bloodletters would be rather effective against Khorne Berzerkers, in order to Forge the Narrative, when the Nurgle Daemon Prince summons Plaguebearers, they look suspiciously like Bloodletters, the more to irritate the Blood God.

And off we go!!

The forces of Nurgle advance! Slowly, of course, as is the Nurgle way.

Freshly summoned Plague Drones, daring Khorne Spawn 1 to charge them.

Movement
Plague Marine 1 Rhino advances 12" and pops smoke.

Plague Marine 2 Rhino advances 12" and pops smoke.

The Plague Hulk tries to stomp forward, but only advances 3".

Psychic

The Legacy of Ruin on the Achilles allows friendly psykers within 12" to re-roll a d6 for each Hull Point remaining. If the test is failed, the Vehicle suffers a Penetrating hit with no saves allowed.

With 7 total dice, the Nurgle Daemon Prince attempts Summoning with 3 dice and fails, but rerolls thanks to the Achilles, and still fails. The Achilles promptly suffers a penetrating hit as an arc of raw power surges from the Daemon Prince and shatters one of tracks on the vehicle, immobilizing it and stripping a Hull Point. Typhus can be heard from inside the vehicle "STOP HELPING!!!"

Undeterred, the Nurgle Daemon Prince attemps Incursion with 4 dice, succeeds with re-rolls, and the Plague Drones 1 scatter 8" toward Khorne Spawn 1.

Shooting

Plague Marines 1 Snap fires their Plasma Guns out the top hatch of the Rhino, but miss.

Plague Marines 2 follow suit, but are just as ineffective.

Plague Hulk fires its Rot Cannon at Khorne Spawn 2, but the shot scatters 7" off the table.

The Achilles fires its hull mounted Quad Mortar at the Cultists, killing 7 and Glancing the Hellbrute. The Cultists are Fearless, so they hang tough.

Assault

Plague Drones 1 Thrust 8" closer to Khorne Spawn 1.

There is no Soul Blaze on the Cultists (the Achilles has Warpflame Gargoyles)

Turn 1 Khorne

Movement

The Hellbrute had to roll on his Crazed table for getting Glanced, and got Blood Rage, so moved 6" forward, and then Ran another 5".

The Cultists chase after the Hellbrute as it takes off, so they can stay Fearless in his presence.

Khorne Berzerkers 1 move forward 6" in their Rhino, as does Khorne Berzerkers 2 in their Rhino right next to them.

Kharn moves forward, following Berzerker Rhino 2.

Khorn Spawn 1 scrabble forward 12" down the left flank, while Khorne SPawn 2 does likewise down the right flank.

The Khorne Daemon Prince moves 6" around the building and Runs another 2".

Khorn rushes the Relic.

Shooting
Khorne Berzerkers 1 and 2 both fire bolters out the top hatch, combi-bolter and Havoc Launchers at the newly summoned Plague Drones, but can't cause any damage to them at all.

Vindicator fires at Plague Marines 1 Rhino, through the shattered church, but the shell explodes harmlessly amidst the building.

Forgefiend fires at the Plague Hulk, suffering one Gets Hot! but not losing a Hull Point, hitting the towering fiend, but unable to penetrate its thick armour.

The Havocs zeroed in on the Achilles, knowing that it couldn't return fire since they were well beyond the range of the multi-meltas, and they weren't terribly concerned with the Quad Mortar at S5 AP5. They did hit twice, but the adamantium turned aside the lascannons.

Havocs are liking their fields of fire and elevation.

Assault

Khorne Spawn 1 charged straight into Plague Drones 1, dealing 8 unsaved wounds. The sole Drone attacked back, wounding once. The Plague Drones passed their Demonic Instability and carried on the fight.

Khorne Spawn 1 obliges the Plague Drones happily and assaults them.

Khorne Spawn 2 charged into Plague Marines 1 Rhino, and Wrecked it with ease, a plume of smoke wafting up into the sky. The Plague Marines piled out with no casualties and auto-passed their Pinning test thanks to Fearless, eager to exact revenge.

Khorne Spawn 2 makes short work of a Rhino.

Turn 2 Nurgle

Movement

Plague Hulk lumbers forward over Difficult Terrain 4" into position to assault Khorne Spawn 2.

Plague Marines 1 advance into firing positions on Khorne Spawn 2.

Plague Marines 2 Rhino moves 12" and Rams the Hellbrute just beyond the Relic, causing a Penetrating hit and Shaking the metallic monster, stripping a Hull Point.

Nurgle Daemon Prince jumps 12" toward Khorne Spawn 1.

Typhus and his Terminator retinue disembark 6" through Difficult Terrain, moving into Cover from the Vindicator.

Plague Marines dish out retribution.

 Psychic
Nurgle Daemon Prince gets 10 total dice. On 5 dice summons 10 Plaguebearers, which are fairly reminiscent of Bloodletters, the more to irritate the followers of Khorne. They appear fairly close to the Relic, and Run to spread out in case of Vindicator attention.

Nurgle Daemon Prince attempts to manifest Incursion and fails on 5 dice, including rerolls (still within 12" of the Achilles), and the Achilles suffers another Hull Point of damage, for two total. Across the field, Typhus's roar of rage can be heard as his ride takes another friendly fire incident.

Newly summoned Plaguebearers resemble another gods' daemons.

 Shooting
Plague Hulk Vomits on Khorne Spawn 1, causing two wounds.

Plague Marines 1 rapid fire their boltguns into Khorn Spawn 1, killing two.

Typhus and his retinue Run 2"

The Vindicator targets Khorne Berzerkers 1 Rhino, which is right behind the Relic, but the shell scatters 4" onto the Hellbrute and members of Plague Marines 2 Rhino. The Hellbrute escapes unscathed, but the Plague Marines 2 Rhino loses a Hull Point and is Shaken from a penetrating hit.

The Achilles targets the Hellbrute with its' two Twin Linked Multi-meltas and the Multi-melta on the roof, getting 3 hits, one of which penetrates and Wrecks the machine. TheQuad Mortar rounds crash into the area around the Hellbrute, hitting both Plague Marine 2 Rhino, causing no damage, and Khorn Berzerker 1 Rhino, stripping a Hull Point with a Glancing hit.

Assault
On the left flank, the Plague Hulk charges across the 1" gap to the remaining member of Khorn Spawn 2. The Spawn can't hurt the Plague Hulk, and with his Iron Claw, the Plague Hulk smashes two of the Spawn to pulp.

On the right flank, the Nurgle Daemon Prince cassaults into Khorn Spawn 1, flailing about him with the Black Mace and killing 4 Spawn thanks to Instant Death goodness.

Nurgle Daemon Prince helps out the Plague Drone with his Black Mace.

The forces of Nurgle fully engaged.

Turn 2 Khorne

Movement

Khorne Daemon Prince, on the right flank, moves as fast as possible toward Plague Marines 1, eager to spatter himself in the blood of his foes.

Khorne Berzerkers 1 Rhino Rams Plague Marines 2 Rhino, who they just watched ram their Hellbrute, aiding in its destruction, and delivered a Glancing blow, stripping a Hull Point.

Cultists move 6" and Run an additional 3", trying to get to the Relic.

Shooting

Khorne Berzerkes 1 fired 2 Plasma Pistols out the top hatch of their Rhino at Plague Marine 2 Rhino, getting a Glance which strips the last Hull Point, wrecking the transport. Plague Marines 2 calmly extricate themselves from the wreckage and level their bolters.

Khorne Berzerkers 2 fires their 2 Plasma Pistols out the top hatch at the Plaguebearers as well, killing one.

The Rhinos for Khorne Berzerkers 1 and 2 both fire at the newly summoned Plaguebearers, three falling to the combi-bolters, and another 3 falling to the Havoc Launchers.

Vindicator brings Typhus and retinue under fire, but the shell ricochets badly on its way through the ruins and explodes behind the Nurgle Vindicator harmlessly.

Forgefiend targets Plague Marines 1 with its 3 Ectoplasma Cannons, and while it ddn't Get Hot, the Cover and Feel No Pain was just too much to get through, causing no unsaved wounds.

The Havocs again target the Achilles, hitting the heavy tank 3 times, but again the Lascannons cannot cause any damage.

Assault

Khorne Daemon Prince charges into Plague Marines 1, taking a wound from Overwatch on the way in. He bellows a Challenge to the Plague Champion, but the champ is too far away to respond, so he contents himself with butchering 3 of the champions troops. The Plague Marines hack away at the Prince with their Plague Knives, causing a wound in return. Being Fearless, they prepare to sell their lives dearly so the mission can be accomplished.

Plague Hulk only hits once, but at S10 thats all he needs as he pulps the last Khorne Spawn 2, and Consolidates 6", moving past the Khorne Daemon Prince.

Nurgle Daemon Prince finishes off the last Khorn Spawn 1, and he and the Plague Drone Consolidate further upfield.

The congestion around the Relic at the start of Khorne's turn.

Nurgle Daemon Prince and Plague Drone finish off Khorne Spawn 1
 and continue their flanking advance.

Berzerkers look on in anger as Plague Marines tumble from
the wreckage of their Rhino, ready to grab the Relic.

Khorne Daemon Prince watches the Plague Hulk stomp by as he hacks 
apart Plague Marines in frustration.

Kharn prepares to pounce on whoever is closest.

Turn 3 Nurgle

Movement

Plague Hulk moves 6" straight at the Forgefiend, knowing it is a good fight for it to be in, since the Forgefiend can't hurt it, and the Iron Claw at S10 should make short work of the foe.

Nurgle Daemon Prince jumps 12" onto the stump, giving him a commanding view of the battlefield.

Plague Drone 1 (last member) moves 12" toward the Cultists, looking for seemingly easy prey.

Typhus and his retinue make their way through Difficult Terrain 5".

Plaguebearers 1 moves to and pickes up the Relic!

Psychic

The Nurgle Daemon Prince attempts Summoning on 5 dice and passes without re-rolls. Plaguebearers 2, again looking like Bloodletters, materialize with no scatter, right behind Kharn, who might not have been aware initially they were the enemy. They Run 3" to spread out, wary of the nearby Vindicator.

On 6 dice, he attempts Incursion, and succeeds. The new Plague Drones 2 scatter 9" toward the Havocs. Handy.

A second unit of Plaguebearers materialize right behind Kharn, and
a second unit of Plague Drones threaten the Havocs.

Plague Marines trying to block off access to
 the Plaguebearers, who have the Relic.

The carnage and congestion around the Relic.

The smoke of battle fills the air.

Shooting

Plague Hulk fires hit Rot Cannon at the Forgefiend, but it scatters 5" off the board.

The Achilles unloaded at Khorn Berzerkers 2 Rhino, hitting it with 3 Multi-meltas, but doing no damage! The Quad Mortar scattered 4" and the 4 shot barrage hit both Khorn Berzerkers 1 and 2 Rhinos, but only Glancing Khorne Berzerkers 1 once.

Plague Marines 2 fired their Plasma Guns at Khorne Berzerkers 2 Rhino, but can't find a weak spot.

Vindicator targets Khorne Berzerkers 1 Rhino, the blast hitting Rhino 2 as well. Khorne Berzerker 1 Rhino is Wrecked, escaping unharmed from the tangle of debris, while the other Rhino has its Havoc Launcher torn off by the explosion.

Assault

Plague Hulk assaults Forgefiend with an 11" charge, which can't Overwatch with blast weapons. His Iron Claw scores two Penetrating hits, but the Daemon save on the Forgefiend turns one away. The Forgefiend would be Shaken, but it ignores such trivialities.

Khorne Daemon Prince fighting Plague Marines 1 re-issues his Challenge with an infernal roar, and the Plague Champion steps up ready to show the monster the power of Papa Nurgle. Unfortunately, the Plague Champ is gutted and butchered before he can utter a sound, and the Khorne Daemon Prince kills another Plague Marine as he steps over the carcass and continues the slaughter. The four remaining Plague Marines can't even land a worthwhile blow on the Prince.

Plague Marines 2 charge into the Rhino carrying Khorne Berzerkers 2, trying to jam up the narrow corridor with bodies and twisted metal.

Plague Drones 2, newly summoned, Thrusts toward the Havocs 10".

Plague Drone 1 floats through the Overwatch of the Cultists and charges 5". The Cultists stab and hack frantically at the creature but can barely hit it, let alone hurt it. The Plague Drone then wipes out the squad, poison dripping from its claws. It Consolidates 4" toward the Relic.

From his position atop the massive stump, the Nurgle Daemon Prince charges 10" into Khorne Berzerkers 1. They hurl themselves at their attacker with Counter-Attack after seeing it come through their Overwatch fire unscathed, including watching their Champion fry himself with a Plasma Pistol. The Nurgle Daemon Prince, rather than attacking the Berzerkers, is struggling with his Black Mace, trying to keep the Daemon within under control. The weapon leeches a wound from the Prince, dropping his Weapon Skill to 1 as it is preoccupied with its' weapon, rather than the foe. With his 7 attacks on the charge, he only manages to hit and kill one Berzerker, and the remaining 6 fall on him in a whirling hacking stabbing frenzy, blood and Ichor spattering the entire area as they carve into the body to appease their deity. Earning Slay the Warlord, they Consolidate 1" toward Kharn, who nods his head in approval.

Plague Hulk vs Forgefiend is the kind of fight Nurgle likes.

Korne Berzerkers 1 feeling pretty proud about themselves
after they hack down the Nurgle Daemon Prince.

Overview of the action.

Turn 3 Khorne

Movement

With resources and men dwindling, Kharn knows now is his time. He leaps onto the roof of the shattered Rhino he is sheltering behind, thumbs the activation switch for Gorechild, and prepares to butcher all who stand between him and the Relic.

The Berzerkers 1, fresh from slaying the enemy Warlord, move 6" toward Plague Drones 2.

Shooting

Havocs shoot at Plague Drones 2, but miss with all 4 Lascannons, and the bolters can't get past the Toughness, Armour and Daemon Save.

Berzerkers 1 target Plague Drones 2, causing a single wound with a Plasma Pistol shot.

Berzerkers 2 target Plagebearers 1, killing 3, including the one who had picked up the Relic.

Khorne Vindicator targets Typhus and retinue. The blast also engulfs a Plaguebearer. Typhus takes 2 wounds, one of his retinue falls, his armour shattered by the blast, and a lone Plagubearer is vaporized in the blast.

Standing atop the wrecked Rhino, Kharn fires his Plasma Pistol down into Plague Marines 2 but the wound does not phase the Champion.

Assault

Like the madman he is, Kharn leaps off the Rhino to land in the midst of the Plague Marines, wayward bolts of Plasma searing the air as the Plague Marines fired a volley of Overwatch, laying about himself with abandon as Gorechild strikes home again and again. But the bodies of the servants of Nurgle are resilient, and as fast as Kharn opened gaping holes in them, they stictched themselves back together again. As Kharn stomped on the body of the single Plague Marine at his feet, he realized there was a breach in his armour from a Plasma shot, and then the Plague Marines were counter attacking, Plague Knives flashing and stabbing. One blow landed clean, and Kharn snarled as the poisoned blade bit into his flesh.

The Plague Hulk smashed his Iron Claw into the chasis of the Forgefiend three times, and was rewarded with a fireball to the face. Stepping over the debris, it Consolidated 1".

Khorne Daemon Prince snapped the neck of one Plague Marine, and grabbed the last by the helmet, hoisted him in the air, and drove his talon tipped fingers through the chestplate of the power armour and pulled one of the still beating hearts out and held it aloft. Dropping the mangled Marine, a swift stomp flattened the helmet, and the Prince was off 3", looking at Typhus as his his target.

Kharn lets his Hatred fill him as he looks down
on his prey. Skulls for the Skull God!

Berzerkers try to stop Plague Drones from
reaching the Havocs.

Plague Hulk finshes off the Forgefiend, and eyes the Vindicator.

Khorne Daemon Prince sets his sights on Typhus and his bodyguard.

Kharn, on his last wound, cutting his way through to the Relic.

The solid wall of smoke indicative
 of the ferocity of the battle.

Turn 4 Nurgle

Movement
Having finished off the Forgefiend, the Plague Hulk moves 6" toward the Khorne Vindicator.

Typhus and retinue make their way 6" through Difficult Terrain toward the Khorne Daemon Prince.

Plague Drones 2 move 12" right at the Havocs.

Plaguebearers 2 move 6" at Khorne Berzerkers 1, trying to keep them from the Relic.

Plague Drone 1 move 12" at Khorne Bererkers 1 as well, trying to overwhelm them from multiple directions.

Psychic
Typhus successfully manifests Force to ensure his Daemon Weapon Manreaper is as deadly as possible. He attempts to manifest Nurgle's Rot, but the Daemon Prince Densies the Witch with a smirk, and a shake of the head.

Shooting
Plague Hulk bathes the Khorne Vindicator in Vomit, Glancing and stripping a Hull Point.

Typhus stops, lifts his arm to point at the Khorne Daemon Prince, and his retinue unleash a devastating fusilade of combi-bolter fire. The smirk is blown off the Prince's face, along with the rest of his head, and the smoking bolt riddled corpse topples backward, smacking wetly on the rocks as it collapses.

The Achilles targets Khorne Berzerkers 2. 3 Multi-meltas kill one Berzerker, and then the Quad Mortar unleashes a volley of Fueled by Hate mortar shells, which increase the S and AP of the weapon by 1 for every missing Hull Point. So, rather than S5 AP5, the Mortar is S7 AP3. The volley crashes into the narrow alley all around the Relic. When the dust and smoke clear, that volley killed 7 Berzerkers from Khorne Berzerkers 2, wiping them out, 5 Plague Marines who were fighting Kharn and Kharn himself. The volley was so devastating it literally killed everyone near the Relic.

Assault
The Plague Hulk lumbers into the Khorne Vindicator and with 4 Penetrating hits smashes the vehicle in extraordinary fashion.

Plaguebearers 2 and Plague Drone 1 both assault Khorne Berzerkers 1. Overwatch sees 2 Plaguebearers die, and Counter-attack sees the Berzerkers kill 5 more Plaguebearers and a wound taken by a Plague Drone, which triggers Daemonic Instability, and both units wink out of existence before the onslaught of the Berzerkers.

Plague Drones 2 charge the Havocs through a completely ineffective Overwatch, take 2 wounds from the Havocs and can't land any of their own. They pass their Daemonic Instability test though, and keep on fighting.

Typhus and retinue after they combi-bolter the Khorne Daemon Prince
back to the Warp.

Where once there was a vicious battle for the Relic, now
there is an abbatoir of both Khorne and Nurgle.

Overview of the carnage.

Plague Hulk smashes the Khorne flank single-handedly.

Plague Drones tying up the Havocs, who can only
 look on as their Warband's equipment burns.

The Berzerkers are ready to hurl themselves at the Relic for Khorne.

The forces of Papa Nurgle advancing into the Khorne deployment zone.

Summary

At this point, the forces of Khorne realize they cannot seize the Relic, and order a withdrawl. The combination of the pincer move coming next turn from the Plague Hulk and the Terminators, leaving Typhus free to pick up the Relic and accomplish the objective means living today to fight another day is the only thing left to do. Picking up the shattered body of Kharn, the Berzerkers make for the hills, vowing revenge.

Result: Nurgle Wins     Nurgle: 5 (Relic 3, Slay the Warlord, Linebreaker)
                                        Khorne: 2 (First Blood, Slay the Warlord)

We had a pretty good slugging match going around the Relic until the Achilles decided enough was enough and ended everyone around it. Strip a couple Hull Points off that thing and it turns into a straight up killing machine. A win for Nurgle.

The next Eye of Terror battle will see Slaanesh and Tzeentch square off.

Until then, happy gaming!