Angels of Death - Altar of War - Hammer Blow
Mission Source: Angels of Death Supplement
Mission: Altar of War - Mission 1 - Hammer Blow
Points: 2000
Armies: Imperial Fists and Tau Empire
Shas'el Sha'draig Drauth, newly promoted Commander of a Hunter Contingent, listened to the orders again. A Space Marine force had been delivered by multiple drop ships inside the city, and were making their way towards a vital intersection, which if the Space Marines controlled would make it difficult to move reinforcements around. His orders were clear, repel the invaders and do not let them control the intersection.
CORE - Battle Demi-Company
Captain Lysander
Dreadnought Talon - 3 Dreads w/ Twin Lascannon, Heavy Flamer
Land Speeder Squadron - 3 Land Speeders w/ Assault Cannon, Heavy Bolter
5 man Devastator Squad - 4 Plasma Cannons, Razorback w/ Twin Plasma Gun & Lascannon
5 man Tactical Squad - Sgt w/ Bolter, 3 Marines w/ Bolters, Marine w/ Flamer
Razorback w/ Twin Lascannon
5 man Tactical Squad - Sgt w/ Bolter, 3 Marines w/ Bolters, Marine w/ Flamer
Razorback w/ Twin Lascannon
5 man Tactical Squad - Sgt w/ Bolter, 3 Marines w/ Bolters, Marine w/ Flamer
Razorback w/ Twin Lascannon
AUX - 1st Company Task Force
5 man Terminator Assault Squad - Sgt w/ Hammer & Shield, 4 x Twin Lightning Claws
5 man Terminator Assault Squad - Sgt w/ Hammer & Shield, 4 x Twin Lightning Claws
Terminator Squad - Sgt w/ Power Sword, Storm Bolter, 4 Terminators with Powerfist & Storm Bolter
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| Sternhammer Strike Force, supported by 1st Company Task Force. |
Tau Empire - Hunter Contingent
CORE - Hunter Cadre
XV8 Commander - Twin Plasma Rifles, Iridium Armour, Onager Gauntlet, Neuro System Jammer
XV104 Riptide w/ Ion Accelerator, Twin Fusion Blaster
Pathfinder Team - 8 Pathfinders, 2 Rail Rifles
TX4 Piranha Squadron - 4 Piranhas w/ Fusion Blaster, 2 Seeker Missiles
Hammerhead w/ Longstrike, Ion Cannon, Twin Smart Missile System
Strike Team - 12 Fire Warriors, Devilfish
Strike Team - 12 Fire Warriors, Devilfish
Strike Team - 12 Fire Warriors, Devilfish
AUX - Armoured Interdiction Cadre
Hammerhead w/ Railgun, Submunitions, Twin Smart Missile System
Hammerhead w/ Railgun, Submunitions, Twin Smart Missile System
Hammerhead w/ Railgun, Submunitions, Twin Smart Missile System
Skyray Missile Defense Gunship
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| A slightly blurry (bad camera and old hands) Hunter Cadre supported by an Armoured Interdiction Cadre. |
Setup and Deployment
The mission calls for one objective in the center of the board, on 6" from the center of the Tau long table edge, and the Marines get to place the third anywhere in the Tau half of the table. Thinking it would be best to concentrate his forces, Lysander opts to place the third objective between the first and second, making for a very small target area for the Marines to drive at.
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| Three tightly packed objectives, and the Tau in flanking defensive positions. |
The Tau then had to deploy, and did not think it wise to leave anything in Reserve. The Marines get the first turn, with no chance to Seize the Initiative, so the Tau tried to hide where they could.
There was no Night Fighting. Apparently the Marines like to launch frontal assaults during the daytime because they are all brash like that.
Tau Warlord Trait: None, since this is Shas'el Sha'draig Drauth's first battle.
Lysander's Warlord Trait: Feel No Pain
Turn 1 Marines
Reserves
The entire Imperial Fists force launches their attack turn 1. The Razorbacks drive up the central road, making directly for the objectives. Their 5 man squads riding inside.
The Devastators disembark, and take cover in a courtyard to cover the advance.
The Land Speeders move 12" up the left flank, threatening the Armoured Interdiction Cadre.
Terminator Assault Squad 1, with Lysander attached, Deep Strikes onto the rooftop of the building on the right side of the road.
Terminator Assault Squad 2 Deep Strikes onto the rooftop of the building to the left of the road.
Terminator Squad 1 Deep Strikes onto the rooftop of the building in the center of the table, left side of the road, right above Commander Shas'el Sha'draig Drauth, leveling their Storm Bolters at him.
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| The Imperial Fists launch their assault. |
Shooting
The Land Speeders fire their Assault Cannons at Hammerhead 2, but can only manage 1 Penetrating Hit, which Immobilizes the tank.
Dread 1, 2 and 3 all fire at Hammerhead 2, but can cause no additional damage.
Razorback 1 fires his Twin Lascannon at Devilfish 2, and it Explodes in a fountain of scorched metal and roasted Fire Warrior, three of which die in the flames. The other 9 survivors pile out of the wreckage and are Pinned.
Razorback 2 fires at Hammerhead 3 to no effect.
Razorback 3 fires at the Riptide, but the shot is deflected by the suit's energy shield.
Razorback 4 also targets the Riptide, and his shot scorches a hole in the suit's armour for a wound.
Devastators ready their Plasma Cannons for next turn.
The Terminator Squad fires their Storm Bolters at Shas'el Sha'draig Drauth, and 1 bolter shell manages to find a chink in the Iridium armour.
Assault
None, as everything came out of Reserves this turn.
Turn 1 Tau
Move
The Tau maneuver so as to allow fire team groupings for their +1 BS bonus when 3 or more units group up.
The Piranhas try to put some distance between themselves and Terminator Asault Squad 1 and Lysander.
Strike Teams 1 and 3 both disembark and take up firing positions.
Shooting
Longstrike, Riptide and Pathfinders group up and all fire at the Devastators. The Sergeant and 3 Devastators are killed, their Razorback takes a Glance and the sole survivor fails his Leadership and runs off the board. [First Blood]
The Piranhas, Strike Team 1, Strike Team 2 and Devilfish1 group up and fire at Assault Terminator Squad 1 and Lysander. Lysander can do nothing as he watches his bodyguards get mowed down before him, each suit suffering at least two fatal wounds.
Commander Shas'el Sha'draig Drauth, Strike Team 3 and Devilfish 3 group up to engage Terminator Squad 1, and the massed fire power is again more than sufficient to wipe out the 5 man unit.
The Armoured Interdiction Cadre targets Terminator Assault Squad 2 and kill three with rail gun, one more with massed Smart Missile Sytem fire, leaving just the Sergeant standing amidst the carnage of his shattered squad.
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| Tau left flank. |
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| Tau right flank. 14 of 16 Terminators are dead already. |
Assault
None. This is the Tau turn, remember?
Imperial Fists: 0 Tau: 1 (First Blood)
Turn 2 Imperial Fists
Move
The Imperial Fists keep doggedly advancing, their only goal reaching their assigned objectives.
The Land Speeders, Dreads and Razorbacks all advance 6".
Lysander moves off the rooftop and into position to assault Strike Team 1.
The surviving Sergeant from Terminator Assault Squad 2 moves into position to charge the nerest Hammerhead from the Armoured Interdiction Cadre.
Shooting
Dreads 1 and 2 both target Hammerhead 2, but can't defeat the front armour.
Dread 3 fires at Hammerhead 3, and scores a Glance.
Razorbacks 1, 2, 3 and 4 all fire at the Riptide, but only strip 2 wounds off the giant suit.
Assault
The lone Terminator Assault Sergeant charges Hammerhead 1 and smashes the Smart Missile System and two Hull Points off the tank, but it is still operational.
Lysander declares a charge on Strike Team 1, and then takes Overwatch from Longstrikes Hammerhead (wounding once), the Riptide (wounding 3 times), Strike Team 2 (Pinned but wounding 3 times), the Pathfinders (wounding 4 times) and Strike Team 1 themselves, who fail to wound at all. From that massed firepower, Lysander fails one Invul save, and 3 Armour saves, and topples to the street, his armoured gauntlet still trying to reach out and grasp the closest Fire Warrior, who steps back and fires another burst into his prostrate form. [Tau: Slay the Warlord]
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| The severely depleted forces of the Imperial Fists struggle into the storm of fire power that is a Tau Hunter Contingent. |
Imperial Fists: 0 Tau: 2 (First Blood, Slay the Warlord)
Turn 2 Tau
Regroup
Strike Team 2 Regroups, and moves 3" to the corner of the courtyard fence.
Move
Strike Team 1 moves towards the objectives.
Longstrike, Riptide and Devilfish 1 advance 6" toward the Imperial Fists side of the battlefield.
The Piranhas move 12" back towards the objectives.
Commander Shas'el Sha'draig Drauth moves to the corner, where his twin Plasma Rifles will be most effective.
Strike Team 3 forms a firing line facing the lone Terminator Assault Sergeant, who raises his shield to protect himself.
Devilfish 3 moves towards the Land Speeders.
Shooting
Strike Teams 2 and 3 fire at Razorback 1, managing only 1 Glance.
Devilfish 1 fires at Razorback 2, also getting one Glance.
The Riptide fires at Razorback 4, immobilizing it, and stripping a Hull Point.
Longstrike directs the fire of his Hammerhead at Razorback 3, immobilizing it and stripping 2 Hull Points.
Commander Shas'el Sha'draig Drauth fires at Razorback 4 trying to strip the last Hull Point, but fails.
Strike Team 3 unloads on the surviving Terminator Sergeant, but he passes 7 armour saves, lowers his shield, and flips the Fire Warriors the bird and a wicked grin of coming retribution.
The Armoured Interdiction Cadre and Devilfish 3 both fire at the Land Speeder Squadron, who Jink, but the Skyray's Networked Markerlights allow everyone to Ignore Cover, and they blow the Land Speeders out of the sky, then shoot the wreckage to pieces, then shoot the pieces some more.
The Pathfinders Markerlight Dread 1, getting 7 hits.
The Piranhas use those Markerlights to fire their own Seeker Missiles, not needing Line of Sight, hitting on 2+ and Ignoring Cover. The barrage of missiles slammed into Dread, scoring one Glance and 2 Pens, knocking it backward and burying themselves deep in the mechanical workings, then exploding, sending multiple miniature mushroom clouds roiling into the sky over the wreckage of the Dread.
Assault
Again, no assaults. Tau, remember? What are you thinking? But Commander Shas'el Sha'draig Drauth does make a Thrust move, as well as the Riptide, both adjusting into better positions for the upcoming Marine turn.
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| End of turn 2. Also, end of the Imperial Fists. |
Imperial Fists: 0 Tau: 2 (First Blood, Slay the Warlord)
Turn 3 Imperial Fists
Move
The Razorbacks that can, all push toward the objective.
Dread 2 and 3 also advance toward the objectives.
Shoot
Razorback 4 fires at the Riptide to no effect.
Razorback 3 fires at Devilfish 1 for no effect.
Razorback 2 fires at the Riptide, causing a wound, leaving it with only one.
Razorback 1 fires at the Riptide, its beam slicing through the armoured pilots' compartment nestled in the torso, killing the pilot by vaporizing him almost instantly.
Dread 2 and 3 both fire at Devilfish 1, Shaking the vehicle and destroying the Burst Cannon, as well as stripping two Hull Points.
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| With damage mounting, the Razorbacks kill the Riptide as they advance toward the objectives. |
Assault
The surviving Terminator Assault Sergeant again attacks Hammerhead 1, auto-hitting because it is immobilized, and rolled snake eyes...yep, needing 2+ on a single dice to Wreck the tank, double ones. It's that kind of game for the Imperial Fists.
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| I just need a 2+ to kill this tank,since I auto-hit...c'mon, man...that's just not fair. |
Imperial Fists: 0 Tau: 2 (First Blood, Slay the Warlord)
Turn 3 Tau
Move
The Tau move into a tight defensive U shaped gauntlet, daring the Marines to try to take the objectives. After the Tau shoot them some more, of course.
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| An Overview of the gauntlet the Marines will have to run to take the objectives. |
Shooting
The Armoured Interdiction Cadre target the Terminator Assault Sergeant, who deflect the three railgun hits with his shield (WHAT!!!) but eventually gets buried under the hail of Smart Missile Systems shots directed his way.
Longstrike Wrecks Razorback 2 with three Pens into the side armour with his Ion Cannon. Tac 2 disembarks. Not Pinned.
The Pathfinders Glance Razorback 1.
Strike Team 1 Glance Razorback 2.
Strike Team 3 Glance and Wreck Razorback 4. (Empty, Devastators ride.)
Commander Shas'el Sha'draig Drauth Glances Razorback 1.
The Piranhas Glance and Wreck Razorback 3. Tac 3 disembarks, not Pinned.
Assault
Commander Shas'el Sha'draig Drauth Thrust moves 10" into cover.
Imperial Fists: 0 Tau: 2 (First Blood, Slay the Warlord)
Turn 4 Imperial Fists
Move
The Imperial Fists infantry get ready to run onto the objectives, and defend them to the last.
Razorback 1 advances 6", and Tac 1 disembarks.
Tac 2 advances 5" through the Dangerous Terrain of their Wrecked Razorback.
Tac 3 advances 6" through the Dangerous Terrain of their Wrecked Razorback.
Dread 2 advances 6", as does Dread 3.
Shooting
Dread 2 fires his Twin Lascannon at Longstrike's Hammerhead, Glancing it.
Dread 3 also fires at Longstrike, Penning and destroying his Smart Missile System.
Tac 1 fires at Strike Team 3, killing 5. The survivors fall back 7" after failing their Leadership.
Tac 2 fires at Strike Team 2, killing 1.
Tac 3 fires at the Pathfinders, killing 2.
Assault
None of the Marines can asault this turn, having disembarked.
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| The meager remnants of the Imperial Fists still striving to reach the first objective. |
Imperial Fists: 0 Tau: 2 (First Blood, Slay the Warlord)
Turn 4 Tau
Regroup
Strike Team 3 Regroups, and moves 3".
Move
The Tau forces advance onto the objectives and pincer the last remnants of the Imperial Fists from both flanks.
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| Tau claim all three objectives, and form firing lines. |
Shooting
Piranhas, Hammerhead 1 and Longstrike group up and target Dread 3, which explodes under multiple Penning strikes.
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| Tau left pincer. |
The Skyray, Hammerhead 2 and Strike Team 2 group up and target Tac 1, killing 4, though the survivor holds his ground.
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| Tau right pincer. |
Pathfinders, Devilfish 1 and Devilfish 3 group up and target Tac 3, wiping them out in an unending barrage of pulse weapon fire.
Strike Team 1 and 2 both fire at Tac 2, wiping them out in the crossfire.
Commander Shas'el Sha'draig Drauth and Hammerhead 3 both fire at Dread 2, with the Commander Glancing the last Hull Point, Wrecking the last real threat to his forcces.
Assault
Commander Shas'el Sha'draig Drauth Thrusts 6" back into cover, ready to finsi off the two remaining Imperial Fist models next turn.
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| Slightly blurry Overview of the massacre. |
Imperial Fists: 0 Tau: 13 (First Blood, Slay Warlord, 3 Obj, Linebreaker, War of Attrition)
Each objective was worth 3 points, and War of Attrition gives a bonus Victory Point to the side that destroyed more points of the enemy's army. Like the Tau needed the help.
Summary
Well, that was one sided. Trying to advance into Tau firepower is always difficult. Next game in this campaign is Angels of Death - Altar of War - Mission 2: Angles of Death. Sucks when GW uses the same words for different things.
Until next time, happy gaming!
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