Death of Summer: Apocalypse 40k part 2

Round 2!

After some nourishing Pizza, all the players shifted boards (and in the Ork's instance, entire sides) and were allowed a bit to tweak or rewrite their lists. After that, the battles could continue!

The recently redeployed Vostroyen Firstborn with Imperial Knight
support takes up the defense of the statue, filling the square with
bodies that the Chaos Forces have to cut through.

But the Chaos have their own Renegade Knight for the attack! The owner
of the statue at the end of the game was worth major victory points, so the
fighting in the city is in deadly earnest.

Its a Xenos fight! With the Orks switching sides (as much as
either alien faction was on anyones team) the desert island becomes
much... louder. I can only imagine the thick tendrils of smoke
promising the greenskins a goodtime, and who knows why the
Dark Elder are involved.

No Stompa this time! But the Dakkajets from before are back.

The Greyknights, following Magnus, take up defenses on the big islands
right flank around the Macrocannon.

The Emperor's Tigers occupy the center around the critical void
shield generator.

Such a pretty tank. It'd be a shame if something... happened to it.

My guardsman again take up positions on the right flank- after
a thorough reloading for the Manticore. 

Another renegade Imperial Knight appears to support the nurgle forces
crossing no man's land towards the Grey Knights.

This time the Chaos forces will find a little more resistance for
taking ground (note a chimera full of Veterans). 

And, facing down the Bastion, Magnus and his minions appear...
just as planned.

Magnus moves, leaping across the battlefield in a warp-charged
blur of motion!

Turn one he breaches the Void Shield's perimeter, and shatters
the Primaris Tank like it was a mere cardboard cutout.

Astoundingly, Magnus is summarily executed by my trio of flamers and
command squad of meltaguns. Four melta shots, four wounds, no saves
18+ wounds, before the flamers finished him off. Promotions and
brain scrubs for everyone!

Veterans and Terminators fight in the blasted forest. The guard manage
to kill three of the bastards with their overcharging plasma guns before
being ripped apart, leaving just a platoon commander behind.

Magnus, having returned to the battlefield due to the rules of the
Apocalypse, decides to take on a different target instead, sweeping
in to beat on the Bastion even as many of his minions surge forwards.

As the guard's position looks like it may be overrun, a haggard enginseer
slaps patches on the bastion to keep it livable, repairing upwards of
six wounds throughout the second half of the battle.

Dreadknight v. Imperial Knight, with Grand Master Voldus and his
Paladins rushing to join the fray.

Things start off alright with a veritable standstill between the
two combatants...

But the terminators jump to their Renegades defense, effectively
tearing the Dreadknight apart.

Elsewhere a Macrocannon hits the desert island, killing Orks and
Dark Eldar by the handful- its almost like the Imperial High Command
didn't take greenskin casualties into account when authorizing the fire
order!

The Vostroyen's, immune to morale tests, form a rapidly constricting
defensive ring as the Chaos forces push in on several sides!

A HQ stratagem (called in by the Chaos forces no less) calls in a strafing
run on the center of the square, killing many guardsman- but taking
out more than a few Chaos Marines and the Renegade Knight in
the process!

Forgotten by the terminators hungering for bigger glory, the lone
platoon commander hunkers down in the ruined Rhino, quietly
feeding the Imperium points from his forward observational
position. Cowardice or Bravery? Its for the Commissariat to tell.

The Deathwatch, having dropped in  a drop pod, surge forwards
to kill the Fate Weaver! Unfortunately they meet his revenge when
he renters play once again at the beginning of the chaos turn.

The leftmost 2x2 zone on the desert island in the process of being obliterated
by an Imperial Orbital Strike, annihilating all troops (Dark Elder), terrain, and
the objective in a holocaust of super powered energy- effectively robbing
the Dark Elder their speed advantage. 

Ork heavy v. Wraith Knight over the final pump. This vital source
of victory points is critical for the Imperium!

Turnabout is fair play! With the Deathwatch re-entering play, they
deploy on the hill and wipe out the Daemon holding it,

The Hill is ours!

Points going into the final round- sadly no one had enough
stratagem points to call in an Exterminatus level event at the
last minute.

All over the map the Imperial Defenders surge forwards to capture as much
terrain as possible, claiming the majority of the board for the Imperium just
in time for final scoring !

Even with Imperium Victories on both the Void Shield Island and Fuel Island, the Chaos forces held a three point lead at the end of the game. It all came down to whether the last few Vostroyen's could hold in the city. The last dice were rolled, the points were tabulated and sure enough- the Firstborn held the line! Holding the statue at the end of the game was enough to push our side to a full on Imperial Victory!

It was a long bloody day, but Drenthal, at least this one small warzone upon it, was safely in Imperial hands. For the Emperor!

Many thanks to Chris Ormando for opening his store to so many players for free to play in the big game! We hope to be back again soon. I know for a fact I have more than a few more things to paint before the Konor campaign ends....

Death of Summer: Apocalypse 40k pt. 1

Deadly fight over Drenthal!

A critical series of islands in the western hemisphere have been consumed in the firestorm of war. A combined force of Chaos and Xenos strike out at the entire archipelago, looking to pushing the Imperium troops into the sea once and for all.

My combined force of Deathwatch and Imperial Guard muster together to help hold the line at the Tactical Advantage Game Store in Kingston. Any mistakes I make in the narrative can be blamed on faulty vox chatter and the fog of war!

The largest island, and the lynchpin of the Imperial Defense in the region. This
battlefield, where I was stationed all day, held an Imperial Bastion, a Heavy Void
Shield Generator in the center and...

The Aquila Heavy Macro-Cannon, capable of firing on the other islands! Terrain
pieces (representing 'taking no man's land' ) make up the main objectives here as
both sides try not to give up too much ground.

A stark juxtaposition with the other island, this barren wind-swept hunk of rock
is a vital source of local Promethium. The two pumps on either end of the table
hold vital fuel, and controlling them provides points towards both victory and
global HQ stratagems.

Finally the last battleground is the largest city in the area. Standing tall in the center
of the battlefield is a towering statue of an Imperial Martyr. While still standing it provides
immunity to morale damage to Imperial Forces on the table. Chaos seeks to desecrate it.

The score board and available custom HQ stratagems!

My forces-  Guardsman, Armor, Artillery, and a contingent of Deathwatch!

The Ork Stompa with air and kustom force field support, as well as part
of the Vostroyen Guard Regiment.

A Space Marine Army- a custom chapter, related to the Ultramarines. I believe
they're the 'Emperor's Tiger's ' though I could be getting that name wrong.

Filthy Dark Eldar and Orks joining forces with Chaos to assault
the Imperium's position. 

If you really close, you can see a Master of Ordnance sitting tucked between
the Basilisk and Manticore, doing nothing for most of the game as I forget the
+1 bonus she gives to long distance targets.

A long few of the two deployment zones. I did not want to be the guardsman
stationed around that Macrocannon.

Hidden behind a bubble of 3+ void shield, Tanks and Vostroyan Infantry
deploy to hold the line as best as they can manage.

As the game went on, the Ork Stompa would focus in on the Macrocannon, the
Flya's tearing up targets in the open while the chaos troops keep their eye
on the ball and capture as many terrain bases as possible.

Next door the appropriately colored marines fight a deep-strike heavy
Nurgle themed army over the  valuable fuel points. 

A close up look at some of the antiquated gear (ie- classic models) used
by the space marines.

The servant's of the Changer of Ways led by Magnus himself sets up to
defile the great statue...

... but the Greyknights are here in force to protect it!

They have their work cut out for them, as Magnus is pretty (amazingly)
strong, especially backed up by the Fateweaver. 

Loooots and lots of smite.

Because of their 'Objective Secured' the Sons of Titan will hold their
ground to the last man!

One thin building between the horde and the knights.

Special shout out to the Nurgle Raptors and Chaso Lord I painted- with a
 base coated Sorcerer giving that sweet extra movement.

A closer look at the Macro-cannon's garrison (and my Chimera full of Meltaguns
and flamers) as the game began.

The Wraithknight wasted no time making a beeline for the Void Shield
Generator. Once inside the bubble, it'd be as difficult to deal with as our
own forces!

Stompa on the right flank trundles forwards, spitting literally
an armies worth of shots every round- not that the planes are any
slouches either!

CRASH. The Wraithknight smashes through the Void Shield and a unit of
Firstborn, with his Dark Elder cronies sailing close behind.

My Corvus blows a Raider into bits, getting ready to dispense his
payload of Deathwatch marines. 

Our Orc player, going through the entire page of weapons his vehicles
have to tear at our defenses. 

BOOM. Even with a 3+ Void Shield swathes of guardsman on the battlements
and the sentinels go down even as the tricksy Chaos pour across the objectives.

On the fuel island the Chaos prove how fast they can be, using their deep strikes
and jump packs to snatch the objectives before the slower
Space Marine player can contest them.

In the city, Magnus tears the Greyknight Venerable Dreadnought
apart with raw psychic energy (and a very large staff).

Just as it seems that Chaos has the upper hand, reinforcements arrive! 

You can see here, standing with his back to the statue and facing down a
daemon, a lone Greyknight with objective secured keeps Magnus from
defiling the objective long enough for the rest of the force to get stuck in.

Magnus, of course, is up to the challenge. 

Most of the fighting is centralized around the center of the board with the Greyknight
penchant for deep striking and the speed of the Daemon units.

The Stompa decides the Chimera annoys him. He deletes it, with prejudice.

Losing a pair of guardsman to the explosion, the rest file out- four melta guns,
three flamers, and a platoon commander! Surely they'll deal some damage to the
giant death robot! (They don't.).

The first macro-cannon round hits another table, turning several Chaos
Terminators into fine red paste (including their HQ), and damaging the
Fuel pump badly enough that it ceases providing points for this half of the day.

The Wraithknight clears the Void Shield generator of defenders...
just as a coterie of Imperial Knights enter the fray- including
one near enough to potentially intercept the thing.

The Firstborn's Officer of the Fleet, surveying the field from his
tower in the far left bastion. Don't worry, he kills a few chaos with
a strafing run at some point.

Concentrated fire from the Leman Russes and the Imperial Knight
drops the first Wraith Knight... only for another to arrive, with  a
Brass and Red engine not far behind.

My Deathwatch, released from the Corvus (and after wiping out a squad
of Dark Eldar) shoot out of cover at the Wraithknight and Lord of Skulls-
not quite willing to charge either just yet.

The space marine gun line slowly moves forwards, using a global HQ
stratagem to force the Chaos players entire force to return to his own
deployment zone!

In the city the Dreadknight and Paladins fight tooth and nail with
Magnus, just trying to keep him busy while the rest of  the Grey
Knights busy themselves with keeping the statue clear.

With mixed results. Though, luckily, Space Wolves hear the call for
aid and drop in to add much needed bodies to the Imperial side. 

Speaking of drop pods, mine has arrived! Releasing more (mostly bolter wielding)
Deathwatch accompanied by a Watch Master, they arrived and killed several
Chaos marines and an Ork Mek giving the Stompa a 5+ invulnerable save- and are now
slowly surrounded by heretic scum.

One Imperial Knight's rush forwards to defend the Macrocannon but is
easily defeated by the larger Ork vehicle. 

With no other option, the macro-cannon turns its super powered gun and fires-
killing everything in that corner of the board. Stompa, guardsman, chaos marines-
everything except for the gun, which was saved by its own void shield. 

Elsewhere my Corvus does its best to dogfight with the pair of
Ork flyers- finding itself very damaged in the ensuing aerial melee.

Both meltaguns and frag cannons fire into the rear of the monstrosity
but bad rolling see's only a handful of wounds taken away- once again,
the marines decide to 'hold the objective' rather than charge into near
certain death. 

One Imperial Knight gets ready to face down against the Lord of
Skulls, gunning down Dark Eldar as he waits...

... While the other fights a losing battle against the full health Wraith Knight!

And just as the next Stompa arrives, the store owner calls out a cessation
of hostilities! The first half of the event is over!

Pizza and relief- that's what we felt. That Stompa faced little to no resistance on this edge of the board, even less than his previous target, and if given the chance to assault the bastion he would have certainly broken through... but it was not to be.

The second half of the day involved shaking up tables (except for myself, who stayed fighting on the large green table) and redeploying our forces as if it was a different day in the fighting. Due to an imbalance in players, one of the Xenos players switched sides at this point. The Orks decided they wanted some pointy ear teef apparently...

The score at the end of round one showed the Chaos forces ahead by five points! Dark times for the Imperium...