Battle Report: The testing at Qultar

The acrid, toxin laden air assaulted Aveinus' senses as he descended the stormbirds landing ramp. Taking in his surroundings Qultar the home world of the traitorous Puroti looked little different to the industrious Forge Worlds of the Mechanicum. A thick smog hung in the air as dust particles swirled around him in the ruins of the cities outer defences. A punishing bombardment from the iron fleets of two legions in orbit had seen this destruction wrought upon the surrounding area, with the odd mindless servitors still attempting to carry out their menial tasks for their masters amongst the rubble. A sharp crack to his left brought his attention back to the task at hand as Maximin crushed the bionic head of a helpless servitor beneath his boot. It was to be his first battle as a captain and he had no doubt that the Gorgon's meticulous attention would be fixed upon this stage of his campaign. He smirked as he thought of how he could proclaim this to be a glorious day in the field of battle with all the pomp and pageantry of the emperors children, but he knew strong words and strong actions were to be the corner stone of his captaincy. 

His helmet vox crackled 'Captain, permission to speak freely?' Came the voice of Maximin. 

'You know there is no need to ask that sergeant' replied Aveinus. 

'Well I'm afraid that crushing that servitors head, did not make me feel any better about our current strength of arms' said Maximin. Aveinus had shared his friends concerns since receiving his orders from Ferrus. Even with the help of the Iron warriors their forces seemed dangerously under strength for pushing into a heavily defended capital city. He had to admit it did not add up. Surely drop pods or deep strikes into the heart of the city much like the tactics of the Luna Wolves would carry the day with legion steel and melta breaking open Kuskar tanks. Or maybe this was a test of his captaincy? His gut feeling however, was that Ferrus had some greater scheme in place for crushing the Purokar forces present and he and his men were just pawns in the beginnings of a cruel war. 

He sighed 'we have our orders sergeant, just watch your back and use the cover wisely' replied Aveinus. 

As Maximins reply came over the vox they were drowned out by the sound of explosions. Shells from a medusa to be exact. 

'Maybe I won't be using the cover' cursed Maximin as the Iron hands pushed further into the city. 

Forces:

Iron Hands

 

Centurion Aveinus Kaane: artificer armour; power weapon 

Spearhead-Centurion Castrmen Orth 

 

10 Tactical Space Marines: Tactical Sergeant (power fist); 9 Tactical Space Marines 

10 Tactical Space Marines: Tactical Sergeant (power fist); 9 Tactical Space Marines 

5 Tactical Support Marines: Tactical Support Sergeant; 4 Tactical Support Marines; plasma guns 

5 Gorgon Terminators: Gorgon Hammerbearer; 4 Gorgon Terminators 

10 Medusan Immortals: Veteran Sergeant (power fist); 9 Medusan Immortals; 7 × volkite charger; 2 × meltagun 

Contemptor Dreadnought Talon

• Contemptor Dreadnought: Kheres pattern assault cannon 

Predator Strike Squadron

• Predator: lascannon sponsons; dozer blade; machine spirit 

• Predator: lascannon sponsons; dozer blade; machine spirit 

• Predator: heavy conversion beamer; lascannon sponsons; dozer blade; machine spirit 

Land Raider Battle Squadron

• Land Raider Proteus: dozer blade; multi-melta 200

2,000 points

 

Iron Warriors:

Delegatus: artificer armour; bolt pistol; thunder hammer; refractor field

4 Tactical Support Marines: meltaguns; + 1 Tactical Support Sergeant
19 Tactical Space Marines: + 1 Tactical Sergeant (artificer armour; combi-weapon; melta bombs)
4 Tactical Support Marines: rotor cannons; + 1 Tactical Support Sergeant (melta bombs)
9 Tactical Space Marines: + 1 Tactical Sergeant (artificer armour; power fist)

Artillery Tank Squadron
• Basilisk: extra armour
• Basilisk: extra armour
• Basilisk: extra armour
4 Heavy Support Marines: volkite culverins; hardened armour; + 1 Heavy Support Sergeant

1,500 points

VS

 

Purokar League (Solar Auxilia and Mecahnicum)

 

Tank Commander (used as compulsory HQ for Campaign)

Auxilia Infantry Tercio
• Lasrifle Section: + 1 Troop Master (laspistol; melta bombs);
+ 1 Vexilla Bearer;
+ 1 Vox Operator
• Veletaris Storm Section: nuncio-vox; + 1 Prime (melta bombs)
• Flamer Section: + 1 Sergeant (melta bombs)
Auxilia Infantry Tercio
• Lasrifle Section: + 1 Sergeant;
+ 1 Vexilla Bearer;
+ 1 Vox Operator
• Dracosan Armoured Transport: flare shield; armoured ceramite; heavy flamer; extra armour

3 Ogryn Charonites

Leman Russ Strike Squadron
• Leman Russ Battle Tank: lascannon; multi-laser; extra armour
• Leman Russ Exterminator: lascannon; armoured ceramite; heavy flamer; extra armour
• Leman Russ Vanquisher: lascannon; armoured ceramite; heavy flamer; extra armour

Artillery Tank Battery
• Basilisk: multi-laser; extra armour
Artillery Tank Battery
• Medusa: multi-laser; extra armour

Magos Dominus: volkite serpenta; augury scanner; cyber-familiar; photon thruster

3 Thallax: melta bombs
• Triaros Armoured Conveyor: extra armour; Blessed Autosimulacra
3 Thallax: melta bombs
3 Thallax: melta bombs

3 Ursarax
3 Vorax Class Battle-automata: irad cleanser; frag grenades; enhanced targeting array

1 Thanatar Class Siege-automata: enhanced targeting array
Krios Battle Tank Squadron
• Krios Battle Tank: extra armour

3,500 points

 

Deployment.

 

 

 

Legion turn 1. 

The iron hands and iron warriors advance through the rubble of the capital city of Gutash. 

 

The Volkite Calivers and Rotor cannon squads began to fire their weaponry over where the Kuskar steel guard are sheltering. The shroud bombardment render their accuracy woefully ineffective though.

 

The tactical support squad target the Ogryn but their shots are too ineffective. 

 

  

The armour have a little more luck as the combination of shots from the Basilisk squadron and Predator squadron manage to strip two hull points off of the Leman Russ Vanquisher command tank as well as taking a hull point and immobilising the Basilisk. 

 

The Land Raider fires at the Medusa but cover saves are made. At the same time, the Contemptor fires at the Ogryn, but the shroud keeps them from harm. 

 

The Iron Hands run and secure objective 1. 

Legion claim 1 VP and discard claim objective 6. 

Purokar League turn 1. 

The Iron Hand's warlord trait pins the Charonite Ogryn in place as they receive conflicting commands. 

 

The Basilisk fires at the Iron Hand Immortals, but unfortunately only manages to kill 1 

 

The Kuskar Steel Guard in the ruins fire at the Iron Warrior Meltagun squad and down three of them, before the Thanatar splits his fire and kills the last two with Mauler Boltgun and destroys an Iron Warrior Basilisk with the Plasma Mortar. 

 

The Krios shoots it's Lightning cannon at the tower where the Iron Warrior Heavy support squad is shooting from and flays a Legionaire to blackened bones. 

 

The Triaros fires it's Volkite Sentinels and Mauler bolt cannon and kills 4 Iron Warriors. 

 

The Medusa fires at the Land Raider carrying the Gorgons and totally destroys it. The resulting explosion kills 2 Plasma gun Tactical Support Legionnaires, but the Gorgons shrug the damage off and prepare to advance. 

 

The Gorgons receive a hammering from the Leman Russ a minute later and one falls. 

 

Purokar League claim Ascension (2) and Scorch the Earth (3). 

Legion turn 2.

The Iron Warriors make the most of their Warlord trait and deep strike behind enemy lines. The rest of the Legion forces advance.  

 

The Basilisks and Tactical Legionaires fire at the Kuskar in the tower and kill 9 of the Auxilaries. 

 

The Contemptor Dreadnought and tactical squad fire at the Charonite but fail to harm. 

 

The Volkite Heavy support squad fire at the Steel Guard and kill 7. 

 

Two Iron Hand Predators fire at the Leman Russ squadron but fail to damage. The Heavy Conversion Beamer kills a Thallax and single Auxilary too. 

 

Rotor Cannon squad charge Krios with Melta-bombs and take 2 hull points and immobilise it. 

Legion claims 0 pts and discard Swift as death card. 

Purokar League turn 2. 

Thanatar glances and shakes a basilisk with it's Plasma Mortar. 

 

The Leman Russ Incinerator fires at the Rotor Cannon squad and kills two Legionaires as they finish their assault on the Krios. The Steel Guard in the nearby building try to help but their Lasrifles are ineffective. The Thallax also have a bash but also fail to wound. 

 

The Triaros fires at Lorencz Kohler's squad and lay low 3 sons of Olympia. 

 

The Vorax and Ursurax battle Automata fire at the Medusan Immortals and kill a single Legionaire. 

 

The Leman Russ squadron fire at the Iron Hand tactical squad and Contemptor killing 4 Legionaires and leaving a single hull point on the Dreadnought as well as just one Kheres. Basilisk fires and destroys the last of the Plasma gun squad, as the Flamer section advances.

 

The Ursurax charge the Medusan Immortals. Aveinus Kaane charges through his brothers and dismembers an undamaged Ursurax with a flurry of blades, the remaining two shred 5 of the Immortals. 

 

Game called. Purokar League Victory

The battle had gone exactly as he and Maximin had feared, the intial fire from the Iron hand predators and Iron Warrior Basilisks had failed to destroy the Kuskar tanks. The dense cover had taken the brunt of their fire power and now the enemy was pushing towards their position under the covering fire of a Kuskar Medusa.
"Sergeant does your squad have eyes on that damned Medusa?” Voxed Aveinus.
“Negative captain and neither does squad Castinus, it’s in heavy cover but we can’t get close enough to neutralise it” replied Maximin. The medusa was punishing them and their tactics, the smouldering wreck of a land raider to his left was testament to that. They had to push on and close the distance to the Kuskar lines. However, the order to push forwards had not even passed his lips when two Puroti units appeared on his right flank. Hulking insectoid creatures appeared from a cloud of dust kicked up by the sprinting forms of what were known to the imperium as Ursurax. A split second later he was ordering the Iron Hands around him to open fire.
“Take them down before they reach us!” Storm bolters, Volkites and melta guns were fired in an instant, the aim of the Iron Hands faultering amidst the rapid assault of the Ursurax. The monstrously quick and powerful machines were amongst them a second later, their bulk smashing Meduson Immortals to the ground whilst crackling power claws swung through the air in deadly automated killing strokes. To his left brother Konus blocked a darting right claw with his shield only to have the left claw cleave into his midriff. Cabling and blood coated the ground as Aveinus looked on helplessly. Whilst to his right brother Iaxxor fought with one arm remaining, his bionic right arm sheared off a second earlier and now his only option was his shield. Iaxxor blocked a punishing right hook with the shield, his timing perfect he robbed the punch of its power as it glanced off to his left. In the same movement he stepped forward using the machines forward momentum and his own to land an almighty head butt that Ferrus himself would have roared his approval at. The face plate of the ursurax caved in as it stumbled backwards, its arms seemingly limp after the traumatic impact. Aveinus saw his opportunity and dived towards the machine, rolling forwards he came up with his sword angled upwards and aimed into the machines thorax between its armour plating. His blade struck home hitting its central power system and with a grunt of effort Aveinus twisted the blade and the machines artificial life force was extinguished. Pulling his sword free, he turned back to Iaxxor. The flesh spare legionary was now on his knees with an Ursurax retrieving its simmering power claw from his back. With a roar of anger Aveinus sprang towards the machine, rolling under its left claw as it swung over him. As he came to his feet again he raked his power sword across the machines back. Cabling underneath its jetpack ruptured but its armour held and it turned with such speed it made Aveinus recoil. He blocked a backhand from the machines right claw as it turned back towards him with his sword, sparks flew into his faceplate as he managed to back away. He needed to end this now as he knew he could not match the machines strength. As if sensing his hesitation the machine came at him again, he used his agility and darted to his right at the last possible moment. The machines predictable swing with its left claw allowed him the second he needed to plunge his sword into its vulnerable flank. Oil erupted as the ursurax dropped to one knee before toppling forward into the Puroti dirt.
Aveinus let out a pent up breath as his vox feed crackled into life. “Kaane, do you read me?” came the voice of Ferrus Manus.
“Yes my lord” replied Aveinus startled by his fathers voice. “Pull your company back, the Iron Warriors too, you’ve achieved your objective. I shall take it from here"

Aveinus Kaane & Drake Seta 

vs 

Kaelo Rylanus & Castiel Druas