Dawn breaks... Battle XI

Shas'O Tyrnax had been warned that Necrons were in the area - as a result, he took the precaution of deploying heavier combat units in partols around key sensor and defence assets.

Thus it was that in the dark gloom of pre-dawn, the BlackSun filtered view of a combat patrol detected the dreaded metallic glint of ancient, slow moving and menacingly purposeful bodies of a Necron force.


Wilkinson: H'Rus Expeditionary Force (Tau)
Nandoo: Necron
Result: Tau victory

Game X: Jail Break part 2

Game Type: Breakthrough
Factions:
- Wilkinson H'Russ Sept Codex: Tau Empire 1750pts
- Nandoo, Codex: Imperial Guard: CCCLIIVostroyan First born 1750pts

Result: Draw.

Game IX Jailbreak : Part 1, breaking in...

The Vostroian gate guard were sheltering behind their Aegis shields for whatever comfort they could get. The picket forces that were patrolling the crater-pocked fire lanes were not even allowed the shelter of their transports. The senior officers were, of course, snug inside the gate bastion.

The howling wind and sheets of rain hid the first signs of the attack - the troops new nothing was amiss until two massive eruptions decimated the picket patrols. A third detonation boomed, hurting no-one, but being a far more effective alarm than the claxons that started to wail along the line. Even as Guardsmen were hurriedly donning kit and preparing themselves, Tau units appeared right in front of the line.

Crisis suits, a Broadside, Devilfish transport and two Piranha's announced their presence with fusion blasters, missile, plasma rifles, railguns and burst cannons. A unit of Kroot mercenaries even materialised in a crater, whilst an unfortunate Stealth team were trapped in the slick mud and slid off the battlefield.

Thus started the Tau's attempt to disrupt the plans of the Vostroian Lord Commissar and his puppet Governor - execution of the Cadian bodyguard of the incumbent, rival, Planetary Governor. If the Tau could break in to the prison and effect a rescue, the hardy troops would make valuable allies...

Game V:Rise of the Necrons

Malvairn heights - Praxedes IV 109.747.M41

'The mound of cold eyes. This monument had existed before humanity had even got out of the trees on Terra. When the expeditionary forces had reoccupied this world the imperial archeologist's sent too investigate the site had never come back. In the years to go by, children where told too be good or the cold eyes would get them....how true that would eventually be.'

Situation:

The landing of the siege rounds had awoken the Necrons. The sudden emanation of power was detected by both the Imperial Guard and Tau. Armoured patrols were sent out too investigate. Upon sighting the emergence of Necrons from the mound of cold eyes, both patrols agreed a temporary truce in order to join forces and repel this greater threat.

Game Type: Annihilation
Factions:
- Wilkinson H'Russ Sept Codex: Tau Empire 750pts
- Nandoo, Codex: Necrons, 1500pts
- Harris 291st Death Korps of Krieg; Codex: Imperial Guard 750pts
Result: Necron Victory.

Deployment: IG and Tau were deployed in the the corners of the table, the the kroot infiltrating into the wood line ahead. Necrons would deepstrike within 12" of the mound of cold eyes which was centered on the opposite side.

THE FIGHT BEGINS

IG and Tau push forward in order to close distance with the Necrons.

The first to emerge from dormancy are the Destroyers who take a couple of shots at the visible IG. Unfortunately the shots are stopped by the cover of the trees. The Tau and IG push forward and disembark troops. The Tau on the left of the Necrons create a gun line ready for anymore Necrons to appear from the mound.



The Tau on the left of the Necrons create a gun line ready for anymore Necrons to appear from the mound.

Meanwhile the IG Krieg forces push forward into the treeline in order to get some cover and setup the heavy weapons.

The Tau watch as the IG fire, as their own weapons are out of range to help. The troops find that they are out of range to be effective, but the master of ordnance finds his mark and wipes out the destroyers. There is a roar of elation from both the guard and Tau see the Necron destroyers blown apart from the ordnance shell. This is quickly changed to screams of orders to take cover, as a not one, but two Necron Lords appear with twenty Necron warriors from the ground just meters from the Tau gunline.

A stream of Gauss flux arcs sweep across Tau gunline from both units of Necron warriors, shredding firewarriors from both units. The Kroot hidden in the woods watch closely and line up their rifles against the metal skeletons. A burst of fire from the woods knocks over two of the Necron warriors, but many shots just bounce off their metal skin.

The Tau commander pushes forward and rallies his troops who also fire on both squads of Necrons, dropping a few more. The IG who have been slowly pushing forward, add multi-laser and heavy stubber to the Tau fire which just bounces off the Necrons as well. The master of ordnance's shot misses the mark, and lands between the two squads of Necrons.

A guardsmen points at the sand and shouts to his sergeant as two Necron heavy destroyers emerge amongst the IG.

Both Necron Lords push forward towards the Tau line and this time rapid-fire at the Tau Fire warriors. Flaying armour and flesh from bone.


In the face of the approaching Necrons, the Tau fired everything they had at them. Many Necrons fell from the fussilade of fire. The Necron Lord raised his resurrection orb which radiated an errie green glow. The fallen Necron warriors rose again, reattaching broken limbs and picking up their weapons.

The Necron Lord with the destroyer body detached from his warriors and headed towards the Imperial Guard. The other Lord headed towards the Tau line that was no faltering, even with the Tau commanders presence.

Both Necron warriors squads crashed into the Tau warriors on their left and right flanks. The outcome was as expected with the Tau warriors having no chance. Fire warriors were ripped to pieces or scattered into the wilderness, screaming.

The IG on the left flank did not notice the slaughter of the Tau Fire Warriors as they had their own problems to deal with, as the the two necron detroyers and the Lord started to advance.

Campain Progress: After Game 8

No Game last night, Two of the old men who do this campaign were ill or recovering from surgery, so we did somthing slighly lower impact. During the course of this lower impact activity, we go to talking about the results so far and someone made the point that the Tau were winning ands down. So I thought it was time I brought the campaign results up to scratch. So here they are:
The Game Table:

Summary Chart:

So the Tau Empire have gained the upper hand on Praxedes IV, championed mainly by Blizzard Wolf and his H'rus Sept faction.

  Its a long way to go until the planet is finally liberated however, and with the Rise of the Necrons and the roumours of Eldar intervention against their Ancient foe, anything is possible!

Game VIII - Assault on Outpost Theta 220 from the Death Korps

I lost the toss and was given the attackers role. Looking at the secenario, I decided to change up my usual list:

• 5 Man Grenadier teams would use Storm Trooper rules
• All Chimeras were dropped from the list
• Leman Russ (Jagd Russ) would be replaced by a Vendetta
• Bane wolves would be un-squadroned

HQ:
As everything could deep strike I was not going to need Creed - (Kurtz), who is usually there to get the Banewolves outflanking.  So out he went to make way for Iron Hand Stracken (Colonel Stahlin).  This was going to be a short range assault, making him the obvious choice to lead the 5th Company assault.The was teamed up with a Lascannon  (Hind sight - Bad choice); Astropath; Master of the Fleet and Forward Observer (Master of Ordinance); and a body gaurd (I had 15 pts spare).

Elites:
Anything that could Deep Strike Normally was allowed to Assault out of deep strike, so out went the ususal Veteran Grenadiers, in came the Storm trooper Grenadiers.  In hindsight I probably should have kept the Veteran Grenadiers, less points per man for basically the same load out, and I didn't end up using the assault option anyway.

Also keeping with the deep strike -Assault, I used Marbo (Watchmaster Steiner).  Again being un used to the combo, he deployed by deep strike, too far away to affect anything.  Then ran about the board only getting into a combat in turn 4 whereuppon he killed 4 kroot and promptly died in the counter attacks.  Bit of a disapointment.  My bad though not the rules.

Troops:
Two units of Grenadiers Veterans remauined in the lis, they lost their ususal chimera rides and deployed by deep strike instead.  They got to keep their lascannons and in addition were given Demo charges, with woked a treat late game, murdering a Squad of fire warriors who had just tumbled out of a wrecked transport, and half a dozen kroot.

 Fast Attack:

Three single unit squadrons of Bane Wolves - These could be deployed by deep strike so I didnt need Creed (Kurtz) to out flank them.  The roster aloowed up to 6 fast attack so out went the hated squadroning and they were deployed as individual units.  Unfortunately for me two were imobilised in the inevidable face off with the broadsides (who died! muahhahahaha!) and one threw a track on a crater as it entered the board!  They were ignored the rest of the game, even though the Multimeltas kept up a punisjhing fire on the Tau vehicles.


Vendetta:  I forsee many more of these things in my fututre.  They rock pure and simple.  One soaked up most of the Taus anti tank fire for te game while destroying two tanks and purging a unit of firewarriors! Fear the Vendetta!

Heavy Support:
None!






Game Play:
The Game was great fun, it see-sawed back and forth on almost a turn by turn basis.  First turn saw the Bastion's void shield poped, then The Bastion itself was destroyed, followed by most of the Tau vehicles deployed., surely leaving rhe Imperium ascendant  Then the Bane wolves were immoblised, leaving the Tau looking in a good position. 

Guardsmen started dying in droves, then Tau, then more Tau vehicles poped by Meltas and Multimeltas.
Colonel Stahlin and his HQ made it into the crater and took a charge from the Kroot.  It looked all over for the Tau with an Imperial win, but in an impressive (and throughly Wilkinson like) set of dice rolls a single Kroot was left in the crater and a dice roll ended the Game.  One more turn and theTau troop choices and HQ,s would have been exterminated or at least held out of the crated by Assaults.  Overall a Very fun game! and a Win for tyhe Tau, Leaving Billzard Wolf (Tau) in the lead on 3 VPs for the campaign with one each for Death Jester (Necrons) and CommissarHarris (291st Death Korps of Krieg.

Game VIII - Assault on Outpost Theta 220

With the emergence of the Necrons and forces being mobilised to push them back, opportunities for both sides to use this to their advantage have arisen.

MISSION
Seize and Destroy:

Attacker Overview:

A comms outpost has been left almost defenceless due to the threat of the Necrons. Your surprise attack may have bought you enough time to destroy the outpost and sever the comms lines below.

Defender Overview:

If the invading force destroy the underground comms cables, it could spell disaster for this sector of the line! You must engage the enemy with everything you have. Reinforcements are on there way to help.

Points: 1750

Special Rules:

DEFENDER

Outpost is situated in middle of the board. Defender sets up terrain too their liking.

Garrison:

Half the force is deployed anywhere on table. The rest is in reserve and will appears on defender long table edge apart from units that can usually outflank or deep strike. The reserve roll for deployment is (Turn 1: 4+, Turn 2: 3+, Turn 3: 2+, Turn 4: Automatic).

Fortified:

The outpost has Armour 14 all round, one infantry unit of any size.

The outpost has a single void shield (treated as Armour:12, destroyed on first glancing or penetrating hit).

It is protected by four automated heavy bolter bastions which will fire at the beginning of each defenders shooting phase at the nearest target in sight (BS 2). If held by attacker, the bastions guns will not work as they have been switched off.

In addition the outpost is protected by either:
Quad Gun (Range:48", Str:7, AP:4, Heavy 4 Twin-Linked Interceptor) or a Icarus Lascannon (Range:96, Str:9, AP:2, Heavy 1 Interceptor)

Interceptor: Treated as artillery piece with armour 10 (destroyed on first glancing or penetrating hit). Automated weapon system, may fire in the beginning of the defenders shooting phase. May fire at the end the attackers movement phase (If so, then can not shoot next turn).

Defence Lines:

Shield sections that provide 4+ cover to the front, +2 cover if unit goes to ground.


ATTACKER

All models are in reserve and can deep strike (units which already have the deepstrike rule, can also assault in the turn they arrive). The reserve roll for deployment is (Turn 1: 3+, Turn 2: 2+, Turn 3: Automatic).

Before beginning of game roll D3, and receive that number of preliminary bombardments (Str 9, AP 3). These fall before turn one and can scatter upto 2D6" if not a hit on scatter dice. No morale checks are taken for defender casualties. If the round hits open ground the attacker may place a crater if they want too (4+ cover save; area terrain). Void shield are immune to the preliminary bombardment.

Game Length:

As per standard games.

Victory Conditions:

Attacker wins if they have the the only non-vehicle model in base contact with the outpost (or crater if outpost destroyed) by end of game. They have positioned enough explosives to sever the line.

Any other result is a defender win.

Force Composition
Attacker

Compulsory 1 HQ

Optional 2 HQ, 6 Troops, 6 Elites, 6 Fast Attack, 3 Heavy Support

Defender

Compulsory 1 HQ, 2 Troops

Optional 2 HQ, 6 Troops, 3 Elites, 3 Fast Attack, 6 Heavy Support

Game IV:Retreat to the Malvairn heights

Malvairn heights - Praxedes IV 109.747.M41

Game: Anihilation
Result: Imperial Guard Major Victory.
Factions:
- Nandoo Codex: Tau Empire 1500pts
- Harris 291st Death Korps of Krieg; Codex: Imperial Guard 1500pts

8 Praxedes IV days had gone past since the fall of Vidighese, 8 Days to retreat 40 odd Clicks to the next practicable defence line at the ridge known as the Malvairn heights. Locals with the regiment knew the place from their legends. It had an evil reputation as a place of monsters, where the dead walked at night and picked off the unwary. Then military expediency had never taken much account of local tall tales.
For 8 Days the Regiment had executed a text book withdrawal from the town, leap-frogging the 40 miles back to the Massifs, each Kompanie taking turns forming a rearguard while the regiment passed through the line. In the van of the column, Regimental and divisional artillery had kept up a harassing fire on their pursuers. Shoot and scoot fire missions of mixed smoke, nerve agent and White Phosphorus rained on the pursuit in order to break them up and blind their night vision. It had been a textbook withdrawal.
Now the Regiment had reached the Heights, it was time to turn, stand and face the pursuers. When time came to stand, the 17th Kompanie was in the line as blocking force.
They had stopped just outside ruins of a bombed out refinery and begun fortifying it.

Wind whipped up dust devils around Major Kurtz where he crouched in the crater just beyond the walls of the ruins. Kurtz had come down to the forward positions of 17th Company to personally supervise the destruction of their pursuers. And that destruction would take place very soon, already wired auspex units, carefully laid beyond the screen of Willie Pete and smoke, had reported the Tau approach to the factory. At any moment they would clear the screen and the Auspexes would light up with targets. But Major Kurtz had not come down here to passively sit on the defence, waiting for the Tau to attack, no that was not Kurtz. When the Tau breached the smoke screen they would be met head on, the 17th Company would advance from their bunkers and destroy the Tau Vanguard.
Sensing the Moment was approaching, Kurtz Raised his hand; to his right, Kompanie commander Lande of the 17th, noted the gesture; to his left Platoon Commander Leutnant Shutze readied his men for the assault; Watchmaster Zung, Commanding the Jagd-Russ shouted into his boom mike and the great engines of the heavy tank roared in response.
With impeccable timing Kurtz dropped his hand just before the first Tau infantry broke through the smoke screen, and all hell broke loose.
Fire streaked out from the Imperial lines, bright beams briefly connecting with the dim shapes of the individual Tau fire warriors. The great vanquisher cannon of the Jagd-Russ boomed, its shell smashed into the front glacis of a Tau Tank, skipping of the sloped surface and sending the vehicle skittering of course on its grav cushion.
All along the line Firewarriors scattered, making for cover, some headed up into the ruins of the Refinery, others scattered into the dubious shelter of a rock formation just in front of the Imperial lines. For many this would be a fatal mistake. Kurtz had had his Ordinance Master pre-register the rock. Just as the scattering Firewarriors reached the safety of the rock, the first salvo slammed into their shelter. Bodies and parts of bodies flew skyward, riding the expanding globe of the shock waves. Artillery shells screamed in a stream of High Explosive pounding to rock formation and the survivors of the first rush, All the survivors could do was crawl further into the cracks in between the rock and hope for survival.




Off on the right flank Firewarriors had scattered into the ruined buildings of the refinery, taking up positions in the ruined galleries of the first and second floor. Behind the refinery, Chmeras of the Grenadiers revved their engines and leapt forwards, dashing across the open ground in between them and the ruins, turning at the last minute to flanking positions at the rear of the building. The Back wall of the building had been demolished in an earlier unknown conflict, leaving the building open to the sky. One of the Chmeras slid to a halt and popped smoke to cover the dismounting Grenadiers. The other continued on racing towards the waiting Broadside suits.
Hypersonic slugs from the waiting Tau broadsides streaked on rods of ionised air aimed towards the Chimeras. One smashed into the turret of the still moving Chimera, penetrating the armour of the turret, spraying the narrow compartment inside, killing the turret gunner outright. More importantly it passed through the auto loader mechanism as it it were cardboard, shattering it irreparably.
The Watchmasters signalled back to Leutnant Shutze they were in position as arranged. Shutze confirmed this and ordered the Grenadiers to open fire with maximum fury. The Fire warriors, who were slow to react to this new threat, were cut down by a hail of Las Rifle fire.
Survivors of the Firewarriors returned a spattering of fire at the Grenadiers wounding two and Killing one. But the damage had already been done and the Tau scattered down out of the ruins and back the way they had come.
Tau return fire began to take its toll, 1st platoon was forced to take shelter from Tau small arms fire, while hypervelocity crowbars from Rail guns streaked passed the JagdRuss.
Three battle suits arrived of the port quarter of the Jagd Russ, decending from the sky on a column of fire. Their leg shocks had barely finished recovering from the impact before they had opened up with a co-ordnated ballet of fire at point blank into the side of the Jagd Russ,Paint chips and armour fragments flew from the flanks of the great metal beast. One Fusion beam struck the barrel of the Vanquisher cannon, super heating the metal in an instant, shearing off the barrel at the base and exploding the shell in the breach. The veteran crew, reacted quickly, slewing the tank around and opening up with the hull mounted heavy bolter, point blank into the battle suits. They could hardly miss. Mass reactive bolt rounds hosed down the suits cascasing off the Tau suit armour in a great arc into the sky. One suit staggered under the weight of fire, explosive bolts findinging, then enlarging gaps in the plates before detonating in amongst the delicate machinery behind the plates. The suit poped and fizzed before toppling to one side inert and unresponsive.
From behind the suits landing site, Leutnant Shutze led his command squad in an assault on the remaining suit. Firing as they came the two melta gunners turned the ravening beams of their weapons on the cluster of suits One struck the already falling suit, the other smashed a second Tau suit onto its face as the powerplant on the back of the suit came apart under the lethal carress of the meltas beam.
Thumbing the control on his Power sword he leapt across the gap between the rocks and the tau suit. He landed hard on the remaining suits shoulder, scrabbling for purchase with his freehand, he drove the tip of the powersword down into the neck joint of the sensor array, cutting through armour, electronics and and flesh alike.
By now, all along th line the men of Krieg were advancing. The Tau Hammerhead lay burning in a heap where Grenadier meltas had cut away a nacelle and caused it to crash. The remaining firewarriors sheltering in the in the rocks had been winkled out of their refuge with the baonette, and even the Broadsides had died under the guns of a Banewolf, Hidden on the flank of the Tau advance.
With the Deaths of the Broadsides, the Tau vanguard had been smashed. Major Kurtz and the 17th Kompanie had stopped them cold, and bought the time needed by the regiment to solidify their new defensive line.

Photos By James

Game III: The Fall of Vidighese

The Town of Vidighese - Praxedes IV 093.747.M41

'Move! move! move! Sunray, this is One One Charlie. Enemy contacts four hundred meters. Vestro, Heng, get your arses into that building!'

Vox transmission: Sgt Mendels, 1st Platoon, one section, CCCLII Vostroyan First born.

The second game in the campaign was a 1000 pt capture and control mission between the Imperial Guard and Tau planetary force. The deployment was spearhead and the Tau deployed first.

The first number of turns resulted in minimal damage to both the IG and Tau. Orbital bombardments from the master of ordnance had little effect due to atmospheric disturbance effecting the targeting arrays.

Once Tau reinforcements arrived in the form of deep striking crisis suits the advantage moved. A well placed Fusion blast found a poorly welded section of the Leman Russ, causing the vehicle to explode.

A heroic charge by Sgt Bastonne and his unit of Veterans, as well as Las cannon fire from a heavy support team resulted in a number of suits being vapourised. Unfortunately, this was not enough to turn the tide and the remaining suits cut down the Command HQ.

By the end of game the Tau had a firm hold of two objectives , whilst the IG had only the single objective.

Victory to the Tau.

'Battalion command this is One One Charlie. One One Alpha is gone, situation is critical. We are retreating over. Vestro, Heng, get your arses out of this building!'

Vox transmission: Sgt Mendels, 1st Platoon, one section, CCCLII Vostroyan First born.

Game II: Downtown Vidighese

The Town of Vidighese - Praxedes IV 071.747.M41

Game: 1000pt Capture and Control
Result: Draw (Imperials and Tau contest one victory point and the other is uncontrolled)
Factions:
- H'Russ Sept 1000Pts
- 291st Death Korps of Krieg 1000pts

For those who don't know, our group plays every Friday night (GMT). Last Friday was a painting day, where we all got together to help each other paint armies and work on terrain and modelling projects(keep an eye out for the Kroot with pink Hair!). So no game. This Friday there wasn't going to be a game either as a few of us had evening commitment in the real world. But rather unexpectedly we did manage to get a game in doing the day instead!

Four Imperial standard days later, the Tau made a move to push the Imperials further out of Vidighese. Tau H'Russ sept met 291st Krieg Patrols in the center of town.
A squad of Fire warriors had occupied the upper floors of an Imperial shrine, establishing a forward observation post overlooking an intersection close to the center of town, not far from the Imperial Front line.
The OP allowed Tau forces a clear view of an imperial strong point. It was not long before harassing fire from Tau artillery and Fire warriors became intolerable, and an Imperial response became imperative.
The forward line was reinforced with equipment and troops quietly, then on the morning of 071.747.M41, Men and machines all along the sector moved up the jump off tape awaiting the whistle to commence the attack. Unfortunately on the right flank a unit of dismounted Grenadiers were spotted by a Tau Piranha team supported by Kroot. All along the line Tau forces opened fire into the Imperial positions.
The Imperial response didn't take long to kick off. Pre-designated artillery called in by the Master of ordinance smashed into the building opposite. LasCannons added to the devastation carving chunks out of the masonry with bright flares of energy. then the Bane wolf opened up. The scream of superheated air could be heard across town as the multi-melta in its hull scored a hit on the Tau observation post vaporising the corner of the shine. Even the stone built shrine of the Emperor couldn't take that kind of punishment and the whole building fell in on itself carrying all of the Tau down to the ground with it.
The Tau preempting fire had not come without consequences, on the right flank, Tau Piranha's accounted for two of the Veteran Grenadiers.




Over on the Left flank a Kroot kindred that had been infiltrating into the Imperial lines looking for weak points, took the opportunity to rush the men of Krieg, hoping to destroy the heavy weapons teams wreaking such havoc on their Tau allies. They burst through the doors of the ruined hab-block as the Mortar teams finished a fire mission, smashing the Kroot kindred supporting the Piranha's. Mortar men and LasCannon crews looked up as the aliens burst through the doors behind them wielding their deadly double headed rifles.






Crewmen dropped their heavy equipment and rushed to engage the Kroot pouring through the door. Within moments, 4 Kroot bodies lay dead surrounded by 10 dead Kriegers Leutnant Kluge-G7772-9 could see the slaughter from across the ruins. Making a quick decision he lept from his position shouting for his staff to follow him. Commissar Lord Nero had also seen the threat on the left and lept up from where the company command had been directing artillery on the Tau OP and sprinted into the melee.
The Leutnant's squad together with the Commissar Nero struck like a lightning bolt,laying about themselves to great effect. They were too late to save the last of the heavy weapons teams , instead the wreaked bloody revenge on the Kroot kindred felling over half of them and driving them back towards the doorway of the hab.

Over on the right flank of the Krieg line, the veterans of the Death Korps Grenadiers fought out their duel with the Tau Pirannas. The nippy Tau vehicles sped around the corner of the Imperial chappel as the Imperials tumbled into the cover of the same building. Two men carrying Melta guns were left ouside the lintel their squad mates had clambored through. They turned as one and sent screaming beams of energy into the side of the passing skimmer gutting it from stem to stern. The stricken machine smashed into the ground spilling parts and blood as it went. Angry drones from the Piranha's spat at the grenadiers trying in vain to exact revenge for the destruction of their ride.
Its twin sped on, cutting open the rear of the grenadiers parked chimera with plasma beams, smashing through the track guards and splintering the tracks. The shattered tracks un-spooled behind the chimera immobilising it as it continued to hose down the survivors of the Tau Fire warriors in the collapsed shrine.

The Commissar Lord cut down the last of the Kroot Kindred on the on the Left flank and took a quick survey of the battle field though an up-link into his ocular implant. The Tau on the left had collapsed. on the right, they had been stalled and the Imperials retained controls of the field. In the In the Center the Tau OP had been smashed into ruins and a squad of Korpsmen had launched an assault across the road, into the ruins seeking to dominate the ground. Nero could feel the crisis of the battle was approaching. Across the piles of shattered plascrete and flak board, Hauptmann Alder remained hunched over the map board directing the progress of the battle. If the battle was to be won it would be done in the center. Nero flicked his power sword clean of Kroot blood and turned to each of his surviving colleagues holding their gaze for a moment he shouted:
"For your Emperor" and charged out of the building into the street.

Rules for Dark Angel Games

Victory and Campaign Points
Dark Angels score Victory points and campaign points differently to other forces

Win : 1VP and 1CP on a roll of 6+ per Fallen slain
Draw : -1 VP (cannot take below 0) and -1 CP + 1CP on a roll of 6+ per Fallen slain
Loss : -1 VP (cannot take below 0) and -2 CP + 1CP on a roll of 6+ per Fallen slain

After a game that the dark angels were present roll a D6 for each member of the Fallen that was slain. The Dark Angels gain 1 additional CP for every roll of 6

Win Conditions
Dark Angels are always playing annihilation against the Fallen. If 8 or more Fallen are killed, the Dark Angels gain a win, 4 or less they have lost. This may mean that both players can achieve a victory point.


The Fallen
In any game against the dark angels there will be Fallen Angels, the Fallen will be represented by a full strength (170 pts) tactical squad with any options that do not increase the squads points cost. The exception to this is the Sergeant who can select any war gear he is normally allowed (any amount).

The Fallen can be split up into sub squads as the opposing player feels is appropriate (e.g. 1 squad of 10, 2 squads of 4 and 6 using the rules of Shaefers Last Chancers (Codex: Imperial Guard 4th Ed.)
If split and a sub squad of 1 is made that marine is treated as having the Independent character Universal Special Rule.

Due to the nature of the relationship between the Dark Angels and members of the Fallen
both are subject to the Preferred Enemy Universal Special Rule against one another.

Hunt the Fallen
At the start of the Dark Angels shooting phase, if any member of the fallen is within 12" of a Dark Angels unit that unit must direct all its firepower at the fallen and any squad they may be with and then assault in the following assault phase.

Leave no Witnesses
The Dark Angels will not allow their secret to become public knowledge and thus will fire upon Imperial allies as well as enemies to keep their secret safe.

Any allied or enemy unit which has line of sight and is within 6" inches of a fallen becomes a target for the Dark Angels.

If all witness squads are killed then one extra CP dice can be rolled, if any are left alive then - 1 CP rolls.

Game I: Counter attack at Vidighese

Game: 200opt Capture and Control
Result: Tau Victory (Tau control one victory point and contest the other. )
H'Russ Sept 2000Pts
Vostroyan CCCLII Firstborn 1000pts
291st Death Korps of Krieg 1000pts

The Town of Vidighese - Praxedes IV 058.747.M41

The Town of Vidighese was silent now. For the last few days it had been a scene from hell. For two days Artillery from LCXI Division down to regimental level had pounded the town with every calibre they had, smashing buildings, parks, manufactories alike in an effort to break up the Tau defenders in the Town. The barrage lifted as suddenly as it had arrived. Dazed Fire warriors scrambled from basements to the ruined town above, clutching pulse rifles ready for inevitable assault. On the outskirts of town men of the 291st Death Korps of Krieg had assaulted the ruins and soon swept them from the town.

That was two days ago. Korpsman Drusus Keppler-A5031-7 stood squinting into the growing light, in what remained of the second floor of an Imperial Hab-block, in the very same ruins where two days before, Tau Fire warriors had struggled him and his squad mates in a nightmare of close combat.
Now he stood waiting. The counter attack would be soon. Tau always counter attacked at dusk or dawn. He had overheard one of the officers commenting that it was because the Tau had superior technomancy in their helmets and tanks. Korpsman Keppler didn't know what to make of that, but then he didn't really care either. The Keppler gene-coda that made up his sibco batch had not been selected for its curiosity trait.
Keppler raised the optic visor to his eye pieces and took in the outskirts of the town in which he stood. Increasing the magnification he zoomed in on a LasCannon emplacement manned by guardsmen from the Vostroyan CCCLLII Firstborn. They had moved up during the night and taken over the right wing of this sector of the line, allowing the men of Krieg to consolidate into a smaller section of the line.
He zoomed the magnification back out and swept the optic visor across the hills overlooking the town. Without light intensifiers there was not much he could see, but the Watch master had told him to stand here and watch the hills and the watch master was his older brother, so he must obey.
When the first salvo lanced out from a Tau rail gun , Keppler was still standing looking out over the darkened hills. The shot struck a three story building down the street, causing Keppler to flinch back behind the lintel of the door he was sheltering in. The Vostroyan LasCannon teams responded almost immediately, quickly followed by the Death Corps own LasCannons emplaced in the highest ruin.
Tau tanks sped through the gloaming, men of the CCLII Vostroyan and Death Korps rose to meet them head on. In the center of the line, conscript replacements receiving a lecture on discipline from Commissar Khutuzov surged up full of zeal. Throwing themselves out of the building with abandon, they ran directly into the guns of a Kroot pack who had infiltrated a wood land copse just out of town. Young Kriegers fresh from the sibling companies ran into a wall of fire.


Behind them the Captain of the recruit platoon urged on the recruits, the Young men of Kreig, conditioned from childhood required little urging from the Commissar or Captain to throw themselves out of the building. The first wave out of the ruins paid a heavy price, as Tau built Kroot rifles and air burst fragmentation rounds cut them down before they could take more than a few paces.






In the ruins further to the right of the Imperial Line, Korpsman Keppler slithered down from the first floor of the ruins to join the rest of his squad on the ground below. Over at a hole in the rock-crete wall, Watch-master Leor was peaking out at the advancing Tau tanks. One had made the mistake of nosing into the street between him and the Building housing the recruits. Looking Back at Keppler and the others he communicated his orders with a few quick hand gestures. The squad would assault the tank with grenades as it passed.
Keppler scrambled over the blocks of fallen masonary to a shattered and empty window. As the tank passed the squad rose as one and rushed into the dust cloud raised by the passing antigrav wave. Men scambled up over the tank , some went to the back hatch looking for weak spots there. Keppler had barely had time to toss his own grenade into the left hand impeller pods of the Tau tank when he was blinded by the actinic glare of the Watchmasters melta bomb detonating on the hull. The whole tank lurched violently to one side. then seemed to bulge from the inside as secondary explosions ripped through the hull. the tank nosed down and slashed into the street, shedding composite armour fragments in all directions. The Tank slid for a few few yards before comming to a halt.
Keppler opened his eyes and levered himself up from where the explosion had tossed him against the building he had just recently vacated. He blinked in a daze at the ruin of the Tank before him. Great steaming fissures had opened in its hull, leaving torn bundles of fibre hanging from the great rents in its flanks. He watched as a long thin box was pushed through one of these gaps from the inside of the tank. He was still trying to determine what it might mean when the first burst from the Tau pulse rifle shattered the rock-crete above his head. Instinct and gene-bred reflexes took over, Kepplers body bucked and threw itself up and spun around in an attempt to get over the wall back into cover. The second burst from the Tau rifle was better aimed, corrected by its machine spirit. It followed his movement, strafing the walls and catching him a glancing blow on the meat of his thigh as he tumbled back over the lintel of the window he had assaulted through. While not enough to kill him, the wound was enough to stop him moving much faster than a crawl. For Keppler the Battle was over.
Later when he woke up in the Medicae tent he would learn that the Tau counter attack had succeeded in throwing the Imperium back into the outskirts of Vidigese. 80 Guardsmen had been wounded killed or gone on the missing roles including almost all of the replacement sibco.

An angelic shadow

During the Damocles campaign the major confrontations were between the Forces of the Imperium and the fledgling tau empire. It is reported that the Dark angels were dispatched to counter Traitor legion activities in the surrounding systems.

The dark angles were recorded as having accomplished their mission in the latter part of 742.M41 and withdrawing to muster at the FAZE system, but 5 years on rumours persist of a fleet of ships bearing the badge of the 1^st legion floating around the Praxedes system on the edge of the Damocles gulf as if searching for something, whether these stories hold truth to them only the dark angels know.

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+++++++DATE: 058747/M41

++++++++REF: 009822/PT

+++++++++TO: Scion Lucrecia Du-Vayne

+++++++From: Inquisitor Thelis

++++SUBJECT: SAFETY OF PRAXEDES

My lord

I shall waste no time with pleasantries and formalities as the matter of which I write to you is of the utmost impotance.

The picts I have sent with this communiqué show a vessel which appears to be of imperial design under the command of the 1^st legion astartes heading on a course to the praxedes system, these picts were recovered amongst others from a drifting hulk of a cruiser reportedly transporting a portion of the CCCLII Vostroyan regiment to praxedes quintus.

These picts were the last taken and the trajectory my navigators have plotted put the vessel on a course to praxedes.

According to imperial records the Dark Angels were involved in a few skirmishes on the outskirts of the Damocles gulf after which they were withdrawn, if this was not the case imperial records have been deliberately altered for purposes unknown.

Yours sincerely

The Emperor’s loyal servant

Inquisitor Jaela Thelis

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++