Opponent: ?
Mission: Stop the Ritual
1st turn: Daemonhunters
Points: 1300
Location: Ustra, Sub-Sector 2, Skolarii Sector
Background:
To: Lord Inquisitor Severus, Ordo Malleus, Insolitus, Sub-Sector 2, Skolarii Sector
From: Inquisitor Lord Kepler, Clearance Omicron
Subject: Exigators - Renegade Space Marine Chapter
Priority: High
Received: 988.M41
Message Format: Telepathic
Astropathic Duct: Skolarii
Thought for the Day: Only in death does duty end
Hail Severus.
As you can no doubt imagine, the very fact that I must communicate with you illustrates the gravity of the situation. I have received word from a trusted source that the renegade Space Marine Chapter known as the Exigators are present in Sub-Sector 2. Yes, they were all thought to be destroyed, indeed official records testify to the fact. The Ordo Malleus however, knows differently.
They were observed in an engagement upon the agri-world of Moluca, fighting with other Chaotic forces. My source informs me that the Exigators were lured into a trap, believing they were to meet an individual by the name of Fabius Bile. They hoped this character could stabilise their thoroughly debased geneseed. Instead, they were ambushed and driven from the planet. They were followed as far as Insolitus by my source. He understands that they still plan to tamper with their geneseed, this time by calling on forces beyond the material realm.
Your mission is to disrupt their ritual and prevent this unholy blasphemy of our Emperor's creation. Wipe the stain of the Exigators from the face of the galaxy forever. If you do this deed your past transgressions will be overlooked. The end justifies the means. If you fail, I will personally lead a company of Grey Knights to hunt you down. You will repent your sins before I use your head to decorate the gates of my fortress.
That is all.
Daemonhunters
- Inquisitor Lord Severus, Daemonhammer, Bolt Pistol, Icon of the Just, Holocaust, Combat Servitor, 2 Acolytes with Power Armour, Bolt Pistols and Close Combat Weapons, 1 Acolyte with Power Weapon, all in Rhino with Smoke
- 2 Daemonhosts
- 3 Death Cult Assassins
- Inquisitor Kurven, Psycannon, Power Armour, Emperor's Tarot, Gun-Servitor with Plasma Cannon, 2 Veterans with Plasma Guns, 2 Sages, 1 Mystic
- Stormtrooper Squad, Matoso 10 Stormtroopers, 2 Flamers, Veteran Sergeant with Hell pistol and Power Weapon, Rhino with Extra Armour, Smoke, Hunter-Killer Missile
- Stormtrooper Squad Godirtho, 6 Stormtroopers, 2 Melta Guns
- Stormtrooper Squad Seralvo, 7 Stormtroopers, 2 Grenade Launchers
- Stormtrooper Squad, Vargas 6 Stormtroopers, 2 Plasma Guns, Veteran Sergeant with Plasma Pistol, Auspex
- Lance Strike
Exigators Chaos Space Marines
- Daemon Prince Bellicus, Mark of Chaos Undivided, Daemonic Stature, Daemonic Armour, Daemonic Aura, Daemonic Resilience, Dreadaxe, close combat weapon, Daemonic Spawn
- Squad Hotep, 9 Chaos Space Marines, Mark of Tzeentch, Aspiring Champion, Bolt pistol and close combat weapon, Bolt of Change, Minor Psychic Power, Talisman of Tzeentch
- Squad Surculus, 5 Possessed, Mark of Chaos Undivided, Daemonic Talons
- Squad Infractis, 7 Chaos Space Marines, Mark of Chaos Undivided, Infiltrate, 2x Plasma pistols, Bolt pistols and Close Combat Weapons, Aspiring Champion with Power fist
- Squad Profuge, 7 Chaos Space Marines, Mark of Chaos Undivided, Infiltrate, 2x Plasma guns, Bolt guns
- Squad Imber, 5 Havocs, Mark of Chaos Undivided, bolt guns, 3 x Heavy Bolt guns
- Torius Predator, Twin-linked Lascannons, Heavy Bolt gun sponsons
- Atrocitor, Dreadnought, Twin-linked Lascannons
Terrain and deployment
Inquisitor Lord Severus has scoured the planet of Insolitus for traces of the renegade Exigator Space Marines and finally tracks them down to a ruined temple near the Parvus Hills. He is unsurprised to see a contingent from the Thousand Sons traitor legion present. The Thousand Sons, under the direction of their sorcerer Hotep, are conducting the summoning canticles, along with squad Infractis. The ritual is already underway so Severus deploys his Kill-Team immediately.
Severus sends Inquisitor Kurven and his fire support retinue to occupy a hill on the right. Squad Vargas is also tasked with securing the high ground and providing covering fire. A death cult assassin is poised to rush over the rise and take cover in the riverbed beyond, as is squad Godirtho. The individual figures dotted around the battlefield are scouts, put out by the Exigators to detect unwanted visitors.
On the left flank, squad Seralvo works its way past a stand of trees to try and secure the ford. Two more death cult assassins are also using the treeline for cover as they advance stealthily on the extreme left flank. They have been tasked with the assassination of Daemon Prince Bellicus, whose Spawn companion can be glimpsed behind the corner of the ruined shrine.
A death cult assassin hunts his prey.
Squad Vargas take up a forward position on the hill, with Inquisitor Kurven and retinue behind. They have a good view into the ruined temple and the Chaos troops within.
Squad Seralvo wade through the river and take the far bank. Despite their extensive stealth training they are spotted by a sentry. The battle is joined...
Turn 1
Squad Vargas and Squad Kurven open fire on the Exigators. Three possessed from squad Surculus are killed for the loss of five stormtroopers from squad Vargas. The surviving squad member bravely decides to fight on.
Stormtrooper squad Godirtho makes good time through the river as does the death cult assassin. Inquisitor Lord Severus and squad Matoso arrive from reserve in their rhinos and head straight for the ford. Squad Seralvo has been wiped out to a man with the combined fire of squads Profuge and Imber.
Squad Godirtho and the death cult assassin contact squad Profuge and begin to roll up their flank. Behind them squad Hotep is decimated by fire from Inquisitor Kurven and his retinue.
Another view of the combat between the stormtroopers, assassin and Chaos Marines. Daemon Prince Bellicus can just be seen heading towards the woods on the Daemonhunters left flank. Hidden within the woods are two death cult assassins.
Bellicus takes down an assassin in the forest but is being taken away from the critical area of conflict. Squad Profuge fights on and is joined by the two remaining possessed from squad Surculus. Only one stormtrooper and the assassin remain, but they fight on regardless of casualties. Squad Imber has pulled back behind the altar, wary of a charge from the rapidly approaching Inquisitor Severus. Squad Hotep manages to reform the circle but just one more casualty would end the ritual from them.
Daemon Prince Bellicus hunts down the second assassin within the woods. In doing so he is being pulled even further away from the temple.
The two Daemonhosts appear in the heart of the Chaos defences.
The death cult assassin and last stormtrooper from squad Godirtho kill four Marines between them in combat for no losses. Inquisitor Lord Severus joins the fight to finish off the shattered squads, with squad Matoso just behind. Squad Imber has been reduced to a single Marine, while four of Inquisitor Kurven's retinue were killed in return. Kurven decides that his work is complete and withdraws from the engagement.
One of the Daemonhosts is filled with unnatural strength and rips the Dreadnought apart, limb from limb. Squad Hotep desperately carries on with the ritual, despite the battle raging around them.
The other circle, formed by squad Infractis, is threatened by the second Daemonhost and by Inquisitor Severus and the death cult assassin who have despatched their earlier foes.
Daemon Prince Bellicus finally runs down the second assassin and slices her in two with the dread axe.
Bellicus races back toward the temple as the summoning circles are threatened. Squad Matoso drives right into the temple, ready to mount an assault as necessary. Their rhino shoots its Hunter-Killer missile at the predator but it spirals away from the thick front armour.
The ritual is stopped as both summoning circles are disrupted. The Kill-Team fights on to kill every last Exigator and wipe their stain from the Skolarii Sector.
Inquisitor Lord Severus moves up to take on Bellicus in personal combat. One of the Daemonhosts teleports in behind the Daemon Prince.
Squad Matoso tries to kill off the Thousand Sons while their Rhino transport looks down the barrels of the Predators twin-linked lascannons.
Severus and his combat servitor take on Bellicus and his spawn...
...while squad Matoso charge into the Thousand Sons.
Lord Severus kills the spawn but is taken out of the fight by Bellicus. The Daemonhost arrives too late to save the Inquisitor. Squad Matoso's Rhino is destroyed and they lose many of their stormtroopers in the combat with the Tzeentch Marines.
The second Daemonhost joins the first in battling the Daemon Prince.
A single trooper from squad Matoso survives the combat with the Thousand Sons. Meanwhile Bellicus despatches a Daemonhost and severely wounds the other.
The last two living creatures on the battlefield face each other down...
...and Bellicus slices him to pieces in close combat to end the battle.
To: Inquisitor Lord Kepler, Ordo Malleus, Nemesis Tessera
From: Inquisitor Kurven, Ordo Malleus, Insolitus, Sub-Sector 2, Skolarii Sector, Clearance Omicron
Subject: Exigators - Renegade Space Marine Chapter
Priority: High
Received: 988.M41
Message Format: Telepathic
Astropathic Duct: Skolarii T
hought for the Day: Sometimes the good must perish so that the rest survive. The lot of courage is to be sacrificed upon the altar of battle.
My Lord, it is with great sadness that I must report the death of your most humble servant, Inquisitor Lord Severus. He carried out your instructions to the letter and sacrificed his own life to carry out your will.
We tracked down the Exigators to a ruined temple near the Parvus hills on Insolitus. Severus' plan was to infiltrate assassins on the left to take out the Daemon Prince Bellicus. Alas, the beast proved too powerful for them to kill but they did manage to keep him away from the temple while the ritual was broken. Only afterward did Bellicus arrive to cut down Severus. With your permission I will make it my duty to hunt down this Daemon Prince and make him pay for the Death of my master, tutor and friend.
I myself took the high ground on the right with squad Vargas. Despite heavy casualties we managed to reduce the defenders numbers significantly, including four Thousand Sons who were trying to complete their foul magicks. Our downfall was the Predator, which our weapons could barely scratch. In the face of such a foe I gave the order to fall back as our work was already done.
Squad Godirtho and the last assassin were crucial to the overall plan as they made good speed through the river and managed to engage the foremost squad in combat. In turn this prevented squad Imber from firing upon the Rhinos of Severus and Matoso. Although they took heavy casualties they managed to hold out until the cavalry arrived and the members of squad Godirtho should be considered for posthumous commendations.
The Daemonhosts were successful in disrupting the defence of the temple, as they teleported in behind the Chaos lines. The Dreadnought would have been difficult for any other unit to destroy than the Daemonhosts, so its destruction was relief indeed. Finally, they assisted in disrupting the circles which helped to complete the mission.
Unless you strictly forbid it I will presently leave Insolitus. My destination is [encrypted], where the Daemon Prince Bellicus has fled to safety. I will follow him to the ends of the galaxy to exact my revenge.
Inquisitor Kurven.
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