Week 3 Battle

Deployment

We rolled randomly for pitched battle deployment and the seize ground mission.

Dave won the initiative roll and elected to go second, so I chose the southern board edge
and left Dave to deploy.

He formed a battle-line with his mechanised force, and infiltrated his scout’s forwards to
defend the objective in the eastern woods.
Host of the Labyrinthe Turn 1

I split my force, and prayed to the chaos gods that I would get the horrors in time to take
a shot at the vindicators rear armour before it could fire (It was a bit further forwards than
it looks on the map – a rear shot would have been a risky strike but it would be
worthwhile).

Unfortunately the chaos gods had other ideas, and my combat elements entered. Asterion,
the Keeper of Secrets and dark heart of the Labyrinthe scattered away from the action,
barely staying on the table. The Spiral Masque daemonettes and the Covenant of Lost
Souls (counts as Plague Bearers) however were both on target, and the Covenant quickly
spread out to provide the Spiral with cover.
Golden Disciples Turn 1

The Golden Disciples were quick to respond to the arrival of Daemonic forces.

The Vindicator rolled forwards flanked by two rhino’s which unloaded a squad of tactical
marines each, while the Landraider rolled up behind the battle-line ready to unleash a
charge from its occupants next turn.

The Vindicator unleashed an ordinance shell at the Covenant, landing it on target,

however most of them were hiding in the woods and only a couple fell to the blast. Worse
still, these casualties left the northern tactical squad out of range to contribute and the
southern squad’s fire proved ineffectual.

The Landspeeder squadron raced round the southern flank and opened fire on Asterion
with their master crafted Multi-meltas, wounding erm… it.
Host of the Labyrinthe Turn 2

After suffering minimal casualties, the Daemonic Assault was underway. With a blare of
horns, Khargoth led his Blood Hunt into existence on the Hosts southern flank while the
spidery form of Zaggaroth materialized in the north, spitting out a glob of pure worp
energy that engulfed the northern tactical squad and annihilated all but their sergeant.

The dancers of the Spiral swarmed over the Vindicator, ripping the cannon mounting
loose and ensuring that it would not be able to fire until it had been cleared.

To the south the tortured souls of the Covenant engaged the second tactical squad. The
disciples fought bravely, and a single battle brother gave his life to disperse one of the
spirits. Despite the drawn combat however, discretion proved the better part of valour and
they beat a very brave retreat (later reports would claim it as a tactical withdrawal).

Dave almost gave up at this point, but decided to persevere.

Golden Disciples Turn 2

The fleeing tactical squad proved a mixed blessing. Having disengaged from combat they
were free to spray the damonettes of the Spiral with explosive rounds of boltery death,
killing almost half of them, however they also played havoc with the rest of the Golden
Disciples battle line.

Unable to fire, the Vindicator sped past the Spiral, tank-shocking its way clear in order to
find space to clear its guns.

In order to pass the fleeing tactical squad the Land Raider was forced to try and crash its
way though the edge of the woods, unfortunately it proved unequal to the task and was
brought to a halt as its tracks became entangled by the dense local undergrowth. This left
a furious Vulcan wannabe and his cronies to charge down the assault ramps well short of
target.

The Speeders swooped round the south (mostly to get the benefit of movement I think)
and opened up on Asterion with some ineffectual melta shots.
Host of the Labyrinthe Turn 3

The gibbering horrors of the Crimson Lure emerged to the south, spraying pink fire at the
Speeders and shaking them both. Khargoth and his hunt finished the job by wrecking one
and stunning the other.

To the north Ashkara (counts as the Masque) spun from the warp, catching the fleeing
tactical squad in her spell and hastening them on their way while the nearby Spiral tear
the surviving Sergeant from the northern tactical squad limb from limb and use his
remains to jam the tracks and engines of his own Rhino transport.

Asterion and Zaggaroth both charged the Vindicator, ripping its tracks and cannon away
from the chassis and leaving it immobilised and effectively useless.

The Covenant shambled south, positioning themselves between the Terminators and the
Blood Hunt and waving their arms like mad in a sacrificial attempt to draw them into
charge range.
Golden Disciples Turn 3

Not fooled for a moment by the daemonic ruse, the Terminators ignored the Cantical and
charged the Spiral instead, with [Vulcan] catching Ashkara in a multiple assault. Despite
their unnatural speed, the daemonettes proved unable to claw past the Terminators storm
shields and were wiped out to the last… thing. Only Ashkara survived, spinning and
weaving too quickly for the space marines to catch and finishing by somersaulting back
out of combat (I never realised she had hit and run before!).

Since they were unable to move, the last speeder and the crippled vindicator were
destroyed with leasurely ease.
Host of the Labyrinthe Turn 4

The Lure gibbered and chanted, calling forth a storm of fire that engulfed the southern
rhino and gutted it. Belatedly I realised I needed it there as it played an important role in
my plans.

Luckily the Blood hunt were nearby, since they were already heading in that direction,
and they eagerly ran forwards to fill the gap. Khargoth himself had split off to deal with
the crippled Landraider.

Asterion and Khargoth charged the Terminators, while Ashkara manoeuvred them into a
wall that blocked [Vulcan] from reaching combat. In a clawed frenzy of steel and finesse
the squad were slaughtered to the man, and [Vulcan] was left facing down two
monstrosities straight from hell. He resolved to sell his soul dearly.
Golden Disciples Turn 4

With the rest of his forces crippled and in disarray, the only action of interest left in the
game was [Vulcans] heroic stand.

Asterion and the Master of the Golden Disciples traded blow for blow taking two wounds
each, with [vulcans] armour saving him from the worst.

Host of the Labyrinthe Turn 5

Having taken each others measure, Asterion and the Chapter Master proved unable to
damage each other further until Kaliban was swamped by the Bloodletters of the Hunt,
and skewered on myriad Hell Blades.

With nothing but a crippled land raider standing between them and a host of ferocious
daemons, the remaining scout squad decided it was time to withdraw.