The apocalyptic xenos incursion into the system has claimed the forge world of Celentine VII. The Mechanicum’s XIIIth Special Purpose detachment, led by Dominus Masterov, sends the full might of their forces to reclaim their world, and stop their valuable tech-arcana from falling into the hands of the diabolical dark kin of the Kabal of the Screaming Skull.
The battlefield, a forge world lying in ruin after centuries of combat.
The kabal forces, led by the Archon Khirareq Bloodscream and the Dark Artisan Skyrex Plunderheart. Consisting of a core of Kabalite Warriors, Trueborn and Wyches, and backed by the flesh toys of the Haemonculus covens and fast moving mercenaries. All mounted in lightning fast transports, followed by Ravagers, flyers and the reaver Wraithknight Crow.
The Mechanicum force, filled out with the Kataphrons, Kastelans, Vulturaxes and specialists of the Cult Mechanicus, including a hulking Thanatar. Backing the robots is a large force of Skitarii with Dunecrawlers and transports providing armoured support. Leading the force is Masterov himself inside a Cohort Cybernetica, as well as his Dominus underlings. Finally two Armiger Warglaives are supporting the force.
Crow and the Venom-bound Trueborn deploy along the flank behind the cover of the Aquila Shrine.
The Ravager, a Raider-bound Warrior squad and a squad of Reavers take the ruins in the centre.
The deadly Reaper, another Warrior squad and Reaver squad take the other side of the ruins.
The Tantalus ‘Red Thirst’, packed out with Wyches, takes the Sanctum. Deploying in cover behind are the Venom-bound Wracks and Bloodscream with his Grotesque bodyguards in a raider.
The Mandrakes infiltrate near the centre objective in the Manufactorum.
The Thanatar, a Warglaive, Breachers, Rangers and a Vulturax all deploy in the cover of the Administratum building. The Laser-crawler deploys just outside.
The majority of the Mechanicum force deploys in the ryza ruins, with the Cohort Cybernetica, Infiltrators, Rangers, Vanguard and Electropriests taking the centre behind the cover of a Vanguard filled Exploratar and Triaros. The AA-crawler holds the flank with air support.
Deploy in the cover of the tower is a squad of Rangers, Vanguard, Destroyers and the other Warglaive.
The Kabal takes first turn and Crow pounces forward, with the Venoms, Reavers and Warriors hanging behind.
The Voidraven and Razorwing wingmen scream onto the battlefield, ready to lay a hail of missiles into the Mechanicum lines.
The Kabal vehicles creep into centre field.
Red Thirst and the coven troops line up shots on Mechanicum forces.
A large chunk of Mechanicum infantry are flattened by missiles.
A hail of splinter and lance fire rains on the mechanicum.
Crow slices the armiger to ribbons, and leaps back out of range.
The Triaros powers forward and rams the raider. The vulturax changes to flight mode and prowls the skies.
The Vanguard take cover beneath the tower and the Destroyers line up Crow.
The Mechanicum infantry surge forward, while the Exploratar is stunned in place.
The big robots round on Red Thirst, lining it up with high-tech weaponry.
The Mechanicum shooting takes half of Crow’s wounds off.
The AA crawler downs a Razorwing and it crashes into the Manufactorum. Heavy fire downs most of the Mandrakes.
The Breachers unload into Red Thirst with grav weapons, and it explodes in a ball of fire. The Warglaive charges the scraps of the Wych squad left in its wake.
The Dark Artisan formation emerges from a webway portal deep in the enemy lines.
Crow gets his revenge on the Destroyers, annihilating them with ease.
The splinter Trueborn in the Venom wipe the Vanguard from under the tower.
The Kabal forces pounce on the Triaros.
The Scourges deep strike next to the Exploratar.
The Reavers, Warriors and Wracks line up the Cohort Cybernetica.
The Reaper pulls back onto the objective.
Bloodscream and the Grotesques charge the Thanatar while the Wyches keep the Warglaive occupied. The Hellions deep strike behind to fire on the Breachers.
The Kabal firepower explodes the Trairos and the Reavers assault its occupants, but take heavy casualties in the process.
The Exploratar takes heavy damage from the Scourges, but they fail to finish it off.
The Dark Artisan formation clears a big chunk out of the Mechanicum lines.
Bloodscream and the Grotesques pull down the mighty Thanatar.
Another Kabal vehicle explodes, leaving what remains of the warriors in the open.
The Mechanicum forces round on Skyrex and his toys, wiping them from the field.
The Hellions are hit hard and flee backwards. The Grotesques take heavy damage from Mechanicum fire.
The last Raider explodes, spilling survivors into the open.
The Warriors and Reavers charge the Dominus and Vanguard, wiping them and taking the objective.
The splinter Trueborn boost onto the tower, clearing the Rangers off another objective.
The Vulturax boosts behind enemy lines to take the Kabal’s back objective.
The Reaper takes the Sanctum objective.
Beneath the wreckage, the last remains of the Cohort Cybernetica push the Mandrakes off the centre objective.
The Exploratar is destroyed, but the remaining Vanguard and Dominus take the objective.
The game is called at the end of turn three after my drunk ass forgot to take photos for most of the turn. The Kabal of the Screaming Skull and the XIIIth Special Purpose Detachment both score equal objectives. Neither army took Hold the Line or Slay the Warlord, and the Kabal edge ahead of the Mechanicum to take Attrition by 1 kill point, leaving the score at 10vp to 9vp in the favour of the dark kin. Such a close match, with my opponent taking his full force on the table for the first time. Could have easily turned the other way had we played turn 4, but we’d already played for ten hours and had sunk way to many beers by then. Excellent, bloody and riveting game!
Hang out soon because I have a ridiculous apocalypse game coming up in the very near future. 20,000 point, 3 6’x4′ tables, 3 days and a whole lot of angry nerds!
Rebels and Pirates 