Greetings all,
well, Alun and I played the first game in the campaign on Saturday and I
lost.
An important lesson to all of you .... keep the victory conditions in mind.
I was probably gonna win but I forgot the battle ended after 6 turns and I
didn't hold enough objectives. Doh. Anyway I now have a chance to redeem
myself in a few weeks.
Before I go into the narrative of the game, I would like to request
something of those of you who have scanners (particularly Carl Billen). On
page 94 & 95 of WD215 there is a flow chart covering a campaign. Could
someone please do a high quality scan of it and post it to me. I would
greatly appreciate it. I want the graphics so I can construct my own fancy
looking campaign flow charts.
Well, here it is, the complete narrative so far. The new bit starts about
half way through. I hope you enjoy it. Comments and criticism are welcome.
Oh yeah, the full story is now available on my web page and will be updated
after each battle.
The Liberation of Karak Dur.
The Inquisitor stood stunned as the Squat Warlord screamed abuse at him and
the Emperor. "... and another thing", the Warlord yelled, "If you think we
would submit to that husk of a man you are sadly mistaken. I suggest that
you leave now". Without a word, the inquisitor turned and stormed out of
the audience chamber. The warlord turned to his advisor, "I fear the Empire
of Man will not take this well, I suggest we mobilise for war". As the
Inquisitor's honour guard of Dark Angel Space Marines fell into step behind
him, he considered the planet he had been sent to seduce, only free of
crippling warp storms for a few years, rich in metals and the skill of the
Squats. It was absolutely imperative that it be returned to the Imperial
bosom. Since diplomacy had failed, stronger means were required. The
Inquisitor boarded his shuttle and settled in for the journey to the
Imperial fleet above.
Several hours later the Emperor class battleship "Defender of Faith" fired
it's navigational thrusters one final time to place it into geosynchronous
orbit above the planet. The Inquisitor and Fleet Commander watched from the
bridge as the rest of the fleet positioned themselves in similar orbits.
Within the ship's bellies, Imperial forces prepared for the assault onto
the planet. The Commander opened a Comm link to the fleet, "My friends, the
mutants wish to fight for this rock. I suggest to you that they will lose.
Position your ships in order to bombard the planetary shields they believe
protect them." All around, ships started rotating to bring their powerful
broadsides to bear. As the last finished this maneuver the commander spoke
a single word ... "Fire!". As one, the fleet unleashed it's worst upon the
shields. Blast after blast rocked the planet beneath them. Strong at first,
the shields overload and failed with increasing rapidity until the last
collapsed. Still firing, the fleet continued to rain destruction down onto
the planet surface. "Cease fire" instructed the Commander, "Launch the
assault".
The Thunderhawk pilot commenced his final pre-flight sequence and awaited
the signal to launch. He carried with him six squads of Deathwing including
their Captain, an arrogant man named Sicarius. Listening to the combat
comms band, he heard his signal.. "Thunderhawk Alpha, you are free to
launch". The launch bay instantly flooded with red light and the flight
crews hurried to safety. Beneath him, the bay doors opened into the void of
space. He punched the Release Rune and felt his craft buck and then plummet
into a murderous freefall towards the planet. To his left he spotted his
two wingmen also carrying a cargo of Space Marines. Beneath him he spied
the slower battle barges carrying the reinforcements for the strike team he
and his wingmen ferried to the planet.
The squat warrior waited in the forward observation post for the inevitable
to arrive. Since the bombardment ceased, he and his comrades knew it was
only a matter of time before the invasion began. He heard a low thunder
coming from behind a nearby crest in the mountains and called out to the
Guild Engineer in charge of this post to try and determine what it was
using the filtering circuit on the comms equipment. No sooner had the
Engineer started this task when three dark green cruciform shaped craft
rocketed overhead driven on by powerful ramjets.
Inside the cockpit of Thunderhawk Alpha the pilot gave the Terminators
warning that they were about to dust off and then commenced the procedure
to safely open transport bay doors. As the three Thunderhawks screamed to a
landing, tracer shells filled the skies, a few bouncing off the heavily
armoured shells of the Gunships.
*******NEW BIT STARTS HERE**********
The battle for Karak Dur had begun.
As soon as the Terminators started running clear of the Thunderhawk they
came under heavy fire from Squat warriors entrenched in a nearby building.
Behind the Terminators, four of the Chapter's dreadnoughts moved into
position, followed by two squads of Devastator marines accompanied by a
Librarian. Within seconds of touching down, the highly trained Marines were
clear and the pilot punched the Afterburner rune to boost him high above
the battlefield while the gunners lay down a covering fire for the Strike
team.
The Strike Team's instructions were clear. They were to hold the landing
zone until reinforcements arrived. Under no circumstances were heroics
encouraged. The strike force moved into cover behind a hedge, all the while
coming under heavy fire from the nearby buildings. Ignoring his directions,
Sicarius arrived at the conclusion that a frontal assault was the only
solution. Giving the order, he leapt over the hedge and started sprinting
towards the Squat position. The crossfire intensified, and one by one his
men started dying. The captain's storm bolter kicked once in his hand and
jammed. Looking up at the roof of the building, he saw a squat warrior
looking at him down the barrel of a lascannon. Time slowed as his enhanced
vision saw the squat pull the trigger and a lance of light quickly cover
the distance to him. The blast knocked him off his feet and flung him
around. Just before his heart stopped he saw the carnage behind him and
realised the entire strike force had been massacred, he hoped the Emperor
would forgive his folly.
The Squat warrior looked down from his vantage position and smiled, "If all
the humans are this easy then we have no problems" he thought. A massive
explosion shook the building, the warrior raised his head to see the
source. A massive Warlord titan strode towards him, whilst battle tanks and
motor bikes spread out from behind it.
Hecate, the Princep onboard the "Bringer of Tears" opened a comms channel
to the rest of the reinforcements. "It appears that our cousins did not
perform their duty. Until notified otherwise, you are all under my direct
command. Fire at will".
Land Raiders and attack bikes sped past the titan and quickly moved off to
the right. Their first targets were a squadron of Iron Eagles who had only
just entered the fray. Basilisk artillery vehicles started to rain down
massive shells on the approaching Squat reinforcements while Predators
suppressed the cold-hearted mutants that had annihilated the Strike Team.
Hecate stared past the Squat position and saw plumes of dust being kicked
up by the approaching Squat war engines. In the lead came a vehicle with a
massive cannon jutting forward. The Princep quickly identified it as a
Cyclops and assigned its destruction to the highest priority. Behind it
trundled a Land Train and several Colossi. "Thunderhawk Alpha, you are
required to eliminate the shields on the vehicle designated target Prime. I
am uploading the information to your targeting computer now. Hecate out".
"Affirmative Princep, commencing our attack run now" spoke a tinny voice
from the speaker.
The Thunderhawks screamed past the Imperial reinforcements, straight
towards the Cyclops. Flares of light lit up under the Thunderhawks wings as
missiles ignited and raced toward to the target. All but one missile
exploded on an invisible forcefield, the last hitting the hull of the
Vehicle. Hecate took this as his prompt. "Moderati Hagen, you are free to
deliver the mutants to the embrace of the Emperor, fire His vengeance". The
Vortex missile leapt from its mountings and crashed into the Cyclops.
Nothing seemed to happen at first but then massive chunks of the vehicle
started flickering in and out of existence. A huge explosion enveloped the
Cyclops. When the smoke and fire cleared, it was obvious that the Cyclops
was dead. A cheer rose up from the Imperial forces.
As the battle raged backwards and forwards, high above on the "Defender of
the Faith", the Inquisitor swore as he stood over the battle display unit.
"Damn it", he muttered to no one in particular. "Look here, here and here",
he pointed to the display, his aide saw more Squat reinforcements heading
towards the battle and Squat defenders reorganising themselves to better
protect the stronghold. "Patch me through to the Bringer of Tears" he told
his aide. The inquisitor started speaking as soon as the connection was
made, "Hecate, it is critical that you conclude this battle as quickly as
possible. Secure the field and then push forward before they have a chance
to flank you and strike at the landing area. I am releasing more troops to
you". The connection was cut before the Princep could reply.
Captain Lazarus crested the hill and looked down at the battle. At that
instant, the Imperial advance faltered then failed. All along the Imperial
line vehicles exploded and men died. The only positive was the "Bringer of
Tears" reaching out with it's quake cannon and obliterating a Colossus.
Lazarus opened a comms link to the Titan, "Princep, you must fall back now.
We will cover you". The Princep replied, "Negative Captain, I am under
direct orders to hold this field and?", Lazarus cut him off mid-sentence,
"Hecate, my scouts have reported large numbers of tunneling vehicles and we
believe they are headed this way. Fall back this instant, I will deal with
the Inquisitor".
One by one, the Imperial detachments disengaged and raced past the Captain
towards the Landing area. The "Bringer of Tears" was the last to leave.
Silence descended on the battlefield.
The Inquisitor was red with rage, "Prepare a shuttle, I am going to deal
with that captain" he screamed.
Lazarus was overseeing the construction of bunkers and the laying of
minefields when he heard his name yelled out behind him. Turning, he saw a
figure in red terminator armour striding towards him. "Greeting
Inquisitor". The inquisitor was trembling with barely contained anger as he
spoke to Lazarus, "Captain, I trust you have an excellent reason for your
actions". The Inquisitor stared Lazarus in the eyes as he explained the
position and the discoveries made by his scouts. "Very well," said the
Inquisitor, "finish preparing the defences and we will show these mutants
the very meaning of defeat".
If I don't post again, Have a merry christmas.
Cheers.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------
Chris Pinson
"I don't suffer from insanity,
I enjoy every minute of it"
Analyst/Programmer
Empower Business Systems
(08) 8233 2059
chrisp_at_...
http://www.geocities.com/TimesSquare/Castle/6573
Received on Sun Dec 21 1997 - 22:50:27 UTC