The Doom of Ulpia - Mission #8 Game

Scenario: Custom (8000 points)

Based on  Apocalyptic War: Exterminatus! 

Restrictions

• None.

Use the rules for Apocalyptic War: Exterminatus! from Chapter Approved (p18-19) for deployment, objectives, extra rules, scoring.

The rules for Battlezone: Empyric Storms are in effect. See Chapter Approved, p108-112.

Each faction used by the players (Imperial Fists, Adeptus Custodes, Questor Imperialis vs Word Bearers, Death Guard, Chaos Daemons) counts as being fielded by a separate player: each will have its own Relic and Warlord with a warlord trait. Choose a Warmaster as per the scenario rules.

For the Imperium side, all Adeptus Custodes units are considered to be in deep strike reserve, as per the “From golden light they come” stratagem. This costs no CPs. Questor Imperialis are in a special kind of reserve. At the end of your movement phase, place them in base contact with your table edge. They then get to move as normal.

Note that Adeptus Custodes and Questor Imperialis can arrive only beginning with battle round 2. Any Imperial Fists reinforcements may arrive starting turn 1, as normal. (Scenario written before the second 2018 FAQ).

For the Chaos side, all Chaos Daemons units are considered to be in deep strike reserve, as per the “Denizens of the Warp” stratagem. This costs no CPs. These reserves may only arrive beginning with battle round 2.

There is no limit on the number and variation of detachments a player can take.

The Imperium side is considered the Underdog and has the first turn.

Defender receives 3D3 additional CPs for winning previous game.

Deployment

The Fists set up on a line, ready to advance. Scouts infiltrate the bridge ahead, unseen by the enemy.

Fire support in the back: dreadnoughts, predators, devastators, and a stormtalon.

The remains of the Death Guard made up the Traitors' right flank, while the Word Bearers deployed on the right.

A sight to behold!

An epic game on 1.5 table size.

Having two brigades, two battalions and a bonus, Chaos began the game with 44 command points.

Imperium, turn 1

The Imperial Fists attack for all their worth. The phalanx of infantry advance, as deep striking reserves encircle the traitors. Sternguard come in by drop pod; Inceptors drop from the sky; and two squads of Terminators land to threaten the Death Guard.

Using a temporary Warp Tunnel, a squad of Aggressors pop up behind the ruin filled with Havocs.

The Fists unleash a punishing salvo of solid projectiles and las beams; then they charge forward, intent on pushing through. Blasphemous machines are instantly reduced to burning wreckage.

Chaos, turn 1

The Terminators had failed to inflict any wounds on the Death Guard Daemon Prince (the Suppurating Plate, Revoltingly Resilient). Aided by the Plaguecaster, the Daemon then unleashed a sorcerous barrage that eliminated the marines to a man.

Mobile forces on the left flank converge to eliminate the Aggressors. The Vindicator finds a use for its short ranged cannon.

The Death Guard are slow to advance; they need to clear out the Assault Terminators first. Forward elements on the other flank crash into the Fists. Blood for the Blood God!

The warp disgorges reinforcements behind the Fists' front line. Raptors unleash plasma fire, and a Lord of Contagion steps through with his Deathshroud bodyguard. The slow-moving terminators do not manage their charges.

Chaos losses in the first round:

 Imperial losses:

Imperium, turn 2

Knightly reinforcements stomp unto the table.

Terminator Custodes reinforce the front lines.

The bulk of the golden host landed behind the Word Bearers' main firebase.

Shield-Guard captains charge in to eliminate a Predator.

With bolt shell and energy beam, the Fists cleared out most of the Chaos Marines threatening their flank.

Chaos, turn 2

The floodgates of the warp opened up, releasing daemons upon daemons. Custodes died as sorcery wreaked havoc on the battlefield. A mighty Soul Grinder also crashed into them (doing no damage, but holding them tight). 

Plague Marines disembarked from the Land Raider, launching a Blight Bombardment on the hapless Shield-Guard Captain.

All along the front lines, daemons appeared to reinforce the failing assault.

Some even clawed their way into reality behind the Fists.

Interlude

At this point, it was getting pretty late, and we agreed to call the game after the third battle round.

I was winning, due to the Plaguebearers who made their charge and stole control of an objective.

Until now, the scenario had barely done anything; however, at the start of the third battle round, we got the virus bomb result. Lots of infantry died all across the field.

Imperium, turn 3

The Custodes were all held up with the disgustingly resilient Soul Grinder; only the Shield-Guard Captain could charge forward and eliminate the remaining Havocs.

The center line of the Fists held fast, eliminating everything that had penetrated the front line. Control of the objectives had been reestablished; we were tied, again.

Chaos, turn 3

It was time to play the hidden card: the Bloodletters remaining in reserve. I had intended them to snipe an important target; however, to win the game, I had to play them to steal an objective. I still had 4 CPs at this point, and a reroll due to the Bloodmaster backing them up. None of that was needed: I made the 3d6 charge into the Centurions. 

Victory for Chaos! A narrow one, but a victory nonetheless. Not enough to narratively massacre all the Imperial Fists officer cadre, though.

Afterthought

It was the first time either of us played an apocalypse game, and boy did we learn a lot.

As far as extra rules went, I included both the scenario rules and the Empyric Storm table. The effects made some difference, but generally not as much as I expected. Except the part where no morale test have to be taken, which I considered the least important, but played a huge part in keeping my larger squads alive.

The size of the table was a surprise for both of us. Never before was the 48" range of heavy weapons an issue. Now, we had to take targets of opportunity due to not reaching the other end of the table. The knights were also made irrelevant due to having to deploy at the back and the game ending after round 3.

The game took a lot time, with about 1 hour per player turn. I think that forcing a lot of models into reserve was a good choice; otherwise, we might not have even gotten to turn 3. 

The game was also very hard to wrap our heads around. During the first two turns, we only tried to kill as much as possible; only after realizing that the game is ending soon, did we put any effort into actually capturing objectives.

Otherwise, we ran into the usual stuff affecting any 40k game, with banter flowing freely back and forth and spectators asking questions about rules and models. The highlight was the moment when some friends crashed in to watch the game just when our food arrived; so we made them roll the dice while we ate.