“For nearly half a millenia, Epsilon Beta Hydros - locally known as Ramiel’s Ditch - has been a quiet, reliable penal mining colony extracting Turbinium ores and holding the dregs of Imperial society. The local warden/planetary governor was unremarkable in his treatment of the populace - neither too brutal nor too inhumane. Tithes were met, and the convict proletariat only rioted every few years. A completely unexceptional planetoid in every respect. Until twelve months ago.
It began with the familiar cycle of food rioting, odd only for the level of distrust the ring leaders seemed to have for each other. But then there arose even more protests. More discontent. Summary execution of the organizers only seemed to consolidate power amongst the remaining hooligans. Fear and paranoia soon spread like wildfire - loyal Imperial servants worried about the next hullabaloo, miners demanding food and security against fanciful cryptids they imagined in the shadows, and the rise of a distressingly extremist new religion venerating the Four-Armed Emperor.
Eventually when the warden enacted a perfunctory routine decimation of the population, a full blown uprising erupted. Most of the Imperial heirarchy has fled or commited honorable suicide.Those who remain and are still considered valuable to His Grace, The Emperor of Mankind, have sent Astropathic communiques to beg for deliverance. Or at the very least, escape.”
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| The battlefield layout. |
Soooooo… this is my second stab at a sort of play-by-mail game of 40k pitting Imperial Agents against a Genestealer Cult. I’m keeping the forces small - only about 20 power levels each. The twist is this time there are four players. I sent each player a briefing with objectives, a map of how their forces are deployed and basic stats for their units via Messenger. Each of them will have competing and secret objects - I want to treat this more like an RPG or Kriegspiel. If there is something they want to do that might not be covered by the regular rules of 40k - activating a crane, carjacking a vehicle, ect. - they ask and we’ll come up with something.
Each turn, players will send me orders for each of their units and I’ll execute them. If a unit wanders into LOS and/or range of an enemy, I’ll let them know. Units that can indirect fire will simply be given a list of generalized targets in their attack range, and the player can pick. Then I’ll resolve all attacks. If there is any micro-manage-y stuff, I’ll keep them in the loop. But mostly, this will be about tactics on a large scale. We’ve keep things like Command Points and Ambushing out of it to keep things simple. I’ve also streamlined the data-sheets that I’ll send out - purposely removing some of the more complicated stuff.
At the end of a turn, I’ll take photos and give a report on what happened, and then we will proceed from there. I encouraged each player to connect with their compatriots via Messenger, so they can coordinate plans - or NOT! It’s up to them!
Cult of The Four Armed Emperor
Background - You are Cywyn Stor - High Magus of the Cult of the Four-Armed Emperor, mind-sworn to the great Patriarch, Harbinger of the Great Devourer. Certainly, you wield more power and influence than that Ambull dropping of a Primus, Kyrus Gnorr. That imbecile has been maneuvering for the Patriarch’s good graces behind your back for months now. You’re certain it was him who let those fools from Order Biologis capture the remains of one of the Pure Brethren and even worse, inform the Imperium at large about the uprising. No matter, he will get what’s coming to him soon enough! But right now, measures must be taken to ensure the greater Imperium does not glean more information about what is transpiring here. The Patriarch has delegated this task to you, and you WILL see it done.
You have tracked the remaining members of the local Adeptus Mechanicus science mission to the minehead at Durno’s Pit. It looks like they are making for one of the last low orbit capable hoppers left on the planet. They must not escape!
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| Magus Stor and his forces deployment. |
Primary Objective - Prevent the forces of the Imperium from getting to the landing pad and escaping with the Xenos biosample.
Secondary Objective - Eliminate the threat to your position in the brood by getting rid of the Primus, Kyrus Gnorr. If he is dead by the end of Turn 5, you will have succeeded.
Tertiary Objective - The pure bloodline must be maintained. The Patriarch has gifted you with the presence of a brood of Purestrains. This squad must survive with at least one member by the end of the 5th turn.
Map Notes: The Blast Doors into the minehead are security sealed. In order to access and open or close a door, a unit must be within 1” and give up its Movement. A unit can still Advance (giving up its shooting) after accessing a door.
Forces -
Cywyn Stor - Genestealer Magus
Neophyte Hybrids - 10 Cultists armed with autoguns
Acolyte Hybrids - 5 Cultists armed with autopistols and cult knives
The Pure Brethren - 5 Purestrain Genestealers
Special Rules - Cywyn Stor may attack the Primus, Kyruss Gnorr. Other Genestealer forces cannot attack one another.
Cult of The Four Armed Emperor
Background - This entire uprising has been bungled from day one. Magus Cywyn Stor, a whispering sycophant and dilettante, has given the Patriarch of the Cult of the Four-Armed Emperor poor advice at every turn. If his supreme magnificence had listened to you, Kyrus Gnorr - rabble rouser, demagogue, leader of the people, the entire population would be awaiting the Great Devourer in rapturous bliss with the Imperium none the wiser. Instead, the entire operation has been a fiasco. You’re certain it was Stor who let those fools from Order Biologis capture the remains of one of the Pure Brethren and even worse, inform the Imperium at large about the uprising. No matter, he will get what’s coming to him soon enough! Distressingly, it seems that an Astropathic message has reached an Imperial servant of some authority. They must be silenced. The Patriarch has delegated this task to you, and you WILL see it done.
It appears that an Inquisitor has made planetfall and is en route to the minehead at Durno’s Pit. It looks like they are attempting to link up with the remnants of the local Adeptus Mechanicus science mission. They must not escape!
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| Primus Gnorr's deployment zone. |
Primary Objective - Prevent the forces of the Imperium from getting to the landing pad and escaping with the Xenos biosample.
Secondary Objective - Eliminate the threat to your position in the brood by getting rid of the Magus, Cywyn Stor. If he is dead by the end of Turn 5, you will have succeeded.
Tertiary Objective - The Inquisitor may have the authority to exterminate the entire planetoid. She must not survive.
Map Notes: The Blast Doors into the minehead are security sealed. In order to access and open or close a door, a unit must be within 1” and give up its Movement. A unit can still Advance (giving up its shooting) after accessing a door.
Forces -
Kyrus Gnorr - Genestealer Primus
Neophyte Hybrids - 10 Cultists armed with autoguns
Acolyte Hybrids - 5 Cultists armed with autopistols and cult knives
The Rejected - 5 Aberrants
Special Rules - Kyruss Gnorr may attack the Magus, Cywyn Stor. Other Genestealer forces cannot attack one another.
Adeptus Mechanicus
Background -
+++ Planetary unrest has increased by Growth Factor of 7.009878
+++ Indeginous forces have stormed the Mission Scientifica. Resultant casualties are 15 tech-priests of the Ordos Biologis, Logis, and Automata. This cannot continue.
+++ Skitarii casualties are at 99.76%. At this rate they will be unable to protect remaining tech-priests. Skitarii casualties fall within acceptable limits, but further loss of tech-priest personnel must be avoided.
+++ Unknown specimen of xenos cryptid still pending further study. Recommend study continues off planet.
+++ Take available forces to Orbital Station Theta at “Durno’s Pit” mine head facility.
+++ En route, recover STC fragment download at Terminal Epsilon Gamma.
+++ Tech-priest Dominus Father Erasmus Krugg must escape to orbit forces.
+++ All other units are considered expendable.
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| Adeptus Mechanics deployment zone. |
Primary Objective - The Tech-Priest must download the STC fragment at Terminal Epsilon Gamma and then exit the board at the landing pad by the end of Turn 5.
Secondary Objective - The xenos biological sample must exit the board at the landing pad by the end of Turn 5.
Tertiary Objective - Upload combat data by engaging at least 1 Purestrain Xenos in close combat.
Map Notes: The Blast Doors into the minehead are security sealed. In order to access and open or close a door, a unit must be within 1” and give up its Movement. A unit can still Advance (giving up its shooting) after accessing a door.
Forces -
Father Erasmus Krugg - Tech-priest Dominus
Tech-Priest Acolytes - 5 acolytes
Skullroid-13 - 1 Mining Servitor
Skitarii Bodyguard - 5 Skitarii
Special Rules - Your force also includes a sample of an unstudied xenos cryptid. The Biologis deacon moves 6” ONLY if it begins its turn within 2” of a friendly Imperial unit. It cannot attack or be attacked.
Kill Team Humiliata
Background - The call for aid from Epsilon Beta Hydros screamed across the Empyrean and only the Will of The Emperor could be responsible for the proximity of Inquisitor Serevina Humiliata and her servants. While arriving too late to bring His Divine Justice to the godless heathens in revolt, Inquisitor Humiliata has arrived to assess the situation and bring succor to the servants of Mars stationed on the planet. Once she has accumulated all of the pertinent information, it should be a simple matter of detonating the network of planet scouring Doomsday devices installed in the penal colony for just such events.
The greater Imperium must be informed of what has happened here, and how to prevent it in the future. At the minimum, this hapless little world must be scoured with cleaning fire.
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| Inquisitorial forces deployment. |
Primary Objective - Inquisitor Humiliata must detonate one of the Doomsday devices on the planet. This will set off a chain reaction that will activate other devices across the planet. The Inquisitor must be in base-to-base contact to detonate the bomb. Once she has contacted the device, she may set it to explode on any remaining turn she likes.
Secondary Objective - The xenos biological sample must exit the board at the landing pad by the end of Turn 5.
Tertiary Objective - The Deathwatch Kill team must maintain its honor by inflicting at least 3 times as many casualties as it takes by the end of Turn 5.
Map Notes: The Blast Doors into the minehead are security sealed. In order to access and open or close a door, a unit must be within 1” and give up its Movement. A unit can still Advance (giving up its shooting) after accessing a door.
Forces -
Inquisitor Serevina Humiliata - Imperial Inquisitor
Gotfret de Montbard - Imperial Crusader
Aradia Madellan - Primarus Psyker
Neyam Shia Murad - Rogue Trader
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