Warhammer Facebook Thousand - Part 2

The Battle - The Death Guard won first turn. At the beginning of a turn, each side will be given a Situation Report (Sitrep). They players will then give orders (as general or specific as they like) which will be interpreted and carried out by the GM. Then a narrative of what occurred will be relayed back.

+++ Death Guard Turn 1 Sitrep - Your units are deployed in the shadow of a habitation block. Currently no enemy units are in line of sight. The plagueburst mortar does have three targets in range of its mortar. No LOS is required for this attack. There are two infantry units due North of you, one more to the East and one more to the West. There is also some kind of armored unit within range, nearly due North of the Plagueburst Crawler’s position. Orders, Commander?

+++A. Cultists bust out the windows and move into the building. They are moving to the north side of the building with the goal of taking position at windows to engage hostiles outside the building.

B. Cultists move into the northside rubble and take cover. They will engage with Autoguns or take overwatch.

C. Spawn moves to the side of the building, at a corner, not revealing itself.  

D. Squad Corrosis moves up to the outside of the southern wall.

E. The Crawler fires indirectly at the unit that is North east of the road.

“Feculus Spew rolled his massive bulk down the street, heading for the corner of the nearest Hab Block. He felt a moment of shame as he watched a group of Tox Trooper cultists scurry into the building, quick as cockroaches. Try as he might, pushing his grotesque form proved too exhausting, and he was short of the corner.

As he stopped to catch his breath, the hulking forms of Corrosis and his Plague Marines emerged next to him. “Flies in your lungs?” joked Corrosis with a hideous grin. “At least these pathetic cultists know how move!” 

The Foul Blightspawn said nothing, instead staring a hate filled gaze through unblinking lenses at the Plague Marines. He then glanced over his shoulder to watch the other Tox Troopers pick their way into a bombed out building.

The air was suddenly split with an enormous explosion from the mouth of the Plagueburst Crawler’s mortar. The shell arced high, and Feculus’ face contorted beneath his rebreather in what might have been a smile before the armored muzzle had fused with his flesh. Let the sons of Dorn chew on that!”

Blightspawn rolled a 1 for advancing. Corrosis moves up. Tox A advanced into the building with all haste By rolling a 6. Tox B secured the ruins in front of them. Neither has range to targets or contact. Plagueburst Crawler fired it’s mortar for 6 attacks! Two hit and wounded, but the target made both saves.

+++Imperial Fists Turn 1 Sitrep - Your units are arrayed in their staging area amongst some ruins in the Northern Edge of the Engineering Hab Block of the local water processing plant. No enemy units are yet visible, but auspex reports indicate movement to the South. Just as Brutus Stahl is about to commence giving orders, a sound overhead catches his attention. The whistling noise of a falling shell becomes a buzz and then the sound of a million angry flies as it descends upon Squad Garrus’ position. The shell lands; sending shrapnel, burning liquid and hellish maggots everywhere. When the smoke clears, two Marines are covered in filth, but their armor has held. The enemy has an exceptionally powerful indirect weapon at his disposal. It seems the mercy of the Emperor has shone on you for what will hopefully not be the last time this day!

Vererant Sergeant Darius in orbit about the battlefield.

+++Veteran Sergeant Darius to on-site commander Brutus Stahl.  Stand by for transmission…

+++Orders are as follows...

Proceed South.  Find and eliminate all Death Guard forces in the vicinity of the reclamation plant.

+++ Squad Arcturus: Advance forward with all haste and occupy the hab-block directly south of your position.

+++ Brother Priam: If necessary, blast an entryway for Squad Arcturus, cover their advance and take up position at the rear of the building, ready to engage either side if the enemy presents itself.

+++ Squad Garrus: Advance with all haste into the ruins to the south and take cover from enemy artillery.

+++ Brutus Stahl, Make your way toward the hab-block and Arcturus' position.  Be aware of enemy forces that may be on the road or advancing toward the bridge.

By your hand, the Emperor's will be done. By the Emperor's will, you will be victorious.

+++End Transmission

“Received, Brother Darius. The Emperor Protects.” Centurion Brutus Stahl looked up and nodded in turn to both of his sergeants. Each acknowledged him silently and turned back to their waiting squads. Like cogs in a fine machine, each group began to advance forward with the super-human speed and efficiency that marked them as Astartes. As Garrus’ team piled into a cratered shell of a building the sergeant immediately voxxed the Centurion.

+++ Contact. Due South. Possible indigenous troops. Prepare to deliver His judgement.

Squad Arcturus moved rapidly, pausing only to detonate a breaching charge, to occupy the lower level of an abandoned Hab Block. Still, the small space was designed for humans and not the towering Astartes. The sheer size of the Marines meant that some of the squad was still on the street. 

“Sloppy” thought Brutus as he made his way up to the massive form of Brother Priam. 

As if prescient, the Dreadnought turned towards the Centurion. 

“Fear not, Centurion. I will guard them. City wars demand caution. Do not be disappointed in Brother Sergeant Arcturus.” 

“The Emperor will judge his actions today, Brother. As He will judge us all.”

Both squads ran forward. Each rolled a 3 for the advance. Squad Garrus can see an enemy unit occupying the ruins directly across the street. They appear to be cultists. There is also unknown movement in the lower floor of the Hab Block directly West of the cultists in the ruins. From the corner, Brother Priam can detect no targets currently, but his view of the street is still obscured. 

+++ Death Guard Turn 2 Sitrep

Visual Contact! I Repeat, Visual Contact! Advancing Imperial dogs sighted. The Tox Troopers in the ruins can see a squad of marines advancing into the ruins across the street. Targets are still at long range. The cultists at the windows of the intact Hab Building can see movement in the alley behind the Hab Block directly across from them. Unknown strength. The Plagueburst can still target the unseen enemy armor with its mortar, along with the contacts reported by the cultists. Your orders?

+++Cultist Trooper squads A&B lay down concentrated fire at the Yellow DOGS in the cratered ruins. The Plagueburst Crawler supports them with every weapon it can bear ! That unit needs to be annihilated ! Feculus Spew and Squad Corrosis turn the corner of the building and run as fast as they can down the street. They will engage the closest unit with the Blight Launcher and Plague Sprayer if in range.

“The Foul Blightspawn took a huge gulp of distressingly clean air into his ruined lungs and raced down the street. Every ounce of his super-human physiology was bent on moving his corpulent frame as fast as he could. His personal Daemonkin, Slarplyps, barely avoided being trampled by the Traitor Asartes’ iron-shod boots. Corrosis and his Plague Marines sat motionless for a moment - stunned by the movements of Feculus. Seconds later, they followed as best they could struggling to keep up at times. 

As the group of Nurgle’s chosen moved up the street, there was a glint of yellow armor at the corner of a far Hab Block. Instinctively, the Plague Marines’ Blight Launcher burped twice in quick succession. The first round went wide, but the second found its mark. It took the Imperial Fist’s head off so quickly that his body almost didn't register it had gone missing for a full 5 seconds. The Imperial dog’s corpse shattered ferroconcrete as it fell. 

It was then time for the Tox Troopers to engage their targets. The first coven’s autoguns screamed like buzzsaws, slicing through the air and ruined buildings. The second troop added to the maelstrom of fire, giving up their position to punish the hated Imperials. Shots poured off the marine’s power armor like melting sleet. Nothing seemed to slow their advance. 

Two beams of sickly black energy spat from the Plagueburst Crawler’s Entropy Cannons, searching for targets but finding none. It was as if Papa Nurgle took no interest in his children’s endeavors. Then the plague mortar fired. 

The shot landed hard, throwing a massive slurry of concrete, armored limbs, and pus when it hit. The marine line seemed to stagger for a moment, but then held. First blood had been drawn.”

The Foul Blightspawn rolled a 6 for his run and made it to some cover. He had no Loyalists in range of his weapons. Squad Corrosis rolled a 3 for their run and had a target in range of their Blight Launcher, killing a Marine. The Tox Troopers opened fire on the marines, one scoring an abysmal 2 hits and the other a respectable 5. All these only translated into 2 wounds, which the marines in cover shrugged off easily. The Plague Crawler missed with both Entropy Cannon shots, but it's Plague Mortar inflicted 3 wounds which each resulted in a dead Marine. So you’ve caused 4 casualties so far.

+++Imperial Fists Turn 2 Sitrep - Your cautious advance has yielded mixed results. On your Eastern flank, Squad Garrus withstood a hail of fire. First from a Cultist unit amongst the ruins, and then from another hiding in the intact Hab Block to the West of the first enemy position. Thankfully, the Enemy was using pitiful autoguns and caused zero casualties… but then Squad Garrus was bracketed by fire from a Plagueburst Crawler. Two dark energy shots from Entropy Cannons missed, thank the Emperor, but then the mortar landed a hellacious bombardment which killed 3 marines. 

On the Western side, a single Foul Blightspawn raced down the street so quickly it was almost amazing. He was followed by a somewhat slower squad of Plague Marines. A member of Squad Arcturus at the back corner barely had time to relay this info before he was killed by a Plague Marine assault weapon round. The Traitors are making their way down the street, but it appears that they have not yet seen Brother Priam. 

+++The Death Guard appear to be advancing toward the water reclamation plant.  They are priority targets.  Be aware, there is a Plagueburst Crawler beyond the hab-blocks.  Maintain your push Southward and destroy it.

+++Brother Priam: Move south on the road and direct all fire on the Foul Blightspawn.  Do not let him cross the bridge!

+++Squad Arcturus:  Proceed through the building and exit onto the street to the West.  If the Blightspawn has survived Priam's fusillade, then finish it off.  Secondary target is the Plague Marine squad.

+++Brother Stahl:  Stay close to Priam and Acturus to direct their fire and ensure tactical precision.

+++Squad Garrus:  Continue south and engage the traitor cultists in the ruins.  Unleash bolter hell and then let them taste your steel!

+++ End Transmission

“Death to the Betrayers! Cleanse them with all your wrath!” bellowed Centurion Stahl. “Priam!”

“Yes, Brother?”

“Rid us of the abomination in the lead. Brother Darius believes they mean to be heading to the filtration plant. That must not be countenanced.”

The massive Contemptor Dreadnought moved into the street, its steps shattering what little glass was left in the nearby Hab Blocks. When Priam sighted the particularly fat and loathsome Death Guard cowering near the bridge, he raised his right arm and let go with a hail of bolter fire. It pitered off the foul creature’s once noble armor like so much rain. 

Not breaking stride, Priam let loose with his heavy weapon. Twin bolts of searing light arced out to meet the blighted marine almost hungrily. With a flash that even the Dreadnought’s sensors took a moment to compensate for, one of the las-beams found its mark. It cut through the armor like butter and the servant of the Dark Gods staggered. Priam watched in horror as it stood upright, parts of its filthy body re-knitting itself with hardening pus and tangled bits of sinew.

“KILL HIM!” Stahl screamed. 

Squad Arcturus spilled into the street, half of the squad putting a stream of bolter-fire into the Blightspawn and the other half, blocked by Priam’s bulk, unloading on the Plague Marines down the street. Unfortunately the weight of fire was not enough.

To the East, Sergeant Garrus and his brothers surged forward through the ruins and turned their fury upon the cultists across the street. Several of the wretches disintegrated under the storm of mass reactive bolts. The rest mustered a pitiful amount of return fire before several broke and ran. 

Back near the bridge, Arcturus pushed his men to assault the corpulent fiend that everything had failed to kill but couldn’t close the ground. It was perhaps the watchful eye of the Emperor guiding them as the Foul Blightspawn let loose with a foul stream of fluid that burned squad member Hektor with the strength of a lascannon. Surely only his discipline in caring for his armor was what saved him.

That and the blessings of the Emperor.”

Squad Garrus moved forward and killed 4 Cultists. Priam moved out onto the road and hit the Foul Blightspawn with two combi-bolter shots and one lascannon hit, doing 3 Wounds and nearly killing it. However, the Disgustingly Resilient rule allowed him to ignore two of the wounds. Arcturus moved up to support, but with Priam’s positioning could only bring half of the squad to bear on the Blightspawn. The other half fired at the Plague Marines, but none of it was effective. 

Squads Garrus and Arcturus, along with Priam, tried to launch assaults, but none managed to roll high enough to connect. Overwatch from the Cultists was worthless, but the Blightspawn’s was concerning. It has a variable strength and attack weapon that rolled a S9 for the attack, but only rolled a 1 for # of hits. 

During the Morale Phase, 3 more Cultists ran away leaving only the Champion and two cultists left to defend against Garro. 

+++ Darius pounded his fist on the console, smashing one of the smaller screens.  The exposed sparking circuits cast a red glow that mirrored the veteran sergeant's rage. "Blast!  That Blightspawn must not be allowed to cross that bridge!  The foul creature must be destroyed at all costs!" A pair of servitor skulls hovered down from their alcoves and began repairing the damaged console screen, as Darius awaited the coming casualty report.