Play-by-Email Imperials vs Genestealer Cult - Part 3

Turn 3

 Imperial Agents Sitrep - It seems the enemy is redeploying a bit. A possible leader scurried south towards a mine entrance, while the rebels you previously fired upon have taken up position behind some cover. They returned fire, but it was ineffectual. Additionally, you have received a datenet message from Servitor P-1L0T that the hopper is being attacked. Orders?

+++The Deathwatch stands their ground while the agents advance as fast as they can to the gate. The Madellan will attempt to cast the same power. The Deathwatch will fire on the Neophytes with the Heavy Stubber targeting the HazMat containers hoping to cause an explosion to take out more Neophytes.

“Move, damn you! Move!” Inquisitor Severina barked at her companions. The group began a full force sprint past the blazing fire of the Deathwatch Kill Team. Only the precision of the Astartes allowed them to avoid the maelstrom of bolter rounds. Thank The Emperor for it. 

The blast door protected entrance to the mine loomed ahead of the Inquisitor and her companions. Severina took a second to track them - Aradia was there, looking like she was trying to summon one of her psychic gifts - and the Crusader Gotfret close by - but where was the Rogue Trader? The Inquisitor turned to look back for her, but there was a sudden explosion that bathed Humiliata in a shockwave of heat. It seemed Zariel’s new toy had found a mark. 

“We cannot wait for Neyam! Forward!”

The Imperial Agents got some decent advance rolls except the Rogue Trader who rolled a 1. The Deathwatch killed another two Neophytes through a combination of fire and hitting two of the hazardous waste drums. Your psyker failed to manifest her power. 

Adeptus Mechanicus Sitrep - The cavern you have advanced into has been suddenly flooded by rebel forces from the west. It appears they were occupying the Terminal Epsilon Gamma room. They seemed in poor position to attack, but one did fire a grenade launcher. 1 Skitarii Vanguard was irreparably damaged in the attack. Additionally, you have received a datenet message from Servitor P-1L0T that the hopper is being attacked. Orders?

+++ Father Erasmus & Skitarii will move up normal and fire everything at the unit of baddies ! The remaining 3 units will move as fast as possible North ! I ask the P-ILot for a sit-rep and let him know we are moving to support ASAP.

“Platform is becoming too unstable. Lifeforms assaulting unit. Dust off in 50 seconds. Requesting new landing coordinates.” Servitor P-1L0T’s dull voice echoed across Father Erasmus’ vox speaker. Before the Tech-Priest could instruct the mechanical savant, his combat datasphere was instructing him on how best to deal with the threat in front of him.  Combat tactics and attack vectors bloomed in his mind and the Father passed orders to his Skitarii underlings in an instant. 

Radium shot and plasma fire bloomed in the Skitarii’s advance. The insurgents held firm despite the slew of fire, but then Erasmus himself entered the fray. His vokite weapon incinerated a screaming rebel with murderous precision, followed by his macrostubber opening up with the ferocity of a butcher’s bandsaw. Every inch of the floor, walls and ceiling were painted with the seditious scum’s remains. Still, the Dominus strode forward his cybernetic attendants joining him.

The remaining cultists opened fire, desperately attempting to slow the brotherhood of Mar’s finest troops. Autogun fire glanced off walls, a beam of hot death went wide, and a grenade round impacted Erasmus’ energy defenses pathetically. Nothing could stop the priest, and his mechanical tendrils reached down to shred his foes. 

He paused for a nanosecond, glorying in his triumph and glad to be closer to his goal, when his augmented brain flashed into overdrive with new threat assessments within the next cavern. A fear that would have crippled a normal man swung through Erasmus’ consciousness. He lost combat effectiveness for nearly a full second before regaining his composure. Surely the Omnissiah was about to test his mettle to the fullest.”

Your forces all moved forward, the Biologis Deacon rolling another 5! The Skitarii and Tech-Priest killed 7 of the 10 cultists in shooting, then assaulted and broke the remainder. They are all dead. However, the objective cavern is full of new dangers. The aerospace hopper will lift off at the END of the Genestealer turn. You can then direct it to land in a new position at the END of your next turn. 

Cult Magus Sitrep - You definitely made contact with the enemy. Terrible, terrible contact. A force of Skitarii led by a Tech-Priest Dominus butchered the Neophytes you sent forward to a man. They… they can see you. Additionally, your mind can feel Primus Gnorr nearby - due North. Orders?

+++Cywyn swore under his breath, then chattered in his alien language, directing his minions.  He focused his concentration, reaching once again into the void to summon his dark power...+++

* * *

Hybrid Acolytes: Move aside so the others can fit by (Something like where I've put the red circles in the image.

Cywyn Stor: Move to the side behind them, so he can see the tech priest, but NOT the other unit through the opening (so Smite will target the tech priest).

Purestrain Genestealers, move and Advance into the tunnel, getting as close to the enemy as possible.  I'd like to put as many of them into the tech priest as I can, the rest on the Skitarii

Psychic Powers:  First Smite the tech priest, then Might From Beyond the Genestealers.

If anyone can shoot, take the shots, then assault with the Genestealers.  I'm assuming they will be close enough to shunt some wounds onto the Acolytes with "Loyalty."  Put as many attacks as I can into the Tech Priest, the rest into the the Skitarii.

“Pure Brethren, I beseech you - slay these godless mechanical things!” Cywyn hissed. The purestrain Genestealers swiftly scurried past the obeising acolytes. As the hideous four armed death-dealers made their way forward, Cywyn reached out with his mind and touched the intellect of the half-dead thing floating in the mechanized bio-tank. Cywyn’s mind whispered up against the Tech-Priest’s cold, unfeeling thoughts before he savagely bore down on the priest’s consciousness. Before their minds parted, he could see the liquid in the tank fill with blood through the AdMech leader’s eyes. 

The Magus smiled as his perception snapped back to reality. His elation was fleeting, however. The Pure Brethren dashed into melee with the Mechanicus entourage and there was the sound of heavy fire. One of the cult’s primogenitors went down in a hail of gunfire, another fell beneath the whirling drill of the priest even as their claws pierced armor and ruptured lines. The entrance became a swirling chaos of blood, oil, screeching and mechanical whines. The servants of Mars would not be so easily defeated.”

The Magus manifested Smite and caused 2 wounds on the Tech-Priest. The Genestealers charged, lost one to overwatch fire. They killed a Skitarii and did 1 wound on the Dominus. His repair systems automatically healed one wound. 

Cult Primus Sitrep - the neophytes in your charge continue to take a beating. Two more now sit at the feet of the Four-Armed Emperor. The marines hit two of the hazardous waste barrels, causing a massive explosion. Morale still seems unshakable in the remaining members. On the landing pad, the hopper is beginning to power up, exhaust building up in thick clouds. Orders?

+++ Gnorr will head towards the gate. Have the neophytes attack the Inquisitor and her guys. Bring the Aberrants forward, ready to charge next turn. The acolytes will run down the gantry and try to get the drop on the marines.

"Neophyte Initiate Zgar saw a group of Imperial dogs heading towards the main gate. Instinctively, he knew they had to be stopped. But how? Many of his brothers were dead and those that were left were cautious, unwilling to throw themselves into the line of fire from the black armored marines.

"Faithless welps! Is this how you think you will achieve paradise?!" Zgar screamed at his compatriots. "Follow me!"

The neophyte leader rushed forward, spraying shots from his autogun at the enemy. His boldness seemed to electrify his cult brothers, and they surged forward after him. They unleashed their wrath at an armored servant of the Dead Emperor, bathing him in a torrent of bullets, laser beams and finally claws. Even as they pressed in on him, they knew they faced their own deaths. And they planned to sell their lives at a high cost."

Primus headed towards the gate. Neophytes shot at an Imperial Crusader and did 2 wounds. They then charged, doing 1 more wound to him. Aberrants moved up. Acolytes moved along the gantry to outflank Deathwatch.

Turn 4

 Imperial Agents Sitrep - Gotfret de Montbard took a hail of fire from the remaining degenerate cultists advancing towards the main gate. The creatures then launched an assault on him that brought Inquisitor Serevina into the fray. Two cultists were killed and Gotfret has taken 3 wounds this turn (2 from shooting, 1 in the fight). Serevina managed to extricate herself from the combat. It also appears there is movement to the West behind the cover there AND something is moving on the catwalk above and to the north of you. Orders?

+++Two of the agents make a break for the objective behind the door, the third steps up to help assist in the soon-to-be-a-boot-party melee. The Deathwatch fall back around the truck while the Sgt targets the catwalk if he has LoS.

“Gotfret de Montbard swung his powersword in a deadly crackling arc above his head to ward off his attackers. The Crusader bled from a dozen wounds, but it had done little to blunt his righteous zeal. “Save thyselves, m’ladies!” Gotfret cried as he deflected a pistol shot with his storm shield. 

Primaris Pysker Aradia Madellan sprinted away, trying to link up at the main mine entrance with Inquisitor Humiliata. She turned to look back at the Crusader, focusing her mental energies on his two attackers. Both rebels suddenly stiffened, trembling in terror moments before their heads burst from Aradia’s psychic assault. The Crusader fell to one knee, clearly exhausted, but alive.

Aradia let herself feel hope, but only for a moment as the main gate suddenly burned away like a plastic toy in a guttering flame. As the smoke cleared in the driving rain, the psyker saw saw the form of several Servants of Mars within the cavern. Perhaps the Emperor blessed them after all.”

Inquisitor, Psyker, and Rogue Trader advanced. Aradia Madellan manifested Smite and killed the two neophytes attacking Gotfret. The Deathwatch fell back to the truck and fired on the Acolytes on the gantry. Only Zariel had line of sight due to his elevated position, but caused no wounds. 

Adeptus Mechanicus Sitrep - The entrance to the Terminal Epsilon Gamma room has filled with Genestealers. Just before they assaulted, Erasmus found himself under a psychic assault that his defenses did nothing against. He took 2 wounds. The ‘stealers charged and the Tech-Priest’s macrostubber killed one. The creatures slammed into the vanguard, killing two Skitarii and another wound on the Father. At the beginning of this turn, the Dominus self-repaired 1 wound he had taken. Servitor P-1L0T reports that the hopper has lifted off. It will land at coordinates specified by you at the end of this turn. Orders?

+++A. I want Skullroid-13 to run towards this door. He is eventually going to bust through it like Cold-Smack through the wall like we used to watch on the vidcaster back in the day.

B. Tech acolytes are going to move up and repair Erasmus if they can, shoot pistols if they can and go into melee with the Purestrains.. if they can.

C. The 'Sample' will move behind Erasmus for protection.

- The other units will fight Steel vs. Claw ! There was a day when the Purestrains were the pinnacle of melee... but that was a couple decades ago.

I want the lander to come down on the teal area. We are getting the data, a sample and we are dusting off !

“The xenos blocking the hall leading to Terminal Epsilon Gamma were a tedious, albeit vicious, distraction to Father Erasmus. They were keeping him from his precious datum and leaving this world a rightful cinder. Time. He was running out of time.

“My children! Attend me!” Eramus’ voice boomed through the chamber across a crackling vox-caster. The young priests of Mars hurried to obey. 

+++Skullroid-13. Advance and eliminate the blockage to our Imperial allies.+++

The loyal servitor made from the skull of some ancient gargantuan scuttled forward and let loose with its melta burners at the main chamber door. The melting plasteel door cast long shadows as it burned into a lumpen mass of slag. Skullroid-13 turned to its master, hopeful of some kind of praise, but the Dominus was busy. The macrostubber was blowing chunks of alien flesh apart even as his servants charged into battle beside him. The xenos were holding, but just barely. Skullroid-13 may have been sad about this fact, but since it only had the intellect of a very smart pet it mostly was disappointed by the lack of enthusiasm for its efforts. Praise would have to wait.”

Skullroid-13 advanced and let the blast door have it with his melta-burners. The ancient doorways melted into slag under its energy. The Tech-Acolytes and the Biologis Deacon moved up. Father Erasmus’ macrostubber killed another Genestealer. Then the Tech-Acolytes charged. Two made it into melee, killing a Genestealer. The Genestealers tried to murder the Dominus, but it was to no avail. His armored form shrugged off their attacks and his mechadendrites killed another Genestealer. Everyone remaining consolidated closer to the remaining ‘stealer. The Tech-Acolytes healed their high priest for another point of damage. So he has 4 wounds remaining. Aerospace Hopper has touched down. 

Cult Magus Sitrep - The Tech-Priest Dominus has been joined by a group of tech-acolytes. Between the priest and his followers, they killed three Purestrain Genestealers but suffered no damage in return. A powerful servitor blew the door in the central chamber apart, opening the way for Imperial Agents outside. You can sense the Primus outside the door to your North. Orders?

+++Have Cywyn run to the north door. and have the Acolytes charge the Ad Mech in range.  Put "Might" on them if he can still see them after moving.  It doesn't look like there's room to fit the genestealer out of there, but if he can get by, have it run and retreat around toward Cywyn.

“Cywyn Stor’s eyes glowed with warp-infused might as he turned to his Acolytes. 

“Go forth! Save the Pure Brethern. Crush our foes!” He bellowed as lightning arced from his eye sockets and into each of his followers. The acolytes shuddered with unholy power and scurried down the corridor towards their Imperial oppressors. 

Cywyn listened to the bark of their gunfire as he gathered his familiars and made his way towards the northern door. He could sense the presence of his hated rival, Primus Kyruss Gnorr, just beyond. Try as he might to crush the Primus’ mind, some alien presence prevented him. Had Gnorr thrown in with the Imperials? Surely even he was not so debased!

The blast door in front of the Magus suddenly opened, and there in the driving rain stood the Primus. 

“Die, fool!” Kyruss screamed as he threw a lit blasting charge directly at the Magus who was leveling his autopistol. Neither was fast enough to avoid the other’s attack. Howling with fury, the Primus charged. Both leaders were determined to end this in a swirling melee of claws, pistol butts and teeth. 

The Magus and his twittering familiars were slowly gaining the upper hand. A look of desperation was crawling across the Primus’ face. Like any animal, he would be most dangerous in his death-throws.”

The Genestealer flees the combat. The Acolytes advance and fire their autopistols into the Skitarii - slaughtering them. Cywyn advances North, surprised to find the blast door open and suddenly confronted with Kyruss Gnorr. Stor manifested Might From Beyond on the acolytes and then attempted to manifest Smite on Gnorr, but a nearby psyker denied his power. The acolytes charged and killed three Tech-Acolytes, grinding one more as his morale broke. Their own casualties were heavy, three of the acolytes fell to the Tech-Priest and his minions.  

The two coven leaders crashed into one another with unbridaled fury. Kyruss threw a blasting charge while Cywyn leveled his pistol at his foe. Both wounded the other, then met in close combat. Cywyn and his familiars did another two wounds to Kyruss (3 total) and the Primus struck back at the Magus for another wound. 

Primus Sitrep - Your acolytes continue across the gantry. It appears the central door has been destroyed, and the Imperial Agents are making their way towards the entrance. Kyruss Gnorr is just outside of a blast-door as the aerospace hopper landed near him. Orders?

+++ Gnorr will open the door and look for Stor. The Aberrants will move forward and charge the Inquisitor. The Acolytes will shoot the Crusader and then charge the Rogue Trader. For the Four-Armed Emperor!

“Kyruss stooped momentarily as he was washed with rain whipped up from the landing aerospace craft’s descent. Landing? Here?! That fool Cywyn must have bungled this worse than the Primus could imagine. Best to enter the mine now and see what could be salvaged. With any luck, the servants of the Dead Emperor had eliminated his rival for him he mused as he punched in the door’s access code. 

As the massive gate opened, any thoughts of fortuitousness fled the Magus’ mind. Standing before him in all his shabby glory was Magus Stor. Seconds stretched into what felt like hours.

“Die, fool!” Kyruss screamed as he threw a lit blasting charge directly at the Magus who was leveling his autopistol. Neither was fast enough to avoid the other’s attack. Howling with fury, the Primus charged. Both leaders were determined to end this in a swirling melee of claws, pistol butts and teeth.

The Primus was out-numbered. In a fair fight, he might have been able to best the Magus but the craven worm had assistance from his simpering familiars. They slashed and tripped him at every turn. He was losing. But just maybe, he would drag Cywyn to Hell with him.”

Acolytes advanced forward and gun down Gotfret de Montbard. The Aberrants charge the Inquisitor and cause 3 wounds. She does none in return, but the Primaris Psyker manages to do three wounds, killing one Aberrant. The Acolytes fail to roll high enough to charge.

The two coven leaders crashed into one another with unbridaled fury. Kyruss threw a blasting charge while Cywyn leveled his pistol at his foe. Both wounded the other, then met in close combat. Cywyn and his familiars did another two wounds to Kyruss (3 total) and the Primus struck back at the Magus for another wound. 

Part 4