Vraks Campaign Strategic Turn 4 - The Second Defence Line

There was something wrong with my tanks today. Shaun opened by throwing a second wave at Hab Zone 3 in the south west. This extra pressure proved too much and the defence collapsed. The Imperials were through another line in the south.

Shaun moved a field army into pposition to threaten the second defensive line in the north, maintaining a two-fisted strategy to split the defence. I moved a field army north to cover the line, weakening my position in the south.

Victory Points
Shaun: 14
John: 9

John holds the Citadel

Vraks Campaign Strategic Turn 3 - Hab 3

Strategic Situation

Deacon John hunched in his bunker over a bottle of industrial alcohol as he received news of yet another disaster. The Imperials had pushed north brushing aside token resistance to occupy the whole Starport. He had shot the messenger, of course, and now had a small pile of bodies in the corner by his scalectrix set but somehow the news never got any better.

Now Imperial tanks had been spotted crossing the Wastes towards Hab 3, an abandoned workers dormitary zone by the second defensive line. John congratulated himself on his brilliant strategic insight. Had he not just moved an army into Hab 3 to stiffen the defenses. He issued swift instructions. Under no circumstances were his troops to launch lunatic assaults across open land. They were to take up blocking positions overlooking the Grand Promenade of the Sixty-Three Virgins and shoot up the Imperials when they crossed open ground.

A messenger appeared in the doorway to the bunker.

"Good news, oh exalted one," the messenger said.

"Don't tell me Lord Marshall Shaun has forgotton to send in his tax returns and is being rubber hosed by the Order Revenue," said Deacon John, hopefully.

"Even better than that," said the messenger, excitiedly. "Khorne Lord Mac The Knife miraculously survived his wounds and had vowed to lead the defence of Hab 3 himself."

Deacon John slipped off the safety catch on his bolt pistol.

The Battle

The Imperials used a super heavy transport backed up by a Leman Russ squadron, Chimeras and a Hellhound to drive a strike force across the open space of the Promenade. The renegades pinned their hopes on four heavy mortors, two heavy battle tanks and a lascannon armed Scout Sentinel Squadron to fend off the force. Mac The Knife turned up with a beastman and berserker warband.

The defence went well, both Imperial Leman Russ being neutralised in the initial attack. A lucky lascannon shot caused an explosion in the Stormlord's engine compartment, severely reducing its mobility.

A lucky shot killed a couple of berserkers. Mac The Knife went into a hissy fit and led the berserkers out of the defenses across the promenade to attack the Stormlord whereupon its vulcan megabolter ripped them to pieces. This time not even the beastmen could be pursuaded to follow the Khorne Lord.

Aftermath

"Good and bad news, Deacon. The good news is that the Imperials have been hurled back at Hab 3," said the latest messenger.

"What's the bad news?" asked Deacon John, fingering his bolt pistol.

"Mac The Knife is missing feared lost," replied the messenger.

Deacon John poured him a drink.

Mac The Knife

Band of Brass

Beastmen

Vraks Campaign Strategic Turn 2 - The Starport

Lord Marshall Shaun initiated one of the stunning blitzkrieg attacks for which he is famous (infamous?). Valkyries dropped airborne light infantry onto the landing fields in Starport South. Their mission was to hold until they could be reinforced by a mechanised column running in from the beachhead at the bridge over the Balan Trench.

The drop went well. The Valkyries achieved complete suprise and dusted down to debus the infantry. The VTOLS came under heavy small arms fire as they lifted off so were ordered to withdraw.

The Nurgle warband, the Corrosive Clan poured from the Starport buildings and raced towards the Imperials. The Imperial Mechanised column made better time than expected, particularly as it included a Baneblade. This was just as well as the light infantry were being slaughtered.

The battle was a blood bath, all the imperial infantry being massacred. A blight drone created terror behind the imperial lines. The Baneblade and surviving Leman Russ were forced to withdraw when night fell as they would be helpless against the plague marines.

The Corrosive Clan held Starport South despite suffering heavy losses.

The Imperials renewed the attack at dawn with the Baneblade, a squadron of leman Russ and an entire company of heavy infantry in a superheavy carrier. The warband were reinforced by a Plaguelord super heavy tank. The renegades were unable to withstand the massive imperial firepower and were forced to retreat.

Deacon Lambshead chose to reinforce the Citadel area rather than launch a counterattack.

Imperials: 8VPs
Renegades: 7VPs

Diary of Lord Marshal Shaun: A hard pounding gentlemen but we showed them who can pound the hardest

Diary of Deacon John: It could have been worse. We actually won a battle and stopped the rot.

The Corrosive Clan

Vraks Campaign Strategic Turn 1 - The Storm Breaks

1. Lord Shaun launched a suprise mechanised attack across the SRNA Flats to grab the bridges over the trenches southwest of the starport. Deacon John was horrified to discover that his infantry manned defensive trench structures could not withstand the flood of armour. The Imperials crashed through and captured the bridges, blocking the direct road between the starport and citadel.

2. Simultaneously, Grand Master Shaun of the Dark Angels struck across the Van Merresland Wastes towards the outer defense line.


To Deacon John's horror the renegade commander, a Khorne Marine called Mac The Knife, abandoned the fortifications and charged the Dark Angels taking the mobile units of the Vraks Militia with him. Grand Master Shaun set a cunning trap in the lee of a hill.



A sceaming and a hollering, Mac lead the chaos marines and their mutie allies straight into an ambush. The berserk renegades were cut down from fire on all sides until only Mac and some muties were left. The Angels charged, finishing them off. The Vraks Militia fled the field of battle, causing a general panic when the crashed through their own lines.


The Angels overran the outer defense line before Deacon John could stabalise the situation by shooting a few deserters.

Shaken by events Deacon John elected to move a mobile force into the ruins of Hab Zone 3 on the second defense line as a strategic reserve.

Imperials: 6Vps
Renegades: 7VPs

Diary of Lord Marshal Shaun: Eat lead, renegade scum.

Diary of Deacon John: I've got a bad feeling about this one. Oh no, what are those bloody Khorne loonies up to?

Siege of Vrak Campaign Turn 0

Strategic Turn Zero

The evil Deacon John of Newquay, an obscure ocean world to the far south west of the galaxy, has persuaded Cardinal Xaphan to rebel and take over the Armoury World of Vrak.

Lord Marshal Shaun of the ancient Fortress World of Rochester has been appointed by the high Lords of Terra to lead an expedition to return Vraks to the Emperor's Light.

The Imperials (I) fortify beachheads on the Plains of Saritama, the Van Meersland Wastes and the Srna Flats.

The Renegades (R) occupy the Vraks Citadel and move blocking forces into position at the Saritama Hills, Outer Defence Lines, Balan Trench Bridge and Starport South.

Imperials: 3 VPs
Rengades: 9VPs

Diary of Lord Marshal Shaun: Phew, landed OK but wonder what those bloody Dark Angels are up to?

Diary of Deacon John: So far so good. Now we'll let the Imperials impale themselves on my fortifications. Oh no, what are those bloody Khorne loonies up to?