BatRep: LatD vs Ulthwe

[Hena]

Prologue

The planet of Matinkyl was a smallish planet with little traffic to rest of the Imperium. It was a farm planet that had enjoyed peace and quiet from the larger events that seemed to grip the galaxy every now and then. Yet beneath this calm façade was a ember glowing red with heat of insurrection. For within the planet was going start a great Heresy that could rip apart the sectors near it in fire and death.

---

The Arch Heretic Halms rebellion was slowly gaining momentum. It was still hidden from the Imperials as they would surely send out a telepathic call for help and that could crush the dreams of Halm. His loyalists had started to infiltrate the local PDF and taking command of garrisons so that when the time came they would be ready to strike at the only large city on the planet thus decapitating the ability to communicate off world. Once that was done they could leisurely turn the planet into what his God would want. His only regret was the that the wretched Khorne followers were getting too powerful to keep totally in line and he knew they would demand their payment.

Suddenly the reports were appearing to him that unknown spacecraft had been detected almost at the planet. They had swooped out of nothing and disabled or destroyed the few defence crafts that the PDF had had to try to stop them with. Almost all the communications had to the crafts had been ignored with one exception. It was a message from the unknown spacecraft before the fighting started. Helm took the message from the hands of his helper that had brought it.

There is a cancer growing on this planet which has spread it's filthy strands all around the world. That must be purged for everyone sake and we have decided to cut off it's head. Do not impede our progress. For those who stand in our path will surely be lost.

In panic the Governor had ordered the PDF to intercept the foul xenos (for surely no Imperial would build such a craft!) only to see his forces decimated. There were other reports attached that informed that the spacecraft had come into lower orbit and started landing forces at few locations including sector 312 grid 58'177'21.

Halm stared at the message for a small time saying nothing. Then his head snapped up and his glare nailed the other man in front of him to his place.
- Send out the signal we strike now! Tell the circle, even the Khornate loonies, to round up their men and machines and expect an attack. I don't know who these are but they shall soon know what happens when I'm attacked.

[Hena]

Rules used

Lost and the Damned (NetEA experimental) (http://www.tacticalwargames.net/forums/index.cgi?act=ST;f=82;t=17617)
Ulthwe v3.3 (http://www.tacticalwargames.net/forums/index.cgi?act=ST;f=69;t=16703)


Lost and the Damned Renegades

Coven 1 (Khorne)
- 7 Cultists, Aspiring Champion
+ 4 Big Mutants
+ 4 Traitor Fire Support
Coven 2 (Tzeentch)
- 11 Cultists, Demagogue with Arch Heretic BTS
+ 2 Hydras
+ 3 Chimera, 3 Land Transport
Coven 3 (Tzeentch)
- 8 Cultists, Demagogue
+ 3 Big Mutants
+ Chaos Altar
Coven 4 (Khorne)
- 11 Mutants, Demagogue
+ 6 Land Transports
+ Hydra
Khorne: Lord of Battle
Khorne: Demonic Assault Engines
Tzeentch: Silver Towers
Traitor: Thunderbolts
Demon Pool
+ 2 Greater Demon
+ 8 Lesser Demons


Ulthwe Strikeforce

Avatar
Wraithgate
Black Guardian Warhost
+ 4 Wave Serpents
2 x Guardian Warhost
- 3 Heavy Weapon Platforms
+ 3 Support Weapon Platforms
Swords of Vaul 1
- 4 Falcons, 2 Firestorms
Swords of Vaul 2
- 5 Fireprisms, Firestorm
Engines of Vaul
- 1 Scorpion
Nightspinners
Revenants BTS
Nightwings

[Hena]

Deployment

Deployment can be seen in picture. I've garrisoned the Coven 1 to the ruins on overwatch, nothing else in either army could garrison.

[Hena]

Turn 1

Initiative: Ulthwe

LatD are given first go and they after a while of thinking order T'bolts to CAP. However they never get the orders and sit around in the air field wondering when the combat is starting and stand down.

Ulthwes first action is to sustain with Nightspinners at the Coven 1 in the ruins. The order is not quite accepted without the wisdom of Seer Council. Deadly webs entangle the humans and a Cultists and Fire Support units are killed while total of 5BM is given due to disrupt.

In western flank the Coven 2 decides to get into gear and double ahead managing to bring two cultist units as well as Hydras into range of Falcons. One shot hits and the Eldar tank crumbles against the cliff face. They are ordered to advance out, but hold and remove BMs instead.

In east the Coven 4 doubles ahead taking positions behind the hill and on top of it. Hydra is hugging the hill to keep it from the view of enemy. This prompts Fireprisms to double moving forwards and firing and moving back. They target the Khorne Engines. However the extreme range means that only 3 get to fire of which 2 hits and Khornate Engines save all hits.

In centre we notice that Coven 1 and 3 are within 30cm of each other. To fix this Coven 1 marshals and moves it's units away from the Coven 3 and removes all BMs.

Revenants are next. They advance towards Coven 2 and open fire shredding 2 Chimeras and 2 Land Transports. Silver Towers respond to them doubling behind another building and firing on the one exposed scout titan. However the holofield protects it mostly and only one hit is done. To bring more firepower on Coven 2 the Black Guardians double near them and fire killing one Cultist unit.
http://iki.fi/hena/gw/epic/batreps/2010-01-16_1/1-mid_10-eldar_surround_coven_2.jpg
Coven 3 tries to summon a Greater Demon, but manages to get 7 (1,1,2,4 on rolls!) and fails. Then they double towards the Revenants and fire with Altar but holofields protects the Ulthwe.

In west Scorpion tries to double but ends up holding instead and taking pot shots at the Coven 4 on hill. One of the Cultist units meet their demise. Seeing that the road is clear the Khorne Engines march to the rock formation near Scorpion. Nightwings are scrambled but they fail to appear. Khorne presses on and Lord of Battle doubles ahead near the ruins and fire on Scorpion. It suffers one point of damage and is broken withdrawing behind a building.

Last to go is Guardian Warhost 1 which emerges from Wraithgate and advances towards Coven 3. They fire with all the weapons managing to hit Altar. That is not saved and it causes critical releasing energies which tear the War Engine apart. No units near it are lost however.

End Phase

Rally Fails: Revenants, Coven 3 (SC)

http://iki.fi/hena/gw/epic/batreps/2010-01-16_1/1-end-centre.jpg
The centre of the battlefield where Guardians have managed to destroy the Chaos Altar of Coven 2.

http://iki.fi/hena/gw/epic/batreps/2010-01-16_1/1-end-khorne_engines.jpg
Khorne Engines move to threaten the vehicles of Ulthwe.

[Hena]

Turn 2

Avatar is summoned near the Black Guardians.
http://iki.fi/hena/gw/epic/batreps/2010-01-16_1/2-start-avatar_summoned.jpg

Initiative: Ulthwe

Turn starts with Avatar commanding the Black Guardians to follow it and engages the Coven 2 into close assault. Coven manages to score three hits of which one goes through the armour of Avatar. In response they are wiped out with last units dying to resolution (Ulthwe won by 8). Retaining the Guardians 2 double out of Portal and fire on the Silver Towers dropping two of them and breaking the formation. With second retain the Guardians 1 lastly engage the Coven 3. With support of Guardians 2 the Ulthwe loses 3 Guardian units while all but one unit of Coven 2 is killed including Arch Heretic (Ulthwe won by 5). Survivor of Coven 2 runs to hide behind a hill.

In west the Lost and the Damned respond with engage from Khorne Assault Engines. They swing around the rock formation and engage the Fire Prisms into assault. The battle goes for two rounds and ends with loss of one Engine while only Firestorm manages to flee the crazed chaos machines (LatD won by 2). Khorne Engines consolidate out of LOS of Scorpion.

Scorpion is next with advance except that fails and it holds and removes the BMs which has plagued it so far. Coven 4 tries to take advantage of this and doubles only to fail and without Arch Heretic they cannot resolve on what to do. SO they remove BMs and hold still. Nightspinners with all the action around them choose to sustain at the nearby Khornate Engines. However with only 2 capable of firing they miss.

Seizing the chance to break the eastern front (as western one had crumbled) the Lord of Battle doubles ahead to hunt it's pray, the Scorpion. It manages to hit twice but the Eldar craft is undamaged. Realising their chance the Falcons double next. They move near Lord of Battles and fires on it with crossfire. Three hits and three damages later a critical is done and the Khornate Chaos machine moves north venting it's rage to the landscape.

In centre the Coven 1 tries to hold back the inevitable Eldar onslaught and doubles to occupy the last ruins firing on Warhost 2. 2 Guardian units is downed by the fire.

Revenants go next and they double southwards getting the remaining Silver Towers in sight. With one suppressed the other opens fire and manages to knock both skimming Chaos things off back to ground wrecking them.

Finally the Thunderbolts are called in to the battle and they come screaming in from east and target the Nightspinners. One of the rockets hit and destroy the Ulthwe craft causing the other two to break off towards east. Nightwings are also called in, but they fail to respond yet again even to the commands of the Seer Council.

End Phase

Rally Fails: Khorne Engines, Lord of Battle, Nightspinners, Fire Prisms, Guardians 1 & 2, Coven 3

http://iki.fi/hena/gw/epic/batreps/2010-01-16_1/2-end-centre.jpg
Coven 1 moves to reinforce the centre which is being occupied by the Ulthwes forces.

http://iki.fi/hena/gw/epic/batreps/2010-01-16_1/2-end-lord_of_battles.jpg
Lord of Battle fights it's way to Ulthwe end while being shredded apart by the laser fire from Ulthwes' vehicles.

[Hena]

Turn 3

Initiative: Ulthwe

Falcons go first and they advance going around the Lord of Battles to get into crossfire with Scorpion and fire again. Two more damage is done and the Khorne War Engine breaks moving around the Scorpion towards the blitz.

Retaining the Guardians 1 in the centre tries to advance but fail and hold instead removing BMs. Coven 1 thanks for opponent staying put and summons demons (1,1) gaining 2 Bloodletter units and proceed to wipe out the Guardians for the loss of single Cultist unit (won by 6).

Revenants goes next trying to double, but fail and hold removing BMs. Continuing on the path Thunderbolts stand down instead of making ground attack. Nightwings then proceed to show how it's done coming in from east and gunning down the last survivor of Coven 2. Coven 4 wants to do something and march next to the Revenants to get some revenge if there is turn 4.

Then it's Ulthwe actions left. First the Scorpion continue it's holding pattern and fires on Lord of Battle on hold decapitating it none the less. Then Black Guardians proceed to take control of the two objectives on their side in east with double. Lastly the Guardians 2 take control of third in west.

End Phase

As Khorne Assault Engines manage to rally Ulthwe wins 0 - 2 with Defend the Flag and Break Their Spirit.

http://iki.fi/hena/gw/epic/batreps/2010-01-16_1/3-end-centre.jpg
Coven 1 manages hold the centre while Guardians move to take control of the objective on their side.

http://iki.fi/hena/gw/epic/batreps/2010-01-16_1/3-end-latd_end.jpg
Revenants face a new batch of enemies as Coven 4 marches over to them.

[Another Random Geek]

Keep up the good work. Hopefully, well made battle reports like this will stir up more interest in Epic.