22nd Catachan Vs. Dark Angels Game 1 (12/11) - 1000 points

[Saulus]

This is the first contact battle in a small campaign I was a part of. My army used was IG Catachan. The backstory can be found at:http://secondsphere.org/index.php?topic=1514.msg27855#msg27855

Army Lists:

22nd Catachan recon:

Company command: Powerfist, 4x flamers, Chimera with heavy flamer turret and heavy bolter.

Stormtroopers (Mayhem Squad): one with 2x flamer with Johnny B. and his power sword, one with 2x grenade with VonBarone with his power sword, one with 2x melta.

Veterans: First Recon: 3x sniper rifles
Veterans (Urbanites): 3x plasma with plasma pistol.
Veterans (Urbanites): 3x melta, demolitions
2 Vendettas (ace of spades and clubs).

Angels of Redemption:

Chapter Captain: Artificer armour, power weapon

Deathwing Terminators with AC in Deathwing LRC with stormbolter
Land Speeder Typhoon and Tornado.

Tactical Squad Alpha: Vet. Sgt. with plasma pistol, plasma rifle, 10 strong).
Tactical Squad Delta: flamer
Devastator Squad with 4x Missile Launchers

Mission was annihilation (or whatever the kids call it nowadays).

Sgt. Mikhail pressed his back against boulder and checked his ammo to focus a bit. Large amounts of bolter fire and missiles were zeroing in. The vox he was using lost it's communicator, but it still was giving their location to the air support, if they get here. "Marksman!", he shouted over his shoulder, "what's going on over there?"

"Ain't good sir, those are Astartes, must be! They don't look like they were expecting friendlies!", the specialist shouted back. Another battery of missiles crashed into the dwindling cover coupled with a large amount of heavy bolter fire. "Landspeeders keeping their distance for now, but that land raider sure isn't. We gotta bug out sir, can't fight Marines!"

"CO told us to stay put, give 'em some warning shots to keep 'em back. Maybe they will contact by vox before they kill us all", the Sgt. said before grabbing the frayed bits of vox wires in attempts to repair it.

TURN 1: All but my snipers had deployed in reserve. They shot with no effect on the circling land speeders. Dark Angel forces moved up to close any gaps. NO PICTURE

Adding to the cacophony Mikhail heard that old clunky chimera on its way, along with a wing of Vendettas and Mayhem's Valkyrie transports. "Oh damn", Mikhail stumbled to his feet, as high as he dared to stand, and began waving and shouting, "Baird! Call it off! Astartes! MARINES!"

"Uhhh, Commander First Recon is...",  the Chimera driver began to say before Baird cut him off. "Alright here we go... hey what is First doing?", Baird popped a viewport and shouted, "Guys, what's wrong with you fire on those infantry beyond the barricade, they must be in range!".

Mikhail was torn, "Sir, they are, uhhh, I mean,...", but before he could finish the port was closed and the chimera was moving on. Not to mention the signature streaks of lascannons shot by overhead slamming into Land Raider as Mayhem descended on their grav chutes, Hot-shot lasguns blazing all the while.

TURN 2: All my reserves but the melta stormtroopers arrive. Baird gets a 12 for his orders so the snipers still do no real damage. One vendetta fires at the Land Raider, immobilizing and destroying a weapon (the stormbolter, damn). The other takes out the LS Typhoon. The grenadiers stun the Tornado, and the flamers outflank and start BBQing Tac Squad Alpha, but the marines stand strong due to bad to wound rolls. In return, alpha assaults and sends the only surviving Catachan, Jonny B, running for good. The Land Raider deploys its terminators and Captain and shoot at the VonBarone's squad, taking out 2.


"Emperor forgive us", Baird muttered witnessing the terminator retinue with a winged-helm captain emerge from the Land Raider. He snapped out of his battle trance and noticed the smoking wreckage of a landspeeder. He would be executed for this! Can't stop now, Mayhem is fully deployed. And can't lose the only vendettas. "Ace of Spades, deploy the Urbanties to destroy the heavy infantry", he could not bear to say terminators, "Then target the transport. Clubs move up the flank and take out their heavy weapons". 

Melta Mayhem gritted their teeth from the cold winds on landing. Setting up in a tight grouping on a roof they quickly assessed the situation, went to cover and fired. The melta beams burrowed deep into the armour before detonating the Hurricane bolter ammo racks turning the inside of the vehicle into a blender of bolt rounds.

The terminators seemingly uncaring or unaware of the ancient Land Raider's destruction stood tall and braced for combat. One they would never meet. The Urbanites deployed and unleashed plasma bolts into the Angels. Combined with vendetta support, they were no more.

TURN 3: Bad to worse for the Angels, LRC and terminators gone, now they were left only with devastators and two tactical squads. The devastators fire at the vendetta, but serve only to glance it. Squad alpha breaks for cover to try and stick it out, and delta assaults on and kills the Urbanites in kind for their sins.



"Rally on my position VonBarone!", Baird shouted over the cries of his Urbanites being hacked and bludgeoned Dark Angels. Baird gripped his pistol and looked for any clear shot to take, but within a few seconds his Veteran jungle fighters were all but dead. "FIRE", he ordered in anger as his command squad and Chimera blanketed the squad and fallen Urbanites in flames.

"Baird, this is Clubs. We took a hit but we're OK, moving in on the heavy weapon team with our Vets.", the pilot blandly stated. "Hey Baird, this is Spades, 5 more tangos on the other side of that monument, looks about it".

"Alright then, wrap it up guys", sighed Baird, hitching a ride on the Chimera to finish the fight.

TURN 4: The damage done by the 22nd is heavy and the Dark Angels are no longer a fighting force. After this turn only a single marine was alive and was presumed dead without further gameplay.


Lone Marine


Baird looked around frantically, "OK grab our boys and pack up up. Leave all the Marines. First Recon, get in contact with our Tac Officer and tell them you saw a Tau Cadre ambush and wipe out some Dark Angels..." Baird felt sick, kept running over the battle wondering if there was anything he should have done, or could have done. in any case, he thought, he survived and took less casualties than perhaps he deserved for treason.

"Oh and boys", Baird said to the surrounding soldiers, "I want you to know, I didn't want this. Killing marines is never a good feeling, but we were too far gone. If any of this comes back on the 22nd, I'm taking full responsibility." The shivering Catachan coming down off their battle high nodded in silent agreement.

So much for using this area as a base, now it's basically a crime scene. 

[Narric]

Excellent Battle Report, if a bit sparce for in-game pictures I always found Taking picture during in-person games to be difficult, as you're often too wrapped up in the moment to think about it.

I also enjoyed the story you wrote along with it, and how it does fit in with fluff, if a bit loosely

Will you be doing a more Narrative re-write for the "Bloodied Catachan" thread, or wlill your battle reports be seperate?

[Saulus]

My opponent was the one reminding me of the pictures in most cases. The next game pictures are unfortunately a bit more sparse. It would be much easier to do if not part of the game for sure.

It's a challenge to bludgeon a story that makes a good amount of sense out of a civil-war kind of battle. But the list types chosen somewhat support the story overall I hope. We were going to do planetfall, but not everyone had access to those resources.

I'll be adding more to "Bloodied Catachan" in the future yes. They will tag in and out with the battle reports.

[Narric]

Sounds good ^_^ don't forget to link you Bat-Reps, otherwise the story might get confusing

[BigToof]

This was really great Saulus!

I was waiting to see what would come out as it clearly inspired your Fluff piece.

Guard are still quite stunning and I'm really hoping this will become a regular series!

Best,
-BT

P.S.  Karma'd!!