Apologies for the delay all. Real life took Spare Time outside for a thrashing, and it's just recovered.
Thank you all for the very kind comments!
I can't say that I expected your priestess to be so... reserved after I suggested that Lady Saigo be the priest, but I can't say I'm displeased. Also, you made me picture Hilda, so now I'm too scared to complain 
Anyways, I reckon you'll get a minor win. Tough fight, but I'm confident the guard and wolves will pull through.
Hi Mabbz,
Thanks for the reply!
I hope Yuki is at least intriguing and I wanted her to be significantly different or even opposite of Lady Saigo. You'll be seeing more of Yuki and her sisters, as long as 7th doesn't nerf them into the ground. Let me know what you think of the battle and of the fluff!
Indeed. This should be very close. Grav Cannons can do nasty things, but you are lucky in that you can make them less effective against the Bullgyrns by not putting them in base contact with each other while in range of them.
Hi Jayne,
It wasn't quite as many had expected, but I think it was just due to postioning more than anything (or perhaps the concept of Ignore Cover and Lascannons made my opponent more sheepish than usual. Let me know what you think of the fight! If you have questions, I'll be glad to field them!
Never thought we'd see O'Keefe again, but there he is in all his glory, still running with Ogryns as is only right for a man of his standing, can't say I'm disappointed of course. As for the other characters, we'll wait and see how they turn out.
I like how the Terryn storyline is still making waves in your battle reports, I do like an overarching plotline.
But I have a confession to make, I voted for a minor loss, I don't know what came over me but I looked at the army lists and you just have so much more to lose. Were it any other mission type I'd hand you the victory as I always do but if he makes contact with your blob then those victory points will start dropping like flies.
Looking forward to seeing the conclusion of this one, and I'd certainly enjoy reading about your new priestess in action.
Hi Cammerz,
Thanks for the reply, and I'm glad the fluff is working for you.
Sadly enough, nobody managed to guess the BigToof points right on this one...
Perhaps next poll, I'll have to make it more straightforward (win vs lose vs tie?)
In any case, let me know what you think of the rep!
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------
Setup:
The terrain fairy is fairly giving this time around, giving us some ruins and rocky outcroppings. A notable large ruin was in one corner, with one more near the front of one DZ. The objectives went down far in the DZ of both sides and the last roughly in the center. My opponent decided that he didn't want to give me the more defensive setup, and took the one in the corner.
He put the Thunderfire and Centurions with Coteaz in it, using the Techmarine to upgrade it to a 3+ cover save. The bikes went spread out evenly in a line with Khan and the Captain joining the bigger squad in the middle. The Stormtalon went in reserve.
I was left with some challenges this time in deployment, mostly as I had NO idea as to how to manage all this. I decided to try the old "mobile flanks" setup, as I had a feeling that my opponent would try and swing around me one way or the other. So, in the back, nicely out of Thunderfire range, I put the Long Fangs and Hellsreich. The Blob went to the right with Harry. I put the Conscripts in front to the left. I put the Ogryns with all of the Guard ICs behind the conscripts. The Grey Hunters and Erik went next to the Ogryn. I decided to leave the Bullgryn as shields "unlocked" for the time being as it is night fight and the only thing that could potentially really hurt them would be the grav weapons, and a 4+ to wound is soundly worse than a 3+ to wound. Realizing that I had no place to put the Vets, they went into reserve with the Vendetta that had Duncan and his burny squad in it.
White Scars then scouted forwards, getting to about the middle of the DZ. I tried to seize... and once again failed. So began the slaughter!
Picture Caption: Wow, and I have no way to deal with all that. Let's hope that numbers will be in my favor...
----------------------------------------------------
-----------------------
Interlude
-----------------------
"Good news! We're completely surrounded. They can't possibly escape now!"
Primaris Psyker Hellsreich looked up with half-frustration, half-incredulity at Lord Commissar Saemus O'Keefe. As soon as their ship entered into Terryn space, they were set upon by an Astartes Battle Barge. No attempts at negotiations were made and lance fire rippled through space, gouging out large chunks of both vessels. With some trepidation, the Imperial Navy Captain told O'Keefe that they would have to attempt landfall now without any scans or retreat back to the Warp. The Captain, like Hellsreich and any rational man, thought that O'Keefe would rather retreat than land blindly on a planet that they knew nothing about against a force that was obviously waiting for them and probably outnumbered them.
But, things like logic and "common sense" were not things that ran through O'Keefe's mind. And so here they were, surrounded by Adeptus Astartes on an unknown world, hunched around ruins and trying not to die. Or rather he was.
O'Keefe, on the other hand, seemed to be having a grand time, standing tall around his Ogryn and peering out into the darkness. A look of grim satisfaction was on his face. Hellsreich and the others peered around, but couldn't see anything in the inky blackness.
"Keefer?" asked Bone'Ead Hilda, who was looming as politely as possible over the Commissar, "You don't fink they ran away, do you?"
All of the Ogryn looked crestfallen at the thought, although Hellsreich saw more than one Guardsman mutter a small prayer to the Emperor for just such a windfall.
O'Keefe chuckled and shook his head, "Not yet, Hilda. They've got a fight on their hands, and if I know the White Scars, they'll strike when they think they can deliver a killing blow."
Hlida scratched her head, causing some small burrowed creatures to leap to safety, "So, they don't run yet?"
A loud belch brought everyone's attention to the Space Wolves, who were opening up kegs of some foul-smelling liquor, quaffing them down while singing some kind of crude-sounding song. Mad Harry took a swig and offered it to Heartless, who shook his head and looked out into the darkness with a certain amount of impatience.
"Don't worry," said Harry to noone in particular, "We can smell those bike-lovers out there. They've got their rides down to a low rumble, but you can't stop the odor of oil and gas fumes. 'S fine. They'll be coming to ride us down soon enough."
The Ogryns clapped their hands with glee, while the Guard around them looked ashen-face and crest-fallen. Hellsreich grumbled, and went back to look in on the newest example of O'Keefe's madness: the Conscripts.
As it became obvious that they were, in fact, more than a little outnumbered, O'Keefe had ordered that all able bodies were to be given armor, lasgun and ordered to the front. Hellsreich had argued against sending out everyone given the very questionable quality of the newly appointed Whiteshields, but O'Keefe had once again failed to listen to reason.
As Hellsreich rounded a slab of broken plascrete, he took a moment to sneer at Priestess Yuki Mishima, who was standing out in the open as if it were a festival. She was even wearing a pristine looking blue foreign-looking robe with a ribbon tied in the back, carrying a lacquered umbrella. And she was still sipping that damn tea. If the Priestess noticed him, she made no sign, still looking contemplative at the night. Hellsreich shook his head and passed by.
He was hoping the Conscripts would have more sense, as they were freshly recruited and thus less time under O'Keefe's indoctrination. But, what he saw chilled him to the bone. The Conscripts were set in something resembling orderly lines, and they were smiling. SMILING! Some were even reading the Imperial Primer. Hellsreich hadn't seen that book in years, as it had as much validity as a Ratling's sworn testimony. Poor fools, he thought. O'Keefe was going to throw them away like the genetic refuse they were. He doubted even a single one would last beyond the first minute of combat...
-----------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------
Turn 1: White Scars
-----------------------------
Unbelievable, thought Inquisitor Coteaz as he retrieved the latest data from his Psyber-hawk. The Guard and Wolves were just sitting there, waiting for a fight. They were making no attempts at a retreat or to reinforce their area in any way. Did they not know they were up against a superior force with unparalleled maneuverability? He nodded to Captain Khan, who raised his sword. Suddenly, the air was filled with the roar of engines and the bikes of the White Scars swept forward like a wave of death, ready to engulf all those before them. If he didn't know better, Coteaz thought he felt a pang of sympathy for his opponents. Defeating a completely outclassed opponent was never a challenging endeavor.
----------------------------------------------------
The bikes all move up. My opponent very carefully measures out 18" from the Bullgryn, making sure to keep his bikes out of "BULLGRYN DEATH RANGE." As the Thunderfire is way out of range, the first turn of fire is sort of mild. I lose a few Guardsmen and Conscripts, but nothing really significant.
Picture Caption: Darkness. The Guardsman's best friend. Next to you know, ignorance and feigning death really well.
--------------------------------
Turn 1: Guard and Wolves
--------------------------------
Hellsreich shook his head as the bikes came in like a vengeful white tide. They would have little luck in doing anything. He had the foresight to position himself as far away from the front lines as possible, namely next to the more-than-slightly inebriated Long Fangs. The Wolves hoisted their enormous Missile Launchers like they were toys. Some were betting on who would hit the first bike, but Hellsreich doubted they could do anything at that speed and range. In fact, unless he helped, they would do little at all and then... And then the bikes would flank them and murder them all.
"Listen you bunch of half-drunk nimrods. Aim on my mark and you'll hit them."
The leader of the elder Space Wolves raised an eye and then looked at his fellows. The enormous Astartes then broke out into belly-shaking laughter.
Hellsreich fumed and replied, "Fine, I'll buy the next round if you don't hit."
The promise of free alcohol was plenty for the Long Fangs, who brought their weapons to bear. Hellsrecih concentrated and felt the lines of the future open up. All he had to do was find the right one...
---------------------------------------------------------------
Psychic powers start with Harry and Hellsreich juicing up the Long Fangs. Now the old Wolves are rolling ignore cover, re-rollable Missile Launchers! My opponent apparently didn't think of that combo, as he suddenly takes a very, very keen interest in my backfield unit.
My pod comes down, and it lands in the way of the right small bike squad. It pretty much blocks their assault route, so unless they roll hella well, or the blob doesn't retreat very far, I'll be safe from them for a turn. I shuffle the conscripts out a bit thinner, but make sure to put a group out to the left, just in case the Long Fangs can't get the job done. Heartless joins the Bullgryn, who move a bit forwards and join their Slab Shields together. The blob falls back from the front and right, hopefully getting out of charge range.
Then, shooting begins! I start with First Rank Fire, Second Rank Fire from O'Keefe, and somehow, the Conscripts understand that order and send out a blistering number of shots into the Bikes on the left. I roll a hella bunch of dice and end up downing... ONE BIKE. It's not much, but somehow, I feel now justified that the Conscripts did something. The Long Fangs then fire and clean up the left Bikers, landing four of four shots and without cover, all of the bikers go down. I throw out Living lighting and some other shots into the bikers on the right, but only down one. (meh)
Picture Caption: Fear my rockets of ruin! Oh, also... RUN AWAY blob, RUN AWAY!
-------------------
Turn 2: White Scars
-------------------
Khan shook his head in amazement. How had the Wolves shattered Odebai's squad so easily? The Bikes were moving at near lightning speed. They would need either extreme luck or....
"Pyskers," spat Khan, "Telmun, order the Stormtalon forwards. Let those cowards feel the wrath of the White Scars!"
---------------------------------------------
So, well, the Stormtalon comes in and I suppose it's no surprise that it lines up for perfect shots on the Long Fangs. The big Bike squad moves forwards and the small bike squad does it's best to skirt around the Drop Pod.
Shooting starts, and my opponent gets out his measuring tape. He tries to measure how to get around the thin layer of conscripts for what looked like a multicharge on everyone, but there's too many Whiteshields in the way. He starts with the Bikes on the right that shoot up a bit of the blob, taking down a few Guardsmen, but not much, really. The Centurions then fire, but even though they get some hits, my cover saves are decent and not enough Guardsmen fall. My opponent then gets out his Thunderfire Cannon and, after a lot of thought, decides to try and snipe O'Keefe. Some shots do fall on target, but I easily pass them off to Hearltess and his 2+ save. Needless to say, he's kind of disappointed and then opens up with his bike squad at near point-blank range on the Conscripts. He rolls hot, and almost every bullet wounds. I roll and... well, I suppose cover saves aren't what they used to be. The Conscripts are whittled down to about a half-dozen. I roll an 8 for a moral check, and my opponent smirks and starts to measure out the Whiteshields. Then I realize that he has inadvertently shot them out of O'Keefe's Ld10 radius! The Conscripts then go running back to more relative safety and out of range of any possible assault.
A bit chuffed, my opponent tries and fails with a charge on the right, and the center bike squad sits there, waiting for my response.
Picture Caption: Wait... so being shot to shreds easily is a good thing?
--------------------------
Turn 2: Guard and Wolves
--------------------------
Lord Commissar Saemus O'Keefe watched with some grim satisfaction as the Astartes drove the Conscripts away. It was to be expected really. But, they had left themselves open. Fine and well enough. He heard a soft chanting, and saw Priestess Yuki carefully placing some kind of reddish paper on all of the Ogryn. She bowed politely before O'Keefe, and he took one and hung it on his armor. He'd seen them before. Good luck charms blessed by the power of the Emperor himself. Looking around, he saw that all of the Ogryn felt the same swell of holy inner power come to the fore. The Attalians were unusual, but he'd be damned if they were any less effective.
"Hilda!" barked O'Keefe.
His second-in-command nodded and let go with a terrifying bellow, "SHIELDS UP! GET STUCK IN!"
The Bullgryn slammed their sheilds together, nodding to each other with satisfied smirks as the magnetic locks between the shields made a satisfying humm. The wall of metal then advanced forwards. Those behind the shields were aware of some frenzied gunfire that pattered off like a summer rain. The enormous Abhumans rushed forwards until there was a crunch of metal and squeal of tires.
"PUSH!" ordred Hilda, and the Ogryns did exactly that. Brakes and engines tried to compete against over two-tonnes of muscle, and were found wanting. Astartes and bike alike were thrown end over end, only the most skilled managing to keep their bearing. As the Bullgryn separated their shields, O'Keefe nodded to the grim-faced Space Wolf Heartless, who simply sealed his Terminator helmet with a hiss of pressurized air. Pride cometh before a fall, and the White Scars were certainly guilty of that.
----------------------------------------------
Right, so Lady Luck just winked at me, so who am I to say no?
First off, psychic powers. I put Prescience on the Bullgryn and activate ignore cover.
The Conscripts are now within 6" of O'Keefe and thankfully aren't under 25% yet, so they rally just fine.
The Vendetta comes in and I put it within spitting distance of the Stormtalon.
Movement has the Bullgryn move up to assault. The blob pretty much stays in the same place.
I fire ignore cover Lascannons at the Thunderfire Cannon and just manage to take it down. (cheers go up amongst the T3 mates)
I also fire into the big bike squda, but only manage to do a wound on the 2+ Captain.
Then to assault! We go in with shields locked, and the bolters that do hit do nothing through my 3+ armor save (awesome!).
Yuki manages to make everyone re-roll wounds, and now I'm re-rolling hits AND wounds.
That's... pretty awesome. My opponent thinks about challenging with Khan, but realizes that I have a guy with Terminator armor and a Force Axe. So... yeah, the 2+ Captain challenges, and I accept with Hilda. The Bullgryn slam into the Bikes, who do nothing back. After all is said and done, Khan is left on one wound, as is the Captain. Hilda is also hanging on a single wound, but the BIG hits go on the Bikes and ALL are wiped out. Special note to O'Keefe and Heartless for doing major damage. Khan and the Captain surprisingly make their morale check on snake eyes (!), and then hit and run out of combat towards the smaller bike squad... I consolidate towards the bikes in case they want to rumble again.
Picture Caption: Double buffed Bullgryn are just amazing!
-----------------------
Turn 3: White Scars
-----------------------
Cheers went up amongst the combined Infantry, as the Bullgryn went in and made an absolute mess of the huge squad of bikes. Harry nodded to himself. Perhaps this would be an easy sort of bout after...
But, then two of the bikers, bloodied, but not broken raced away and with almost eloquent precision, joined up with the last of the bikes. They then roared a challenge and raced towards the assembled Guardsmen.
Harry nodded to himself as he raised his Force Staff. Can't let the Ogryn have all the fun. It had been a while since he'd had a good scrap. What's the worst that could happen?
--------------------------------------------
Reeling from my assault, my opponent moves Khan and the Captain up to the smaller bike squad. They then fire and assault into the blob! Thunderfire and Krak missiles land on the Bullgryn, but none of the ICs are sniped out.
In assault, the Captain challenges again and for some reason, I think that Harry has a chance to snipe out that last wound before the Captain can fist him to death. Perhaps I felt the need to even things up and give my opponent a chance, or rather more likely I forgot that he was sporting 2+ armor... In any case, my staff bounces off his armor and the Captain power fists Harry into the stratosphere. The rest of the blob manages to take down a single bike, but it's a massacre otherwise. I need snake eyes to stay, but fail and am then run down...
Picture Caption: Well... mistakes were made...
----------------------
Turn 3: Guard and Wolves
----------------------
"Damnation!" roared O'Keefe as he watched the Bikers knock down the Rune Priest and disperse the Guardsmen with all but the most minimal of effort. A pity, really, but more fighting for him, which was never a bad thing...
"Harry!"
O'Keefe looked over and saw that the other Terminator armor-clad Priest had taken off his helmet and had a bloodthirst in his eyes.
The Priest turned to O'Keefe and said, "That murderer will pay by our... my hands, Commissar. Do not seek to stand in my way."
The Ogryn turned to O'Keefe who nodded in acceptance. Lad had a good fire in him. Hate to see it go to waste.
-----------------------------------------------------
The Bullgryn again shield up and charge in. Bolters bounce off the shields once again and this time, we have a complete wipeout of the White Scars. The Captain tried to challenge, but Heartless sacrifices himself to take out that last wound... In the meantime, the rest of my forces slowly move up to the middle of the board, looking to take another objective.
Picture Caption: And now... there are less bikes... Less models in general... At least the turns wll go faster!
Poll