The Battle for Mirum Ostentum #15 – Attack on Altum #1

Here we go stats for apocalypse Chaos 51,000pts, Imperial 46,000pts.

The attack on Altum is the final main mission before we deviate and play battlefleet gothic and then see which characters can be evacuated from the planet by the losing side.

The forces of chaos gain victory points through breaking through the walls of the city. Four structures [2 Bunkers, firestorm redoubt and Creed’s bastion] that are between the inner and outer wall are worth 2 victory points to chaos if destroyed and 2 to the imperium if they survive. The chaos portal [in the chaos deployment zone] is worth 2 victory points (if destroyed for imperium, if survived for chaos), while the vortex missile Aquila strongpoint (behind the inner wall) is worth 3 Victory points (destroyed by chaos, intact for imperium).

The inner wall is worth 4 victory points to the imperials for defending it and 6 to chaos for destroying it. (the entire wall needs to be destroyed for this, both towers, both wall sections and the gate)

Each Super heavy vehicle is worth 1 victory point per 3 hull points it started with when destroyed. (Other non vehicle lords of war are worth 1 VP per 3 full wound they started with)

Each campaign warlord killed is worth 2 victory points. (Cavros Thawne, Ganon, Blood eagle, Kraken, Driel, Morrs, Solomon Gyre, Susurri, Lord Vulcan.) (this rises to 4 if the warlord is killed by another warlord.)

When the outer wall is destroyed (both walls, both bastions and the gate) chaos forces without outflank can enter from where the wall was once located from strategic reserves.

The bitter end:

The attacking side can force an additional turn to be played if the roll to continue the game fails.

Notes on attachable characters: All priests gain the independent character rule and all commissars are upgraded to lord commissars for free. (Gaining an invulnerable save and a WYSIWYG approach to their weaponry.)

Also, any imperial guard squad with a vox caster can be used to draw line of sight for barrage weapons.

Hidden serpent:

Virgil ditya and deathwatch squad donatus are Alpha legionaires and the changeling respectively. If the chaos forces penetrate the command bunker the squad and Virgil will direct their overwatch against one of the occupying units that have been forced from the bunker and will be under the control of the forces of chaos from that point onwards. (Becoming the changeling and a squad of alpha legion veterans with WYSIWYG armaments.)

—

Reinforced construction:

All outer wall, bastions and weapons batteries are Av 14 with 3 hull points. When wrecked, these structures are not removed unless hit with a D weapon or siege shells from a demolisher cannon/medusa, which then breached its armour.

(Else leave the wall in place, the cover save it provides is reduced to 6+ and it becomes dangerous terrain. A subsequent hit from a siege or D weapon will remove it and each model on the wall will take a Str 6 wound with the ignores cover USR)

Or if the hit caused an explodes result on the damage chart (normal rules then apply).

These structures also have a 6+ invulnerable save [Rising to 5+ invun for the bastions] vs shooting (which is shared with infantry units on the battlements). {models that are not killed are placed within 3” of the base of the wall and must take a pinning test at –1, the destroyed wall is then removed}

The outer gate is 4 HP AV 15 but does not have an invulnerable save. Once all of the hullpoints are depleted (only penetrating hits can remove HP) then the gate is breached and freely accessible) {Chainfists and weapons with the wrecker rule can also be used to remove structures. With these even glancing hits can take hull points. Attacks from super heavy walkers in close combat also remove HP on glancing hits but must cause at least 1 penetrating hit to remove the structure.}

The inner walls and bastions are Av 15 with 4HP and the gate is AV 16 with 5 HP. All of the details above still apply about removing the structures but they lack the invulnerable save as they are within the hive’s external void shield. (they will still have a 6+ invulnerable save if the shot originates from outside of the outer wall if any structures remain in the outer wall. (Inner wall bastions have 1 Icarus lascannon each))

In addition, all models that are inside the walls that are targeted by barrage type weapons have a 6+ invulnerable save from them if the shot originated from outside the outer wall. (until the outer wall is destroyed. the inner wall will still provide this artillery cover until it too is destroyed.)

—

Universal:

Can charge after deep striking or arriving from reserves.

Forces

Where possible I have included army and wargear lists for the assembled forces. (Those armies I do not own I cannot be fully sure what they contain. If I am provided with army lists I will include them in a future post.)

Imperial

Gallian 7^th

Apocalypse bonus:

Any infantry squad that is destroyed gets placed into strategic reserves when it is first destroyed (But loses any special or heavy weapons they carry).

Orders work automatically. (no need to roll)

Mechanicum tagmata force.

Apocalypse bonus:

All mechanicum units are fearless when at least one of their Lords of War units are on the table.

Blood angels

Apocalypse bonus:

Can deep strike without scattering. They also gain +1 initiative and Strength during the first round of close combat when they charge in.

The death company are in the death company apocalypse formation where their charge bonus is equal to the turn number.

Storm hawks (Space Wolves)

Apocalypse bonus:

Army wide outflank (for all non-vehicle units) and can choose the side they emerge from.

Units can re-roll failed charges and overwatch shots.

Inquisitorial forces

Inquisitorial forces

No apocalypse bonuses.

Cadian 131^st

Army owned by AN (Full list not available.) (This army contains all  of the imperial guard that is not part of the Gallian 7th.)

Apocalypse bonus:

Any infantry squad that is destroyed gets placed into strategic reserves when it is first destroyed (But loses any special or heavy weapons they carry).

Orders work automatically. (no need to roll)

Dark angels

Apocalypse bonus:

Army wide full ballistic skill overwatch.

Terminators have preferred enemy (chaos)

Bikes have re-rollable jink saves and do not suffer the snap fire effect after the first time they jink.

Hunt the fallen: They must capture (in CC) the unit of fallen that is a part of the chaos force. (They get 2 victory points for doing this)

Forbidden intel: can force a chaos stratagem to be revealed before it is used.

Chaos

Tapestry of Evil (chaos space marines)

Apocalypse bonus:

Can roll twice on the chaos gifts table and choose to apply one or both results. (Spawndom and dark apothesis are counted as unworthy offering if there is no model available)

All models gain preferred enemy (Imperium)

They gain a bonus orbital bombardment stratagem. (Indiscriminate bombardment)

Aspect of Horus: tip of the spear.

All terminator squads that are part of the tapestry of evil list are placed into a formation with Horus. they deep strike in without scattering and can then make a free shooting attack against the closest enemy unit when they do this. They can fire again and charge during the same turn.

Aspect of Mortarion: choking clouds.

All frag missiles, frag grenades and havoc launchers gain the poisoned (4+) special rule. Mortaion and his bodyguard terminators may not be included in the spearhead strike formation.

Aspect of the night haunter.

All raptors and warp talons gain +1 attack, the fear rule and inflict -1 Ld on enemy units during a successful charge while the night haunter is alive and on the table.

The Fallen:

Add a squad of Chaos chosen (counts as fallen) to the army roster. This unit has the relentless, fearless, hatred (dark angels), and daemon special rules. One marine has a multi melta and the sergeant has a power sword. [Squad size 9])

Chaos daemons

Apocalypse bonus:

You can choose to roll twice on the warp storm table and apply one or both results each turn or treat each turn as having the warp surge ability in play.

Alpha legion

Apocalypse bonus:

Army wide outflank. (Includes all transport type vehicles)

Can choose the side they outflank in from.

Can re-roll all failed to hit and wound rolls during a turn they arrive using outflank.

All infantry and dreadnoughts gain preferred enemy everything while Alpharius is in play and +1 on all damage charts while armillus dynat is in play while they are within the city limits.

Emperors children

Army owned by player DA. (Full list is his campaign warlords bodyguard unit with 3 baneblades added.)

Apocalypse bonus:

All dreadnoughts and infantry units gain hatred (Imperium) and can re-roll charge distances.

Thousand sons

Army owned by Player AN (List not available. Units will be mentioned as they are deployed onto the table)

Apocalypse bonus:

Can roll twice on the chaos gifts table and choose to apply one or both results. (Spawndom and dark apothesis are counted as unworthy offering if there is no model available)

All models gain preferred enemy (Imperium)

Warband reaver

Army owned by Player AN (List not available. Units will be mentioned as they are deployed onto the table)

Apocalypse bonus:

Can roll twice on the chaos gifts table and choose to apply one or both results. (Spawndom and dark apothesis are counted as unworthy offering if there is no model available)

All models gain preferred enemy (Imperium)

Generally units from warband reaver will be used alongside the Tapestry of evil forces and share the same benefits and are placed where appropriate into formations.

Story excerpt

Sector Sigma – Gate 13

Cavros Thawne stood with his fellow officers on the battlements of the command bastion and looked around at his forces. Two mechanicum knights stood ready to counter charge the enemies first wave and six super heavy tanks were ready to aid them in doing this. His artillery was arranged behind the inner wall and the area around the site had been cleared of all civilian buildings.

“Sir reports from the gate. The fog is thickening.”

“The attack will come soon. Have the men prepare. The emperor protects.”

The messenger nodded as the fog built up outside the city wall but was prevented from drifting down onto the troops below due to the weather shield that was projected to the outer wall.

—

Mkan’Ik’Drig could feel the tether keeping him in this plane as he strode forwards as part of the first wave. Two greater brass scorpions and a mastodon accompanied the initial forces. Their only objective was to break through the outer wall so that future waves could push further.

The fog lifted suddenly and the roars of the daemon engines signalled them sighting their target.

—

The conscripts manning the outer wall were the first to see the enemy. Siege weapons and the greater brass scorpions as the chaos forces surged from the fog. Lightning struck within the fog briefly highlighting the silhouettes of the rest of the advancing forces.

The Game

Deployment

We had a lot of time to prepare and the forces were deployed on two different days. (An additional chimera and hellhound were added to the imperial deployment)

Massed imperial armour waits for the forces of chaos within the walls.

The imperial forces fail to seize the initiative.

Chaos turn 1

Imperial Turn 1

Story excerpt

Lord Vulcan Bloodfang stood on the carapace of the reaver titan Epsilon and watched as the battle continued. Solomon Gyre and Morrs Penna stood nearby.

“You may join the battle at the moment of your choosing.” He states as one half of the wall comes crashing down. A flash of daemonic energy signalled the activation of a dimensional key. “Galrauch status.”

“Area mapped.”

“Ready the speartip and pierce their hearts!” Vulcan states. “Galrauch commence the orbital bombardment.”

Chaos turn 2

Stratagems used Mass slaughter (Chaos orbital bombardment. Grants chaos 2 orbital strikes and the imperium 1.)

With the dimensional key now granting the forces of chaos scatter free deep striking we fired the orbital bombardments to clear out space to allow the terminator speartip formation to come into play.  Having embarked on this game everyone is painting new models to add to the mayhem with. (I have completed a chaos nurgle terminator squad consisting of five men 4 have power mauls, the champion has a power fist and the squad contains 3 combi meltas and 2 combi plasmas.)

Taking advantage of the scatter free deepstrike a Dthirster and a horde of daemonettes are dropped into the chaos deployment zone as the Archos (red and black tank) a predator annihilator, 2 land raiders (filled with khorne berserkers) a walking land raider (filled with nurgle troops), an emperor’s children deredeo and vindicator also using the portal as an entryway onto the board.

The psychic phase takes some more hull points from the imperial vehicles but is otherwise inconsequential.

Imperial turn 2

Stratagems used: Earth shattering Salvo (Turns the manticore missile into a 4D3 shot weapon in exchange for firing all four missiles at once.)

The tzeentch terminators are destroyed leaving the sorcerer on his own. The glaive fires. Kill three oblitorators outright, 2 possessed and three daemonettes. The black dreadnought has lost a hull point. The chaos vindicator (black) has been destroyed while two hull points have been ripped from the archos. The vultarax has haywired three hull points from the lead land raider.

Conclusion for part 1

I am going to cut the report there. At the moment the imperium has 5 victory points. (Destroying the mastdon 10Hp/3 rounded to 3VP. The walking land raider 6HP/3 2VP)
While the forces of chaos have 10 victory points.(Destroying the bunker Objective 2VP. The shadowsword 9HP/3 3VP the Stormblade 9HP/3 3Vp and the Macharius Vulcan 6HP/3 2VP)

The inner wall is coming down rapidly (Chainfist terminators) but the imperial forces have a circus in the air above the chaos deployment zone and four of the objective structures still stand. Both sides still have a large quantity of reserves and the victory is still uncertain. The rest of the battle and its outcome will be well earned by the victorious forces.

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Caladaris

I have played 40k since models came in sleeved boxes. I now prefer to play other games such as Battlefleet gothic, AVP and 30k.

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