The Battle for Mirum Ostentum #17 – Kill Team (Prisoner Rescue)

This mission revolves round the imperial force finding out that the real inquisitor Ditya is being held at a remote facility then sending an Aquila lander full of troops (The dirty dozen as it can hold 12 models) to mount a rescue.

Using an imperial strongpoint tile as the outer portion of the area the Aquila lander arrives and then the troops deploy from it. (this is their deployment.)

Outside on this tile we have 2D6 (rolled for once) units of 3 cultists, these regenerate when killed and will keep coming back.

Inside the facility we have 10 squads of 2 cultists and an alpha legionnaire with a boltgun. In the overseers office, we have the quartermaster (legion centurion, power fist, combi bolter, artificer armour, refractor field, bolt pistol, power dagger) and an alpha legion sergeant (artificer armour, power sword, he replaces one of the bolter armed marines).

The overseer has a cell key and will drop it when killed. An imperial model can then use it to open the cells (Normally AV 14 3HP). Breaking one open will allow the overseer and those in the office to move out and actively hunt the imperial forces.

The numbers on the tiles are the brute squad values within the tile.

Alpha legion brute squads will fire (snap shots) on any unit that moves within 12” of them and will them become active and start actively engaging the imperial forces. Being fired upon from outside this range also activates the squads.

Alice and Virgil do not take up any space in the transport. (Which will remain on station outside the base waiting for pickup. (Cultists can swarm round it but they cannot hurt it.)

Models who die stay dead. (and can be initially selected from any available unit, they then gain the independent character rule. 3 get kill team bonuses from the normal KT list. If they survive they can retain these for the final mission.)

Virgil is unable to fight and is simply an objective (he is simply picked up), Alice however can fight and is very angry. She has the following stats Ws 4 Bs 3 S 6 T 4 W 3 I 10 A 3 Ld 9 Sv 4++ Feel no pain 5+, fleet, Ap 2 in melee. She does not have a shooting weapon.

Roll a D6 when the first cell is opened. On an odd number place Alice in the now open cell. On an even place Virgil.

Evacuating Virgil wins the game for the imperium and prevents the alpha legion from making use of the outflanking rule during the evacuation mission. Extracting both Virgil and Alice allows them to be used in the final mission granting a +1 LD bonus to all imperial forces.

If Alice is killed she becomes a second grabbable objective like Virgil.

Regardless of the number of turns that are taken the Aquila will arrive back in the apocalypse evacuation game on turn 3. (Along with any survivors)

The ‘dirty dozen’ kill team. (10 men and a terminator taking up a dozen transport slots Normally the Aquila holds 7 models, we modded it to hold 5 more as it is a customised inquisitorial version.)

[Sanguinary priest Silus (bolt pistol, power axe), Brothers Mien & Morton (blood angel meltagunners), Veteran sergeant Anders (blood angel sergeant twin lightning claws), cleansing fire brothers Frien, Narco & Ryst (heavy flamer, plasma pistol), Lone wolf brother Malak (terminator armour, power sword, assault cannon), Drachen (wolf lord with thunder hammer, storm shield and runic armour.), Captain Anspatch (heavy flamer, power sword) and Stormcaller (wolf lord with two thunder hammers and runic armour.)]

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Story excerpt

Evacuation site – Landing pad

Captain Kraken looked at the assembled troops. Master Stormcaller had opted to take command of the kill team for this mission. He had four blood angels with him, two meltagunners, sergeant Anders and a sanguinary priest. Three cleansing fire marines and their captain were accompanied by Drachen and lone wolf terminator Malak.

“I wish you the best of luck. Your objective is to retrieve inquisitor Ditya and any other captives at the designated location.”

“Enemy disposition?” Stormcaller asks.

“Predominately cultists with some alpha legion retainers.” Kraken replies. “Their main forces are heading this way so you have the window of opportunity provided.”

“Move out.” Stormcaller states and leads his group into the Aquila lander.

“The emperor protects.” Kraken states as the Aquila landers transport bay is pulled up into the vehicle and the aircraft takes off.

—

Stormcaller pulls up the tactical map of the target location.

“On arrival Cleansing fire units will secure a beachhead. We will then deploy and enter the facility. We are to clear and search for prisoners. Once we have acquired any captives we are to pull back to the lander and evac.”

“And the lander?” Drachen asks.

“The pilot will keep the lander in the area. If he keeps the lander in hover mode the cultists will not be able to cause any significant harm to this vehicle.” Stormcaller states into the com.

“As you wish lords. Target zone in three minutes” The pilot replies from the cockpit.

Set up

: The aquila lander is placed on the stronghold tile while the alpha legion and cultists have taken up their positions. (the imperial forces will deploy from the lander. An 8 was rolled for the number of external cultist units.)

: Inquisitor Ditya is in the left-hand cell being guarded by 3 brute squads.

: Two brute squads wait for the arrival of the imperial forces while the overseer waits in his office.

: Alice is held in the second cell. Again, guarded by alpha legion led brute squads.

: The cultists man the defences (4 units have all autoguns, 4 have pistols and close combat weapons.)

Turn 1

: Three cleansing fire marines, the lone wolf terminator and the cleansing fire captain deploy from the lander.

: and their fire burns away most of the cultist units.

: Immediate reinforcements are deployed into the area.

: Cultist shooting kills off two of the cleansing fire marines.

Turn 2

: The remainder of the kill team deploys from the lander.

: More of the cultist squads are shot and smashed into oblivion.

: Reinforcements continue to arrive as the cultists converge on the intruders.

: Drachen loses a wound to the cultist shooting. (despite feel no pain and a 2+ save.)

Turn 3

: The cleansing fire captain and lone wolf terminator manage to enter the facility. The remaining imperial forces move towards the door.

: With more of the imperials choosing to run (sanguinary priest, storm caller, cleansing fire marine) into the facility the cultists move towards the remaining enemies they can reach.

: Having been activated the first internal brute squad moves in to engage the imperial forces.

: Drachen loses another wound as one of the meltagunners is finished off.

: The lone wolf terminators also loses a wound to the brute squads shooting.

Turn 4

: The last few external imperial forces make their way inside as the first alpha legion brute squad is destroyed.

: The Aquila lander shoots down some cultists.

: Who ignore it and proceed to move towards the facilities entrance (they cannot enter it as per the mission but can lurk and wait for the imperials to return.)

Turn 5

: The imperial kill team continue to move forwards deeper into the facility.

: The terminators assault cannon deals with the next brute squad.

: With the route now clear the imperial forces run forwards.

: The cultists ring the entrance and wait.

Turn 6

: The kill team continue to move forwards.

: Stormcaller runs to the door as the kill team forms up behind him.

: Having both been activated two alpha legion brute squads move in and open fire causing no damage.

Turn 7

: The kill team moves to actively engages the alpha legion

: while Stormcaller charges into the overseer’s office.

: The Aquila lander continues to nibble the cultist squads with its multi laser.

: One alpha legionnaire remains standing after the imperial shooting.

: The cultists continue to stand as sentries.

: The overseer and his sergeant ally move their brute squads towards stormcaller. (The lone survivor from earlier has been torn apart in close combat by the terminator and cleansing fire captain.)

: With shooting proving ineffective the alpha legion charge in, Stormcallers armour holds and he strikes down two cultists.

Turn 8

: The lone wolf terminator shoots one of the brute squads killing a cultist and activating them.

: The Aquila continues to happily kill 1-2 cultists per turn.

: Drachen and the blood angel sergeant charge in to help Stormcaller battle the overseer.

: They proceed to knock him out and steal his key.

: Drachen and Stormcaller consolidate out of the room while the blood angel moves forwards.

The alpha legion fail to do any damage to the imperial kill team during their turn.

Turn 9

: Stormcaller and Drachen move out towards the cells.

: Multi laser fire continues to reduce the cultist population

: Shooting from the kill team leaves a single alpha legionnaire alive outside of Alice’s cell.

: Having killed the blood angel sergeant during overwatch the alpha legion brute squad and the lone survivor move to engage the kill team.

Turn 10

: The cleansing fire marine again grills some cultists as the meltagunner finishes off the legionnaire.

: The cleansing fire captain shoots down the last alpha legionnaire outside of the cell as storm caller approaches with the key.

Turn 11

: The lone wolf terminator, cleansing fire captain and sanguinary priest move towards the other cell.

: Stormcaller opens Alice’s cell.

: The Aquila continues to thin the cultist herd.

: Alice and Stormcaller start to run.

: Both brute squads are now active.

: The brute squads move up to engage the imperial forces.

: Gunning down the cleansing fire marine.

Turn 12

: The cleansing fire captain moves to engage the brute squads as the wounded warriors back up.

: The thinned down cultists continue to hold their position.

: One alpha legionnaire remains standing.

: Cultist reinforcements (can only come back when a whole squad is destroyed) move towards the door.

: The last alpha legionnaire moves to engage the wounded imperials, but fails to harm them.

Turn 13

: The alpha legionnaire is gunned down.

: Cutting down the time we moved all the imperials and their objectives to the exit so they could exit at the start of the next turn. (otherwise we would have 6-8 turns of moving and running to get to the door then the same again to get to the exit)

: The cultists ready themselves to do as much damage as they can. The Aquila (exit point) continues to hold position.

Turn 14

: The imperial kill team emerges from the bunker.

: Immediately shooting down the cultist forces.

: Before scything the survivors apart.

: All eight squads re-emerge and begin to select targets.

: Drachen (the wounded storm hawk captain) is gunned down by the cultist horde

Turn 15

: Stormcaller and the lone wolf terminator reach the lander and board. The cleansing fire captain, meltagunner, priest (carrying virgil) and Alice fail to reach the transport.

: The destroyed cultist squads re-emerge once more.

: The cultists charge in and fail to harm the sanguinary priest (and the cleansing fire captain whom he had formed a squad with. The small cultist squad are killed in response.)

Turn 16

: The cleansing fire captain and sanguinary priest have made it onto the lander. The cultists have killed the meltagunner which leaves Alice.

: Who promptly escapes onto the Aquila lander, joining her fellow survivors.

Story excerpt

Multiple gunshots sounded out and captain Drachen fell, his leg armour ruined and his left leg gone below the knee. Brother Malak grabbed the marine and dragged him into the lander as it swept down and landed. Stormcaller entered a moment later. The rest of the kill team close behind as more cultists surged forwards.

Anspatch stepped in front of Silus and cut down the charging cultists allowing them both and Virgil to enter the ship. Brother Mien fell as cultists piled themselves on top of him and beat him to the ground. Alice ran forwards and pulled herself into the cargo hold of the Aquila a moment before it lifted off.

The jet blasts from the aircrafts engines were strong enough to scatter the surrounding cultists. The pilot engaged the aircrafts forward thrust and accelerates.

“Hold on this could be rough” He shouted. An aging hydra turret rotated to face the lander before opening fire. Two shots hit but failed to penetrate the Aquila’s armour. The vehicle reached top speed breaking the sound barrier as it topped out at 1,900 km/h.

“Stormcaller to Kraken. Mission successful Inquisitor Ditya and Alice rescued. Captain Drachen has lost a leg and is out of commission. Six additional casualties. Brother sergeant Anders and two fellow blood angels, we also lost three cleansing fire marines. Sanguinary priest Silus is keeping Virgil and Drachen stable. Suggest immediate med evac once on site.”

Conclusion

During testing our imperial player thought that the difficulty was too high with the constantly regenerating cultist squads. I kept with it (restricting them to remain outside though) since we have broken the normal kill team selection rules. By allowing 2+ saves, multiple wounds and HQ models. The result was this mission was both enjoyable, tense and balanced on a knife-edge throughout.

Of the initial 11 members, the kill team was reduced to four members by the end of the game. (And this was following some very lucky saves and or feel no pain rolls.) These along with the lander will arrive on turn 3 of the final mission.

With this result the Alpha legion cannot make use of the outflank rule during the evacuation apocalypse mission and all imperial forces get +1 LD for the duration of that game due to the successful extraction of Alice.