Bring Me The Head...
120pt Epirian Foundation vs Karist Enclave
In the quiet outskirts of Daviston Outpost, the dawn light revealed two forces mustering amongst the evacuated buildings. Foundation forces had been skirmishing with the fanatics for weeks, and the costs were mounting. With the commanders on both sides under pressure from their respective superiors to end this conflict, each had hatched plans to eliminate their opposing number, preferably while securing any remaining resources in the Outpost. With Foundation forces dug into the northern districts, the Karist forces gathered to strike.
The Forces
The Epirian Foundation - Daviston Militia
The Karist Enclave - Strike Force Darius
Deployment
Click for larger image.
The mission for this battle is Worth More Than Your Head, which uses the Assassination and Excavation Objectives. Iain, playing the Epirian Foundation, selected the Master of Machines Faction Objective, while Michael, playing the Karists, selected First Contact. The Karists are the attackers, and deployment is using the Pincer map, which leaves an angled 12-24" space between the opposing deployment zones, wider in the middle than the edges.
Turn One
Michael, as the attacker, had priority on the first turn. Pushing for a quick and easy victory, Shadow Walker Vidien Rifted across the space between the forces, emerging directly behind the Epirian Commander. Aiming his Nox pistol at the hapless Journeyman's back, the Shadow Walker opened up with a rapid fusillade. Rolling two 1s and a 6, Michael was able to flip one of the 1s up to a 4, meeting the Journeyman's EVS. The Journeyman was able to block one of the shots with his armour, but the Critical hit got through. With the Nox pistol's Poison, this was enough to drop the Journeyman where he stood, netting the Karists an immediate 18 Victory Points.
Vidien rifts in behind Journeyman Riddel.
On the outpost's boundary, the Epirian Fireflies zipped up into the fungus forest around the Karist Trooper-controlled Dig marker. Two of the little drones missed completely, but the third wounded and killed one of the troopers, the Beam passing through him and taking out a second trooper as well, raising the Troopers' suppression level to 2. Meanwhile, Hunter FK-16 advanced up the laneway between buildings, taking aim at Shadow Walker Kian, seeking to take him out before he replicated Vidien's maneuver on the forces remaining Journeyman. The Shadow Walker Dodged through the fusillade of flakk cannon and cluster missile fire, but emerged having taken two wounds, dropping him to FOR 1 and raising his suppression level to 2.
Fireflies open fire from the treeline.
Activating his comm, Kaddar Brius ordered Kian to ignore his injuries, spending two command points to drop the Shadow Walker back down to suppression level 0. The Praetorian bodyguard advanced with the Kaddar Nova, moving in behind some crates on the corner of the Foundation offices. Taking aim at the Contractor unit the hail of pulse rounds and blasts from the Nova's gauntlet dropped two of the Contractors, with the Gauntlet's Shock pushing them up to suppression level 4. Shadow Walker Kian took his cue to move in, creating a Rift to drop in behind the second Epirian Journeyman. Journeyman Barnel's corporate-issue armor blocked two hits, but was unable to stop the well-aimed Critical hit. With the Journeyman's lifeless body falling to the tarmac, the Epirian force was left with no leadership and the battle was just getting started...
The Praetorians advance alongside their Kaddar.
Back on the perimeter, the Scarecrow Sniper moved up onto the nearby rubble pile, pivoting the bring its maglock Railrifle to bear on Shadow Walker Vidien. Iain used the Scarecrow's SKL to flip the roll of 4 up to a Critical 6, and as the Shadow Walker's Dodge is ineffective against a Critical Perfect Strike, the shot brought swift retribution, removing the Shadow Walker from the battle.
Back in town, the Contractors dashed up to the nearby Dig marker, taking pot shots at the Minnows as they ran, but their shots were ineffective.
The Contractor shooting fails to drop any of the small angels.
Continuing the Karist advance, the Tempest Elites moved up to bring their Coriolis launchers into range against the Spider drone unit backing up the Scarecrow. The massed hail of artillery fire was too much for the fragile drones, eliminating all of the spiders and their Apprentice Handler, leaving the Dig marker they had been guarding wide open. The Hellblasters also moved up, taking up a position behind a streetside barricade. Sighting in on Hunter FK-16, their energy blasts seared across the battlefield, rocking the massive bot. All but one of the blasts was blocked by the warmech's heavy armor, however, raising it to suppression level 2, but keeping it in the action.
The Apprentice Handler in charge of Spider Unit Beta, seeking some payback on the Karist leadership, moved his charges forward and took aim at the Kaddar Nova's entrenched unit. While three shots were deflected by the unit's Glaive-enhanced Field, the little drones managed to inflict 3 casualties on the elite Karist troops. Backing up the little drones, Hunter CM-34 recognized the enemy commander lurking behind the Praetorian unit. Against the storm of chaingun fire and Strike missiles, the Angel Keeper stood no chance, taking 6 wounds - more than enough to finish him off, and putting the Epirians on equal Victory Point footing with the Karists.
Hunter CM-34 cuts down the enemy commander.
The Karist trooper unit sought some payback against the Fireflies, pistols and grenade launcher bringing down one of the fragile flying drones. The troopers were unsuccessful in shaking off their own suppression, rolling a 2 for their WP test.
The Minnows were no longer able to hold their Dig marker due to there no longer being an Angel Keeper to counteract their Mission Specialist ability, so launched a charge against Spider Unit Beta. Unfortunately for the diminutive aliens, the spiders' defensive fire cut down all but one of them as they flew, with the remaining Minnow unsuccessful at chewing through the drone's armor.
The Minnows launch an ill-advised charge against the spider unit.
Rounding out the first turn, the Mature Angel sprouted wings from its void gel, leaping over the intervening building to blast the Contractor unit with a devastating Cybel Beam. In the aftermath of the blast, only the team leader was still standing, on suppression level 6.
At the conclusion of the turn, the remaining Minnow chose discretion over valor and left the battlefield. Each side had scored 18 Victory Points for the Assassination objective, however two of the Dig markers were unclaimed, with the other two contested. The Epirians received an additional VP for the Master of Machines faction objective, bringing their total to 19.
The battlefield after turn 1.
Iain scored priority for turn 2, and chose to go first. Needing to get some leadership back on the table, he successfully bid 4 CPs to bring back a Journeyman, with Michael also bidding 4 CPs to bring back his Minnow unit.
Kicking things off for the turn, Spider Unit Beta's Apprentice Handler issued an order on his unit, bringing their suppression level back down to 0. Aiming point blank at the Mature Angel, they riddled the gigantic creature with flakk ammo. Miraculously, the angel was only able to block one shot, its void gel form collapsing into a gooey puddle under the fusillade.
Spiders unexpectedly rip the Mature Angel apart in a storm of flakk fire.
The Karist Hellblasters huddled down behind the barricade, lobbing cybel energy once again at Hunter FK-16. Reeling under the barrage, the warmech emerged with 3 FOR remaining. Before it could react, Shadow Walker Kian Rifted in behind it, potent energy blasts from his Nox pistol cracking the rear armor on the giant bot and finishing it off.
Behind the Epirian lines, the newly arrived replacement Journeyman Tempus ran onto the battlefield, taking cover to the rear of the Spider Drone's position. Cracking off a shot with his Dominator pistol as he ran, he was dismayed to see it deflected by the Praetorian's Field. Issuing a command to Hunter CM-34 to activate Lock On protocols, he watched as the giant bot mowed down the remaining Praetorians, also inflicting a wound on the Kaddar Nova and raising his suppression level to 5.
A much needed command replacement spurs the Epirian forces to action.
On the outskirts, the Karist Troopers take cover as best they can around the Dig Marker, sniping at the hovering Fireflies and taking down the remaining two drones. Nearby, the Tempest Elites dash forwards, laying down fire with their Coriolis launchers as they go. Their fire is ineffectual, causing one hit blocked by the Scarecrow's armor, and raising its suppression level by 1.
In town, the surviving Contractor was carrying too much suppression to do anything useful, so retreated to nearby cover, where he managed to Shake Off 1 level, down to 5.
The sole surviving Contractor takes cover.
Meanwhile, the Scarecrow dashed up onto the nearby Dig Marker, popping off a shot at Shadow Walker Kian as it ran. The Shadow Walker easily dodges the incoming fire, however.
The Scarecrow moves on the objective, taking aim at Kian.
The reinforcement Minnow unit flew onto the battlefield from behind the Hellblasters, taking up position by the Dig marker, although they couldn't capture it so remained on the move.
A fresh Minnow unit arrives.
The Kaddar Nova used a command point to lower his own suppression level back down to 4, before Overloading his gauntlet to fire at the Spider drones. His energy blasts destroyed one Spider, Shock raising the unit's suppression level to 4. The blast from the gauntlet overload also added +1 each to the suppression levels of the nearby Hunter and Contractor, but the newly arrived Journeyman proved to be just beyond the effect radius.
The Kaddar Nova blasts the Epirian forces with his overloaded gauntlet.
With everything activated, the end of turn 2 sees the Karist Troopers in control of one Dig marker for the Karists, and the Scarecrow and Spider unit controlling 2 more for the Epirians. With the Master of Machines faction objective once more giving a bonus VP, the Epirian total sat on 24 to the Karists' 20. The Karist controlled Dig marker flipped to the other side of the board, as did the Spider drones' marker, although the Scarecrow-controlled marker remained in place.
The battlefield after turn 2.
Iain once again scored priority. Michael bid 5 CPs to bring back his Angel Keeper, with Iain having insufficient CPs on hand to block it.
Electing to keep up his momentum, Iain kicked off the turn by activating the Scarecrow, taking aim once more at Kian. The Shadow Walker found himself once again unable to Dodge a Critical hit, and succumbed to the Scarecrow's precise fire.
Turning their attention to the Spiders, the huddled Hellblasters lobbed more energy blasts across the battlefield. One of the little drones was blasted apart, and the unit's suppression level raised to 6. Aiming too finish them off, the Kaddar Nova charged, his Field blocking incoming defensive fire, although one shot from the Apprentice Handler's pistol managed to get through, dropping him to FOR 1 and putting his suppression level up to 5. Overloading his gauntlet again, the Kaddar Nova blasts at the unit. He hits once and although this is blocked by the drone's armor, as the unit is already on suppression level 6 they take a casualty, finishing off the last drone and leaving just the Apprentice Handler. The Nova attempts to shake off a suppression level, but is unsuccessful.
The Kaddar Nova charges into combat with the Spider drone unit.
Journeyman Tempus issues an order to the Apprentice Handler, dropping his suppression level to 4, before taking aim at the Kaddar Nova. His Dominator pistol slices straight through the Nova's protection, killing him instantly. Nearby, the Hunter took a bead on the Tempest Elites. Two of the elite warriors are blown apart by precise Strike missile hits, while the third is mowed down by Suppressor Machine Gun fire.
The Kaddar Nova charges into combat with the Spider drone unit.
The Karist Troopers dash forward to recapture their Dig marker, On the Move allowing them to get just close enough. The snap off shots at the Scarecrow as they run, but only raise its suppression a level.
The Karist Troopers recapture their Dig marker.
Behind the Minnows, the newly arrived replacement Angel Keeper moves onto the battlefield, using On the Move to get in close enough for his Forced Compliance ability to override their Mission Specialist.
In the center, the lone Contractor dashed forward, going On the Move to recapture the relocated Dig marker. He shakes off one point of suppression, bringing him back down to 5.
The lone Contractor recaptures the Dig marker.
At the conclusion of the turn, the Karists control 2 Dig markers, bringing their VP total to 24. The Epirians also control 2 Dig markers, and gain their third and final VP from Master of Machines, bringing their total to 29 VPS, enough to claim a Crushing Victory and end the game!
The battlefield at the conclusion of the game.
The loss of both Journeymen in turn 1 to the incredibly fast moving (and deadly!) Shadow Walkers left things looking rather grim for Iain at the start, as Epirian forces rely on the synergy between their Handlers and Bots to make the most of their capabilities. Some lucky rolls and the return of a Journeyman back to the table meant that he was able to claw things back, with the early loss of the Praetorians and Mature Angel, and the unwise charge of the initial Minnow unit seeing things fall apart in the center for Michael.
Without the bonus VPs from Master of Machines, however, the game would have gone on for at least one more turn, and could easily have gone either way...
Keeper Tertius surveyed the battlefield, noting the carnage wrought in their own forces by the poor choices of his predecessor. While the resources of this town would be useful to the Karist cause, it was clearly time to cut their losses for now. He issued a recall signal, watching as his forces began to withdraw from the engagement. They would return.
