Let's take a look at our armies!
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| Chaos Army |
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| Space Wolves Army |
To the left, we have the vile forces of Chaos. A Nurgle Chaos Lord leads the army, attache to a unit of hardy Plague Marines. Next is a unit of Khorne Berserkers, wild and bloodthirsty melee troops. For fast attack troops, Chaos has included a full 20 Raptors, ready to swoop down from the skies to tear apart their prey. A powerful Chaos Vindicator and Dreadnought finish out the army, lending critical support to the infantry-based army.
To the right stand the ferocious and proud Space Wolves. A psychic Rune Priest leads the army, able to use his mastery of the Warp to fire powerful lightning as foes. Within a Land Raider transport ride the mighty Wolf Guard terminators, armed with Wolf Claws and Power Fists. For troops, there are two units of Grey Hunters with a couple of flamers, each in Rhino transports. Long Fangs reside in another Rhino, supplying long range firepower and anti-vehicle support. Finally, a Vindicator and two Dreadnoughts add serious anti-troop and anti-vehicle support, bringing up the rear.
The Battlefield
This battle takes place in the icy wind-swept snowfields of an unknown planet. The two factions fight for control of this ancient compound, but to do so they must first contend for the critical locations outside. Each objective location is unscouted, but cursory scans have led each army to seek them out.
Deployment
The forces of Chaos were able to arrive first, setting up an aggressive position on the most important objectives to the west, establishing control early. The large force of Raptors sits on the other side of the ancient fortress, preparing to flank the enemy and secure the eastern objectives with their jet packs. 20 Chaos Marines is a fearsome force to be reckoned with by anybody's account.
Upon arrival, the Space Wolves also see the importance of vying for the western objectives. The heaviest, most deadly targets - and the ones likely to draw fire - deploy to the far west, while the troops and Dreadnoughts deploy farther east. The Space Wolves plan to drive up the center with a spearhead strike using the Land Raider, while flanking and cutting off the Chaos forces with Grey Hunters and Dreadnoughts. The troops and Dreadnoughts, as well as the Rune Priest, must also guard the army's vulnerable east flank against the threat of the Raptors.
Turn 1
Chaos advances on the objectives, claiming two of them. The Plague Marines and Chaos Lord uncover a grav-wave generator on the northwest point objective, which slows down charging enemies. The Raptors to the east uncover a sabotage, rigged to explode at unknown intervals! Because of the advantageous deployment of the Space Wolves, none of the Chaos forces are in range to fire at the Space Marines.
Space Wolves advance as well. The Land Raider drives into the western battlefield, protecting the deadly Wolf Guard inside. The Rune Priest to the east stays back, to remain out of range of the enemy bolters.
The Space Wolves inflict very few casualties, with only a glancing shot from the Vindicator and some stray assault cannon fire killing two Chaos marines. The Rune Priest attempts a psychic shooting attack, but his powers are weakened by Chaos sorcery, and his mind briefly glimpses the madness and perils of the Warp, unable to contain it. His power fails, and he is wounded. The center objective before the gates of the frozen fortress is revealed to be sabotaged as well!
Turn 2: Chaos
Chaos's left flank moves forward, the Vindicator and Dreadnought threatening the heavy firepower of the Space Wolves' western flank. The Khorne Berserkers, while vulnerable, are driven by Khorne to kill in his name. Their terrible bloodlust drives them forward toward the tanks. To the east, Raptors advance and capture a second objective, finding it to be nothing of much note.
The Chaos Vindicator to the west launches a terrific volley of ordnance, impacting with a deafening explosion on the hulls of the Space Wolves' Rhino and Vindicator on the western flank. The Rhino explodes, killing a Long Fang inside, while the Vindicator's storm bolter is destroyed. To the east, the Raptors fire a volley of bolts as the Rune Priest, slaying him without much of a fight.
Turn 2: Space Wolves
The Space Wolves have uncanny, animal-like abilities when it comes to battle. And they also have an animal-like ferocity. With the death of the Rune Priest leading this army, the Wolves of Fenris are driven to avenge their fallen brother, howling in rage and charging forward toward the ranks of traitorous heretics.
All troops disembarked from their transports as the Dreadnoughts charge ahead into the fray. The Vindicator tenaciously re-positions to maintain a clean firing line at the furious Khorne Berserkers.
The Long Fangs and Vindicator open fire at the onrushing Berserkers, killing a good number of them with plasma cannons and ordnance. One Plasma Cannon overheats, killing the unlucky Long Fang holding it. Finally, the multi-melta of the Land Raider explodes the Chaos Dreadnought in a smokey blast. To the east, a full unit of Grey Hunters open fire at the Raptors, felling several with boltguns and flamers. The Dreadnoughts unleash their own heavy flamers, gouging the lines of enemies with fiery promethium.
Dreadnoughts and Wolf Guard hurl themselves at the Chaos foes.
Wolf Guard Terminators deliver swift crushing death with Wolf Claws and Power Fists, but the Khorne Berserkers are deadly and refuse to go down without a fight. They take one Wolf Guard out with them before they are completely destroyed. To the east, Dreadnoughts kill only two Raptors but suffer no damage from a hail of Krak grenades. The Raptors rout, falling back.
Turn 3: Chaos
The Chaos Raptors fall back and disappear from the battlefield, fleeing and demoralized. Plague Marines fall back, fearing a charge by the dangerous Wolf Guard Terminators.
A precise plasma pistol shot by the Chaos Lord fells a Wolf Guard Terminator, and the unit falls back.
Turn 3: Space Wolves
With half the Chaos force destroyed, the Space Wolves close in on their prey. Wolf Guard rallied and embarked on the Land Raider, while Grey Hunters moved toward the western objectives along with their Rhinos and the two Dreadnoughts.
A glancing hit is scored on the Chaos Vindicator from a volley of heavy fire by multi-meltas and lascannons.
Turn 4
Chaos knows it needs only to deny the vital objective to the west. They hold position, firing relentlessly at the enemy. A Space Wolves Rhino explodes by the Chaos Lord's combi-melta, although the Grey Hunters within are unharmed. The mighty Land Raider takes a jarring blast by the Vindicator's demolisher cannon, stunning the crew inside. Meanwhile, the central sabotaged objective triggers a large explosion, killing one Grey Hunter!
Space Wolves move forward, claiming the vitally important western objective, while the Grey Hunters in the center make some space between themselves and the dangerous sabotage.
The pesky Chaos Vindicator is finally destroyed, pierced by a lascannon shot from the Long Fangs. They fire a plasma cannon at the Plague Marines, inflicting their first loss of this entire battle. Servants of Nurgle do not die easily!
Turn 5
The Plague Marines retreat while still holding their objective grav-wave generator. If they can destroy the Grey Hunter unit, they can still consider this fight a victory. They, however, fail to inflict any wounds from shooting.
Space Wolves advance on the Plague Marines, bringing every gun to bear to wipe their heretical foes from the snowy face of this frozen planet.
With dozens of bolters, assault cannons, plasma cannons and demolisher cannon ordnance, half a dozen Plague Marines are gunned down, including the Chaos Lord or Nurgle. With the front line of the unit killed, they are no longer close enough to the objective to control it.
The Chaos Space Marines have had enough. The servants of Nurgle know this is a fight they can no longer win, and the battle is over with a crushing victory for the mighty Space Wolves!
Final Score:
Chaos Space Marines: First Blood, Slay the Warlord - 2 Victory Points
Space Wolves: Slay the Warlord, 2 Primary Objectives - 8 Victory Points
