Constance in Peril - 40K Campaign - Part 3

I welcomed David R. back to the war room with his lovely Ultra Marine 40k army and we had the opportunity to play the last battle in our three game narrative campaign. (Parts one and two can be found on my posts of 25/12/15 and 1/1/16). Having struggled to capture the moon on Motspire, the Imperials had made a better job of securing landfall on the planet of Constance. Their job, in this final instalment, was to finally rid the system of the Nurgle infestation, led by its overlord, Typhus. (In part two I had mentioned the planetary governor and his underground HQ. I decided however, if this was to be the final part I had to involve the main protagonists). Typhus had been tracked down to a medical lab in an industrial complex. The lab walls were impregnable. The force field doors, could however, be turned off by destroying six power nodes scattered around the complex. Only Marneus Calgar and his Ultra Marines could attempt such a mission.

Above: Typhus has been tracked down.

The Imperial objective was to destroy the six power nodes on the table (Armour Value 11, 2 Hull Points), gain access to the medical lab and kill Typhus. The Nurgle objective was to stop this from happening. Both forces were 1500 points. There were unlimited turns so that we could play until we had a result.

Above: The table. Five of the power nodes visible and the medical lab is in the bottom right.

I placed my 4 units of Plague Marines and 2 units of Chaos Cultists around the table to attempt to keep the worst of the Imperial fire off the power nodes. Typhus and his three Obliterator body guard started in the medical lab. There was also a five an Warp Talon squad in reserve. 

Above: High in their lofty perch, Cultists waiting for their guests.

David had three Marine Tactical squads in Drop Pods. A further Drop Pod contained a nine man devastator squad and Calgar. And to finish, there was a five man Assault Terminator Squad with a Captain armed with the burning blade.

In the first turn the Ultras landed their Drop Pods around the table where they could easily destroy the power nodes. Marneus' Pod landed quiet close to the medical lab, and whilst the Devastators took down a node, the big man made his way towards Typhus' hiding place.

Above: Magnus tells the Devastators where the power node is whilst he crosses a bridge to find the Nurgle leader.

David's reserve drop pods began arriving, but unfortunately, only one per turn, and the Terminators were apparently having some difficulties with their teleporter. Marneus did have a short cut to victory, using his teleport homer, he planned to get close enough to the lab to allow the Terminators to arrive straight into the room without first opening the doors. Sneaky.

Above: A drop pod's contents go to work.

However, the forces of chaos had some ideas of their own. Although the doors to the lab could not be easily accessed from outside, nothing prevented the Obliterators from deciding to leave the lab early (remembering to close the door behind them) to take the fight to the Ultra Marine leader, it must be said, much to his surprise. All Marneus had to do was stay alive long enough for the teleport homer to operate. But still, the Terminators couldn't press the buttons in the right order, and when they did finally arrive, it was to late, and the weight of fire directed at their commander had already laid him low. 

Above: Marneus getting far too much attention for his liking. 

For the Royalist this now also became a mission to seek revenge. The penultimate power node fell to a shot from a combi-melta. This had been a close call as the combat squad had  succeeded just before they were wiped out by the nearby Nurgle Marines. The tide now swung towards the loyalists.

This left just one more node to destroy before the med lab doors finally revealed their smelly occupant. Two Marines were desperately trying, and failing, to take out the final node with crack grenades. An Obliterator, dealt with them with a twin-linked plasma gun, but he then he also died, leaving the last node unguarded.

The Warp Talons arrived just in time to see Marneus Calgar fall, so we're still itching for some quarry of their own. What should they take on, the newly arrived Terminators, or the last two Tactical Marines, looking to destroy the final node. With Ideas above their station, and the belief that their lightning claws were more effective than they were. 'Charge the big guys', they shouted, prior to being ripped apart for no obvious gain. 

Above: The fourth power node burns, as the Warp Talons have a choice to make.

Above: Whoops. Wrong choice made.

The final two marines dealt with the sixth node, and the medical lab doors finally opened. The Terminators, and their Captain stood ready outside. The Captain challenged the Nurgle leader, whilst the Termies kept the remaining chaos forces from trying to intercede. Righteous fury had overcome the Captain, his armour withstood all the attacks from the scythe armed one. And with the Burning Blade making a considerable impression, it was a fairly short fight before one of the Emperor's greatest enemies was no more. The death Marneus Calgar had been revenged and the planet of Constance was safe again........for the time being.

Above: 'I have been expecting you'.

Above: The final showdown.

This was a cracking good game (which lasted ten turns), with countless ups and downs, as each side gained, and then lost the advantage. The Terminators and their excellent saving throws swung the final balance of the game in favour of the loyalists. For my part, my Plague Marines were impressively tough. I must admit however, to some annoyance on the loss of the Warp Talons. I believed that their lightning claws were a more effective AP than they were, which is why they threw themselves uselessly against the Terminators. But as David said, even if they had despatched the final two Tactical Marines, the Termies would have still have defeated them in the next round of combat. The last power node would have been destroyed the final power node and the final act of the drama will have happened anyway. Well done to David on the victory.

Happy wargaming to you all.

Alex.