The Trap: Part Three - Overrun!

Chaos vs Crimson Blades | Gill v Tim | 40k | 57 | 110.997.M41  

Chaplain Sank dropped down the back of the Pernicious Gate, narrowly avoiding the lascannon fire from the approaching Chaos Land Raider, making contact via com for fast reinforcements.

Even if he had been able to open the gate and take control of the daemonic horde beyond, the price would have destroyed him and likely the rest of the Crimson Blades.

The gate had fallen. All they could do now was try and mitigate their losses and strike back before the forces of Chaos could find their footing.

But even as he spoke, sorcerers of the Thousand Sons uttered the incantations to open the gate and gain control of the slathering horde within and the portal burst into fiery light.

Dozens of sinewy lithe female forms strode through; terrible and beautiful in their foul glory: the Daemons of Slaanesh - now under the control of the Chaos Space Marines!

Each had a pair of vicious crab-claws. Each displayed their curvaceous but distorted bodies seductively as a caramel aroma filled the clearing. And around them the consolidated Chaos forces drew in, preparing to depart.

This was the second gate now that had fallen to the Traitor Marines. Only three more remained - three more legions of daemonic fury, waiting to be controlled.

But before the dark forces could make their departure, a dozen bolts flew into their ranks and exploded; then a dozen more.

The Crimson Blades weren't out of the fight yet. A Strike Platoon had manoeuvred into place in response to Chaplain Sank's call and more reinforcements were on the way.

Without a need for command, Seekers of Slaanesh danced away from the clustered forces.

They struck the marine gunline with seductive violence, tickling out the souls of the loyalist marines as they flayed open their armour and flesh.

The Seekers fell, still smiling in the ecstatic throes of battle, but Daemonettes took their place, leaping into action with their great claws snipping at the faces of their enemies.

Assault marines jumped forward powered by the jet packs but Night Lords ran to met them, gaining the initiative and eviscerating them where they stood.

Answering the call from space, a drop pod smashed onto the battlefield, blowing its door clamps, and a command squad emerged, letting fire with plasma weapons.

But the mighty exalted Keeper of Secrets K'Syarta materialised behind them and ripped apart both them and their drop pod.

The attacking force of Crimson Blades were routed and then annihilated. The forces of Chaos were simply too powerful now.

The last two members of the command squad fought on but there was no hope anymore. They were hopelessly outnumbered.

The forces of Chaos were legion now and perhaps nothing could stop them.

The Trap: Part Two - Reversal

Chaos vs Crimson Blades | Gill v Tim | 40k | 56 | 110.997.M41 

The Crimson Blades fell back to the Pernicious Gate, forming a defensive gunline. 

 

 It was absolutely critical that the gate be held. If it fell then the dark host of the Chaos Space marines would gain another swell of power, this one taking them even closer to true indomitability. 

A complete Termination Platoon beamed into position, the Sternguard Veterans taking station on the steps of the mighty gate.

Then suddenly the forces of Chaos were upon them: deathly silent Rubricae letting fly with arcane bolt rounds; slavering gore-red Bloodletters sprinting across the packed earth; huge clanking Chaos Terminators, raking the line with autocannon shells... and a mighty Daemon Prince on leathery wings that plunged into the ranks of the Crimson Blades, slashing back and forth with its mighty blade.

The Sternguard fell immediately to fire and sword. The Bladelords swung round in their Land Raider and leapt from its assault ramp, charging into the fray.

But the Daemon Prince was unstoppable. It carved them in twain, one by one, laughing maniacally.

All they could do was fight on and hope to lower the attacking numbers sufficiently to drive them off.

But fully twenty hardened veterans were spent before the Daemon Prince fell and the loss had a crippling effect on the rest of the line.

More reinforcements of Chaos funnelled into the clearing: a Land Raider churning mud, letting off Lascannon blasts, and the mighty scythed arms of a Daemonic monster. each fall of the scythes impaled another Terminator. The defenders were running out of time and men.

Then the Chaos Land Raider fell open and out poured Night Lords, their winged helms disguising leering features as they charged into close quarter combat, taking losses but bringing down more Space Marines than could be spared.

The gate was being swamped but the Bladelords fought on, Chaplain Sank leading them into the Bloodletters, desperately fighting to hold back Chaos.

They managed to eliminate the Daemons but the Night Lords had dispatched their enemies and now charged up onto the gate steps to throw open the portal.

Only two loyalist marines remained: Chaplain Sank and the last Bladelord. Their bodies shook with their exertions then they became suddenly calm, stilling their thoughts, and leapt to battle once more.

The Bladelord fell but Chaplain Sank smashed his Crozius Arcanum back and forth, pulverising bone and flesh inside the corrupt power armour. The huge Daemonic monstrosity reached his Land Raider, its scythes tearing its ceramite to shreds.

Chaplain Sank withdrew up to the gate.

 

He was the only one left now and he had a choice: open the gate himself if he could; take control of the Daemonic legion - damning his soul - or withdraw and muster what little forces they still had nearby for a counterstrike - one last attack to knock the head from the shoulders of this invading force at least. 

The choice had to be made now.

The Trap: Part One - Incursion

Chaos vs Crimson Blades | Gill v Tim | 40k | 55 | 110.997.M41

In the dark centre of the Lapitar jungles, the second Pernicious Gate stood guarded by a ring of defensive bastions.

It was critical beyond measure that the Chaos Space Marines not break through and seize control of it for if they did, a second horde of daemons would fall under their dominion.

But the Chaos forces had been spying on the defences with their scrying tools and they perceived that a hammer blow against a narrow frontage would easily fold back the defensive perimeter - especially with Crimson Blade forces kept busy in multiple other warzones.

And so they came, swooping down in drop ships as dozens of slavering daemons of Khorne materialised and bounded forward.

The marines stationed at the perimeter let fly instantly with explosive bolter shells but it was immediately clear that Lord Morder had been correct in his strategic plan. There were simply too many Chaos troops to hold back.

But then the trap was sprung.

Knowing that a Chaos Incursion was imminent, Alarice Klein, Chapter Mistress, had purposely left the defences weaker in order to manipulate the dark forces to attack.

The second their approach was detected, the signal was given and the hidden forces of the Crimson Blades sprang into action, bikers powering out of the undergrowth and Terminators deep striking down from the Black Scabbard in orbit.

A Land Raider churned out from the jungle cover, disgorging Assault Terminators into the midst of the daemonic approach.

But the Chaos Space Marines had anticipated this and they sprang a trap of their own.

A Chaos Land Raider surged in, Night Lord Assault Marines leaping from it and charging into combat as more and more daemons materialised, closing in on their enemies.

It had meant to be an overwhelming defeat for Chaos but the Crimson Blades were being overrun! They fought back but they were losing men. It was obvious that their only choice was to pull back and form an inner perimeter.

As the mighty Bloodthirster tore through their ranks they realised that, in all likelihood, they had no chance of slowing the Chaos approach to the Pernicious Gate and all the power it contained therein.

Covert Arms Buildup: Part Three - Cleared

Tau vs Adeptus Mechanicus | Gill v Tim | 40k | 54 | 109.997.M41 


The complex seemed empty.

Corridor after corridor without activity - no sign of life and only emergency power.

Whatever use the Adeptus Mechanicus had made of this place, it seemed abandoned now and the Tau moved through it, looking for signs that resistance remained. There seemed to be none but still they proceeded cautiously. 

But it was clear that all the tech adepts had withdrawn. Every Squat trooper had gone with them. Something big had been planned here and prepared for but after the initial defence the Mechanicum had pulled out completely.

Canisters and crates had been left behind containing weapons and other equipment. Obviously a major offensive had been organised from here, but the half human, half machine creatures had deemed a strategic withdrawal wise against the losses they might have taken. 

Yes. The Tech Priests had completely withdrawn. 

Or had they? 

Scuttling through the shadows, Squat defenders still remained, carefully checking their bolters and plasma weapons, readying themselves for a final rearguard attack to give the rest of their forces time to completely pull out.

 Aphids crept into position. On their tracked units, Thunderfire Batteries prepared to fire.

And then suddenly the Tau attacked, sweeping through the complex, blasting out with their pulse weapons, carbine barrels revolving rapidly. 

The Squats stepped forward from the shadows, entering battle,blasting at the disgusting and tightly-packed xenos interlopers. Fire Warriors fell but the Crisis Suits were forming the vanguard and their tough armour repelled the bulk of the small arms fire as they took down the defenders with cruel precision.

The Squats had never expected to win.

Their purpose was only to delay the aliens while the docking bays were cleared of transport craft. They had no withdrawal plan for themselves and fell one by one, roaring in challenge proudly.

The Tau didn't care. They pushed through, exterminating each and every single member of the Mechaicum defensive force, clearing every corridor until not one remained breathing.

 But this left them with no answers.

Something was brewing. The Adeptus Mechanicus were surely building an army. But why and what they would do with it? These things remained unknown.

Gill won

Covert Arms Buildup: Part Two - To Neutralise Command

Tau vs Adeptus Mechanicus | Gill v Tim | 40k | 53 | 109.997.M41 

The surprise battle within the outer reaches of the manufactorum had disrupted the Tau interlopers but the Adeptus Mechanicus forces had withdrawn deep into the structure and down into the underground levels.

The Tau had been unaware of their presence here but this was obviously another new faction with designs to take control of Valorax VIII. With their initial scouting force devastated, the Tau commander had to make a difficult choice: commit more troops for a deeper exploration or withdraw.

If they pulled out, it would give the Mechanicum full freedom to consolidate and expand what was clearly a new army. That could cause problems later on. In the meantime, an assault now without knowing the full scope of what they faced could be fairly damaging.

But it needed to be done.

Linked Gun Drones drifted into the outer reaches of the underground manufactorum, scanning for danger. There was no movement in the shadowy corridors but active datascreens suggested recent and ongoing activity. Unlike many of the other complexes, this one was fully operational.

Fire Warriors and Crisis Teams followed them in, scanning left and right with their pulse weaponry.

Still there was no sign of defensive forces.

But the Mechanicum forces were lying in wait. And though all reports had declared the stout Squats to be extinct, a sizable security force was assembled here and waiting.

As the intervening door came open the Squats opened fire, riddling the Crisis Suits with bolter fire as the diminutive abhumans took shelter in a storage chamber.

Then from behind the Tau incursion force a Mechanicus Aphid scuttled into position, letting fly with dozens of tiny warheads, striking down the Crisis Team before they could shoot back.

The Fire Warriors pressed on but more Squats lay in wait, firing then withdrawing, firing then withdrawing.

Now the fire Warriors were ready for them though and they let fly with volley after volley of concentrated pulse fire, driving the space dwarfs back.

Further Gun Drones glided into place as a Stealth team took up position before the next doors.With the initial resistance overcome, the Tau were able to funnel more and more troops into the narrow corridors now and their sensors told them there was a command centre behind the next door.

Making ready, they blew the locks and charged through, burst cannons spraying the interior.

Their sensors were right. Adeptus Mechanicus tech priests were manning the consoles, frantically working the controls, but the Stealth Team gunned them down before they could finish what they were doing.

The Squat commander hurtled forward from his command station to beat them back but there were too many of them. With reinforcements elsewhere in the complex he had to stand alone and even his great strength was insufficient.

He was hosed down by pulse rifle fire and fell to the ground dead.

Whatever the Mechanicus had been trying to do here had been foiled but more questions remained.

The answers lay deeper underground and there was only one way to reach them.

Mechlock in Flames: Part Two - Rage at the Inner Circle

Imperial Guard v Orks | Gill v Tim | 40k | 66 | 110.997.M41 

And the Orks fell upon the inner circle of defences of Mechlock Base: a roaring, chopping horde or monstrous death.

Carried in towering and smoking tanks and borne on the backs of gargantuan alien gorillas, the horde stomped closer to the inner defence line.

But the Valorax Guard stationed there had gained plenty of set up time. They had established site lines and dug fully in, preparing ammunition and spotting distances. They were prepared now as they hadn't been before.

The outer defences had been the testing ground, the battles fought there now revealed for what they really were: delaying actions.

With perfect precision, each of the transport vehicles was eliminated in turn, stranding the infantry in the open and pinning them in the wreckage. Artillery pounded down and lasguns flayed green flesh from bone in the killing gorund the wrecks had made.

But still the survivors shambled on, roaring defiance.

It didn't matter.

By the time the Ork forces had reached the Inner Circle, they were so depleted that all they did damage out of proportion with their numbers, they were cut down in return by overwhelming fire.

The attack on Mechlock Base had been stalled.

Unless the greenskins had something truly terrible in reserve then the attack on Mechlock had been completely defeated.