Mission Briefing: Race for the Gate

Erasmus Bachmann stood in front of the tactical console on the bridge of the Litany of Jeopardy. Before him towered the being known to him as Bel' Akor - millennia ago and light years distant known as the Butcher of Ere k'or [1V]

"You WILL activate the Portal. It is requested by the Master"

Bachman had to use much of his tremendous willpower not to cower before the Daemon Prince. Each syllable hit him like a concussion grenade. He had actually flinched when the monstrous creature had first spoken. "I have insufficient forces, great one. Those accursed Tyranids have taken too many of my troops."

Bel' Akor drew his brass axe; as big as Bachmann himself; gently across the edge of the console, creating multi-coloured sparks of psychic energy. "It is not a request Sorcerer, your very existence depends on it!"

A small bead of sweat formed on the Chaos Sorcerer's brow and rolled slowly down his face. If the Comms officer sitting silently nearby had not lost the use of his eyes he would have seen the droplet bounce gently on the plasteel floor and then scuttle away on three pairs of tiny, newly sprouted legs.

"We must wait, there are other ships arriving in this system, I ..."

"Prepare to teleport NOW! Bring whatever of your forces remain" The Daemon turned away sharply with blurring speed and proceeded towards the exit.

Backmann hesitated, then barked the order to his Comms "Prepare for Planet-Drop immediately" He joined Bel' Akor at the turbo-lift. A single tear formed in Eramus's eye and rolled slowly down his cheek, finally falling from his chin to the deck.

If the Comms officer had retained his eyes....

Lord Ubel of the Good People has finally accepted that the only hope of taking the second Pernicious Gate is to dedicate a massive amount of resources to it, whatever the risk. The Dark Elite under his command have failed to break through the hordes of Tyranids twice now but their sacrifices have pinpointed the gate’s exact location. Now they will go in a third and final time but this time the daemons will go with them; dozens of slavering Bloodletters of Khorne: the fruits of the last Pernicious gate they captured.

However other shrouded eyes are watching the activities of the Chaos Space Marines and are preparing to take action. If the Dark Elite take possession of the second Pernicious Gate then the balance of power will shift in their favour. That cannot be allowed to happen.

Board Layout

• The board is covered in woods and jungle. At one end if the Pernicious Gate, placed close to the centre and near to the edge.

Deployment and First Turn

• The Tyranids are deployed first. All Tyranids must be deployed within 24” of the short board edge nearest the Pernicious Gate.
• They have 1,500 points worth of models available.
• The Dark Elite are deployed second. They may be deployed anywhere on the board more than 24” from the edge of the Pernicious Gate.
• They have 3,000 points worth of models available: 1,500 Chaos Space marines and 1,500 Daemons of Khorne.
• The Daemons deploy using Deep Strike as normal.
• The Space Marine Terminators of the Crimson Blades First Company arrive as Reserves via Deep Strike anywhere on the board or moving on from any board edge more than 36” from the Pernicious Gate.
• They have 1,500 points worth of models available.

Turn Sequence and Allies

• The Chaos Space marines move first in this mission.
• The Tyranids and Space Marines are allied in so much as they both have the same objective: Stop the Chaos Space Marines. The controlling player moves both in his turn.
• Crimson Blades will only attack Tyranids if they are assaulted, even if ignoring them is tantamount to suicide.
• The Tyranids will target the closest non-Tyranid unit.

Game Length

• The game lasts for six turns or until the time limit is reached.
• If an even number of player turns have been played half an hour before the time limit is reached the game will end without a new game turn being started.

Victory Conditions

• Victory is determined by who controls the portal of the Pernicious Gate at the end of the game.