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.

Postponed Alliance

Orks & Chaos v Crimson Blades | Tim v Gill | Space Crusade | 44 | 099.997.M41

Elsewhere in Escavar, close to the Castle of Mourning, secret base of the Good People, stood a massive warehouse complex. It was here that Nob’Rod of the Shaggin’ Dogz and Archmage Übel met to discuss an alliance. Security forces from both factions filled the warehouse as they sat down to discuss terms.

Lord Übel had instigated the meeting. The Orks were a destestable race but until his power base was consolidated they would prove a useful distraction if aimed in the correct directions. For his part, Nob’Rod was more hesitant. The Ork perspective didn’t require the security of an alliance as long as there was killing to be had but he was open to hear what terms the Chaos Space Marines had on offer.

Before the details could in any way be finalised however, the outer doors of the warehouse were breached in three places simultaneously. At each entry point, a Crimson Blades infiltration squad took ground, eliminating all resistance.

News of the attack immediately went to the conference chamber and the negotiation broke. “We’ll finish this later,” whispered Übel.

“We’ll see,” snarled Nod’Rod, strapping himself into his mega armour and charging out the door.

Each faction split off, forming a pincer and moving down through the building toward the approaching marines but nothing could prevent the infiltration squads cutting their through everything sent down to meet them.

Archmage Übel confronted one of the squads with his Thousand Son space marines trying to clear a path but each one was cut down and he was forced to withdraw, wounded, abandoning the alliance... for now.

Nob’Rod didn’t fare much better. Marines were eliminated by the waves of Orks and Gretchin he sent in but it was clear he was at risk from a closing fist. Like the Chaos Sorcerer he withdrew rather than risk a fight he could not hope to win, but the sign of weakness was noted by his boyz.

Perhaps this was a sign that the Shaggin’ Dogz required new leadership.

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.

The Coming of Chaos!

The background to the malicious force of Chaos Space Marines known as the Good People has been added to the Enemies of Valorax page. You'll find a full history of the force, all about their base of operations and supply lines, and a few notable characters.