Operation Downfall Campaign: Battle Report 1: Night Drop

"To each of us falls a task. And all the Emperor requires of us Guardsmen is that we stand the line and we die fighting. It is what we do best. We die standing."

- General Sturm

Campaign To Date:

It is the middle of the Horus Heresy and civil war rages across the galaxy on a thousand worlds. Everywhere, former brothers and sworn allies have turned against each other in a fury of betrayal and hatred. The Warmaster Horus has begun his long march to Terra, crushing all resistance before him. In his direct path is the Xhorik System, located at a strategic crossroads of Warp currents in a sector of space known for smooth transitions between realspace and the Warp. This prosperous system has become a focal point for the Traitor war effort as they attempt to seize control of the key spaceport facilities to enable a rapid refuel and resupply of the main Traitor war host as they make their way to the throne world. 

On Xhorik Prime, the key trading and transport hub of the system, Traitor forces are newly victorious over those loyal to the Emperor in a massive planetary civil war that erupted along old, pre-Imperial factional rivalries. A combined force of Death Guard and World Eaters has crushed the stratocracy of Kozar and their small garrison of the White Scars Legion. The major space ports are now securely in the hands of the Traitors, although small bands of Loyalist survivors continue to wage a shadow war along the fringes of the high desert wilderness. 

On Xhorik Secundus, the planetary governor has remained loyal to the Emperor and maintained control of most of the planet. As war raged on Xhorik Prime, armies began mobilizing for an invasion of the heart of Traitor territory, in the Federation of Unimund. The first phase of the invasion was codenamed Operation Downfall and called for a massive nighttime drop assault on key enemy installations in order to clear the way for the massive, lumbering landing craft that would be bringing the bulk of the invasion the next day.

Although suffering significant casualties in the war for Kozar, the Xhorik 87th Drop Troops Regiment, the Firebirds, were called upon to support Operation Downfall from Xhorik Prime, along with several dozen drop regiments from Xhorik Secundus attacking from orbit. They would be making simultaneous night drops to secure key landing zones, disable defense and communication capabilities, and clear roads and bridges to allow the Loyalist forces to move quickly out of the vulnerable landing zones, establishing a beach head. The target of the 3rd Company was a signal relay station that transmitted information from orbiting satellites back to the urban areas and Traitor command centers. 

Pre-Game and Mission:

We played the mission Sabotage from the Fourth Edition WH40k rulebook with the Traitor Militia as the defenders and the Xhorik 87th Drop Troopers as the attackers. The defender can deploy any HQ and Troops choices around a central objective (and we added the ability to deploy a single Heavy Support choice to make it more fun and balanced with Pete's limited army). The attacker must get an infantry unit into melee combat with the central building objective and remain in base contact for one full turn until the attacker's next close combat phase. At this point, the demo charges are set and the objective is destroyed. The attacker chooses a narrow table edge and can deploy infiltrators within 12" of the edge. The rest of the force either moves on from that table edge in turn 1 or remains in reserve as normal. Defender's reserves have to roll for a random table edge when they arrive. 

We did not include the sentries as Pete did not have the models for it and it seemed like it would just slow down the game without making much difference. 

As part of Operation Downall, the drop would be taking place in the middle of the night so the old Night Fighting rules would be in effect for the entire game (when shooting, you must roll a spotting range of 2d6 x 3 to see your target or the shots are wasted) and the defender would get to use Hidden Deployment. We also decided the Hidden Deployment would not be revealed prior to the start of the first turn, as normal. Instead, the units would only be revealed if an attacker unit "spotted" it during the first attacker turn (as per Night Fighting rules), with any units still hidden being revealed in the defender's first turn. This would result in any attacker units deep striking on the first turn going in blind without knowing where specific targets would be located. Part of the hidden deployment rule was that any units held in reserves would have their hidden deployment marker become a bobby trap or minefield. 

Night Drop scenario map: the outpost around Relay Station AN-09.

Army Selection: 1200 Points

General Titus Ghoulv’s Iron Battalion – “The Marauders of Meddeon VII”, “The Pirates of the Northern Fringe”, “The Chem Hounds” - Pete

• Force Commander Saghesh the Sadistic: power sword, plasma pistol, refractor field, Alchem-Jackers, Warrior Elite
• Squad Alpha - The Tongue Collectors: 15 Grenadiers with plasma gun, flamer
• Squad Beta - The Psycho Slaves: 15 Grenadiers with melta gun, flamer
• 2 Auxilia Medicae: Dr. Cut and Dr. Cauterize
• Leman Russ Battle Tank
• Leman Russ Demolisher
• Leman Russ Vanquisher
• Malcador Battle Tank with armored ceramite

**Horus Heresy Imperialis Militia and Cults army list

An armored division of traitor militia is guarding the landing zones, including this sentry force at Relay Station AN-09. 

Traitor force map icons

Xhorik 87th Drop Troopers, 3rd Company - Phil

I was excited to use my Drop Troopers in a mission where they could really shine. They will almost never win in a straight-up fight, but a night raid where the objective is to destroy a building allows them to utilize their main strength of launching a pinpoint attack anywhere on the battlefield with multiple infantry units. Keeping in mind the objective, I took a thematic force using my drop platoon for the five infantry units and the tank-killing support of the drop sentinels. I knew I would have a hard time dealing with four tanks (including a super-heavy) so I took all of the melta I had available: 9 meltaguns and multi-meltas altogether! My freshly-painted Stormtroopers would get their baptism by fire - I knew their stronger weapons would be helpful against the carapace armor of Pete's grenadiers and their ability to re-roll the scatter when deep striking would ensure they land on target. Finally, I brought some land units in the Tauros and Recon Bikers to ensure I had some units on the board to apply pressure early and to not allow a few bad rolls early on to leave me with no units on the board, resulting in automatic defeat.

• Company command section (5): regimental standard, medic, vox, power sword and plasma pistol
• Stormtrooper squad (10): melta gun, plasma gun, sergeant with power sword
• Second platoon: Grav chute insertion force
  • Platoon command squad (5) with power fist, vox, medic and two grenade launchers
  • 1st Infantry squad (10) with melta gun 
  • 2nd Infantry squad (10) with grenade launcher 
  • Special weapons squad (6) with three melta gun teams 
  • Special weapons squad (6) with three melta gun teams
  • Drop sentinels (2) with multimeltas
  • Valkyrie with multilaser, 2 Hellstrike missiles, and 2 heavy bolters
• Tauros with grenade launcher
  
• Drop troop recon bikers White-Bolts (5) with demo charge
• Drop troop recon bikers Black-Bolts (5) with breacher charge
• Sentry Guns (3) with twin-linked lascannons
• Sentry Guns (3) with twin-linked heavy bolters

**WH40k Taros Campaign army list with 15% discount

Strike Force Glaive: Reinforced 2nd Platoon of the Xhorik 87th 3rd Company, under the command of Captain Xhaer.

Drop trooper map icons

My strategy was to use the recon units (the bikes and Tauros) to try to spot the enemy to improve my positioning when the drop platoon arrived. They would harass the Traitors and draw fire away from the infantry, who would be focused on reaching the Relay Station and planting the demo charges. I decided to drop the Tarantulas in first (using the Combat Drop rules) to secure the drop zone and soften up the enemy a bit before my fragile and important infantry arrived to accomplish the mission.  I knew I would struggle to destroy all those tanks, but I was hoping to overwhelm the defenders with numbers as I swarmed the objective. Onward for the Emperor!

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

"Listen up, troopers!" Lieutenant Tarvar barked over the thrum of the Valkyrie engine noise. "We've been over this in the pre-mission muster but I want everyone to take one more good look at these pict-caps and commit every detail to memory. Making a hot drop in the dark is no damn joke. If there are any hostiles down there, they will be so jacked-up on chems that they won't hardly feel a lasgun blast right through their guts 'til the next day. They'll fight 'til they drop. They won't feel fear - or have the sense to back down. We need to hit the ground running, take 'em out before they know what hit 'em and get those demo charges planted on that relay station."

Tarvar paused as the Valkyrie made a hard bank to the right, evading an anti-aircraft missile.

"What then, sir?" one of the men ventured.

"Then...boom. Mission accomplished. And we all go home."

Pict-capture of Drop Zone Zeta acquired during night recon flight one day prior to drop.

Pict-cap of target relay station AN-09 prior to drop.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++


++Thought for the day: A good soldier obeys without question. A good officer commands without doubt.++

Battle: Night Drop

01.40: Traitor sentries are arrayed around the critical Relay Station. Loyalists will be attacking from the west.

+++01.46 Western outskirts of Relay Station AN-09 outpost+++

The forward ground-based Pathfinder elements of Strike Force Glaive raced through the dark, heading for the target coordinates. They had been dropped in enemy territory by lone Valkyries several hours before the main drop assault would commence. Their job was locate the targets and use their tracking beacons to guide the main drop forces in the dark. The command Tauros and one squadron of recon bikers made straight for the target, approaching from the west, while a second squadron of motorcycles broke off for a flanking attack from the south. As the blinking red lights on the antennas of the Relay Station came into view, the Tauros commander switched on his tracking beacon. 

"Not a moment too soon," he thought as he heard the distant approach of Valkyries.

It had been difficult to reach the site. AA fire had forced his Sky Talon to drop him farther out than planned and avoiding Traitor patrols had taken time. Now that the first Valkyries were screaming by overhead and making their drops, he flipped his headlights on and gunned his engine toward the tower. At this signal, the bikers on his right did the same and their engines roared as they headed for the southern bunker. The Tauros tried to spot the enemy sentries in order to assist with the drop assault, but they could not see a thing in the blackness around the Relay Station outpost.

The Tauros leads two squads of recon bikers to find the target and mark the drop site in the dark.

+++01.49 Outpost North Bunker+++

In accordance with standard Xhorik drop troop combat protocol, the first units dropped into a hot combat zone are Tarantula sentry guns to secure the drop zone before the men arrive. A lascannon team landed right next to the northern bunker. The mechanical legs unfolded and the targetters immediately locked onto a nearby Leman Russ Vanquisher. The weapons automatically started firing and damaged the Traitor battle tank, the las weapons creating a blind flash in the darkness of the outpost.

A lascannon Tarantula team strikes a Traitor tank at the relay station outpost.

At the same time, a heavy bolter team dropped to the east of the relay station and began firing into the grenadier sentries. 

Even the utter darkness, the Tarantula targeting arrays spot the Traitors and the guns open fire.

01.50: Xhorik recon elements approach from the west. Tarantula sentry guns drop into action, revealing the locations of several Traitor units.

+++01.52 Relay Station AN-09+++

While the heavy bolter Tarantulas were following their programmed logic to fire upon the nearby infantry, the mass of a Traitor Leman Russ Demolisher was crawling up from their flank. At this close range, even the darkness could not prevent the gunner from landing a shot right in the midst of the weapons platforms, destroying one and damaging another. The damaged sentry gun was finished off by the Grenadiers of Squad Beta.

A Demolisher Cannon shell lights up the night and destroys a Drop Tarantula.

+++01.55 South Bunker+++

On the other side of the outpost, the Traitor guards had become aware of the motorcycle squadron approaching behind the cover of the southern bunker. One of the Leman Russ tanks engaged its idling engines with a roar of black smoke and rolled south to cut off their attempted flanking attack. Despite the speed and evasive riding of the bikers, the explosive radius of the  battle cannon was large enough to ensure one motorcycle was destroyed.

A militia battle tank fires into approaching recon bikers, destroying one.

With explosions erupting all around the outpost, the Commander of the Traitor garrison force makes a vox call for reinforcements. 

01.55: Traitor armor mobilizes and begins firing into the attackers.

++01.58 Relay Station AN-09++

As the Valkyries of the reinforced 2nd platoon race to the drop site, heavy AA fire forces several of the transports off their planned route in order to avoid taking too much flak. The closely synchronized nature of the attack starts to fall apart as the Valkyries are forced to spread out. The elite Stormtrooper Valkyrie heads straight through the incoming fire, relying on the skill of their veteran pilot to make it through. Arriving at the drop site on time, they found they were alone. But they had a mission to accomplish and made their jump, landing just south of the objective. They landed near a surprised squad of Traitor Grenadiers along with an officer. The Stormtroopers of the 501st immediately opened fire, inflicting several casualties, although the Traitors' Protectron medical robot was able to patch up several wounded Grenadiers and get them back in the fight. 

Stormtroopers of the 501st make a precision drop and attack traitor militia grenadiers with superheated plasma.

++01.59 Relay Station AN-09++

The only other Xhorik forces to arrive are a second squadron of Recon bikers, as part of the flanking attack from the south. Both squadrons of bikers attack the Traitor Leman Russ holding that side of the outpost with demo charges and breacher charges, managing to inflict enough damage to shake the concentration of the crew.

++01.59 North Bunker++

Meanwhile, at the north end of the outpost, the lascannon Tarantula team continues its automated firing protocol and destroys the Traitor Leman Russ Vanquisher, turning the battle tank into a smoking wreck.

A Traitor Vanquisher battle tank burns as advance elements of the drop force encircle the objective.

02.00: The Stormtroopers arrive at the objective alone and attack the Traitor Grenadiers. Tarantula guns destroy a Vanquisher tank while recon bikers harass the southern flank.

++02.01 North Bunker++

Preceded by a monstrous clanking rumble, a Malcador heavy battle tank crawls out of the darkness surrounding the outpost, drawn to the flashes of light erupting around the Relay Station. The steel behemoth immediately opens fire on the Tarantula sentry guns from point blank range, blowing two of them into a cloud of debris that lights up the night in a fiery burst. 

Traitor reserves arrive from the north and two Tarantulas are destroyed, neutralizing their anti-tank capabilities. 

++02.03 Relay Station AN-09++

Quickly recovering from the initial shock of the Stormtrooper attack, the Traitor commander orders both squads to inject their combat drugs, making them nearly fearless. They launch a viscous counter attack on the Stormtroopers of the 501st, bathing the entire unit in waves of noxious chemical flames. As the elite Loyalist commandos were struggling under the torrent of fire, two salvos of lasgun fire from the Grenadiers finished them off. The pile of corpses continued to smolder and burn in the darkness.

Led by their commander, Traitor grenadiers launch a fierce counterattack against the Stormtroopers of the 501st. Their flamers are particularly deadly against the closely-packed Loyalists.

02.05: The Traitor Malcador enters from the north, punishing the Tarantulas as the Grenadiers clear the area around the Relay Station of the first wave of drop troopers.

++02.08 Relay Station AN-09++

To the relief of the recon ground forces, the bulk of the drop forces of Strike Force Glaive finally arrived, although ten minutes later than scheduled. They make their combat drops mostly along the northern edge of the outpost where there appears to be a clear path to the Relay Station. Half of melta stick is dropped to the south in an attempt to neutralize the Leman Russ battle tank there. The Drop Sentinels are tasked with destroying the Leman Russ Demolisher and managed to land in a flanking position and damage it slightly with their multimeltas. 

With the crew of the southernmost Leman Russ distracted by the damage from the breacher charge, the two units of Xhorik recon bikers  took advantage of the opening to race past the tank and engage the Grenadiers around the objective. Both squadrons charged into the fray, lasguns blazing. As they approach in the darkness, one biker inadvertently rides over a Traitor landmine and the explosion tears the bike apart in a slew of frag. The bikers then engage the Grenadiers in a vicious melee.

In a hard-fought melee between the bikers and the Grenadiers, the Traitor Commander kills the lead biker with a white-hot blast of plasma from his pistol. 

02.10: The 2nd platoon finally arrives, dropping mostly along the northern side of the outpost. 

++02.11 South Bunker++

With an entire platoon of drop troopers arriving and heading for the Relay Station, things suddenly looked desperate for the Traitor sentry force. They needed to quickly clear the area of attackers.

The Leman Russ battle tank at the southern edge of the outpost backed away from the meltagun squad that had been attacking it and fired its battle cannon into their midst. When the smoke cleared only a single trooper out of the six remained uninjured and able to continue the fight. 

++02.12 North Bunker and North Hills++

On the north side of the outpost, the mighty Malcador turned its attention away from the Tarantulas and toward the drop trooper infantry that was now threatening to overwhelm the vulnerable Relay Station. A salvo heavy weapons fire crippled 1st Infantry Squad, but the few remaining soldiers held their nerve and refused to fall back. The Leman Russ Demolisher crew was unable to muster an effective counterattack against the drop Sentinels as they were mostly busy putting out fires and engaging auxiliary power systems due to the damage from the multimelta hit. 

++02.14 Relay Station AN-09++

The Traitor commander knew he had to protect the tower at all costs. Over the din of the ongoing melee, he ordered his unengaged Grenadiers of Squad Beta to the eastern side of the tower to help attack the 1st Infantry Squad that had landed almost on top of the Relay Station and was close enough to start planting demo charges. He and his men of Squad Alpha then injected a massive dose of their combat chems and surged over the Xhorik bikers like madmen, ripping several from their bikes and stabbing them repeatedly with bayonets as they lay on the ground. The surviving bikers desperately tried to turn their bikes to flee the crazed Traitors. In the confusion, the White Bolt squadron was swarmed and destroyed while the Black Bolt squadron managed to flee the deadly melee.

02.15: The Traitors counterattack the newly-arriving drop troopers and win the melee in the center.

++02.17 South Hill++

The last transport finally arrived over the battlefield and Captain Xhaer and his command squad made their drop. They landed in a clearing to the south of the Relay Station near a small hill. Xhaer knew his men had to act fast to complete their objective before massed Traitor reinforcements arrived. The delay in reaching the drop zone had disrupted their coordinated attack and cost them precious time. 

At the sight of their commander dropping in nearby, the recon bikers of the Black Bolt squadron regained their discipline and regrouped in preparation to support the final push on the central tower. 

++02.18 Relay Station AN-09++

Xhaer ordered all units to assault the central objective while the Sentinels engaged the tanks. The 2nd Infantry Squad made a short drop as their Valkyrie slowed down to hover near the Relay Station. It lit up the area with its searchlight while the door gunners rained down heavy bolter fire into the Traitor Grenadier Squad Beta on the near side of the tower. Many Traitors fought on despite taking horrendous injuries that would kill a man, thanks to constant medical work from their Protectron and massive amounts of painkillers. Their resilience forced all all the nearby infantry squads to focus their fire on Squad Beta as well until the Traitor unit was finally wiped out. Although their refusal to die easily prevented most of the Loyalists from reaching the Relay Station.

Sensing his opening, Lieutenant Tarvar ordered his small platoon command squad to run for the tower. They scrambled up the rocks and through the gap held by the remnants of 1st Infantry Squad on one side and the Tauros on the other. Despite the distance and the hard climb, the men's training had paid off; they reached the Relay Station and prepared to set their explosives. They were the first to arrive and could accomplish the mission if they could just hold out long enough.

The Valkyrie floods the battlefield with light from its searchlight as Xhorik infantry attack the Traitor Grenadiers.

02:20: The Loyalists surround and destroy Traitor Grenadier Squad Beta while the platoon command squad reaches the Relay Station and prepares to destroy it!

++02.23 Relay Station AN-09++

Seeing the Loyalist forces reach the Relay Station, the Traitor Commander gritted his teeth in anger and fear. He knew that if he failed in his duty to protect the tower, his fate at the hands of his superiors would not be pleasant. He sent a direct order to the crew of the Malcador that all fire be concentrated on the platoon command squad. "Bring them down!" he barked.

The tank crew responded by landing a battle cannon shell right in the midst of the squad, killing or maiming them all, leaving their explosive charges un-set and thereby preventing the destruction of the Relay Station. 

For Lieutenant Tarvar, everything went black...

The Malcador destroys the platoon command squad with its battle cannon, saving the Relay Station, at least for now.

++02.23 Relay Station AN-09++

The Commander then turned his men's attention to the Tauros assault vehicle that had been attacking them with grenades. Plasma fire from the plasma gunner and his own plasma pistol combined to turn the lightly-armored vehicle into a heap of smoldering slag.

02.25: The situation is desperate for the Traitor garrison but they manage to destroy the platoon command squad before they can set their charges. 

++02.26 Northern Hills++

The battle between the Sentinels and the Leman Russ Demolisher came to a climax when a multimelta blast penetrated the front armor of the tank and started a chain reaction of explosions, eventually engulfing the tank in a massive eruption. 

One drop sentinel lights up the Traitor Demolisher with its searchlight and the other scores a direct hit with its multi-melta, obliterating the tank in a massive explosion as a Valkyrie screams past overhead.

++02.29 Relay Station AN-09++

Captain Xhaer instructed his vox operator to give the order for all units to advance on the Relay Station. The remaining recon bikers open up their throttles and charge into Grenadier Squad Alpha and the Traitor Commander. Their task is to tie them up so they cannot defend the tower. All remaining squads of second platoon charged up the central hill to the Relay Station.

As the Valkyrie lights up the area, the 2nd platoon infantry charge up to the Relay Station from all directions and prepare to plant their demolitions.

02.30: Loyalist forces assault the Relay Station in an attempt to set the demolitions.

++02.32 Relay Station AN-09++

In a final effort to stop the Loyalists from accomplishing their mission, the remaining two Traitor battle tanks pound the drop troopers with a salvo from their battle cannons. The drop troopers were closely packed together as they worked to rig the charges and the blasts were devastating. Two entire squads were taken out of action with all members badly wounded or killed outright. 

But when the smoke cleared, a handful of shaken and temporarily-deafened drop troopers still stood and continued their task.

In furious rage, the Traitor Commander cuts down one of the recon bikers his unit is engaged with. He knows he cannot stop the Loyalists now.

Xhorik infantry is caught in a cross-fire between two battle cannons that takes 14 men out of action.

02.35: Traitor battle tanks pour fire into the drop troopers and kill many, but survivors emerge from the smoke, determined to fulfill their mission. 

++02.32 Relay Station AN-09++

Captain Xhaer stumbled forward, his ears bleeding and his vision swimming. At the last second, one of his men had shoved him down and thrown himself on top of him, shielding him from the worst of the shrapnel. When the explosion subsided, he had rolled the dead man's bleeding body off of himself and struggled to his feet. All around him where the bodies of his men, torn apart from the blast. He tried to clear his vision and ignore the ringing in his ears and keep his focus on the mission. He saw a handful of men left standing in the area between the two massive blasts. With a shout, he called them back to their senses and they finished installing their explosive charges. 

The surviving drop troopers then dove for cover as the detonation began.

The surviving Xhorik drop troopers detonate their charges on the objective.

For a moment, the darkness of night is replaced by a light brighter than the sun as Relay Station AN-09 erupts in a blinding flash.

02.40: Infantry of the Xhorik 87th 3rd company, 2nd platoon plant their demolition charges on the Relay Station and destroy it, accomplishing their mission objective. 

Loyalists Win!

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Lieutenant Tarvar regained consciousness as he was being dragged aboard a Valkyrie, enemy fire still falling around them. Men were yelling, moving quickly, but not in a panic. A massive fire seemed to be burning nearby - he could feel the intense heat even though he couldn't see anything besides the roof of the Valk and even that was grey and blurry.  He recognized many voices but he did not hear any of the men of his command squad. Momentarily, he heard the one voice he knew and respected above all others.

"Go! Go! Go!" shouted Xhaer as he jumped aboard. The Valkyrie lurched suddenly into the air as the sound of explosions echoed around them in the night. 

Tarvar was in agony. He felt burning over most of his body. He could barely see. His mouth tasted blood. He tried to speak and a gurgling cough of blood erupted instead. 

"You're alive, sir. Don't worry, we're getting out of here." Tarvar recognized the voice as Sula, one of the men of melta stick. "We did it, sir. We blew it sky high. Now time to go home."

Tarvar closed his eyes and tried his best to make what he hoped was a thumbs-up with his left hand, the one not wearing the power fist. He just hoped he had a thumb left to raise.

"Too bad the medic didn't make it..." he heard Sula mutter.

The next thing Tarvar felt was the stab of a needle and a numbing coolness washing over the burning pain. His jagged breaths became easier and he passed into blissful unconsciousness. 

As the Valkyrie sped away into the night, the wreckage of Relay Station AN-09 burned hotly, lighting up the vicinity in an angry red glow. Over half of the evacuating Valkyries were returning empty. The men of the Xhorik 87th 3rd company had accomplished their objective and cut the Traitor communication lines between orbit and their command centers, but the cost had been steep.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

POST-GAME:

Traitor Post-Game Analysis:

Pete: Wow, what a battle! And what a BATTLE REPORT!! Nice job Phil. Great pictures, effects and write-up. The best ever in my opinion. 

I agree that this mission allowed the Drop Troopers to really shine and show their merit. After so many stand-up missions against traitor marines, fighting toe-to-toe, and getting rightfully walloped, THIS mission was against fair competition and with a singular objective that could be won through speed, tactics and precision. I was loving seeing my new army, all painted up on the filed of battle, but I was nearly as excited to see Phil’s boys finally show off their best qualities. And a really thematic battle - kind of like a good war, action movie! Those troopers came screaming in via drop packs, bikers & a Valkyrie! Landing right into the perimeter of the station, guns blazing!

I appreciated that we made a gentleman’s agreement to allow me to start my Leman Russ battle tank squadron guarding the objective, as two measly cultist squads alone did not stand much of a chance. And having a night battle with markers down so the Drop Troopers didn’t know what they were up against?!? So cool. Plus, having tanks defending, allowed the Drop Troopers to have really gnarly targets for all that Melta and demo charges. I admit that they probably couldn’t handle the Malcador as easily, but Leman Russ tanks are very killable – and blow up in spectacular fashion they did. 

I think I played a pretty good game for what I was up against and for what I was able to bring to the table. Of course another two squads of cultists to bog down Phil’s rapidly approaching squads would have been ideal, and makes it supremely obvious what I need to add to my new army next. The two squads of grenadiers performed well and were tough outs, but there just was too much firepower against them. And I need a close combat focused squad for this army. You can’t always be shooting at range – at some point the Loyalists and Drop Troopers will be assaulting. If I could go back and change one decision, it may be to keep my eye on the prize and not have the Malcador spend so much time focused on the lascannon tarantulas. We needed every single available shot against all those troopers, and I shouldn’t have worried about my pretty new tank getting blown up on turn 6 or 7. 

But again, really great game. Fun to play and fun to re-live with this battle report. Kudos Phil! Looking forward to the next scrap between these two armies.

Loyalist Post-Game Analysis:

Phil:  I finally got to play the type of mission I have been working towards for years by building this drop trooper force. An army of drop troops in a scenario based loosely on real paratrooper battles, with a mission they had a great chance to win because it did not require destroying the enemy. It doesn't get much better than that. The smaller armies made for a fast-paced game and both armies got to show off their strengths and character. 

This was an interesting collaboration of a game. We used a scenario from WH40k 40th edition, my army used WH40k 6th edition rules for the drop troops and Imperial Guard, Pete's army used a Horus Heresy list and we fought the game using the WH40k 7th edition/Horus Heresy rules. We had five different rulebooks open all over the garage to fight this one! It is a great example of using the rules and models we have available to fight the battle we saw in our minds. Both Pete and I were flexible with the rules to make the game more fun and it definitely worked out. For starters, we decreased the points cost of the drop trooper list by 15% to try to bring them in balance with Horus Heresy. Then we had Pete start with his tank squadron around the objective rather than in reserve in order to make the game more balanced. And we elected to make his hidden units stay hidden through my first turn rather than revealing them at the start of the game because it felt more flavorful and fun if the drop troopers had to start dropping in without knowing which units were where. Then in turn 3, I failed the reserves roll for my drop trooper platoon a second time. Pete graciously offered to let them pass the rol1 and come in anyway because he thought the game only had six turns and if they did not arrive until turn 4, there would be little chance for them to accomplish the objective. We later learned the game could go extra turns past 6, but since Pete had already allowed them to arrive one turn early, we decided to cap the game at 6 turns and not give the drop troopers extra time. So we really made a lot of changes both in the setup and during the game to try to make it more balanced, fun and exciting and I think it paid off. 

Even with all of the gentlemen's agreements to make the game more enjoyable and balanced, we both tried our best to guide our armies to victory. My strategy to neutralize a few tanks and then focus on the Relay Station worked well. It was a surprise to me when the game started and I learned that the Malcador had armored ceramite! (Do all the big tanks in Horus Heresy get that option?! It makes it tough for an army that relies on melta for its anti-tank...) But once I knew that, I decided to not even try to hurt that beast as I would be wasting my limited firepower. I had to clear his infantry and then swarm the objective with too many units for him to stop them all. Pete's Grenadiers were extremely resilient with their medics and their strong morale from their Provenances of War. It ended up being pretty close in the end. I only cleared his Squad Beta in turn 4 so I could charge in turn 5 so I could win in turn 6. That is the challenge for the attacker in this scenario - you have to stay in melee contact for a full game turn so if you wait until the last turn to make your charge, it is too late! And of course his remaining tanks could (and did!) wipe out a unit per turn once my guys were bunched up in melee so I would not have survived much longer. The main thing that saved me was that I was able to land a penetrating hit here and there on the tanks and shake their crew, preventing Pete from firing their big blast weapons. Otherwise I may not have had enough men at the end to make my big push. I am sometimes still not sure what I see in a Guardsman army without tanks and who's special ability is to get closer to the enemy faster in a way that leaves them clustered together and exposed in the open! But they got it done this time and I salute those brave souls with their flimsy armor and lasguns.

It was a great game played in the spirit of fun and style. I spent a lot of time on the battle report, trying to do justice so such a cinematic scenario and armies. Now we are already planning how to make the next one even more exciting and interesting...