M31 Campaign: 7-3 Zone Mortalis: Sector Control

 "He who stays on the defensive does not make war; he endures it"

- Praetor Wolfgang, XIV Legion 

Background:

While the White Scars and Blood Angels were assisting in Operation Downfall, the Traitors were not sitting idle. They had discovered the location of one of the White Scars' remaining hidden strongholds in the Uhrtar Mountains and had sent a force of Death Guard to eliminate it. Led by Praetor Wolfgang, the White Scars' longtime nemesis in the war for Xhorik Prime, the Death Guard breached the secret entrance and commenced the deadly business of fighting to clear the underground fortress, tunnel by tunnel. Both sides were desperate to hold key Sectors within the stronghold where their forces could re-arm and defend key choke points. 

Scenario: 

Sector Control (Zone Mortalis mission from The Siege of Cthonia campaign book)

Game Length: 4 turns with 2+ for turn 5 and 4+ for turn 6.

Primary Objective

Six objectives. At the end of each game turn, each players gains 1 VP for each objective they control. 

Secondary Objectives

Counter Strike: The player without strategic advantage gains 1 VP if the first unit destroyed belongs to the player with strategic advantage.

Champions of Renown: 1 VP for destroying any Character

Blood Toll: 1 VP for destroying an Elite or HQ

6 Reinforcement Points. +2 Reinforcement Points at the end of each game turn. 

Critical Objective: Random objective critical each turn. +2 Reinforcement Points for controlling it.

System Override: Active player can expend a Reinforcement Point to try to gain control of all doors.

Counter Assault: Units can enter from other table edges for extra Reinforcement Points.

Belligerents:

Death Guard: Pete

Cataphractii Terminator Praetor

Cataphractii Terminator Squad

Deathshroud Terminator Squad

Contemptor Dreadnought

Tactical Squad

Tactical Squad

Tactical Support Squad with flamers

Tactical Support Squad with volkite

White Scars: Phil

Praetor

Ebon Keshig Terminator Squad

Contemptor Dreadnought

Tactical Squad

Tactical Squad

Tactical Support Squad with plasma

Outrider Squadron with plasma

Da Skulltakaz

Like most Deathskulls, Da Skulltakaz are more superstitious than the average ork. They use blue warpaint and blue hair squigs as they believe this brings good luck. They also go into battle with a cleaned and dried skull of a vanquished foe, usually choosing the most recent or the most powerful enemy. They believe these skulls give them a portion of the deceased's power in battle and this belief gives them immense courage and belief in their inevitable victory. They are equipped with a motley variety of weapons that they have scavenged from past battlefields or built themselves from looted parts.

Da Skulltakaz were one of the many Deathskull mobs at the vanguard of the ork invasion into the north of Bhorivor. To the Imperial defenders, they were perceived as extremely brave, or stupid, for running directly through incoming fire to get to their enemies, believing in their lucky paint and totems to see them through. Although they suffered heavy casualties, their headlong charges were enough to dislodge many Imperial defense lines. The sight of an enemy adorned with so many skulls of their fallen comrades, running heedless through oncoming fire, was unnerving even to veterans. 

World Eaters Despoiler Squad

 I finally made my World Eaters army codex legal by adding a second compulsory troops choice - a ten-man despoiler squad with rhino transport. I used the new HH beakie armor for this squad, and I really like how they turned out. I've been wanting to add more rhino transports to my armies and I'm glad I put in the extra effort to make this happen, as not only will it make the squad far more survivable after the first turn, but also the rhino just looks fantastic, covered in skulls and gore. 

I'm also pleased with the squad sergeant, covered in a spray of blood and wielding twin falax blades. The blood spatter is always controlled chaos, as it involved loading up a big brush with Blood for the Blood God technical paint, then puff-blowing into the brush to shoot a blood splatter onto the model. Sometimes the effect is absolutely stunning, other times it is a disappointing full coverage glob that is too much. Most of this squad came out just right, as I've been doing this technique for 5 or 6 years. 

Xhorik 87th Drop Troopers Infantry - Contrast Recipe

 After the success of using Contrast on my grenadiers to complete 36 models in 36 days, I decided to try the same recipe and technique on my Drop Troopers. I have two infantry squads that I bought off eBay after the range was discontinued by Forge World. They were obvious recasts and of worse quality than the FW models so they sat in the drawer for a few years. But I need more infantry for the army so I decided to paint them up using the speedy Contrast method. They do not look as good (to me) as the original scheme, but they are obviously a lot faster and they are close enough that they do not look way out of place deployed on the table with the original troopers. 

I just love these guys, despite their sometimes awkward poses, how fiddly they are to assemble, the lack of options, the high (dollar) cost, and the generally poor tabletop performance in most rulesets. They just have so much flavor and they feel truly unique to me. Not another person on the planet has an army with this exact combination of bits, which is one of the things I love about this hobby.

M31 Heresy Campaign Phase 5: Operation Downfall Climax - The Battle for the Bridge Over the River Lodi

"A bridge has no allegiance to either side."

- Qiu Tongmi, Spirit Immortal, Stormseer of the V Legion 

Background:

Operation Downfall was the Loyalist codename for an attempt to establish a secure landing zone on Xhorik Prime using a planetary drop force from Xhorik Secundus with an attempt to rendezvous with the remnants of the White Scars garrison on the capital planet of the system. 

The operation started with a successful night strike on the Traitor planetary communications positions, disrupting the Traitor response to the planetary assault. 

Battle 5 - 1: Night Drop

An attempt to hold the critical Alteron Bridge to prevent Traitor forces from encircling the invaders ended in a draw, with neither side taking decisive control. 

Battle 5 - 2: The Battle for Alteron Bridge

At the same time, Loyalist drop troops made an unsuccessful raid on the war trains supplying the Traitor lines. 

Battle 5 - 3: War Train Raid

With the campaign at a stalemate, the Drop Troops made an assault to capture a key planetary shield generator, opening the way for much larger Loyalist landings.

Battle 5 - 4: The Last Bastion

In the chaotic fighting, some regiments of Traitor auxilia took the opportunity to break away from their masters and do their own pillaging. The chaotic fighting that ensued saw a draw between the Traitors and Loyalists with the Renegade Guard being driven off. 

Battle 5 - 5: Maelstrom of War

At this point, the Loyalists have the advantage with two wins, a loss and two draws (2-1-2). 

In the final battle, both sides would mount a powerful offensive to take the critical bridge over the south branch of the River Lodi. Even though the riverbed was seasonally dry, control of the bridge would provide the only reliable means to move armies into or out of the Loyalist drop zone and beachhead on the planet. Everything had been building up to this climactic battle that would determine the winner of this Phase. 

Scenario: 

Take and Hold (The Siege of Cthonia campaign book)

Game Length: 4 turn (we modified it to 5 turns since the table was so large)

Primary Objective

Place an objective in your opponent's deployment zone. Gain 1 VP at the end of each turn if you control an objective. Gain 3 VP if you control both objectives.

Secondary Objectives
Slay the Warlord: 1 VP

Giant Killer: 2 VP (Super-heavy, Knight, Titan, or Lumbering)

Last Man Standing: 1 VP if more units remaining at end (+1 VP if double the enemy units)

Break Their Ranks: 1VP if destroy an enemy unit first turn (+1 VP if Elite or HQ) 

Belligerents:

2 x 1800 points armies per side. 

Traitors:

World Eaters - The Crimson Path (Primary)

Played by Pete

• Praetor: Jump pack, iron halo, thunder hammer. The Butcher's Claws.
• Rampager Squad: 10 marines with jump packs, 3 x falax blades, 3 x meteor hammers, 4 x excorciator chain axes. Sergeant with artificer armor. [Line]
• Apothecarion with jump pack and chain axe.
• Legion Tactical Squad: 17 marines with chain axes. Sergeant with artificer, power fist, plasma pistol. [Line]
• Legion Reconnaissance Squad: 5 marines with nemesis bolters and augary scanner. [Line]
• Contemptor Dreadnought: gravis lascannon, chainfist and melta gun.
• Legion Predator Squadron: 1 with Predator cannon and 2 x lascannon sponsons. 1 with Magna-melta and 2 x heavy bolter sponsons. 
• Land Raider Proteus:
• The Red Butchers: 5 terminators with 2 x power axes each. Sergeant with 2 x chainfists. 

Sons of Horus - Pride of the Legion (allied)

Played by Pete

• Cataphractii Praetor: combi-melta, chain fist. 
• Cataphractii Terminators: 5 terminators with combi-meltas, 3 x power fists, 2 x chain fists. [Line]
• Transport: Land Raider Proteus. 
• Cataphractii Terminators: 10 terminators with combi-bolters, 5 x power axes, 3 x power fists, 1 x chain fist, 1 x thunder hammer. [Line]
• Legion Tactical Squad: 20 marines with bayonets, vexilla. Sergeant with artificer armor and power fist. [Line]
• Master of Signals
• Heavy Support Squad: 5 marines with lascannons
• Contemptor Dreadnought: gravis melta, chain fist, grav gun.

Loyalists:

White Scars (Primary)

Played by Phil

• Praetor: jetbike, master crafted Paragon blade, cyber hawk. Stoic Defender.
• Skyhunter Squadron: 6 jetbikes with 2 x volkite culverin and 4 x heavy bolters. Sergeant with artificer armor. 
• Legion Tactical Squad: 10 marines with bayonets. Sergeant with artificer armor and power fist [Line]
• Legion Scout Squad: 10 marines with nemesis bolters.
• Legion Recon Squad: 5 marines with nemeis bolters, augary scanner. [Line]
• Contemptor Dreadnought: gravis lascannon, gravis power fist, heavy flamer. 
• Ebon Keshig: 10 terminators with 7 x power glaives, 3 x power fists, 2 x combi-meltas, 1 x combi-bolter.
• Xiphon Interceptor
• Sicaran Omega: 2 x lascannon sponsons

Blood Angels (Allied)

Played by Bill

• Praetor: Jump pack, iron halo, master crafted Paragon blade
• Legion Tactical Squad: 17 marines with chain swords. vexilla. Sergeant with artificer armor, plasma pistol and power fist. [Line]
• Legion Breacher Squad: 10 marines 2 x melta guns. Sergeant with thunder hammer and artificer armor. [Line]
• Legion Assault Squad: 14 marines with 2 x power axes. Sergeant with artificer armor, plasma pistol and power fist. [Line]
• Legion Heavy Support Squad: 8 marines with lascannons.
• Contemptor Dreadnought: gravis lascannon, gravis powerfist, combi-bolter.
• Land Raider Spartan: flare shield

First Model of 2025 - Evil Sunz Nob with Power Klaw

 This model has been sitting half-painted since I lived in Pittsburgh, so at least 2016. I have not been playing or painting orks much so I never had much incentive to finish him. After some really fun games with the orks last weekend, I decided it was time to give him life. He will give some needed muscle to my shoota boyz, who currently lack any power weapons or power klaws and struggle to kill tougher foes in melee. 

With this guy, I am committing my boyz to be Evil Sunz. Up to this point, they were just sort of generic orks with red and black, but no real Evil Sunz iconography. I always wanted to do every kind of ork army and did not want to commit. I decided I am going to use my red "Blitzdreg Boyz" as Evil Sunz and then create other warbands of other klans that can combine together to form bigger and more diverse armies. 

I am also testing a new basing method for my orks: a brown base with white crushed rock, as opposed to a white base with white crushed rock. (Of course this one is dominated by the large piece of slate painted to match the original Xhorik terrain.) The orks' current bases are ok, although I do not love them. This one is also ok, but I am still not sure if this is what I should use going forward. 

Fuel Tanks

On a whim, we decided to play a flavorful mission from the Raid on Kastorel-Novem (Imperial Armor 8). It called for six fuel tanks "at least the size of a drinks can." So, I whipped a few up. Not half bad for only a few hours of work to build and paint.