Saturday, August 17, 2024

Monday, July 22, 2024

Chapter 9: The Refueling Station

 Standing as another Prequel to the conflicts already covered, we return to Ieaid planet-side. The Genestealers have continue to grow and gain strength, as they still remain basically hidden to the Imperial government of the planet.

Located in the back of beyond, somewhere between settlements, stands Arbites Station c-254 (right) and a Cargo-8 at the refueling station...

An Arbites Juve is beginning the refueling of the Cargo-8. The wastes are dangerous places, hence the defending firepower on the vehicle...
An Arbites in position of observation...
The Attackers, Acolyte Hybrids...
And Neophyte Hybrids...
The assault begins...
To the other side, the Acolytes...
The Arbites Juve and the rear Heavy Stub gunner take down one of the Acolytes, while the others make cover...
The Neophytes with a Seismic cannon, takes out the Cargo-8's Heavy Bolter gunner...
The unfortunate Arbites Juve goes down under heavy mining tools, while the Acolyte leader climbs up the side of the vehicle...
Just as the Arbites officer on the tower takes his first shots (unsuccessfully!) he goes up in flames from a Neophyte Hand Flammer...
Onboargo the Cargo-8, the two remaining gunners are lost to the Genestealers...
Corporal Koch is no more successful than the other defenders...
So, the Cultists first victory!















Monday, July 15, 2024

Chapter 8: The Rescue?

 As the "Domination" and "The Crusader's Sword" make their journey towards Iaeid, they receive an unexpected Vox transmission. It comes from the Mechanicus Research Center slightly off their flight path. The Captain of the Strike Cruiser decides the Martian personnel must be rescued. They won't have much time as the Hive Fleet follows not to far behind. 

As they close in on the Station, word reaches them that Tyranid Vengeance Drones are approaching and it appears that some have veered on towards the Station! A race against time...


The Mechanicus Station with the hangar deck seen at top right. The ascending decks go counterclock-wise. The top deck has already been pierced by Tyranid Boarding Spores and is not shown. The two Imperial ships are shown on the left (and if you look very carefully you can just make out the Station just above the Strike Cruiser), while the Tyranids are to the right. We used this to keep track of race against time...

The two Navy Breaching Squads arrive by Arcus Lighters and are greeted by the silent Kastelan Robot. Note, please ignore the green masses on the deck. These tiles were used for an earlier Space Hulk game and I didn't have material to recast, so...)
On Deck Five (just below the Tyranid breach, the first Hormagaunt appear in the elevator shaft while a Skitarii is on overwatch. The green die seen on the lab deck refer to the number of game turns the lab needs to download their vital information form the Main Frame...
The Skitarii slays two of the Tyranids, but more arrive and he is charged...
The unfortunate Skitarii are not good melee fighters, and he is soon butchered by the Hormaguant. A second Skitarii fails to drop even one, before he too is taken down (right side). A Genestealer joins them as they assault the bulkhead doors leading to the research labs. The Servitors are taking position at the doors to buy time...
Green Die seen on the blue cover represent the hit points remaining on the doors, which had 4 to begin with. The first door (on left) goes down very quickly, but the Servitor drops the first Hormagaunt!
And then the first Terminators arrive. Their commander had the quick thinking idea to use their own boarding torpedoes on Deck 4 to make a more rapid appearance! It turns out to be an excellent choice as the two Hormagaunts assaulting this particular door were crushed by the arriving elevator from below! Note that this particular door had only one hit left; very fortunate timing!
The Servitor is overwhelmed by Hormagaunts. The Skitarii prepares to defend his Mechanicus breathen downloading the vital information...
The Genestealer seems incredibly inept assaulting his door, while the Terminators are cleaving their way through the Hormagaunts. You can make out the Elevator tiles, seen with the yellow/black markings on the floor...
The Terminators make their presence felt as they take down the Tyranids...
With the labs on Level 5 successfully downloaded their data, evacuation may begin. The Terminators continue to mop up even as more Genestealers drop down from above through the elevator shaft...
But the Tyranids are not done yet, as some begin to infiltrate onto Deck 4, surprising a Skitarrii...

Back on Deck 5, the terminators hold off the Tyranids, as the Mechanicus personnel are evacuated...
The Skitarrii is overwhelmed by Hormagaunts on Deck 4...
A Servitor sacrifices itself as another Skitarrii and Terminator arrive to seal off this latest Tyranid infestation...
Tyranid Warriors now appear on Deck 5, wounding a Terminator before it puts down not one but two Warriors!..
As yet another Warrior appears, the Terminators now begin to evacuate Deck 5...
On Deck 4, Skitarrii and Terminators hold off the Tyranids as the personnel continute to evacuate the deck...
Up on Deck 5, Tyranid Warrior with Bio-Ranged Weapons approach the central lab, as the last Terminator Rear Guard is preparing to drop down to Deck 4...
A Skitarrii. and their Marshal attempt to stop the Tyrnaids but a Genestealer kills one and wounds the Marshal...
The Marshal wounds the Genestealer but then is cut down...
The Skitarrii may have been wiped out, but the Terminators still rule the Station, and with the staunch defense, the personnel have all been evacuated to the Landing Bay...
Unfortunately, on Deck 2, 8 of 10 armsmen of a Boarding section have been cut off, and are soon losing members...
Tyranid Warriors are making short work of the armsmen...
The last of the armsmen are lost, but the Mechanicus personnel have all been loaded onto transports to be moved to the waiting "The Crusader's Sword"...
As the last Imperials launch away from the Station, the lone Kastelan, takes down several Warriors and receives one wound. Amazingly, only a few Servitors were lost from the Stations' personnel, although the ten Skitarrii and the Magos were lost along with 8 Naval Armsmen. The Tyranid fleet arrived about two turns late in its attempt to cut off the Imperials. It turned out to be a enjoyable adventure. Now the Imperials must continue their voyage to Iaeid to spread the warning of the coming Tyranids.


























Tuesday, July 9, 2024

Chapter 7: The Ambush!

 The Strike Cruiser, Imperial Light Cruiser, and Frigate, following the recovery of the landing party from the Space Hulk (represented by the grey mass and the imperial ship stuck into it...

The Dauntless Class Lt Cruiser "Emperor's Rage"

The Imperial Frigate "Domination"...
The Dark Angel Strike Cruiser "The Crusader's Sword"...
Suddenly and unexpectedly, a Tyranid Fleet is sighted! ( Bottom right; its what drew the Landing Party back to their ships)
Tyranid Void Ships, first two are Kraken and the third, equivalent to an Imperial Cruiser...
This particular beastie is armed with boarding spores along with the feeding tentacles...

The Imperial and Marine vessels begin their maneuvers...
The Imperials move and shoot first, but all miss. The Tyranids put one shot to the Frigate, but the shields hold. (A Blast marker is placed to signify the non-penetrating hit)...
On their next turn, the Imperials get hits, but no penetrations as the spores which live near the ships absorb the blasts. The Tyranids get four Boarding Spores at the "Emperor's Rage...
The close up on the "Emperor's Rage". She will destroy one of the Spores, but the other three unload their frightful cargoes into the cruiser's interior!
The Imperial Forces get three hits on the enemy, but none penetrate...
But wait! "The Crusader's Sword" destroys one of the Krak vessels! (Second Blast Marker)
As the Tyranids continue their attack on the "Emperor's Rage", four more Boarding Spores contact the flank of the cruiser. One will be destroyed by the defense turrets, but the other three reinforce the Tyranids inside the Imperial vessel. There, Hormagaunts and Genestealers are battering their way though defending Naval Armsmen towards three targets; the Bridge, the Engine Room, and the Magazine!
The Imperials get in some very good shooting, getting hits on three different Tyranids...
Caught between the Frigate "Domination"and "The Crusader Sword", a second Krak ship is vaporized...
Unfortunately for the Imperium, the "Emperor's Rage" is struck by yet three more Boarding Spores. One is again intercepted, but by now, the Tyranids have overwhelmed the Navy Armsmen, and are battering the various blast doors. It will be only a matter of time. "The Emperor's Rage" is ordered to a stop to ask for assistance...
"The Crusader's Sword" successfully strikes another Krak...
And it too is destroyed!
Then, a horrific discovery! More Tyranid ships are maneuvering around the Space Hulk, and one appears to be a Hive Ship!
It is a indeed a Hive Ship, surrounded by swarms of Drones whose mere existence is to protect the Hive!
On board the "Emperor's Rage", as the Blast Doors to the Bridge are smashed down by Tyranid Warriors, the Captain gives orders to scuttle the Cruiser. Unfortunately for the crew, the Tyranids have already entered the Engine rooms and Magazine, and there is no self-destruction. The crew will be devoured, along with the fine Cruiser! "The Crusader's Sword" and "Domination" make a swift and successful retreat. They must alert the Governor on Ieaid of the disaster...