Battle
Report One
Space above the secluded planet of Demaron Secundus flared briefly and silently as the Strike Cruiser
Pride of Caliban slipped back into real-space after its journey through the warp.
On the bridge, a buzzing started, as the Cruiser was hailed from the planet below…
The blast doors leading unto the bridge slid open as Master Ciaphas, closely followed by an ensign,
marched in. The captain of the ship, an old, venerable man, with a grey goatee, turned and faced his lord. Before he could
speak, Ciaphas reached out his gauntlet clad hand “The data transcript” he stated simply. Captain Vetruvian nodded
and placed the pad in Ciaphas’ hand. The Master of Strike Force Vendetta scrutinised the data transcript, and the various
images attached. Silently nodding, he reached up an activated his voxlink. “Squad Raziel Stand down. Daedalus –
prepare Detachment Alpha for immediate deployment. The xenos are defiling the Emperor’s planet.”
The launch bays of the Cruiser opened, and from them a single Thunderhawk Gunship sped towards
the surface of Demaron Secundus.
Force Dispositions:
Detachment Alpha: Codicier Librarian Marxus, Deathwing Terminator
Squad Valerian, 4th & 5th Tactical Combat Squad, Scout Recon Team Eversmann, Ravenwing Attack Bike
Squadron Alpha, Ravenwing Landspeeder Tornado “Talon”.
Xenos Threat: Avatar of Khaine, 6 Banshees, 9 Striking Scorpions,
3 Dark Reapers, 5 Fire Dragons, 1 Vyper, 3 Jetbikes.
Turn 1:
Eldar:
The Eldar of Craftworld Rhiadan had deployed as close to the Imperial lines as they could, advancing
under the covering fire of their Dark Reapers. To the fore, the charge was led by Banshees and Scorpions, whilst the squad
of Fire Dragons led by the Avatar of Khaine advanced east round the forest anchoring the Dark Angel line.
The punishing fire of the Dark Eldar all but destroyed the 4th Tactical Combat Squad,
and it was only saved from annihilation, when the Vyper’s Starcannon munitions failed to strike true.
Dark Angels:
Squad Valerian advanced towards the Xenos, and the Ravenwing Attack bikes sped to meet the flaking
movement of the Fire Dragons. The Land Speeder advanced out of cover, and let loose a hail at the Banshees, shredding two
of them. The Terminators aimed their holy bolters at the banshees, and spat death at them, ripping through them, killing the
remainder. On the flank, the Ravenwing Attack Bikes aimed carefully at the Fire Dragons, and their careful fire saw 4 of them
shredded by the high calibre ammunition.
Turn 2:
Eldar:
Moving towards the Ravenwing Bikes, the Avatar closed in for the kill. In the centre of the field,
the Banshees and the Scorpions moved closer towards the Deathwing. Popping out from behind the hill where it was hiding, the
Vyper fired its Starcannon at the Terminators, killing one of them. The Dark Reapers fired at the Scout Squad, but even though
munitions were bursting left and right of them, they had taken cover so well, that only two of them fell victim to the barrage.
The Banshees and the Scorpions fired at the Deathwing, but their weapons were unable to penetrate the heavy armour. Screaming
with incoherent rage, the Avatar assaulted the hapless Ravenwing Bikers, tearing them apart with its bare hands. Its bloody
work done, it consolidated towards the main Dark Angel force.
Dark Angels:
Advancing steadily, the Deathwing marched towards the Eldar assault elements, and behind them,
the Land Speeder flew into position. Focusing on the xenos' psyche, Librarian Marxus detected their fears, and drawing upon
these, unleashed the crushing powers of his mind at them. In response, the Scorpions fell back, whilst the Banshees held firm.
Not to be deterred, the Terminators fired everything at the retreating Scorpions, killing 4. The Scouts aimed at the Avatar,
and managed to wound it severely, but the monstrosity was still standing, and if possibly, seemed even more enraged now than
it had previously…The Land Speeder fired at the Dark Reapers, tearing them apart, leaving none of them alive.
Turn 3:
Eldar:
The Avatar advanced towards the decimated 4th Tactical Squad, whilst the Striking Scorpions
regrouped. The Vyper dodged back out of cover, and a flurry of Starcannon shots, took the Land Speeder out of the sky, leaving
its mangled remains burning on the ground. Alongside it, the Jetbikes also made an appearance, firing at the Scouts with a
Shuriken Cannon. Two hapless snipers died in a bloody mush, sliced apart by spinning discs. The Scorpions fired at the Terminators,
but again, their weapons made no impression on the stalwart veterans.
Dark Angels:
Still marching towards the foe, the Deathwing closed the distance to the Eldar. Meanwhile, Marxus
left them to join the Scouts, and steady their aim. Firing all that they could at the Avatar, it took the combined fire of
the 4th and 5th Tactical Combat Squad, and the Scouts to finally down the Xenos daemon. Shouting a battle
cry to the Primarch, the Deathwing charged the Scorpions, and with powerfists sparkling with electricity, pummelled all but
three of them into the ground, leaving only two Scorpions and their Exarch alive. In return, two proud Terminators had been
beaten to the ground. Though suffering heavy losses, the Scorpions held firm and stayed to fight.
Turn 4:
Eldar:
The Vyper and the Jetbikes came back out from behind their hill, firing at the 5th Tactical
Squad, killing 4, before dodging back down behind their hill. In the melee taking place at the foot of the hill, the two remaining
Terminators managed to fend of the blows raining down upon them, and in return, slaughtered two Scorpions. This time, the
Exach decided that enough was enough, and fell back towards his own lines.
Dark Angels:
Having consolidated towards the hill, the Terminators marched up it, and fired all that they could
at the Vyper, immobilizing it. Knowing that defeat was imminent, they charged the machine, wreaking it behind recognition,
trapping the pilot and gunner within its burning fuselage.
Turn 5:
Eldar:
With the Space Marine forces all but decimated, the Jetbikes made a final attempt to secure victory.
Knowing that if they remained where they were, they would be torn apart by the vengeful Terminators, they boosted their bikes
to the utmost capacity, and raced to an unoccupied quadrant of the battlefield.
Dark Angels:
Not about to be cheated, the Deathwing Terminators moved after them, as far as they could, bringing
them within range of their fearsomely effective Assault Cannons. Helped by their high speed and manoeuvrability, the Jetbikes
were difficult to hit, but with centuries of experience, the munitions tore two of them from the sky, sending them to the
ground in great balls of fire. Only one was left alive, and being the sole remaining Eldar to stay alive, he wise decided
to withdraw.
Epilogue:
After the withdrawal of the Eldar survivor, Librarian Marxus walked around the field. His forces,
now decimated and few in numbers, had suffered appallingly. They had put up a brave fight, and the advance of Craftworld Rhiadan
had been checked. Looking at his auspex, he could see that Eldar reinforcement were swiftly advancing on his position. Sighing,
knowing that Master Ciaphas would not be entirely pleased, he voxed the Pride of Caliban
for extraction. He had imposed a check on the Xenos, and annihilated most of their force, including one of their daemonic
incarnations. Honour had been maintained, and though this was not a defeat, it was also not a victory. The time would come
for that.
Just as Marxus was about to board the Thunderhawk, he sensed something…looking down, he saw
that he was standing on the corpse of the Banshee Exarch. Bending down, he tore something off from around her lifeless neck.
It was a small pendant of a winged sword…
