“The devastation we wrought upon them was agonising, slow and delicate work. They were kept alive for days after we removed their skin for it was required in order to send the message to the rest of their world; they can not stand against us.”

Amon Drochar, VIII Legion, 54th Company Chaplain.

THE DAWN OF A NEW WAR

With the relaxation of lockdown rules in the UK, we see our first game going underway on 22 May 21 at 4TK Gaming in Colchester. This is a big game, not only in the fact that it will be the first in around 12 months for many of us, but also in points. Clocking in a 13,500 points per side the game will inevitably see not only Primarchs but also the more exotic weapons systems and platforms fielded.

As always we are applying our group house rules to the game. These are as follows:

• Leviathan and Onslaught force organization charts are permitted.
• Contrary to the normal and Rite of War specific Allied Force rules, you may take two separate Force Organisation charts as a single “Army Group”. The separate Force Organisations within an Army Group operate as separate forces on the table, but may still target units within each force for psychic powers etc. Independent Characters may join units from within their own Force Organisation, but not the other.
• Each player may take up to two Lord of War choices in a single Force Organisation chart, applying the 25% rule to that Organisation chart. Those Lord of War choices that cannot fit into a single Force Organisation chart and meet the 25% criteria must be taken as a second Force Organisation Chart as Leviathan instead.

Not many rules, but they work well for our group. Some of the rules might seem a little excessive, but it ensures we see some varied armie and some special models from time to time. In the history of our group games we have always had close games, so it’s proof the rules work for us.

NARRATIVE

As always, the group games are built around a basic core narrative to bind the armies into the game. This is normaly incorporated into a larger campaign style game that plays out over the year. This iteration is a simple pick up game to break everyone back in – so the narrative is less important than normal.

Located within the Uttrus Mundi cluster, Paracel XI is one of eight Hive worlds. Each of these worlds hides an underground facility that has its own specialisation that aided the Great Crusade:

• Paracel 1: Passive Defensive Systems Research.
• Paracel II: Targeting Systems Research.
• Paracel III: Ship Energy Weapons Research.
• Paracel IV: Teleport Systems Research.
• Paracel V: Armoured Vehicle Research.
• Paracel VI: Xenos Weapons Research.
• Paracel VII: Atomic Weapons Research.
• Paracel VIII: Research Facility Central Command.

When the Warmaster set about dethroning the Emperor, the initial battles and the direct path of war led the Traitor forces away from Uttrus Mundi. Safe from immediate harm, Paracel VI switched from Xenos Weapons to Warp Research in an attempt to provide an answer to the daemonic forces that mustered at the Traitors cause.

Early on, the facility had successes in unlocking the ability to activate captured Aeldari Distort weapons; with the hulk of an Aeldari Phantom Titan taking up the huge central silo of the facility. The act caused huge instabilities as parts of the surrounding area were partially torn into the warp. Since then, no activations have occurred, with a new, custom firing range being developed that underlies the entire Hive above.

When the forces of the Warmaster breached into Beta Garmon, splinter forces began to raid Uttrus Mundi. Concerned that the facilities could not be replaced if lost, Rogal Dorn ordered that the Hives increase their defensive armament. A raiding fleet from the VIII Legion decimated an entire sector of Paracel VII overnight, attempting to force the hive world into dark compliance and resupply. In response, Paracel VII defences managed to strike a crippling blow on the VIII Legion Battle Barge “The Crimson Blade” as it sat in low orbit.

The VIII Legion descended into the underground facility and detonated the magazine as retribution. As the VIII Legion stood on their ships and watched Paracel VII split apart and torn asunder, a tear in realspace birthed not only the III Legion, but a horde of daemonic forces into the region. These daemons fed on the souls of the dying on Paracel VII, growing stronger as they did. Paracel I-III fell in rapid succession and in the dying moments of Paracel VIII; reinforcements from the I, IX and XIX Legions rushed to the defence of Paracel VI.

ARMIES ON PARADE

Due to the way our group is scattered around the UK, logistically we aren’t able to fully get together every time. This time, we are a little more unbalanced than usual on the player front. This will see the following occur:

Loyalists:

• Ash C – Dark Angels (4,500 points).
• Alex – Blood Angels (4,500 points)
• Luke – Raven Guard (4,500 points)

Traitors:

• Simon – Night Lords (6,750 points).
• James – Emperors Children & Ruinstorm Daemons (6,750 points).

This means that there will be a slight benefit to the Traitors in regards to the unity of their force, however this will be fairly negligible in the main.

A full breakdown of the armies will be provided on the main Battle Report. They are currently undisclosed to each other.

SUMMARY

This is a game that’s been long coming. Sure it won’t be everyone on the table, but there will be some very tasty armies facing off against each other. The narrative behind them is written, now we are finalising our paint schemes and getting ready for the opening battle in what will likely evolve into a new, bloody campaign.