The Siege of Ambrose House Conclusion

  Hey everyone, Abe again.

  So that was the battle of Ambrose House, I must admit the game did not go entirely as I had planned. I point blank forgot to bring on my breacher squad (although they are so slow they would have played almost no part in the game) and my two rhinos deciding to die in synchronisation was not helpful.
  I would say that the biggest problem with my army as usual is speed, Salamanders are tough as old boots but boy are they slow.
  Of course my defending units acted like damn heroes weathering everything that my opponent could throw at me.
  And finally I wish we could have gotten to see who would have won the praetor fight but alas turn limits are a harsh mistress. Although if you think about it didn't this type of ending give us one of the greates Rocky moments of all time?

No, wait, not this one. This one...

  Well thanks for reading, until next time.

  Daveco:



Well... Not as planed...

It was a good game for sure, plenty of “oh S*@t moments and a few of me laughing as the weak imperial dogs were torn asunder… Ahem. I maybe should have thrown my entire force at the defenders in turn 1 and 2, but where is the fun in that. My Sicaran was a bit of a let-down, I have used Vallia Vor (name of the tank) many times, it is one of those "50/50" units. The Tank is sometimes great and other times killed without a shot.
 My unit of the game goes to the Brotherhood of Duplicity Terror Squad, achieved little other than a petty kill on Abes veterans and then stole their rhino. Like true VIII Legion heroes!

After the game we did indeed let the two Praetors fight in a Rocky III style single spot lit arena. What happened? What do you think? Post comments on it, You could even take a leaf our of Abes book a write a short narrative about it.

Hope you enjoy our battle report it was a great day on the table top.
AVE DOMINUS NOX

The Siege of Ambrose House Part 3

  The air shrieked as the melta gun discharged, catching the Night Lords terminator square in the chest. For a second the ancient technologies intergrated into the armour withstood the energy beam before winking out, the breastplate sagged and melted, the marine inside howling in agony before falling silent.
  Tov'firn the terminators executioner felt grim satisfication as the other threat runes indicating the enemy terminators blinked out of exsistence one after the other. He tracked the mansions darkened halls with the barrel of his weapon, hunting for new targets. He barely registered the flash of silver as Avros blade swept by easily parting the marines head from his shoulders.
  Avros barely paused to savour his newest kill, instead falling upon Tov'frins battle brothers granting each a single perfect cut from the blade in his fist. The squad died in silence never even seeing their killer pass by.

  The Night Lords praetor came to rest a dead salamander at his feet the only noise in the building the tic of cooling metal and the steady drip of blood droplets from his blade joining the expanding pool at his feet.
  Fleshy lips part in a rictus grin as his retinue spread out darkness clinging to them like a cloak of shadows.
  The battle was his, even with their best ranged against him he had toppled the might of the salamanders eliminating a valuable ally under their nose. He turned ready to board his transport and leave triumphant.
  As his foot touched the ramp the approaching land raider and vindicator unleashed their full fury, corrsucating beams of light tearing through the fuselage like tissue paper causing it to explode throwing the Night Lords commander to the ground. Pulling himself up he quelled his rage, clearly the Slamanders had more fight than he gave them credit for, falling back into the mansion Avros checked the load in his bolt pistol and prepared to fight.

  Oth'hilo felt the familiar tingle in what remained of his arms that indicated his lascannons had recharged, activating his tageting array he waiting for the display to overlay the low profile of the remaining storm eagle and fired doing extensive damage to one wing, engines erupting in bright flame. Distantly he felt the tingle begin again as his weapons recharged.
  The veterans of Nocturns Pride and the terror squad of 3rd claw arrived at the mansion at the same time and a brief viscous firefight ensued, in the end the dimished squad of Night Lords proved no match for the overwhelming firepower of the salamanders.
  Cors cursed as the random fire from Kursh, the dying Night Lords land raider, obliterated a section of wall close to where Death of Kings was sheltering.
  "Return fire" bellowed Tan'Ro from his position in the drivers seat
  "Charging" replied Cors watching the gauges as they climbed towards full power
  A section of wall blew in less than a metre from their hull
  "Do it now" cried Tan apprehension making his voice tight
  "Charging" repeated Cor, he knew anything less than a full power blast wouldn't finish their prey
  A bolt passed by less than an inch from the hull of the tank, blistering the paintwork.
  "Cor!"
  "Firing" hissed Cors
  The bolt of light hammered out of the sicarans muzzle, hitting the towering landraider square in the hull, smashing the armour to splinters and cooking off the munitions inside. Oily black smoke billowed from the wrecked vehicle.
  "Did you get it?" asked Tan
  The gunner didn't answer straight away until a gust of wind blew a gap in the smoke, he felt a flush of shame seeing a once proud astartes vehicle brought low but quickly supressed it, this was the reality of the galaxy they lived in now. "Engine kill" he intoned looking up from the rangefinder
  "Good, lets find another victim" Tan said with relish gunning the engine.

        Smoke billowed from the engine compartment of the striken rhino as Kal'rath disembarked and began running towards the mansion. Overhead the jetbikes of Vulcans Fury passed overhead seeking entrance to the ruined mansion.

  Jareth strode into the ruined hall twisted flesh and scraps of cloth were all that remained of the govenor and his bodyguards, rent armour and split flesh were the hallmarks of his former bretheren. With a striken cry he launched himself at the laughing killers of his brothers the terminators at his back joining him.
  The apothecary and his retinue fought as men possessed reaping a high toll on the marines but they had underestimated the strength of their opposition and one by one they were overwhelmed. Jareth locked eyes with a tall marine, his ornate armour festooned with grisly trophies.
  "Face me" shouted Jareth leveling his gladius at the opposing commander
  With a dismissive shake of his head the praetor stepped back, blending into the shadows. Striking enemies out of his path Jearth bulled his way forward. He never saw the blow that felled him, he only felt the agony of chainteeth chewing through his flesh, rupturing one of his hearts.
  Jareth fell, watching as Ta'shen was swamped by the barbourous sons of Nocturne who hacked and tore at his venerable armour to slay the maine within.

  With shaking fingers Jareth reached to the container on his thigh, he could feel the intense cold even through his armour and a stream of liquid gushed from a hole in its side. The gene seed within would be ruined. As the darkness overtook him Jareth felt a wave of bitter despair.
  "Go, go, go" called Tarsus, pilot of the storm eagle Korvash-ull.
  The 10 marines of the terror squad in his hold flung themselves from their transport. Tarsus had managed to get his striken vessel under control and for a brief moment he contemplated abandoning the battlefield, but he had seen his lords storm eagle destroyed by loyalist fire. If he could save his lord from Salamander retribution he would be greatly rewarded. He briefly imagined himself being feted by the legion, groomed for higher office.
  With a grunt he threw the storm eagle into a bone crushing turn and powered towards the mansion broadcasting on his commanders private frequency.
  On the ground the Brotherhood of Duplicity landed by the salamanders veterans both sides tearing at each other viscously all of the veterans perished for the loss of four of the terror squad marines. Krant their sergeant looked around, their was no more victory here and that fool Avross was as good as dead, they needed to escape, he glanced over at the idling Salamnders rhino nearby and grinned. They didn't have any way off planet yet, but he had always found a smart commander could accomplish anything.

  Oth'hilo felt an unaccustomed pang of annoyance as his wounded target powered away from him he spoke a quick vow to himself that the traitors woud not escape. He opened fire his lascannon fire shearing away the tail section of the plane sending it spiralling into the wall of the mansion bringing the whole wing of the house down with it.
  Cor'tan watched with grim satisfaction as the Night Lords flyer demolished one of the mansions wall. "That's our way in" he roared gunning his bikes engine and leading his squad inside pouring fire into the traitors. The bikes slammed into the praetors squad crushing and tearing several members of the squad and losing none in return.
  This was too much for the Night Lords who turned and ran into the street, like rats seeking to escape a sinking ship.
  Avross stopped dead in front of him was his Salamnders counterpart.
  "This ends now" Kal'rath yelled across the courtyard to his enemy
  Avross swallowed his frustration, he did not need this complication but if he had to go through this blind fool to sucseed he would.
  "Yes it does" he agreed flourishing his sword and throwing himself at his enemy.

  Well that's it folks thats the end of the battle report let me know what you though and until next time.

The Siege of Ambrose House Part 2

  Kal'raths gaze bored through the armourglass windows of the rhinos driver compartments, his fingers tightening on the haft of the thunder hammer as he surveyed the tide of destruction that had washed through the once pristine streets of the capital. The his right he could see the noble vindicator Lost Scion surge forward, the quad barrels of its laser array glowing white as they heated up.
  "Lord, vox chatter and auspex reading indicates heavy Night Lords prescene" intoned the driver
  "All ahead full" ordered the praetor feeling his battle lust swell

  Death of Kings, the Salamanders vindicator, emboldened by the destruction of its Night Lords counterpart now hunted bigger game. Easing into the shell of a burnt out building it carefully lined up a shot to the rear armour of Korsh. The gunners aim was true, layers of adimantium plating flashing into molten slag in an instant, but this was still not enough to destroy the behemoth.
  Jareth and his terminator companions forge ahead towards their foes, the Bedlam Crypt but were bogged down by enemy fire.
  Having taken a circuitous route through the city the elite veterans of the Salamnders managed to infiltrate closer to the fight managing to blindside the marines of the faceless murder who were too focused on the pyroclasts in front of them.

  Under sustanied fire from the pyroclasts, their landraider and the veterans the Faceless Murder were utterly destroyed in a great conflagration.

  Back at the mansion the govenor and his retinue hear the raptor squad approaching, rather than cowering in fear they advance opening fire on their would be attackers, killing all but one and forcing the survivor to flee into the street where he was cut down by fire from the advancing jetbikes.

  Deep in the bowels of the mansion a hatch grates open and figures emerge from the foetid darkness below. Stretching and checking equipment after the confines of the tunnel below, support squad from the Salamders force prepare to lauch an ambush against the Night Lord aggressors.

  Ouside the mortis tries to bring down the enemy storm eagle threatening the reinforcements but it deftly avoids the beams of light streaking towards it.

  Movitium rolls forward intent on delivering its terminator payload deep into the heart of the conflict, but the tank traps set on the defnces perimiter do their jobs, fouling the tanks wheels and pinning it in place. Inside the terminators howling at being denied the chance to join the bloodshed drop the assault ramp and charge forward.
  Overhead the storm eagles wheel and open fire doing mininmal damage to the land raider Pax Mortum.
  Kursh, enraged at the cowardly attack, grinds ponderously to face its tormentor. However, the shot has done more damage than anticipated and its targeting matrixes wouldn't function properly its shots going wide.
  The govenor drunk on the glory of seeing off the raptors assault focuses his fire on the terminators but finds them more than a match for his weaponry and their return fires kills them to a man.

  Jareth turns his eyes to the east and feels the first glimmers of hope as he notices streaks of orange and red on the horizon, like the whole sky was catching fire, the sun was coming up.
  The apothecary is now within striking distance of the rival terminators, he couldn't save the govenor but he could avenge him. The salamanders swept down upon their opposite number killing them all with no loses of their own.

  At the walls of the mansion the newly arrived terminators of the Head Takers stomp forward unheeding of the danger surrounding them. Errupting from cover the members of Dragons fire and Drakes Wrath trigger their weapons and obliterate the terminators ending their threat once and for all.
  Outside the mansion the vindicator and the two rhinos race forward seeking to aid their brothers. Disaster struck as the veterans found their vehicle snagged on machinery and the engine overheating in the second, slowing the advance of the loyalists.

  The Sicaran stunned at the continued survival of the land raider fires again the impact of the hit visibly lifting the tank from the ground before slamming it back down, one track a fused and molten mess.
  Third Claw finally emerge from the rubble of their ruined building and unleash their fury upon the members of Dragons Fire, cutting down all but their sergeant

  Kursh, blooded but unbowed, tries once more to target its enemies but fails to score any hits the behmoths frustraion is palpable.
  Korvash-ull hovered over the battlefield, powerful engines whipping up a storm of debris, and unleshed its payload at the loyalist terminators but failed to fell any of the mighty marines.
  The troop compartment of the traitor storm eagle Nishallitha Valas was as pitch black and as silent as the grave. The warriors entombed within stood still as statutes despite the turbulence they were the hunters of the legion, experts at the fine art of the killing blow and they would not strike until absolutely necessary.
  "It's time" a voice like a dying gust of wind blew through the compartment barely disturbing the air
  The ramp at the front of the craft yawned open and air thick with the smell of burning and carrior wafted in finally stirring the monolithic marines within.
  As swift and silent as a shadow Avros Jasster, blooded praetor of the Night Lords, flung himself from the plane his cloak whipping and writhing behind him like a living being. boots hammered into the cobblestones of the mansion. Death had come to Ambrose House.

Thats part two finished. Stay tuned for the thrilling conclusion. 

Siege Of Ambrose House Part 1

  Rain pounded down onto the night shrouded streets of Austellus Arbeias capital. Most of its citizens had already fled, taking their chances in the wilds outside the city walls, rather than face the coming battle.  The rest were cowering in their homes hoping that the menacing shadows outside would pass them over, most prayed silently to a distant Emperor for salvation that may never come.
  Crouched behind a haistily errected barricade Jareth caressed the cryo sealed tube maglocked on his hip, a nervous habit he had picked up since Istavann, ensuring the genetic legacy of his legion would still live on. He stares into the darkness trying to make sense of the shadows that pooled at the edges of the lights cast by the mansions stab lights.
  The heavy scrape of ceramite of stone announces the arrival of the Terminators of Nocturnes Shield.
  "Soon" announced Ta'shen their choleric leader rasped through his vox speakers, it was not a question.
  The apothecary didn't respond, there was no need. There, a flash of midnight blue amongst the black.
  "Contact" he cried, raising his bolt pistol and firing rapidly, behind him the terminators followed suit, the unmistakable ring of bolt rounds on ceramite could be heard but still the shadows flowed forward.
 

  Jareth could hear fire from the other side of the mansion a clear indication that battle had been joined, but their was little he could do about that now.
   RU90st, acting on stimuli unknown to its marine counterparts opened fire, heavy autocannon rounds split the nigt throwing three Night Lords raptors to the ground bloodied and broken. The Salamnders marines added their own fire but the raptors surged forward.

  A new sun was born in the night sky, briefly illuminating the battlefield before falling to earth. Flames licked out in all directions as the dreadclaw slammed into the ground in front of the govenors mansion.

 The fire burns harmlessly over the suits of terminator armour, during this distraction the marines of terror squad third claw sneak slowly forward sniping at the heavily armoured terminators but causing no castualties.
  A hulking land radier roared from the darkness, daubed Nostraman runes declaring it Movetium, lascannons spitting energy but still they are unable to sunder the venerable terminator suits.
  The raptors trigger their jetpacks and surge forward supported by Korsh, twin to Movetium. The raptors leap forward closing the distance with their former brothers but one is killed negotiating the tangled pipework.

  Korsh opens fire, the corrsucating energy ripping away some of the protective plates covering RU90st but otherwise leaving him unharmed.
  The volkite bearing members of the Faceless Murder take careful aim and manage to fell one of the marines defending the mansion.

  With a rising howl the first Salamnders reserves sweep into the battle. Chaplain Cro'tan and his retinue of jetbikes push their engines to the very limit attempting to break the siege. The Faceless Murder open fire but the swift movement of the jetbikes makes precision shots impossible.

  Behind them a Sicaran tank destroyer follows its main gun hunting for targets. The hunter spots its prey across the district and, carefully lining up its shot, fires annihaliting his enemy.

  Pax Mortem the salamanders land raider arrives with its cargo of pyroclasts pushes through the centre of the district, it fires on the dreadclaw but the distance is too great to do any real damage.

  In the containers and moving equipment of the dockyards more terminators arrive and move forward quietly alonside the contemptor dreadnought Oth'hilo.
  With a howl the Terminators of Nocturnes sword sweep forward smashing apart their own barricades to reach the enemy. Ta'shen charged in swinging his hammer in a sweeping arc that tore the drop pod to pieces, scattering the fleeing terror squad inside, throwing four of them lifeless to the ground.
  RU90st and the marines continue to pour fire into the raptors dropping two more of the killers but failing to slow their advance.
  With a bone rattling roar two storm eagles soar overhead, one heads back to fend off the Salamanders reinforcements and the other sweeps forward raining fire onto the mansion killing a terminator and wounding the governors bodyguard.
  Both the raptors and the survivors of the drop pod turn their ire on the Salamnders tactical squad killing three more but the defenders stand resolute, unfortunately they are pounced upon by the raptors and torn to pieces who move deeper into the guts of the mansion.

  The two land raiders continue their advance, Korsh disgorges their terminator passengers who contemptuously smash RU90st aside but not before the mechanicum unit flays one with autocannon fire.

  Jareth blinked blood and rain water from his eyes all he could see was midnight blue armour, a tide of it threatening to engulf the last of the defenders. His fingers reflectively stroked the precious cargo on his hip he noticed right flank crumble and collapse and he felt his blood boil in his veins.
  "Terminators, to me!" he cried striding forward to join the battle.

That's it for part one folks, come back for part two in the next few days.  

 
  

Siege of Ambrose House Salamander List

  Hi again, Abe here.
  So, over the festive period myself and Daveco decided to continue our ongoing personal rivalry that has been running for well over 20 years at this point.

Pictured: An artists impression of our epic struggle

Not picutred: Empty mountain dew bottles and passive agression

    I know that he has posted already and has given a rough outline of the scenario that we will be using but I will add a few extra points here and there.
  Due to the nature of our game it was agreed before hand that I would be splitting my force, using rougly 500 points to defend the mansion and the remander coming on in support left me in a minor quandry. For those who are unaware Salamanders aren't exactly the speediest force in the world but they do excel at being tough as old boots and deadly at close range.

  Firstly I decided to build a force that could take some punishment and survive until reinforcements can arrive, although that always isn't possible with only 500 points to play with

  Defending force:
  HQ:

• Primus Medicae Jareth (3) - artifice armour, refractor field, power sword and  master crafted weapon = 135

  Elites:

• Terminator squad Nocturns Shield (13) - 5 terminators, plasma blaster, 2x power fists, 2x lightning claws, sergeant with thunder hammer, dragonscale storm shield, grenade harness and master crafted weapon = 245

  Troops:

• Tactical squad Burning Wrath (4) - 10 marines, sergeant with artificer armour, power axe and master crafted weapon = 150

  Total = 530

  Reinforcements:
  HQ:

• Praetor Kal'Rath (1) - artificer armour thunder hammer, dragonescale stormshield, inferno pistol, digital lasers, iron halo, mantle of the elder drake and mastercrafted weapon = 175
  Chosen - standard, 2x power fists, plasma pistols = 105
  Rhino = 35  
• Chaplin cor'tan (11) - power maul, artificer armour, refractor field, scimitar jetbike and master crafted weapon = 185  

  Troops:

• Breacher squad The Anvil (5) - 20 breachers, 2x graviton guns, sergeant with artificer armour, thunder hammer and master crafted weapon = 385
• Deathfire Pyroclasts (8) - 5 pyroclasts, warden, power weapon, master crafted weapon = 200
  land raider Pax Mortem - pintle mounted heavy flamer = 235
• Support squad Dragons Fire (7) - 5 marines, flamers, sergeant with bolter and augry scanner and artificer armour = 110
• Support squad Drakes Wrath (6) - 5 marines with meltas, sergeant with bolter and augry scanner and artificer armour = 170 

   Elites:

• Veteran Squad Nocturnes Pride (2) - 10 veterans, 2x flamers, combi flamer, 3 volkite serpentas, sergeant with inferno pistol, artificer armou, power fist and master crafted weapons all with marksmen = 250
  rhino = 35
• Terminator squad Nocturnes Sword (9) - 5 terminators, 4x power fists, reaper autocannon sergeant with a pair of lightning claws, master crafted = 225
• Contemptor Mortis Oth'hilo (10) - x2 lascannons = 185

  Fast Attack:

• Jetbike Sky hunter squadron  Vulcans Fury (11) - 6 jetbikes x2 muli-meltas, melta bombs, sergeant with power fist and master crafted weapon = 325

  Heavy Support:

• Sicaran Venator Tank Destroyer Death of Kings (12) - heavy bolter sponsons, auxilliary drive = 220

• Vindicator Lost Scion - laser destroyer array, auxilliary drive, armoured ceramite = 160

  Total = 2965

We also added some additional units and rules for a little flavour, we added the govenor (who will be counted as an objective in this game) and some defensive units.

The govenor and his retinue

Governor Miles Von Strann

The governor is a former Imperial army commander once attached to the Salamanders Legion. He was once a heroic figure within the Imperial Army but accepted the position of this worlds Governor thirty-five years ago. He is old but his mind is sharp and he is more than capable of defending his own home.

WS	BS	S	T	W	I	A	LD	SV
2	3	2	3	2	2	3	10	3*

War gear: Las-pistol and Von Strann Family Brooch (3+ Invulnerable save)

Special Rules: Aura of Command

Von Strann is a dignified, tactical and respected man, any unit within 12” of him may Re-Roll failed Leadership tests

Magos Alpha Sigma 99

Representing the Machanicum on this world is AS99, He was forced from the Manufactorium district by VIII legion activity. He has chosen to bolster the defence with his remaining Tagmata bodyguards.

WS	BS	S	T	W	I	A	LD	SV
3	5	5	5	3	3	2	10	4+/5+

War gear: Power Axe, Mechrite Armour, Servo harness

RD89 Protection Unit

WS	BS	S	T	W	I	A	LD	SV
3	4	4	4	2	1	1	10	4+/5+

War gear: Mechrite Armour, Power Weapon and Bolter

RU90st

WS	BS	S	T	W	I	A	LD	SV
2	4	5	5	4	1	1	10	2+/5+

Wargear: Catphron Alpha Plate (counts at Terminator Armour. Auto-cannon, heavy flamer, Heavy stubber and power fist!

Night fighting!

Battlefield Terrain:

The Governers home is equipped with two tarantula defence turrets.

Tank Traps = Difficult Terrain 5+ cover for infantry and are impassable to any tracked vehicle

Metal Pipes = Difficult Tarrain and 5+ cover save

 

So that's the forces, we'll put the first part of the actual battle up in the next few days.