March 2019 – HOUSE OF GECKO

Battle Report: The Evacuation of Migale Prime

March 25, 2019March 24, 2019 Posted in Battle ReportLeave a comment

Today we have the pleasure of another battle report from Matty! Matty battles it out with fellow Gecko Josephs handsome Deathwatch using the gruesome Eightscarred of Khorne – an army borrowed from another Team Geckoer – Jake. Enjoy!

In the ashes that remain of Migale Prime there is little left of value to either invaders or defenders. The staunch imperials that remain exist only to survive, striking ambushes when they can. Slowly bleeding themselves dry of ammunition and blood, and hoping to take an equal toll on their enemies.

But there are those who strive to achieve more in the Emperors name. The holy warriors of the Emperor, the best of the best, The Deathwatch; they march in an effort to escape, and to warn whoever is listening of what happened here. Led by Watch Master Beatriz, they slowly fought for months through the savagery of Chaos and Tyranid invaders until finally, they reached their objective. It was nothing special to look at, the remains of an imperial fortification and generator station. However it was special in the fact that it was the tallest building left, relatively, untouched. This meant that the Astropath could call to the heavens hopefully bringing salvation and sending out a warning.

The ruined sub-sector the Deathwatch have chosen for the Emperor Praised last stand.

The advance deployment of Deathwatch, two heavily armoured Kill Teams (Kill Team Thracymachus and Kill Team Graemond) deploy in the key structure, escorting the Astropath to the very tallest floor of the Imperial ruin. The rest of their vanguard force was moments away – fortunately too. Only minutes after moving into the ruins they all heard the harrowing howls and bone shaking bestial roars that echoed across the abandoned ruins. Carrying across the chilling winds, these terrifying sounds signified the approach of the enemy.

Kill Team Graemond (front) and Kill Team Thracymachus (rear) prepare their positions for assault

The Eightscarred of Khorne, filled with violent aggression and a burning desire to spill blood for their god came running through the debris. Their furious howling gusted like a breeze, impacting every Astartes that stood defiant. There is no time to give praise to the Emperor, or to ask for his strength and protection as the Eightscarred do not stop to gloat about their superior numbers, they simply charge. In moments, both kill teams in the ruins begin firing bolters, the dull thud now competing against feral screams. A massive Heldrake swoops in from the skies, firing torrents of baleful flame and attacking with its huge predatory claws.

The Heldrake, known in Imperial circles as a ‘Hell Turkey’, swoops in amongst the ruins

A daemon prince makes a charge at Kill Team Graemond, clawing through a balcony window. Its massive talons and claws reach in and slice marines to death – but not Graemond of the Black Templars. Graemond is a warrior unrivalled in swordsmanship and he parry’s all attempted blows and strikes back, severing many of the reaching talons.

Kill Team Graemond is charged by one of Khornes most ascendant.

The Black Templar’s finest, Sword Brother Graemond, fights in solo combat against a Daemon Prince of Khorne.

In its fury, the Daemon prince does not notice the reinforcements dropping down around him. Even a deafening crash does not draw him away from Graemond. This ended up being the monsters downfall. A mighty Venerable Dreadnought slams into the earth and charges the prince. With Graemond continuing to draw attention, the Dreadnought unleashes its epic strength, ripping the daemon apart from its hind legs.

Freed from the daemons hunger, Brother Graemond rendezvoused with Watch Captain Fëanor of the Space Wolves and legendary Deathwatch Librarian, M’Batu of the Salamanders. Whilst they descend from the heavens and regrouped, a single marine goes unnoticed, his body adorned in skulls and its ceramite pasted with red blood. Kharn. His violence unrivalled. His fury unleashed. What would have been a difficult target, in a venerable dreadnought, Kharn threw aside with his endless destruction. A toy caught in the gale of Kharn’s elemental wrath.

M’batu. Fëanor. Graemond. These three names go etched into the walls of the Watch Fortress, Master Beatriz ensuring that stories would be told of their bravery. Their commitment and their Emperor-given strength. They mounted a counter charge to Kharn. Throwing themselves towards him, led by the Black Templar, the Emperor gave them strength that day. The fight was brutal – swords and axes parried, maces crunched into ceramite and bounced off chaos infused armour. In the end, Graemond and Fëanor stand tall, bloodied, but victorious.

Sword Brother Graemond leads a heroic charge with Captain Fëanor and Librarian M’Batu against Kharn

A deadly Combat ensues. The Emperors finest searching for a weakness in Kharns armour.

Back from the badlands, in the fortification, Kill Team Thracymachus had been staunchly defending the Astropath, killing the Heldrake with bolter fire and personal combat. But looking from where the Heldrake once perched, the courtyard is now teeming with Bezerkers – yet they have no fear. From the flank Kill Team Darius explode from a rhino, unleashing a hail of bolter fire. But surrounded by ruins and geothermal piping, the Bezerkers remain unfazed. Kill Team Darius eats the aggression from Khorne warriors and the Kill Team is eradicated in a tempest of chainaxes. The distraction had worked however. In righteous vengeance, Thracymachus orders his squad to reign the emperor’s justice down upon the heretics. Owing to their superior firing position, the threat is eliminated and the fallen warriors avenged.

Kill Team Darius flanks the bezerkers, to their own demise.

With the battle drawing to its close, Watch Master Beatriz moves in to clear the courtyard and ensure with certainty that the Astropath and the valiant warriors of kill team Thracymachus can secure evac. This decision turns out to be fatal, as one of khorns most feverish worshippers, The Bloody Bishop, cries a call to arms and the enormous Khorne Contemptor Dreadnought, Tar’agon the Ancient Fury, smashes its way into the area. With this glorious combat, Beatriz sacrifices himself, allowing the Imperial warriors to get a message out, calling for reinforcements to land at Draco Minus – a staging planet for Imperial survivors.

Tar’agon the Ancient Fury moves in for the kill against Watch Master Beatriz.

On this day, the Deathwatch held. Against all odds and at the end of months of fighting, the message is sent, the Astropath saved. Perhaps the Imperium has a chance at saving the Migale Dominus system yet.

Brother-Techmarine Durdeg of the Iron Ravens chapter skilfully pilots the Corvus Blackstar into position. Evacuating those who can be.

A staunch victory for the imperium – good job Joseph. Thanks for the awesome Battle report Matty – if you want to see more of the miniatures from todays BR, please check out the team profiles!

Army Spotlight: Disciples of Rael

March 21, 2019March 21, 2019 Posted in SpotlightLeave a comment

Today, Eliot will be sharing with you his Adeptus Mechanicus Battalion, the Disciples of Rael!

In January of this year, I finally finished painting an army to a standard I am actually happy with – The Disciples of Rael. After partially finishing a number of armies (more on that another time), it shames me to admit that has taken me 3 long years of painting, gaming and collecting piles of grey plastic for me to get to this point. However, I am super happy with the end result and love my grimy robo children to bits.

One of the key drivers for me picking Adeptus Mechanicus as an army was that I was tired of playing as Dark Angels, and wanted something thematic to eventually pair with knight. I also love the 40K lore around enhancing the human form with augments and the questions that that raises about humanity. Picking a colour scheme was tricky, but I ended up settling for a dirty blue with the offset of a martian base – the plan being to give the minis a very sharp look, but to then pile on the grimdark-ness of 40K.

For me, the highlight of this army is Archmogos Tys (Belisaruis Cawl). The Archmagos rose through the ranks of the Cult to become the Fabricator General of the Migale System, piling on extra augments as they went. Tys often travels with a retinue of servitors and menials, and one can be seen carrying the half destroyed relic of Knight Raeluis Supremos. This model is packed full of detail and was an absolute joy to paint.

The first mini I actually finished was my heavily converted Tech Priest Dominus, Adept Grattus. I’m a big fan of conversions and this was one of my favourites to do so far, especially at the concept stage. I took the bottom half of a destroyer and green stuffed on the top half of the classic Domunis model. He turned out better than expected, and I think my boy has a lot of character.

The backbone of the Disciples of Rael are, well, the Disciples! I knew that I was going to have lots of Rangers in this army from the get go, and have ended up with around 25. Not gonna lie, I got reaaaaly tired of painting these dudes (and have more still to build…), but love how they have turned out. Plus there is a cheeky squad of vanguard in there too.

I’ve been a big fan of the Ad Mech models ever since I got back into the hobby 3 years ago, but one of the models that particularly caught my eye was the Onager Dunecrawler – so I have squeezed 2 of them in this army! These guys proved the heavy support much needed for the Disciples when they go on the hunt for their lost Questoris relic knight.

One of the key elements in building an army for me is to make it unique, and that was always going to mean Forgeworld! I love the grimness of the 30K models and was actually toying with a Dark Mechanicum army for a short while (before a visit from the Ordo Hereticus). I picked up some Myrmidon Secutors to use for Tech and Data priests, then converted to my hearts content.

Ah but the Forgeworld purchases didn’t stop there! Nest up were a bunch of Castellax models to use as Kastelans, as I’m personally not a big fan of the plastic Kastelan kit. So with just a few minor conversions I had myself a small battlegroup of Kastelans with maximum shooty power! I have one more yet to be built, but 4 of these boys with the Wrath of Mars is already scary enough…

And there we have it! I actually have a few more rangers, sicarians, one castellax and a few destroyers to add to this army, but I’m enjoying having these guys painted on the table for the time being. The knighty boys that the Disciples of Rael support (and worship) are currently on the production line – stay tuned!

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Battle Report: Black Legion v Space Wolves

March 18, 2019March 17, 2019 Posted in Battle ReportLeave a comment

Last week, Alan’s Rout faced the Black Legion – see how he fared in this weeks Battle Report! (Eternal War – Narrow the Search – 1500 points)

Yorkvik VII, recruitment world Oathed in fealty to the Allfather, the Wolf King and the Vlka Gungnir since the days of the Great Crusade. A vital world for the supply of arms, recruits and munitions to the Chapter – and now defiled by the Black Legion!

An Imperial shrine containing priceless relics is desperately coveted by the Warmaster. Baldur the Grim, High Wolf Priest of the Vlka Gungnir rallies the Rout to defend Yorkvik VII.

‘Behold the oath breakers! Reviled in all of Uppland, the Oververse and Underverse! A Warrior who spits on his arm ring is no warrior at all!

The naysayers and doom mongers say this is Ragankok, the End Times.

I laugh in the face of such claims. Are we not the sons of Mother Fenris? As children we hunted far more terrifying creatures for sport and games!

Has the Allfather abandoned us? No! A son has woken, our kinsmen of the 13th Company return and the Wolf King’s hunt nears its end.

I swear this oath, no Black Legion filth will be left alive. The Vlka Gungnir will cleanse this place or feast in the Allfathers halls.

For the Allfather, for the Wolf King, for Fenris!’

Dawn of War Deployment is rolled for and my opponent Karim decides to deploy first with him having the first turn unless I can seize the initiative.

The cultists and chaos marines deploy in the centre of the field ready to advance towards the one objective in the centre of the table. Abaddon along with his Terminator retinue and Obliterator heavy support start in reserve.

Facing the horde I place my three Intercessor packs, Aggressors, leviathan and Hellblasters, with rune and wolf priests as support. I use two CP to send the Wulfen into the reserve with the ‘Cunning of the Wolf’ stratagem. With both armies deployed, I seize the initiative!

Supported by Uhtred the Broken, pack Hafgufa advance through Yorvik VII.

First turn the Rout pushes forward, and letting rip at the chaos marines with the Intercessors and leviathan the squad is thinned out. The hellblasters and other Intercessor packs down a few more of the chaos marine and cultist squads.

The Black Legion advance towards the objective, their superior numbers ensuring they claim the objective and the accompanying victory point.

Turn two saw the Rout further advance and shred the Black Legion ranks before the arrival of the main event… the Warmaster himself, the Lord of the Black Legion, Abaddon the Despoiler!

Arriving with his terminator elite, obliterators and the rabble of cultists using ‘Tide of Traitors’, my rear is sudden under serious threat. The obliterators open fire twice upon Uhtred the Broken – thankfully the mighty leviathan takes only a few wounds, despite the doubled shooting! Leif Stormbreaker the Rune Priest takes a flesh wound from the terminators, and after turn two The Black Legion are leading 0-2.

The Rout are in desperate need of reinforcement, and it arrives in the shape of two packs of Wulfen! I deploy one to the right of the terminators and the second on my left flank to wipe out the chaos spawn and strengthen my centre. The leviathan blitz the terminator squad before charging them!

The wulfen make short work of the spawn before linking up with Baldur the Grim to take the fight to the Warmaster. With the wulfen on the table, I feel a lot more confident. However gaining enough victory points is going to be a tough act.

Its going to be tricky to overcome the Black Legion point tally with the Rout so thinned out. This is made even more difficult when one sole terminator (assisted by Death to the False Emperor) fells the mighty leviathan!

Enraged by the death of the venerable ancient Uhtred the Broken, Baldur the Grim leads pack Morkai with grim resolve and charges headlong into the Warmaster!

Following this heroic act, Baldur the Grim is slain by the Warmaster before pack Morkai rip him to pieces in their death frenzy!

After an absolute blood bath of a turn and just seven of the Rout left on the table, I shake hands with my opponent and concede – the Black Legion is victorious 1-6 with my solitary point gained from slaying the Warmaster!

As it always is when playing against a fellow Gecko, ‘fun at all costs’ is the motto. My opponent Karim assisted with advice throughout as I feel a noob playing with primaris, and battling anything other than Tyrannids! A cracking game versus a top opponent! Another world claimed for the Warmaster!

This is the Saga of Baldur the Grim, strong of will and mighty of arm. Facing a myth from times of yore, a dread beast from the Era of Primarchs made flesh. Fearless in his duty as the Sanction of the Allfather. The halls of his ancestors and brothers call as he is felled by the Talon that bested the Allfather. Until next winter.

Awesome Battle Report Alan! The Rout have been bested today but the Warmaster is a tricky opponent – can’t wait to see what they are hunting next!

Battle Report: Defence of Hive City H/90319

March 15, 2019March 15, 2019 Posted in Battle ReportLeave a comment

Today, Matt brings us a Battle Report on the recent defence of Hive City by the Imperium forces stationed there…

The cold wind sweeps across the battlements. Cpt. Ajax Norbreth of the Tempestus Scions looks out over the dreary world as rain lashed his armour. Down to his left, ranks of Imperial Guard soldiers of the Aluesian 110th Infantry stand ready in defensive positions, on his right, more ranks of weathered soldiers. Behind them were the Leman Russ tanks, like hungry predators they wait. The low grumble of engines can be heard across the ramparts. Across his vox, “Ajax, where are the seething mass?” a low voice grumbled, coming from the Command Tank ‘Aluesian Fury’. “No Idea Ironhead, usually the beasts are on time” he jested back at the senior commander. Without giving time for reply from the General came the reply that would signify the end to any joy or happiness. The feral screams and roars sounded like a hurricane approaching, and then suddenly the ground breaks open and in pours the Xenos filth. Thousands of tyranids, swarming, massing, writhing to get to their next meal. In that split second it was almost calm, and then the thunder of guns destroyed the afternoon.

Hive Fleet Kraken crashes against the Imperials like a wave into the rocks of a cove. There is no end to them, but the city needs time to evacuate key personnel. So the Imperial defence has to hold. It would have been a lot more difficult had Inquisitor Lok not sent a call to requisition the specialist Emperor’s Chosen warriors of the Deathwatch. This reinforcement increased the chances of victory… in a minuscule increment. Nonetheless, Kraken will be repelled. Like an immovable object the Imperium will hold. Must hold.

Deathwatch Veterans engages with vicious Genestealers. They fight to take the attention away from the guardsmen.

As the Battle wears on, the feral beasts of Hive Kraken pushes into Imperial lines. Sustained bombardment from hive guard tyranid beasts destroys a mighty Deathwatch Corvus. The immediate assault is swift and brutal. But now within effective weapons range, and close enough for Astartes to utilise their hulking aggression and fighting prowess, the Imperium gets to swing its mighty hammer. A valiant squad of deathwatch Veterans, led by a Black Templar begin a suicidal March into Xenos lines. Librarian M’Batu from the Salamanders chapter follows to provide much needed psychic power, known by all Aleusians for the deeds performed only weeks earlier against the foul forces of the Arch Enemy.

Librarian M’Batu gives support to the heroic Deathwatch Veterans charging into the mouth of destruction

One of the foul beasts swoops and dives into imperials lines, plucking soldiers from the ramparts.

The advance continues, it never ends. It’s almost monotonous, the constant thud of guns and the screech of alien death. But shaking from the battle, an enormous beast, identified via short range auspex scans, known as ‘Old One Eye’ comes screeching across the battlefield. The Deathwatch know no fear and stand firm in the face of an enormous tide. Their stormbolters and chainswords barking and growling as they tear aliens piece from piece.

‘Old One Eye’ crashes through the battlefield. The Veterans hold firm, relishing the challenge that is to come.

As afternoon slinks away and night takes hold. The battlefield is illuminated by fire and flash. It is clear now that the situation is increasingly perilous. The never ending wave of monstrous creatures and horde of mindless creatures shows no hope. But the Emperor’s champions need no hope. They relish the horde. A glorious death in combat awaits. For the Emperor they continue to slay and fight. Their fury unending – the death toll mounts.

Two armoured sentinels dash forward in an attempt to flame out the beasts. The Swarmlord roars and shreds them in half, leaving a mess of metal and dead guardsmen

Ratling Raus sneaks through the enemy advance and manages to launch 6 satchel charges at the beast, wounding it severely. This actions saved many lives… but alas, was not enough

The guns of the Imperium roared continuously. The thud of armour silences the skies. Shrieks and roars of alien beasts competed for their moment… and overpowered the forces of Man. In the dying stages of battle, tanks, guns, even satchel charges thrown from brave ratlings was not enough. The Hive consumes all. It leaves nothing in its wake. It just digests and then moves to the next source of biomass. The Imperium is lost in this battle. But the war, the war rages on. The Deathwatch and the Aluesians will have their chance for glory soon enough.