MAELSTROM: SPOILS OF WAR (2 vs 2)
Chaos Space Marines (1000 points each)
1. Chaos Lord CF - Chaos Space Marines
2. Cmdr C - Chaos Space Marines
Adeptus Astartes Coalition (1000 points each)
1. Cmdr Luminator (Space Marines - using Salamander CT)
2. Me (Imperial Swords Space Marines)
PROLOGUE
For past three months, several Imperial Merchant Ships carrying supplies to and fro the Korvialis Sector has failed to turn up at their intended destination. Suspecting that something went amiss, the Imperial Governors of the Sector lodged a request seeking aid in their predicament.
The Imperial Swords answered the call for help. After weeks of patrol and a chance encounter with the forces of Chaos, they finally tracked the culprits to their hiding place. Dorumir II, a cold terrestrial planet with very thin but breathable atmosphere. The planet's cratered surface appears to be barren but suggest that it once supported robust and much larger lifeforms.
After making planet fall, the Imperial Swords found that another Space Marine Chapter was already set-up to do battle with the forces of Chaos. These Space Marines had no logo or insignia which can identify them, except for their blackened armors.
The forces of Chaos are numerous indeed, with Typhus leading a massive horde of undead and another Chaos Sorcerer accompanied by a personal retinue of Chaos Space Marines, Cultist and Chaos Terminator with armored support. The Imperial Swords know that they are outnumbered and only by cooperating with the mysterious black Marines will they stand a chance.
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| Traitor vs Loyalist |
DEPLOYMENT
The Imperial Swords stay true to their usual tactics and adopted defensive position. Tanks are place in positions that would allow them clear line of sight to potential targets. The 1st Tactical Squad are deployed next to Predator Shendao while Vindicare agent is set-up closer to Predator Seratus. The Black Marines Vindicator tanks take up positions close to the center of the battlefield.
Scouts from Black Marines took up forward positions putting them closer to the forces of Chaos. While Scouts from the Imperial Swords attempt to encircle the enemy to flank them.
On the Chaos side, there were simply far too many of them, with the zombies making up at least 70% of their strength. With very little space left, the Chaos forces are bunched up tightly together. The zombie horde taking one flank while the other flank is taken by the Chaos Sorcerer's retinue.
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| The massive hordes of Chaos |
THE BATTLE BEGINS
Like a well oiled machine, all the Scouts in black armor surged forward towards the Chaos position in a synchronized fashion. As they draw closer to the forces of Chaos, an overwhelming stench of decay assaulted their sense of smell.
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| Imperial Sword tank gunner watch on as Black Marines lead the charge |
Above them, a drop pod streaked across the sky before it slammed into the ground right before the zombie horde. As soon as the Drop Pod ramps drop down, the Spaces Marines in Black Power armor strode forward dousing the zombies with jets of flaming promethium.
Although many zombies collapse in a heap of burning putrid flesh, it was not enough. Many more zombies shambled forward. The Librarian leading the Black Marines, unleash his psychic attack against the zombies which did nothing. The zombies merely return the same lifeless gaze at the Space Marines that suddenly appeared before them.
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| The zombies set aflame by purifying fire of the Adeptus Astartes |
Across the battlefield, numerous Squads of Scouts in Black Armor advance steadily towards the Chaos battle lines like a black tide.
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| Scouts moving ahead to support the Drop Pod by covering the flank |
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| Equipped with double barrel shotguns, these Scouts know no fear. |
Meanwhile, their Imperial Swords allies, remained stationary. The crew
of the tanks scan the horizon and the vehicles pivot on the spot.
Turrets begin to turn as it aligns its guns facing towards the enemy
forces.
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| Space Marine Armored vehicles getting in position for a kill |
In a brief moment, scores of Lascannons beams streaked towards the Chaos Battlelines, lighting up the battlefield. Many Chaos vehicles were damaged but still functional. The Chaos Predator suffered severe damage to the engines, could only turn its turret to return fire at the loyalist tanks. The Lascannon beam missed ever so slightly knocking out the searchlight of the Imperial Swords Predator tank.
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| Bring it on! Forces of Chaos advances! |
Undeterred by the combined Space Marine's opening salvo, all across the battlefield the Forces of Chaos advance to meet the loyalist head-on. Chaos Rhinos move steadily across, with their combi-bolters roaring. The cultist too fired wildly into the Black Armored Scouts.
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| You can't see it from here, but the Scouts could. The flies are really that small |
Elsewhere the zombies continue to shamble towards the Black Armored Scouts, the thick miasma of decaying stench and the gazillion numbers of flies hovering over the shambling mass made it difficult for the Scouts. Try as they might, their shotgun rounds fell short even at such close proximity. Only two miserable walking dead stayed dead after the Scouts were done, while the rest continued forward.
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| Flamers might not be enough. We need a nuke |
The Space Marines that Drop Pod in earlier, now found themselves completely surrounded. Hordes of zombies continue advancing towards them. Their flamers spitting out promethium but it did little to dent the putrefying mass closing in on them. Within moments, the Space Marines are swinging their flamers at the zombies in melee combat.
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| Objective Secured! Let none claim it! |
The return fire of the Chaos forces did little to stem the advance of the Black Marines. The Scouts continue to push forward, claiming an objective while trading gun shots at the Chaos Marines, with both sides taking minimal casualties.
Imperial Swords Scouts, entered the battlefield from the flank, made their way behind enemy lines and rushed towards another objective. Behind the Loyalist gunline, Imperial Swords Predator tank continued to focus their fire on the Chaos Armored vehicles.
Multiple Lascannon beams pummel into the Chaos Predator, rupturing the fuel tanks setting the tank ablaze. The next Lascannon beam ripped into the engines, causing the Chaos vehicle to explode in a ball of flames. The Chaos Hellbrute did not suffer similar fate as the Lascannon from the loyalist lines struck only the sides of its armor.
The black armored Vindicator rumbled forward and its Demolisher cannon roared, meters away a thunderous explosion rocked the Chaos battlelines and reduce the Cultist into red mist and charred body parts. The Vindicare Assassin lying prone within the crater, spied the Chaos Sorcerer weaving a spell. Taking aim, the Assassin made sure the Sorcerer was in his sight and pulled the trigger. The hellfire round punch through the Sorcerer's head. The Chaos Sorcerer howled in rage and agony before collapsing into a heap.
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The forces of Chaos counter-attack with zombies
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It was not long before the Black Armored Space Marine Command Squad was swarmed with zombies. The forces of Chaos have overrun their position, their flamers can no longer be brought to bear upon the masses of walking dead. Sensing the trouble that their fellow battle brothers are in, Black Armored Scouts moved into position to reinforce their senior.
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| Brother Marine Glenn is down! I repeat, Glenn is down! |
Behind the hordes of zombies, the Chaos Hellbrute stomp its way
towards the Imperial Swords Scouts. Its heavy bolters roared into
action, spitting out death. The heavy bolter punched through the
Scout's armor, leaving red mists of blood when the round exploded within
the Scouts body. The Scouts tried their best to retaliate but were
stunned by the ferocity of the attack.
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| Chaos Hellbrute stands victorious |
A krak grenade bounced
off the armor of the Hellbrute before exploding on the floor. Within
moments, the Hellbrute closed in, its power claws scythe through the
remaining Scouts, tearing through the loyalist's carapace armor, ripping
into flesh and bones. Chaos has retaken the position claimed by the
Imperial Swords earlier.
The group of zombies lead by Typhus finally closed in on the Black Armored Scouts. The Scouts leveled their double barrel shotguns and blasted into the zombies at point blank. Couple of zombies fell before them but many more scrambled forward, their filthy plague infested hands tried to grapple the Scouts to the ground. The Scouts were much faster and quickly swung the butt of their shotguns to pummel at the zombies but there were just too many of them and it was too little space.
Making it difficult for the Scouts to dodge the zombies, eventually several Scouts were pulled down by the zombies and torn apart. The gory death of one of their battle brothers unnerved the remaining Scouts and forced them to retreat.
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| Dreadnought on intercept course |
At center, Chaos Rhinos advance towards the objectives. Imperial Swords Predator turns its attention towards the Rhino. Lascannon beams pummeled the Chaos Rhino until only a smoking wreck is left. The occupants quickly disembarked from the ruined transport only to find the barrel of a Demolisher Cannon some short distances away staring right at them. The Black Vindicator tank unleash its devastating weapon and the resulting explosion razed the ground before it. The Chaos Space Marine that disembarked from the Rhino was completely annihilated on the spot.
A squad of black armored Scouts at the far end finds themselves outflanked by zombies. For each Scout that fell, a zombie followed. Unfortunately the zombies were too numerous and eventually only one Scout was left battling for his own life.
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| Game over man! Game over! |
The remaining Chaos Terminators & Chaos Space Marine squads continue to advance and plowed into the Black Armored Scouts. Out numbered and out-classed, the Scouts were swift dispatched by the Chaos Marines. In response, the Imperial Swords Dreadnought strode forwards, its Assault Cannon and Stormbolters blazing away at the Chaos Terminators.
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| Imperial Swords attempt to halt the Chaos advance |
Nearby a Tactical Marine leveled his Plasma Cannon at the Chaos Terminator and watched as the super heated ball of plasma careen towards his target before exploding into a miniature sun. The Chaos Terminators howled in anguish as the plasma melted through their armor, fusing steel, bone and flesh together. The remaining Terminator was brought down by a hail of bolter fire from the same Tactical Squad.
While the Chaos Terminators bore the brunt of the attack from the loyalist. One squad of Chaos Space Marines surge forward and leap into the crater, seizing the objective. The second squad of Chaos Space Marines take the place of the Chaos Terminator to delay the loyalist's advance. Towards
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| Overwhelmed, the last remaining Scout tried to take out as many zombies |
Elsewhere, the Scouts that retreated from melee combat rallied and turn to face the zombies. Their double barreled shotguns roared, many zombies fell but many more came. Lead by Typhus, the zombies tear into the remaining Scouts. This time there would be no escape, slowly and eventually each scout was torn apart by the plague infested zombies.
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| So close... the Dreadnought is left with 1 Hull Point |
At the center of the battlefield, the Dreadnought finally collided into the Chaos Space Marines. The Powerfist swung out and grabbed hold onto a traitor Marine before crushing through power armor, muscles and bones. Once the traitor was dead, the Dreadnought effortlessly flung it to the ground. The remaining Chaos Space Marines tried to engage the Dreadnought in melee combat. One of them side stepped a slammed a krak grenade on the Dreadnought causing an explosion that blew off pieces of the Dreadnoughts armor. As the battle continued, the Dreadnought sustained heavier damage but not before entirely wiping out the remaining Chaos Space Marines.
The second Chaos Space Marine squad was annihilated by the withering firepower of the loyalist forces. Lascannon beams, Hellfire Rounds and Demolisher cannon made short work of the few remaining Chaos Marines.
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| The Space Marine makes a last stand against Typhus and his zombie friends |
After wiping out the Scouts at the far end, Typhus charged into the Black Armored Space Marine Command Squad that was still engaged in melee combat with the zombies. The Librarian and his squad fought bravely but could not withstand against the unending tide of zombies and Typhus's psychic assault. Eventually even they were overwhelmed.
After a grueling battle, it seems like most of the Black Armored Marines infantry units were utterly spent. Only the Vindicators were left. The Chaos forces lead by the Sorcerer was also completely wiped out.
All that was left are masses of zombies scattered on the battlefield, all under the command of Typhus.
The entire Imperial Swords gunline turned their attention towards Typhus. Boltguns thundered in unison, Lascannons blasting away. Several Lascannons punch through Typhus's Terminator Armor causing gaping wounds. The Herald of Nurgle falls to one knee and clutched his Manreaper tightly for support.
Just as the Imperial Swords thought that they put the Herald of Nurgle out of action. Typhus got up on his feet again and clambered forward. The Space Marines looked on with disbelief, Chaplain Dardalion immediately command his squad to fire at Nurgle's Herald.
Patching in his comm, he requested all fire power to be diverted on Typhus. Boltgun rounds ricochet off Typhus Terminator Armor, plasma balls slammed into it and was deflected by Terminator Armor's built in force field.
The Vindicare Assassin takes aim and points his Exitus Rifle at the Herald of Nurgle. Pressing the trigger, the hellfire round found its mark and punch straight through Typhus's head. The force of the shot jerked Typhus head backwards with such a force that it snapped his neck. But a few seconds later, Typhus head turns back towards the Space Marines and howled with a insidious laughter.
Pointing at the Space Marines he bellowed, "Pitiful loyalist dogs, witness the power of Nurgle in all its glory!!!!" Just then, the ground shook as Black Vindicator tank unleashed its demolisher cannon upon the Herald of Nurgle. A thunderous explosion rocked the battlefield, scattering charred body parts all over the place where Typhus stood. As the smoke cleared, Typhus still remains, holding onto Manreaper with one hand.
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| Typhus the invincible |
Before Chaplain Dardalion could issue another command, a throng of zombies smashed into their flanks. The Tactical Space Marines are engaged and stuck in melee combat. As the battle wears on, both zombies and marines fell.
Dardalion realize that there were far too many zombies on the battlefield, all which were advancing upon thier position. The Black Armored Space Marines were also all but expended leaving only two tanks left. The Chaplain had no choice but to call for general withdrawal to avoid losing more men to Typhus. For he knew Typhus would raise a new crop of zombies from all the fallen Space Marines as well as those fallen Chaos Space Marines.
As the Space Marines retreated, Typhus mocked at them. "Your false Emperor cannot protect you! Nurgle is the only God worthy of worship and Nurgle will have you!"
EPILOGUE
The two loyalist Chapters retreated from Dorumir II and returned one week later with reinforcements but found nothing. Elsewhere aboard a Chaos Warship, Typhus presides over a ritual to transform the corpses recovered from the battle into the walking dead. This battle has only strengthen Nurgle.
