28mm Warfare AAR: AAR: September 15, 2012

Several high-profile mercenaries have taken up residence in this area. The space marines have eyed each of them as potential recruits...they badly need new initiates to replace their losses stemming from these constant clashes with the seemingly endless orkz. The orkz have eyed these mercenaries as well...as potential snackz! Warboss Chainsaw has a craving for "Humanpeno Popperz," and will not be denied! The two belligerents arrive on the world and begin advancing towards their objectives. What will be the fate of these mercenaries? Will they end up serving the Emperor? Or will they end up being served as an appetizer?

Capture and Control Mission with 4 objectives.

5x6 table. There are 4 mercs scattered
about the table. One is on the triangular rock formation in the center. 2 are on the hills at the southwest and northeast corners. The last is hiding in the easternmost trees.

Objectives will be shown in the iconic maps as black circles. The color of the circle indicates which player has control of each one.

Orks versus Space Marines with 1511 point limit.

Chainsawz Ladz:
HQ - Warboss
Elites - 15x Kommandoz with Boss Blackgutz (2x Burna)
Troops - 14x Boyz (Nob, Rokkit)
Troops - 14x Boyz (Nob, Rokkit)
Troops - 14x Boyz (Nob, Rokkit)
Troops - 7x Nobz (1x Power claw, Twin-linked shootaz, Cyborks, Painboy, 3x Ammo runts)
Troops - 18x Gretchin (Runtherd with grot-prod)
Fast Attack - 3x Deffkopptas (Twin-linked rokkits)
Heavy Support - 3x Lobba gunz (6x Extra crew, Runtherd, 3x Ammo runts)
Heavy Support - Deff Dread (2x Extra power claws)

"Dese mercs'll werk fur us -- and dey likes it, or we stompz em till dey do!!!"

Dark Purifiers
HQ - Captain
HQ - Librarian
Elites - Dreadnought (Power fist, Multi-melta)
Elites - 10x Terminators (2x Cyclone missile launchers, 2x Chain-fists, Power fists)
Troops - 10x Tactical Marines (Flamer, Missile launcher)
Troops - 10x Tactical Marines (Melta, Heavy bolter)
Troops - 6x Sniper Scouts with Sgt. Immortus (Missile launcher)
Fast Attack - 1x Marine Biker

"These mercenaries show promise...perhaps they will become initiates for our chapter!"

Space marines win the initiative and elect to set up on the north end. The lone biker enters the field on the west end, intending to use the rocks as cover as he speeds towards one of the objectives. Tactical squad 1 sets up on the other side of these same rocks. The terminators are situated in roughly the center and are accompanied by Captain Drakon. The dreadnought places himself between the terminators and the remaining tactical squads; squads 2, 3, and 4. Squad 4 begins the battle accompanied by the librarian.

After infiltration, the snipers take position in the open field, just ahead of the dreadnought and tactical squad 2. The space marine force ends up looking like a firing line, ready to sweep the field in a long arm as they advance upon the objectives.

The ork war machine ends up being much more concentrated (and numerous) than their foes. Warboss Chainsaw and mob squad 1 is near the center, directly across from Captain Drakon and the terminators. To their right is the nob squad, followed by mob squad 2. The deffdread and 3 koptas stand in between mob 2 and mob 3. The lobbaz set up shop on the southern high rocks. Boss Blakgutz and the gretchin remain in reserve. Hmmm...

LET THE CARNAGE COMMENCE!

Warboss Chainsaw is too hungry to steal initiative, so the space marines proceed. Tactical squad 2 already controls one of the objectives, and elects not to move. The bike turbo-boosts its way around the rocks and trees to the western edge. Tactical squad 1 moves along the rocks to get a better vantage point of the battle. Captain Drakon splits his terminator group into two, taking the first group to the west of the triangular rock while the other group goes to the east. The dreadnought stomps up along side the second group of terminators. Tactical squad 3 stays put, but tactical 4 advances along the base of the hill. The Captain and his terminators fire through the cave in the triangular rocks at the nobz! Storm bolters wound 1, while krak missiles kill 2. The dreadnought shoots at mob squad 2 and kills 2 with his storm bolter and vaporizes another with his multimelta! The heavy bolter in tactical 2 fires at mob 2 and kills one boy. Tactical squad 1 fires at mob squad 1, but the effort is fruitless. Tactical squad 4 fires at mob squad 2 and kills 2 additional boyz. Tactical squad 3 fires a krak missile at the deffkoptas and hits! The pilot proves extremely resilient and only suffers a wound, however! (we incorrectly applied instant death vs. bikes in this instance) The snipers fire at the lobbaz and between frag and precision shooting, 5 grots are obliterated! Mob squad 2 has suffered heavy losses already, and the nob is forced to make an example of one of the boyz trying to flee, squashing him in an effort to "maintain diziplin'."

What you see here is a result of the bloody affair. Dirty work, killing orkz...yet as the space marines reload their weapons, the orkz move to retaliate!

The deffdread charges forward, eager to get the enemy into its terrible clutches. The koptas also charge forward and fire at the dreadnought...to no effect! Mob squad 2 moves up to the trees and secures one of the objectives! Mob squad 3 runs forward and uses part of the rocks to cover their advance. The nobz move up and shoot at the snipers...killing one! Mob 1 advances forward fires its rokkit at the hated Captain...only to have him nonchalantly swat it aside with the back of his hand! It explodes harmlessly off of his master-crafted artificer armour! The lobbaz unload its ordinance on the Captain's squad...wounding him and killing one of the terminators!

After the firing is complete on both sides, the end of turn 1 looks like this...2 waves building up momentum, ready to crash into each other at any moment!

The bike continues to speed across the map, intent on harassing the lobbaz. The dreadnought moves forward and fires its multimelta at the deffdread, immobilizing it! Tactical 4 continues to advance and fires at the deffkoptas. The accompanying librarian is denied a psyker power, but bolter fire brings down the wounded deffkopta! A well-placed plasma shot from the sergeant wounds another! Terminator squad 2 shoots at the deffkoptas, to no effect! Tactical 3 brings down the wounded kopta with its missile, while rapid fire bolts wound the last one! Tactical 1 continues moving forward and fires at mob 1, killing 2 of Chainsaw's ladz. The Captain's terminator also moves forward and fires everything it has into mob 1. Cyclone missiles kill 10 boyz, while storm bolters cut down the last 4! The entire group is gunned down in a small, private hell! The snipers continue firing at the lobbaz, missing with the missile but killing another 2 grots with sniper fire. The lobbaz are pinned from the relentless assault! Finally, tactical 2 fires at the remaining deffkopta...blowing it out of the sky with well placed bolter fire!

The carnage! The horror! Can the orkz return the "favor?" Lets find out!

The gretchin serendipitously arrive from reserve and cut off the biker, gunning him down and ruining his effort to tie up the lobbaz! Boss Blakgutz elects to remain in reserve though, biding his time. Mob 3 continues to run forward, using the rocks to block line of sight. Mob squad 2 fires at the terminators, but no shots yield any hits. The nobz, now joined by Warboss Chainsaw (who suddenly found himself very alone a moment ago), charge the dreadnought and manage to hack apart something vital-looking...BLOWING IT UP in a bright, multi-coloured explosion! The injured nob dies in the explosion, however. "OH WELLZ," bellows Warboss Chainsaw, "More humiepeno poppaz for me!"

With the score tied, each player controlling one objective, we move to turn 3!

The librarian breaks off from his group and heroically moves towards Warboss Chainsaw'z group! Maybe he wants to give the Warboss a library card to improve his woeful grammar. No, this does not turn out to be the case! Librarian uses smite! It is not very effective! Tactical 2 also fires into the same group...and is also not effective! Tactical 4 moves towards and fires the meltagun at the deffdread, but misses! Terminator group 2 shoots at the lobbaz, but the storm bolters are out of range. Cyclone frag missiles kill 2 grots, however! The Captain and his group of terminators fires at Warboss Chainsaw and his ladz...wounding the Warboss and an additional nob! Tactical 3 also fires at the Warboss...but an errant frag missile explodes near the snipers! Neither group is wounded. The snipers shoot at the nobz and kill one with a krak missile! Tactical 4 rushes the deffdread, who just now seems to be getting its mobility back...and wrecks the horrible machine with a well-places krak grenade! The Captain and his entourage assaults Warboss Chainsaw and his ladz in an epic showdown...and 2 nobz are brutally butchered! The librarian moves towards the Warboss himself...and sucks out the mighty ork'z soul with his force staff! No snackz for Warboss Chainsaw this day!

It is horrible! It is terrible! It is butchery! Where is OETO (Orkz for da Eth'kul Treetment of Orkz) when you need them?!

All is not lost, however! For (the now) Warboss Blakgutz chooses to arrive on the scene, and bellows the WAAAGH!!!! One wonders if his delay was a planned effort to become the new warboss. Hmm...anyhow, he arrives in the worst possible place for the space marines, ambushing tactical 2 from the rear and neutralizing their control of the objective! His group cuts down the entire squad of marines, at the cost of only 1 kommando! The lobbaz fire at terminator group 2, trying to take out the hated cyclone missile launchers! However the terminators shrug off an obscene amount of hits like an umbrella under rain. Such is the power of the mighty terminator armor! Mob squad 3 rounds the rocks and attacks the librarian, ripping him apart for killing their beloved Warboss! What remains of the nobz assaults the Captain's squad, trying to slow them up. 3 terminators are felled! However, the cost is great as both the painboy and the remaining nobz are brutalized.

Despite heavy losses, the orkz are actually winning at this point in the game! They control 1 objective to the space marine's 0! Can the straggling and diminishing ork forces hang on for a victory?

Needing objectives, Captain Drakon orders the snipers to flee into the triangular cave to secure the mercenary there! However, their run is mired by corpses and confusion and they do not get very far. Tactical 3 fires into the newly arrived kommando unit, killing 3 with a missile and another 3 with rapid fire bolters. Even Warboss Blakgutz suffers a wound from the swarm of bolts! Tactical 1 moves towards the objective that is being challenged by the gretchin, and fire at the enemy group! 5 grots are scorched by the flamer like burnt popcorn, and other is blown apart by a bolter! Captain Drakon breaks off from his terminators and fires at mob 2, but the heavy cover prevents any wounds. The terminators that he previously accompanied fire at the lobbaz, busting one of the mighty guns and wasting a grot for good measure! Tactical 1 assaults what is left by the panicking gretchin and cuts 7 of them down...they flee the field in terror! The last terminator in group 2 charges mob 3...but his powerfist proves to be too slow and cumbersome, as he is butchered before he can even swing it.

Many interesting developments give the orkz hope...can they capitalize? Lets see how they react!

The lobbaz return fire at the terminators, but no harm is done. mob 3 moves towards tactical 3 and kills 2 marines with slugga fire! Warboss Blakgutz is on to the snipers and their plan, and moves to intercept! Mob 2 attempts to shoot a the snipers, but is largely out of range! Mob 3 assaults tactical squad 3on the hill, but only manages to kill 1 marine. The kommandos assault the snipers and kill 3 of them! Blakgutz himself personally rips apart a 4th! The snipers manage to kill 2 kommandos in the melee, and Sergeant Immortus gives Warboss Blakgutz another wound for his trouble.

This one might come right down to it, folks! Will the terminators and the captain get back to their objectives in time? Can the ork scoring units be stopped? How will the orkz respond to the certain impending capture of an objective by tactical 1? Stay tuned to find out!

As expected, tactical 1 moves in and takes the objective uncontested. The terminators advance towards mob 2 and unload, but the orkz have gone to ground, giving them cover which prevents and deaths! They are rejoined by the captain, who then assault the cowering orkz! 6 boyz and the nob are crushed in the ensuing scrum! The captain is wounded again, however...and a terminator falls. Without their nob though, the boyz panic; and in the confusion, are brutally chunked by powerfists and thunder hammer! Mob 3 is wiped out and the orkz lose control of the objective! Tactical 3 fights back against he orkz coming up the hill, but it proves to be little more than playful slapping as neither side is injured. Sergeant Immortus and Warboss Blakgutz end up showing each other their battle scars instead of duking it out (we forgot to resolve this assault, a very bad mistake that ended up favoring the space marines).

The lobbaz elect to fire at the terminators in an effort to pin them...however once again, the shells fail to harm the mighty armored veterans. Warboss Blakgutz is enraged that Sergeant Immortus indeed has more impressive battle scars and that his entire troop of kommandos saw as much, so grizzled sergeant is ripped apart for "winning" that competition. The last squad of boyz finished off the marines on the hill, but not before 1 boy is killed and the nob is wounded.

Wow, look at this situation. LOOK AT IT. One ork scoring unit in range of an objective. One ork unit in position to tie up the only space marines in range to contest. The score is currently 1-0 space marines, but this could easily be a draw. The next moves and rolls will be critical!

The Captain and his men move towards the ork boyz. They fire! 2 boyz are killed by storm bolters. They continue by assaulting what is left of the boyz...and CRUSH every last one! The entire mob is wiped out! The orks have no units left capable of capturing objectives!

It's looking bad! The only hope the orks have is that they can get their kommandos to the space marine objective to neutralize it before the game ends! That, or kill tactical 1 with the lobbaz! Neither option looks promising!