The Ruins of Medusa V: The Engagement of Vanquish Vally

1st Expeditionary Regiment -Veterans of Medusa V (Represented by a DKoK list) 

Lady Lieutenant Reave.

The ‘Fleet Regiment’ was holding a defensive position overlooking a forested valley to the west of Hive Perseus. Their two Earthshakers and three Heavy Mortars were ready to respond to any enemy that advanced on this flank although strategic analyses had suggested this was unlikely.  As the morning fog began to lift from the valley a Sergeant from the 3^rd squad alerted the two lieutenants (Creswell and Reave) to the sound of cavalry approaching. Before either of them could ready the men, Colonel Ackland, commander of the 3^rd Brigade- Macharian Thunder Guard, stormed into the camp with his horse frothing at the bit. He was accompanied by his mounted command squad and a further 10 veteran cavalry troopers. Lady Lieutenant Reave snapped a salute and called “Officer on parade…”  But she was curtly drowned out by the red faced Colonel - “Stand too; Chaos is here; Nurgle Marines, Commence Bombardment! Lieutenants! Fan the men out! Cover the Guns and Hold Fast!”

Deployment- a poor shot from my mobile (sorry!)

‘Chaos?’ thought Reave. No this was wrong. In fact no part of this deployment was right at all. Using all of her skills as an officer, a women and someone who gets her way, she had been moved to this flank specifically. It was meant to be quiet. Nothing on this whole approach to the hive. Secondly, the whole reason for being moved here was because this was where Lieutenant Champion was meant to be! On arriving however, she found that that information had not been worth the bribe that she had paid for it. Now she was not only not being wooed by the dashing Lieutenant Champion but she was going to have to fight off some rotten, fowl, smelly marines that should have died 10 millennia ago. 

With her train of thought ended, she quickly snapped back to reality. The ever diligent Lieutenant Creswell had the situation in order, barking orders at the sergeants…. Then WOOOSH POOW! A deadening white light flash blinded her. Lieutenant Creswell and his command squad were obliterated by a salvo of heavy plasma blasts. “This shit just got real” she growled adjusting her cap and drawing her powersword…

Two units of three Obliterators had dug in on the other side of the valley and were trading blows with the artillery. Meanwhile, a squad of melta toting marines rounded the ruin to the Guard's left. Reave saw them in time give off a snappy “first rank fire…” and was drowned out the sound of las beams smoking rotten flesh.

The Colonel, still mounted, continued to order the artillery to fire [on my target] at the obliterators but the shots kept falling wide or were shrugged off by the enemy’s heavy armour.

With concentrated las fire holding the marines at bay to the left and right a wild looking daemon prince on wings burst from the valley to the front of the Guard force.  Reave fired her las pistol at it in sheer desperation as did her command squad. A lucky las beam stuck the daemon in the right eye and it stumbled momentary.

Like the stuff of legends, Colonel Ackland and his Thunder Guard cavalry burst forward between the guardsmen, lances lowed and charged to explode.  As they approached, the fowl daemon spat a challenge at the valiant Colonel. While his horse reared up at the demonic insult, the Colonel simply laughed and yelled “Into em boys!”. Riding in close formation, 14 lance tips blew the creature into chunks before it vanished back to the warp.

15 cavalry move forward between the ranks to charge the daemon. 

As if on cue the warp storm in the heavens momentary destabilized. Bolts of lightning fingered across the battlefield and the wind picked up. Both forces had no choice but to withdraw and lick their wounds.

In truth, Lieutenant Reave was grateful that it had been Creswell and not Champion on the battlefield that day. Then she immediately felt guilty for thinking it. It was going to be sometime before she would be able to forget the image of that first plasma salvo.

Lieutenant W.R.Creswell 

Lieutenant Creswell, William Rooke. KIA after seven years of service with the 1^st Expidionary Regiment of Foot (Imperial Navy). A charismatic officer that should have made Captain or Major by now if it wasn't for the bureaucratic mess of  convening the 'Fleet Regiment' promotion boards. He is survived by two younger brothers as well as a son and daughter presently attending Imperial schooling on Praetoria. As both his heir and daughter are now classified orphan and hence Progena, the young Master and Miss Creswell are awaiting transfer to the Schola Progenium on Terrax and Avar III respectively, by the honour of their late father.

Master Creswell will be ‘specially’ schooled due to his latent psychic aptitude. If he survives, it is likely that Master Creswell will one day help meet the Emperor's levy of psykers, join the Adeptus Astra Telepathic, or receive further training as an Inquisitor Acolyte.

Miss Creswell has been designated for the Order of the Sacred Oath of the Adepta Sororitas, due to her aptitude at language and high education (for a Praetorian). She will serve the Imperium well as a Sisters Dialogous.

The protests of Lieutenant Creswell's brothers concerning the designation of these Progena are inconsequential.

The Emperor Protects. 

This narrative briefly coves my first real 6th ed game. Even though it was only 1000p  we were a bit tied up with the rules and so unfortunately didn't have time to finish the game. Nether of us had the upper hand so we called it a draw (although I'm sure I could have won). I have decided that for all of my games played in 6th ed I will kill off any officer that dies in battle (thanks Colonel Scipio). Also I have been randomly rolling or each of my officers to see who is present to fight the battle.
Keep an eye out for a future posts explaining how I work out if an officer survives or not....