Medusa V: The Lost Magistratus

Not all of the civilians made it off Medusa V when the storm came.  It was assumed that they were killed. They were, but they didn't stay dead!

I finally went and brought a copy of 6^th ed from my GW and I was dying to give it a go, so I thought a small solo game was in order.  I also wanted to try out Spyrle’s custom solo mission, but in the end I ignored a few rules (+2 attacks to traitors on the charge, the ‘They came from the warp’ rules,  and the ‘traitors must fire first’ rule). It wasn’t that I didn’t like them, but I could see with the force that I had put together those additions would have made it too one sided. Really I wanted to see how 6^th played out with two matched infantry armies and there was enough other stuff to try and remember! All the other rules in the scenario worked really well, so I may give it a full go another time.

The story:

On arriving in low orbit around Medusa V, Major Holtman of the 1^st Expeditionary Regiment of foot (Imperial Navy) was ordered to lead a surface night-time raid from the Grand Cruiser Praetoriae Vindictam to Johanne's Island.

After the ‘Rapidity’ contracted, many imperial teams were sent to the surface. One of these teams was an administration group (Gamma-Epsilon 7) that wanted to survey the planet to log the wealth and recourses that would be recoverable in the storms window. Gamma-Epsilon 7 has been missing for several days now, but 28 minutes ago an SOS message was received from the ruined Administratum building 12km south east of the teams last known position on Johanne's Island. Major Holtman has been ordered to shuttle to the surface with 2 platoons and conduct a quick recon of the area and recover any members of Gamma-Epsilon 7 that are found.

Holtman was chosen as he not only was deployed to Johanne's Island in the original Fall of Medusa V, but he spent more time on the planet surface than any other officer in the regiment. Holtman suspects that he was actually chosen because of the stories about him. His Company took part in 25 battles of the original campaign, of which they won 21. Glorious stories are told about the company and the ‘old man’ that lead them. Holtmans suspect that the new regiments CO, Col. Cromwell, wants to see if the ‘old man’ can live up to the stories and again be the ‘Hero of Medusa V’. Truthfully, he would rather sit this one out and have his boys live longer. But he is no coward. To spare a few of his men from returning to that hell immediately, a platoon of the 40^th Praetorian Line will accompany his first platoon- Emperor knows they are itching for action and their share of glory and death.

The Armies:

1^st Expeditionary Regiment of foot (Imperial Navy)

Command Squad- Power Fist, Flamer ---70p

Infantry Platoon

Platoon Command- Power Weapon, Melta gun, Standard ---65p

Squad 1- Plasma Rifle, Heavy Bolter --- 75p

Squad 2- Flamer --- 55p

Squad 3- Missile Launcher ---65p

40^th Praetorian Line Regiment

Infantry Platoon

Platoon Command- Power Weapon, x4 Grenade Launchers, --- 60p

Special Weapon Team- x3 Grenade Launchers ---50p

Blob Squad- 30men, 1 Commissar,  x4 power weapons- 225p

= 665 P

Traitor Army

Veteran Squad -Plasma Pistol, Power Weapon, Heavy Flamer, x2 Grenade Launchers, Demo Charge, Grenadiers --- 180p

Storm Trooper Squad- Power Weapon --- 175p

30 Zombies- 150p

30 Zombies- 150p 

(for these I used the apocalypse data sheet rules. I was going to use the Siege of Vraks rules but I personally like the apocalypse zombies better.)

= 655 P

The brief pictorial battle report:

Just before I started I decided that really it would be better to have the Storm Troopers infiltrate. 

First Blood- But the night fighting rules really made it tough to make those kills.

Two Grenades were enough to take out Squad 2 (flamer squad).

Fire on my target cut down a few cover saves.

The Gunned up Vet squad was really the star of the Traitor force.

I couldn't believe they made so many saves! I did lay 84 shots into them!

Only 4 traitors and 27 zombies left against a still strong Imperial force. 

With the blob squad gone the Zombies moved in...

After the assault was over, the 40th platoon command squad moved away from the carnage but lobbed 4 grenades back at the zombies to soften them up. An (un)lucky grenade scattered into the Major's close combat!!

It killed 2 traitors giving the major the edge again... 

In the apocalypse rules all casualties from zombie close combat turn into zombies on a  roll of 6.

The squad cant keep running away...

4 Zombies left on the other side of the ruins.

Some how the young 2nd lieutenant killed a zombie and avoided being bitten. Then the zombies failed even with a brainless leadership of 10!

Wow. How did that happen?

On the traitor side, the Vets were the strongest unit killing more than half of the Imperial force before being wiped out.

 If Major Holtman had been killed I would have retired the miniature.  It would have been a fitting end to the old man that once was the hero of Medusa V. But in true Hollywood style-  He lives to fight another day! Somehow I think there will be more danger for him to come...