Warhammer 30k Horus Heresy escalation campaign day, 750pts

Here are some pictures from our 750pts Warhammer 30k Horus Heresy escalation campaign day we had in May.

I would be fielding my Solar Auxilia that can be seen here: http://kampgruppe-engel.blogspot.se/2017/05/solar-auxilia.html

I waited far to long for this after action report so I think I have forgotten some things from the event unfortunately. Sorry for that.

Here is a small picture of my Prime for my Veletaris Storm section with power axes (simular to a sergeant) lifting a head from an unknown Xenos creature encountered.
I think I will have to take a better picture of him another time.

First game
My Solar Auxilia would face of against Eriks Sons of Horus.

Fluff update part 0.6.4
Incoming transmission...
Receiving...
Tactical Update - Labelled Urgent.

Heavy losses on the confederate troops blockading Aerelon have been confirmed. Evacuation has been classified as a failure. Relief-forces and four surviving confederate light frigates have managed to retreat in serviceable condition, together with elements of the Astartes. The forces have reported to be heading toward Scorpia to resupply. Indications seem to point toward a concealed EFTC (East Fringe Trading Company) station. Requests for a monetary transaction to cover "Replenished stocks of equipment and manpower" have been received and forwarded to the military high command to consider. We do also wish to point out that any EFTC station present on Scorpia would be a violation of the Traders Act 182 ¶3 regarding the Confederations' exclusive trading zone. Enact sanctions as you deem suitable.
We have raised query as for the status of the troops still trapped on Aerelon. Initial replies simply read "May the Emperor have mercy on their souls."
Transmission ended...
Transcribing datafiles and assigning storage space...

The Solar Auxilia have fortified what was left of an old settlement and had built an airstrip and some defences on Scorpia. These were not fully operational or manned when the sudden redraw of the Imperial forces from the planet Aerelon and the Traitors following them in hot pursuit.


The Sons of Horus strikes out of the morning mists and the Solar Auxilia forces of the East Fringe Trading Company scrambles to the defence.
On the table there were a couple of objectives that could be picked up and carried to safety.

My axe fielding Veletaris tries to pull pack as the Sons of Horus storms over the empty trenches.

Standing still and trying to take as many as possible of the Traitors with their lasrifles down as possible proved to be a bad idea...
The Veletaris are carrying their objective away as the Lasrifle section tries to sell their life as dear as possible. A short duel is played out and the Troop master of the Lasrifle section didnt really stand a chance...

In the end my positions where totally overwhelmed but my axe Veletaris hid at the edge of the table securing me 2 of the objectives resulting in a draw. I took heaps of casualties and I lost control of the other 2 objectives in the last turn as my last two Velearis with Volkites where taken out by the big blob of Marines. Had they survived that last round it would have been a Loyalist win instead.

One of the highlights of the game have to be the lone surviving Sons of Horus Sergeant with a power fist. He was the last survivor of his squad after a murdering bombardment of shells and bullets. He got really really angry and charged my Dracosan with Demolisher cannon in the hull and in just one round of combat he made it explode and something like 8 out of 10 Veletaris inside died with it.

With some regrets I didnt use the Axe Veletaris as speedbump for the 20 man Marine unit as I wanted to see how they fare against marines but in the end I decided that even a hand to hand orientated unit from Solar Auxilia probably didn't have the slightest chance against that and in the end they gave me the draw result so I thing I did the right decision.




I took some quick pictures of the other tables, not nearly enough to show all the splender but better then nothing.
 
Word Bearers vs Raven Guards

Night Lords vs Iron Hands in a Zone Mortalis style game

Solar Auxilia vs Night Lords

In this part of the ruined city some valuable information had to be captured before the Traitors moves in. The problem is that they are already here and are also searching the buildings...

A really intense game with Linus. There where a couple of really tight moments and turns in this game. Some extra events like finding heavier guns and attacks of zombies spiced it up even further.

When a unit entered a building with a potential objective we would roll a dice that could result in an bobytrapp, nothing or actually finding a objective or a

I didn't take nearly enough pictures of this game

The Night Lords Stormbird was nerfed by the umpire to just have the skimmer rule instead of flying to compensate for something that extreme at these low points.


In this game my axe Veletaris saw close combat, they got charged by jump infantry and actually hold them up for a turn or two and inflicted casualties. Had the enemy not had a apothecary this could have been interesting... But they got smooched in the ruins they tried to hold. To bad, that apothecary was fielding a special weapon he had found in the game that my Veletaris Prime maybe could have taken if he had bested him in a challenge, but that was not to be. The weapon in questing was a bolt pistol with special radioactive ammunitions.

My Lasrifles section overextended their line in an attempt to capture multiple objectives but out of nowhere a unit of Zombies emerged and charged in. This tied me down long enough to hinder me capture an objective and a unit of jumpack infantry could charge me when I was not ready or in a position to strike back.

I tried to keep my Dracosan back in this game and use it as a regular tank. Keeping it back in an attempt to protect it vulnerable and big sides.

In the end the Terminators charges in and even thou I had taken some of them down, when they are this close there will be no miniatures left...

As I had managed to secure some objectives early on I think this game actually ended as a draw or maybe a minor victory for the Traitors (Linus have to correct me if I was wrong here).
I didnt have many men left but thats irrelevant for the objective securing.





Mega battle
The Loyalist where defending the outskirts of a town and have a defence line manned when the Traitors strikes from all sides...

But we managed to seize the first turn.

As I had the Dracosan deployed before the enemy it had the rear against the enemy, good thing we seized that first turn.

I moved the Dracosan and had a perfect line to the rapier batteries... But I managed to roll a 11 on the scatter and the shot landed nowhere near the enemy.
And later in the enemies first turn the rapiers managed to take my Dracosan out in one salvo..

My Strategos calls down Precision bombardment, trying to take out the Word Bearers rapier batteries in an attempt to save the Dracosan from retaliation but scatters on top of the Emperors Children HQ instead...
All but the Centurion is smashed, saved by the fact that he got down. But atleast he dont have any bodyguards and is down next round.

The Emperors Children Centurion is attacked by zombies out of nowhere.

Veletaris with Volkites tries do damage those foul creatures... They are wounded but not downed... Those must be some kind of Xeno mercenaries carrying the Word Bearers colours. To bad I didnt take them out, they could be interesting to dissect by the Xeno Biologus Maguses I have accompanied my trading company.

 Raven Guards charges in...

Zombies charges in and the Conteptor is charged...

The Emperors children are overwhelming my position. 

Sons of Horus is overwhelming the Iron Hands even with some Raven Guard support.

I had a small number of Veletaris with Volkites holding the big objective when a angry but wounded Emperors Children Centurion charges in with a thunder hammer... But that meant that my Veletaris Prime (sergeant) with a charnabal sabre strikes before him and actually managed to make a 6 to wound on his hit resulting in a rending attack on his 1 wound remaining character. But... he had managed to get a object that gave him a one use 4+ invulnerable save from previous games of the day and that saved his ass... Even with the help of a lone Space Wolf all my Veletaris was eventually smashed and the middle objective secured by the Traitors.

The game ended as a Minor Victory for the traitors securing 2/3 of the main objectives.


In the end of the day the final result of the games where deemed a Minor Victory for the traitor forces. This means that the Loyalist are pushed back even further in the grand campaign.

Trojan Support Vehicle, Death Korps of Krieg

Here are my Trojan Support Vehicles. With a new edition of Warhammer 40k and probobly new rules for these from Forgeworld I thought it was about time to finish them. I just love kitbashing strange vehicles together.
I had bought two Chimeras in bad shape second hand and have now given them new life and a new role as armoured ammunition carriers.

Description

The Trojan is a workhorse used by Imperial Guard armoured regiments as a towing vehicle for artillery platforms and as an armoured ammunition carrier, ferrying extra ammunition to the platforms once in position. Each Trojan is equipped with a crane to lift heavy crates of ammunition from it’s hold.

I think I will deem these finished. You could always ad more details and so on but as these are gaming miniatures and not display this is more then enough.
I painted the crewmember as a member of the artillery according to German ww2 colouring standards but Im not sure if it would have been better to paint him belonging to another branch, maybe the pioneers, transport?

Both hull guns are magnetised and the crane is moveable and interchangeable between the vehicles.


It was a little to bright light when I took these outside.

Some work in progress pictures can be found at the previous entry:  http://kampgruppe-engel.blogspot.se/2017/05/trojan-support-vehicle-for-my-death.html

Trojan Support Vehicle for my Death Korps of Krieg, WIP

Here are some work in progress pictures of my two Trojan support vehicles for my Death Korps of Krieg.

I just love to have those support and engineering vehicles to my force.






I started with two second hand Chimeras in rather bad shape...
Lots of plasticard and different bits.

After the rough shape was built I added rivets, from an discarder water filter. A drop of plastic glue and tweezers.

 After this it was time to add extra ammunition and extra gear.

Here are some pictures from late this night, I could have added so much more bits to these but I got to many projects and had to call it a day.

 After a black primer

After a brown primer, I sprayed from a angle and left some parts at the bottom unpainted as I wanted the black to darkened it down for me, a sort of quick zenith lights with black and brown primers.

And now I can start paint these babies. I will give these my regular camo pattern and the white markings as my other tanks. I have thought about adding a mascot like a pin-up or something in freehand but with the amount of things on these vehicles it could be a little to much.


Edit: Here are the Trojans, now painted:
http://kampgruppe-engel.blogspot.se/2017/06/trojan-support-vehicle-death-korps-of.html


In the future I would love to field a whole armoured company or an artillery company with all the support.
Something along the lines of these...

Solar Auxilia

In a surprise for our clubs 30k Escalation campaign I have painted a 750pts Solar Auxilia army for our 750pts date and reviled it at the event.
Many late nights and lots and lots of coffee are the backbone of this force...

This will be a big post so bear with me.

Here we have my 750pts Solar Auxilia force for Warhammer 30k Horus Heresy.

Solar Auxilia Tactical Command Section

My Veletaris with power axes. The Prime (sergeant) of this unit have found a foul unknown xenos and took its head.
I bet he will carry it around for some time until he can give it to a Magos Biologis for further study.

In the background you can see a Solar Auxilia Lasrifle Section. They are carrying a lasrifle, a long ranged variant of the famous Lasguns that the Imperial Guards are carrying in Warhammer 40k.

A Dracosan Armoured Transport.
I have paid some extra points to upgrade its weaponry from an twin-linked Lascannon to a Demolisher cannon, this upgrade also changed the transport capacity from 20 to 10 but for that extra punch I think is a deadly option.
It is transporting a Veletaris storm section with Volkite charges, a short range weapon with quite a punch.

The plan is to add some camo patterns in dark green later on, some insignia and more details but this is all I could manage in time for the gaming event. I am rather pleased of it as it is so Im happy.


I will not go into detail what the Solar Auxilia is but have gathered some links at the end of this post for those interested.
Think of the Imperium of man as the Roman Empire, the Space Marine legions are the Roman legionaries but the bulk of the forces comes from auxiliary forces such as barbarian tribes, mercenary soldiers or compliant states sending troops. Its the same with the Imperium of man, the elite force is the Space Marines but the bulk of the total army would be different types of auxiliary forces.
Before the outbreak of the civil war of Warhammer 30k Horus Heresy about 20-25% of the Imperial forces would be Solar Auxilia.
As their name suggests their origin comes from the Sol system. But not from holy Terra and instead from the Saturnyne Ordo from the moons around Saturn. The Emperor managed to incorporate the Saturnyne Ordo into his Empire in the Age of unification in a peaceful manner and could thus command their fleet that was by far the most powerful in the system and their expert void forces would set the standard of doctrine, training and equipment of what is now the Solar Auxilia.



My idea and made up fluff for this force is that it is the personal army of the Noble house of Dãvalos and their East Fringe Trading Company.
The Nobles are interested in wealth and business opportunities and will use their contacts in the higher command echelons, the contacts with the other noble families and the power of their trading company to
In the campaign games of our escalation campaign they have started to move some of their forces in to the system of Lacum Itineribus but most of the family and companies are elsewhere.

I want to include xeno tech in the officers equipment and will try to incorporate this interest their back story as it progress.

I will borrow some ideas from the historical East Indian trading companies of different nations as well as the Spanish forces in the Caribbean.


The plan is to include forces of Magos Biologis instead of the Engineseer option I can take as an Elite in the Solar Auxilia army but use the same rules. This will represent the Nobles bringing in experts to capture and study xeno animal and plants for their many gardens and palaces.
I must include at least one servitor with a butterfly net catching smaller xenos for studies.




The inspiration for paint scheme comes from different sources. I wanted a blacked iron metallic armour and dirty brown/yellow clothes.

And I wanted some details in red to break up the more boring muddy colours. This will be more prevailing in the officers and nobles.

For the tanks or vehicles I wanted to be able to borrow some of my Death Korps of Krieg collection and have because of that planed to paint then inspired by German ww2 colours.

I have as of now not decided on the noble house of Dãvalos colours or insignia. I am thinking on a red background and maybe incorporate a Griffon or a Capricorn in the design. Any ideas or thoughts would be appreciated.




Here follows the story of our campaign as I and the Gaming master started to work them in to the campaign and on the morning of the same day as the event I announced the army for everyone to see.

Fluff update part 0.5.1
Incoming transmission...
Recieving...

A signal bearing the imperial code of recognition has been detected, sent on a uncoded transmission.
The signal was collected near the gas and mineral asteorides of the Gordoch cluster, a small swarm of asteorides at the outer part of the system.
-This is the Gabriella, signal ship of the 'East fringe trading company' under the noble house of Dãvalos.
These rocks are under the protection and custody of the 'East fringe trading company', bearing the letter of Marque and full monopoly of mineral mining of the Gordoch asteorides and its close area.
Any action hindering the mineral mining will be met with military force.
Any information or help in locating future company interests will be handsomely rewarded by the Noble house of Dãvalos.
At the moment the East fringe trading company are particularly looking at exotic native xeno plants for the House gardens, arsenic and iridium as well as trading rights in this system.
Transmission ended...
Transcribing datafiles and assigning storage space...

Fluff update part 0.6.2
Incoming transmission...
Recieving...
Reports from spies on the ground have reported that some kind of agreement have been struck between the Confederation and the East Fringe trading company.
Ships and scanning satellites from the trading company have been detected moving more to the central more important planets and moons of the Lacum Itineribus system from their initial areas around the Gordoch asteorides.

Indications of blockade breaking smuggler ships have also been noticed to the Brotherhood controlled areas.
The traffic seems to have increased after several reports of explosions and coordinated lootings from local Art and Historical museums.
No informations on forces behind this have been confirmed.
Further investigations on these matters are continuing.
Transmission ended...
Transcribing datafiles and assigning storage space...

Fluff update part 0.6.3
Incoming transmission...
Recieving...
Tactical Update - Labled Urgent.

Distress signals have been reported from the ship blockading Aerelon. The communication servitors had initial troubles transcribing the incoming messages due to hostile attempts to interfere with the signal.
Information seems to suggest that the fleet has managed to disable the planets' orbital defence system after a surprise attack. The ships then came under attack as enemy vessels arrived out of warp travel, intercepting the fleet dispatched by the Confederate high command to relieve the forces stranded on the planet. We have been unable to assertain losses, but we have reason to suspect that our forces are conducting emergency evacuations from the planet. Other sources have confirmed that the loyal Astartes Forces that recently made planet fall on Aerelon have made a tactical withdrawal and left after sustaining considerable losses.
We await further updates.
Transmission ended...
Transcribing datafiles and assigning storage space...

Fluff update part 0.6.4
Incoming transmission...
Recieving...
Tactical Update - Labled Urgent.

Heavy losses on the confederate troops blockading Aerelon have been confirmed. Evacuation has been classified as a failure. Relief-forces and four surviving confederate light frigates have managed to retreat in serviceable condition, together with elements of the Astartes. The forces have reported to be heading toward Scorpia to resupply. Indications seem to point toward a concealed EFTC station. Requests for a monetary transaction to cover "Replenished stocks of equipment and manpower" have been recieved and forwarded to the military high command to consider. We do also wish to point out that any EFTC station present on Scorpia would be a violation of the Traders Act 182 ¶3 regarding the Confederations' exclusive trading zone. Enact sanctions as you deem suitable.
We have raised query as for the status of the troops still trapped on Aerelon. Initial replies simply read "May the Emperor have mercy on their souls."
Transmission ended...
Transcribing datafiles and assigning storage space...

 

Fluff update part 0.6.5
Incoming transmission...
Recieving...
Orbital scanners - Gemenon.
Multiple ships have been reported as arriving out of warp travel. Their signal carries the mark of the Custodian Guard.

Recieving audio-script - Labled high priority.
"This is Ersor of the Custodian Guard, sent under direct command of the Emperor. I request the military high council transfer to my ship within the hour. Failure to do so will be considered treason and be dealt with thusly."
Transmission ended...
Transcribing datafiles and assigning storage space...

Fluff update part 0.6.6
Incoming transmission...
Recieving...
The East Fringe Trading Company are pleased to announce the recent contract signing that ensures the establishment of friendly relations between the glorious Imperium and the Company executives. As a gesture of good faith, the Company has agreed go restock and resupply the Imperial forces currently enscansed in Scorpia. Any payments and/or contracts of trade or exclusive rights are subject to clausules of censure, but the EFTC would warn any mining enterprises to vacate the Gordochian asteroid belt. Failure to do so will bring just retribution by the EFTC under imperial sanction.

Transmission ended...
Transcribing datafiles and assigning storage space...

And with the last part here under I revealed pictures of my army as it looked when I took some pictures the day before the event ( and before that last night painting..)

Fluff update part 0.6.7
Incoming transmission...
Receiving...
Following the recent tactical redeployments after the traitors successes from Aerelon, a further deal have been struck with the East fringe trading company and the noble House of Dãvalos.
The private armies of Dãvalos will join under the Imperial command.
In return the House have been granted trading rights, grants of land, sites to muster and enforce as well as tax reductions and a strange request of forgiveness to their souls.

It will take time for the noble House of Dãvalos forces to fully converge with the Imperial forces under Astartes command but a small detachment are already in the area. Further reinforcements are promised.
Transmission ended...
Transcribing datafiles and assigning storage space...

For those interested in the Solar Auxilia I can recommend these links


The Varangian Heresy Podcast
https://soundcloud.com/user-782565824/episode-12-all-hail-the-elf-lord-plus-the-solar-auxilia


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WqCStazjGSo&t=1s



http://warhammer40k.wikia.com/wiki/Solar_Auxilia

http://wh40k.lexicanum.com/wiki/Solar_Auxilia


https://1d4chan.org/wiki/Solar_Auxilia



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