ProHammer Solo Campaign - The Iron Thorn Crusade 2

Time for another ProHammer solo campaign game! If you missed the first one catch it here This time the Word Bearers will be attempting a Breakout scenario using the Slip-By mission from the ProHammer mission pack. I had a lot of fun doing this as a narrative write up and am enjoying the evolving story - I hope you are as well! In case it wasn’t clear last time - narrative bits are in italics with my commentary on the mechanics/game/random interjections in plaintext. This scenario is all about the attacker (Chaos) trying to exit half their units from the Ultramarines side of the table to bypass a strongpoint.

Darkness is not just the lack of light, it is the active presence of Chaos. It is not quiet, oh no, it whispers - sibilant promises of insanity gliding across the deafening silence. It does not just lay quietly, no, the darkness claws, it scratches, ever seeking to drag its way further across all reality until we all are subsumed in its maddening embrace…. - Forbidden writings of Archdeacon Liadon, preceptor of Bractix, declared excommunicate traitoris postmortem

Shadows clung to Malrith Kyron, Ashen Tounged of the XVII Legion as he strode into the desecrated Precept House of the Bractix Expanse. Reverently, the Sorcerer Lord stepped around the shards of shattered stained glass that once depicted the Corpse-Emperor, now carefully impaled in the silent bodies of the clergy that once tended to this pitiful shrine in non-patterns more pleasing to the True Gods. He genuflected before the altar, taking a moment to admire the crucified forms of XIII legion fools slain during the last battle. Beneath each silent monument to the failure of the corpse-emperor, a member of the Apostate guard lay prostrate upon the floor. Bereft of their Terminator armor, Malrith could see the fresh wounds each had suffered during the Ultramarines incursion. Atop the broken and bloodstained altar, a seething mass of shadows stirred.

“You return, my acolyte. Is everything prepared according to the Dark God’s will?”

Varnakar’s stentorian tone was unmistakable, even though Malrith’s genehanced senses were unable to pierce the purple and black mass that hung in what was once the most sacred place in the entire Expansion.

“Yes Lord Apostle, we are prepared to do thy bidding. Your wounds…”

A dark, rumbling sound that might have been laughter or the tread of a dozen daemons about to breach the veil echoed through the shattered temple.

“Worry not about your master. It will take more than the pitiful blade of a thinblooded Librarian to end my legacy of spreading the Word of Lorgar. The Dark Gods provide”

Malrith slammed his power-armored fist against his chest. “The Dark Gods provide. Our sacred mission is clear. Break out from the XIII legion’s feeble cordon and make an offering to Chaos of the rear echelon of this so-called crusade’s siege lines. Glory to chaos!”

Forces

Once again I made forces from the 3rd edition Space Marine codex and the 3.5 edition Chaos Space marine codex. The Ultramarines have a little bit of spice in the form of a Contemptor Dreadnought and a Volkite armed Predator tank. I generated stats for both using the unit creation tool to get started then made some tweaks to get them to my liking (for example the tool recommended allowing a volkite macro-saker for the pred as an option which I discarded as that is a heavy tank option)

Ultramarines:

• Force Commander, Terminator Armor, Master-Crafted Power Weapon, Storm Bolter, Teleport Homer, Bionics Commander Thalnor Marnus
• Emperors Champion Aetius Cassian, Son of Macragge
• Tactical Squad, 10 Marines, Vet Sgt w/power sword and plasma pistol, Frag and Krak Grenades, Missile Launcher Squad Aegion
• Tactical Squad, 10 Marines, Vet Sgt w/power sword and plasma pistol, Frag and Krak Grenades, Missile Launcher Squad Invicta
• Contemptor Dreadnought, Twin-Linked lascannon, missile launcher Honored Brother Castor, Hero of the Dimek Marches
• Terminator Squad, 5 Terminators, Sgt power weapon Squad Tiberax
• Devastator Squad, 5 Marines, 4 missile launchers Squad Ordanus
• Volkite Preadtor, Volkite Culverin Sponsons Ferrum Ignis

This scenario uses the Divided Forces rules for the defender - so the Ultramarines had to split their force in half and roll to see which starts on the table and what will arrive on Turn 4. The groups were:

A: Force Commander, Tactical Squad, Terminator Squad, Devastator Squad

B: Emperors Champion, Tactical Squad, Contemptor Dred, Predator

I rolled group A. Either group is going to be hard pressed for a few turns as they must stand up against the combined might of the full Chaos force!

Word Bearers:

• Chaos Sorcerer Lord, Familiar, Gift of Chaos, Mass Mutation, Daemon Armor, Warp Focus Malrith Kyron, Ashen Tounged
• Chaos Space Marines, 8 Chaos Marines, Aspiring Champion w/ Personal Icon, Plasma Gun, Missile Launcher, Frag and Krak Grenades, Rhino Covenant of Sorrows
• Chaos Space Marines, 8 Chaos Marines, Aspiring Champion w/ Personal Icon, Plasma Gun, Autocannon, Frag and Krak Grenades, Rhino Covenant of Misery
• Possessed Marines, 5 Possessed Daemonic Talons The Twice-Born Kin
• Chosen, 5 Chosen, 5 Aspiring Champions, 4 Power Weapon, 1 Power Fist, 5 Bolt Pistol, Furious Charge, Daemonic Speed, Frag and krak grenades The Crimson Litany
• Chaos Predator, Sponson Heavy Bolters, Autocannon, Mutated Hull Vox Immateria
• Chaos Dreadnought, Twin Linked lascannon, parasitic possession Blessed Hulk of Malfetor the Damned

The Word Bearers are a balanced mechanized force, dropping some of the elite elements from last game to go for a bit more bodies. The Chosen however are a brutal close combat unit. This army book features the old school Fire-Frenzy chaos dred who may go nuts and shoot at his own troops!

Initial Setup

This deployment map calls for going long ways with two triangular deployment zones. The Ultramarines fortified their redoubt with a devastator squad, placing the Force Commander and Terminators on one flank and the tactical marines on the other for maximum flank protection.

The Word Bearers deployed obliquely, aiming to keep clear paths for the Rhinos to surge towards the breakout point while the melee infantry advanced through cover to assault the Ultramarines.

Ultramarines won the roll off and got the first turn, which may prove to be decisive!

Ultramarines Turn 1

“Yes Inquisitor, I am aware of…wait…movement! Traitor forces are rushing the cordon! Hail Aetius’ group, reinforcements to Redoubt Beta NOW!” Vox-Capture, Force Commander Thalnor Marnus

The Ultramarines hunker down, carefully positioning the terminators and tactical squads to defend the flanks of the devastators while minimizing their own exposure to fire. The devastators are in excellent position and deeply in cover (I am going to make a ton more foam hills like this) on the redoubt. They could choose to go to ground to reduce the incoming fire from the Chaos Marines, however the only chance the Ultramarines have is to slow the Word Bearers from rushing their position before the turn 4 group arrives so they choose to fire all krak missiles at one of the Rhinos, damaging its engine!

Word Bearers Turn 2

“Raise your voices to the Pantheon!” “WE GIVE THANKS “Honor the Gods with your blades this day!” “WE GIVE BLOOD” - vox-capture - cf Crimson Litany

The Chaos forces surge forward, hoping to burst through the loyalist lines before the rest of the Ultramarines battlegroup arrives. Fire from the Preadtor Vox Immateria takes down a devastator while the Blessed Hulk of Malfetor, lucid for this turn (chaos dreds have a 2/6 chance of going out of control and either running towards the enemy headlong or shooting at the closest foe twice) fails to wound a devastator with his lascannon!

Ultramarines Turn 2

“Tactical disposition Scutum - brace for traitor charge - courage and honor!”

The Ultramarines setup to maximize fire, preparing to make the Word Bearers pay for every meter gained. The Terminators unleash a wall of storm bolter fire on the Chosen but the daemonic armor deflects every single shot! The devastators stun the crew of the 2nd rhino and blast its bolter off.

Word Bearers Turn 3

Reality breaks, the eye opens, undulating non-colors spear across the battlefield as the Warp vomits forth beasts of Tzeentch

The Screamers enter the battlefield but scatter - unfortunately in the wrong direction for Chaos! Everything surges forward again, the Chosen getting in charge range (thanks to their Daemonic Speed gift). Malrith Kyron spits a foul incantation and the warp swells into the Chosen, granting them +1 strength via the Mass Mutation power! The Chaos Marines disembark from the stunned Rhino, not wanting to be bogged down for even a single moment in the push to breakthrough the cordon.

Withering fire from the predator fells three of the devastators and the last one fails his morale check and falls back off the redoubt (but auto-rallies thanks to And They Shall Know No Fear).

The decisive charge! The Chosen rush forwards making contact with the terminators. Hammer of Wrath (which they have because Daemonic Speed lets them move as cav) slays two Terminators and wounds the Force Commander! At the next initiative step (I5 - the Chosen have Furious Charge as a veteran skill) A hail of power weapon attacks fell two more terminators and leave the Force Commander on one wound. The Force Commander is a monster in combat however and his simultaneous return strokes kill three Chosen outright! The Ultramarines pass their morale check and remain locked in brutal combat!

Ultramarines Turn 3

Commander Thalnor shook the foul daemonic ichor from his Legatine Axe and forced himself to ignore the grievous wounds inflicted upon his body during the past seconds of transhuman combat. “Begone foul servants of Chaos!” he bellowed, as stormed through the slain towards the cackling Chaos sorcerer

This is the critical turn for the entire game - if the Word Bearers keep up their momentum here even the imminent arrival of the rest of the Ultramarines force may not be enough! Tactical Squad Aegion unleashes a murderous salvo of bolter fire on the Chaos Marines that disembarked from their rhino, killing half! They pass their morale check however.

The ongoing combat between the Chosen and the remnants of the Terminator squad is the critical moment - the Force Commander once again shows his prowess - slaying the remaining two chosen and wounding the Chaos Lord! The Chaos Lord misses with all of his attacks, leaving him alone in combat with the Terminator Sgt and Force Commander Thalnor!

Chaos Turn 4

Malrith spat blood from his mouth, reeling from the shining axe of the cursed Ultramarines commander. “URGHZARETH KAHNAH PLAGTH…” he began to chant, un-speech painfully spewing forth from his dislocating jaw. His warp-incantation was drowned out by a blaring vox-horn - “CALTH SHALL FALL!”

The Word Bearers not locked in combat run, everything trying to make it off board. Some poor advance rolls means nothing makes it though! The damaged engine on the Rhino is an absolute killer - that unit would have easily escaped by now with a working engine! The Dred rolled fire frenzy….and the closest enemy unti is the terminators locked in combat…Prohammer allows you to fire into combat but at great risk (for every hit you have to roll with a 50% chance to hit your own unit). The Blessed Hulk, trapped in agonizing visions of battles long ago beneath Calth, fires on the Ultramarines - and hits the Chaos Lord instead! He falls, severed in two by a lascannon beam! The Predator fires on the tactical marines but does no damage.

An act of madness or an act of treasonous revenge against the acolyte who took his place? Who can say….

Ultramarines Turn 4

Thalnor blinked away his surprise at the unexpected act of fratricide, taking only a moment to chalk it up to the madness of the enemy. Squaring his massive armor against the even larger bulk of the hulk still bellowing nonsense - Thalnor prepared to advance. As he did so - a clarion call echoed from the other side of the redoubt - Aetius had arrived!

The Ultramarines reserves arrive! They enter from exactly where the Word Bearers are trying to exit, suddenly throwing up a wall of cerulean-armored heroes blocking the breakout.

The Volkite predator cuts into the Screamers, eliminating half of them! Tactical Squad Aegion hammers the chaos marines again, leaving only one standing! Squad Invicta attempts the krak grenade the damaged rhino but to no avail. The Champion charges the possessed slinking behind the APC for cover and slays two, though he suffers a wound in return.

Word Bearers Turn 4

“The Dark Gods turn against us! Through their lines, we can lose them in the rear!

Things are looking pretty dire for the Chaos forces - with two units destroyed and two nearly dead they desperately need to get units off the board to avoid suffering a major defeat (the major insta-win condition for the defender is to kill half the attackers units). The damaged Rhino attempts to tank shock the Tactical Squad blocking the road. The Marines pass their leadership test and one brave battle brother attempts a Death or Glory shot with his missile launcher to stop the Rhino from escaping!

It uh…doesnt work. Squish.

Charges across the board as the Screamers charge Tactical Squad Aegion and the Blessed Hulk clanks into combat with the wounded Force Commander!

Force commander Thalnor unleashes his combi-melta shot and scores a devastating penetrating hit! Weapon Destroyed and Crew Stunned is rolled on the table which stops the hulk in its tracks!

Aetius cuts down one of the Possessed before falling to daemonic talons (they rolled so many 6s to wound even the Iron Halo wasnt enough!).

The Screamers do no damage to the Tactical Squad but use their special Fall Back move to surge through them, seeking a board edge.

Ultramarines Turn 5

“All units this is Force Commander Thalnor. The traitors are running. Purge them with extreme prejudice”

Rolling for variable game length, this will be the last round. The Screamers are cut down in a hail of bolter and volkite beams. Squad Invicta slays one of the Possessed before Honored Brother Castor crushes him in close combat. With that, the Ultramarines have destroyed half of the attacking Word Bearers and thus immediately win a Major Victory!

Epilogue

Within the Precept House, Varnakar the Hollow screamed in joyous rapture as his flesh painfully re-knit. The Mark of Chaos burned like an inferno upon his soul. He felt the failure of his acolyte’s breakout attempt, heard the desperate battle cries of the Covenant of Misery as they were finally cornered and slain behind loyalist lines. Doubtless, the loyalists would enter the Expansion depths now. And he would be ready…for as writ in the Book of Lorgar Scroll XIV, Verse 11-13 “And behold, I cast my Gaze upon the maelstrom, and it did not return my stare but laughed with a thousand mouths. I sought truth in the Warp, but Truth melted in my hands, flowing like wax before the furnace of divine change. Worship not with certainty, for the True Powers wear a different mask each dawn and speak with a new voice each dusk…”. As he spoke the sacred words, something stirred across the veil of reality….

What a dramatic battle! I thought for sure Chaos would easily steamroll the Ultramarines but a few bad advance rolls and some critical engine damage prevented that critical early push. The Fire Frenzy incident was amazing and is the kind of thing that just doesnt happen in modern 40k anymore. Now that the Word Bearers are contained within the Expanse, its time for the Ultramarines to go for a killing blow. Who knows what they might find however….

As for the rules, I really am enjoying ProHammer. The only minor adjustment I am going to make is dropping the Suppression rules. Its a neat concept but I forget keeping track of it most of the time and feel it adds a little bit too much clutter without a ton of value - basically when a unit is hit with more shots than they have Unit Strength they gain a Suppression token, at 3 they become Suppressed and lose some fire capability (its a lot to keep track of).

Force Commander Thalnor stood atop Redoubt Beta, surveying the carnage of the battle. He would need to join Aetius in the Apothecarium - every bone in his transhuman form ached and several of his wounds still bled. But not yet. Atop the Redoubt, Thalnor swore an Oath of Moment in the manner of old. He knew not exactly why he did this - only that some instinct deep within his soul called for it.

“By the will of Guilliman and in the name of The Emperor, I Force Commander Thalnor take this oath: Though the stars blacken and the heavens scream with madness, I shall not falter Where Chaos spreads rot, I shall be the flame that purges. So long as I draw breath, the Imperium shall not fall. So long as my armor holds true, I shall fight. For the Five Hundred Worlds. For Terra. Until the last light fades. Strength. Honor. Victory!”