CHAPTER 4 - THE GATHERING
STORM
Prologue Part 1 Part
2
Rules used for
this battle are here: Apocalypse Custom
rules; these were modified
slightly ingame for 'balance'
Land Speeder Pilot
Vespasian
Vespasian gunned the Night Hawk Argonaut forward, its grav-drive humming with power as he launched over the massive crater. Just at about the half way point Vespasian ignited the anti-grav and sent the Argonaut soaring forwards, carrying its momentum further than possible. Since the Night Hawks had made their own adaptations to their Land Speeders, it gave them an edge in this style of terrain where a normal land speeder would have taken more time to negotiate the landscape. That coupled with their innate ability to be masters of their machines allowed to them to gain purchase on their targets further forward. The Raven Guard vanguard had been fighting a losing battle. The forces of the Orks and the Night Hawks now joined by the sudden arrival of the Chaos Traitors meant that they're forces were split on many fronts. The Captain had sped forward along the flank and the walls of the gorge, safe from the battle for now. His orders for Vespasian and his fellow fast attack retinue had been to harry the forces of the Ravens, forcing them to ignore his flank thrust. Vespasian saw ahead a Rhino troop transport, it skidded to a halt and simultaneously threw itself into a wide turn. It's rear and side access ramps dropped and a full tactical squad of Raven Guard spilled forth.
Vespasian's gunner unloaded above their heads into the side of the Rhino, giving him time to get a solid shooting solution for the Typhoon missile launcher. With a sudden whoosh the missiles streaked toward their target, one of them smashing clean through the Rhino and the other detonating in the engine bay. With their transport destroyed, the Ravens took up standard Codex pattern defencive shooting, their boltguns unleashing bolt rounds towards Vespasian. He jinked his craft to and fro, the boltgun shells that did manage to impact causing no real damage. Then the warning klaxons in his helmet flared to life. One of the Ravens had brought his multimelta to bear and a searing beam of heat scored his stern and knocked out the horizontal stabilisation controls. He veered off and made his way toward the safety of a nearby ruin.
Vespasian gunned the Night Hawk Argonaut forward, its grav-drive humming with power as he launched over the massive crater. Just at about the half way point Vespasian ignited the anti-grav and sent the Argonaut soaring forwards, carrying its momentum further than possible. Since the Night Hawks had made their own adaptations to their Land Speeders, it gave them an edge in this style of terrain where a normal land speeder would have taken more time to negotiate the landscape. That coupled with their innate ability to be masters of their machines allowed to them to gain purchase on their targets further forward. The Raven Guard vanguard had been fighting a losing battle. The forces of the Orks and the Night Hawks now joined by the sudden arrival of the Chaos Traitors meant that they're forces were split on many fronts. The Captain had sped forward along the flank and the walls of the gorge, safe from the battle for now. His orders for Vespasian and his fellow fast attack retinue had been to harry the forces of the Ravens, forcing them to ignore his flank thrust. Vespasian saw ahead a Rhino troop transport, it skidded to a halt and simultaneously threw itself into a wide turn. It's rear and side access ramps dropped and a full tactical squad of Raven Guard spilled forth.
Vespasian's gunner unloaded above their heads into the side of the Rhino, giving him time to get a solid shooting solution for the Typhoon missile launcher. With a sudden whoosh the missiles streaked toward their target, one of them smashing clean through the Rhino and the other detonating in the engine bay. With their transport destroyed, the Ravens took up standard Codex pattern defencive shooting, their boltguns unleashing bolt rounds towards Vespasian. He jinked his craft to and fro, the boltgun shells that did manage to impact causing no real damage. Then the warning klaxons in his helmet flared to life. One of the Ravens had brought his multimelta to bear and a searing beam of heat scored his stern and knocked out the horizontal stabilisation controls. He veered off and made his way toward the safety of a nearby ruin.
Typhus
The surprise had been near perfect. With the fool lapdogs fighting each other as well as the Orks, his band was free to isolate the Land Raider and take the the Inquisitor he so desperately sought. All around him was the haze of death, Typhus revelled in it, the buzzing of flies and the contagions of filth making their way about the air as he dispatched marines easily with his daemonweapon.
"Lord Typhus, incoming." His retinue vox cackled to life. Overhead,
Typhus saw the cause of the warning, not one but two Raven Guard reinforcements
had arrived. The first came smashing to earth and blowing its hatches wide
open. The second at supersonic speeds impossible for him comprehend lest he was
in a drop pod himself. "Engage the newcomers, Obliterators, tear open that
Raider and prepare to assault the filth within. Raptors, prepare to assault
from the rear as their squad emerges from the pod". Typhus's men fanned out,
either gunning their jump packs or doubling their efforts at running towards the
newly arrived reinforcements. The Ravens had done well this far but soon the
prize would be his and his alone. The Obliterators pounded the Raider relentlessly, with Lascannon and melta fire but the venerated would not yield so easily. They saw ahead a way to trap the mighty machine between the cliff walls and the only road forward. The rest had been blockaded carefully by Typhus's attack pattern.
The battle had waged long and hard, the azure blue of the sky had given way to the orange hue of dusk. Night on this planet seemed to never come, the best it could muster would be a short period of low light for about thirty standard Terran minutes. Unknown to Typhus and the rest of the forces on this planet save one, this would soon give the edge back to the Ravens as the last of the three dropped below the gorge walls, the entire field was plunged into shadow.
Warboss Gutrencha
"Git inta dem ladz!! I
want that big machine smashed ta bitz and dem sum!" Gutrenchas horde sped
forward, the Land Raider in sight. Then the shadow came, plunging the gorge
into a dead sea of inky blackness. The outline of the Raven directly ahead,
Gutrencha gunned his engines. As the shoddy lamps of his bike finally found the
location of where he saw his targets, shocked worked its way across his scarred
face. "WUT IS DIZ?!?!?" More tricksiness from you humies?!" The Ravens were
gone. The sound of their engines could still be heard, but the sound came from
all around them and all directions.
Then he saw something, something
came barrelling at them from the skies. Then the night sky was lit up with a
torrent of flame, flame shaped like that of a giant Raven and it washed over him
and his warriors, igniting several on fire. The fire heralded the arrival of a
large squad of jump marines, one of them Gutrencha saw had dark blue armor and
was the source of the fire. The human said something that Gutrencha couldn't
understand, but what Gutrencha said next, everyone around them would understand.
"WAAAGHHHHH!!!!" His boys tore into the jump marines, their chainswords cut
and thrust, chopping into them but the Orks would never be brought low by
such meagre weaponry. The jump marines fell fast, outmatched and outnumbered,
brother after brother fell to the savagery of Gutrenchas mob. The last was the
blue one, he fought harder than his brothers. The flare of his axe that had
burned so brightly, now was only a dim hue. He said something again. This last
statement was not directed towards the Orks however. As they closed for the
kill, Gutrencha looked around him and his boyz, a sadistic smile on his face as
he brandished his power klaw. But something was wrong. Even for one as stupid
as Gutrencha, he could still count, his mob was missing something..."Oi!! Where
da Mork is da udders?" Before his reply came forth, a large fist struck from
the shadow, wreathed in a field or rippling power, taking the head from another
of his mob. In the darkness, blue tinted eyes shone brightly, from where there
was nothing before. "Aight then, wut have we here?!" "Time ta die!"
Then he saw something, something
came barrelling at them from the skies. Then the night sky was lit up with a
torrent of flame, flame shaped like that of a giant Raven and it washed over him
and his warriors, igniting several on fire. The fire heralded the arrival of a
large squad of jump marines, one of them Gutrencha saw had dark blue armor and
was the source of the fire. The human said something that Gutrencha couldn't
understand, but what Gutrencha said next, everyone around them would understand.
"WAAAGHHHHH!!!!" His boys tore into the jump marines, their chainswords cut
and thrust, chopping into them but the Orks would never be brought low by
such meagre weaponry. The jump marines fell fast, outmatched and outnumbered,
brother after brother fell to the savagery of Gutrenchas mob. The last was the
blue one, he fought harder than his brothers. The flare of his axe that had
burned so brightly, now was only a dim hue. He said something again. This last
statement was not directed towards the Orks however. As they closed for the
kill, Gutrencha looked around him and his boyz, a sadistic smile on his face as
he brandished his power klaw. But something was wrong. Even for one as stupid
as Gutrencha, he could still count, his mob was missing something..."Oi!! Where
da Mork is da udders?" Before his reply came forth, a large fist struck from
the shadow, wreathed in a field or rippling power, taking the head from another
of his mob. In the darkness, blue tinted eyes shone brightly, from where there
was nothing before. "Aight then, wut have we here?!" "Time ta die!"
Gutrencha
peeled off towards the blue armoured marine, whilst the rest of his squad drove
straight into the thick of the newcomers, a torrent of bolt shells thudding into
them, but never slowing their pace for even a moment. From the front of the
group, a warrior held aloft his blazing blue sword and then dropped it down with
a sudden swipe, pointing at them. The Orks recognized a challenge when they saw
one, no language barrier there as one of them revved up and charged the
marine.
Gutrencha swung hard and high, aiming to decapitate the marine on
the opening gambit of the battle, but the marine was fast, too fast. He brought
his axe up and around as he dodged the swing and knocked Gutrencha to the side,
but not off his bike. The marine's jump pack fired and he flew a moderate
amount into the air before coming down hard and fast into Gutrencha, sending
them and the bike spinning into some nearby debris. Gutrencha stood slowly and
turned towards the blue marine, his alight with psychic force.
"Sorry mate, dis is da end of da line for ya!" In answer a solid bolt shell smacked into his shoulder plate, distracting him momentarily and that was enough for the blue marine to hurl himself into Gutrencha. But this didn't knock him to his feet, Gutrencha grabbed the marine, bent his arm backwards behind his back and with a sickening pop the joint let free, the marine used his other arm to repeatedly smash Gutrencha in the side of the head with his pommel of a fist. Gutrencha grabbed it with his power klaw and squeezed shut, severing the limb at the forearm. The marine didn't care. He was fighting as though he knew his death was coming, and he must do everything he can to slow the great Ork. Gutrencha had had enough. He gave the marine a solid headbutt, stunning him, he lashed outwards with his boot and caught the marine squad in the chest, knocking him flat on his back. Nearby Gutrencha grabbed a massive boulder and strode over to the marine, he looked down into the helm of his enemy and hurled the boulder straight onto his skull.
"Sorry mate, dis is da end of da line for ya!" In answer a solid bolt shell smacked into his shoulder plate, distracting him momentarily and that was enough for the blue marine to hurl himself into Gutrencha. But this didn't knock him to his feet, Gutrencha grabbed the marine, bent his arm backwards behind his back and with a sickening pop the joint let free, the marine used his other arm to repeatedly smash Gutrencha in the side of the head with his pommel of a fist. Gutrencha grabbed it with his power klaw and squeezed shut, severing the limb at the forearm. The marine didn't care. He was fighting as though he knew his death was coming, and he must do everything he can to slow the great Ork. Gutrencha had had enough. He gave the marine a solid headbutt, stunning him, he lashed outwards with his boot and caught the marine squad in the chest, knocking him flat on his back. Nearby Gutrencha grabbed a massive boulder and strode over to the marine, he looked down into the helm of his enemy and hurled the boulder straight onto his skull.
Night Hawks Librarian
Tacitus
Tacitcus ducked and swung. The Raven Guard elite were fast, faster than they should be clad in their Terminator armour. This was the last remaining outlet of their vanguard resistance. However it was a potent one. Their claws tore effortlessly through Tacitus comrades, but they would prevail. They must prevail. Should the Inquisitor/Demon make it off planet, all would be lost. Tacitus brought his staff wide and held it aloft. From the staff came a congealing light that covered his body and slowly his human parts turned to iron, and with it, he gained a new found strength and toughness. He crashed headlong into the leader of the group, one of two left standing at this point. Tacitus and the command squad had done well, blocking the terminators from interfering with the Captain's flank assault and keeping their Master of the Forge free to fire his conversion beamer. Their resistance was all but whittled down to nought, the Raven Guard had paid dearly for the time needed to press onward, unhindered. And that seemed all for nought with the arrival of the traitor. Brother Caspar took the one of the terminators down finally and all that remained was their Sergeant, and his claws slashed and sang, each one taking a marine or vital component of their bikes out of commission. Tacitus turned and with his ironbound frame struck out, but his attack was parried by the sergeant, and the counter-attack was fierce and precise, aiming directly for Tacitus's gorget. He managed to turn his head the other way and duck below the strike, lashing out with his feet but the tactical dreadnought armour was strong, and would not succumb to so easy a blow. He instead rolled to his left as both claws came down towards him and jumped back up. The sergeant moved quickly, bring both his claws forward as he dove into Tacitus. Tacitus parried and held the claws in his staff, their arcing energies spitting in all directions and he looked into his attackers eyes and locked them there.
"This, my honoured brother was a sad waste. It did not have to be so.." And with that he ignited his force staff, sending unbearable heat through the weapon and vaporized the sergeant until there was nothing left.
He strode back to his bike and mounted, "Prepare to chase after the Captain, Emperor pray we are not too late."
Tacitcus ducked and swung. The Raven Guard elite were fast, faster than they should be clad in their Terminator armour. This was the last remaining outlet of their vanguard resistance. However it was a potent one. Their claws tore effortlessly through Tacitus comrades, but they would prevail. They must prevail. Should the Inquisitor/Demon make it off planet, all would be lost. Tacitus brought his staff wide and held it aloft. From the staff came a congealing light that covered his body and slowly his human parts turned to iron, and with it, he gained a new found strength and toughness. He crashed headlong into the leader of the group, one of two left standing at this point. Tacitus and the command squad had done well, blocking the terminators from interfering with the Captain's flank assault and keeping their Master of the Forge free to fire his conversion beamer. Their resistance was all but whittled down to nought, the Raven Guard had paid dearly for the time needed to press onward, unhindered. And that seemed all for nought with the arrival of the traitor. Brother Caspar took the one of the terminators down finally and all that remained was their Sergeant, and his claws slashed and sang, each one taking a marine or vital component of their bikes out of commission. Tacitus turned and with his ironbound frame struck out, but his attack was parried by the sergeant, and the counter-attack was fierce and precise, aiming directly for Tacitus's gorget. He managed to turn his head the other way and duck below the strike, lashing out with his feet but the tactical dreadnought armour was strong, and would not succumb to so easy a blow. He instead rolled to his left as both claws came down towards him and jumped back up. The sergeant moved quickly, bring both his claws forward as he dove into Tacitus. Tacitus parried and held the claws in his staff, their arcing energies spitting in all directions and he looked into his attackers eyes and locked them there.
"This, my honoured brother was a sad waste. It did not have to be so.." And with that he ignited his force staff, sending unbearable heat through the weapon and vaporized the sergeant until there was nothing left.
He strode back to his bike and mounted, "Prepare to chase after the Captain, Emperor pray we are not too late."
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