Defeated but not... Retribution Campaign #2
One Page Rules - Grim Dark Future Narrative Campaign
Welcome back Toad Warriors as Task Force Kolm continues to battle it’s way to freedom!
Defeated but not…
Captain Kolm surveyed his makeshift Task Force. He could see in their eyes, the defeat brewing. It would be so easy for them to give up, wander separately into the wastes and die. He even feels it himself. His wounds fresh. How easy it would be to give up or to listen to the voices he hears in his head. The voices telling him he can survive this, if only he were to look away from the light of the Emperor.
Well he won’t and will never. So long as he draws breath, he will fight for his men and against the laughter of uncaring gods.
First thing is to reorganise the Task Force. The Captain sends the calvary units on long scouting missions. Their performance was substandard in the previous battle. His decision bears fruit! A Scout Sentinel was founds and brought back, its crew of two quickly pledging loyalty to Captain Kolm.
The cavalry also report back on a small settlement not more than a days ride. They say it is little more than a shanty town, with Imperial defences and then a factorum. Still, it would be where supplies can be found and hopefully allies.
He orders full forward march and they ride through the night.
Not Exactly Friends.
Captain Kolm’s luck quickly gives out once they reach the outskirts of the settlement. Scouts have reported large figures in power armour pacing the Imperial Defences. The Captain swears. Astartes… And last Space Marines saw Imperial Guard, they were traitors, pledged to a corrupt, now dead, planetary governor.
The Captain knows Astartes rarely forgive, and they never forget. Still, this is survival, desperate times and what not. He orders the Task Force to deploy and advance.
Forward! Round 1
The Task Force deploys in the shanty town before the Imperial Defences. The Emperor is with them, as the Space Marines have not yet manned the defences in strength. There is a window, if brief, where the Task Force can storm ahead and take the three entry points and force the Marines off the walls.
There are three objectives to take. Whoever holds more at the end of 4 rounds wins.
The Space Marines (Battle Brothers - Knight Bound) are low model count but elite. They hit and defend on a roll of 3 of a D6. Plus when a unit is wounded you roll a D6, and on a 6 they don’t take the wound. I’ll also try to note (where possible) the 40k name and the One Page Rule names of units.
Engines rumble to life, exhausted is pumped into an already polluted atmosphere as two war marines advance up the battlefield. The armoured truck of Task Force Kolm fires its machines guns into the hull of the Space Marine APC. The truck commander knows there was little hope in piercing the hull of the ancient war machine. His goal was to just keep it busy.
On the other side of the battlefield, the Task Force troopers move forward, supported by the newly acquired Sentinel. The infantry hunker down in old ruins and ready their rifles, unleashing a disciplined volley at the advancing Space Marines. Two Astartes go down
Roaring in defiance and anger, there Terminators unleash a vicious storm of bolt fire into infantry squad, wiping six of the 10 from this world. However the squads faith in the Emperor is strong and the unit stands fast!
Take Aim! - Round 2
Stomping forward, the Sentinel pumps round after round into the armoured hull of the Space Marine APC. The ancient armour, tempered in the heat of a thousand battles, deflects most, but one lucky round finds its mark.
The ancient machine retaliates but sending jets of liquid flaming promethium into the Orgyns, taking one of the hulking troopers down.
Sensing a shift in the momentum, the space marine squad advances while pumping round after round of accurate bolder shot into the infantry squad. While the Emperor’s soldiers are disciplined, the fire from the marines were too much for the squad and they broke and ran.
I got the rules a bit wrong here. The unit should have just been shaken, not routed. But it was so wrecked at this point with only 2 units left, it wouldn’t have mattered.
Knowing that the only way to counter this thrust into his lines is to meet it with equal bravery, he commands his crack veteran squad to follow him as he leaps onto of a hab block and pours fire into the advancing space marine squad. The Astartes squad is wiped out to a man.
Smirking at the arrogance of the Imperial Guard traitors, the Astartes squad on the southern portion of the battlefield unleashes bolt fire into the veterans and Captain Kolm.
The battle hangs in the balance. The Space Marines are pushing hard but the disciplined shooting of Task Force Kolm has held them back and punished their advances. Who will prevail?
Attrition - Round 3
The ancient Space Marine war machine turns its flamers onto Captain Kolm and his remaining veterans. By the time the liquid flaming promethean stops, all members of the squad and the Captain are out of the battle.
The Captain’s loss was not in vain, as it allowed the Task Force to do what it is good at, forward assaults with mechanised units. Both the Armoured truck and the Sentinel unleashed torrents of fire into the Space Marines in front of them.
The End - Turn 4
Both sides knew the battle would be over soon. Both have lost too much to force the issue any further. Plus, the Space Marines will to kill the Guard was starting to waver, as the Astartes are starting to realise this unit of Imperial Guard is fighting with honour.
The Chimera, sitting on the far flank of the battle, seizes the moment. It drives hard and fast, slamming into the back of the Space Marine APC and wedging itself into the opening of the defence line.
And with that, the Space Marine Lieutenant’s voice roars above the battlefield as he declares a cease fire. The Imperial Guard, not exactly keen on killing more of the Angles of Death, agree and the battle is done.
No units get a level up although some are getting close!
Aftermath
The Space Marine Lieutenant crosses the battlefield, stepping over the bodies of his comrades and recent enemies alike. He takes his helmet off and Captain Kolm, receiving medical attention from his burns, looks into his sad eyes.
“Captain. I have ordered my soldiers to cease fire. You and your task force have been declared heretics by the Inquisition but I see no taint of chaos in your troop. They fight with honour and bravery.”
“Thank you Lieutenant. We are just trying to survive and not be killed for the sins of our treacherous former commanders.”
“I will withdraw my forces and let you pass, but beware, deeper into city the taint of chaos grows. Those who may be friends are not. You’ve been warned.”
Hobby Update
I've worked on a few projects since last post but I really enjoyed painting these Plague Marines. Look out for them in a future battle report!
A Review - One Page Rules for Solo Campaign Play
A few people asked me how One Page Rules, Grim Dark Future ruleset was working for solo campaign play.
One Page Rules are fantastic if you like simplicity. And One Page Rules are awful if you hate simplicity. The simplicity of the ruleset is definitely the selling point of the ruleset. I like it for a few reasons:
Mini Agnostic - Bring anything you want to the battle. Minis from anywhere or even print out standees.
Unified Rules - Want to play sci-fi one week and then fantasy the next? Rules are the same.
Free Online Army Builder - Make as many armies as you want! It also tracks campaign specific stuff like XP and promotions.
It’s also what I’m playing with my local group.
What I don’t like is:
Limited Solo AI - It’s quite simple what the AI is supposed to do. Usually I just play it double sided, like how you would play chess against yourself. I switch sides and play as hard for the other side as I do for the ‘good guys’.
Limited Campaign Rules - Not much there beyond some XP and other things. It’s ok but not inspiring. Bring your own narrative.
It’s a mixed back but there is enough to keep me entertained for me.
Until next time!
Croaker.
Fun read! Makes me want to give a solo narrative campaign a shot.