Lonkelo dives into Kill Team

Every day countless battles are fought in some nameless part of the void. All but few of the citizens of the Imperium remain ignorant of these, which does not diminish the importance of the men and women laying down their lives to protect the Imperium from enemies without and within.

The scene is an Imperial Cruiser, which had been lost in the Warp for centuries, before reappearing suddenly as little more than a wreck, devoid of life. The Vostroyan 1054th regiment, the “Void Shrikes”, have been sent to secure the vessel. Unbeknownst to them, a small detachment of the Deathwatch also boarded the vessel, who, for reasons known only to themselves, attacked the Imperial Navy soldiers and seemed to want to take the vessel for themselves. Bloody battle ensued in the cold, dark husk of the once proud Navy vessel, which would become a claustrophobic tomb to many.

The mission we played was Subsidence from the Into the Dark box. Both killteams had to rush towards the subsidence edge of the killzone, where both Killteams have to secure the generators on board the ship. The ones marked three and four confer 2 victory points each, whereas one and two in the closed room at the back of the killzone confer 6 victory points each. Deployment was only allowed in the corners of the respective rooms we started in.

1054th Vostroyan First Born “the Void Shrikes” (as Imperial Navy Breachers)

• Navis Sergeant-at-Arms – Lovaisky
• Navis Armsmen (armed with slugs) – Komarov, Lihachov, Shtcherbatov & Shapovalov
• Navis Axejack – Timohin
• Navis Endurant – Gerasim
• Navis Grenadier – Alpatich
• Navis Surveyor – Lazarev
• Navis C.A.T. Unit – CR-845 “Durak”
• Navis Gunners (melta gun and plasma gun) – Karataev & Glinka

Deathwatch Veteran Fireteam

• Brother Demetrius (leader): storm shield and xenophase blade
• Brother Eziraphel: lightning claws
• Brother Terratis: bolter and power sword
• Brother Numenis: plasma gun
• Brother Quellus: bolter
• Brother Luniel: Missile launcher

The battle report got a bit out of hand, so I’ll have to post it over multiple entires.

(A small disclaimer before we kick off: I realise that this battle report is mostly from the point of view of the Void Shrikes and therefore not really an objective account of the battle 😉 )

The Deathwatch had managed to take the initiative in this battle as the Void Shrikes didn’t have any intel on enemy forces also boarding the vessel. Let alone them also being agents of the Imperium! Both forces split their kill teams to approach the objectives from two avenues.

Even though the Deathwatch made the first move, the Void Shrikes immediately showed that this was their turf: they had tapped into the system opening the main room door towards the first objective and were able to send out the C.A.T. Durak to mark its location.

Just as Durak relayed the images of the objective and its surroundings, its feed was overwhelmed by a high heat signature: Durak had been fried to a crisp by a well-aimed plasma shot.

“We’ve got contact!” Surveyor Lazarev shouted across the comms. Years of experience had taught the Void Shrikes that danger may lurk around any badly-lit corner corner. Often the hard way. Quickly Axejack Timohin and Gunner Glinka with his melta gun took up defensive positions around the closed hatch door in the northern hallway.

They rightly suspected that their enemy was waiting for them on the other side.

Lazarev felt annoyed at the early loss of yet another Durak: he would have to do this on his own. Again. The coast seemed clear for now and he steered Gerasim the Endurant across the hallway. Just as the latter took up defensive positions and secured the first objective, again plasma seared the stale air and burned into Gerasim’s shield. He felt the heat of the plasma burning through his shield, but managed to hold his position.