The Campaign for Azmodov 7: Assault Phase

Even though the forces of Pax Arcadia had beaten back the Recce attempts from the Emperor's Children, the assault inevitably came.  While perhaps not as pinpointed as it might have been, had the information been fully transmitted back to the fleet in orbit, they descended in their landing craft.  Fireballs lighted up the dawn, as the forces landed on the soil of Azmodov 7.  The tide of extremities had arrived, and the beleaguered Pax force had to hold out against the overwhelming numbers...

So, scenario 2 in our Future War Commander narrative campaign that Nemesis and me are playing out, and this time the Pax only have half the points available of the Marine Corps troops.

The scenario objectives are that within the timespan of 10 turns, you must break the opposing battleforce.  Failing this, causing 25% casualties results in a minor victory instead.

I opted for the bigger models in this force, with two knights, minimal regular marine troops, a heap of commanders and decent armoured support.

The Pax force had various tanks surrounding a very big and heavy one, and supported by various classes of infantry.  A big artillery piece was lurking of the table to try and pin as much as possible every turn.

And so the table was set up, now using some more regular buildings compared to the rural table we used before.

Turn 1

Using orbital deployment, my force landed in the centre of the table.  I opted then to spread out a bit, because the Pax would arrive by Mobile deployment, and with command 10 and 9 I should be able to return to the fray quickly if they arrived away from my forces.

But as my anti infantry predator trundled forward, an ambush sprang and the little tank was duly blasted to pieces.  One of the infantry stands then got shot up from the returning fire as well.

On the other flank, smart missile troops appeared and opened fire on a Land Raider, but failed to take the machine out, though they suppressed it.

As the Pax took their first turn, a mighty barrage rained down on the front battlegroup, causing no casualties but supressing the commander, leaving him unable to order commands in the next turn as a result.

The Pax arrived on the tabletop, concentrating on the southern edge of the table and both groups arriving there without issues.  Opportunity fire didn`t do that much unfortunatly, and the first knight was swiftly decimated by the tank batallion.

At the end of turn one, it looked good for the Emperor`s Children, and now the forces would need to return and take the battle to the Pax...

Turn 2

Well, most of them started to return to the fray at least.  The shooting phase wasn`t to spectacular though, even though the CO`s group managed to do some serious supressing to the Pax.

In the Pax face, the artillery seemingly fired straight upwards, resulting in a blunder but the machine managed to escape it`s own barrage unharmed.

The artillery pieces of the Emperor`s Children where taken out, and for the second time they came to the table these 175 points each machines did nothing.  A career of off-table artillery support awaits them from now on...

The Pax line held without to much problems and started to break through the front most battlegroup as a result even as their officer blundered and fell back to it`s table edge as a result.

Turn 3

And it all starts going very very sour now for the Emperor`s Children, as two commanders botched out on their first order, bringing the force to a standstill.  Only the central Land Raider got a couple orders through, destroying some smaller tanks in the process.

And then the CO failed it`s orders again and the whole force did next to nothing.

The returning concentration of artillery didn`t cause any casualties or suppressions again, but that was about the last thing that went well for the pink Marines.

Some conscripts bravely charged the recce Land Speeder, but where thrown back as a result.  Another commander was overrun though and fell back as a result.

The western flank was now being in the process of being annihilated by the mass of Pax infantry, while the centre stood to a complete stand still, and my 25% point was reached.

Turn 4

Again the Emperor`s Children start failing their orders, and do right about nothing for the whole turn... this is getting terrible, including an officer managing to get -2 command for this and next turn...

The barrage from the Pax again didn`t cause any effects, but the battle would probably reach it`s climax in this turn as all I could do was react.

While I was pushed below my breakpoint in this round, so was the Pax force by my opportunity fire, and that meant my one chance was that Nemesis would botch his roll at the end of his turn.

Which he of course didn`t.

Turn 5

Nearing the clock of midnight, this would be the last turn.  At my end, I would test with a -3 modifier already, but it never came to that.  I failed every single roll (my CO for the third turn in a row) to give orders, but did pass the botch out roll... and duly threw the towel as a result.

So the Pax where victorious against overwhelming odds.  Maybe I should`nt have spread out in the beginning to cover more possible arrival points, but what hurt me the most where the failings of the command rolls.  Spread over the last three turns, with 5 officers on the board, I managed to give a grand total of 6 orders... that`s abysmall with command 10 and 9!!!

Well deserved, the assault has been stopped for now, and next time it will be scenario 3 in which it seems I will have to cover as much ground as possible over the game, and staying alive in the process...

Commander Carlyle couldn`t believe what he was seeing.  Even though his small army was in shambles and on the verge of breaking off the engagement, when the enemy suddenly started to withdraw.  Apparently, seeing them bicker amongst themselves for most of the time, this had cost the invaders deerly, and as they got gunned down by his forces, they seemingly lacked any form of communication...