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hello friend
Arcane
C
Chapter 6: Messapia Mountains
You set out to reach the base through the mountain. You aim to avoid meeting more Imperials, even though that means you'll have to cross difficult terrain to reach your target, guided only by the hazy memories from the brain you devoured earlier. At first you can follow barely visible trails going in the right direction, until you reach a wide wind-swept plateau overlooking a lake, its clear water reflecting the skies of a war-torn planet. But the landscape is marred by a rockcrete Aquila, spreading its wings on the ridge in defiance of the biting winds. Is it some kind of pilgrimage destination? Or just what an official plunked down to remind anyone passing in this deserted corner of the planet that it belonged to the Imperium.
But you don't care and just swear, cursing the Emperor and those who had built yet another reminder of his Imperium before ordering Frax to smash down the sculpture, which he does with relish, toppling it on the dust of the plateau.
Forward, the way becomes more difficult, with many chasms and small valleys cutting your way, forcing you to climb up and down unceasingly on the rocky slopes, the stones smoothed by the elements making for treacherous footing.
====✳====
You were at the bottom of one those crevasses when you heard the low howl of turbine engines. Guided by instincts sharpened by thousands of battlefields on hundreds of planets, you quickly hide under overhanging rocks, as the sound is too smooth to belong to the average Imperial flyer, but rather indicative of high quality or an ancient construction (though those two quality usually go hand-in-hand in products of the ever-decaying Imperium). And any who could command such aircraft is sure to spell trouble for you.
From your hiding spot you spot the flyer at low altitude, its boxy shape and hard angles typical of Imperial craft, but as you suspected, it belongs to none other than an Adeptus Astartes chapter. The pattern of the craft is unfamiliar, much smaller than the Thunderhawks and Stormbirds you knew from the eras of the Great Crusade and Horus Heresy, likely derived from a STC discovered since then, but you recall having seen them in hands of loyalist space marines a few times across the centuries in your excursions in the Imperium.
"Subjucators." Even if you couldn't spot their chapter symbol, the bright green livery adorning the craft is enough to identify them. You had already faced them on the edge of the Eye of Terror decades ago (though in Materium time it would have be closer to a few centuries), while on a raid for the circle of fallen.
"Sons of Dorn" adds Zephus, mostly for Frax's benefits, who has yet to face space marines loyal to the corpse-god. Dredging back memories, you remember marines as relentless and brutal as the Iron Warrior nemesis of their parent legion. They might have changed since then, but most of the Imperial institutions are too calcified and hidebound for that to be likely.
The flyer continues in the direction of your current target, on a downward trajectory, indicating that it might land at the Makrimalli base.
"Looks like they're going to the same place as us. Could be a good way to get off this damnable planet, compared to whatever the guards use here." points out Frax.
"If it's still there when we arrive. And it will likely be defended by space marines, which are more dangerous than guards, even to those blessed by the Gods like us." retorts Zephus.
"There would be much glory to be won in killing Dorn's get. But we'll see when we arrive to Makrimalli." you conclude, before resuming your trek.
====✳====
You finally arrive on the ridges above the Imperial base. The ridges were barren of any defense, either the Imperial were deluded enough to think no one would attack from that direction or just incompetent? No matter and that allows you to observe the place quietly.
The base itself is set on the floor of a narrow valley, at the foot of steep-sided slopes. Apparently it was the only place in the massif where they was enough flat ground for the base to be built. The base is a large mix of various military buildings, like barracks, mess halls, offices, supply stores, mustering fields, training grounds... built with a wide variety of construction materials and styles, alongside a hodgepodge of civilian buildings, likely catering for the off-duty soldiers and housing those who lived alongside them. Defenses are present on the edges of the base, but mostly concentrated on the North and South ends, facing the floor of the valley. Toward the South, you can spot the airfield, which is rudimentary, just a group of aircraft landed around a flat expanse of rockrete used as landing strip, with a few facilities and a small tower at one end. Most of the aircraft seem only capable of atmospheric flight, but some should be able to take you into orbit.
On the opposite side of the base, towards the North, you can see there's been an attack recently, successfully repulsed by the Imperials: the open fields in front of the defenses are covered in craters, still-burning wrecks and the dead bodies of cultists and mutated beasts, though the damage was not one-sided, as some of the defenses got visibly overwhelmed, with bunkers broken open, destroyed vehicles, machine gun nests over-run and clumps of dead bodies showing where desperate melee combat took place. Some of the buildings behind the defensive line were also set ablaze and clouds of black smoke are still rising from them, partially obscuring the landscape. By your reckoning, the failed attack is quite recent, around the time your ship crashed on the planet.
Around the mid point of the base, you spot the space marine aircraft on a small landing pad, half-hidden between other buildings. Closer to you, you also see what would be the strategium commanding local forces, surrounded by more defenses and sporting a cluster of antennas, which would allow to receive updates on the strategic situation.
"Do you think they'd have intel on the situation in orbit?" asks Zephus, who has also seen the building.
"Why would we need that? We can just board any ship once we're up there, no?" asks Frax, who've never shown much knowledge in orbital dynamics. But that'd come with experience, if he survives long enough to acquire it.
"Yes, they should have access to such. And, yes, Frax, we could board any ship, but knowing in advance what it's carrying could be helpful, or even finding if there are still ships from the Crusade. And knowing in advance where to fly to would make our escape much easier." you answer.
"In addition to that intel, we'd be able to ruin their chain of command, maybe even give them false orders, not that would make much difference for the rabble loyal to the corpse-emperor, considering how incompetent they usually are. So it'd be a worthwhile objective to strike before going to the airfield." adds Zephus.
"Though it seems well-defended. And there might even be some space marines there, as their flyer is landed close by." says Frax.
"Talking about that flyer, it should that have a good enough auspex suite that the intel from the strategium would be redundant. But there will likely be marines there too. Another possible option to escape that planet. But either way we'd have to strike fast if we want to not get swarmed by reinforcements." says Zephus.
"Don't worry, the Dark Gods are with us." you says, while continuing to ponder the situation.
The day is coming to an end, the setting sun adding an orange glow to the scene below you; though it will soon be in the shadow of the mountains surrounding it. But despite the time, the base is still a hive of activity, with reinforcements arriving from the South, with others leaving on the same side of the base, maybe going to the crash site of your ship. On the other side, it seems that scouting platoons are returning, while motorized groups are leaving, possibly in pursuit of survivors of the attack.
From your position on a ridge above the middle of the base, you can easily choose where to attack, either in the North, middle or South of the base. The defense to the North are damaged, in the middle you'd be close to both the strategium and the landed space marine flyer, while in the South you'd be right at the airfield.
In addition to where you'll attack, you'll have to choose the manner of your attack, either trying to be more discreet or going loud right from the get-go. Even if you aren't an infiltration specialist and think that skulking in the shadows is more befitting to the sons of Alpharius or Kurze, you can infiltrate and have done so in the past. On the other hand, a direct attack is what space marines are made for, acting as line breaker, heavy shock infantry opening up defenses and then carving a bloody path in the vulnerable areas behind; but even then you are only three marines against comparatively a considerable amount of forces and you could get surrounded and overwhelmed by such numbers.
So where and how will you attack:
A) North
1. Infiltration
2. Assault
B) Middle
1. Infiltration
2. Assault
C) South
1. Infiltration
2. Assault
D) Write-in if you have a different idea
AN: lotsa words to set up the choice (at least it felt that way when writing). Where you attack will condition which of the targets you'll be able to go after
Also I'm not completely satisfied with how I'm writing Zephus and Frax; maybe I should have prepared them more, maybe with tics/personality traits that are easy to use.
I'm leaving tomorrow morning on holidays, so I don't know when I'll be able to check the thread.
C1
The south seems to be being denuded and a night-time break in should allow us to meet minimal resistance. In and out, hopefully avoiding the marines altogether. This seems to me the safest plan but I will admit carries the small risk that we find nothing orbital worthy.
I'm not enough of a 40K nut to know how commonplace and quality nightvision equipment is but my understanding might be straying into D) territory to even post-pone the attack until dark (though presumably the infiltration setting up will take enough time this isn't necessary). If it is uncommon a night attack should effectively neutralise the ranged firepower of the dwindling airbase guards and allow us to nick a flyer and get out of Dodge with minimum mucking around.
It's subtle but I quite like it. I think how the factions are characterised has varied wildly from writer to writer in 40K (and I personally liked the 90s style of the setting the most).
The south seems to be being denuded and a night-time break in should allow us to meet minimal resistance. In and out, hopefully avoiding the marines altogether. This seems to me the safest plan but I will admit carries the small risk that we find nothing orbital worthy.
I'm not enough of a 40K nut to know how commonplace and quality nightvision equipment is but my understanding might be straying into D) territory to even post-pone the attack until dark (though presumably the infiltration setting up will take enough time this isn't necessary). If it is uncommon a night attack should effectively neutralise the ranged firepower of the dwindling airbase guards and allow us to nick a flyer and get out of Dodge with minimum mucking around.
It's subtle but I quite like it. I think how the factions are characterised has varied wildly from writer to writer in 40K (and I personally liked the 90s style of the setting the most).
A night assault seems a good idea if we're going to the airstrip. The Marines will have full autovision from their suits, but I assume the IG won't.
Can we make an estimate, or at least put a ceiling on, the number of Marines here? Based on the size of their ship?
Can we make an estimate, or at least put a ceiling on, the number of Marines here? Based on the size of their ship?
The space marine ship is an stormraven, but Procrus doesn't know the name, since it was introduced post heresy. From its size he's estimating a maximum capacity of 10 to 15. Of course that doesn't mean the transport was full or that all marines are combat effective.
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Killing proper spacemarines would be a sacrifice worthy of the dark gods though...
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Yeah This.
North and south are full of activity so middle is the best place for getting the jump on them.
B2. We're more than a match for anything less than a dozen of the puling servants of the Corpse God, especially blessed as we are by the Dark Gods. And Frax is past due for blooding with Space Marines. These dogs will do nicely.
Andnjord
Arcane
B2 for me as well. Accessing the Strategium for more info and obtaining a Stormraven sounds nice, and I guess we might cause enough chaos and mayhem to get away with it, maybe? Although I feel like the shock and awe would allow us access to only one location, not two as that would take us too long and give the worshippers of the corpse-emperor BLAM! enough time to react and overwhelm us.
B2. We can lead our team, but well, if they happen to die, then what do we care entirely? They will be worthy offerings to the dark gods, and if they survive well we can fight again another day together, or wait for one of them to inevitably betray us.
So the vote seem pretty one-sided:
C1 (South infiltration)
oscar
B1 (middle infiltration)
Endemic
B2 (middle assault)
vazha, ERYFKRAD, Kalarion, The Brazilian Slaughter, Andnjord, Major_Blackhart, Hello Friend
C1 (South infiltration)
oscar
B1 (middle infiltration)
Endemic
B2 (middle assault)
vazha, ERYFKRAD, Kalarion, The Brazilian Slaughter, Andnjord, Major_Blackhart, Hello Friend
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Endemic
Arcane
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My bad, I meant to type B1.
The space marines in the bases are Imperial Fist successors, not Fist themselves, so it doesn't mean they'll be siege specialist. For example other Fist successors like Crimson Fists and Black Templars aren't siege specialists.
And from what Procrus remembers from last time he faced them in battle, they weren't specialised in siege anymore than other space marine chapters.
Same with the history of the Executioners and their successors, though rumors abound of potentially chimeric Geneseed or worse...
Edit: I keep reading the title as rapepig
Edit: I keep reading the title as rapepig
hello friend
Arcane
B2
If we get flyer we maximise our options. The Auspex will give us a situation update, and we'll be able to choose whether to pull a scheme off of our new intel or get the fuck out of dodge in our new flyer. The strategium can't fly, a serious point against going for that first.
If we get flyer we maximise our options. The Auspex will give us a situation update, and we'll be able to choose whether to pull a scheme off of our new intel or get the fuck out of dodge in our new flyer. The strategium can't fly, a serious point against going for that first.
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The problem with preparing for a siege is that you are unprepared for an assault for other forms of attack. Or something like that. I mean 3 marines do not a siege make.
Depending on the chapter and preparations, they should be able to repel an assault if they're coordinated enough. However, this isn't so much an assault as it is 3 psychos running in and killing shit in what boils down to a murder raid.
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A feat exceeded in its idiocy only by how unexpected it is.
That's why it's genius. The loyalist corpse worshippers will never expect it. Their feeble minds can't comprehend the powers of the dark gods.
This isn't going to end well, And That's a Good Thing.
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I mean a Heretic getting the Emperor's Mercy is a good thing in my book.
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