Battle Report
Battlefleet Gothic
The Defence of Research Station Sigma
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[Password and vox scan required /triple platinum encoded data file\]
[Identification confirmed - Access granted
Thought for the day - Your sins against the Emperor will find you out]
Background
On Hirsath Prime's sixth moon the Adeptus Mechanicus research facility lay hidden in a deep fissure, heavily
shielded and concealed from prying eyes. In its gloomy eco-modules Imperial tech-priests laboured hard to
decipher the contents of a newly discovered STC tablet, in who's long forgotten and garbled remnants may
lie the key to various long lost plasma technologies that would be an invaluable aid to the Imperial Navy
that was even now struggling to repel the threat of Chaos throughout the Gothic sector. With their research
rated as being of the highest priority [classification triple platinum] Imperial Battlegroup Dante has been
diverted for their protection until a dedicated defence force of orbital batteries, mine layers and defence
monitors can be towed to the system. Meanwhile the whispered tales of a secret installation have come
to the attention of Grantius Red Maw, a newly elevated Chaos Warmaster who is eager to prove his loyalty
to his Gods and prevent any of his rivals deposing him as he did the last Warmaster. Despite making several
gruesome examples of those who have doubted his ability to command, Grantius knows all too well that only
success will keep him in power. Thinking the Imperial facility would be easy pickings he was surprised to be
engaged by a full Imperial Battle Group on the outskirts on the Hirsath system, but he vowed nothing was going
to stop him reaching his prize that was so tantalisingly close. The following communication intercepts were
recorded by the scribes on Adeptus Mechanicus base and together with a few fragmented eyewitness reports
from the Imperial crew members they help document this battle for mankind's future amongst the stars...
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The Fleets
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Battlegroup Dante - Imperial
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Admiral Marius Dirk on the Victory (two rerolls, Ld 9)
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125 points
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Emperor's Fury - Emperor Class Battleship
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345 points
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Victory- Retribution Class Battleship
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365 points
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Emperor's Grace - Mars Class Cruiser (upgraded guns)
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285 points
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Hammer of Justice - Dominator Class Cruiser
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190 points
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Orion - Lunar Class Cruiser
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180 points
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Imperial Might - Gothic Class Cruiser
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180 points
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Alpha Squadron - 3 Imperial Sword Class Frigates
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105 points
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Delta Squadron - 3 Imperial Sword Class Frigates
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105 points
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Wild Cards - 4 Cobra Class Destroyers
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120 points
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Total
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2000 points
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*I know this is technically an illegal fleet with too many battleships for too few cruisers but its
all the models I had a the time. Two Dauntless light cruisers (one of each variety) are currently in the post.
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Grantius' Crusade - Chaos
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Warlord Grantius Red Maw (one reroll, Ld 9)
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100 points
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Red Maw's Revenge - Despoiler Class Battleship
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400 points
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Destroyer of Faith -Styx Heavy Cruiser
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290 points
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Unholy Contagion - Carnage Class Cruiser
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180 points
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Killfrenzy - Slaughter Class Cruiser
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165 points
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Divine Heresy - Murder Class Cruiser
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170 points
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The Damned- 5 Infidel Class Raiders
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200 points
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The Unforgiven - 4 Infidel Class Raiders
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160 points
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The Red Devils - 6 Iconoclast Destroyers
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180 points
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The Vultures - 5 Iconoclast Destroyers
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150 points
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Total
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1995 points
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The Setup
The Imperial forces deployed in two main groups, an assault force under the command of the Victory
and a carrier group containing the Emperor's Grace and Fury, the Cobras and with a squadron of Swords
for close defence.
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The Battle
** This is the Victory to all ships, we have the traitorous scum on our forward sensors. We are
moving to intercept. Execute battleplan alpha-gamma nine. The Emperor expects each man to do his duty.
Victory out. **
The assault force squared up against the bulk of the Chaos ships while the carrier group hung back and tried
to keep the enemy at a distance. The Chaos forces were roughly opposite mine, although they were slightly
more spread out. The scene was set for a classic clash of good [The Imperial Commission for the Moral Truth
has amended the last word from its previous version in the interests of the public good] vs evil.
** This is the Emperor's Fury, scrambling attack craft and coming about to hide in Hirsath
Five's shadow. Sensors show Emperor's Fury is doing likewise and our Cobra escorts are taking up
forward defensive positions as planned. For the Emperor! **
=+ Imperial ships? They dare to confront me? Let us show these misguided fools how
real men fight. If they think their puny puppet Emperor will protect them they are sorely mistaken.
Anybody who fails me to will answer for it after the battle and I promise it will not be pleasant.
Grantius Maw out. +=
** All ships, launch torpedoes! Lets give these heretics a taste off Imperial hostility
they won't forget in a hurry. **
The Imperial ships launched an impressive volley of torpedoes at the heretics opposing them. Throughout
the battle the torpedoes did little damage, but nicely broke up the attacking Chaos fleet, especially Infidels
who were forced to abort their own torpedo runs on a number of occasions. The highlight was a resounding
hit up the Despoiler, causing four hits on the mighty Chaos Flagship. Double rum rations for the men of the
Imperial Might tonight!
=+ All ships scatter. Those pathetic Imperial fools have launched their torpedoes. I will have
the head of anybody who lets their ship get hit. Grantius Maw out. +=
=+ [internal comm - Red Maw's Revenge] Helmsman? May I have a word?
[sound of screams and other wet, tearing noises]. Faustius, remove those remains and get someone else
to pilot this ship. And Faustius, they had better be able to steer better than that corpse.
Do I make myself clear? +=
** [internal comm - Emperor's Grace] Sir, all transmissions are being blocked. All we
are getting is looped message. Trying to clear up the interference. Sir, its the Killfrenzy! **
Leading the surge down my left flank which was threatening my carrier group was the Killfrenzy and
her Iconoclast destroyers. She must have had demon anti-ordnance gunners (in this case it could be
literally true) as she shrugged off effortlessly all the bomber wings I had been hording.
** [Third Officer Tangus] The Killfrenzry and its escort of destroyers came out of
the planet's shadow, engines at maximum. I saw a whole flights of Starhawk bombers commence
their attack runs in near perfect textbook fashion, a sight to stir the heart, but as they neared that
hulking monstrosity its turrets opened up at roughly 2,000 kms out and devastated our brave pilots.
Those few who made it in were easily driven off and only a few plasma missiles found their mark,
none causing significant damage. I swear by the Emperor that ship had the Dark Ones luck. That is,
until we got got her in our sights at close range and gave her a full broadside. No one escapes the
Emperor's Grace. **
Then my luck changed and I crippled her with a mighty broadside from the Emperor's grace.
Although the obvious cause of her downfall was the self evident superiority of Imperial gunnery,
it may have something to do with fact I actually remember to lock on at this point! With the Grace
being unable to launching any further attack craft (jammed hydraulics, the rating responsible is
answering to the Fleet Commissar as I type) and the Cobras engaged in a running battle with the
enemy escorts, nothing much more of note occurred on this flank.
** [internal comm - Orion] Two Chaos cruisers off our starboard bow. They are charging all
weapons systems. Incoming weapons fire. All hands brace for impact! I repeat, all....[static] **
** [Admiral Marius Dirk] Hell's teeth! That last volley looked like it took the Orion's bridge
clean away. Damn the impudence of that Chaos scum. Mr Peters, if you will take us into the middle
of those enemy cruisers, it's time we repaid compliment. **
The Imperial and Chaos main lines met in the centre of the battlefield and exchanged fire as
they manoeuvred for position. The majority of battle honour went to the Loyalists, with the
Victory scoring a number of good hits upon the enemy. The poor old Orion suffered a bridge
smashed result due to critical damaged inflicted by the Divine Heresy, leaving it with the
inspiring leadership of three :) .
** [internal comm - Hammer of Justice] A hit. A very palpable hit. .... Logisticians
report major fires in the launch bays, extensive structural damage and she venting atmosphere
on the starboard side. We've crippled her! [cheers] **
The highlight of the battle followed, the Hammer of Justice managed to land its Nova Cannon
shot in the dead centre of Grantius Revenge, inflicting the full 6 hits and causing the Chaos
flagship's bulkheads (12 on the critical damage table!) to buckle and collapse. Adeptus
Mechanicus observers have stated the shot must have detonated inside the Despoiler's
forward launch bays, touching off numerous secondary explosions and causing immense
damage. Its seems the warping power of Chaos was the only thing keeping the vessel in
one piece at the end.
** [internal comm - Victory] The enemy are disengaging sir! **
** Signal the Hammer and the remaining escorts to pursue the dogs out of the system.
They are to rendezvous with the rest of the fleet at marker point sigma gamma 215. As much as I
would like to continue to demonstrate to those amateurs the finer arts of space combat my orders
are clear, we are obligated to defend the research station and the Emperor shall not find me wanting. **
The game went on for a bit longer into the next turn, but that was the defining moment and a suitable
place to end this report.
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The Conclusion
This ended up being quite a short game due to time limitations, but by the end of game it was clear
the Imperial forces had gained a clear victory with the Chaos flagship badly crippled (1 hit left) and
the Killfrenzy also close to oblivion. The Chaos escorts had been drastically reduced in number and
many of the other Chaos cruisers had also suffered damage. On the Imperial side the Orion had its
bridge smashed by a lucky hit by the Divine Heresy, the Victory had suffered moderate damage
while it was wading amongst the opposing cruisers and the Cobras only had a single ship left after their
extensive skirmishes. Not bad for a first major engagement, although I going to remember to use
special orders a lot more and the fact that Marius Dirk gives me two re-rerolls.
[Decoding file complete - Erase datafile Y/N?]
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Date: 11/03/2002
Written by: Jackhammer
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