Exfiltration

The Area of Operations - Blockhouse Delta 9.

The Swamp Tigers

Inquisitor Nix and retinue

So, we played game following on from the last, this time with myself as the GM. Pontiff was playing his Swamp Tiger renegade Guard, and Captain Jack his new Inquisitorial warband.

In the last battle, a Valkyrie arrived at the last moment to rescue the Xeno Biologis from the clutches of the Genestealer cult-infected Swamp Tigers. In this game, the Biologis has been dropped off at a guard blockhouse and is awaiting the arrival of an Inquisitor, so that he can report on his findings regarding xenos infiltration of Jeriko Reach and its moons.

I decided to give each of the players some secret info they could choose to act upon in game if they wanted to. An agent of the cult had secreted a bomb onto the Valkyrie during refuelling, and Pontiff had to tell me before the game which turn it would explode on. He choose turn 5, expecting the Inquisitors to attempt to board the ship and hoping it would explode as they lifted off.

The Inquisition have eyes everywhere though, and they got wind of that a bomb had been planted somewhere, though they didn’t know exactly where. This meant they were allowed to scan terrain features as they went along, needing an Initiative test to determine if the bomb was present or not.

There were a few more plot related points, but if I reveal them here the guys will find out and they won’t be a surprise in future games ;-)

So then, the Xeno Biologis and bodyguard started in the blockhouse, and the Inquisitor came on from a randomly determined edge. It turned out to be a bit of a slog for the (movement 3) Grymn, but they put down plenty of fire as they advanced.

The Swamp Tigers came on from the opposite edge, and were on the Biologis in short order with two Purestrain Genestealers. One of these put the poor guy out of action, but, mysteriously stopped short of biting his skull in two. It then continued across the table to intercept Inquisitor Nix, while the other purii skulked into the Valkyrie’s passenger hold.

The Swamp Tigers put down a lot of effective fire on the Grym, pinning them down for much of the battle. The force shield pylons were a nasty surprise too, as I hadn’t told anyone that they inflicted a Str 3 hit on any model passing through, as well as providing a 4+ save to any model shot through the shield by a solid projectile weapon.

Then, the Valkyrie exploded, spraying hot metal and squishy Genestealer all over those nearby. The Grymn has seen the stealer enter the rear hatch, and could only wonder why it had apparently committed suicide…

The battle reached a climax as Inquisitor Nix and the purii closed on one another. Nix judged the distance just right, luring the stealer out into the open where she could shoot it with her plasma pistol. She wounded it, and it went down. Next turn she charged in, and because it was down she finished it off with a clean sweep of her power sword.

At that, the Swamp Tigers withdrew. The Xenos Biologis hadn’t been captured, but was looking distinctly unwell following his close encounter with the Purestrain. Inquisition Nix is now aware of cult activity in the Jeriko system, so it looks like the uprising is coming to a head.

The Swamp Tigers move in on their objective.

Peakaboo!

He's behind you! The Xenos Biologis' day goes from bad to worse...

Inquisitor Nix has a word.