Ferrugo Pass: Tor Megiddo - part 15 - Entering the Cauldron

In the rusted and decaying depths of the ancient and holy Tor known as The Cauldron two warbands trespassed: The Disciples of the Black and The Purebred. The Para-Skitarii team Anomaly Protocol were assigned to stop them entering the higher levels, due to one simple factor: they were nearby. The fact that they had experienced fighting both these warbands made no impact in the cold logic of their controllers.

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This was the Recover Intelligence mission, with minor adjustments to our deployment zones to account for the 34.5x34.5 inch square board (made of 9 Necromunda tiles) instead of the 44x30 inch area described in the "3 or more player" version of the mission (made of two Kill Team boards). We added the Ultra-Close Confines rules and stratagem from this month's White Dwarf, as this was also the first time we have used Viktor's lovely new scenery.

There were 5 objective markers on the board. The one in the centre was worth 3VP to everyone. The two in our deployment half of the board were worth 1VP each, the two in the opposite half were worth 2VP each. VP were scored at the end of every battle round by having more models within 1" of an objective than anyone else.

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The lower levels of the Tor were unoccupied - there were not enough personnel aboard to run every system so large sections of the Tor were mothballed, locked or just shut down. Lumen globes along the walls automatically flickered into life for the first time in a generation as the intruders moved through dusty chambers and set off their motion sensors. Control panels blinked red and angry as machine spirits complained bitterly at being disturbed after so long.

Anomaly Protocol were assigned target priorities:

Tertiary Target (1VP).

Tertiary Target (1VP).

Secondary Target (2VP).

Secondary Target (2VP).

Primary Target (3VP).

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Daktov studied the tarot cards one last time. The portents were clear and he knew what he had to do. He took a ragged deep breath through his ancient rebreather and transmitted the tactico-engrams to his comrades.

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The Disciples of the Black advanced cautiously, checking unfamiliar corners carefully and trying to make as little noise as possible.

The Purebred swaggered through the Tor as if they owned the place!

Mahela, the Tech Witch ran her withered fingers over the stasis chamber, she jealousy coveted the contents. She waved Warfather Dez forward dismissively. She suddenly stopped staring at the chamber and turned to face to door as Jax approached it...

Both warbands paused either side of the last door that separated them. Something about it made their skin prickle...

Anomaly Protocol moved into the small medical chamber and closed the door behind themselves before they opened the next, their training of keeping each section of the Tor isolated from its neighbours had kicked in... that and the fact they didn't want anyone to shoot them in the back!

The bird-skulled automata chirped and whistled and scuttled toward the Disciples of the Black. The promethium cultists eyed it wearily.

Suddenly the corridors were filled with the noise and flash of gunfire! The Purebred opened the door and rushed forward.

The Purebred and the Disciples of the Black unleashed hell at each other. Ferrus hefted his chainaxe and charged, only to be floored by a thundering volley from Jax's heavy gun.

The Disciples reeled at the sudden onslaught but held their nerve.

Anomaly Protocol opened another door, out of sight round the corner, and slipped forward under the cover of the noisey gunfight. Ruddle transmitted a target selected from his omnispex to Decima who calmly aimed his galvanic rifle at Lady Meth.

With a loud crack the galvanic round punched straight through the barricade that Meth thought hid her from view! She fell backward, badly wounded and was thrown across the floor.

The Disciples of the Black returned fire but Anomaly Protocol somehow managed to avoid all of it!

Tybar rushed forward and ducked behind a barricade.

Gudget, Decima and Ruddle opened fire again.

Tybar ducked and covered his eyes as Dium fired his Phosphor Blast Pistol at him; bright flashes of tracer-rounds splashed and banged off the barricade.

Galan blasted Mahela at close range and the Keeper of the Flesh fell.

Thane blasted Warfather Jax with his Arc Rifle.

Decima, Ruddle and Gudget all fired-at, and hit, Dium before he fell! He toughness and resilience did not go unnoticed by all who witnessed it!

Anomaly Protocol moved forward.

The Disciple known only as P-210, armed with archeotech weapons and dosed with combat drugs, charged Great Father Arun and unleashed a terrifyingly furious assault. The Great Father fell!

The Purebred consolidated their hold on the corridors on their side of the blast-doors.

The Para-Skitarii paused at the next corner and scanned the area ahead.

Tybar held the objective he had reached: an archeotech powercell.

Gudget turned his attention on the Disciples around the central objective relay. 

He sprayed plasma fire at both P-210 and Thane, he only hit P-210, she fell and the Disciples lost control of the relay as Thane was shaken!

Galan fired at Tybar again, but the lucky Para-Skitarii once more survived unscathed!

He returned fire and wounded Galan!

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In the stygian darkness of the levels above more systems came online. 

The Cauldron stirred. 

Alarms that had been silent for generations sounded and long-dormant defence systems activated.

A servitor-controlled stasis chamber started re-initialising the creatures entombed within...

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The final tally of Victory Points was:

• The Disciples of the Black - 5
• The Purebred - 7
• Anomaly Protocol - 5

Viktor won by a comfortable margin, but to be fair to David, the Disciples were pinned between the other too warbands for the whole game and he still very nearly managed to win! If Thane had not failed his moral check he would have ended on 8VP and narrowly won the game!

Viktor's version of this adventure is here.