So as I said, it all started far too early on a Saturday morning...
Arriving first thing we set up 4 tables to Topher's design, each representing a battlefield on a different planet of the Auctoria System. Those who have read the rules pack will recognise the names; Auctoria Major, Kavun, Muirana and Navaria. Each had their unique flavour and style of board. Each had its role to play in the upcoming conflict, but quite what that role would be would only be discovered in time.
Toph gave a short briefing, reminding us all how the Warpoints system would work, and gave me a bonus point for cosplay! One point wasn't really much to be honest as the Imperial Forces had 100 and the Chaos Invaders had 120... well, 121 with me. We were shuffled off to our respective War Rooms to discuss, plot, scheme and elect a Warmaster who would nominally be in charge.
From what I hear, each faction more or less played up to their background style; the Imperials tried to work everything by the numbers, to play the Warpoints to weight the odds in their favour. The were democratic, took votes and calmly started planning their lists out, not knowing what point values they would have. We did have any of that. There was much shouting, much joking and each of us calling out to get what we wanted. To put a word on it, it was Chaos!
Our points bid, Toph brought us back in to the main room to compare and workout what size forces we would have on each planet. For the first round, things were fairly even. Where we had a slight upper hand on one world, the Imperials had an equivalent advantage on another. We had even both bid a single Warpoint on one of the worlds, each expecting the other side to be rather nonplussed. Knowing how many points we had for each game, we marched back to the War Rooms to hash out our army lists quickly. We had more players actually attend than was originally estimated, so most of the games had two players per side, which made list writing more interesting. That said, the limited codices available to each side meant there was precious little opportunity to balance one player's weaknesses with an ally. Still we muddled through.
Auctoria Major suffered a wave of Daemonic infantry. The Imperial Guard stationed there outnumbered the horde about 2000 points to 1000, but the Daemons managed to pull off a victory by the skin of their teeth (being Daemons, they might actually have skin on their teeth, but that's another story...)
Sensing the restlessness of the prison population on Navaria, Companies of Space Marines from several Chapters were sent to defend against invasion, or put down wholesale breakouts into the orbital dockyard repairing Battlefleet Auctor.
Little good it did them though; Traitor Guardsmen were joined by the forces of the Thousand Sons. Despite aid for the Blood Angels in the form of the Sanguinor, it was not to be their day. Tzeentch himself had taken interest in this fight, causing the Sorcerer of Change to ascend to Daemonhood with the sacrifice of a lowly Space Marine Sergeant. The mighty Daemon Prince willing succumbed to the change, as any devotee of Tzeentch should, and took a bloody toll on the Sons of Sanguinius.
The agri-world of Kavun fair a little better though. Also heavily defended by Adeptus Astartes, it came under attack by a drop ship mounted company of Traitor Guardsmen.
Despite the caress of the Warp on the fields of Kavun, the assault on the gates of the Governor's palace was ultimately doom. The loyal Astartes proved their worth against the lowly rabble attacking them, standing firm in the face of difficult odds.
But what of Muirana?
For that tale, ladies and gentlemen, you will have to wait til later...
Matt
Arriving first thing we set up 4 tables to Topher's design, each representing a battlefield on a different planet of the Auctoria System. Those who have read the rules pack will recognise the names; Auctoria Major, Kavun, Muirana and Navaria. Each had their unique flavour and style of board. Each had its role to play in the upcoming conflict, but quite what that role would be would only be discovered in time.
Toph gave a short briefing, reminding us all how the Warpoints system would work, and gave me a bonus point for cosplay! One point wasn't really much to be honest as the Imperial Forces had 100 and the Chaos Invaders had 120... well, 121 with me. We were shuffled off to our respective War Rooms to discuss, plot, scheme and elect a Warmaster who would nominally be in charge.
From what I hear, each faction more or less played up to their background style; the Imperials tried to work everything by the numbers, to play the Warpoints to weight the odds in their favour. The were democratic, took votes and calmly started planning their lists out, not knowing what point values they would have. We did have any of that. There was much shouting, much joking and each of us calling out to get what we wanted. To put a word on it, it was Chaos!
Our points bid, Toph brought us back in to the main room to compare and workout what size forces we would have on each planet. For the first round, things were fairly even. Where we had a slight upper hand on one world, the Imperials had an equivalent advantage on another. We had even both bid a single Warpoint on one of the worlds, each expecting the other side to be rather nonplussed. Knowing how many points we had for each game, we marched back to the War Rooms to hash out our army lists quickly. We had more players actually attend than was originally estimated, so most of the games had two players per side, which made list writing more interesting. That said, the limited codices available to each side meant there was precious little opportunity to balance one player's weaknesses with an ally. Still we muddled through.
Auctoria Major suffered a wave of Daemonic infantry. The Imperial Guard stationed there outnumbered the horde about 2000 points to 1000, but the Daemons managed to pull off a victory by the skin of their teeth (being Daemons, they might actually have skin on their teeth, but that's another story...)
Sensing the restlessness of the prison population on Navaria, Companies of Space Marines from several Chapters were sent to defend against invasion, or put down wholesale breakouts into the orbital dockyard repairing Battlefleet Auctor.
Little good it did them though; Traitor Guardsmen were joined by the forces of the Thousand Sons. Despite aid for the Blood Angels in the form of the Sanguinor, it was not to be their day. Tzeentch himself had taken interest in this fight, causing the Sorcerer of Change to ascend to Daemonhood with the sacrifice of a lowly Space Marine Sergeant. The mighty Daemon Prince willing succumbed to the change, as any devotee of Tzeentch should, and took a bloody toll on the Sons of Sanguinius.
The agri-world of Kavun fair a little better though. Also heavily defended by Adeptus Astartes, it came under attack by a drop ship mounted company of Traitor Guardsmen.
Despite the caress of the Warp on the fields of Kavun, the assault on the gates of the Governor's palace was ultimately doom. The loyal Astartes proved their worth against the lowly rabble attacking them, standing firm in the face of difficult odds.
But what of Muirana?
For that tale, ladies and gentlemen, you will have to wait til later...
Matt
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