Vigilus crusade - a new start for 9th?

 Back when the first Vigilus book came out, I grabbed a copy and voraciously read through it. For a campaign book I just fell in love with the whole story. I felt like an absolutely perfect example of a 40K campaign. Only thing missing was a means to include Tau, Necrons and Tyranids but I get why they were not included. It would be just busy for lack of better words. 

One aspect of the book that I loved was the campaign system. Each stage of the war came with a couple specific blanket rules that allowed the campaign to be played nice and thematic. Nothing game breaking but cool all the same. I even started up a league, for lack of a better word, for the local club. The idea was to be play out the whole story over a couple years. To start with it the campaign seemed popular enough but after a couple months things turned a bit sour. The more competitive players at the club decided that narrative missions and the specific round rules did not suit them. Even though I had said that they could play any mission they wanted, they pulled out of the league and soon enough the whole thing had fallen apart much to be disappointment.

To say I was annoyed would be an understatement. But fair play. Can't please everyone all the time.

Recently I have finally got my hands on a copy of the second book in the series and as 9th edition has a few players from the club interested in the Crusade system I am hoping that I can restart the Vigilus campaign with them utilising the new rules once we get out of the pandemic and lockdown. Maybe with fewer players and with those more interested in a narrative play the idea might get somewhere.

The Drona Steppes - Vigilus

The battle of the Drona Steppes followed the Imperial attack on Mount Drona. The Black Templars, led by High Marshal Helbrecht and Grimaldus, a counter attack against the cultists pouring from the tunnels beneath the local industrial buildings. Although outnumbered, the space marines fought through to the heart of the Cult in the region.

1500 points.
Genestealer Cult (Twisted Helix) vs Space Marines (Black Templars).
Mission: Strategic Gambit.
Deployment: Search and Destroy.
Battle Zone: None.

A couple of weeks ago my friend Jamie challenged me to a game and brought along his Black Templars space marines. I was really pleased by this as I didn't think we had anyone at the club who played this specific chapter. To make things even better for me, Jamie included both Helbrecht and Grimaldus in his list.

At this time I had not had an opportunity to play any of the missions from Chapter Approved 2018 so Jamie picked one that he thought sounded good. We rolled Search and Destroy as our deployment which I thought considering the amount of LOS blocking terrain would actually do me good. Unfortunately the Space Marines got the first turn and I was extremely surprised at how quickly they got around the cover to be able to get some shots off at me. Once again I really found myself locked into my own deployment zone. Unless the dice gods were with me I would fighting to just hold my position.

As the first few turns progressed, the Templars charged down my right flank and assaulted the rockgrinder trundling towards them. They did some damage but the sturdy construction managed to absorb more wounds than the odds would have allowed. It didn't stop them bringing it down soon after though and although I used a stratagem to detonate the bombs on board it only succeeded in killing one marine.

On my left flank the main body of the space marine force was advancing forwards under cover of fire from a land raider crusader. That beast of a tank was decimating my brood brothers like they were nothing. Where the Templars charged my poor forces were cut down with ease.

Once I had the opportunity to bring in some reinforcements I figured I could at least do some damage even if the game was in the hands of a superior opponent. The genestealers, patriarch and primus clawed their way out of the sands behind his marines on the left flank although in an awkward position, and using a stratagem I popped up my hybrids 4 inches behind Helbrect, with their hand flamers pointed directly at him.

Molten premotheium poured from the hand flamers at the leader of the Black Templars. I rolled 21 wounds and even though Helbrecht has a 2+ armour save I expected to do something. Instead he passed every single one. In retaliation the mighty space marine commander sliced them down in assault. The genestealers did not fair much better. I charged but I could not make much in the way of saves and a handful fell on the way in. I did well in cut down a few marines but their attacks back decimated the genestealers and then the space marines turned all their firepower onto the remaining primus and patriarch.

Victory to the Black Templars.

---

It was a good game but I don't think I really got to explore the mission as I was too busy fending off brutal assaults. This was another game where my dice let me down so many times while my opponent's dice were working entirely in their favour. It's hard to do anything when the game is against you like that. Even so, it was really good to play against Black Templars again - the last time was under 4th edition!

The Drona Conflict - Vigilus

The Drona conflict was a military campaign fought by the Imperium against the uprising Genestealer Cults. It took place around the industrial sites at the base of Mount Drona. 
The Imperium initially launched a series of artillery attacks against the Cult's fortified positions before sending in a large tank formation.

1300 points.

Genestealer Cult (Twisted Helix) vs Astra Militarum (Catachan).

Mission: Cleanse and Capture.

Deployment: Dawn of War.

Battle Zone: None. 

I this battle faced the might of Charlie and .. well, at the time I wasn't sure what he was going to be bringing to the tabletop. In the end I was surprised by a rather unusual Catachan tank detachment. Not at all what I was expecting.

Deployment was along the long sides of the table facing one another. I let Charlie have the first turn as I wanted to know where he was looking to move his horde of tanks and I wasn't 100% confident on where I had placed my blip tokens. I had deployed my vengeance weapon platforms on either side of my side of the table to cover whichever way Charlie came at me but he was focused on one side of the table only. Charlie did put firepower into one of my weapon platforms reducing it down a little bit. I lost a handful of models as well but not as badly as I first feared.

On my turn I was able to take out one hellhound by a mixture of shooting and ramming it with my rockgrinder. A few wounds where taken off a couple of his tanks but I didn't have the means to much more than that. This turn I wasn't in a position to move forwards either which didn't help. Like most of my recent games I have been forced to remain locked largely in my own deployment zone.

The next couple turns were largely the same with Charlie blasting my weapon platforms into dust and just burning out my troops from their positions. When I did bring my hybrids and genestealers in I was able to finally do something. The hybrids just drew fire but the genestealers and patriarch tore through a couple of tanks before they inevitably went down to massed firepower.

I think by turn 4 I had been decimated to the point of not being able to continue so the survivours fled back into the sewers and I conceded the match.

---

First off, apologies for the shortness of this report. It was three weeks ago and I've just had chance to sit down and try to recall it. Had two other games since then and things are a bit fuzzy.

It was a good game and gave me the opportunity to see how I would or wouldn't handle a mechanized list. I guess I knew that I couldn't handle it but the fun came from seeing how well I could do it. I just could not do enough damage nor could I get out of my deployment zone to do anything else.

I'd really like to play a proper Catachan list. One more infantry based though as Charlie's list to me, wasn't all that fluffy. But as everyone else around here plays Cadian regiment I was happy.

---

The Vigilus campaign update

Our club's Vigilus campaign is going along nice and happy (if you call ducking incoming artillery happy). We're just about this week to complete the third round of the campaign and as I have been lax in posting up since the first round here is where we stand as of today.

We've made two small changes since it started. As the campaign is going to be running for a couple of years at least we have decided that players can play whichever faction they want each game to prevent boredom and it keep it interesting. We've also decided that rather than reward for just playing the suggested scenarios each round, that the 16/6 victory points will apply regardless of which mission is played.

Total Control:

326 campaign points - Imperium.
142 campaign points - Orks.
100 campaign points - Drukhari.
97 campaign points - Tyranids.
43 campaign points - Aeldari.
36 campaign points - Chaos.
22 campaign points - Tau Empire
22 campaign points - Necrons.

Round 3 (March 4th to April 1st).
Unwilling to sit back and watch their plans for Vigilus to come to naught, the Genestealer Cult rises up across the surface of the planet. Espionage and acts of terrorism force the Hivesprawls to close their borders and look to their own defences.

By the end of the third month the Imperium was in a much superior position than it had been in since the start of the conflict. The arrival of Aeldari forces and the approach of a Tyranid fleet assaulting the outer worlds however, have given the Imperial commanders pause for concern.

110 points: Imperium.
32 points: Aeldari.
24 points: Tyranids.
22 points: Necrons.
16 points: Chaos
12 points: Drukhari.
6 points: Orks.


Round 2 (February 4th to March 4th 2019):
Orks and other Xenos forces fall upon the vital supply convoys that run between the great hive cities, stealing resources and slaves. The Astra Militarum respond swiftly, engaging in running tank battles.
Meanwhile the Drukhari take the chaos of the sudden war to engage in slave raids and to sow confusion among the various combatants.

By the end of the second month the Imperium had begun to seriously fight back, seizing victory in a number of key sectors. The Ork and Drukhari menace were the biggest threats that the planetary defenders had to deal with and their numbers were growing. At the close of the month, rumours began to emerge about sightings of Aeldari forces in the wastelands, and it would lead the defenders to worry whether they were unexpected allies or another opponent to be slain.

1st place: Imperium.
2nd place: Orks and Drukhari
3rd place: Tyranids.
4th place: Tau
5th place: Chaos.
6th place: Aeldari.

Round 1 (January 7th to February 4th 2019):
In round 1, the mighty Ork forces make planetfall on Vigilus and immediately begin to assault the nearest hive cities. The Imperial defenders fall to political infighting in their futile attempts to organize a hasty defence.

By the end of the first month, the Imperial forces had turned their in-fighting around and were concentrating all firepower upon the alien aggressors arrayed before them. The Orks had secured a number of vital locations, constructed scrap towns and seized vital supply points. The emerging Genestealer Cult, Drukhari raiders and Chaos presences were for the moment largely ignored and underestimated however.

1st place:  Imperium.
2nd place: Orks.
3rd place: Tyranids.
4th place: Drukhari.
5th place: Chaos and Tau Empire.

Convoy Ambush - Vigilus

Imperial strategy was at present winning them the war for Vigilus. Their enemies although many had been forced into defensive positions. Even so, they suffered frequent and devastating assaults by Orks and Drukhari, and with the Genestealer Cults rising from the shadows, it was decided that the various hive city leaders should be brought together and protected. The Genestealer Cult had expected and prepared for just such a move...

1300 points.
Genestealer Cult (Twisted Helix) vs Space Marines (Salamanders).
Mission: Behead the Viper.
Deployment: Special.
Battle Zone: None. 

I had not played against Alex and his Salamanders for probably the better part of a year so a rematch was long overdue. Back then I was playing Death Guard and this time around I knew I was going to get a pasting. Alex wanted to play Behead the Viper from the first Vigilus book and we agreed it made sense for my Genestealer Cult to be the attacking force looking to capture and infect some high ranking politicians.

I pretty much had what I had but I did make one small error which was to not read exactly how things set up and I included my vengeance weapon platforms but we agreed that they should be set up as part of the terrain so Alex knew where they where. Didn't really make too much difference though to the game.

Alex set up his forces at opposite corners of the board. One lot of marines guarding the entrance to the hive city and the other escorting a rhino with the dignitaries on board. I tried to set up using the blips as normal but it didn't really help with this mission if I'm honest. He knew where things were going to be and was prepared for them.

In fact it went really badly for me as his primaris marines just burnt down one brood brothers squad and shortly after, the second. I was able to swiftly immobilize the rhino meaning he couldn't get it to safety so I had high hopes even with the casualties. Alex barely had to move his marines as everything I had was in range of something and he even burnt down the two vengeance platforms with a mixture of heavy weapons and plasma incinerators.

When my reserves arrived they didn't do much. The hybrids popped up a few inches from his scouts using a stratgem and flamed all but one down, which then died in combat. But return fire decimated that unit. The genestealers didn't fare much better. They did their job taking down a lot of primaris marines and two characters, and were closest to the disabled rhino but their weakness to massed firepower reduced them all down.

The game ended turn 4 if I remember right with my army tabled once again. It was a fun game even though I think my army was absolutely terrible this game. Only the genestealers and the patriarch did anything worthwhile. Alex's army was really good and more than capable of stopping me.

Outpost 772 - Vigilus

This battle was a skirmish between the invading Ork forces and a small gathering of Genestealer Cultists. The Orks had mobilized and begun a major assault upon the megasprawls of Vigilus. One such target would finally bring the Genestealer Cults out into the open - that of mining outpost 772. The Cult could no longer wait out the war in the shadows, but had been forced to rise up and combat the invaders.

1300 points.
Genestealer Cult (Twisted Helix) vs Orks (Evil Sunz).
Mission: Special.
Deployment: Special.
Battle Zone: None.

This game was my first go at using 40K's Dawn of War cards. The game was supposed to be a regular battle against friend Multch but in the end we decided to try out the strange randomness of these cards. We ended up with a mission resembling The Relic and the deployment was an odd opposed T-shape, with one player (myself) taking a 24'' block on one short edge and my opponent slab in from the far end. This gave the Orks a close start to the objective at the center but there was no way that I was going to survive that deployment.

I had the first turn and while most of my forces stayed put, I advanced one brood brother squad up my right flank in hopes of getting to the objective, while the rockgrinder trundled forward on my left flank to clear some space with the flamer. I didn't get much shooting done but I was able to burn down and shoot out a unit of grots who were being used, with a stratagem, as meat shields.

On the Orks first turn Multch performed his usual trick of acting Da Jump, to teleport a huge block of boyz into my back lines. His main force snatched the objective and then over the next few turns, much to both our surprise, he moved those boyz into my own deployment zone. Those greenskins weren't go to give up on a good fight. The orks didn't have a great shooting phase although they did tend to target the rockgrinder (which kept making those sturdy construction rolls) and the vengeance weapon platforms, although they didn't take too much damage.

Turn two, and I was on the defensive far sooner than I had expected to be, although I should have expected Da Jump if I'm honest. On my right flank the brood brothers moved up so that I had a good line of sight to the enemy weirdboy. A hail of heavy bolter and lasgun fire swiftly brought him down before he could do anything else unnatural. Elsewhere my shooting continued to follow my usual path, with hardly any damage inflicted. I also managed to pop up the hybrid squad from hidden tunnels and using their hand flamers, burn down a few orks. Also, as usual, they get gunned down right afterwards!

As the game progressed I found my poor cult being surrounded with no way out. Orks may not be the best shots but sheer weight of firepower was swiftly dropping my forces. The weapon platforms soon went bang and Multch brought his one and only deffkopter on along my right flank, where with a mixture of rocket fire and assault, it took down the heavy bolter team with ease.

I soon saw a chance to seize victory. Because the Dawn of War cards are different to regular missions, I saw an opportunity to grab the relic and run, because nothing in the cards says that the model with the relic has to stay on the table. If my plan worked, I could get the Primus onto the relic and then retreat into the shadows with a stratagem. Unfortunately although the genestealers got into combat with the orks, both the Patriarch and Primus failed their charges and before I could get in the following turn, Multch moved his big tank (I forget what it was called) in the way to deny me my victory, and he then proceeded to gun down the last of my forces.

---

A very good game and it was nice to play the Dawn of War cards, although I think I do prefer the regular missions. I had a hard time dealing with the Orks and I think horde armies are going to be a problem for the Genestealer Cult. I don't think the army has much that can handle that. Even Genestealers, although awesome if they get the charge die far too easily once their target has been brought down. It was good practice for the next time I have to face them.

---

++ Battalion Detachment +5CP (Tyranids - Genestealer Cults) [61 PL, 7CP, 1040pts] ++

+ No Force Org Slot +

Battle-forged CP [3CP]

Cult Creed: The Twisted Helix

Detachment CP [5CP]

Gametype: Matched

Insurrectionists

Stratagem: Broodcoven [-1CP]

Use Beta Rules

+ HQ +

Magus [5 PL, 92pts]: Broodcoven Magus, Familiar, Power: Mind Control, Warlord Trait: Shadow Stalker

Patriarch [8 PL, 137pts]: Elixir of the Prime Specimen, Familiar, Power: Might From Beyond, Warlord, Warlord Trait: Biomorph Adaptation

Primus [4 PL, 75pts]: Bonesword, Broodcoven Primus, Warlord Trait: Alien Majesty

+ Troops +

Acolyte Hybrids [3 PL, 66pts]: Cult Icon
3x Acolyte Hybrid (Hand Flamer): 3x Hand Flamer
Acolyte Hybrid (Heavy Weapon): Hand Flamer, Heavy Rock Cutter
Acolyte Leader: Lash Whip and Bonesword

Brood Brothers Infantry Squad [5 PL, 72pts]: Brood Brothers Leader
6x Brood Brother
Brood Brother (Grenade): Grenade Launcher
Brood Brother (Vox-caster): Cult Vox-caster
Brood Brothers Weapons Team: Lascannon

Brood Brothers Infantry Squad [5 PL, 63pts]: Brood Brothers Leader
6x Brood Brother
Brood Brother (Flamer): Flamer
Brood Brother (Vox-caster): Cult Vox-caster
Brood Brothers Weapons Team: Heavy Bolter

+ Elites +

Purestrain Genestealers [16 PL, 240pts]: 16x Purestrain Genestealer

+ Heavy Support +

Cult Leman Russ [9 PL, 175pts]: 2x Heavy Bolter, Battle Cannon, Dozer Blade, Heavy Bolter, Storm Bolter

Goliath Rockgrinder [6 PL, 120pts]: Cache of Demolition Charges, Clearance Incinerator, Heavy Stubber

++ Fortification Network (Tyranids - Genestealer Cults) [12 PL, 200pts] ++

+ Fortification +

Vengeance Weapon Batteries [12 PL, 200pts]
Vengeance Weapon Battery: Punisher Gatling Cannon
Vengeance Weapon Battery: Punisher Gatling Cannon

Battle for Bulkan Ridge - Vigilus

The Bulkan Ridge campaign was waged by Imperial forces in an attempt to regain territory captured by the xenos forces assaulting Vigilus. The actual battle for Bulkan Ridge was led by a small force of space marines from the Blood Ravens chapter. Where they came expecting Orks they instead found themselves facing another gathering of Genestealer Cultists.

1300 points.
Genestealer Cult (Twisted Helix) vs Space Marines (Blood Ravens).
Mission: Retrieval Mission.
Deployment: Search & Destroy.
Battle Zone: None.

This is my first game with the new Genestealer Cult codex. When my opponent for the evening had to cancel, Jamie stepped up to be my first victim. Among his list of armies I noticed he had a Blood Ravens force. As I had never expected to get the chance to play against I jumped at the chance. Jamie was playing his space marines with the Ultramarines chapter tactics as being the most generic.

We decided that rather than play one of the narrative missions for round 2 of our Vigilus campaign, we would play a regular mission from the rule book. We rolled the Search & Destroy deployment and Jamie picked his corner of the table. With such a small area to deployment I felt that the blip tokens style deployment for my new codex was rather unhelpful. I had the option to take the first turn but I decided not to and handed that honour to my opponent. I think this was a surprise for Jamie and he said he wasn't sure how to handle that. There was no special reason for my decision other than I wanted to see what his space marines would do and not to put myself too much in the line of fire.

The first turn was relatively quick. Jamie did move a his units out a little bit as he was concerned for my ability to pop up near his lines. As he couldn't see much of my units, his heavy weapon fire was directed at my bastion and the vengeance weapon batteries, knocking some wounds off of those. I held one objective and was close enough to attempt to grab a second one with a brood brother squad. This ultimately led to a show down with a hidden group of scouts, who did not survive long with my enhanced genetic modifications (Twisted Helix cult trait).

The Blood Ravens then dispatched a dreadnought down my right flank which caused me no end of trouble. I just could not inflict enough damage to it. In the end I had to ram my rockgrinder into it and use a stratagem to detonate the cache of explosives on board but all it did was inflict a single mortal wound. I also second a second stratagem to have my hybrids clamber from the desert sands 3 inches away from one small squad of Blood Ravens and open fire with hand flamers - figured I'd see how that tactic worked - and I did drop two of the space marines but in return they gunned down my hybrids with ease.

As I wanted to keep Jamie's marines away, I brought my genestealers, patriarch and primus in on my left flank close to my deployment zone. They were very effective in dispatching terminators, a tactical squad and sternguard. The new codex has certainly boosted by patriarch something impressive. Unfortunately in doing so, I lost the genestealer screen and soon the Patriarch followed, but he had done his job in decimating a lot of the Blood Raven infantry.

Jamie had focused a lot of his firepower on my fortifications and they were soon taken down. By turn four I had been decimated despite how well the genestealers performed/ I was left with the Magus and Patriarch, after my remaining brood brothers squad were burnt alive by the Blood Raven's land speeder. At this point I really don't think I could have done anything so I happily conceded.

---

This was a very good and enjoyable game. As my first game under the new Genestealer Cults codex, it was much better than what I had experienced using the old Index rules. However, I am finding at first look, that at present I am going to have a hard time dealing with certain armies but I still have a lot to learn with the new codex so maybe next time I'll do better.

---


++ Battalion Detachment +5CP (Tyranids - Genestealer Cults) [52 PL, 7CP, 865pts] ++

+ No Force Org Slot [7CP] +

Cult Creed: The Twisted Helix

Stratagem: Broodcoven [-1CP]


+ HQ [17 PL, 304pts] +

Magus [5 PL, 92pts]: Broodcoven Magus, Familiar [12pts], Power: Mind Control, Warlord Trait: Shadow Stalker

Patriarch [8 PL, 137pts]: Elixir of the Prime Specimen, Familiar [12pts], Power: Might From Beyond, Warlord, Warlord Trait: Biomorph Adaptation

Primus [4 PL, 75pts]: Bonesword [3pts], Broodcoven Primus, Warlord Trait: Alien Majesty

+ Troops [13 PL, 201pts] +

Acolyte Hybrids [3 PL, 66pts]: Cult Icon [10pts]
3x Acolyte Hybrid (Hand Flamer) [24pts]: 3x Hand Flamer [3pts]
Acolyte Hybrid (Heavy Weapon) [20pts]: Hand Flamer [1pts], Heavy Rock Cutter [12pts]
Acolyte Leader [12pts]: Lash Whip and Bonesword [5pts]

Brood Brothers Infantry Squad [5 PL, 72pts]: Brood Brothers Leader [4pts]
6x Brood Brother [24pts]
Brood Brother (Grenade) [7pts]: Grenade Launcher [3pts]
Brood Brother (Vox-caster) [9pts]: Cult Vox-caster [5pts]
Brood Brothers Weapons Team [28pts]: Lascannon [20pts]

Brood Brothers Infantry Squad [5 PL, 63pts]: Brood Brothers Leader [4pts]
6x Brood Brother [24pts]
Brood Brother (Flamer) [10pts]: Flamer [6pts]
Brood Brother (Vox-caster) [9pts]: Cult Vox-caster [5pts]
Brood Brothers Weapons Team [16pts]: Heavy Bolter [8pts]

+ Elites [16 PL, 240pts] +

Purestrain Genestealers [16 PL, 240pts]: 16x Purestrain Genestealer [240pts]

+ Heavy Support [6 PL, 120pts] +

Goliath Rockgrinder [6 PL, 120pts]: Cache of Demolition Charges [10pts], Clearance Incinerator [30pts], Heavy Stubber [2pts]

++ Fortification Network (Tyranids - Genestealer Cults) [22 PL, 422pts] ++

+ Fortification [22 PL, 422pts] +

Imperial Bastion [10 PL, 222pts]: 4x Heavy bolter [32pts], Quad-gun [30pts]

Vengeance Weapon Batteries [12 PL, 200pts]
Vengeance Weapon Battery [100pts]: Punisher Gatling Cannon [20pts]
Vengeance Weapon Battery [100pts]: Punisher Gatling Cannon [20pts]

Created with BattleScribe (https://battlescribe.net)

Vigilus Campaign round 1 - complete

Total Control:

130 campaign points - Imperium.
82 campaign points - Orks.
46 campaign points - Tyranids.
28 campaign points - Drukhari.
10 campaign points - Chaos.
10 campaign points - Tau Empire

Round 1 (January 7th to February 4th 2019):
In round 1, the mighty Ork forces make planetfall on Vigilus and immediately begin to assault the nearest hive cities. The Imperial defenders fall to political infighting in their futile attempts to organize a hasty defence.

By the end of the first month, the Imperial forces had turned their in-fighting around and were concentrating all firepower upon the alien aggressors arrayed before them. The Orks had secured a number of vital locations, constructed scrap towns and seized vital supply points. The emerging Genestealer Cult, Drukhari raiders and Chaos presences were for the moment largely ignored and underestimated however.

1st place:  Imperium.
2nd place: Orks.
3rd place: Tyranids.
4th place: Drukhari.
5th place: Chaos.
6th place: Tau Empire.

Furious Road - Vigilus

The battle of Furious Road was a battle the growing Ork horde and the entrenched Genestealer Cult occupying one of Vigilus' largest fuel depots. The engagement was brief lasting only a matter of hours.
Two days previously the Cult had seized control of a vital fuel reserve intended for the Vigilus PDF. With signs of Ork vehicles on the horizon, the Cult hunkered down and prepared to weather whatever was coming for the depot. Despite suffering early causalities the Cult held tight to their claim but the tide of buggies and deffkoptas's was relentless.

1100 points.

Genestealer Cult vs Orks (Evil Sunz).

Mission: Storm the Lines.

Battle Zone: None.

Week three of our Vigilus narrative saw my poor beaten up Genestealer Cult facing a fun thematic list of Ork speed freaks played by Jon. He picked Storm the Lines and it was more thematic that the Orks be the attacking force. Right away just looking at what Jon had brought to the table I knew that I had no chance so it became a case of just having fun with it and this game was a good fun one.

I set up first in my two deployment zones with my usual hybrids and genestealer squads hiding in the shadows. Jon then set up his host of buggies and deffkoptas in a line across from my bastion. I had first turn and I managed straight away to bring down a unit of two koptas. Unfortunately due to the mission having ongoing assault Jon got them back straight away on his turn one. Alsmost immediately I lost the unit occupying my bastion and he used Da Jump to leap a unit of boyz over to my lines where their shooting took down most of my remaining neophytes.

Turn two and I decided not to bring the reinforcements on just yet. My reason being that I didn't see anywhere that their presence would help all that much and I feared that they would just be gunned down, so I left them hiding. Shooting for me was ineffective really so come Jon's turn he surprises me by both taking out my magus, the remaining neophytes and... AND bringing down my bastion. As I have nothing on the table at the end of a turn Jon wins.

Well, that was a short game.

Even so, we agreed to play on just to see what the outcome would be. I was going to lose so it became an exercise in survival.

Turn three and I brought on both my reserves. The hybrids came on midway down my left board edge with the idea that might be able to assault some of Jon's buggies and claim some blood. The genestealers, patriarch and primus popped up in my deployment zone behind cover (mostly) to try and repel his orks that killed the neophytes. The hybrids lost two men to overwatch and failed the charge. I needed a 12 but it was worth the risk. I just didn't expect to lose anyone I guess in the attempt.

Jon's turn and he moved some boyz to intercept the hybrids and moved his biker warbosses up towards my genestealers. Much dakka dakka later and I've lost the hybrids and the genestealers. He charges my patriarch so we can have warlord on warlord action... and promptly kills my patriarch before I got to do anything.  Turn four ended when my Primus was taken down far too easily. Jon won by tabling my entire army.

---

So, despite the odds being well stacked against me I still had fun with this game. As I keep saying, until Genestealer Cults get a new codex and I can afford to buy some more toys for them I am going to struggle with everything thrown at me. A couple of nice chaps at the club have offered to give me or buy me some needed vehicle options so maybe soon enough I might have a chance. Wish me luck.

From the Shadows remains the biggest bugbear for me at the moment though. It's handy and it's thematic but it never plays out in my favour. I can't afford to not use it, especially for the genestealers, but I am considering not bothering next time just to see what difference it may or may not make.

---

+++ GSC (Warhammer 40,000 8th Edition) +++

++ Battalion Detachment +5CP (Tyranids - Genestealer Cults) ++

+ HQ +

Magus: Familiar, Power: Mind Control
. . Categories: HQ, Character, Faction: Genestealer Cults, Faction: Tyranids, Infantry, Psyker, Genestealer

Patriarch: Familiar, Power: Might From Beyond, Warlord
. . Categories: Faction: Tyranids, Faction: Genestealer Cults, Character, HQ, Psyker, Infantry, Genestealer, Warlord

Primus: Bonesword
. . Categories: HQ, Faction: Genestealer Cults, Faction: Tyranids, Infantry, Character

+ Troops +

Acolyte Hybrids: Cult Icon
. . Categories: Troops, Faction: Genestealer Cults, Faction: Tyranids, Infantry
. . 3x Acolyte Hybrid
. . Acolyte Hybrid (Hand Flamer): Hand Flamer
. . Acolyte Hybrid (Heavy Weapon): Autopistol, Heavy Rock Saw
. . Acolyte Leader: Lash Whip and Bonesword

Neophyte Hybrids: Cult Icon
. . Categories: Troops, Faction: Genestealer Cults, Faction: Tyranids, Infantry
. . 8x Neophyte Hybrid (Lasgun)
. . Neophyte Hybrid (Special Weapon): Grenade Launcher
. . Neophyte Leader: Bolt Pistol, Chainsword
. . Neophyte Weapons Team: Lascannon

Neophyte Hybrids: Cult Icon
. . Categories: Troops, Faction: Genestealer Cults, Faction: Tyranids, Infantry
. . 8x Neophyte Hybrid (Lasgun)
. . Neophyte Hybrid (Special Weapon): Flamer
. . Neophyte Leader: Bolt Pistol, Chainsword
. . Neophyte Weapons Team: Heavy Bolter

+ Elites +

Purestrain Genestealers: 16x Purestrain Genestealer, 16x Purestrain Talons
. . Categories: Elites, Faction: Tyranids, Faction: Genestealer Cults, Genestealer, Infantry

++ Fortification Network (Tyranids - Genestealer Cults) ++

+ Fortification +

Imperial Bastion: 4x Heavy bolter, Quad-gun
. . Categories: Fortification, Faction: Unaligned, Building, Vehicle, Transport

++ Total: [73 PL, 1099pts] ++

Created with BattleScribe (https://battlescribe.net)

Slave Raid - Vigilus

Attracted by the growing conflict on Vigilus, Drukhari raiders descend upon outlaying colonies and fuel depots. One such realspace raiding party raced from the webway came with the desire to capture themselves some Genestealers for the fighting pits of the Dark City.

They patrolled the edges of the ruins until they saw what they had come for...

A couple nights ago I got a unexpected game against my friend's Drukhari army in a Vigilus campaign game. As I still only have 1100 points completed we stuck to that. Gary's force was made up of the Kabal of the Black Heart and the Wytch Cult of the Cursed Blade. A good opponent, Gary made a list that was less the usual sort of Drukhari list and was instead focused on some close combat to give my Genestealers something to play with.

We had already agreed to play the Patrol mission and it made sense that the Drukhari were the attacking force. I grabbed my corner and set up my usual - a bastion and two neophyte squads. Heavy bolter team on the ground and the lascannon team in the fortification. Gary deployed a venom with wytch cult inside and a unit of reaver jetbikes. He placed them behind cover where to start with I wouldn't be able to see them.

Gary received the first turn and moved everything forward. He still had cover but I was able to still get a line of sight to his forces. His shooting was brief but he did manage to kill a couple neophytes in the heavy bolter squad. My first turn and I held my ground. Opening fire I did manage to destroy one jetbike and wound another. Shooting his viper proved ineffective.

Turn two and Gary received reinforcements in the form of a razorwing aircraft and kabalites in a raider. The combined firing from these decimated my heavy bolter team. My turn saw the genestealers, patriarch and primus turned up together from the shadows but there was no good way to bring them in effectively. I had to reroll the from the shadows with the primus just to ensure I got some control. In the end I had to have them come on from my table edge behind cover and hope to use them when Gary got too close. My magus also walked on and I really had no where to put him so I brought him on close to the bastion I tried to focus fire from the bastion and the lascannon into the razorwing but I didn't do well. The remaining squad fired down on the jetbikes and they were lucky enough to cause some damage.

Turn three and it really started to go wrong for me. Gary was able to pour so much firepower into my genestealers that I was left with just the patriarch and primus, and the primus didn't last long either. Concentrated firepower, which had previously done next to nothing to my bastion, reduced it down to about five wounds giving me cause for concern. He had leaped his wytch cult out and over the next two turns they engaged the patriarch finally taking him down with losing only one of their number. I just couldn't get them to fail an invulnerable save. My only good luck came when my hybrids walked on behind his archon and cut him into tiny pieces with a power saw and the bastion's autocannons took down the razorwing. Good times!

Turn four I conceded with just one squad left sitting in a very unstable bastion.

Patrol is really not a good mission for my Cult but Gary played a nice list when he could have played something much nastier. Much like my previous game, the From The Shadows rule just didn't work very well.

+++ GSC (Warhammer 40,000 8th Edition) +++

++ Battalion Detachment +5CP (Tyranids - Genestealer Cults) ++

+ HQ +

Magus: Familiar, Power: Mind Control
. . Categories: HQ, Character, Faction: Genestealer Cults, Faction: Tyranids, Infantry, Psyker, Genestealer

Patriarch: Familiar, Power: Might From Beyond, Warlord
. . Categories: Faction: Tyranids, Faction: Genestealer Cults, Character, HQ, Psyker, Infantry, Genestealer, Warlord

Primus: Bonesword
. . Categories: HQ, Faction: Genestealer Cults, Faction: Tyranids, Infantry, Character

+ Troops +

Acolyte Hybrids: Cult Icon
. . Categories: Troops, Faction: Genestealer Cults, Faction: Tyranids, Infantry
. . 3x Acolyte Hybrid
. . Acolyte Hybrid (Hand Flamer): Hand Flamer
. . Acolyte Hybrid (Heavy Weapon): Autopistol, Heavy Rock Saw
. . Acolyte Leader: Lash Whip and Bonesword

Neophyte Hybrids: Cult Icon
. . Categories: Troops, Faction: Genestealer Cults, Faction: Tyranids, Infantry
. . 8x Neophyte Hybrid (Lasgun)
. . Neophyte Hybrid (Special Weapon): Grenade Launcher
. . Neophyte Leader: Bolt Pistol, Chainsword
. . Neophyte Weapons Team: Lascannon

Neophyte Hybrids: Cult Icon
. . Categories: Troops, Faction: Genestealer Cults, Faction: Tyranids, Infantry
. . 8x Neophyte Hybrid (Lasgun)
. . Neophyte Hybrid (Special Weapon): Flamer
. . Neophyte Leader: Bolt Pistol, Chainsword
. . Neophyte Weapons Team: Heavy Bolter

+ Elites +

Purestrain Genestealers: 16x Purestrain Genestealer, 16x Purestrain Talons
. . Categories: Elites, Faction: Tyranids, Faction: Genestealer Cults, Genestealer, Infantry

++ Fortification Network (Tyranids - Genestealer Cults) ++

+ Fortification +

Imperial Bastion: 4x Heavy bolter, Quad-gun
. . Categories: Fortification, Faction: Unaligned, Building, Vehicle, Transport

++ Total: [73 PL, 1099pts] ++

Created with BattleScribe (https://battlescribe.net)

Discovered! - Vigilus

With the Ork menace now firmly entrenched on the surface, elements of the Planetary Defence Forces began to patrol the weaker edges of the hives. One such patrol stumbled upon a Cult outpost and recognizing Xenos taint, began a purging of the area. 

With the PDF closing in, the Cult swiftly dug in and prepared to repel the attacking force. To start with they did well but once the enemy closed the distance things took a turn for the worse.

Second game with the Genestealer Cult and my second in the club narrative. This time I faced Elliot and his Astra Militarum - although I had expected to face his Adeptus Custodes so this was an interesting development.

We had already agreed on playing the Patrol mission and rolled for who took what role. Elliot was the attacker which did make more narrative sense. I picked my corner and set up the bastion and both neophyte squads. Everything else sat in reserve or in the shadows. Elliots deployment was a chimera with bullgryns and a squad of tempestus guardsmen.

I had the first turn and there was little to do. Everything was out of range of my weapons so the heavy bolter squad advanced into the cover of a nearby ruin giving them a line of fire down one street where I knew the enemy would have to advance. On his turn Elliot moved the chimera into a position where we both agreed it would have cover. Turn one was over without a single shot being fired!

As the game progressed things swiftly went in Elliot's favour. I failed to get any reinforcements turn two and my shooting knocked a single wound from the chimera. On his turn almost all of his reinforcements arrived, including a vulture gunship! A small unit of tempestus scions dropped down in a ruin across from my heavy bolter team and a culexis assassin appeared in a ruin across from my bastion. I lost quite a few models from his shooting and the resulting battle shock. It was not looking good.

Turn three and at last help arrived for the besieged cult. The genestealers, patriarch and primus popped up from the shadows. The first roll would have let Elliot choose the two table edges where I might appear and I didn't trust him not to put me across the table or at the far end from my forces so I had the primus re-roll. This time I got to choose the table edges and it was a hard decision. So much of what he had had come in was bunched together so that I was forced to basically appear almost in my own lines. Perhaps I would have been better off taking the first roll. My shooting was terrible and I think I took a wound off the Vulture and killed a scion. My dice were not in my favour this game.

Elliot got the rest of his forces on the table and my genestealers found themselves staring down a leman russ executioner! Said executioner and wyvern then decimated over half the genestealers. At this point I knew the game was lost. I had little to know way of doing much to him now. This turn also saw the bullgryns climb out of the chimera and take out the last of the heavy bolter team.

Turn four and I got some revenge. My hybrid squad popped up from the shadows close to the culexis and my magos arrived just a little too late to help out. Smites flew and I did manage a couple wounds but the genestealers managed to dispatch the bullgryns while the patriarch, who now sat atop a ruined tower, attempted to leap at the Vulture. I had a cool narrative in my mind of it leaping onto the cockpick and ripping the pilot out. Instead he took seven wounds from the punisher cannons in overwatch. The hybrids managed to, mainly through the heavy rock saw take two wounds from the assassin but then died to it's counter attack.

It was at this point that I accepted defeated and gave an epic handshake to my opponent. Elliot's list was well played and just not what I am currently capable of dealing with. It was frustrating at times but a good evening's gaming.

I think the mission wasn't great for me either. I need to decide when my units pop out of the shadows and Patrol forces you to roll to see if they turn up. That hurt but would it have helped me if those units had come in earlier? Probably not. I think Elliot's guardsmen would have just killed me all the sooner.

+++ GSC (Warhammer 40,000 8th Edition) +++

++ Battalion Detachment +5CP (Tyranids - Genestealer Cults) ++

+ HQ +

Magus: Familiar, Power: Mind Control
. . Categories: HQ, Character, Faction: Genestealer Cults, Faction: Tyranids, Infantry, Psyker, Genestealer

Patriarch: Familiar, Power: Might From Beyond, Warlord
. . Categories: Faction: Tyranids, Faction: Genestealer Cults, Character, HQ, Psyker, Infantry, Genestealer, Warlord

Primus: Bonesword
. . Categories: HQ, Faction: Genestealer Cults, Faction: Tyranids, Infantry, Character

+ Troops +

Acolyte Hybrids: Cult Icon
. . Categories: Troops, Faction: Genestealer Cults, Faction: Tyranids, Infantry
. . 3x Acolyte Hybrid
. . Acolyte Hybrid (Hand Flamer): Hand Flamer
. . Acolyte Hybrid (Heavy Weapon): Autopistol, Heavy Rock Saw
. . Acolyte Leader: Lash Whip and Bonesword

Neophyte Hybrids: Cult Icon
. . Categories: Troops, Faction: Genestealer Cults, Faction: Tyranids, Infantry
. . 8x Neophyte Hybrid (Lasgun)
. . Neophyte Hybrid (Special Weapon): Grenade Launcher
. . Neophyte Leader: Bolt Pistol, Chainsword
. . Neophyte Weapons Team: Lascannon

Neophyte Hybrids: Cult Icon
. . Categories: Troops, Faction: Genestealer Cults, Faction: Tyranids, Infantry
. . 8x Neophyte Hybrid (Lasgun)
. . Neophyte Hybrid (Special Weapon): Flamer
. . Neophyte Leader: Bolt Pistol, Chainsword
. . Neophyte Weapons Team: Heavy Bolter

+ Elites +

Purestrain Genestealers: 16x Purestrain Genestealer, 16x Purestrain Talons
. . Categories: Elites, Faction: Tyranids, Faction: Genestealer Cults, Genestealer, Infantry

++ Fortification Network (Tyranids - Genestealer Cults) ++

+ Fortification +

Imperial Bastion: 4x Heavy bolter, Quad-gun
. . Categories: Fortification, Faction: Unaligned, Building, Vehicle, Transport

++ Total: [73 PL, 1099pts] ++

Created with BattleScribe (https://battlescribe.net)

Battle of Kragen Gorge - Vigilus

The Ork horde had barely set foot upon the blighted wastes of Vigilus when across the world the first incursion of a more terrible nature manifested. In the foothills where several small mining settlements were located the Warp manifested with murderous intent. A host of powerful daemons, servants of the Blood God, breached reality and laid waste to many of these. Only a small contingent of Vigilus secret masters - the genestealer cult - stood in their path.

This is my first game with the new Genestealer Cult army, although at this time I am having to use the out of date Index in order to run them. My friend Mike was starting a new army as well so agreed that our first game would be a nice learning curve for both of us. We settled on the points that I had built and painted - 1100, and I requested the introductory Only War mission as it wasn't too complex and we could focus on learning our armies.

Half of mine sat in Cult Ambush and the rest claimed a bastion and a wooded hill top to let me cover the two long sides of the table with what long range firepower I had. Mike deployed his army mostly along the central line with one sizable unit of Bloodletters held back in the Warp.

I got the first turn and moved a couple neophytes closer so that some Bloodletters were in range of their lasguns but that was all. I wanted the daemons to come running at me and be cut down on the way. My shooting wasn't great though. I think I killed a couple Bloodletters and knocked a single wound from Mike's Bloodthirster. His turn and he moved everything up the table. His only shooting was a single Skull Canon which sat at the back of the table. It fired this turn and then never again, and even then it failed to cause any injuries!

Turn two and I was a little more successful. A unit of acoylytes emerged from the tunnels down my right flank looking to engage the Bloodletters. I didn't expect them to survive. They were just there to try and occupy his troops. As for my main chunk - the Patriarch, Primus and the Genestealers - I was torn. Mike wasn't going for the objectives but for the kill so I had to do likewise. After some thinking about where to drop them, they came in at the back of my table edge ready to assault wherever came close enough. Not a great move but I don't think even in hindsight that I had any better option. I did knock a couple more Bloodletters down with shooting and one Flesh Hound played catch with a grenade much to his dismay!

Then it went really badly. Mike brought his remaining unit of Bloodletters down square in front of my lines and activated a stratgem. These Bloodletters then surged into my genestealer squad and the Bloodthirster made it into the neophyte squad to my right. Two other Bloodletter squads turned around and assaulted the Acolytes. Needless to say, the Acoytes died before they could do anything but over watch a single daemon and everything else got in without taking a wound. My Genestealers were almost decimated. It was only the attacks back boosted by the Patriarch's psychic might and the guidance of the Primus that ensured some casualties were inflicted back. As you can probably guess, the Neophytes died a horrific death at the hands of the greater daemon.

Turn 3 wasn't much better. I had the Primus jump back into the tunnels and escape. I may not win the game but I was going to get a victory point. That was my new goal. The Magus threw his mind control physic ability into the Bloodletters who then slaughtered the Flesh Hounds next to them. Using his familiar, the Magus tried to smite the greater daemon, promptly periled and exploded. Not good. Shooting did nothing again. Not from lack of damage but because the dice did not want me to hit! Mike's turn and I lost my Genestealers. His Bloodthirster charged my Bastion and dropped it to just seven wounds remaining!

Turn 4 and the Primus popped up across the board away from the enemy but in range of an objective. I would have my point! My Patriarch slaughtered the remaining Bloodletters before him and that was that. Mike's turn and his Bloodthirster tore down the bastion and killing one man left inside. He consolidated into the survivours as they climbed from the rubble.

Turn 5 and I had nothing to do. This turn the Bloodthirster slaughtered the Neophytes and consolidated into my Patriarch, who then died to that mighty axe! With just the Primus left at the far end of the table I conceded.

I went into this game knowing full well that daemons were going to butcher me. It's the number of attacks and the fact that I can't drop his invulnerable saves with my claws. But I went in with the mindset that this was a training game for both of us and win or lose I would come away with a better idea of how Genestealer Cults work prior to the new codex. Against a different army I might have fared better. The mission set up wasn't great for me as there is not a no-man's-lands between the armies under Only War, giving Mike's daemons a nice clear run at me. I don't think I made any bad tactical decisions as what I had was very much do or die. If it worked.. great. If not... I was in the same position anyway.

Even with the loss, I had a throughly enjoyable game against a great opponent. I've had a bit of a break from Warhammer 40K and this game made a really good evening. Looking forward to a rematch at some point when I have a few more models.

+++ GSC (Warhammer 40,000 8th Edition) +++

++ Battalion Detachment +5CP (Tyranids - Genestealer Cults) ++

+ HQ +

Magus: Familiar, Power: Mind Control
. . Categories: HQ, Character, Faction: Genestealer Cults, Faction: Tyranids, Infantry, Psyker, Genestealer

Patriarch: Familiar, Power: Might From Beyond, Warlord
. . Categories: Faction: Tyranids, Faction: Genestealer Cults, Character, HQ, Psyker, Infantry, Genestealer, Warlord

Primus: Bonesword
. . Categories: HQ, Faction: Genestealer Cults, Faction: Tyranids, Infantry, Character

+ Troops +

Acolyte Hybrids: Cult Icon
. . Categories: Troops, Faction: Genestealer Cults, Faction: Tyranids, Infantry
. . 3x Acolyte Hybrid
. . Acolyte Hybrid (Hand Flamer): Hand Flamer
. . Acolyte Hybrid (Heavy Weapon): Autopistol, Heavy Rock Saw
. . Acolyte Leader: Lash Whip and Bonesword

Neophyte Hybrids: Cult Icon
. . Categories: Troops, Faction: Genestealer Cults, Faction: Tyranids, Infantry
. . 8x Neophyte Hybrid (Lasgun)
. . Neophyte Hybrid (Special Weapon): Grenade Launcher
. . Neophyte Leader: Bolt Pistol, Chainsword
. . Neophyte Weapons Team: Lascannon

Neophyte Hybrids: Cult Icon
. . Categories: Troops, Faction: Genestealer Cults, Faction: Tyranids, Infantry
. . 8x Neophyte Hybrid (Lasgun)
. . Neophyte Hybrid (Special Weapon): Flamer
. . Neophyte Leader: Bolt Pistol, Chainsword
. . Neophyte Weapons Team: Heavy Bolter

+ Elites +

Purestrain Genestealers: 16x Purestrain Genestealer, 16x Purestrain Talons
. . Categories: Elites, Faction: Tyranids, Faction: Genestealer Cults, Genestealer, Infantry

++ Fortification Network (Tyranids - Genestealer Cults) ++

+ Fortification +

Imperial Bastion: 4x Heavy bolter, Quad-gun
. . Categories: Fortification, Faction: Unaligned, Building, Vehicle, Transport

++ Total: [73 PL, 1099pts] ++

Created with BattleScribe (https://battlescribe.net)