BACKGROUND: After the debacle against Sturmm, a major (pun intended) renovation of Arachas' squad was needed. Various personnel ended up being replaced and the squad was sent on various live-fire training mission to either improve, or die trying.
The first live-fire trial was held against a squad led by First Captain Lüger of the 324th Death Korps Regiment, on campaign in the neighbouring system. Captain Lüger, thought experienced in strategy and tactics, found he was lacking field experience and volunteered to lead a squad against Arachas' men.
The mission would require to occupy 3 objective buildings on the designated battlefield. Though live-fire, the ammunition used was intended to be non-lethal.
Scout drone report: images: the battlefieldHis squad completely turned over, Arachas felt he was leading a mothly crew into a far too dangerous mission. He'd wanted more time with his new men, but to no avail: command had ordered him to proceed with the drills and get his squad back up to par.
Having deployed in a favourable position towards occupying the objective buildings, Arachas ordered his men to advance through the buildings. The new additions to the squad did not know it, but only two blocks away from here was Arachas' previous squad shot to bits by Sturmm...
Captain Lüger was no pushover, either. Though he lacked proper combat experience, Arachas had been impressed by his file: the man knew his strategy and tactics.
Going down the eastern side of the battlefield, Arachas led one of his new Lieutenants and a trooper he had barely met down towards the central objective building. At random he cast a gaze upwards and noticed a slight hint of movement. He brought his bolter to bare, but couldn't discover a target. Cautiously, he went on.
Scout drone report: images: notice the mysterious observer in the second image [happy birthday, Lydor]Not far from there, Lüger's men had entered the vicinity by the church. With surprising speed and efficiency they deployed themselves in a straight battle line, making sure to optimise their firing lanes. In moments they were approaching the central objective building and making headway towards the western objective.
Scout drone report: images:Cursing to himself, Arachas noticed Lüger's men getting themselves into favourable positions. With a few trained gestures (of which he hoped his men would understand them) he send three to secure the western objective, while bearing down in force upon the central building. With the third, southern, objective already in their possession, Arachas prepared his men to defend their current advantage. Sergeant Kuijt was the first to enter the central building, heading up the stairs in an attempt to take potshots at the approaching Death Korps.
Scout drone report: images:In a flanking movement, the Korps swung into the main street, where several Cadians stood waiting for them. The Korps took ample precautions when moving forward, though: hugging cover, they proved difficult to hit. Only the trooper carrying the flamer, somehow having taken the lead, bit the dust in the initial exchange of shots. His men holding the line, Lüger's first Lieutenant stabbed through the centre, towards the objective.
Scout drone report: images:Near the western objective, Lüger himself dispatched the Cadian flamer inside the building.
Scout drone report: images:With sergeant Kuijt securely on the first floor of the central objective and his Lieutenants providing covering fire, Arachas surged forward in an attempt to beat Lüger's Lieutenant to the center of the field. He started emptying his bolter on what looked liked a sergeant hiding in a large crater, only to see his powerful shots beat dust into the air. From the corner of his left eye, he noticed one of his recruits taking position in the objective, in one of the craters.
Then the unthinkable happened, far too quickly to comprehend.
With a loud cry of
"Angriiiiiiiffff!!!!" Lüger's first Lieutenant led the charge to the objective. Arachas' men opened fire, but their shots went wide or harmlessly bounced off pieces of ballistic armour. A few moments later, the recruit in the crater was swamped by Death Korps men. In an epic stand-off, he kept three of them at bay.
Scout drone report: images:With a cry of his own, sergeant Kuijt prepared to execute a deadly diving charge from the first floor: he sprang forwards, ran towards the end of the floor, tripped and went crashing down, his left leg taking the full brunt of the fall. With a loud SNAP it broke, smashing Kuijt's head against the floor, out of action.
Scout drone report: images:Drawing his saber, Arachas charged in, only to be caught in the face by a carefully placed elbow from one of his adversaries. Stunned, he slumped to the floor. With a gleeful look on his face, Lüger's Second Lieutenant, having arrived on the scene, happily dispatched the troubled Captain.
Scout drone report: images:Their defeat imminent, their lack of skill and experience obvious, Arachas' men threw their arms in the air and surrendered to heir enemies-for-a-day. A surprising debut for Lüger and his men, another shameful defeat for Arachas. How his career would fare from now on was anybody's guess...
----------
Oh, dear Lord. You try and introduce someone to your game, so you let him win, right? Right...
I'm turning into Prius or Sturmm, I swear. My rolls were so bad, it's not even funny. 1's and 2's galore... until I had to roll for Kuijt's initiative test and consecutive wound-rolls for falling damage: 6, 6, 5: TWO criticals. This guy was so dead... but he did score a lot of XP by capturing two objectives early in the game. Ended up with a broken leg in the post-battle sequence (how fitting).
GAH! NEXT GAME I'LL WIN!