Ethereal Snatch, The Campaign Begins!

Siceralc - Over the last few weeks most of us have been playing the meta pretty hard, and we've decided to give it a break and indulge our desire for fluff. What follows is the first of several scenarios we plan on playing over the next few months, and we hope to develop the games as we go along. The suggestion has also been made that we flesh out these scenarios with some narrative fluff, so with no further adieu I give you Part One of the Perdus Rift Campaign, story and battle report.

Unity.

Prosperity.

Peace.

There could be no higher calling than upholding these tenets of the Tau way, but by the Greater Good the longing for real political debate was overwhelming. How had he been so stupid as to request a field assignment? Just how exactly had he ended up as a political attache to a forsaken mining expedition on the eastern outskirts of the Perdus Rift? Surely this was a role for one of the Water Caste? Aun’Li could not fathom why a member of the Ethereal Caste was needed on this deserted backwater. Oh there was the Gue’la outpost, but surely they were outmatched by the forces of this expedition.

Of course the expedition had already many setbacks, the Earth Caste divining process had been severely hampered by the jungle conditions, with nearly 20% of the contingent listed as casualties due to environmental factors. There were also the tens of thousands of O’res’la, savage green-skinned giants inhabiting the jungles surrounding the designated drilling sites. If he were given the option Aun’Li would happily leave the Gue’la to the jungle and the O’res’la until all forces were spent, but the Council had been clear: defuse the situation before the humans called in support. Further delay in drilling operations would not be tolerated.

Neither his expedition force or the Imperial garrison had the resources to displace the infestation from the planet’s surface. Aun'Li hoped that the Gue’la would be willing to cooperate on the terms of mutual reward. The Empire had no use for the metal ore behind the Imperial presence on these worlds, their only desire was the radioactive D-12 liquid found in numerous reservoirs a short distance below the planet's surface. The precious fluid was used as fuel source for the XV-88 suits that were being rapidly produced for a push into the Damocles Gulf. Any logical mind would see that It was in the best interest for the humans to work with the tau on providing security for their respective mining details. However, recent stealth team debriefings had included sightings of a ‘black-coat’, a member of the Imperial political caste. Such individuals were usually an unpleasant set-back on negotiations at the best of times, and Aun'Li wished that he would be spared their presence at the coming meeting.

Comms chatter roused Aun'Li  from his reverie and he glanced around the inside of the Devilfish transport. Strapped into the stella harness beside him was the Shas'ui of his bodyguard team, methodically updating the onboard mapping systems with the latest drone surveillance. The atmosphere within the cabin was awkwardly quiet. Barely a word had been spoken over the trip from the Manta and while the Fire Caste were not selected for their communication skills Aun’Li had hoped there would be some conversation.

It occurred to him as he made to call the Shas’ui that despite having some time to study the dossier assembled by this world’s Fire Caste advisor he had not learned the names of his bodyguard. Shame washed through him at the thought of these warriors sacrificing themselves to save a leader who had not even given consideration to their identities. Before he could correct his failure, his thoughts were once again interrupted as the fire warrior team released themselves from their restraints. Aun'Li realised that he had completely missed the landing indicators flashing during his contemplation. He sighed and stood up. The time had come to meet the human commander assigned to this sector of space and resolve to fight the O’res’la menace infecting this world.

Colonel ‘Glass-jaw’ Ryan emerged into the jungle clearing, eyes fixed on the xenos forces deployed in defensive posture less than two dozen paces distant. A dozen alien weapons snapped up to face him as he spat a much-chewed cheroot to the ground.

‘Now which one of you boys do I ask to get the hell off my planet?’ He drawled, grinding the embers beneath his heel, and planting his hands on his hips.

He got no reply but the whirring of alien optics, and the hiss of hydraulics from the big, and rather imposing, suit in the back. Turning his back to the aliens he winked at Commissar Ronin as he struggled out of the jungle, followed by the rest of the command unit.

‘Be wary Colonel! The xenos are treacherous and dangerous in the extreme, they will seek to deceive you! Fear not, I will lead you on the proper path to dealing with them in time, but for now I warn you: do not take this meeting lightly.’

Ryan rolled his eyes and looked back to the tau lines, eyes scanning their deployment. He could tell at a glance that whoever was in charge knew their jungle warfare. The tau infantry was scattered where they could make easy use of the nearby jungle for cover, and the battlesuit was stationed at maximum range with a clear line of sight on the clearing. Some two dozen xenos were present, and Ryan knew well enough the thick jungle could conceal more. He couldn’t see any of what the Catachans knew as ‘kroot’ and for that he was glad. On Cytheria the 51st had learned that the kroot almost knew the jungle as well as any Catachan. Almost.

Ryan took a deep breath, running his fingers over the teeth of his augmetic lower jaw. It would be too soon if he ever fought kroot again.

The sound of slapping and short yelps of pain drew his eyes from the jungle as the Commissar swatted at a number of shiny black arachnids on his greatcoat. Ryan’s command squad stood idle, barely suppressing their laughter as the Commissar danced and writhed in the middle of the clearing.

‘Stover, help the Commissar… and don’t you go killing those blood-spiders, Leesal will want them for samples.’ 

As the Commissar squirmed and Voxman Stover took out his specimen jars, Colonel Ryan frowned. The Commissar was becoming a liability. No jungle sense, no combat experience and fresh out of the schola, he had arrived from outsystem not two cycles ago and had insisted on being brought to this meeting. Ryan hoped he hadn't made a mistake in allowing it, but after the retreat from Cytheria he knew having something to focus their hostility on would help his men. He had never held much sympathy for Commissars, if you wanted respect you earned it in blood, not with a black coat and a warrant for execution.

Clearance squads had burned out this clearing days ago, sweeping the area for the more inimical forms of life, the acid-hounds, razorbeaks, and the species of mantrap that seemed native to this world, but the jungles of this backwater hosted plenty of critters that couldn’t be flushed out so easily. Lungworm and Devilrash had been the biggest problems when the 51st had arrived, but soon after deployment the jungle fighters had learned that this place wasn’t so bad. If anything it was boring. The orks at least provided some entertainment. The 51st had been skirmishing with ork Kommando units for weeks now, and the big uglies were starting to learn. Then the tau had arrived.

Now Colonel Ryan had more to worry about than orks playing Catachan out in the jungle. The xenos had arrived in force, and while the majority of the fleet appeared to be civilian, there were more than enough troop transports to suggest a real problem. So when the call had come from the tau, in surprisingly polished High Gothic, it had been his decision to hear the Ethereal out, and if the worst happened take out the tau leadership in one blow. After all, his snipers had done it once before. 

The whining of xenos repulsor engines told him that the tau leader had arrived. Movement caught his eye in the jungles to his flanks and he smiled as he spotted Sentinel Patrol Groxfoot moving into position. Somewhere in the trees behind him his marksmen would be drawing beads on the approaching xenos transport. 'Glass-jaw' Ryan pulled his top lip back from his steel teeth in the only smile he could.

'Let's have us some fun.'

The rear hatch opened with the sound of pressurisation, letting light and heat flood into the cabin of the Devilfish transport. Waiting for Aun'Li at the end of the landing ramp was one of the expeditions own XV-88's, accompanied by a shielding drone. Even with his missile systems on passive the Broadside was an intimidating sight and Aun'Li had been happy to approve the insertion of the warrior to lend weight to the coming negotiation. The Shas'ui of his bodyguard saluted the Broadside as his men fanned out into the undergrowth. He had never really understood the unspoken bond between soldiers but he could only hope that such appreciation of military strength was within human tradition. The last thing he wanted was a fire-fight.

The descent down the landing ramp made him appreciate the benefits of the atmospheric technology within his transport. The heat was unbearable and sweat began to pool around his neck as his robes absorbed more and more heat. Once safely at the bottom of the ramp, the devilfish immediately lifted off for the assigned rally point and the wash of ion downdraft only made the temperature worse. Aun'Li took a few moments to digest what he could see. Standing on the opposite side of the valley opening was a party of six humans, with two apparently engaged in some sort of grooming display. Aun'Li searched the valley edges but saw nothing but forest, bush and heat haze. 

'Caution, high one.' Aun'Li raised his gaze to the focal lenses of his XV-88 protector. 'These humans carry unit indicators that place them in action on Cytheria.'

'There are two La'Rua of Fire Caste warriors here,' Aun'Li scoffed, 'and six humans. I will be safe.'

The XV-88's passive sensors clicked in a moment of silence.

'As you say high one. You should know my black-sun filters are registering anomalous life form readings in the surrounding jungle. This unit has a history of combat ambushes.'

Aun'Li scowled at the enormous battlesuit, and gestured to the drone.

'THAT will keep me safe.' 

Still scowling, Aun'Li strode away towards the group of humans, leaving his bodyguard scrambling to keep up, and the drone humming along in his wake.

As the Ethereal approached Ryan's command squad the jungle fighters fanned out to both sides of the Colonel. Commissar Ronin, his face and neck covered in angry red welts, came to stand by the Colonel.

'I think you should just watch on this one, son,' Ryan drawled, 'We've dealt with his kind before.'

'Wisdom is the beginning of fear, Colonel. You don't know the protocols we're breaking simply being at this meeting, do not test my patience or I will end it, personally. I am the sovereign representative of the Emperor's will here and you will- '

Spinning, Colonel Ryan grabbed the front of Ronin's greatcoat, pulling him so close as to smell the sactified oils on his augmetic jaw.

'What you are is all alone, boy, and I won't let you get us into a battle we can't win. Now we're not afraid of a good fight, but last I checked those alien bastards had more firepower levelled at us than a titan legion, and I'm curious as to why they didn't pull the trigger.' 

He glanced back over his shoulder at the Ethereal, who now stood observing not ten paces away.

'Now behave yourself, or trust me son, you'll suffer for it.'

Releasing the Commissar, Ryan strode up to the Ethereal, ignoring the alien bodyguards as they raised their oversized rifles. 

'Colonel Jacob Ryan, 51st Catachan Infantry Regiment. You'd be an Aun-something? Thought so. So why are you here Aun-something. Run out of bugs to catch?'

Ryan studied the alien, looking for some reaction to the deliberate provocation.

'I am Aun'Li, Ethereal and representative of the high council-'

Aun'Li's words were cut off by the sound of high calibre gunfire from the edges of the clearing. Ryan and his command squad dove for cover, as the Ethereal's Fire Warriors opened up on the figures emerging from the jungles. Roaring gutteral war cries the clearing was suddenly filled with dozens of orks, charging over open ground towards the meeting, firing their crude pistols into the air.

Ryan unholstered his laspistol as his men began to open fire.

'Stover tell those sentinels to move now, we need to burn a path out of here! Tell Caad to open fire on the greenskins, but he is not, I repeat, not to open fire on those tau!'

'I told you!' hissed Commissar Ronin, crawling on his belly toward the Colonel. 'The xenos have consorted with the greenskins and betrayed us. Colonel, we must take that Ethereal alive, now while we can. Capturing it will give us the advantage.'

Lasfire erupted from the jungle behind the command squad as Captain Caan's platoon began to open fire. Calmly picking targets, Ryan replied over the hiss-snap of lasfire and the high-pitched discharge of pulse weapons.

'Then why are they shooting the orks? Stay down boy, and you might just live through this.'

A chugging roar interrupted the Commissar's reply as a huge ork walker smashed its way into the clearing. Rusted joints and leaking hydraulics gave a tortured groan as it noticed the group and began lumbering toward it, gouts of flame spewing from a crude flamethrower on its front.

'Prepare to fall back. Stover when I give the order.'

The feeling of a ring of cold steel behind his ear stopped Ryan from giving any such order. The Commissar stood in the midst of high calibre shells, plasma bolts and shards of lasfire, bolt pistol pressed to Ryan's head.

'I am no fool Colonel. I was warned about you Catachans,' Ronin spat the word, 'and I demand your obedience! Order your men to capture that Xenos, or I will execute you for cowardice and give the order myself!'

Ryan's eyes flicked over his squad; Stover staring open mouthed, vox set in hand, Grall firing bursts of rapid lasfire at the approaching ork walker, Owen switching power cells calmly as a group of huge greenskins charged, Riga shaking Tellor and raising his rifle at the Commissar. Ryan caught his eye and waved the man down. He glanced at the tau, falling back towards their hovering transport in good order. Ryan ground his metal teeth.

'Alright, sir.'

Turning to face the raised bolt pistol, Ryan stared hard at the Commissar. Unblinking he gestured his voxman over.

'Stover, give me the vox.' The Colonel took the handset with steady hands. 'All forces, this is Colonel Ryan, the xenos tau are cleared hostile, engage at will.' He paused, and his eyes broke contact with the Commissars, only to meet the gaze of the retreating tau leader. 

'Capture that Ethereal alive.'

Siceralc - A few clarifications before the battle report begins. As you can probably tell by the above, this scenario is a case of mistaken intentions and the chaos that results from a few unfortunate circumstances. Each race participating in the battle has its own set of objectives and unique rules and characteristics to reflect the above storyline and the result of each battle will affect larger campaign. This in turn will influence the narrative. 

Force Composition

Siceralc - When deciding force org we went for similar guidelines to those set down in Combat Patrol. No ridiculous spam or out of place units, no av13 or 2+ armour saves (exception to this was the broadside which was changed to a 3+) and all entries had to be justifiable to the scenario.

Tau, 300 points + HQ - Crazy424
An Ethereal with a shield drone, accompanied by a 4 man Fire Warrior honour guard, two squads of 8 Fire Warriors with Shas'uis, Devilfish with smart missile system, and a single broadside with high yield missiles.

Imperial Guard, 300 points + HQ - Siceralc
Company Command Squad with attached Commissar, one basic infantry platoon (the platoon command squad armed with two plasma guns, the two infantry squads equipped with flamers) and two individual scout sentinels armed with heavy flamers.

Orks, 500ish points - 3 Colours
Two huge mobs of boyz with choppas and pistols, accompanied by nobz and a big shoota each, a 5 ork nob squad with weirdboy and a deff dredd with burna and big shoota.

Objectives

Tau
Get the Ethereal into the transport safely and leave the board via any Tau player's edge.
 Secondary Objective: Capture the Company Commander.

Imperial Guard
Kill the Ethereal's protectors and escort the Ethereal from any Imperial Guard player's edge.
Secondary Objective: Keep the Company Commander and the Commissar alive.

Orks
Stop both of the above from happening.
Secondary Objective: Kill everything.

Special Rules

Tau
If the Ethereal is captured, the Tau force gains Hatred against the capturing unit.

Imperial Guard
All Imperial Guard forces have the Stealth (Forests), and Move Through Cover (Forests) USR's.

Orks
All Ork infantry models have the Feel No Pain (6+) USR.

Deployment

Both the Imperial Guard and Tau deployments zones were chosen at random with a D4. The Orks deployed on both unused sides.

Tau
The Tau forces set up first, with the only restrictions being the HQ had to be within 6" of the centre point, and no unit could be further than 18" from the HQ. The Devilfish was also restricted to be unable to embark the Ethereal in turn 1. The Fire warriors were set up to make the most of the available cover, and the Broadside was deployed at max effective weapons range.

Imperial Guard
The Imperial Guard set up next, with the HQ again placed in the centre of the board. The sentinels were deployed on the flanks to defend against any Ork assaults, and the snipers were set up at their own max range. One infantry squad was placed on either side of the HQ to provide support and the platoon command was set up out of range of the Broadsides smart missile system.

Orks
The Orks were given a 12" deploment zone, calculated from the table corners themselves. One squad of Boyz and the Nobz with the Weirdboy were deployed in the near-right corner of the board while the other Boyz and Deff Dred were deployed in the far-left. The aim was to engage both armies at the same time, assaulting them both in the same turn.

The Game

First turn - Orks

Being really sneaky, the Orks attacked first. The Boyz moved towards the Sentinel protecting the IG right flank while the Nobz headed towards the trees sheltering a squad of Fire Warriors. On the opposite side of the board, the other Boyz headed towards the Tau right flank while the Deff Dred headed into the big group of IG.

Shooting saw a few casualties. The Boyz in the near-right shot at the Sentinel taking one hull point while the Nobz shot at the Fire Warriors and managed to kill one. The Boyz on the other side of the board shot at the other Fire Warriors and killed two while the Deff Dred ran an extra 3" towards the big group of IG. The Weirdboy failed his psychic test. Suprise, surprise.

First Turn - Tau

The Tau won the roll and were therefore the first to react to the Ork threat. However as a result they couldn't shoot the Imperial Guard, unable as they were to so illogically betray a prospective ally. Movement saw the Etheral and his Honour Guard retreat towards the Devilfish, while the Fire Warriors regrouped close enough to provide neccessary overwatch support.

The Fire Warriors wreaked merry hell among the Orks, killing several of the Boyz headed their way. Two Nobs also fell to their shooting. The Broadside popped a few missiles off at the Nobz, but failed to do much damage.

First Turn - Imperial Guard

The Guardsmen movement took an unusual form with one infantry squad and the HQ forming up for an assault against the Tau Ethereal. The Sentinel on the right flank moved to intercept the huge squad of boyz, supported by the infantry in the trees. The other Sentinel made to block any charge moves from the Deff Dredd, and the Platoon Command moved their plasmas into weapons range.

The snipers opened the shooting phase by betraying the Tau and attempting to down the Broadside with no luck at all. The Sentinel on the aggressive torched 6 Boyz, and the infantry squad brought the tally to 9. The plasmas targeted the Deff Dredd, and succeeded in doing nothing but displaying how to make a plasma weapon overheat and explode a guardsman.

The Sentinel hadn't had its fill of Orks yet, and made a charge through difficult terrain. Striking simultaneously with the Ork Nob, the Sentinel Squashed an Ork, while failing to receive any damage itself. This was enough to send the whole squad running, and the Sentinel chased them down. The infantry squad led the charge and soaked up 3 units worth of overwatch, only losing 5 members in the process and making their charge. The Company Command followed them in, and the result was 4 dead Tau bodyguards and a captured Ethereal. The CCS made a 6" consolidate, and the remaining infantry squad used its 3" move to move into blocking position.

Second Turn - Orks

The Orks summoned reinforcements (the noise having attracted more Boyz to the fun) and two squads of Ork boyz were introduced in each of the deployment corners. These units weren't allowed to charge until their second turn, but made a beeline for their prospective targets anyway. The Nobz blundered through the trees towards the Fire Warriors, the Deff Dredd giggled it's way towards some juicy Guardsmen and the surviving unit of Boyz on the Tau edge kept trundling onwards.

The Deff Dredd opened shooting by torching the surviving Platoon Command Squad. The Platoon Commander emerged from the roasted bodies of his men, defiantly passing his leadership check and standing firm. The Boyz took what they could, failing to hurt the Devilfish but doing their best anyway. The Nobz trundle forward to assault distance and for all their shooting did may as well have just fired their pistols into the air. Which, being Orks, was probably what they were doing. The new boyz tried taking out the Sentinels but unfortunately didn't do so well. The Weirdboy failed his psychic test. Again.

The Nobz made it to combat and chewed on the Fire Warriors, and made it one step closer to the juicy broadside.

Second Turn - Tau

The Tau continued their regrouping tactic with the surviving Fire Warriors moving back to make the most of their range supporting the Broadside. The Devilfish made after the Guardsmen holding the Ethereal, and positioned itself to open fire.

The Fire Warriors let loose on the Nobz, ridding themselves of the threat finally, and the Weirdboy faded away in a Yoda-like fashion to reappear in the next turn. The Broadside and Devilfish unleashed on the Company Command, killing all but the Commissar and the Company Commander carrying the Ethereal, who was down to a single wound. Crazy at this point decided 'screw the mission, let's just kill stuff'.

Second Turn - Imperial Guard

In the Second turn the Imperial Guard did what it does best. It ran. The Command Squad moved towards the board edge carrying their prize, the infantry squad in the trees forming up around them to screen. The half-strength infantry squad moved on the Tau position intent of selling their lives buying some time for the Commander. The Sentinels moved forward to deal with the arriving Ork threat, and the snipers did the same thing they'd done so far, they sat there.

The half-strength squad of Guardsmen took a pot shot at the Broadside, taking a single wound. The Snipers opened up on the Deff Dredd and failed to do any damage. The Sentinels managed to torch 3 Orks each, before failing their charges to stand around looking stupid.

Third Turn - Orks

With no new reinforcements this turn the Boyz moved up, trying to cover as much ground as they could, while the Weirdboy reappeared in the corner closest to the Guard. The Deff Dredd, sighting the Company Command holding the Ethereal, trundled forward looking mean. The weakend Boyz squad kept pushing for the Tau lines, hoping to make a charge before being gunned down.

This turn saw the Weirdboy finally pass a psychic test and gain a 36" melta weapon which managed to tag the Devilfish, but only glance. 3 Colours shrugged, happy that he finally actually got to use a psychic power. The Deff Dredd again opened up, this time at the remaining infantry squad, killing 2. The Ork Boyz used their supreme marksmanship to take down the damaged Sentinel, which left the Imperial Guard flank exposed.

The Deff Dredd, having not thought out its earlier decision to open fire on the infantry squad, failed its charge, thereby ending the third Ork turn.

Third Turn - Tau

 

The Tau began turn 3 by getting angry. Again the Devilfish moved up to try to rescue the Ethereal, while the remaining Fire Warriors hurdled the fence by the Broadside and took up position.

The Fire Warriors blew the weakend Ork unit apart, keeping themselves safe for another turn, and the Broadside again fired on the CCS, killing the Commissar and incapacitating the Company Commander. The Devilfish wiped out the 5 man infantry squad, deciding they'd look better as bloody smears on the grass. Unable to do anything else, Crazy passed on the turn.


Third Turn - Imperial Guard

 

Siceralc started turn 3 by again running away. The surviving infantry squad picked up the Company Commander and the Ethereal and made for the board edge. The Platoon Commander emerged from the trees to stand in the way of the advancing Ork walker, blocking any charge, and he last Sentinel danced around behind the Deff Dredd to reach the weaker rear armour and the shooting phase began.

The Platoon Commander, long forgotten about, started the shooting phase by ordering the infantry to 'MOVE, MOVE, MOVE!', rolling a full 6". The snipers again targeted the Deff Dredd, doing nothing. The Sentinel on the other hand managed to find a weak spot, unleashing a torrent of burning promethium and immobilising the angry clanking rust bucket. With Siceralc making faces at 3 Colours the final game turn began.

End of turn 3

Fourth Turn - Orks

The Orks, as the only significant force left on the board, made their final attempt at achieving their objectives, moving big units of Boyz at both the Tau and surviving Guard. The Deff Dredd, raging at its failing legs, let rip at the Platoon Commander, who was removed before any wounding rolls were made.

The group of boyz emerging from the Imperial Guard board edge opened fire on the infantry squad, failing to hit with anything. The Weirdboy again passed his psychic test and AGAIN got a 36" melta. This time he managed to explode that pesky Devilfish, leaving Crazy with no chance of victory.

Finally, the last Sentinel was taken down by a group of Boyz, despite valiantly squishing an Ork in close combat. The Boyz had their revenge.

Fourth Turn - Tau

Having only the Fire Warriors and Broadside remaining, Crazy just went nuts on the Orks. The Broadside and Fire warriors between them accounted for more than 10 Orks in the one phase, however all too soon it was time for the game to end.

Fourth Turn - Imperial Guard

Wasting no time, Siceralc moved the objective off the board, and claimed scenario victory.


Result

 

Well they'd really screwed the Grox this time. Sergeant 'Ripper' Torp readjusted his grip on the stretcher. Old Glassjaw weighed a ton. Torp glanced over his shoulder at his burden, slowly staining the camouflage canvas deep red. He was in a bad way too. His augmetic jaw was gone, leaving nothing but red metal brackets and the occasional spark. His body was riddled with shrapnel from those damn alien missiles, but after seeing what had happened to the Commissar Torp thought Glassjaw had come out lucky. Torp grinned remembering the look of surprise on Ronin's face as a dozen missiles streaked towards him through the undergrowth. Served the grot-fondler right.

'Sergeant, I have a signal.' 

Voxman Caan approached, the whining buzz of a vox signal emanating from his handset. Torp called the squad to a halt, lowering the Colonel softly to the ground. He took the handset from Caan, noting the vacant look in his eyes. Catachans were no strangers to loss, but seeing your brother burned alive by Orks was no happy image. Half the platoon was gone. Old Glassjaw was the only survivor of the command squad, and the last he saw of the Groxfoot sentinels they were piling into the huge mobs of Orks pouring from the jungle. At least the platoon scouts had survived, even now they slipped through the jungle ahead of the survivors, blazing a trail around Ork encampments and steering the unit to safety. They'd even managed to salvage the valuable plasma weapons from Captain Caan's destroyed command squad, and Torp was reassured seeing two of his best with the ancient weapons. 

Torp took the vox handset and thumbed the broadcast rune. 

'Spirelord, this is Creeper, priority call delta-seven-two-two. Colonel Ryan has been injured and we have enemy assets for debriefing. Requesting immediate dust-off and extraction. Spirelord come in, over.' 

The vox crackled with static, before a faint voice pushed through the white noise.

'Creeper, Spirelord here. We copy your distress and have air assets standing by, we can have them at rendezvous gamma in a half-cycle. Can you make it?'

'Copy, we can make that extraction. Creeper out.'

Torp turned to the squad and nodded in approval, noting every man on his feet scanning the jungle. Croben had dumped the tau Ethereal at his feet and was trying to wipe some of the creatures blue ichor from his skin. The Ethereal was out cold as well, so much was a blessing imparted by Croben when the alien tried to talk its way out. Torp felt a hand grip his arm, and looked down startled. Colonel Ryan looked back, clear green eyes tensed in pain.

'Sir, we're on our way to the extraction, we'll be out of here soon. Don't worry, you'll be fine.'

Ryan rolled his eyes at that and dismissed the sergeant with a gesture toward the jungle. Torp smiled and bent down to pick up his end of the stretcher. They could move fast through this terrain. With any luck they would make the rendezvous and be back at base for a Grox steak by nightfall. But Torp's smile died as he remembered their other cargo. The Tau would be coming.

And they would send hunters.

 Siceralc - Imperial Guard Victory!

But at what cost? With the Colonel gravely injured, how will the Catachans make it back to their lines? The Commissar is thankfully no longer slowing them down, but they're now stuck in a conflict that nobody desired in the first place! The Tau must now muster their forces for a rescue attempt, and the Catachans have a long journey ahead of them through Ork infested jungle. Even if they survive the journey, this world harbours worse things than skulking Orks...

Please do feel free to comment any suggestions or ideas you have for us moving forward from this. Over the next few weeks we'll continue the story, bring in some new characters and play a few games with some new opponents.

Until next time everybody!

Thanks for reading!

Make good choices!

Siceralc, CrAzY424 and 3 Colours