Raven's Fall part 1: Landing at Outpost 83Φ-1

Vigilator Vræl gazed at the unconscious Stormseer secured opposite him.  The White Scar psyker was a curiosity, albeit an exceptionally dangerous one.  The psyker had caused considerable damage on the Avis Caveum. The Stormseer seemed a potent psyker in his own right, his ferocious abilities in melee, especially when he lost control of himself were something to be seen.  Although he was far from the most skilled fighter in the Legionnes Astartes he could still devastate any foe foolish to come within reach of his Thunder Hammer.  That was not what interested him the most about this particular White Scar, what interested him the most was the devoted, almost fanatical loyalty his battle brothers had shown him.  The Bonds of brotherhood amongst the Vth were well known, but that so many of the Vth had recklessly thrown their lives away attempting to get the Stormseer off the doomed Avis Caveum was peculiar, even for the White Scars.  As the Darkwing they were in weaved its way to the surface of Deliverance Vræl pondered what this might mean for the fight ahead.

J'zargo and his Raven Guard escort Vræl and 3 Terminators

The Raven Guard:
Praetor
10 Tactical Marines
10 AssaultMarines
6 Flamer Tactical SupportMarines
Deredeo Dreadnought
Deredeo Dreadnought

The White Scars:
Chaplain
Legion Champion
7 Outriders
7 Outriders
6 Outriders
15 Assault Marines

We played the Planetfall mission from Planetstrike with a few minor modifications.  The Raven Guard got Vigilator Vræl and the surviving Terminators from Escape from the Avis Caveum game for free in a Darkwing.  The Darkwing couldn't do anything other than fly on the first turn, land the second turn and jink.  Vræl and the Terminators could only overwatch, fight in an assault and move towards the base entrance.

Outpost  83Φ-1 prior to the orbital bombardment

 The White Scars got J'zargo free but he would be escorted by Vræl and the Terminators and couldn't do anything unless his escort were in combat, then J'zargo could fight or dead in which case he acted normally.  In addition 2 stratagems were added to the Planet Strike attacker's list:
1pt Wyrm Drop:  the attacker gets one extra Planetary Bombardment.  If this extra strike hits a unit or building and there is no further effect.  If there are no models or intact models under the template place a crater as normal and add one Burrowing Wyrm to all other games in the Deliverance lost Campaign.
2pts Steel Rain: as Wyrm Drop but the attacker gets D3+1 extra Planetary Bombardments will all the rules listed above.
Burrowing Wyrms:  at the start of any game using the Burrowing Wyrms rule roll 1D6 per Burrowing Wyrm, for each roll of a 5+ add a Steel Wyrm to the White Scar's army.  If the Steel Wyrm sufferes a deepstrike mishap the Raven Guard player may automatically place it and scatter as normal.  Should the Steel Wyrm suffer a Deepstrike mishap the white scars player rolls on the mishap table as normal.  Any instance of the Burrowing Wyrm rule is removed once the associated Steel Wyrm is killed.

After the Planetary Bombardment and Raven Guard Deployment.  2 Steel Wyrms were fired into Deliverance boring their way to sow destruction throughout the moon.

 

As the White Scars speed towards Outpost  83Φ-1 the Raven Guard open fire, the two Deredeos raining a hail of fire into the Astartes of the Vth.

The Darkwing with its valuable payload comes in for a landing.

The White Scars advance under heavy fire.

Outriders rush to destroy the base's defenses before tackling the Deredeo.

The first unit of Outriders hit the Bastion but their Meltabombs fail to cause any serious damage.

The Assault Marines slam into the second Deredeo and destroy the mighty Dreadnought

The White Scars are closing in as the Darkwing lands and the passengers disembark onto the landing pad.

The Flamer Support squad counter attacks the Outriders attacking the Bastion wiping them out.

The Deredeo comes under attack from the Outriders.

The Preator and Flamer Support squad move out after being attacked by and seeing off the nest Outrider squad.

The White Scars Assault squad, who are chanting J'zargo's name close in on Vræl and the Terminators.

Only to be intercepted by the Raven Guard Praetor and the remnants of the flamer Support squad.  The White Scars Legion Champion bellows out a challenge and is swiftly outfought by the Raven Guard Praetor.

The last surviving outrider unit destroy the Deredeo and speed over towards J'zargo.

Vræl and his last surviving Terminator drag J'zargo past the assault squad as the Preator holds them up.

The Outriders close the gap.

.

The Praetor smashes aside the broken forms of the Assault marines as they hurl themselves at him in an attempt to break past and reach J'zargo

The Raven Guard Assault squad drops in trying to cut off the Outriders.

But are too late as the Outriders zoom in and with J'zargo's aid fell Vræl and the Terminator!

The victory is short lived as the Assault squad quickly lep onto the Outriders butchering them and recapturing J'zargo, although not without some losses of their own.

Victory for the Raven Guard!

Although the White Scars managed to bloody the Raven Guard's noses quite severely and even free J'zargo breifly the lack of damage from the Planetary Bomnbardment hindered their progress.  Coupled with an exceptionally strong counter attack from the Raven Guard in the form of the Praetor and flamer squad who killed 2 Outrider squads and the Assault squad.  The Raven Guard Assault squad's late game actions saved the day for the Raven Guard. 

Vræl coughed up blood and pulled himself upright.  J'zargo caught Vræl unawares as the Outriders had roared in from behind.  Taking a Thunderhammer to the chest was something few could survive, even amongst the post humans of the Legionnes Astartes.  The Curiass of his Artificer armour was all but ruined from the blow.  Ahead of him Vræl could see the Assult squad dragging the once again subdued J'zargo into Outpost 83Φ-1.  As he strode towards the entrance of the subsurface base Vræl gazed upwards.  Devastation rocked the skies above Deliverance as the two fleets tore each other to pieces and as lander after lander streaked down towards the moon.  This fight was far from over.