Battle of Solis Planum

The Battle of Solis Planum was a colossal battle on Mars that saw both the Secessionists and Mechanicum simultaneously attacking the last major holdings of the Imperialists on Mars.

Defending the center the Imperialists were composed of Thousand Sons, Salamanders and Iron Hands with supporting elements of Solar Auxilia, Imperial Fists and some renegade Emperor's Children. 

Attacking from the north were the forces of the Mechanicum.  Comprising of a Reaver Titan of the Legio Astraman and attending Knight House, Skitarii Legions, a considerable Legio Cybernetica cohort and a small force of Raven Guard. 

From the south cam the Secessionists composed primarily of Iron Warriors and Imperial Militia, lead by a contingent of Ultramarines and supporting elements of the Alpha Legion.

The Salamanders and a small contingent of Iron Hands Held off the Mechanicum in the north.  Vulkan and one Iron Hands Veteran Tactical squad destroying almost all of the Knight Titans, all the while the Reaver Titan bombarded Vulkan whilst all watching saw him walk unscathed from the God machines hellish firepower. 
The bulk of the Iron Warriors, Thousand Sons and the supporting Imperial Fists and Emperor's Children tried to sally forth in the south smashing into the Secessionists whilst the Reaver randomly bombarded both sides from afar.
The defence in the center was disrupted somewhat with the Raven Guard dropping virtually their entire force in the middle of the defenders throwing their defence into disary. 

Ultimately the defence held, with Imperialist forces taking massive damage but seriously bloodying the noses of the Mechanicum and Secessionist forces.

Due to this game having taken place some time ago, and me only having 4 pics and my terrible memory to work off of I will give a few highlights I remember.  If people have any fond anecdotes they want to add in then please do so in the comments below.

Here are a few of my highlights:
-The Raven Guard Moritat being killed by the Scattering Raven Guard Deathstorm Drop Pod, before he had fired.
-Vulkan surviving every shot the Reaver fired his way and merrily beating down Knight Titans.
-The Defenders leaving their entire center open with a Raven Guard Drop Army waiting on the wings.
-1 Iron Hands Veteran Tactical squad killing 2 (or 3 I forget) knight Titans in close combat and only losing less than half the squad total.
-The crazy amount of armoured firepower that the Secessionists had.
-The Secessionist hill well away from the front line ,with the Ultramarines command squad and Lascannon toting Iron Havoks on it getting bombarded into oblivion by orbital bombardment (2-3 orbital bombardments I think).
-The crazy number of Dreadnoughts on the table (from the pictures I can see 29 but I think there may have been a few more)

Reinforcement - Battle for Mars phase 2

The war on Mars rages on. Vulkan has brought his Legion to reinforce those brothers that remained on Mars. The  Word Bearers, under Lorgar have assembled a colossal force to add to the struggle on Mars.

Factions

Each player's force is part of one of 3 factions:

The Imperialists

The Secessionists 

The Mechanicum

Assigned Forces
Imperialists
Thousand Sons (Scattered Legion)
Salamanders (Combat Ready)
Word Bearers (Combat Ready)
Secessionists 
Ultramarines (Combat Ready)
Iron Warriors (Combat Ready)
Alpha Legion (Combat Ready)
Mechanicum
Sundered Mechanicum (Unstoppable Horde)
Dark Mechanicum (Unstoppable Horde)

Victory

After winning a game the victor must pick one of the results below, roll a dice on a 3+ the result takes effect (all enemy or empty territories must be adjacent to a friendly territory):

Sabotage uncapture an enemy territory

Fortify build a structure on a friendly territory

Conquest capture an empty territory

Explore add an empty territory to the map

Overwhelm take an enemy territory*
* can only be chosen by an Unstoppable Horde

Structures owning players may make a 4+ save to stop an enemy from using Sabotage or Overwhelm against the territory with the structure.  Structures are destroyed when they are successfully Sabotaged or Overwhelmed.  In addition friendly or unclaimed territories adjacent to the structure have a 6+ save against Sabotage, Overwhelm or Conquest. 

Combat Effectiveness
Each player's force has a combat effectiveness that will affect their Victory
Combat Ready no bonuses or penalties
Scattered Legion +1 to Sabotage and Fortify; -1 to Expand (Structures only give a 5+ save to the territory with the structure on it)
Forces are Scattered Legions if they control less territory than the number of forces assigned to Mars, certain circumstances my also Scatter a Legion. 
Unstoppable Horde may choose to Overwhelm; -2 to Sabotage and Conquest
Forces are Unstoppable Hordes if their Faction controls 1/3 of the map and/or there are 6 forces assigned to Mars for that faction.
Off Worlders +1 to Explore; -1 Conquest and Fortify
Any force not assigned to Mars.

Treachery!
Should 2 players of the same faction fight one another then their faction will immediately lose 1 territory.  After this is resolved proceed through the normal Victory

Martian Schism, The second battle

The Coniugatorii would have been pleased, if irritated if he still had any notion of what it meant to be pleased or irritated.  Six great armies converged on the Ancient Facility.  Each had their own plans and each was part of a greater whole that had its own plans.  He pondered the flow of the battle as he watched the forces of the two halves of the Mechanicum face off against each other each flanked by the Secessionists on one side and Imperialists on the other.  Could each force work together to overcome their foes?  Would each collapse in upon each other?  Would the Coniugatorii's plans come to fruition and the Mecanicum be reunited or would they once more fall apart?

The Scions deployment, along with a salvaged Salamanders Glaive.  All guns aimed squarely at the Dark Mechanicum.

Iron Warriors bring forth their armoured might ready to crush their Imperialist and Dark Mechanicum foes.

Thousand Sons deployment, ready to move out their flanks covered by their allies the Dark Mechanicum and Alpha Legion/Imperial Army.  Both of whom have proven to be questionable allies at best.

Imperial Army deployment, ready to advance.

The Alpha Legionnaires insert themselves into a forward position.

Sundered Mechanicum deploy their heavy hitters to the fore, ready to inflict some serious damage.

The Dark Mechanicum, trust in their pacts with the Imperialists to secure their rear whilst they point everything at the Scions of Guilliman.

The Dark and Sundered Mechanicum Ruststalkers infiltrate into the central objective, in an amazing display of stealth (given that they cannot infiltrate... oops)

The Dark Mechanicum and Scions of Guilliman waste no time and launch straight into one another.  The Knight took a withering hail of fire, enough to make it think again about charging and throw off its aim.

The Thousand Sons hot foot it to get into a better position. Whilst the Iron Warriors, Alpha Legion and Sundered Mechanicum slightly shift their positions.

As the first two Sundered Knights smash into the Imperialists a third Sundered Knight and a Lightning arrive on the battlefield.

The Dark Mechanicum Eversor and Rust Stalkers hit the Iron Warriors hard, stealing the initiative and putting them on the back foot.  They take a phenomenal amountof fire power before they are finally brought low.

The Alpha Legion and their Imperial Army allies spring a deadly trap! Having secretly made alliances with the Secessionists they turn on their erstwhile allies.

Having made considerable headway towards the Scions the Thousand Sons find themselves with enemies both in front of and behind them.

The Scions of Guilliman, Thousand Sons and Dark Mechanicum doing the bulk of the fighting are soon joined by the fresher Iron Warriors, Alpha Legion and Sundered Mechanicum.

Not to be left out the Iron Warriors and Sundered Mechanicum attack each others forces whilst advancing on the centre.

As The Imperial Army/Alpha Legion devastate the Thousand Sons.  Who although attacked on all sides do some serious damage in return, not the least of which is bringing down a Sundered Knight!  In a final opportunistic act of calculated spite the Alpha Legion blasts the Coniugatorii.

Realising the time was right the Imperial army Valkyrie drops of some Army Scions in the centre.  The Sundered Mechanicum Skitarii take the central point.  In a final act of calculated betrayal the Dark Castellax turn on and destroy the Thousand Sons Assault squad, before resuming their march to the centre ground.

The Scions forces are largely spent in the fight against the Dark Mechanicum make a final push doing what damage they can.  With aircraft zooming all around the Dark Storm Eagle laden with fresh Skitarii Land amongst the rubble of the centre ground to take the last point.

With the Dark and Sundered Mechanicum controlling 2 of the 3 points and with the most forces in the centre ground the Martian Mechanicum tenuously declares its reunification and claims victory!

The Coniugatorii, his ruined form buried under the rubble of the ancient facility continued to read his data-feed as the Mechanicum battle data was fed to him.  The Thousand Sons, staunch allies of the Dark Mechanicum's quest for knowledge regardless of the price had fallen prey to the schemes of the Alpha Legion and and the calculated treachery of the Dark Mechanicum.  The Scions of Guilliman and Iron Warriors had bled themselves badly and been left out of position by the Dark and then the Sundered Mechanicum, unwittingly drawing the fractured halves closer together.  As his vital fluids left him the Coniugatorii reflected that another being might be terrified at dying, or proud that their plans had come to fruition, not so a Priest of the Mecanicum, for long ago had he had such weaknesses surgically removed.  As the datafeed slowly flickered and died he simply was, and then he was no more, the dust and debris forming what might be a rough smile over the ruined tubing, lenses and grills that had made up his ruined face.

Martian Schism, game 2 scenario

Armies:
Players may choose to use an Unbound army or use any of the Age of Darkness Force Organisation Charts.  If a player wishes to use a Rite of War they must use the Age of Darkness Force Org. Chart.
Each player will have 3000pts.

Deployment:
The game will be played on a 6'x8' table.  The centre 2'x4' will be the objective.  6 markers will be placed, each one an equal distance from the two either side of it and from the central objective.  Players then deploy within 12" of their marker.
Scout, Infiltrate and Outflank will work as normal.

Mission Special Rules:
The game is a 6 player free for all but will have rough alliances and will affect the allies matrix. Here is the starting "alliances"
Imperialists: Alpha Legion, Thousand Sons, Dark Mechanicum
Secessionists: Scions of Guilliman, Iron Warriors, Sundered Mechanicum
Martian Mechanicum: Sundered and Dark Mechanicum

These alliances do not stop you from attacking anyone but it would be wise not to make a friend into an enemy.
New alliances can also be forged during the game (which may positively affect the allies matrix).
Victory conditions:
The centre 2'x4' will be the objective area.  Within this area will be 3 equally spaced markers.All units are scoring, except Zooming Flyers and Swooping Flying Monstrous Creatures.  There are no secondary objectives.
-1VP unit is in the objective area
-2VP if a unit is in the objective area and within 3" of a marker.

Battle for Mars:
This mission will decide the appearance of the map for the Battle for Mars.

Martian Schism. The first battle.

The Coniugatorii would have been pleased, if he could still feel the sensation of pleasure, as both the Dark and Sundered Mechanicum had sent representitives to discuss the re-unification of Mars, or at least a cessation of hostilities.  The talks had progressed for several hours, that no one had shot anyone else yet demonstrated the providence of the Mechanicum's choice in soldiery, and were coming to a head when a sentry spotted movement at the outskirts of the ruins.   

The Sundered Mechanicum (left) meet with the Dark Mechanicum (right) whilst the Coniugatorii (centre) leads the negotiations.

The Imperialists soon arrive in the form of the Thousand Sons, Alpha Legion and Imperial Army.  

Shortly after the Iron Warriors arrive en masse from the oposite end of the ruins.  In true Iron Warriors fashion they was no time on formalities and offer both factions of the Mechanicum a non-aggression pact.  

The Imperialists quickly offer their own non-aggression pact to the Mechanicum.  The Imperialists and Secessionists open fire on one another, as the Mechanicum forces rush to better cover and firing positions.

Dark Mechanicum Thanatars arrive and obliterate the Iron Havocs lascannon squad.  Thus ruining any non-aggression pacts with the Iron Warriors.

The Iron Warriors move up into better positions and open fire, with less than sterling results.

The Sundered Mechanicum reinforcements arrive, like the Dark Mechanicum they happily ignore the offers of a non-aggression pact and set out to prove the supremacy of Mars.

The Thousand Sons Praetor engages the Iron Warriors Warsmith in a duel that continues for half the battle. Whilst the Venator sits there immobalised and out of position.

The Tanks of the Imperial army provide covering fire whilst the Alpha Legionnaires advance into the central building.

The Iron Warriors Land Raider surges forwards critically injuring a Thanatar, before it is attacked by a squad of Castellax.

The Dark Mechanicum Knight arrives at the rear of the Iron Warrior lines.

With the Dark Mechanicum attacking on all fronts the Iron Warriors reposition and open fire, killing the Dark Mechanicum warlord in the process!

The Sundered Mechanicum blast away at the Imperialists with the Krios Venator felling two Leman Russ battle tanks!

Sundered Mechanicum and Imperial Army Lightnings dogfight above the battle.

The Dark Mechanicum Knight Errant and Castellax go after the Land Raider whilst the Thanatar bombard Terminators to no avail.

 

In an effort to get away from the Knight the Typhon thunderblitzes the Dark Mechanicum forces, crushing a Castellax and a Magos, and severly damaging several other constructs!

The Iron Warriors advance as the Imperialist Lightning flies by.

The Secessionist Knight Paladin and Lightning move on to destroy the last Leman Russ

The Warsmith is killed by the Thousand Sons Praetor as the Venator is destroyed by the Lightning.

The Dark Mechanicum constructs rage after the loss of their last cortex controller.  The Castellax tear apart the Typhon whilst the Thanatar target their Imperialist allies' Lightning!  Mean while Iron Warriors advance into the central building alongside their Sundered Mechanicum allies.

Enraged at the sudden betrayal of their supposed allies the Imperialist Lightning blasts the Dark Mechanicum Knight Errant but only do minor damage, but managing to drive it from the field of battle.

Meanwhile the Sundered Mechanicum Knight Paladin crushes the last Leman Russ, which has proven to be a major annoyance during the battle.

As the battle ends most of the remaining Mechanicum forces hold their central building whilst the remains of the Legion forces retreat from the feild.  The Sundered Mechanicum have secured victory!

The Coniugatorii gazed over the battlefeild, the Legions' interference could hardly have worked more into his favour.  All of the Dark Mechanicum's command elements had been slain in the battle, and that would make further negotiations difficult, but their forces had fired upon their Imperialist allies, severely weakening their position.  If all continued this well the Martian Mechanicum would soon be whole once more...