Escape from the Avis Caveum

 After the disastrous battle in the Medicae Facility the White Scars forces are forced to flee the Avis Caveum, their boarding action ultimately having been defeated.  As the remnants of the boarding parties fight their way to the Avis Caveum's launch bays Vigilator Vrael continues to stalk his foe J'zargo Khan, all the while the Strike Cruiser crumbles as it is being bombarded by the White Scars fleet.

To make this game a bit more interesting we made a custom scenario, used the space hulk tiles and used the Void War rules; specifically Exploding Terrain; Faster Run; Open to the Void and a slightly modified Passages of Death.  We also trialed a few new house rule for the Secession campaign that will be getting introduced shortly.

The Scenario:
The White Scars had to get from the entry points of the map and escape via one of the Drop Pods or the Storm Eagle.  Each Drop Pod could take up to 10 Marines whereas the Storm Eagle could hold up to 20 marines.  The White Scars also had a few objectives they could destroy to earn a few more points.
The game had no turn limit, we would continue to play until all the White Scars escaped or died.

Victory Conditions:
1VP per White Scar
2VP Legion Champion 
5VP J'zargo
2VP per objective destroyed (the red dots in the map above)

11+VP White Scars victory
6-10VP draw
5>VP Raven Guard Victory

Forces
Raven Guard [unbound]
Vigilator Vrael
10 Tactical marines
5 Terminators
10 Recon Marines
2x 5 Ship security detail (Astra Militarum veterans)
White Scars
Librarian J'zargo Khan
Legion Champion
10 Assault Marines
5 Veteran Tactical Marines

Deployment- The Raven Guard get word of the White Scars imminent arrival.

The White Scars launch their attack.  The badly injured J'zargo and his few remaining (now veteran) tactical marines in the left hand corridors.  The remnants of the White Scars reinforcements that had been sent to the Medicae Facility headed down the right side corridors.

The Recon marines and Terminators move out to deal with the interlopers, whilst the Tactical marines and Security detail try to get a clear line of fire through the twisting corridors of the ship. 

The Recon marines and the central Security Detail are quickly overwhelmed by the White Scars.  Although J'zargo's injuries seem to be affecting his psychic abilities, causing him to suffer a perils of the warp.

The Terminators once again shift their position, feeling woefully out maneuvered by their jump pack equipped enemy.   The combined fire of the Tactical squad, Terminators and Security Detail take a heavy toll on the Assault marines.

J'zargo collapses under the strain of his injuries and another perils of the Warp!  Meanwhile The Legion Champion breaks off from the Assault Squad and they both destroy the objectives in the rooms they occupy.

Vrael arrives behind the White Scars he has been stalking and begins pouring fire into the Veterans defending J'zargo.

The Tactical squad makes a risky leap between the two corridors to close on the Veterans, two of their number are lost to the void because of the maneuver.  Meanwhile the Terminators advance on the Assault Marines and the Security Detail leg it from the Legion Champion in the hope that they don't have to sell their lives dearly, or at all.

The White Scars Veterans leap across the corridors to get some distance from Vrael and the Tactical marines.  The Assault squad continues to run rings around the Terminators.  The Legion Champion heads to the Storm Eagle, blowing one of the 2 remaining Security Detail in half on the way past.

The Raven Guard forces combine their fire and annihilate the Veterans protecting the unconscious form of J'zargo.  Things are looking grim for the few remaining White Scars.  At this point the Raven Guard were expecting them to bail or possibly try destroy the last objective room.

In a display of true brotherhood the Assault marines leap in to drag J'zargo to safety!

Only to have the Terminators charge in and put them to the sword (and axe and chainfist)!

The Legion Champion stares down the Terminators before demonstrating why he earnt his title.

 

Leaping in, grabbing J'zargo and making a break for the Storm Eagle, can they make it?!?

Despite his Artificer Armour the Raven Guard's fire cuts the Legion Champion down.  Securing victory for the Raven Guard.  

The Raven Guard finally cleared the Avis Caveum of the White Scars boarding action, their victory was short lived as warning klaxons sounded.  The Raven Guard forces quickly evacuated the sinking Strike Cruiser.

   As the Raven Guard descended planet side Vrael gazed beyond the viewports of the Storm Eagle taking in the scale of the space battle between the two Legions.  He turned his gaze to his fellow warriors seated in the Storm Eagle, as they tended to their injuries and the machine spirits of their Astartes Battleplate and assorted weapons.  Vrael shifted his view until he took in the prone form of J'zargo arnchored to a bulk head.  The White Scars bonds of brotherhood were well known to run deep, but J'zargo's forces showed an almost fanatical devotion to their Librarian.  Perhaps there was more to this Librarian than there seemed?  What secrets might J'zargo yield?