Death stalks the Underhive

Fear was etched onto his face, the abject terror in his eyes cast fleeting glances at everything around him. He was running for his life.
Proctor Corban fled through the darkness, never stopping, desperate to escape the creeping death that stalked him. . .

45mins earlier. . .
The lift clanked and rattled as it proceeded further into the underhive carrying the 10 Arbites into the pit below.
Corban turned to the others 'This is a simple operation, we go in take the bastard down and drag his worthless hide back to precinct so that he can have his personal brand of Imperial Justice. Got that?'
'What are we facing sir?'
'Well' started Corban 'Apparently this guy has butchered his way through hab blocks 39 through 87 leaving no survivors and he's done it quieter than a heretic in a convent'
'Right. . .'
'Anyway, last stop people, lock and load! We're in for one wild night.'

Corban was exhausted the carapace armour feeling leaden, it really wasn't designed for this he mused. He stripped the breastplate off reflecting on what little it had done to protect his squadmates. . .

30mins earlier. . .
'Sir you might want to have a look at this'
'Oh for frak sake Jones you're probably jumping at shadows again'
'Knock it off Bateman' berated Corban 'What do you see Jones?'
'Looks like some sort of hive'
Corban moved over to Jones and shined his illuminator into the blackness ahead
'Frak'
That was when they died, Corban watched, first Jones torn in half by a four armed monster from nightmares. Then more of them came, Wills and Becks were dragged into an opening screaming whilst Cramer screamed as bio-acid ate away at his face.
By this time shotguns were blasting the beasts but there were too many. More screams came from the squad and Corban shouted
'Fall back, fire and movement, back to the lift'
It was already too late.

Now Corban was the only one left, and he didn't know how long that would last. Finally the lift came into view, a beacon of hope for his survival.
Corban dived through the doorway and slammed his palm into the switch setting the lift onto its course upwards.
Finally he sat and relaxed. The sound of chittering and clicking of claws came from above.
Proctor Corban's scream was silenced before his brain realised he was already dead.

The Invincible

Captain Jamesosn looked throug the Armourcrys into the empty gulf beyond
'This is the Invincible of patrol squadron Beta-3 approaching Reach eta 10mins'
Silence
'Reach Central this is the Invincible please respond'
Once again silence
'Sir, Vox is down'
'What?' replied Jameson
'Sir the entire coms unit is dead, I'm just getting static'
'Captain, Reach coming into view. . . now'
'Dear Emperor' whispered Jameson
'Where is it?' asked an ensign
'Son, we're looking at it'
The bridge fell silent as the dead world stared back at them
Suddenly all hell broke loose
'The Endeavour is reporting heavy damage!'
'Decks 15A through to 21G are open to the void!'
'I've got multiple life signatures approaching!'
'From where?' blustered Jameson
The officer manning the auspex stopped and stared in abject horror
'Everwhere'
'Endeavour is off our scopes, I am reading a massive radiation burst off the starboard bow'
Jameson snapped into action
'Get port and starboard batteries firing now, wake that damn psyker and get a distress signal to Central Command'
'Yes Sir!'
Jameson tapped the controls on his command chair and the shipboard intercom crackled into life.
'This is the Captain, the ship is under attack, I want everone to battle stations in less than 2 minutes, I repeat this is a Code Black, all crew to battle staions'
Cogs cranked and ancient machinery began to move as the labour crews heaved enormous weight into position. A deafening roar broke over the ship as the Invincible's main gun batteries launched a crippling salvo into the huge creature attempting to engulf it.
Jameson got his first sight of the creature; covered in a thick carapace it would have looked more at home in the depths of the oceans rather than the edge of space.
Suddenly smaller organisms disgorged from all over the creature tearing apart the Invincible's armour plating and opening the ship to the vacuum of space.
He sat reading the damage reports flooding in with a resigned look in his eyes
'All hands abandon ship'
Crew franticly ran from the bridge to the escape pods, stampeding over those who fell over in a desperate attempt to save their selves.
Jameson took his time, flicking control switches as warning klaxons sounded all over the bridge. He hummed the tune of 'In The Emperor alone' as he brought the reactors up to critical levels
Sitting back in his chair and staring into the widenign maw of the creature he set the ship on a collision course.
'Welcome to Harmony you Xenos barstards!'
The reactors exploded and for a few seconds the population of the Harmony Sector could glimpse a new star in the sky, unbeknown of their forthcoming doom.

Battle for Bow River Bastion

Bow river bastion
On the hill above the last crossing over bow river, troopers gripped
their las rifles and looked nervously to the tree line. There hadn't
been time to clear the woods all the way back. Two batalions had given
their all to slow the Tyranid vangard, it had only barely been enough.
Out beyond the defense line, junior lieutenant jones was inspecting
the conscripts in the forward observation bunker. He had arrived on
post this morning, stowed his kit and gone out on a tour of the line.
He was half way through his lecture on the perils of social diseases
when the first genestealer emerged from the forrest The conscripts to
their credit got one shot off before the genestealers were amongst
them. The slaughter was brief, leaving the observation trench coated
in gore.

The struggle in the trench gave jones command squad enough
time to arm themselves with their flamers and send jets of Promethium
into the slit trench. The stealers screamed and writhed in the trench,
a few scrambled out and dove at the command squad, chopping down jones
and his squad.
Behind them, the darkness under the canopy roiled and vomited tyranid
horrors. The battle for the hill had begun.

Harmony Sector [Segmentum Pacificus].

Primary Governed System Data.

6 planets (I – VI), 24 moons & 3 space stations:

Harmony I: Death world (hyper arid), 3 moons.

Harmony II: Mine/production world, 2 moons, St Jaspers Dock space station.

Harmony III: terra-form M39, Agri world, 1 Moon, His Grace space station, governor’s seat.

Harmony IV: terra-form M38, Hive world, 4 Moon, Gateway to Glory space station.

Harmony V: terra-form M39, ocean world, no satellites.

Harmony VI: Gas giant, 14 moons.

Harmony III: Details.

Tithe Grade : AGRI Secondus (prime).

Size: equatorial distance 17,000 miles.

Gravity: 1.1002 G

Population: 2.4 billion (human)

Rotational Speed: 1,300 mph

Post Terra-Form composition: Nitrogen 55 %, Methane 20%, Oxygen 20%, Argon & Ozone 3%, and Carbon Dioxide 2% (other gases <>

Planetary Governor: His Excellency Lord Kegan Ist Tulmark.

Climate: Temperate to frigid at polar regions.

Regions:

Regions:

Four broad regions exist from the equator to the magnetic poles.

1. Temperate and savannah like region at the equator with most of the large animals (Grox and Mammoth) dwelling within strict borders. Imported for there hardiness and vast dung production.

2. Pastoral and fertile regions next with a vast agri operation in use. Dung and bio mass from region 1 being shipped in vast land transit systems to keep up with the growth cycles.

3. Steppes land and broken plains filled with the infer structure of the agri production. Space ports and labour hives abound. The produce is shuttled to the His Grace space station and the Mercantile Guild receives a convoy every 88 days (standard). Vast burners deal with the excess methane produces by the bios mass and the vast amount is piped to the hab areas for fuel.

4. Frigid Polar Regions mined for a rare mineral Priam VII (less production). Governors palace in this region and the complex is situated on it own island heated by geothermal currents (part of the Terra-Forming).

Water is mostly in the form of vast rivers and lakes with interconnection lochs and canals. This is to divert all the water to the middle two regions types and away from the outer less productive regions. No seas of similar bodies of water.

Phenomena of note:

None. High winds and solar flares are uncommon and the planet enjoys a disaster free existence.

Flora & Fauna:

Imported Grox and Mammoth herds roam the central region 1 and a bio web of lesser animals (mammals, insects and bacteria) was introduced to support the live stock. No natural predators where introduced and the population is maintained by bio engineered plagues and culling.

Plant life is designed to support livestock in the first instance. The region 2 plant life consists of vast (2.2 billion hectares) plantations of Red Corn, Maize and Durrin.

Exports:

Foodstuffs. Grains and oils from the plant life and protean in the form of meat from the livestock. The tithe payments are met and the mercantile guild is employed by the imperium to deal with the transport of goods from the system.

Imports:

Labour (from hive world Harmony IV) and textiles and manufactured goods.

Social Structure:

The governor’s family date back to the first terra-formers and the ruling class of the system is the spread among Harmony II, III, IV & V. The families that have claim to the governance of the system are constantly in (unofficial) internecine warfare and the use of assassins and small covert operations to remove or delete potential rivals is commonplace. Outright warfare is forbidden and as such the PDF is a depleted and slightly impotent force compared to the private armies of the ruling families. (Collectively called the Hierarchy).

The merchants and labour lords are next in the pecking order. Unable to rule by decree there’s individuals have a massive amount of power due to the Hierarchies dependence on them to deliver the tithes as requested. Conversely the labour lords and merchants are also pressured to

Perform or they will be replaced. This delicate balance is maintained by an almost unspoken agreement from all parties involved.

Ecclesiarch interests are represented in the form of a cathedral in the governor’s complex and the use of shrines and travelling preachers. The word of the Emperor is that of hard work and diligence and it ability to save the soul. The Grade Pontiff Magnus Ist Tulmark is the cousin of the current governor of Harmony III. As small sister of Battle reliquary exists in the frigid region 4 in the form of 45 sisters and these are guarding the shrine of the Divine Dream Made Flesh relics.

Labour forces are the lowest ranks being poorly paid and worked hard. The regime is for 10 days of work followed by 2 days of rest. The areas for rest are mercantile guild run brothels and ale houses and the little pay earned is soon repaid to the guild. The life expectancy of a labour worker is 12 years from deployment to recycling as plant fertilizer.

Military History:

The PDF is a small force and has never seen Xenos enemies. The wars fought tend to be small elite actions and the use of massed firepower has been relegated to the sidelines in favour of support units and rapid blitz style warfare.

PDF is based on the standard patterns laid down by the Cadian Standard and the army composition is standardised into regiments and companies. The most experienced warriors tend to be siphoned of into the private armies of the Hierarchy.

Inquisition representatives are sparse and of the three branches only the Ordo Heritcus has any real presence now. The other two branches have been eroded due to lack of use and the resources have been diverted to the Ordo Heritcus.

Warp Anomalies ‘Warp Eddy’:

The whole sector is held within a type of warp Anomalies that is not seen any where else in the surveyed Warp. Referred to as an Eddy it is effectively a bubble of current that effectively washes around the sector and system and unless a deliberate course is set to the sector the natural flow of the warp passes around the eddy without any notice to the astropathes. It has protected the sector from Xenos incursions for the 1,750 years of its existence in imperial rule. Passage into the eddy is violent and can cause loss of ships and as such the imperium has tasked the self funding mercantile guild with the task of collecting and delivering the tithe from the sector.

Game 2:

Five players today, two guards, two Tyranid players and a small Demon hunter army.  Inquisitor Craig has just rolled the dice and now we are playing annihilation, Pitched battle.  We (The tyranids) are abit screwed.  To keep with the theme, both of us have taken 'without number' gaunts.

The Hall

Deep in the warp a drinking hall was alive with revelry. Think oak beams and bronze braziers filled the round hall and the air was thick with smoke and sound of bravado. For here the brave and the mighty drank. They drank for the honoured dead and the honour to come. They drank for the glory of battle and the spoils of war. They drank for the brotherhood of the wolf.

The battle brothers of the Sons of Fenris gathered here to listen to there great wolf, Hiemdall Oaken-Staff, speak of great deeds of bravery to come. The rumour that the Tyranids have been spotted spread like wildfire and the blood was up. As Hiemdall entered the hall the dull roar of the brotherhood erupted in cheers and calls of battle. The young blood claws screamed for the need to show there worth in battle. The stoic long fangs muttered and grumped among themselves, but they too wished to unleash death and pain on the alien scum. Only the mighty frames of the dreadnaughts stood still and silent. Vast war machines driven by the husk of the once great but the now mighty brothers from before. The great wolf stood before his brothers in silence. His twin cyber wolves growled and flanked the mighty warrior. Slowly the crowd stilled and the silence was broken only with the sound of the flagons being quaffed. But still the wolf lord stood silent. From the back an impetus blood claw (only 56 springs of age) shouted out if they would have to save the poor weak guardsmen. Another declared that all such men where mere boys and old men compared the might of the battle brother. A few more agreed that there was no honour in fighting beside such poor warriors and the brotherhood should shun them and fight alone. At this the wolf lord stirred.

‘You say that we have honour?’ he declared at the cheers of the assembled warriors.

‘You are mighty and honourable warriors and heroes all!’ This drove the crowd wild.

‘Are we not stronger than ten men naked in the snow? With our armour and gear of war we are worth a battalion of the guard, are we not?’ The cries of agreement rattled the beams. Only the older souls in the room looked at the wolf lord with wry anticipation. He was a great hero but a greater orator.

‘We fight for honour and the glory of the fight. We stand before the strong and cast them aside for the name of Russ. We know no fear and watch as lesser men cower in the mud afraid of the dark!’ He cried.

As the din died down he murmured softly ‘aye, we are strong and mighty. Are weapons keen and ready and we look to war for our sport and honour. We look at these men and curse there weakness. What do they fight for? Honour? Glory? Survival? ‘The crowd was straining to listen.

‘Old men and boys fighting the nightmares from beyond do not do so for glory and the saga. No, they fight and die for there wives and daughters, friends and parents. They are weak and feeble armed with little more than toys and sticks. And yet they fight. Hope has fled there hearts. And yet they fight. The long seconds of there torment stretch out and end in terror and anguish. And yet they fight. What greater honour is that? I say to you there is none! We are heroes and strong, yet I am humbled by the honour and bravery of these old men and boys.’ His voice trailed off. Grendal the eldest dreadnought stirred, his vox cracked into life. ‘My lord, we are humbled by your words.’ This was all he said.

Hiemdall looked up at the brotherhood. ‘What say you my brothers, shall we fight with these men of honour? Shall we learn from the weak the true meaning of strength? Brothers I say to you that the woman and children look to the skies and see only black and void! I say we fight! They cry out hopeless! I say we answer! We will not allow these men of honour to fall unmarked! We are to battle!’

The ship shock with the sound of the brotherhood cheering.

Game I: River Bow Holding Action

The River Bow Holding Action

Game: 1000pt each player, two teams of two players
Result: Draw (Imperials hold half of the defences)
Factions:
- Hive Fleet Geiger
- Hive Fleet Behemoth
- Mordians
- Local PDF

Game Photos in order: