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:

Campaign Rules

Introduction
The goal of the campaign for the Harmony Sector is:

• To keep the book keeping to a minimum;
• to have a definitive end in a reasonable space of time;
• provide a framework to tie games into a narrative whole.

Victory Conditions
the first player to Reach a total of 8 victory points.

Factions
This campaign contains the following factions:

• Hive Fleet Geiger
• Space Wolves
• Imperial Guard (PDF)
• Eldar

All factions except Tyranids may form alliances. All alliance members gain the VP' s and Cp's for a game played where they had figures on the field.

Victory Points
Gain One victory point per game where the player was on the winning side.

Campaign Points
For each game played a player may accumulate CP's based on the result of the game. CP's can be redeemed for Veteran Skills or points bonuses in a single game.

• Win = 2 CP's
• Draw =1 CP's
• Loss = 0 CP's

Redeeming Campaign Points
CP's can be used to buy a roll on the Veteran Skills table at the following rate:

• 1CP = Preliminary Bombardment
• 4CP = 1 Random Veteran Skill (Roll once on the veteran skills table E5:p263 and add it to the army list)
• 6CP = 15 % points bonus for one game

Army lists
Games must be played with a valid army list and you must have it available for inspection by your opponent at time of play.

An army list may be changed at any time during the course of the campaign with no detrimental effects.

Using veteran skills
Veteran Skills are gained by a player for their faction by spending CP's. Roll once on the veteran skills table E5:p263 and add it to the army list.

The veteran skill can be applied to any legal unit in the army for a game.

The unit carrying the Veteran Skill must be declared to the opposition at the begining of the game or it cannot be used for that game.

If a unit carrying a veteran skill is completely destroyed (or the vehicle explodes) during a game then the Veteran Skill is permanently lost and is removed from the players faction.

Death of a Bio-ship

+++Once we had called out to our sisters daring each other to swim into the deep warp. Ever deeper we swam, laughing as we went, calling back to our sisters to follow+++

+++Silence+++

+++Regeret+++

+++Oh! The great mother had called to us with warnings, but we had not listened, The Deep warp is a treacherous thing, filled with many dangers. One had seen us and risen from the deep. Its claws had gouged our flanks, its Fangs had bitten through our hide, its breath had warped our very Genes, We struggled, for many ages upwards, ever upwards towards the materium, wile the Dragon fought to take us down to feast+++

+++Alone+++

+++The Dragon let us go, laughing as we fought into the calm shallows of the Warp. Echos of the Dragons laughter still rang though the Warp even as it slipped back into the oily depths. Pain racked our frame, plasma leaked from the canyons carved through our flesh. Then we saw. We saw with a sorrow that rang through our soul. We we alone. The comforting siren song of the Great mother was gone. The Hive mind was gone. we were alone+++

+++Silence+++



+++Pain+++

+++Whispers+++

+++Whispers in the Darkness, whispers in the Materium above. We see a world in the rippling sunlight above, A prey planet, we are tired, the Pain is too much, No longer can we roam the wilderness searching for the great mother. At prey planet we can rest. At a prey Planet we can Whelp. At a prey planet we can die+++

The hilside was silent and dark. A gentle zepher swept around the crest of the hill, playing with the tall grass and shrubs that grew there. A rodent sat on its haunches scanning the overcast sky for threats as it chewed on a nutritious root it had discovered there.
It started when the boom rolled over it. Above it the low hanging canopy of clouds were rent apart as a stupendous claw glowing red hot, emerged. It was quickly followed by the bulk of the Hive Ship. Fragments of flesh and chittin the size of mountains, trailing fire surrounded the dying hive ship in a halo of shooting stars.

The Rodent started for the protection of its burrow seeking shelter from the horror bearing down on it, but nothing could protect it from the impact as the hive ship ploughed into the earth destroying the hill; burrow; and rodent in the same firery instant.

Quiet slowly returned to the new valley where once there had been a Hillside a deep scar had been cut for miles in the black earth. At the head lay a monstrous heap of steaming blackened meat. Ropes of intestines large enough to channel rivers lay in coils arouns a split in its side. The dying corpse of the Hive ship shuddered and lay still for the last time. Down near the base of the great beast deep in a recess between cittn slabs that had once held vaccuum at bay, a sphincter relaxed and slid open. Liquid gushed from the opening in a torrent, carrying with it misshapen leathery sacks, quickly abaiting to a trickle. First one, then another, then more of these orifices fell slack and discharged their cargo of Tyrainits onto the soil of a new world. Soon the feeding would begin.

Of gods and monsters.

‘Easy brother. Our lord is in a dark humour’ The gold armoured Space Marine veteran warned his battle-brother as he ran into the Wolf Lords anti chamber.
‘But brother, I have news of battle! I know it will cheer him!’ The marine stood with a parchment in his massive gauntleted hand. With a wry smile the veteran stood aside and the marine entered the anti chamber.
On the walls of this round vaulted room were the trophies from innumerable conflicts throughout the galaxy. Standards and banners of legions both foul and alien lay in heaps next to broken weapons and armour of equal design and condition. Honours and awards displayed in gold and steel cases adorn the opposite wall. But around the door to the inner chamber were by far the most telling trophies.
Skulls. Thousands of skulls piled and nailed to the walls and door frame. Some were alien, some were shattered and split, and some were human. But all were evidence of the violent power of the occupant.
The inner chamber was smaller and more informal. The far wall was dominated with a vast throne covered in fur and hide upon which the Wolf Lord sat. At his feet were his four bionicly enhanced wolves, each the size of a man and as they slept there vast muscles rippled under their grey fur. In the chamber stood the five figures of the towering terminator armoured honour guard, also there stood the Master of the Fleet and the Iron Priest. The Wolf Lord was indeed in a dark humour.
‘Lord, the repairs to the tanks will take more resources than we have on board. Grendal and Wardam slumber yet but it will be a short time before the sword-urge is on them again and no amount of rituals will assuage that terrible thirst.’ The tone was matter of fact and the Iron Priest stood squarely in the foul glare of the Wolf Lord. A pause filled the room and only the sound of the wolves sleeping could be heard.
‘How long till we land Master Brinnus?’ The Wolf Lord growled at length.
‘The warp is foul here and hard to judge. My best guess is 4 months.’ The Master of the Fleet ventured via his helmet vox.
‘4…months.’ The Wolf Lord strung out the words. ‘Cooped in this iron box like cattle! 4 months is too long for the proud and the brave to endure!’ At this he was on his feet and the wolves began to stir.
Both the Master and the Priest nodded in solemn agreement. This was not a rebuke but a fact understood by all present. From the doorway the marine stepped forward and fell to one knee in deference to his lord.
‘Stand brother and tell us your views of 4 months confinement in this cage!’ the lord gestured to the marine and turned to face the wall behind the throne. There lay none but a simple bracket and his mighty Frost Blade axe.
‘I feel the 4 months is indeed too long a time lord (at this murmurs of agreement came from the assembled marines), which is why I have brought you this transmission we have intercepted!’ The room turned its attention to the parchment and the Lord turned slowly and strode to the marine.
‘What is this? A distress call from a sector I have not heard of?’ He paused as his bright blue eyes scanned the script. A smile spread across the scared face of the Lord. The smile turned to laughter.
‘Brothers, the Tyranid have attacked this Harmony Sector and we are blessed by Russ himself! He heard our cries of boredom and sent a worthy foe! Master Brinnus, maximum speed to this location! Priest, wake the dreadnoughts and tell them it is time to feast on violence once more!’
As the rest of the Battle Barge was summoned to hear the glorious news, far away the people of Harmony saw not glorious battle and worthy foes but blood and terror before them. Space Marines may be the gods of death but the Tyranid were truly the monsters of the darkest fear made flesh and claw.

'and so it began...'

‘What do you mean the sky is violet, trooper?’ The senior officer bellowed at the scanner operator. In the dim green light of the screen the trooper scrutinized the data again and half turned to face his commander.
‘The sky is filled with some type of particulate matter that is causing the light to refract, well, violet sir.’ There was hesitation in his voice.
The commander straightened up and glared around the tiny operations bunker. In front of four other screens sat equally perplexed troopers. Comms have been down for 36 hours now and the small PDF fortress was on high alert. Since the order to increase to tier one of defence readiness the fortress was a hive of activity but in the ops bunker all was dim green and cogitator chirps.
‘Sir! I have intercepted comms traffic from central command and fort 125!’ The shout was tinged with fear.
‘On load speaker trooper, NOW!’ Commander and five operators strained to listen to the static filled comms transmission. Screams and pleading for help was punctuated with clam orders to give a situation report. As it ended so did the hope of the commander for reinforcements. Despite the garbled nature he recognised the sound of troops being left to die. Slowly he turned to face the door of the bunker and stalked out slamming it behind him.
A violet sky greeted him and he looked up to the heavens for some sign of salvation. Did the Emperor see this far from Terra? Could he hear his single prayer for deliverance amongst the deluge he receives every second?
He did see something fall from the sky. But it was not deliverance. Not at all.
‘Trooper, send a distress signal. ‘The simple order was the last act of the commander’s last breath. The next sound he made was a wet rending shriek.


The Lictor turned with an unnatural grace and faded into the wall as the bunker door opened.

Hive Ship Sighted

+++Know that on this day the glory of the empire of man was sullied by the sighting from 6 different stations of a hive vessel of unknown configuration and destination. Know also that at this time the PDF was mobilised and placed on the first tier of readiness.+++

Lexicon Verian.