Fear vs. Faith: Part 1   by Kenton Kilgore 
Pat used the Callidus’ Word in Your Ear ability to move my Havocs off their nice little firing platform, which would necessitate me spending a turn to move them back into position. Swine! 

I won the roll to go first, and the brutality began.

Turn 1
My Chaos Marines and Defilers advanced in a pincer formation: Shamshir Talatra, the Raptors, the Bronze Tygers, and Squad Rudra 1 going to my right; the Chaos Sorcerer, Possessed Marines, and Squad Rudra 2 moving across the board. The going was slow, trudging through the sand. Squad Indra 2 and the Bronze Tygers combined their fire to kill seven Seraphim.

Pat’s turn was much livelier. The last Seraph from that squad bounded forward, accompanied by the Inquisitor, and promptly waxed herself by failing a Dangerous Terrain check. The other Seraphim squad also jumped forward and lost a Seraph. The Rhino for Canoness Tressant immobilized itself in the sand while trying to drive forward. The other Rhinos moved forward 12"--Pat was very lucky not to roll any “1’s”--and the Sisters of Battle Squads dismounted.

Screaming “REPENT!”, Squads Croyance and Clemance unleashed their flamers against Squad Indra 1, killing three Chosen. Retributor Squad Revanche gunned down two more from the same squad. Squads Piete and Esperance killed six members of Squad Indra 2, leaving only the icon bearer alive. The Exorcist Croix d’ Mort hit Bronze Tyger 1 three times, destroying its battlecannon, while the Exorcist Bapteme de Feu killed one Havoc.

Turn 2
At the beginning of my turn, the Ghost Tygers and Lesser Rakshasa Pack 2 came in from reserves. I summoned the Ghost Tygers off Squad Indra 1, at one end of the board; and summoned the other Daemons off the lone survivor of Squad Rudra 2, at the other end of the board. 

Followed by the Bronze Tygers, Shamshir Talatra and his Raptors moved to my right, to help Squad Indra 2. Squad Rudra 1 took up positions in the table quarter next to mine, behind some very nice cover. Rudra 2 and the Possessed Marines followed the Chaos Sorcerer as he advanced to aid Squad Indra 1. 

In the Shooting Phase, my Havocs destroyed one of the Exorcists with a “6” on the Glancing table. Squad Indra 1 shot a Sister of Battle and my Chaos Sorcerer used Doombolt to kill another Sister. Bronze Tyger 2 fired its battle cannon at the Retributors, but missed.

The recently-summoned Lesser Rakshasas charged Squad Esperance, who successfully invoked The Passion. Striking first, the Sisters killed one Daemon, but the others struck back, inflicting an amazing 31 Wounds and killing seven Sisters. The remaining members of Squad Esperance attempted to fall back, but were caught and destroyed by the Rakshasas, who swept towards Squad Piete.

Not able to shoot at or reach any Sisters, Squad Rudra 2 contented themselves by charging one of Witch Hunter Rhinos. The Aspiring Champion slammed his power fist through something vital, destroying the Rhino in a massive explosion that killed two nearby Ghost Tygers, one of the two Chosen from Squad Indra 1, a member of Squad Rudra 2, and a Sister of Battle. Don’t you hate when that happens? 

The last member of Squad Indra 1 charged Squad Croyance, but they struck him down before he could use his power fist. The Ghost Tygers charged Squad Clemance, who used The Passion to strike first, killing three Daemons. The Tygers took down one Sister, and the fight continued.

Pat continued his relentless advance, with the Dominions moving towards the Lesser Rakshasas and several other squads (including the remaining Seraphim) going after Squad Rudra 2. 

Squad Piete and their Rhino gunned down 12 Rakshasas, and the dismounting Dominions and their Immolator killed another six. Battle Sister Squads, their Rhinos, and the Seraphim combined fire to wipe out all of Squad Rudra 2. The Exorcist immobilized Bronze Tyger 2, and Squad Revanche (the Retributors) used Divine Guidance to kill a Possessed Marine. 

The Inquisitor charged the last member of Squad Indra 2, disemboweling him with his Eviscerator. Squad Clemance failed to invoke The Passion again, but nevertheless managed to kill three Ghost Tyger Daemons while losing none of their own. 

Turn 3
The Sorcerer raised his icon and summoned Lesser Rakshasa Pack 1: hopefully, they would put a severe hurt on the clustered Sisters and Seraphim that had just wiped out Squad Rudra 2. Up to this point, I had been fairly cautious with Shamshir Talatra and the Raptors, not wanting to expose them to hostile fire or lose them needlessly to Dangerous Terrain checks, but my right flank was collapsing. I sent them out to deal with the Inquisitor and the Dominions. Sure enough, I lost a Raptor as he crashed into a rough patch of ground. Whose idea was it to treat the whole board like difficult terrain? 

Bronze Tyger 1 fired its Havoc launcher at Squad Piete, but missed. Bronze Tyger 2’s battle cannon again missed the Retributors. At least my Havocs—Squad Agni—shook the Exorcist, and the Sorcerer Doombolted another Sister. 

Failing to knock ‘em dead in the Shooting Phase, I hoped that the Assault Phase would be much better. The newly-summoned Lesser Rakshasa Pack 1 charged the Seraphim, who were in cover. Striking first, the Seraphim killed two Daemons, lost two members, and did a Hit-and-Run to get away. Lesser Rakshasa Pack 2 charged Squad Piete and scored only two hits, with no Wounds. Piete was similarly unlucky, and the melee continued. Down to two members, the Ghost Tygers killed two of Squad Clemance, then got beat down and wiped out.

Swell.

The Dominions advanced on Shamshir Talatra and the Raptors, while the Inquisitor went to the aid of Squad Piete. Sisters of Battle squads formed up and unloaded on the Lesser Rakshasas, dropping them all with bolter fire and flame. Squad Croyance and the Seraphim targeted the Greater Rakshasas (Possessed Chaos Space Marines), dropping six of them. Fire from a Rhino, an Immolator, and the Retributors killed the remaining four Raptors and inflicted two Wounds on Shamshir Talatra. 

Invoking The Passion and Spirit of the Martyr, the Seraphim assaulted the Greater Rakshasas, but failed to kill any. Losing one of their own, the Seraphim did another Hit and Run, bounding 11" away. At the other end of the board, Squad Piete lost one of their own to the Lesser Rakshasas, but hacked down the last daemons and consolidated into their tank.

Posted May 2008
 

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