The Deployment Zone’s Black Spiral Campaign - Chapter 4: The Mouth of Madness

The Deployment Zone’s Black Spiral Campaign

Chapter 4: The Mouth of Madness

 

Hello everyone and welcome to Chapter 4 of the Black Spiral Campaign.  I first off would like to thank everyone who submitted their games for Chapter 3.  We received 75 submissions for Chapter 3 which brings the grand total of submissions to 161 for the campaign thus far.  This will be the final player phase of the Black Spiral Campaign at which point after this phase I will post the resolution and announce the winners of the lotto.  You may expect the Black Spiral Campaign Finale before the New Year as I will give the 4^th chapter until December 22^nd.    With that said, I would like to thank everyone for playing and enjoy the scenarios for Chapter 4 – The Mouth of Madness!

 

[[Pictrecorder on the bridge of The Silent Retribution, Dauntless-Class Light Cruiser]]

[Imperial Date is the 30^th day of the 3^rd Lunar Cycle of the Maccabes system, in the year M41.639]

Captain Jonah Orrealus – Lieutenant, I need a status report.

 Lt. Aaron Maxwell – Yes sir, we have crippled one of the Nightshade Class Destroyers and have forced the Dragon Class Cruiser to retreat due to heavy damage suffered on the last pass.  The last Nightshade Class Destroyer is circling again for another run and the Hellebore class Frigate is currently engaged with two wings of our fighters.   Our shields are running at 13% capacity and we have suffered damage along our bow and left flank along with one of our plasma reactors will need to be jettisoned soon in order to avoid detonation should they breach not be repaired.  Unless we can disable the Nightshades we may not be able to disengage and reach the warp gate.

Inquisitor Leviticus Hexx – I think I have an idea.  Captain how many IXV-39’s do you have on this ship?

Captain Jonah Orrealus – We keep 18 on hand sir along with 4 Incinerators.  I do not think they will have much of an effect on the ships sir, they are world killers.

Inquisitor Leviticus Hexx – Thank you Captain I am aware of their capabilities and uses.  Lieutenant, would you attempt to hail the Dragon Class Cruiser?

Lt. Aaron Maxwell – At once my Lord Inquisitor.  Sir the Dragon Class Cruiser is responding, on screen in a moment.

Farseer Gilleath – Have you decided to surrender Inquisitor and turn over the Black Spiral to my people?

Inquisitor Leviticus Hexx – No, actually quite the opposite witch.  You are going to call off your attack on my ship immediately and retreat out of our engagement zone.  My men recovered the artifact yesterday and brought it to the ship.  However while they were slaughtering your shrine guardians, one of your kind begged them not to reunite the four pieces.  I currently only have three.  So you are going to tell me where the fourth piece is located and you will tell me now.

Farseer Gilleath - You amuse me Monkeigh, your ship is heavily damaged.  You are outnumbered 4 to 1 and you have no chance of escaping this battle alive yet you give me demands?  Your race never fails to shock and amuse me with its irrational displays of illogical behavior.  You will turn over the three pieces you have collected of the Black Spiral so that we may properly lock it away like we should have eons ago.

Inquisitor Leviticus Hexx – This is what is going to happen you degenerate witch.  You will tell me what I want to know otherwise I will unload every single IXV-39 aboard this ship upon the surface of this world that your kind has inhabited.  In case you were unaware of what an IXV-39 does, it is a virus bomb that exterminates all life on a planet.  It reduces all organic matter into a grey sludge as the virulent toxins, viruses and bacteria in these bombs spread through the atmosphere in minutes.  Within minutes most of the world is dead or dying with little hope of survival.  The mass death of organic matter then releases incredible amounts of combustible gases into the atmosphere which we then ignite reducing this planet to a scorched, lifeless and uninhabitable rock forever more.  So how about you tell this “monkeigh” what he wishes to know.

Farseer Gilleath – You would kill an entire planet in the pursuit of your madness?

Inquisitor Leviticus Hexx – Really now Farseer, you result to insults?  I take that as your refusal to meet my terms then?  Captain would you be so kind as to begin the firing sequen…

Farseer Gilleath – No!  I will tell you what you need to know.  Just know that if you continue down this path it will only end with your destruction.  The Black Spiral was dismantled because it became a threat to the…

Inquisitor Leviticus Hexx – Yes, yes, yes.  Threat to the cosmos and so on…   Now where is the last part of the Black Spiral Farseer?  My patience is wearing thin.

Farseer Gilleath – Fine, fine.  When the Black Spiral was fired, it caused a deadly backlash that destroyed much of the ship it was housed upon.  We were unable to separate part of the weapon from the ship so we sent the ship adrift into the far reaches of space where it has been hidden for millennia.  I will send you the coordinates as to where the ship was last seen when we last patrolled the region. 

Inquisitor Leviticus Hexx – Lieutenant have your people received the coordinates?

Lt. Aaron Maxwell – Yes Lord Inquisitor.

Inquisitor Leviticus Hexx – Is there anything else you would care to share with us Farseer before we depart?  Do you have any dire portents or warnings about cataclysmic events that will happen once I have this weapon?  Cause now would be a good time to regale me with such tales.

Farseer Gilleath – You are foolish human, the Black Spiral will be the death of you.  I beg you to please stop this madness now.  Stop it before it’s too late.

Inquisitor Leviticus Hexx – Very well, thank you Farseer your cooperation has been most helpful.  As a reward for your assistance, Captain initiate the firing sequence of the IXV-39’s immediately.

Captain Jonah Orrealus – Virus bombing initiated!

Farseer Gilleath – Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Inquisitor Leviticus Hexx –  Farewell Farseer.  Have a nice day.  Lieutenant cut the feed.  Captain as soon as the firing sequence is done I want you to eject the plasma core into space behind us and detonate it when the Eldar craft comes close.  That should buy us some time to escape. 

Captain Jonah Orrealus – Virus bombing complete sir, 4 minutes until incendiaries are launched into the atmosphere.  We will also be able to eject the plasma core then and travel enough distance from it by then. 

Inquisitor Leviticus Hexx – Very well Captain, until them try to keep us alive so that we may escape this foray and set a course for the coordinates the witch provided us.

 

[[4 minutes later]]

Lt. Aaron Maxwell – Incendiaries ready sir! Plasma core ready to eject sir! 

Captain Jonah Orrealus – Fire the incendiaries, eject the core!  Wait until the Eldar craft is upon it before shooting it!

Lt. Aaron Maxwell – Incendiaries loosed sir!  Plasma core ejected!  Awaiting firing command on Plasma core!

Inquisitor Leviticus Hexx – Burn the witch!

Captain Jonah Orrealus – Full speed head! Fire upon the core! Fire!

Lt. Aaron Maxwell – Sir! Plasma core detonated right next to the Nightshade Class Destroyer.  She seems to be limping off and looks heavily damaged!

[End Recording]

 

[[Coded Inquisitorial Missive – Vermillion Level Clearance]]

[[Access Level – Verified]]
[[Decoding Message]]

                Inquisitor Leviticus Hexx has been reported to have virus bombed a planet without the sanction of the council.  It seems the planet he unleashed the full complement of virus bombs upon was what the Eldar refer to as an “exodite” or “maiden” world.  Inquisitor Leviticus Hexx has collected three out of four of the pieces to this “Black Spiral” arcaneotech that the Eldar Farseer referred to that Hexx has been hunting.  His actions could lead to all out war with several Eldar craftworlds unless steps are taken.
                Vindicare Assassins have been dispatched.

In the Emperor’s Name,

Lord Inquisitor Aleksander Rustov
Ordo Hereticus

[[Deleting Message…]]

 

Mission Scenario A – The Space Hulk

The Armies:

A point value of any size may be per side in this scenario.  Recommended size however is 1500-2000.

The Battlefield:

The Space Hulk will use the Hammer and Anvil deployment.  As this is a Space Hulk, it is recommended that the players try to create a Battlefield that closely resembles the massive interior of an ancient eldar Space Hulk.

Deployment:

Before deploying their forces, players should first roll for their Warlord Traits.  Once the Warlord Traits have been determined, the players will roll off to determine who is The Attacker and The Defender.  Both players will then roll off and the winner will choose which side they want to deploy in. 

Place the Primary Objective:

The Defender will choose a single Primary objective and place it within their deployment zone.
The Defender will then deploy their forces followed by the Attacker afterwards.

First Turn:

The Attacker goes first unless the Defender spots them coming and can Seize the Initiative.

Game Length:
This mission uses variable game length as described on page 122 of the BRB.

Special Mission Rules:

1.       Damaged Gravity Well – This Space Hulk has a damaged gravity well so at the start of every game turn (not player turn) the player who’s turn it is rolls a die.

If a 1 is rolled then the Gravity Well has overcompensated.  Movement, Assault Rolls, Running, and Fleeing all have their distance reduced by 1”.  Also, all Flyers and Monstrous Flying Creatures must make roll a die before they initiate their movement.  On a “1”  they are forced to go into Hover or Gliding mode or they will crash/be grounded.

            All ranged weapons also have their range reduced by 1”.
             All scatter rolls have their deviation rolls reduced by 1”.

If a 2-5 is rolled then the Gravity Well is working properly.  No penalties.

If a 6 is rolled then the Gravity Well has undercompensated and all Movement, Assaults, Runs, Flee, Flying and Swooping distances are increased by 1”.

            All ranged weapons also have their range increased by 1”.
            All scatter rolls have their deviation increased by 1”.

 

2.       Wraithbone Ship – This Space Hulk is made from pyscho-plastic that serves as both a psycho conductor and a psychic shield. 

The Wraith Ship rule provides the following benefits:

a.       Deny the Witch rolls are increased by +1.  (A 6+ becomes a 5+ etc..)

b.      The psyker may attempt to harness the psychic energy from the ship around them.  The player who’s turn it is may at the beginning of their turn roll a D6.

If a 1 is rolled the Psyker suffers Perils of the Warp from the psychic backlash.

If a 2-4 is rolled then nothing happens and the Pysker failed to harness any psychic energy.

If a 5-6 is rolled then the Psyker gains 1 Warp Charge that must be used that turn.

 

The Mission:
The Attacker

Primary Mission: Claim and Possess the Primary Objective at the end of the game with a Scoring unit.
Secondary Mission: Purge the Alien

The Defender

Primary Mission: Purge the Alien
Secondary Mission: Claim and Possess the Primary Objective at the end of the game with a Scoring unit.

Victory Conditions:

Each Mission has its own Victory conditions.

Should the player meet the Victory Conditions for their Primary Mission, then that player receives 5 Battle Points.  Should that player also reach the Victory Conditions for their Secondary Mission, then they receive 3 Battle Points.

The secondary objectives of Purge the Alien are worth 1 Battle Point each (Slay the Warlord, First Blood, Linebreaker).

If a player had his psyker successfully harness a Warp Charge using the Wraithbone Ship rule that is worth 1 Battle Point.

The player with the most Battle Points or BP’s at the end is the winner of the scenario.

 

Please email the results to john@thedeploymentzone.com and I will compile the results before I release the final campaign results.  Please don’t hesitate to email me with questions you may have about any of the  above missions.

Thank you for playing and I look forward to your involvement!