The Second Golloch War~The Culling of Sterith Prime
Contents
Battle Details
Type: Battle
Date: 668.009.M31
Sub-Sector:Golloch Cluster
System: Sterith
Planet: Sterith Prime
Victor: Undecided
Draw:
Influence: 5
Forces:
Loyalists Involved In The ConflictArmy:L-XX-3358 Army:A-MECH-4536 Army:I-ARMY-3382 Army:I-ARMY-3394 |
Traitors Involved In The ConflictArmy:L-XIV-4268 Army:L-XX-3358 Army:I-ARMY-1325 Army:A-MECH-0582 |
Battle Summary
September - Combat Phase The end began with a single gunshot. Planetary Governor Kabe, conducting an official visit to one of the many camps outside the capital city, was addressing a crowd of fearful, hungry refugees. Before he had finished his first sentence, a man stepped out from the crowd, raised an autopistol and fired a single shot. The Governor died instantly. The killer was himself shot dead by local troopers but could not be identified post-mortem - he had seemingly arrived only a few days previously on a refugee ship and his only identifying feature was a strange serpentine tattoo.
Soon after, as though the shot had been heard out in the deep void, dozens of warp signatures were detected entering the system.
The population of Sterith Prime was bloated now by many millions of terrified off-worlders. All aspects of infrastructure were stretched to breaking point. Sterith had never possessed powerful orbital defences and the planetary defence auxilia was spread perilously thin policing refugee camps. Furthermore, the death of the Governor had thrown the command structure into utter chaos.
This world was to be a sacrifice and it would not be allowed to die quickly. No swift death in the fires of orbital bombardment for these people. On Sterith Prime the very worst of the traitors would be set loose to do as they pleased - the murderers of the VIIIth, the butchers of the XIIth, the diabolists of the XVIIth... and more besides.
But the Golloch Cluster had not been abandoned by the loyal forces of the Imperium and the last astropathic distress calls sent out before the death of the Sterith choir did not go unheeded...
How Do I Take Part?
To take part in this campaign all you need to do is play one or more games of Warhammer 30k; Horus Heresy, and lodge a skirmish report on this site. You'll want to create an account too so you can track your victories and defeats in the campaign, as well as publish background for your army and Warlord!
Once this phase of the campaign starts you can lodge Skirmish Reports for your games here: http://aus30k.com/30kwiki/index.php?title=Skirmish_Report
Suggested Games
That the slaughter at Sterith Prime was great cannot be denied… but what was the ultimate outcome?!
Were the wicked forces of the warmaster sent back into the darkness from whence they came? Were the valiant loyalists that heeded the cry for help able to stop the great cull? Were the people saved?!
You must decide!
At the end of each weekend in September (10th, 17th and 24th), we will update the campaign page with new special rules to represent the progress made by each side! Games of any size and shape can be played as part of The Culling of Sterith Prime but we think it would be most appropriate to use the Centurion discipline to better represent the types of forces that both loyalists and traitors committed. Basically, this means limiting your armies to Infantry, Walkers, and Speeders, and using the SHADOW WARS missions.
WEEK 2 (SEPTEMBER 17th):
“The ragged column of refugees stretched back as far as Colonel Hellespont could see. That wasn’t far - the smoke from the burning city obstructed his view. The last two weeks had taken their toll on the people of Sterith Prime and progress had been much slower than he had anticipated. They had set out at first light and had hoped to reach the river before dark. They could rest there and continue to the spaceport in the morning but that would obviously be impossible now… too many people had fallen ill. A strange sickness seemed to be festering among the survivors. So far there had been no fatalities but the infected were becoming increasingly weak and progress had slowed to a crawl...
Before abandoning the improvised vox station back in the city, Hellespont he had received reports from other PDF companies to the South West. By all accounts a Captain by the name of Yagn Windradyne had done The Emperors work protecting the civilians there from the worst of the traitors predations. Hellespont wished the man continued good fortune and wondered if the same illness would be afflicting the population there. He hoped not... but somehow he knew that it would be... ”
Week 2 saw the traitors pull ahead, with few loyalist victories and reports of outrageous atrocities against the civilian populace! The populace of Sterith Prime are starting to look a little unwell...
Some slight changes to the special rules are included below to represent this.
The following rules take effect for the next stage of the campaign:
Infected Mobs:
Due to the nature of the traitor attacks on Sterith and the influx of Gollochian refugees, civilians were present (and apprehending them for sinister purposes was often the primary objective for the traitors) during many of the engagements that took place.
During the Second week of the battle, traitor forces released potent and warp-corrupted viral weapons upon the populace. The people (both infected and clean) continued to seek loyalist assistance and, at first, loyalist forces continued their humanitarian efforts. However, they soon realised that at least some of the people were already doomed...
When using this special rule, each objective instead represents a Infected Gollochian Mob. As long as the Mob is not controlled (i.e. the objective is not controlled) by the traitor player it will move D6 inches per (game) turn. The loyalist player moves the Mobs at the start of his movement phase.
When calculating the victory points that each objective is worth at the end of the game, the loyalist player must roll a D3 and consult the chart below: 1: All of these civilians are infected with an incurable plague. If not put down they may well go on to infect others. This objective is worth no victory points. 2 -3: These civilians are clear of infection and are worth victory points as normal.
Mobs can’t move off the table, even though they would probably be wise to do so.
Mobs of civilians should be represented by a group of terrified humans on a 60mm base (anything roughly equivalent, such as a poker chip, can be used if you’re not feeling creative).
The Sons of heresy podcast will also be holding a painting/modelling competition for best Terrified Gollochian Mob so get cracking and send us pictures!
The Veil Parts:
The Culling of Sterith Prime was not without purpose. As the Warmaster and his followers delved progressively deeper into dark secrets of the warp they gained increasingly reliable access to Daemonic forces. Despite the interference of the loyalist forces, the servants of the Warmaster reaped a terrible tally of souls in the early days of the battle...
All Traitor Psykers have access to the Malefic Daemonology discipline.
If agreed by your opponent, traitor armies may include a single FREE unit of lesser Daemons.
Thousand Sons may only summon/take Tzeentch Daemons.
Death Guard may only summon/take Nurgle Daemons - this may only be done of Mortarion is not present.
Emperors Children may only summon/take Slaanesh Daemons.
World Eaters may not summon and may only take Khorne Daemons, obviously.
Skirmish Reports
Skirmishes Added
(Press the CREATE button to lodge a single Skirmish report, do not modify the name)
Battle Pictures
