As the warriors of the XIII and XVII Legions battle furiously through the darkened underworld of Calth, the battle lines begin to fracture. With vox communications faltering and confusion all around, the Ultramarines struggle to hold back the traitor tide. As Word Bearers forces break through, one small band of Ultramarines finds itself surrounded and cut off, fighting to keep an honoured relic of their Legion from heretic hands.
The Vault-Vexillium rang to the sound of gunfire. To Sergeant Caudeus it sounded like the end of all things, a hammering concussion that heralded the Imperium’s demise. The white-haired legionary shook off his dismay, disgusted with himself at such a moment of maudlin weakness. Nothing was over while even a single member of his Ultramarines Legion still drew breath.
“Lorgar’s dogs have us surrounded.”
Caudeus ducked as another hail of bolter fire chewed along the top of his barricade. Chips of marble and plasteel rattled from his armour. The Ultramarines sergeant thumped off three precise shots with his own weapon. Two Word Bearers were blown off their feet in an untidy sprawl of limbs and spraying blood. A third ducked hurriedly back into the shelter of a granite column. They were drops in an ocean; more arrived with every moment. The strobing ring of fire from their weapons hemmed the Ultramarines in on all sides. “Tynon,” voxed Caudeus, “we cannot stay here. They will best us. They will seize the standard.”
The sergeant shot a glance behind him, to where Brother Olmenus cradled the stasis-pod in which was folded the precious honour-standard of Guilliman’s First Oath.
“Agreed,” replied Tynon. “They may take our lives, but they will not take our honour.”
“Theoretical – we could fight our way to the southern service chute?” suggested Caudeus.
“It takes only one of us to carry it,” agreed the hulking Cataphractii. “We shall sell our lives dearly so that your man may make his escape.”
The two sergeants nodded griming the orders that would see the banner borne to safety, no matter the cost.
Components: Boards A1, C2, D2
FORCES
This mission uses miniatures, board sections and components from two copies of The Horus Heresy: Betrayal at Calth. Each force starts with the miniatures below, but will be bolstered with reinforcements as the mission progresses.
The Ultramarines force initially consists of two Legion Veteran Tactical Squads and one Legion Terminator Squad. The Word Bearers force initially consists of Kurtha Sedd, two Legion Veteran Squads and Sor Gharax, the Bull.
SET-UP AND INITIATIVE
First, the Ultramarines player sets up his Legion Terminator Squad and one of his Legion Veteran Squads in the Ultramarines Deployment Zone. He then sets up his other Legion Veteran Squad in the Relief Force Deployment Zone. The Ultramarines player then sets up four barricades as they like; each must be either in the Ultramarines Deployment Zone or a hex that is adjacent to it.
Then the Word Bearers player sets up his force, split however he wishes between the three Word Bearers Deployment Zones.
The Ultramarines player takes the initiative in the first round.
COMMAND CARDS
The Ultramarines player puts the Not One Step Back Command Card back in the box, then takes two others into his hand at random. He then creates a Command Deck of six cards.
The Word Bearers player takes one Command Card into his hand, then creates a Command Deck of six cards.
SPECIAL RULES
Defend the Standard: After the forces have been set up, the Ultramarines player puts the Standard marker anywhere in the Ultramarines Deployment Zone. If an Ultramarines unit moves out of a hex that contains the standard marker, it can take the marker with it as it moves. If the standard marker enters the Access Tunnel hex it is secured and removed from the board.
Obstructions: Obstructions block movement and Line of Sight in the same way as sealed Blast Doors. A model with the Relentless Advance special rule can move through an Obstruction, in which case it is removed. If a unit can draw Line of Sight to an Obstruction, it can target it with a Shoot action. If four Hits are caused, the Obstruction is removed.
Bar the Way: If an Ultramarines unit ends an action adjacent to an open blast door, the Ultramarines player can roll a dice for each model in the unit. If they score a critical hit, the door is sealed. Sealed blast doors cannot be opened in any way. After Blast Door A has been sealed, remove any models that are still behind it.
Superior Numbers: At the start of each round after the first, the Word Bearers player rolls three dice. For each hit they roll, they can set up a depleted Legion Veteran Squad of up to five models at one of the side passages. For each critical hit they roll, they can either set up two depleted Legion Veteran Squads at two different side passages, or set up a Contemptor Dreadnought (using the rules for Sor Gharax) at one of the side passages.
Emergency Teleport: At the start of the game, the Ultramarines player sets aside Captain Aethon and the second Legion Terminator Squad. At the end of the ready phase in turns 2 and 3, he chooses three of the models that were set aside to teleport in. Put each teleporting model in an empty hex anywhere on the board and roll a dice. On a blank, the model is removed as a casualty. Otherwise, it receives two tactical points if a critical hit was rolled, one if a hit was rolled and none if a shield was rolled. You can re-roll the dice when Captain Aethon teleports in.
VICTORY
The Word Bearers player must eradicate the Ultramarines as quickly as possible. The game ends if there are ever no Ultramarines models on the board, or when the Word Bearers player draws his last Command Card.
The Ultramarines player then scores Objective Points as follows:
One point if the standard was secured.
One point if all three blast doors were sealed.
One point for each Contemptor Dreadnought that was destroyed.
The Word Bearers player scores one Objective Point for each card still in his deck at the end of the game. If the Ultramarines player scores more points, he claims a Victory; otherwise, the Word Bearers player claims a victory.
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