The Ravening of Octerapus - A Kill Team Story

 On Imperial Battle barge Zeemaphrame a young neophyte hurried towards the command station to meet Lord Rob, the Imperial Lord Inquisitor commanding this sector of the Imperium of Mankind.  He bowed ‘G’Day your grace I have news’. 

The Lord Inquisitor stirred amongst the many cables and conduits sustaining his ancient frame, given his vast age he looked surprisingly young. Despite this, the interruption to his nap time left him grumpy, ‘Yes what is it?' came his curt reply.

‘We have received a broadcast from the Imperial World Octerapus, they have found evidence of Heretic activity in the ruins’.

The Lord Inquisitor pondered the facts, Octerapus was a key imperial world but had recently suffered the depredations of an Ork Waargh, a Necron attack, an attempted Tau invasion and the Crimson Fists Christmas party (which had got completely out of hand).  ‘Given recent losses, I assume their own garrisons cannot handle this problem?’.

‘Nah your grace, they are too busy dealing with a Genestealer Cult outbreak.  Still you've got to laugh, don’t you agree?’

The Ancient leader considered his options.  ‘Very well, deploy the Deathwatch to root out and destroy this heresy.  Oh and Neophyte, you are far too happy for a grimdark future.  Have yourself hideously killed in a pain amplifier to restore some balance!’

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 Another Friday game of Kill Team this time pitting Rob and his Deathwatch Veterans against Chris and his Heretical Chaos Space Marines (I think you mean alternatively loyal - Ed). 

The Deathwatch comprised of five Marine Veterans led by Captain Tytus Mordelai (with Plasma Pistol and Xenophase blade).  Erik Trollbane (Veteran Fighter with Power Maul and Stormshield), Lydus Markov (Veteran Warrior with Deathwatch Shotgun), John Doe (Gunner with Combi-Melta/Deathwatch Boltgun) and Raelyn Castigar (Heavy Gunner with Frag Cannon)

Against them the forces of Chaos deployed six Chaos Space Marines led by Derek the Miffed (Aspiring Champion with Plasma Pistol and Power Fist) and including Steve the Slaughterer (a Heavy Gunner with a Heavy Bolter), Brutus the Bloodletter (a Gunner with Meltagun), Roderick and Tyson (two Marine Warriors) and Tarquin (an Icon bearer with Bolt Pistol and Chainsword).

The game was Control the Killzone with four objective markers to be secured each turn for 1 Victory Point each.  To simplify matters no TacOps were used as we are still learning the rules.

The game got underway with both forces manoeuvring for position and gaining 2VP each as the objectives were secured.  Unfortunately in his haste to secure the second objective for the Deathwatch Lydus ended up in the middle of an open ruin.  Brutus stepped up to the wall and  looking through a open window saw Lydus standing in the open.  

One blast of the Meltagun and Lydus was reduced to a bubbling pool of slag. First blood to the good guys (other opinions are available – Ed).  Rob expressed his dismay in the form of massed bolter fire at the Chaos Leader, who leading from the front, had already secured an objective.  Dragonfire rounds removed the benefit of cover, but no hits were achieved. 

Frustrated Rob threw his leader at Brother Tyson, a Plasma pistol shot saw the Chaos Marine similarly melted (one all).  In response Bolter fire from Roderick saw John Doe taking 4 hits (its just a flesh wound he was heard to mutter through gritted teeth).

Turn 2 and the players remembered they had Command Points! Both sides picked Strategic Ploys which allowed 2 shots per round with Bolter weapons and Chris won initiative.  First move saw Steve looking for revenge for Tyson using the medium of Heavy Bolter shots against Captain Titus. Two loads of shooting proved too much for the Captain and after considerable discussion about how to interpret the Critical rules another Deathwatch Marine fell.  However as Rob was quick to remind him, ‘Only in Death does Duty End!’ 1 CP and the Captain survived for one more activation.  Digging deep the brave Captain managed to both kill Steve using his Plasma Pistol on supercharge, and secure an objective before falling to his wounds (two all).  Roderick was next up managing to finish off John Doe, before having a second shot at Raelyn Castigar who was hiding at the back of the Deathwatch line.  Rob spent Command Points freely declaring ‘Only in death..) once more.  John Doe got another turn before dying.  Unfortunately he only managed to lightly injure (3 wounds) the Chaos Champion before falling.  Three out of five of the Deathwatch killed with only two of the six Chaos boys taken care of.  Rob started to look nervous.  Time for the Chaos Champion to earn his pay.  Derek secured the central objective and moved towards Erik hiding behind the wall.  

A supercharged Plasma shot inflicted 10 damage on the Marine leaving him with only one remaining - ouch.  Erik responded in the only way he could, by charging.  Unfortunately even a Close Combat Specialist has his work cut out against an Aspiring Champion with a Power Fist, especially when he is already wounded.  Erik fell inflicting a further 4 points on Derek, but leaving only one Deathwatch Veteran left.  Seeing that there was no risk to him the Chaos Icon Bearer joined his boss and secured an objective into the bargain (5VP to 3 for Chaos).

Imperial hopes were fading almost as fast as Robs morale.  Raelyn took a shot at Roderick with his Frag Cannon, but failed to inflict even a single hit.  As there was no double shooting for non-bolter weapons he then made a run for an objective marker ready for next turn.  Unfortunately Brutus was waiting for him, Melta gun at the ready.  

Unfortunately for the Chaos Marine the shot went wide with no damage inflicted, Chris noted that Brutus was a ‘Veteran of the Long War’, 1 CP to repeat the shot. This time he inflicting 17 points onto the already injured Raelyn and the final Deathwatch Marine was removed from the table.  Victory to the forces of Chaos!

 

Another game of Kill Team, another chance to whinge about Games Workshops rule writing style.  Both players found the interpretation of weapon Critical effects ‘challenging’, resorting to working out the various options before deciding on which one made sense.  As noted previously once you’ve figured them out, the rules work well, and are fairly straight-forward, but they are expressed in ways that do not make them clear (Rob’s shiny new QRS helped significantly).  Despite this a third game is planned for next week, with Genestealer Cults taking on the Adeptus Mechanicus (assuming Rob’s not dog sitting).

Kill Team Version 2 - First game and First Impressions

 3/9/21 - And so it came to pass that Rob the Elder packed his copy of Kill Team Octarius into the car and headed south to play Chris the Younger at Kill Team V2.  (OK as most people know its really V3, but no-one really remembers V1, so its just the new version alright?)

The first issue on arriving at Fort B was that Rob, despite all his free time being retired, hadn't quite got around to painting the figures, or assembling them, or taking them off the sprue, or the terrain either come to that.  Fortunately Chris had all his painted terrain and board from the previous version and all that was needed was to hit the figure stash for some modern Orks and Veteran Imperial Guard.

Well the Orks look ok with well painted figures properly armed.  Hey that Squigg looks a bit like a fantasy figure.  Hmm, oh well he'll do I guess.

Meanwhile the Guardsmen are perfect, smart fellows and well turned out.  Given how long they've been in service they must be veterans by now.  That sniper looks a bit short (its actually a first generation Ratling sniper converted into a Womble with a sniper rifle - result!).

Once tea had been served battle commenced with Rob taking the Orks, Chris taking the Guard and GW taking liberties with the English language.  The key point with any set of rules is to clearly state what is required in easy to understand language.  GW has comprehensively failed to achieve this.  Turns have become Turning Points, Distances have become random symbols and rules concepts are dressed up with the sort of flowery language we've come to know and struggle with, especially Rob, who's getting on in years...

That said once translated out of GW-ese the rules do seem simple and straightforward, Rob leaps into action and soon Chris is on the back-foot.  The Squigg charges into action and boom, first Guardsman dead.  He was not to be the last.

It soon becomes apparent that the Guardsmen are considerably more fragile than the Ork boys, as casualties mount.  Despite this Chris keeps pace with Rob collecting victory points from objectives, but as the Orks get into hand to hand combat Guard numbers dwindle and its clear that it is unsustainable.  Fortunately Rob's bedtime approaches and with the long drive North before him he has to call it a night.  Half the Guard are dead, most of the rest are injured, meanwhile Rob has lost two figures, and one of those was the bomb squigg which blew itself up. Chris offers a draw, but Rob is skeptical.  In all honesty it does look like an Ork victory (just).  Greenskins for the win, this time.

So the initial verdict on the game.  Basically the rules are simple and straightforward, but GW don't seem to be able to communicate.  Basic easy to understand terms are abandoned in favour of frankly weird terms (why Turning Point exactly, when Turn is easier).  Worst still there are a number of typographical errors in the fluff which is simply not acceptable for a company of GW's size.  Can't they afford a grammar checker (or an editor)?  With two technical authors reading the rules tolerance and mercy for the Evil Empire(TM) are in short supply.  

Despite all this the rules are generally good and seem to play well.  They also run a lot better than the previous version with none of the flesh wound nonsense to slow the game down.  With the prospect of getting his Deathguard Veterans on the table Rob vows to write a QRS to aid with further games and with his Chaos Space Marines, Necrons, Tyrannids, Genestealer Cults, etc etc available to use Chris vows to actually get a set of the rules and the compendium.   Further games are planned potentially other members of the group could be reeled in.  Watch this space.