Campaign - Ardan V, Mission 3 Battle Report

The Eldar Pathfinders had quickly visited 6 locations in the industrial district of Baston, before disappearing quickly, practically melting into the ruins around the main fuel storage depot before Hjorvard could get close enough to them to try and extract some information as to what this xenos invasion was all about. 

Still, 6 locations of interest was the best lead the Space Wolves had had in the last three weeks of chasing these shadows all over Baston. There was something about these locations, something important, something he knew his Wolf Lord and Rune Priests would like to hear about.

Arandril Starsong had listened to the Pathfinders reports, agreeing with their assessment that the location of the cursus must be in this industrial sector of Baston. Time was running out now, the cursus would become critically dangerous to the entire planet in a matter of days, maybe even less, if action was not taken. Using the full force at his disposal, Arandril was going to move toward the site and search all six locations and end the threat from the cursus once and for all. He had already forseen a bloody battle with these humans, but he could not determine the aftermath. Giving his orders, in place of the slain Autuarch Alarique Dawn runner, Arandril was firmly set along the path which could also lead to his demise.

Battle Report - 3,000pts

Wolf Lord Fjolnir Lightningwolf's Space Wolves

Fjolnir Lightningwolf - Runic Armour, Wolf Claw, Belt of Russ, Combi-Melta, Wolf Tail Talisman, Saga of the Beat.
Hjorvard Gunnarsson - Runic Armour, Frost Blade, Wolf Tail Talisman, Saga of the Hunter.
Wolf Priest - Runic Armour, Bike, Wolf Tail Talisman, Saga of the Warrior Born.
Rune Priest - Runic Armour, Wolf Tail Talisman, Living Lightning, Tempests Wrath.

Wolf Scouts - 6 Men, Flamer, Power Weapon.
Lone Wolf - TDA, Thunder Hammer, Storm Shield, 2 x Fenrisian Wolves.
Wolf Guard - Frost Blade/Combi-Melta, Powerfist/Combi-Melta, 2 x Wolf Claw/Combi-Melta, Power weapon/Combi-Plasma, Razorback.
Dreadnought - Extra Armour, Assault Cannon, Missile Launcher.

Grey Hunters - 10 Men, Standard, Powerfist, Meltagun x 2, Rhino.
Grey Hunters - 10 Men, Standard, Powerweapon, Flamer x 2, Rhino. 
Grey Hunters - 6 Men, Standard, Plasma gun, Razorback.
Grey Hunters - 6 Men, Standard, Plasma gun, Razorback.
Blood Claws - 15 Men, 2 x Flamer.


Bikes - 5 Bikes, Flamer, Powerfist, Attack Bike
Wolf Guard Bike - Powerfist, Combi-Melta.


Long Fangs - 6 Men, 5 x Missile Launchers.
Predator - Heavy Bolter Sponsons.
Land Raider Crusader.

Arandril Starsong's Biel-Tan Eldar


Arandril Starsong - Ghosthelm, Rune Armour, Spirit Stones, Shuriken Pistol, Witchblade.
Avatar.
Warlock Unit - Embolden, Enhance, 3x Destructor.


Wraithguard - 5 Men, 1 Warlock with Singing Spear, Wave Serpent with TL Shuriken Catapults and TL Bright Lances.
Harlequin Troupe - 8 Men, 1 Shadowseer with Veil of Tears, 1 Troupe Master.
Fire Dragons - 10 Men, Wave Serpent with TL Shuriken Catapults and TL Shuriken Cannons.


Dire Avengers - 9 Men, Avenger S-Catapult, 1 Exarch, Blade Storm, Defend, Power Weapon, Shimmershield.
Dire Avengers - 9 Men, Avenger S-Catapult, 1 Exarch, Defend, Power Weapon, Shimmershield.
Pathfinders - 5 Men
Guardians - 10 Men, Bright Lance Weapon Platform.
Guardians - 10 Men, Bright Lance Weapon Platform.

Shining Spears - 4 Jetbikes with Laser Lance and TL Shuriken Catapults, 1 Exarch with Star Lance and TL Shuriken Catapults.
Vyper Squadron - 1 Skimmer, Bright Lance, TL Shuriken Catapults.


Wraithlord - Flamer (x2), Wraithsword, Bright Lance.
Wraithlord - Flamer (x2), Wraithsword, Bright Lance.
Fire Prism - Holo-Field, Spirit Stones, TL Shuriken Catapults, Prism Cannon.
Fire Prism - Holo-Field, Spirit Stones, TL Shuriken Catapults, Prism Cannon.

The Space Wolves surged forwards, with the Eldar a long way off in the distance and, for the moment, well out of range of the weaponry the Wolves had. Fjolnir was aboard his Land Raider Crusader alongside his Great Company's newest recruits, whilst Hjorvard took a scout pack around the fringes of the battlefield, hoping to gain a surprise attack on the back lines of the Eldar. 

The scouts early reports were of the mixed variety, the xenos were searching two locations, but still had not found what they were looking for. They also seemed to be a rather light force on the ground and their main forces seemed to be holding back.


The two enemies were closing in on each other now, however few shots had actually been fired, with both sides frantically searching for the cursus so that it could be captured and controlled by one side or the other. Hallkjell, now a lone warrior, having seen his pack destroyed by an earlier skirmish with the Eldar, took his two accompanying Wolves east to search a possible location in the ruins of an old control center. The area was clear, leaving only three locations as the possible source of the cursus. Hallkjell set off west toward the remaining locations when Arandril Starsong appeared from atop of the bridge across the river running through the industrial complex.


Before Hallkjell could even react to the appearance of the Eldar leader, he could feel his brain beginning to burn, to heat up, an unrelenting pressure within his skull. The Lone Wolf stumbled and lost his footing, falling to both knees as the intensity of the attack reached its crescendo. Hallkjell's brain exploded within his skull and the Space Wolf fell to the ground, his life finished in a second without the chance to gain any vengeance for his fallen pack mates.

Upon hearing of Hallkjells demise, Hjorvard sprang forward with his scouts, determined to responded to the death by taking some Eldar lives for himself. Appearing on the Eldar right flank, Hjorvard and his scouts struggled through the ruins and couldn't reach the Dark Reapers who were hiding there. Unfortunately for Hjorvard and his scouts, the Reapers position was then reinforced by a Harlequin Troupe, an Avatar and Shining Spears. Within moments the scouts and their Wolf Guard Battle Leader were torn to shreds by a ferocious counter attack that spared no one.


In retaliation the Space Wolves unleashed a barrage of fire power at the Farseer, which left him scrambling for his life and barely escaping with his life and finding cover with a Dire Avengers unit that had rushed to his position to assist him. Arandril then attempted to push west toward the last remaining locations that needed investigation, but again got caught in a hail of heavy bolter and assault cannon fire, which forced the Eldar Farseer to flee from the battlefield, with hopes of returning once the remaining Eldar force had secured the cursus.

The Long Fangs had, by now, set up a good position and were loosening off shots at any targets exposing themselves. Meanwhile Fjolnir's Crusader had moved up on the Space Wolves left flank and had moved well within the industrial complex, seeting itself up dangerously next to the fuel tanker situated there, as forces from both sides closed in on its position. 

The Harlequin Troupe converged on a location situated in the river that ran adjacent to the industrial complex. The Eldar had found the cursus and were quick to relay this information to all other Eldar units to bring all back up they could to the area. The Shining Spears, Wraithlords and Avatar all responded immediately, with a Wave Serpent loaded with Wraithguard moving as swiftly as possibly from the Eldar left flank across to their right.


The Space Wolves pushed forward, with the Space Wolves fire taking down one Wraithlord, while the bike squadron tried to take down a Wave Serpent carrying Fire Dragons. The Dragons themselves were forced from their transport, but the bikes suffered heavily in the return melta fire. The remaining Fire Dragons were then wiped out by a Grey Hunter squad who then went on to take the Vyper that was zipping around using their plasma gun.


Over at the cursus location, the Avatar and Wraithlord were firing off high powered shots at the Land Raider, trying to incapacitate it before it got into range of the Harlequins defending the mission objective. One stray Bright Lance later and the fuel tanker ignited and a huge ball of fire which engulfed the entire industrial complex, along the river and back toward nearby ruins of other buildings. The explosion took an almighty toll on both sides, with Shining Spears, Harlequins and Dire Avengers among the dead on the Eldar side and two squads of Grey Hunters losing men as well as the Land Raider having its tracks blown off.


It was at this point that the cursus sprung to life, with 10 Lesser Daemons spewing forth and leaping upon the nearby troupe of Harlequins. The Daemons devoured the Harlequins quickly and set forth toward the nearest unit, a squad of Pathfnders.

The Space Wolf Lord, Fjolnir, led his Blood Claws from the Land Raider Crusader and charged toward the unclaimed objective, avoiding the lurking Avatar and Wraithlord, to claim the objective for the moment for the Wolves. A nearby Grey Hunter unit finished the remaining Shining Spears and moved on toward the Dark Reapers who were firing upon the Wolf Lord at the cursus.


With a couple of Razorbacks still operational, all firing was focused upon the monstrous form of the Avatar that still moved across the battlefield, even though it had taken a couple of wounds already. This focused fire saw the Avatar finally fall, but not soon enough as the remaining Wraithlord had made it into combat with the Wolf Lord near the objective and the close combat there could see only one possible victor thanks to the strength and toughness of the Eldar warmachine.


The Lesser Daemons were still reaping a bloody toll among the Eldar and claimed more lives form the Pathfinders before moving on to a squad of Dire Avengers. The Daemon charge was slowly grinding to a halt thanks to the Dire Avenger Exarch who was restricting their attacks.

Fjolnir had seen his squad slowly wiped out by this walking beast that no weapon either he himself or his squad had could touch. The objective was out of reach and survival was all that occupied Fjolnirs mind. He would not fall this day to this monster.

Both forces had taken heavy casualties and the cursus was looking like being left unclaimed, the power of the warp ready to jump forth from it and devour this ruined world of Ardan V. Fjolnir Lightningwolf was locked in an unending dual with a Wraithlord, a pack of Grey Hunters had just cleaned out the fire base of the Dark Reapers, but were out of range and time to move closer to the cursus to claim it for the Space Wolves.


Suddenly, almost from out of nowhere, a Wave Serpent moved within touching distance of the combat between the Dire Avengers and Lesser Daemons. With the Wraithguard leaving their transport they threw themselves into the combat, helping to obliterate the last of the Daemons and send them back to the warp. Having won the contest, the Dire Avengers slumped to the ground, broken but alive, and able to only take one step forward toward their goal. The fresher Wraithguard could move without any fatigue, claiming the cursus as theirs while also setting up a perimeter around it to ensure no further Daemons could appear from within.


The Space Wolves, their forces spent and stretched across the battlefield, beat a tactical retreat and could only watch from a distance as the enemy Farseer, who fled the battle much earlier on, returned to the field to confront the tainted artifact, carrying out some form of ceremony to close its threat. With the cursus neutralised the Eldar left the planet of Ardan V immediately, while the Space Wolves were left to gather their dead and harvest the geneseed from the fallen.