Black Templars Vs Imperial Guard – Battle report.

 

Hello there Reader!

 

Today’s Battle report is a sequel of sorts to the battle report showcasing the armies of two of my friends (Valter’s Black Templars against Ton’s Blood Angels) I posted here on the blog a while ago. If you missed that report, please check it out.

 

This time around Valter’s Black Templars fight Hugo’s Imperial Guard in a no holds barred game. Without further ado, let’s get on with the report.

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Battle on Thraxx – Black Templars Vs Imperial Guard.

 

“Bring that ship down” commanded the Black Templars’ Champion of the Emperor in charge leading the detachment, through the vox relay built into his helmet “The Angels cannot escape with our prize”.

 

“They’re already outside our weapons range of fire Champion” replied the Templar’s Marshall as he dismounted from one of the Land Speeders that had just pulled alongside the Space Marine clad in Black “we have different orders now brother” said the Marshall as he grasped the Emperor’s Champion right forearm in a battle brother’s compliment.

 

The Space Marine planted his huge sword point first on the ground before addressing the commanding officer. “What does the High Marshall command?” asked the battered Emperor’s Champion after the close call battling the Furioso Dreadnought which had devastated his retinue of Terminators.

 

“A complete purge of the planet Champion. We begin with our former Imperial Guard allies holding the ruins north of our current position. We move within the hour” the Marshall turned his back on the Champion and raising his right fist into the air, signaled the Techmarines who accompanied his combat detachment “Fix me that Land Raider, brothers, we’ll need it soon”.

 

“One hour” uttered the Emperor’s Champion talking to himself, wondering if that would be enough time for his ablutions… and his self imposed chastisement for losing the Relic he had been sent to recover.

 

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As night approached, amidst the bombarded ruins of Thraxx, the Imperial Guard dutifully occupied the position they were told to secure and hold at all costs.

 

Sitting upon a pile of sandbags used to fortify their position the officer in command, known simply as “The Duke” reviewed the last tactical information on his data pad while absently minded flexing the fingers on his huge, gold plated, power fist as if counting something. His thoughts were intruded upon by his vox operator, a hint of alarm on his voice.

 

“Sir, we’re being fired upon! Our forward scouting units and sentries report heavy losses”.

 

Putting his data pad to one side The Duke stood up slowly, a look of disbelief plain across his face “That’s impossible soldier. We’re a rearguard platoon on fortify and hold duty. How did the enemy manage to breach the gap between us and the Black Templars? Who’s firing on us?”.

 

The vox operator himself couldn’t believe what he was hearing over the confused radio chatter “It’s the Black Templars Sir. They’re slaughtering us out there” he replied hesitantly as alarm klaxons started sounding all over the Imperial Guard’s battle line.

 

 

The Battlefield right before battle is joined. The Black Templars prepare their advance towards the ruins occupied by the Imperial Guard.

 

Seeing the Imperial Guard forces spread all over the battlefield, the Black Templars’ Marshall elected to refuse one of their flanks gathering “en masse” in the middle of the ice crystal clusters.

 

Using the ice crystals for cover.

 

The Space Marine novices and a few Initiates position themselves in order to use an abandoned bunker and the bulk of a Land Raider tank as cover from the inevitable incoming fire.

 

The Imperial Guard’s amassed tanks were already in position to rain fire upon the treacherous Black Templars from the onset of the first turn.

 

A pair of Chimera tranports.

 

A veritable firebase was build upon the ruins of an old building. A tough nut to crack, but that was were the Black Templars’ hammer would hit the hardest.

 

The Imperial Guard is never short on lives to expend in the name of the Emperor.

 

Another view from the battlefield before battle.

 

The Black Templars began their attack on the Imperial Guard’s line. From its central place the Land Raider and its Lascannons were in prime position to target the Imperial Guard’s armoured vehicles.

 

While the centre of the Templar battle line was held by the Land Raider, the flank forces advanced full throttle towards the Guardsmen holding the ruined building in an all out assault.

 

One of the Chimeras under the protection of the Leman Russ battle tank was blown apart by Lascannon fire, the survivors of the blast emerging disoriented from the wreckage.

 

Some casualties were inflicted in the occupied ruined building.

 

Followed by some unwittingly repositioning.

 

The firing from the Imperial Guard’s tanks was very ineffective with few casualties from the Templars who soon received reinforcements in the form of Drop Pods falling from the skies.

 

One of them veered out of course but still managed to disgorge its content on the battlefield: An armoured Dreadnought.

 

Their sights clearly aimed at the ruined building, the second Drop Pod arrived right in front of it.

 

This second Drop Pod delivered a full squad of Initiates alongside the Emperor’s Champion.

 

Taking advantage of the confusion sown in the Imperial Guard’s battle line by the screeching arrival of the Drop Pods the Crusader Land Raider advanced into the ruins with a couple of Land Speeders escorting it and providing covering fire. From within the Land Raider a full squad of Assault Terminators advanced towards the beleaguered Guardsmen.

 

One of the Predators takes position on the flank aiming down the battlefield.

 

The Lascannon shots from the Predator quickly found their mark on another Chimera, forcing its passengers to disembark.

 

The Black Templars began their brutal assault on the fortified ruins pouring gouts of blazing promethium from their Flamers over the Guardsmen inflicting heavy casualties.

 

A lot of those not claimed by the flames emerged from the flaming carnage only to be gunned down by massed Bolter fire.

 

Still covered by the bloody bits of the soldiers cut down in a hail of fire the Marshall leading the combat detachment prepared to charge his foe.

 

The arrival of reinforcements from a nearby supply station prompted the Imperial Guard’s forces to attempt a response to the Templar attack.

 

Two of the surviving Chimeras positioned themselves so as to pour fire into the Initiates’ Squad.

 

At the same time a newly arrived Valkyrie took the fight to the Black Templars in an attempt to gun down one of the Land Speeders.

 

The Imperial Guard firing took a small toll on their erstwhile allies, prompting the Black Templars into a renewed bout of fury. The Land Raider pivoted to counter the Valkyrie’s threat while at the same time screening the speeders from its fire. The Initiates sought refuge from the Chimeras’ fire inside the ruins while the Terminators advanced into the vehicles which were parked behind the ruins.

 

While his terminators went after other targets the Marshall remained behind to deal with the surviving officer.

 

Firing from the Black Templars’ vehicles and a well timed assault from the Assault Marines got rid of the troublesome Valkyrie.

 

While the Land Raider holding the centre blew apart one of the Chimeras which had been harassing the Initiates.

 

A group of psykers emerged from the burning wreckage of the Chimera.

 

More Imperial Guard reinforcements turned up in the form of another pair of Valkyries one of which promptly went for the Space Marines holding the centre of the Templar lines.

 

The second of the pair also threatened the centre.

 

Their transport destroyed by the Terminators’ assault, the command squad had few options other than disembarking and gunning down one of the Land Speeders.

 

The second Land Speeder being wrecked by accurate fire from the nearby Manticore.

 

Seeing an opportunity of finally taking part in battle after being thrown of course the Dreadnought moves towards the newly arrived Valkyrie.

 

The Dreadnought opens fire against the vulnerable rear armour but fares poorly.

 

As the battle moves towards its inevitable end the Land Raider Crusader turns its guns on the Imperial Guard’s command squad mowing them down.

 

Having disposed of all Guardsmen occupying the ruins the Initiates consolidate their position.

 

Deciding discretion was the better part of valor, the Assault Marines took shelter from the rampaging Valkyrie behind the ice crystals close to their position.

 

The Assault Terminators try to finish what they started and charge the Command Squad.

 

While the Marshall, drunk on bloodlust, charged the Manticore.

 

The Guardsmen fought bravely but in the end only their commanding officer stood before the savagery of the Terminators’ assault.

 

The Guard Commander was soon chopped into pieces.

 

Their job done, the Assault Terminators retreated into the ruined building.

 

All the while battle still raged in the centre of the battlefield, but by now the Black Templars were moping up whatever was left of the Imperial Guard picking their vehicles apart one at a time.

 

The Valkyrie tried to maneuver into a more favourable position in order to bring their guns to bear, coming too close to the Assault Marines that didn’t waste the opportunity to charge it.

 

Some Black Templar reinforcements arrived in the form of a unit of Terminators which moved into position to lend assistance to their Marshall.

 

Firing from the Guardsmen caused some casualties on the Assault Terminators and also forced the remaining Initiates into the ruins.

 

By then the battle had been truly lost for the Imperial Guardsmen who retreated from the manic fury displayed by the Black Templars. No survivors from the battle were ever encountered.

 

The former Imperial Guard’s battle lines were decimated. Everywhere the remnants of the 75^th Cadian Lightning fell back in disarray from the Black Templars that were butchering them. The Emperor’s Champion surveyed the scene of what could only be described as a massacre when he noticed a Guardsman, apparently a commander judging by his attire, trying to reach a discarded vox-unit lying on the ground.

 

Removing his helmet the Champion kneeled next to the dying soldier. “Know the Emperor’s peace” he whispered as he plunged his blade through the man’s back. The fingers from the golden power fist unit the Guardsmen  wore stretched once more as if in a final effort to reach the vox, before flickering rapidly and without control, and then laid inert on the floor.

 

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And that’s it for today! More to come soon.

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