The missions that make up a few of the campaigns collected in campaigns really need to be played as part of a campaign as the initial missions are quite easy for the marine player. During these missions it has been my experience that the stealer player seeks to inflict casualties that will hinder the marine player later in the campaign rather than hoping to 'win' the mission.
I have decided to write up this mission as I felt it shows the fun that can be had playing stealers. Many people can be found on this site and others complaining that playing the stealers is dull and is really only something that you do while you are waiting for your turn to play the marines. This is not the case, playing stealers is fun once you develop some tactics and get a feel for the rhythm required to use them effectively.
Ok, enough ranting, let the session report begin. In this mission the marine player (a veteran with numerous games under his belt) is trying to stem the flow of stealers into a marine outpost by securing a hole that has been torn through the hull of the station. The entry point is in the left most room, next to the door due south of Benghazi on the Rommel in the Desert map visible under the space hulk tiles (old school wargamers will recognise the other map sandwiched between the two games).
The marine player has a single squad with a sergeant, an assault cannon, a guy with lightning claws, and two terminators with storm bolters. We made a mistake during the game and forgot that the assault cannon didn't have a reload (I blame too many deathwing missions).
Turn 1
The marines began moving out. The assault cannon would lead the drive up the centre with the lightning claws moving in to keep him safe from any stealers that managed to find a way to close the distance. The two storm bolter dudes advanced up either flank. I guessed that they would advance slowly, making sure to stay on overwatch to prevent stealers breaking through and threatening the assault cannon from the rear...
When I checked my five starting blips a plan formed. One of the blips was a genestealer hybrid armed with a conversion beamer! This lethal heavy weapon is unique in that it does more damage to heavily armoured targets and kills terminators on a shocking 2+. If I could keep the squishy hybrid carrying it alive long enough to get LOS on a marine without being overwatched (hybrids die on a roll of 4+) then I could smoke a few of the emperor's finest. I decided to target the marine advancing at the corridor along the bottom as this would keep my forces out of the assault cannons fire arc. If I could eliminate this marine quickly then I could outflank and kill the others.
The genestealer conga line...
The marine began their slow and steady advance, spending command points to push forwards the terminators in the center and placing marine on the flanks on overwatch.
My hybrid was in position to be revealed, advance, and open fire by turn three but was likely to be blown away by the overwatch fire of his intended victim. This problem was solved by having a few stealers dance around in his LOS, forcing him to take shots until his stormbolter jammed. The first two died but the third managed to cause the jam and leg it back to safety.
The terminators final shot before jamming...
Now safe from being ripped to shreds by a storm of bolter fire the hybrid revealed itself and moved into position (note: I used a hybrid with a missile launcher as a sub for the conversion beamer). With only enough action points remaining for a single shot the hybrid managed to roll a 2, just enough to vapourise its foe.
With this marine eliminated, the way was now open for a flanking maneuver that would hopefully allow the assault cannon to be rushed from both sides and killed. This was necessary as a frontal assault on the cannon would most likely result in the stealers being weakened to such an extent that they would be unable to halt the marine advance.
By turn 6 the marines were in position to rush the stealer entry point and end the mission. Blocking this advance to buy time for the flanking forces to get around was the next step to crushing the imperial defenders (or at least causing a few more casualties).
A mass of stealers with the conversion beamer armed hybrid lurking ready to strike promised to cause the marines a little anxiety.
Obviously short of command points the marine player choose to advance only the terminator with lightning claws, covered by the assault cannon on overwatch. This was a major mistake. Distracted by the many blips crammed into the corridor, the marine player had forgotten the hybrid! The genestealers moved out of the way (a few rushing forward to force the assault cannon to burn some ammo) and the hybrid was able to claim its second victim.
The terminator visible in the background and the assault cannon armed terminator just around the corner prevented me from gloating too much. The hybrid did not have enough AP to move back into cover and was certain to die if a marine could get a bead on it. Flooding corridor with stealers and hoping the marine player wasn't able to get the assault cannon into position open up with a full auto burst (that could potentially kill all targets within its firing arc). Unless the marine player was hell bent on vengeance then the assault cannon was not likely to use autofire as it would have used all five rounds remaining in the clip and bought it within range of immediate retaliation by stealers hiding around the corner leading to the stealer entry point. At the end of the stealer turn the situation look like this:
Unwilling to sacrifice his assault cannon, the marine player formulated a plan of Baldric level cunning (it was real turnip). With six stealers, an unrevealed blip, and the terminator slaying hybrid within attack range, he decided that a terminator with a storm bolter and the assault cannon would be able to hold back the imminent flood of stealers. Silently I gloated.
Unfortunately, the plan was much more well thought out than I had realised and the combined firepower elimated the first four stealers without a hitch (although it did leave the assault cannon with two shots in the clip). Loathe to move the stealer shielding the hybrid, I revealed the blip, a single hybrid, and dashed him forward. Luck was with me and the marine player rolled double sixs, enough to kill the hybrid and jam! I promptly moved the hybrid's meatshield out of the way and warmed up the conversion beamer. A third terminator melted into nothingness.
Alas, that triumph marked the beginning of the end for the genestealers. The assault cannon moved around the corner and shredded the hybrid that had done so much damage (he had inflicted more casualties than all of the other hybrids in all of the games I have played put together!). The sergeant moved into position to pick off the flanking force who were running a little late.
Stealer blood flowed as the two survivors carved their way through to the stealer entry point and secured it, ending an interesting game.
Posted Thu Nov 20,2008 09:24 am
