Aegnor

Gods of the Warp, I get super busy at work for a few days and come back to find a novels worth of stuff written! :) Genuinely sad to see the Sons meet their end. I haven't read all the new stuff yet, but on quick skims, looks like some quality there as well. I know there's a swap party coming up, but if I get time, I might try to do a little more about the Iron Ravagers to give them a bit more character. Compared to some of the chapters here, so far they feel a bit bland in terms of being clones of the Iron Hands.

Iron Ravagers - trust the Black Falcons. They've shown fortitude and determination in recovering from their early losses. Their way of fighting is not our way, and at times seems too convoluted and circumspect. Nevertheless, they have shown themselves willing to work together with other chapters and reliably coordinate with them, so we can fight alongside them. On a recent engagement with them, we were horrified however to see them wearing xenos tech of unknown purpose and providence, and have reported this back to our contacts in the Aneisidora Mechanicus, who have asked for samples if possible. Distrust/Allies of Desperation with the All Seers. Similar to how they see the Blades, they distrust seemingly irrational and unreliable behaviour, perceiving it as weak. There is clearly information they believe is important that they choose not to share with their partners - this is illogical and suggests they should be kept at arms length.

Great work Cormac.

Don't change it guys - just my two cents but I like itm

Agree with all that. Will look to make the changes next time I'm on a proper pc, rather than my phone. I'd really like to keep the element of the Ravagers coming to respect the Angels through this campaign. Having the Angels starting to pity the Ravagers is a lovely turn around of that idea as well.

I'd like to do some vignettes for the Ravagers and the Angels Exultant, but they're harder than a straight report. Will hopefully do some soon.

Ok, here we go. Comments and suggestions welcome - especially from Teetengai, but from all corners. Apologies that this is probably a little long. The Purging of Nimobia When reviewing the sad history of the Angels Exultant, the reclamation of the planet Nimobia from the dread forces of the Sereiki Lions stands out as one of their great successes. Working with the Iron Ravagers, the Angels campaign here was a testament to their ferocity and fearlessness in routing a dug-in, determined opposition who vastly outnumbered them. Nimobia was a world first colonised by prospectors during the first human settlement of the Liber Cluster. Although the world was largely rocky desert, with little to recommend it to settlers, the discovery of large numbers of beautiful gems, unlike anything else in the cluster, or indeed in much of the Imperium, attracted a growing band of miners and prospectors determined to earn their fortune. These settlers carved large arcologies beneath Nimobia’s dry, windy surface, and the planet prospered. What the fate of the initial settlements was during the Silence is unknown, but when the forces of the Reclamation found Nimobia again, it was already under the banner of the Lions. Rogue Mechanicus elements had vastly expanded the arcologies, and the planet was now a vast slave camp where sorry specimens, human and xenos, laboured extracting the precious gem stones to enrich Al-Rashid Ibn Khroda and his cronies. The planet was garrisoned by a large contingent of Ash Wolves – indeed, it was rumoured that the planet’s slave population served as one of their recruiting bases. As the Lions got wind of the growing Eighteen World Crusade, this garrison was reinforced by elements of the Coyotes. Rumour had it that even a few of the corrupt Astartes loyal to Al Rashid were sent to stiffen the resistance. The council, led by the Lords Inviolate, designated a strike force of the Iron Ravagers and the Angel Exultant to reclaim the world of Nimobia. The planet had minimal established orbital defences, and the fleet elements the Lions had present at the world were better suited to harassing the combined fleet of the two loyalist chapters. The Iron Ravagers took the lead in planning the assault on the planet’s surface – the Angels seemingly content to allow them to do so. Three key landing sites were identified, corresponding to the three major entrances of the Lion’s underground complex. The intention of the Ravagers was coldly logical – cut off all avenues of escape, and then systematically purge the arcology of all enemy life. The Angels agreed to their proposed role with relish – they were to be shock force that would drive the enemy into the carefully sited and planned ambushes prepared by the Ravagers – the hammer that would drive the enemy into the Ravager’s anvil. The initial landings went mostly smoothly. In two of the sites, the resistance encountered was swiftly crushed and firm blockades established. In the third, a sorry set of largely abandoned buildings known as Herzog’s Hope, the initial landing force of the Angels encountered an unexpectedly effective ambush, which succeeded in killing most of the sons of Sanguinius. The second wave of loyalists, elements of the Ravager’s 3rd company was able to turn the tables and annihilate the Ash Wolves forces. Iron-Captain Draghan of the 3rd reported that only three of the Angels survived the ambush, each seriously wounded and **REDACTED**. Fortunately, once the following forces of the Angels arrived, their apothecaries were able to treat the **REDACTED** and afterwards each of the brothers affected recovered from the apparent disorientation. The Angels took the losses at Herzog’s Hope to heart, and initially displayed concerns that the alliance between them and the Iron Ravagers might be compromised. Perhaps it was to this end that they demonstrated such thoroughness, to the point of mania, in hunting down elements of the Coyotes believed to have escaped in two air-lifters away from the battle. The hunt was conducted with an obsessiveness that was noted and applauded by the Ravagers for three weeks until the Angels were satisfied. During this time, a thorough survey was conducted of the arcology through scans from the surface. Several minor entrances were identified and systematically destroyed, and plans were developed for the work of rooting out the traitors from their underground lair. Once they were satisfied with their planning, the underground incursions began. Here the loyalists relied greatly on the unquenchable ferocity of the Angels. The enemy had not been sitting idly, and the forces of the Imperium found themselves assaulting through carefully constructed killing fields, ambush sites and collapsible tunnels. The expertise and strength of the Iron Ravager’s cadre of techmarines and enhanced servitors was vital in working their way through the deliberately created landslides, cave-ins and identifying and avoiding traps. But it was the fierce fervour of the Angels that carried the day. Time after time, the Angels charged like men possessed of the fury of Sanguinius himself, weathering heavy fire and routing embedded enemies from their positions. The enemy could not, and soon would not stand before them, fleeing from the seemingly crazed killers who often ripped their opponents literally limb from limb. The Angels seemed to go out of their way to cover themselves in the blood of their foe, and they made ever deeper inroads, blood-drenched step by step. The ability of their officers and chaplains to stoke this fury in their charges, and also to guide it effectively so it served the wider strategy soon attracted the respect and admiration of the Ravagers. Taciturn by nature with outsiders, the Ravagers saw something of the Gorgon’s own legendary fury in the Angels and admired their ability to unleash their rage in battle before regaining their composure after the fighting stopped. The chanting priests and chaplains did strike the Ravagers as unusual, but having an understanding of the elaborate preparations and ritual required to effectively engage with machine-spirits, they did not question the methods by which the Angel’s chaplains administered to the warrior-spirits of their brethren. Nor was the berserk fury of the Angels deployed blindly. In each engagement, the Imperials would force forward, but always leave an apparent flaw in their encirclement, an avenue for the beleaguered Ash Wolves to withdraw. If the Lions’ forces realised they were being herded in a particular direction, that realisation did not give them the courage to stand in the face on the inhuman rage of the Angels. And so, element by element, the forces of the Lions were driven into killing fields the Ravagers that themselves prepared in the arcology, death boxes bracketed by devastator squads, Thunder-fire cannons and heavy-weapon equipped servitors. Once the backbone of the enemy resistance was crushed, the Ravagers and Angels commenced a purge of the planet’s non-combatant population. Regardless of whether they had picked up a gun, these people had supported and fraternised with traitorous elements, and the Ravagers took seriously their duty to ensure no seeds of treachery remained. The fact that many of these pathetic wretches worked alongside xenos creatures only confirmed their perversion from sound Imperial thought. The work was arduous, but the Ravagers again were impressed by the willingness of the Angels to undertake this task with the same furious zeal they demonstrated in combat with the enemy. The Imperial forces left Nimobia a pacified husk, ready for re-settlement. Swearing oaths of brotherhood and mutual support, the two chapters parted, ready to support other engagements in the Crusade or continue the reclamation of the Cluster.

Sorry buddy, been distracted with real life a bit in the past few days. I liked your story. I think I'd actually like to see the Angels Exultant be pivotal in winning our invasion. I don't think it's realistic or desirable that the Lions rebuff the invasion at every turn, and I think we want to see the Angels in particular shine a little, so their eventual fall be all the more poignant. One thing - do we want people having worked out that killing the Chaplains makes the Angels go crazy? I think, up until the Fall, if people do work that out, they should very shortly afterwards meet an exceedingly bloody end so the secret stays safe for a little longer.

I reckon a chapter of Space Marines could take down a full forge world. They probably couldn't if they marched up to the active Titan Legion presence and tried to take them down in a straight gun-fight, but that would be pretty awful strategy on the part of the marines.

Have gone back and amended the post on the Darghoul along the lines suggested.

I think the Iron Ravagers would be initially supportive of Vandire as he is the incumbent and they would be opposed to rebellion and division. They'd see a lot of the concerns others had about him as irrelevant and not worth throwing out the workings of the Imperium. But I think they'd reach a point where they'd realise he was disruptive/destructive and then become strongly opposed (possibly particularly so because they'd feel they had erred in ever supporting him).

Love the Kalliel Agreement Tdf - pitch perfect.

No worries about editing the post re the aliens. Will do so when I get home.

Olis - let me know if this is acceptable or not - if not, happy to rework as required. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ezu673hows w35y00262 202vsowsn fssbhs +++ MAGENTA CLEARANCE REQUIRED +++ kowlrrp pa242>>+ werw2 +++ CLEARANCE AUTHENTICATED... WELCOME LORD INQUISITOR+++ From: Inquisitor Josef Vorrst Date: M35.645.113 SUBJECT: Darghoul Thought for the Day: Answer Like for Like – Laxity with Mortification, Doubt with Indoctrination and Abomination with Annihilation Lord Drusus, I humbly submit an overview of the the results of my survey of the xenos species Darghoul, first encountered by forces of His Glorious Imperial Majesty’s Reclamation in M35.476. May the Emperor grant us the strength to consign this wretched species to the annals of our Ordos' histories. For a fuller summation, please see the appended report. The Darghoul control a small empire of around 20 worlds on the ‘Eastward’ rim of the Liberite Cluster. They are a technologically capable species, who have developed significant space-faring capabilities with one significant weakness. As a species, they appear to have no psychic ability or awareness of the Warp. Their ships appear to have an unusual system of propulsion that allows near-, or possibly faster-than-light travel and thus makes a limited interstellar domain possible. Within this limitation, their technology is advanced and although wretchedly heretical in its apparent function, produces tools and weaponry that appear to be comparable in performance to that used in Imperium. +++ DARGHOUL WARRIOR +++ http://gameartsguild.com/squawk/basilisk/basilisk02.gif (image credit: www.gameartsguild.com) Study and dissection of specimens recovered from the field indicates their basic biological structure is evolved from a biological family similar to ancient Terran dinosaurs/avians, evolved along a typical pattern for intelligence bipedal humanoids. A full grown male stands around 7 foot high and is stronger than a human. They appear to breed at a faster rate than the human norm. The Darghoul have developed a significant military caste, however this does not appear to have been an innate urge in the species, but rather a reaction to prolonged, multi-generational conflict with the neighbouring greenskins of the Graz-kelt systems, who have regularly invaded their planets, and for whom they harbour an implacable hatred. +++ DARGHOUL SIDEARM - DESIGNATED "BLASTER" IN IMPERIAL GUARD REPORTS +++ http://www.vgblogger.com/wp-content/uploads/Games/AlienSyndrome/Weapon_Chaingun.jpg (image credit: www.vgblogger.com) Since the arrival of the Reclamation forces, they have reacted to incursions with hostility and a focused aggression, but appear to prefer to maintain a neutrality towards our forces in order to focus on their conflict with the Orks. Their lack of swift transport from one system to another (even their closest worlds take a year to travel between) is the major handicap they face in warfare with man and ork. +++ DARGHOUL OUTRIDERS +++ http://futuredude.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/dinosaur-humanoids-alien-life-spaceship-alternate-earth-460x259.jpg (image credit: futuredude.com) There have been some very rare, isolated instances of them contracting human ships to transport them within their territory, but they have displayed little interest in doing so on a regular basis – reports suggest they have generally found exposure to the Warp a horrific experience that they had no desire to repeat unless desperate. Despite this, there have been sightings of Darghoul fighting elsewhere in the cluster - beyond their empire's reach - as mercenaries, suggesting that some of the species at least have adapted, or been forced to adapt to such travel. Their military might – within system – is considerable, enough to require a significant commitment of Imperial Guard to overcome, incurring significant casualties in the process. Conflicts with Space Marines have been rarer, but have shown that beyond sheer numbers, they do not possess capabilities to trouble the blessed Adeptus Astartes. Some trading did occur with human worlds during the Silence, but this abhorrent practice has now largely ceased. No doubt there are some foolish rogue traders who will continue to ply such trade (refer case note ++LC35-2356/RRT/Kalliel++). Threat Level: Medium These xenos are abominations against the Emperor. They occupy worlds that rightfully belong to the Imperium and should be purged from existence. That said, they represent less of a threat than other species such as the ork or the piratical elder, and they do not appear to have any interest in seeking to corrupt or attack worlds under Imperial control. Their heretical technology does continue to develop and eradication will become more demanding the longer they are left to advance. Already it would require a Crusade featuring a significant commitment of resources and manpower. Their inability to swiftly redeploy their forces will mean that Imperial forces should maintain a significant advantage and be able to isolate and destroy their worlds one by one. Recommendation: Monitor Extinction must be the fate of the Darghoul. However, for now, it is my recommendation that this can be safely delayed while the Imperial position in the Cluster is strengthened and xenos forces posing a more immediate threat are destroyed. Further, their ‘empire’ is currently acting as a useful diversion for the greenskins of the neighbouring Graz-kelt systems – whose attention would otherwise turn to Imperial sub-sectors already sorely pressed. Once current campaigns against the renegade Lions and orkoid empires closer to the Tempest are concluded, options for extermination should be re-examined. Your humble servant, Inquisitor Josef Vorrst Ordos Xenos – Liberite Cluster +++ MESSAGE END +++

Can certainly attempt to work in those strictures. Reason for the idea is not any desire to write great tracts on xenos, but rather just wanting to introduce another element of the setting people can draw on in their human focused material. Otherwise it can become a bit skewed in terms of chaos/renegades being the only antagonists to the Imperium. My idea is for a Tau empire sized xenos civilisation local to part of the Cluster that can serve as an alternative antagonist along with the normal suspects of renegades and greenskins. Will endeavour to do up a brief report by one of the Cluster's Ordos Xenos inquisitor later today.