Isstvan III pt. 3
Legendary Missions
PHASE I LEGENDARY BATTLE: COMETH THE RED ANGEL
Angron descended onto the surface of Isstvan with an apparent hate for his own son’s that was inexplicable. In fact, his anger may have been a mask for his own self-loathing, and his regret over the cowardly virus bombs set off by Horus. In the end, the Red Angel chose to end things the way they were always meant to end.
THE ARMIES
This mission is fought between 2 ,500 points of Loyalists and 3,000 points of Traitors. Ideally both sides should employ troops from the World Eaters Legion. This mission is also suitable for a team game (splitting each side's forces evenly between the players involved).
Note: This was originally 2,000 to 3,000, but seemed a bit much. Feel free to tweak as you like, but the Loyalists should defintely be at a points disadvantage.
The Traitor force must include the Primarch Angron, and may not include any fortifications or units with a Movement value of ‘0.’
The Loyalist force may not contain any Drop Pods, Termites, or Vehicles with the Flyer sub-type, and must include at least one fortification.
Note: Feel free to bin the fortification.
THE BATTLEFIELD
This mission is played on a 6' x 4' board. The terrain should include craters, ruins, debris, barricades, trench lines, gun emplacements and is set up by the Loyalist player in any manner they desire. Note that the Loyalist player may place any of their fortifications at this point, or may opt to place them when they deploy their army.
DEPLOYMENT
The Loyalist player deploys all of their army anywhere on the battlefield not within 6" of any table edge. The Loyalist player may not hold any units in reserve, even if a unit's individual special rules would allow them to do so.
Once the Loyalist player has deployed, the Traitor player nominates a single table edge. All of the Traitor player's reserves that do not arrive via Deep Strike move on from this table edge.
The Traitors do not deploy before the start of the game. Instead the entire Traitor army either deploys via Deep Strike (if able) or moves automatically onto the table in the Traitor's first turn. Units arriving by Deep Strike must follow the normal rules except there is no limit to how many units may arrive via Deep Strike each turn!
VICTORY CONDITIONS
At the end of the game the player with the most Victory points has won the game. If both players have the same number of Victory points the game is a draw.
Primary Mission Objectives
At the end of the game each player receives 1 Victory point for each enemy unit that has been completely destroyed. Units that are Routed at the end of the game or off-table count as having been destroyed.
Secondary Mission Objectives
• Slay the Warlord (3) – only scored for the Traitor player!
• Giant Killer (2) – slaying Angron is worth 2 additional VPs for the Loyalist player; if not killed but below starting Wounds – 1 VP.
• Unbowed and Unbroken (4) – if the Loyalists have a greater number of units than the Traitors at the end of the battle they 4 additional Victory Points.
First Turn
The Traitor player automatically has the fust turn. The Loyalist player may not Seize the Initiative.
Game Length
Variable game length. At the end of the fourth turn, 4+ on a d6 leads to a fifth turn.
MISSION SPECIAL RULES
Reserves.
Deadly Atmosphere: For the duration of the game, all armour saves of '6' must be re-rolled (invulnerable and cover saves are unaffected, as are damage mitigation rolls). In addition, Armour Penetration rolls of ‘1’ must be re-rolled.
Lines of Retreat: Traitor units are Falling Back will retreat towards the table edge nominated by the Traitor player during deployment. Loyalist units retreat towards the nearest table edge.
Dug-in (Phase I special rule): The Loyalists improve any Cover Save by 1 (to 4+ at best). This special rule does not give a Cover Save to any model that is not in cover.
Orbital Assault (Phase I special rule): The Traitor side may opt to deploy one Infantry unit held in reserve using the Deep Strike rules. If a unit may already deploy via Deep Strike (unless by Drop Pod), then they may assault on the tum they deploy via Deep Strike contrary to the usual rules.
PHASE II LEGENDARY BATTLE: THE FLIGHT OF TRUTH
Horus and his co-conspirators arrogantly believed they would massacre their own sons without the Imperium becoming any the wiser. Nevertheless, a few brave souls discovered the treachery and attempted to get word back to Terra.
THE ARMIES
This mission is fought between forces of between 1,000 and 1,500 points each, bur may not include any Vehicles of any type. The Loyalist player has three Messengers of Truth (see the Special Rules section that follows) in addition to the rest of their army.
THE BATTLEFIELD
This mission is played on a 4' x 4 ' board. The terrain should represent a shuttle port area, bombed-out city plaza or orbital dockyard, and may be set up in a mutually agreed manner.
Note: I intiially thought this might work as a ZM mission, but probably not because of the Shuttle.
Place Objective Shuttle
After the battlefield terrain has been placed, the Loyalist player nominates a table quarter (see deployment map below) to be their deployment zone. The Loyalist player then places a model to represent a shuttle in the opposite quarter to their deployment zone. The objective shuttle model must be placed at least 18" from the centre of the table. The shuttle objective follows all rules for Wrecked Vehicles Area Terrain (p. 221, AoD rulebook).
DEPLOYMENT
The Loyalist player deploys all of his army anywhere within his table quarter bur not closer than 6" to the centre of the table. No Loyalist unit may be held in reserve or use the Deep Strike special rules even if they would normally be able to do so.
The Traitor player then deploys a single unit in each of his deployment zones no closer than 12" to any Loyalist model and no closer than 6" to the centre of the table. The remainder of his army is placed in reserve.
VICTORY CONDITIONS
The Loyalist side wins if at the end of the game a Messenger of Truth model is in base-to-base contact with the objective shuttle. Any other result is a Traitor victory.
Messengers of Truth represent remembrancers, iterators, astropaths or other individuals who carry evidence of Horus' treachery. Each should be represented by a suitable infantry model.
The Messengers of Truth
These represent remembrancers, iterators, astropaths, or other individuls who carry evidence of Horus’ treachery. Each should be reprsented by a suitable infantry model.
M6 WS2 BS2 S3 T3 W1 I2 A1 Ld7 Cl12 WP6 IN8 Sv6+ Inv4+
Infantry (Specialist)
Wargear: Laspistol
First Tum
The Loyalists get the first turn and the Traitors may not attempt to Seize the Initiative.
Game Length
Variable game length. At the end of the fourth turn, 4+ on a d6 leads to a fifth turn.
MISSION SPECIAL RULES
Reserves: Only Traitors use the Reserve special rules in this mission. Any Traitor units entering from reserve move on from the edge of either of the Traitor Deployment Zones. Reserves begin arriving from Turn 1, but must make their Reserve Tests. There is no limit to how many units can arrive from Reserves per turn. Any units arriving by Deep Strike or similar rule follow the normal rules.
PHASE III LEGENDARY BATTLE: COUNTER THRUST
While the Traitors attempted to encircle the Loyalists, and thus slay them to the man, the Loyalists attempted to coordinate an operation to break-through the cordon.
THE ARMIES
Both players choose armies to an agreed points total between 2,000 and 2,500 points per side.
In this mission neither side is allowed to take Fortifications.
THE BATTLEFIELD
This battle is played down the length of a 6 x 4' table. Set up the terrain on the battlefield in a mutually agreed manner.
DEPLOYMENT
The Loyalist player nominates a short table edge to be the edge of his deployment zone. The battlefield is then divided as shown on the deployment map. The Traitor player deploys his army first in the Traitor deployment zone, and then the Loyalist deploys his army second in the Loyalist deployment zone.
VICTORY CONDITIONS
At the end of the game the player with the most Victory points has won the game. If both players have the same number of Victory points the game is a draw.
Primary Mission Objectives
Vengeance and Hate (Loyalists and Traitors): Each player receives 1 Victory point for each enemy unit that has been completely destroyed. Units that are Routed at the end of the game and units that are not on the board at the end of the game count as having been destroyed.
Shatter the Line (Loyalists): The Loyalist player earns 1 Victory point for every Loyalist scoring unit (not Vehicle, Cavalry, or Automata IAW the AoD rulebook, p. 308), that has one or more models in the Breakthrough Zone at the end of the game. Units with statuses are not considered scoring.
Cage of Iron (Traitors): The Traitors earn 1 Victory point for every Loyalist unit that has one or more models in No Man's Land, or in the Loyalist deployment zone, at the end of the game.
Secondary Mission Objectives
• Slay the Warlord (2)
• First Strike (2)
First Tum
The Loyalist player automatically has the first tum unless the Traitor player Seizes the Initiative.
Game Length
The game lasts for six turns.
MISSION SPECIAL RULES
Reserves: Loyalist reserves may move on to the table from any of the table edges in their deployment zone. Traitor reserves may move on from any part of the table edge in the Traitor Deployment Zone or Breakthrough Zone.
Ash and Darkness: Before the armies deploy, roll a D6:
D6 Result
1-2 The game is played normally.
3-5 Night Fighting (Turn 1 only): Shooting at a unit greater than 24” away must be made with Snap Shots.
6 Night Fighting (Turn 1 and 2): Shooting at a unit greater than 24” away must be made with Snap Shots.
PHASE IV LEGENDARY BATTLE: THE DEATH OF GODS AND ANGELS
The Loyalists’ fates were sealed and that fate was utter destruction. However, they were determined that the butcher’s bill for the Traitors would be costly. They knew that eventually Horus would attack Terra itself, and these brave Legiones Astartes swore that they would leave the Isstvan III betrayal with their numbers greatly depleted!
Note that this is a large and somewhat complex game and may take a whole day or evening to play.
THE ARMIES
Both sides choose armies to an agreed points total This game is recommended for armies of between 2,500 and 3,500 points, with the Traitor force having 25% more points available to them in all cases than the Loyalists (so, for example, if the Loyalists have 2,500 points to spend, then the Traitors have 3,125 points and so on).
This mission is also suitable for a team game, (splitting each side's forces evenly between the players involved).
THE BATTLEFIELD
This battle is played on a 6' x 4 ' table divided into three equal sections as shown in the diagram below, although a larger table may be used if wished (an 8' x 6' table may be desirable for a 3 ,000 points a side game, for example). Set up the terrain on the battlefield in a mutually agreed manner, with at least three sizable (minimum 6" across) pieces of terrain placed in each table section.
The Loyalist side may choose a single piece of terrain within the middle table section to be a piece of Isstvan III mysterious terrain of a type of their choice (representing a Loyalist rallying point). Other than this the mysterious terrain rules are not used in this game.
Note: I will probably provide these rules in the future. In the meantime, the structure causes Fear (1) to Traitors.
DEPLOYMENT
The Loyalist player deploys their entire army with the table's central section. No Loyalist units may be held in reserve even if they would normally be able to do so.
Unless they are deploying via Deep Strike, the Traitors may be deployed within 12" of either narrow table edge. Units with the Deep Strike rule placed in Reserve must be deployed using the Deep Strike rule. Other Traitor reserves must enter from a narrow table edge.
VICTORY CONDITIONS
At the end of the game the player with the most Victory points has won the game. If both players have the same number of Victory points the game is a draw.
Primary Mission Objectives
Utter Destruction: Each player receives 1 Victory point for each enemy unit that has been completely destroyed. Units that are Routed at the end of the game, and units that are not on the board at the end of the game, count as having been destroyed. Vehiclesw with the Super-Heavy sub-type are worth 2 Victory points if destroyed and if a Primarch is slain this is worth 3 Victory points.
We Still Endure (Loyalists): For every Loyalist unit still surviving at the end of the battle, the Loyalist player gains 2 Victory points.
Secondary Mission Objectives
• Slay the Warlord (2)
First Turn
The Traitor player automatically has the first tum unless the Traitor player Seizes the Initiative.
Game Length
This mission has a game length of at least four turns. At the end of the fourth turn, roll a D6. On the result of a 4+, a fifth and final turn is played.
MISSION SPECIAL RULES
Reserves: Only Traitors use the Reserve special rules in this mission.
Seismic Cataclysm: At the start of each turn, the player whose turn it is rolls a D3 - this is the number of cataclysm markers that must be placed. A cataclysm marker should be between 32 and 40mm.
To place a marker, choose a point on the battlefield and roll 2d6 for scatter. Place your marker on the final location.
• Terrain pieces touched are automatically destroyed as they collapse into the ground.
• Any model touched by the marker, or in a terrain piece that is destroyed, must pass an Initiative test or plummet to their death beneath the ground.
• For Vehicles, roll a D6; on a 1 they are unaffected. On a 2+, they are removed from the table.
• Antigrav units must immediately take a Dangerous Terrain test, but are not affected by the other rules.
• After all other effects have been resolved, use terrain pieces such as craters to represent the sink-holes they leave behind - they remain as both Difficult Terrain.
The Last Gasp: All Loyalist units improve their Leadership and Cool by 1.
Lines of Retreat: All units make Fall Back moves towards the nearest table edge.
Conclusion
So, that concludes the series on the Isstvan III Atrocity! As I said a few posts ago, I may still do the section on Battlefield Terrain. I have some ideas, and my buddy Alex has been bouncing ideas off me as well. Hit me up if you’d like to see that!
In the meantime, you can check me out Instagram or Facebook!
