Nido de Plaga IV: Data Retrieval

From Captain, Marauder Assault Cruiser Mandrake
To Assault Commander, Ground Forces, Nido de Plaga IV

Commander,

Now you have a secure base of operations and have taken the time to rebuild your ground units we have identified a new target for your forces. A nearby data cluster has been detected and is showing as being powered. We believe you may be able to extract important information about Mazon Labs activity on the planet which may point towards valuable artefacts that can be recovered. In order to give your unit it's best chance of success we recommend taking at least one hacking trained soldier in your force. Recent events have made the speedy and successful conclusion of this mission imperative.

Four Sol hours ago an as yet unidentified ship of Asterian design entered the solar system and evaded our attempts at interception and reached the planets surface, we then lost track of it's location. We believe that the Asterians are also seeking to discover what is happening here and you should presume them to be hostile.

You should make your way immediately to the data cluster, our surface scans have shown that the battle to secure the landing zone and base of operations have all but removed the local Zombie threat so you should be able to move freely to the target location.

Captain T.

The Marauders fielded the following for this mission

1 * Bolts - Commander

3 * Marauder Commando

2 * Mawbeast

2 * Marauder Commando Specialist with HMG - Hackers

1 * Ripper Rainmaker

1 * Gruntbot

Whilst the Asterian force consisted of:

1 * Marionette Prime

3 * Marionette's

2 * Kalyshi

1 * Marionette Specialist Sniper

2 * Marionette Specialist Grenade Launcher

2 * Marionette Specialist Light Missile

The table was setup with four data terminals in the centre around a mysterious artefact, each terminal could be hacked once to gain 2 victory points. Hacking would take a unit with the Hacking special rule a short action, otherwise it was a long action.

The first turn saw both sides move up with the Marauders taking advantage of the high ground near their entry point to kill a Marionette who had moved into a building over-looking the central area, other than some ineffective missile shooting from the Asterians it was a turn for manoeuvre. 

The second turn saw the Marauders pile forwards with the Mawbeasts engaging and killing one Missile Launcher Marionette and the second also dying, this time to gun fire. The Asterian Kalyshi charged into combat but didn't manage to kill anything. 

Next turn saw the Marauders push forwards again with Bolts and the Gruntbot. The Marionette Prime did land a surprising effect shot onto Bolts reducing him down to only 1 wound left, only his thick armour saved Bolts from being killed. One of the Marauder Specialists managed to make it to a terminal and hack out some valuable data.

On the last turn the Marauders started by hacking another terminal so the Asterians sacrificed a Marionette Specialist to ensure they'd hacked at least on terminal. It got the hack but was then shot down as was the Sniper. The remaining Grenade Launcher specialist was chewed up by a combination of the Gruntbot and then Bolts.

The Kalyshi did manage to kill a Mawbeast and a Commando but by this time it was too late and the Marauders had gained 16 VP's to end the fight but most importantly gained the information they required to dig deeper into what had happened on Nido de Plaga IV.

I've also been busy at the painting this week and with an eye on an upcoming D & D campaign I've painted up a Mantic Ice Queen model to use as a Sorcerer. I altered the painting technique on this one by going with a back undercoat and then dry brushing cream then white over the top before using contrast paints. It gives a different finish to just contrast over white with the darker areas being more pronounced.