Overview:
Sean's (Kaile_Bloodhammer) forces:
2 - Squads of Acolytes w/ Bone Calcification
4 Troopers
1 Initiate Leader
1 HMG Spec
1 - Squad of Initiates w/ Bone Calcification
5 Troopers
1 Sacristan Leader
2 - Reapers of Souls
1 - Necromagus w/Black Karma (Leader)
Dave's (dmcgee1) forces:
2 - Squads of Ducal Militia
5 Troopers
1 Sergeant
1 - Squad of Vulkans w/ Night Vision Equipment
2 Troopers
1 Sergeant
1 - Squad of Venusian Rangers w/ Night Vision Equipment
4 Troopers
1 Sergeant
1 Flamethrower Spec
Max Steiner w/ Starshell and Laser Optic Sight
Inquisitor Laertes Megademus
The battle:
"Major Steiner, try to keep the heroics to minimum, if you would be so kind. Our mission is, at this time, merely one of observation and reconnaisance," ordered Inquisitor Laertes Megademus.
"By the Cardinal's will." Steiner knew his place when it came to the Brotherhood, and chose, politically, not to challenge the Inquisitor.
Megademus surveyed the ruined section of town. A large contingent of Dark Legion devotees was known to be in the area. The Brotherhood wanted numbers, and, if possible, a reduction of those numbers.
A shadow moved. Steiner reacted, but the Inquisitor reacted faster. Rounds chewed earth, brick and mortar, but none found what might pass for flesh.
"Steiner, fan out! I want this area cleansed, now!"
The Reaper lept toward the Rangers, scythe cutting into armor, chain entangling limbs and weapons. The Rangers gave no quarter; half charged to the aid of their comrade, half formed a perimeter should the beast attempt flight or, worse, kill their squad-mate. Venusian Rangers live for this. Almost as quickly as the beast had entered from shadow, the soldiers had rendered it inert. Ichor oozed from the butts of their weapons.
Steiner barked, "Sergeant Frontz, take your men and cover that street. This is not finished! Rangers, to me!" Max charged up the street.
The Inquisitor, still a bit stunned by the stealthy attack, turned to his right. There were more. Acolytes spewed from the sewers, engulfing the Vulkans. "This does not bode well," he thought. "Sergeant, get you militia over there and get those vermin off the Vulkans, now!"
The militia complied, but, in doing so, made themselves targets. Tracer fire reached out to them from alleys, windows and from behind walls. The Inquisitor sensed movement. The Legions were closing. The acolytes fell like the fodder they were, exposing the Vulkans and militia to vicious fire. "Move forward! Fire while moving! Get them in your sights, and kill them!" The Inquisitor was feeling overwhelmed, and he was letting it affect him. The militia and the Vulkans were taking losses, and the enemy was not relenting.
On the other street, Max was doing exactly what the Inquisitor had ordered him not to do. Charging headlong, the Rangers following, Max drew fire. "Militia, target the weapons-fire!" The militia threw rounds at the flashes, calculating lines of sight back along the tracers' streaks.
Bedlam.
Max took rounds. Rangers returned fire from safer positions, able to see while not being seen. The Vulkans were having no such luck.
More acolytes swarmed from, seemingly, nowhere. As they dropped, others appeared, all while slugs of hot, glowing lead sparked off heavy armor, sliced hydraulics, pierced joints, found tissue. The militia fell, save for one. The Inquisitor rallied the soldier to him. The Vulkans fell, unable to withstand the withering hail. As the last of the acolytes was sent to their demise, the necromagus sauntered into view. Fixated, neither the Inquisitor nor the militiaman saw the Reaper. It's scythe cut the night, and the Inquisitor. The militiaman, valiantly, placed himself between the two; his sacrifice, vain. The magus, finished the Inquisitor, then dragged his lifeless carcass with him.
Max, too, had fallen. The Rangers set the militia to guard him, and pursued the magus. The alley was interminably long. Reaching the street, it was painfully obvious that the rest of the force was gone. A clap of ionized air and an indescribable odor meant that the magus had teleported out. This did not bode well.
In the end, Sean won. Further, the only units to spot the Dark Legion Leader were, subsequently, dispatched.
I'll give tally in another post, soon.
