Mission 1: Origins of War

Origins of war

Ascendus, Jewel of the Icarus. An ancient battlefield where muffled cries of eons long dead still echo through vast canyons. It is here that 3 forces will clash and the history of time itself will be written. In a small clearing to the north, a rogue company of Dark Eldar known as the Mourning Mantids have set up a makeshift base. Their scans have revealed recent deposits of valuable Phylite on the planet's surface, which they've been utilizing to fuel increasingly devious genetic experiments. Grateful to this forgotten star system for cradling the origins of their people, the Mantids live symbiotically with the ecosystem. Despite their nefarious intentions, ancient blood ties to the planet have rendered their presence practically invisible to Necron sensors. However, small ripples soon turn to waves. With the increasing entropy of their dark experiments, it is only a matter of time before their corruption is noticed. A landscape once dormant now pulses with nervous energy. The age of stability is now gone and turmoil will soon sweep in to take its place.

A Chance Encounter

Kicking up clouds of red sand, a small Dark Eldar scout party shrieks toward a blip on the radar. Their destination is a fresh impact crater at the heart of an expansive desert known as the Valley of Rust. In this desolate wasteland, crimson sands stretch from no particular beginning toward no particular end. The Mantids can sense that this is a place where time itself has stopped. With each mile, trekking further into the dunes, the air around them grows warmer. Motes of red dust begin to dance, following their movements and flowing like waves through the sand before them. Racing ahead, the sand begins to swell and burst in erratic movements as the radar ticks become louder and more frequent. Just over the next ridge, the horizon burns in a lake of flame. Huge craters dot the landscape where fragments of a massive meteor have been strewn like small pebbles. The Mantids, whose eyes have evolved to spot detail at great distance, have already seen their target. Scattered among the burning debris, tiny specks of  exposed Phylite shimmer from within their metallic tomb. However, extraction of the Mineral will require finesse. The shattered Meteorite lies as the center of a violent debris field. The impact and subsequent inferno has generated a thick haze in the sky above their heads. Over the havoc, a low drone can be heard, slowly increasing in volume with each passing second. Panicked, the Mantids look on, scanning the fog for signs of its origins. Something is approaching from just beyond the limits of visibility. Squinting harder to see beyond the abyss, all eyes focus skyward. With a blast of sonic energy, a monstrous dark vessel booms through the void. Heat lightning arcs from its wicked hull. Chaos has arrived.

Quantum Disturbance
Something has changed. Originating from the barren lands known as the Valley of Rust, two distinct beacons have been detected, disrupting the steady slumber of Sentry's Defiant. The signals are foreign, yet underlain with a hint of the familiar. One of unknown origin writhes with unmatched anger. The other, a variation on an ancient power, teaming with hatred and disgust. Malevolence of this magnitude has never before been documented in the Necron annals of time. Apparent localized electromagnetic disruption readings and planetary thermo-regulatory sensors seem to indicate that these foreign invaders come with immense sense of purpose. They do not wish to slaughter and consume as the primitive Iron Tide had. These intruders are after something much more. After thousands of years, waiting beneath ancient debris, perhaps an opposition worthy of Sentry's presence had finally approached. As the dust fell from his metal figure, Sentry lifted himself from his tomb. While they did not yet know it, the invaders were about to confront one of the most infamous legends in Necron lore. Sentry would send his scouts to investigate and upon their return, devise a plot to banish the intruders from his domain.

A Second Chance
The abrupt planetary unrest has not been without immediate consequence. Like twisting knives, the imprisoned Chronus has directly suffered the transformation occuring within his realm. With each new wave of corruption, hatred ripples and twists his cage. Reality is becoming increasingly unstable. Small energy fluctuations have already begun to surge over extinct iron bones. Left unchecked, these interactions have the potential to distort time altogether, bringing forth new adaptations of old adversaries. Perhaps it is only a matter of time before the Iron Tide feeds again...

The Mission

Capture the Flag

2 Attacking Forces must attempt to retrieve a singular flag from the center of the board and return it to their deployment zone. 1 Defending Force must attempt to destroy both attacking forces. Only one unit may be in possession of the flag at any given time. The flag is surrendered if the unit in possession of it is wiped out or forced to flee. The flag must be in coherency with a unit to be captured. The flag may not enter vehicles or fortifications.

Win Conditions

Attacking Force: Successful transportation of the flag into his deployment zone.

Defending Force: Complete annihilation of all Attacking forces on the field.

The Battlefield

The Valley of Rust is a relatively open plain with only small obstructions and area terrain dotting the landscape. Recent planetary disturbance has made this area particularly prone to Dust storms which can strike unexpectedly and last for minutes or even days.

Deployment

Both Attacking Forces will set up using Hammer and Anvil deployment (page 119). Beginning turn 2, the Defending Force will arrive automatically via reserve from either table edge (determined by a roll of 4+ on a d6).

Special Rules

Cumbersome: Any unit in possession of the flag may move no more than 6 inches in any phase. This also applies to the flag itself.

Tactical Positioning (Dark Eldar): Dark Eldar forces get a +1 modifier when rolling for first turn, signifying their advantageous positioning on the battlefield before confrontation. Initiative can still be seized on a 6+.

Into the Fray! (Chaos Marines): If the Chaos Marine force loses the roll for first turn and fails to seize the initiative, 1 Chaos Space Marine infantry unit may gain the Scout special rule (pg 41).

Dust Devils: Before the game, roll for night fighting as usual. All models suffer the night fighting penalties, regardless of special rules or abilities that specify otherwise. Dense clouds of dust have hindered sight drastically. Due to the granular nature of the storm, even the keenest eyes cannot cut through the clouds.

Reinforcements (Necrons): If the entire Necron force is reduced to 20% of its starting point value (100 points), they are immediately removed from play and a second 500 point force of Tyranids may infiltreate or outflank onto the battlefield immediately from reserve. The Chronus' Volatile nature has brought back an extinct company of Tyranids. Raging with confused hunger, they consume all in sight.

Army Composition
Necrons: 500 points. No HQ slot, but 1 Lord from a Royal Court allowed. 500 points of Tyranid reinforcements.
Dark Eldar: 500 points. No HQ.
Chaos Marines: 500 points. No HQ.

Oh Icarus, How You Have Fallen...

Yesterday, I tapped into my very limited Photoshop resources to construct a more accurate depiction of my ideas.I plan on improving my Photoshop skills throughout the campaign, so this was a good exercise. I present to you the 3 currently known planets of The Icarus Gate.

Ascendus

The Necron tomb world, resting place of The Chronus, emits a yellow glow due to large deposits of sulfur within the crust. A thin layer of sulfurous gas traps residual heat and solar energy from distant stars, allowing it to maintain moderate temperatures despite existing in the much darker and colder end of the galaxy. Despite the yellow tinge, the atmosphere on Ascendus is not much different than that of the fabled "Earth", consisting mainly of Nitrogen and oxygen. Thick roaming clouds of Sulfur Dioxide are common within the weather patterns of the planet.

Aonith

The blue radiance of this tiny planet can only be attributed to the large quantity of Ice covering the majority of its surface. The relatively thin atmosphere yields very little meteorological activity and temperatures can drop to as low as 94 Kelvin in the planet's darker regions. The lack of any significant weather patterns has earned Aonith the nickname "The Silent Maiden" among ancient Eldar lore. While conditions may not be favorable, the abundant supply of easily accessible water has made Aonith a surprisingly hospitable celestial body.

Baregale

Once a calm and beautiful landscape, Baregale now stands a shadow of its former glory. Brought on by tremendous tectonic disturbance over many millenia, the planet now writhes in a chaotic mess of seismic activity and powerful dust storms. Super heated by strong reactions at its unstable core, the atmosphere on Baregale has been deemed the closest thing to a living Hell in the known universe. Seen as a metaphor of chaotic corruption, the stark contrast between the sister planets Aonith and Baregale have become the basis of some Eldar mythology and spiritual practices.

New Beginnings

The Icarus Gate

In the time of the ancient Necrons, the Trazyn Dynasty ruled the greater half of an old star system known as The Icarus Gate. The gate served as an outpost, strategically positioned between 2 warring planets, Aonith and Baregale. The Icarus Gate was to be the perimeter barrier between these warring planets and the Necron Tomb Worlds deep within the galaxy.

Aonith

Aonith was home to an ancient Eldar race. Colonized for its resources, Aonith had once served as a main fueling hub for local mining operations. However, since the mining resources had been considered exhausted, Aonith had lost much of the traffic that supported it. Without the mining industry, Aonith was converted to a tactical outpost, housing mostly reserve troops for the larger Eldar forces. The planet now functioned as a storage depot while retaining fuel stocks and supplies for the occasional scout ships.

Phylite

Baregale was a previously abandoned planet void of any significant life but rich in the element Phylite, a rare heavy metal byproduct of supernova reactions. Normally destroyed in the intense heat of a stellar explosion, Phylite can sometimes be found intact after rare cataclysmic events known as "Cold Clouds." A "Cold Cloud" is formed when a star partially implodes, creating a pseudo black hole at its core. Most of the star matter is consumed within the void. The reaction is so powerful that heat is instantaneously sapped

from the explosion, resulting in a supercooled cloud of condensed gases and flash frozen particulate matter. While most of the Phylite produced by this reaction is cast into the void, small traces escape and are thrown about the galaxy. The element is greatly sought after  for its energy potential and universal scarcity. It is considered among the most valuable substances in existence. Though not fully understood at the time of its discovery, Phylite has made its way into various history books. It is mentioned that High Eldar Farseer Eldrad Ulthran wielded a staff inset with Phylite runes, which some argue were the source of his immense psychic power. Small Phylite mines had been constructed on the surface of Baregale, but abandoned once the Eldar had deemed the valuable resource exhausted.

The Hunger

Drawn by the tiny energy fluctuations of Phylite still left under the planets shell, a small brood of Tyranids from Hive Fleet Ferrous touched down on the planet and began consuming what little deposits still remained. The infamous "Iron Tide", as Hive Fleet Ferrous had come to be known, had consumed countless planets in their search for heavy metals and rare minerals. Over centuries of evolution, their genetic code had been rewritten with some of the properties of these elements. Their skin became cracked and brittle, but their chitinous outer shells had become hearty and strong, reinforced with the metals they had consumed. They hungered now for diverse flavor, and their mouths watered at the promise of the rare element.

From the Dust

The consumption of Baregale had left the planet devastated. Dust plumed miles into the atmosphere as the beasts dug and eroded the terrain. As they began to tunnel, the soils had broken loose, casting large pieces of the planets crust into space. The planet began to lose its orb-like qualities and quickly became a frail twisted silhouette in the night sky. The Eldar, in tune with celestial activity, began to sense that something was wrong. A scouting platoon was sent to investigate the disturbance. Touching down on the planet, they could feel the vibrations of activity within, but could not see anything from the surface. Confused, the platoon decided it would return to Aonith and call for an investigative team to determine the cause of the planet's blight. They set off from Baregale shrouded in an intense dust storm, making navigation difficult. However, while they flew blind through the storm, a beady watchful eye had been scanning and observing. The Eldar had wandered into the spider web and the Tyranids were not going to let a meal get away.

Invasion

By the time the scout party had noticed their stalkers, it was too late. The Tyranid force had caught the scent of the Eldar occupation on Aonith and moved in for the strike. The surprise attack left the Eldar overwhelmed and outgunned. Tyranids tore through their command posts and disabled communication with nearby fleets. They were alone. There would be no aid. With no further hope, the remaining Eldar forces fled the planet. They escaped through a furious swell of writhing Tyranid bodies. The bugs were distracted, having cracked open the doors of the supply depot, and paid little mind to the escaping colony of Eldar. The tyranids swept the planet clean leaving behind only a few untouched storage bays and the useless fuel stocks. The bugs had evolved beyond simple hydrocarbons and found no use in the remaining fuel supply. The Tyranids eventually left Aonith, setting their sights on a new planet, which emitted a psychic signature unlike any the brood had ever sensed. Unbeknownst to them, their curiosity would lead them to the first Necron outpost within The Icarus Gate.

Sentry

Beneath the planet's surface, ancient metal bones rested. This was the tomb of the mythic Necron Warlord Sentry and his unstoppable force, known in ancient tongues as "The Defiant". This elite group of Necrons are renowned in Necron lore for their rough nature and tactical prowess. It is the traditional Necron way to approach issues with logic and reason. Sentry, however, was programmed slightly different. He rose up the ranks of Necron Lordship through trickery and unpredictability often overriding command protocols to confuse and overwhelm his opponents. Despite his battle prowess, the inability of the Necron people to comprehend the workings of Sentry's mind labeled him a threat and an outcast. A new dilemma arose: what was to become of the General who was both hero and pariah? Sentry was given an honorable discharge, pulled from Necron society and  forced to live for a higher purpose. He was banished to the holiest of Necron Tomb Worlds, eternally bound to defend the rest of the Necrontyr.

The Awakening

Sentry's Defiant were trusted with the sole purpose of protecting the most sacred of Necron artifacts, the Chronus. Buried deep within the planet's core, the Chronus was kept safe by Sentry's forces. When the first Tyranid claw met the planets surface, the ancient eyes of Tomb Lord Sentry were opened. Slowly, the general rose to once again defend his curse. The ensuing battle lasted for hundreds of years after countless waves of Tyranid forces had swarmed the Tomb World. In the end, Sentry and his Defiant had slain the beasts whose iron shelled corpses became buried deep within the dust. When the last of the Iron Tide fell to his blade, Sentry looked out among the battle field, uttering the first and only words he had spoken in a thousand years. "Strange," He hung his head low, "they fight with the same persistence as us, yet we strike them down. At the very core, we are just as they. In the end, both our kind have hearts of iron."

The Present

Since The Great War, Sentry has been slumbering in a timeless sleep, brought on by the very artifact which he protects. The Chronus projects an illusion ridding the Necrons of the concept of time, creating a barrier somewhere between self aware and self consumed. Without time to worry them, the Necrons have been able to experience complete focus. Were the Chronus to fall, the perception of time for all Necrons would be stretched to infinity. They would no longer know peace of mind as their world would be consumed by iterative calculations, bringing with them only pain and sorrow. The Chronus bears the weight of time so that no entity in the universe has to fully endure the agony of an infinite existence. Their ignorance is the only thing keeping them sane.

The Reawakening

For many moons, my Necrons have slumbered. Nestled deep within the confines of their cardboard tomb, They lie dormant, waiting to rise from the box I keep them in to fight another war! There have been talks among friends lately of a new epic campaign and I plan on breaking out these metal minions once more for the campaign of the century! Consider this blog rebooted and ready to report on all the campaign action as we drop in on the action of The Icarus Gate. Stay tuned to find out more!/