Aquanautica Imperialis was my first full fledged independent game, and it was designed for wet navies in the Warhammer 40k universe. In addition to rules, I also made a full set of fleet lists, scenarios, campaign rules, and templates for the game. It is full playable and free. Follow the link for more action: Link
On to today's battle report!
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Captain Jack lounged in his command throne. Around him, the bridge buzzed with activity as his crew manned their posts. They were a motley bunch. Former fisherman, merchant sailors, a few deserters from the PDF, and the occasional desperate land lubber. He loved them all the same. Trust them? No way.
“Mr. Ferris, what's our ETA to the merchant lines?” Jack called to his first mate. She would have been pretty if half her face hadn't been scarred horribly by a chemical burn.
Mr. Ferris turned her one good eye to the Captain and glowered at him. The Captain should have all ready known the answer to his question, “About half a day, give or take an hour,” she replied testily, “We would have been there by now if you hadn't taken us so far off course.”
Captain Jack smiled, “Mr. Ferris. I'm looking for a fresh kill.” Some of the fisherman in the area had reported strange Augur spikes in this region. It could be a new settlement, rival pirates, or something else interesting to loot. Since he was sailing out to the merchant lanes anyway, he figured he should take a look see. He had managed to convince some of the other Captains too.
So far, nothing but empty beach and open ocean. Even so, taking this route would mean there was less chance of running into a patrol.
“Mr. Ferris, what are they going to be serving in the galley tonight?” Captain Jack beamed at his First mate.
“We have unidentified augur reading coming in fast from landward!” the Augur operator shouted. The man had been part of South Ammoriss PDF before he went AWOL and joined Captain Jack's crew. He knew his business. Mr. Ferris swooped over to the augur station.
The Captain sat up sharply, “PDF patrol?”
Mr. Ferris looked up, “No Captain. Their energy signature is like nothing I've seen before.”
“Clear for action. Let's see who or what they are,” With that Captain jack grabbed his Monoscope and stepped to the observation platform. With a practiced ease he swept the horizon. There emerging from a sheltered harbor were several bizarre vessels, like nothing he had seen on the oceans of Ammoriss before. Their lines were smooth and graceful, and utterly alien. He vaguely wondered if such unique artifacts would be worthless or priceless on the black market.
With a low rumble, the crews pushed the Macro-cannons out on their rails. The huge cannons gleamed in the afternoon sun. Well, if these things were looking for a fight, Captain jack was willing to oblige.
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Tau Auxillary Fleet- 1,000
Bullhead 300
-Electronic Warfare +25
-Galg'El +25 (+1 LD, 1 Re-roll)
Blacktip 250
2 Bluefin 150
5 Kroot Knarlochs 150
2 Sailfin 100
Pirate Fleet- 1,000
Freebooter 150 LD 7
-Boarding Attack +15
3 Raiders 225 LD 7, 8, 8
Pillager 100 LD 8
- Minesweeper +10
Pillager 100 LD 8
Assassin Sub 100 LD 7
Assassin Sub 100 LD 8
2 Monitors 150 LD 8
1 Skiff 50 LD 6
Scenario- Convoy Assault!
The defender is moving across the ocean when they are attacked from hiding by the enemy force. The defenders are placed in a 24v l by 24 wide box 18' from the short table edge, and 12 from one of the long edges. They are all facing towards the furthest short board edge.
Attackers are placed on the opposite long edge of the tabletop, up to 6 inches from the edge.
Attacker get first turn.
The winner is the side that inflicts the most DP.
The Pirates deployed...
The Tau Main Fleet...
Sailfins on the extreme left of the Tau deployment...
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TURN 1
Initiative: Tau
Sailfins pass All Ahead Full rolls and dart into the rocky channel.
Overall, the Tau move to intercept the Pirates while the pirates begin to come about to face their foes.
Battle:
The Bluefins use their missile batteries and reduce the Pillager in front of them to a hulk, despite bracing. They also fire a brace of torpedoes at the Pirate Raiders, but they fall short of the targte.
Using Squadron rules, the Raiders open up on the Bluefins with their forward heavy guns. The Tau Auxilliaries were so intent on firing at the Pillager, that they failed to brace. Both craft were overkilled and sent to the bottom by the Raiders concentrated firepower.
The Sailfins have no target other than the hulked Pillager. Their missile batteries make short work of the hulk, and sink her.
The Monitors swivel their long range turret guns, and open fire on the Tau Flagship. However, the range is too great, and the shots fail to find their marks.
The Bullhead fails to Lock-on, but opens up on the Raiders with his bow missile batteries. The missiles reach out to the small ships, but the pirates PD weapons swat them away. It also unloads a barrage of torpedoes at the small craft, but they are just short of the targets for now.
End Phase:
The Tau Torpedoes speed through the ranks of the Raiders. The pirates frantically fire their PD weapons and attempt man their stations to Brace for impact. Of the ten torpedoes that pass through their ranks, only 1 is destroyed by PD, while four others detonate. Two of the Pirate craft are left as blazing hulks. What's left of their crews desperately abandoning ship.
Remove Wake: Tau 3, Pirate 3- ! wake marker remains in play.
TURN 2
Initiative: Tau
Move:
The Sailfins led the Pirate Pillager and Skiff down the narrow channel in a desperate chase.
The Monitor and Freebooter tried to put some distance between themselves and the Tau capital ships.
The last Raider veered away to try and bug out.
Battle:
The Sailfins popped their Mines.
The Freebooter's guns failed to find the range on the Kroot Knarlochs. And the Kroot were too far away to fire on the Pillager.
The Pillager fired on the Sailfins with her sternchaser, but missed. The port cannons fired at extreme range on the Bullhead, and hit. The Tau craft braced, but the armor absorbed the fire. The Tau missile batteries swiveled towards the Pirate craft, and launched a brief salvo, that veered off the mark.
The Pirate Monitors also fired on the Tau flagship. This time, one of the shots slipped through and reduced it to 7DP. However, the shot caused Massive casualties, further reducing the DP to 6!
The Blacktip fired her missiles at the fleeing Raider, but missed. She also fired Torpedoes to cut off the turning Monitors and Freebooter. Finally, she deployed 2 Interceptors and 4 Bombers towards the Pillager and Skiff.
End:
The Tau Interceptors swoop in on the Pillager. The PD fails to take any out, and one interceptor suppresses the PD as the bombers strike. Three squadrons attack, and the Pillager's deck is hit by smart missiles. However, 1 Interceptor and 2 bomber squadrons break off and return to the carrier.
Those that remain move onto the Skiff. Again, the PD fails to down the interceptors, and they suppress the PD for the 2 squadrons of bombers. The Skiff fails to Brace, and a barrage of smart missiles turns it into a smoking hulk. The Interceptors return home.
The Mines drift back into the Sailfins that deployed them. The is caught by surprise, and a single group of mines detonates and damages the trailing Sailfin.
Remove Wake- Tau 5, Pirate 2- All wake removed.
TURN 3
Initiative: Tau
Move:
The Tau Sailfins blast their way past two more Mine markers, and head to rejoin the main fleet. Meanwhile, the chasing Pillager makes a sharp turn, but still comes in contact with two Mine markers. One is destroyed by vigilant PD gunners, but the second explodes harmlessly against the ships armored belt. Thanks to the Pillagers shallow draft, it just barely avoids going aground on the island.
However, the Pillager is then swarmed by Kroot Knarlochs. The Knarlochs made short work of the Pillager, sending her to the bottom. However, three of the Knarloch squadrons were also lost as the creatures were killed in the assault or went into a feeding frenzy on the floundering Pirate crew.
The Tau Capital ships moved to go around the island, one on each side where the Pirate Cruiser
was hiding with her Monitor escorts.
The Lone Raider performed a Come To New Heading, and raced back towards the Tau escorts.
1 Assassin sub enters play! The sub comes to attack depth just off the starboard bow of the Bullhed.
Battle:
The Bullhead Reloads Ordinance. The Flagship sends a spread of Torpedoes at the Monitors, but they fall short. In addition, the barrage of smart missiles fail to lock onto the small, obscured craft. Meanwhile, the stern Missile Batteries have no problem sinking the foolish Pirate Raider.
The Pirate freebooter finally has the range on the Bullhead, and fires a broadside. The Tau ships braces in time, and the shots cause only superficial damage.
The Blacktip Reloads ordinance, and launches her bow torps at the Monitors. She Also deploys two squadrons of Interceptors and 2 Bombers towards the Pirate vessels. The forward missile batteries unload on the low lying craft, but the pirates brace and avoid major damage.
The Monitors fire sporadically in the Bullhead, but fail to cause any further damage.
Sailfins Reload ordinance.
The Assassin fires both torpedoe tubes, but the Bullhead's PD makes short work of them.
End:
The Tau Torpedoes race into the remains of the Pirate fleet.
A torpedo from the Blacktip races past the Freebooter's PD, and crashed into the ships side and detonates, causing 1 DP. Three find the trailing Monitor escort. The armor absorbs one, and the other detonates prematurely. However, the final torpedo crashes deep into the hull before exploding. The crew are vaporized in the interior explosion.
The Interceptors bypass the first monitor and race to the Freebooter. The initial squadron is scattered by the pirate's PD, but fire from the second squadrons forces the PD gunners to keep their heads down.
Two squadrons of bombers swoop in on the remaining Monitor, but fail to hit. One squadron peels off for home. The three remaining Squadrons of Tigersharks attack the ill prepared Freebooter. A bomb strikes home an cripples the Pirate cruiser.
The Mines stay put.
Remove Wake- Tau1, Pirates 6- 6 remain in play. One is touching the Bullhead.
TURN 4
Initiative: Tau win
Move:
The Freebooter and last Monitor try to limp away from the Tau ships. Meanwhile the Kroot and Tau Capital ships move in to cut off the Pirate escape.
The Sailfins turn to rejoin the Blacktip.
The second Assassin sub enters play of the starboard of the Blacktip, but the cruiser moves, giving the sub a shot on the Sailfin escorts. The other sub lines up to torpedo the Blacktip, and away fromt eh rear of the Bullhead.
Battle:
The Galg commander has the Bullhead Reload Ordinance. Stern Torpedoes streak out from the Bullhead, and miss the Assassin sub. Depth charges fall short, and the Tau cruiser launches a mine screen to defend itself. Bow Missile Batteries mark the Freebooter and fire. The Pirates fail to brace, and the smart missile barrage turns their modified merchant into a smoking wreck.
The Assassin launches at the Sailfin, and manages to cause a critical hits which destroys the first Sailfin.
An attempt to Reload Ordinance fails. The Tau Blacktip fires rear torpedoes at the Assassin that sunk a Sailfin. One catches the lethal sub, and sends her to the bottom. The bow Missile batteries lock onto the Monitor, and destroys it.
The last Assassin sub fires on the side of the Blacktip. The Tau PD destroys one torpedo, and the other misses its mark.
End:
The last torpedo from the barrage that killed the first Sailfin finds its mark on the following Sailfin and turns it into a smoking wreck.
The Pirate Monitor and Skiff hulks drift into each other and sink from the collision.
One of the Sailfin hulks sinks. The damage and fire in the hulk of the Freebooter reaches the magazine and detonates, killing the entire crew except for a single cabin boy who was knocked over the side during the battle.
Remove Wake: Tau 2, Pirates 3- 11 remain in play
TURN 5
Initiative: Pirates
Move:
The Last Assassin chooses to Run Silent, Run deep. The Command Check isfailed, and the sub collides with the Tau Blacktip. The Tau capital ship suffers from critical damage from the collision! The bridge is destroyed by a feedback power surge, and the stern Depth Charge launchers are crippled. The ship is reduced to 5 DP! The Assassin sub is also destroyed and lodged in the stern of the Tau ship.
Battle:
None
End:
Last Sailfin sinks.
The game ends.
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Result!
Tau lose 15 DP
Pirates lose 15 DP
Tie! All though, I think we can call it a Tau victory since all Pirate craft were destroyed in the battle.
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Commander Blackray read the after action report. The Gue'la interlopers had been successfully intercepted and destroyed. However, the interception fleet had been seriously damaged in the mission. It was troubling.
Envoy Ro seemed to be reading the young Fire Warriors mind, “The mission here on Ammoriss continues. The humans do not know of our monitoring stations. Rest your troubled mind.”
Blackray nodded, “Yes, but how much longer can this charade last?”
“As long as it does,” Ro answered with a response very typical of the Water Caste.
His commander laughed, before turning suddenly somber again, “Indeed. I am at peace knowing that those who perished did so for the Greater Good.”
The two bowed their heads in silence.
Good read
ReplyDeleteWELCOME and thanks!
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