File: SoB Exorcist.jpg (117 KB, 1000x1000)

117 KB JPG

Command
>Canoness Commander Stefanie Malin
>1 Celestian Sacrosanct Squad
>2 Celestian Squads
>3 Repressors
Canoness Malin has served in dozens of battles and she has surrounded herself with an elite honour guard of veteran Celestians, led by her most loyal Sister, Celestian Superior Tessia.

Sanctus 1
>Palatine Velna
>1 Celestian Sacrosanct Squad
>1 Repentia Squad
>2 Zephyrim Squads
>4 Dominion Squads
>3 Battle Sister Squads
>8 Penitent Engines
>6 Immolators & 6 Repressors
Commanded by the formidable Palatine Velna, Sanctus 1 is unparalleled in the slaughter they can unleash at close range.

Sanctus 2
>Palatine Rosaline
>1 Celestian Squad
>6 Battle Sister Squads
>2 Seraphim Squads
>2 Retributor Squads
>3 Castigator Battle Tanks
>6 Immolators & 6 Rhinos
Commanded by the wise Palatine Rosaline, Sanctus 2 is a tactical formation that can engage in most forms of combat with a strong ability.

Sanctus 3
>Palatine Morweg
>1 Celestian Squad
>6 Battle Sister Squads
>2 Seraphim Squads
>2 Retributor Squads
>3 Castigator Battle Tanks
>6 Immolators & 6 Rhinos
Commanded by the newly promoted Palatine Morweg, Sanctus 3 is again an adaptable all-rounder formation.

Sanctus 4
>Palatine Shen
>4 Battle Sister Squads
>4 Retributor Squads
>12 Castigator Battle Tanks
>6 Exorcist Missile Tank
>8 Rhinos
Commanded by the stern and implacable Palatine Shen who leads from the turret of her Castigator tank, Sanctus 4 can lay down unmatched firepower.

File: heavyweaponssquad.jpg (211 KB, 1040x673)

211 KB JPG

Canoness Malin looks over her 500 hundred Sisters clad in their gleaming power armour, checking over their weapons and speaking their prayers over incense burners and reliquaries. The thrice-blessed engines of their slab-sided Immolators and Castigators growl softly, hungering for battle, and banners are lifted high as the elevator creaks its way down to Level 60.

“Secure the barricades!” Palatine Rosaline roars out. The Sisters have lined the edges of the elevator with sandbags and aegis defence lines, and now they take up positions with bolters ready. Castigators rumble into place with their baleful guns trained outwards and the colossal elevator platform shudders to a stop, its enormous gears grinding to a halt.

“Make ready!” Palatine Velna barks as she hefts her shield, and the vast metal doors at either side of the platform split open, bright artificial light beaming through the narrow but expanding gap as ever Sister holds her breath.

“Incoming!” Tessia roars as the loud shriek of rockets and missiles erupt through the opening doors, sailing over the barricades and exploding with clouds of razor-sharp shrapnel that peppers the Sororitas. Their thick power armour protects the sisters but the onslaught has only just begun as the doors fully open and the air is turned ablaze by a storm of gunfire.

Streams of tracer rounds smash into the barricades on the East and West sides of the elevator, as more rockets and mortar shells start to explode amongst the densely packed Sisters on the elevator platform. A lascannon beam scythes into one of Sanctus 4’s Castigators, boring through its hull before a secondary explosion tears out the rear of the tank, and gunfire from dozens of heavy bolter emplacements rakes across the barricades, chewing through aegis shields and the Sisters behind them.

The Sororitas reply in kind and the explosive roar of gunfire overwhelms all other senses. Castigator battle cannons spew flame and shells and Sororitas boltguns chatter, sending lethal firepower pouring into the enemy’s defensive positions. Canoness Malin has just moments to appraise the situation, stood atop an Exorcist and surveying the battlefield even as missiles are launched into the air mere feet behind her back, before they turn groundward and smash into a renegade heavy bolter emplacement and send its crew a dozen metres into the air, towards the high ceiling of the subcity level which is maybe 100m above their heads.

File: Sisters of Battle.jpg (145 KB, 800x600)

145 KB JPG

To the East the enemy has emplaced themselves in the large windows and balconies of an enormous 200m wide, three-level hab-block, located around 50m away from the elevator across a large plaza. At least 20 or 30 heavy bolters and lascannons spew fire from reinforced emplacements across all three levels.

To the West is an enormous eight-lane cargo highway leading away from the elevator, and the Styrians have piled an enormous barricade out of scrap metal and detritus across it. Ferrocrete bastion towers have been erected either side of the highway, heavy bolters chattering through their firing slits as large lascannons take aim from their roofs. Behind the barricade itself are several autocannon emplacements manned by Styrian infantry, and a squadron of three Leman Russ battle tanks.

“Cover!” Morweg yells as the renegade Leman Russ tanks open fire, sending high explosive shells into the barricades that throw Sisters into the air like ragdolls. Swift action and swift command is needed, lest this elevator become all their graves.

Do you:
>Focus on defensive fighting. Withdraw infantry behind vehicles and prioritise targets one-by-one.
>Charge East, with a rearguard facing West.
>Charge West, with a rearguard facing East.
>Charge in both directions at once.
>Other
Please select your action as well as the Sanctuses assigned to each direction (if relevant)

>>5624549
>Focus on defensive fighting. Withdraw infantry behind vehicles and prioritise targets one-by-one.

>>5624556
>>Focus on defensive fighting. Withdraw infantry behind vehicles and prioritise targets one-by-one.

i dont know, most sister gear is not really well suited for long range fighting.

>Charge East, with a rearguard facing West.
>Charge West, with a rearguard facing East.
if we charge one direction we have the other section in our rear, no?

>>5624584
Yes you are currently facing enemies to both the East and the West. If you focus in one direction it would be wise to devote at least one Sanctus to guard your rear from the other direction.

>>5624549
>>5624584
I say we go east. Clearing rooms in powerarmor is easier than storming a fuckhuge barricade with towers.
Plus, most grenades and the like should be a lot more lethal for them than for us indoors.

>>5624549
>Charge East, with a rearguard facing West.
rearguard -> castigator tanks they will hopefully withstand the russ tanks
advance east under smoke cover
use immolators against lascannon nests
suppress AT weapons with heavy bolter fire
infantry behind tanks for cover

>>5624608
Counterpoint: Going west clears the the larger lascannons, autocannons, and Leman Russ tanks, defeating the largest threats to our armoured elements. From there we can leverage the enemy's equipment and our own vehicles to bombard the east. Also, going east may provide cover for our sisters, but leaves our armoured vehicles exposed to the enemy from the west.

>>5624549
>Charge West, with a rearguard facing East.

File: SoB openfire.jpg (324 KB, 1600x1131)

324 KB JPG

Rolled 8, 60 = 68 (2d100)

>>5624628
>>5624608
>>5624584
>>5624556
Strategy:

Command, and Sanctuses 1, 2, and 3 will commit to a steady advance towards the hab-block to the East under cover of smoke. Laying down cover fire and keeping behind their vehicles rather than a full-on charge.

Sanctus 4 will remain at the elevator barricades, preventing the Leman Russ squadron from assaulting your forces from behind.

If you are happy with this strategy please roll:
>2d100 for advance (Target 70, average of both will be taken, due to slower covered advance choice)
>1d100 for rearguard (Target 70)

I am rolling
>1d100 for hab-block emplacements (Target 40)
>1d100 for Highway forces (Target 40)

Rolled 45 (1d100)

>>5624647
>>2d100 for advance (Target 70, average of both will be taken, due to slower covered advance choice)
First one of this I guess.
Also
>>1d100 for hab-block emplacements (Target 40)
>Rolled 8
Sheeeeeeeeeeeeeeet

Rolled 84 (1d100)

>>5624647

>>5624655
>>5624647
Another one because you're all lazy

Rolled 26 (1d100)

>>5624675
WORK GODDAMNIT

File: Sister of Battle Seraphim.jpg (76 KB, 925x864)

76 KB JPG

>>5624647
>>5624655
>>5624673
>>5624677
>Sororitas advance. Average 36 versus target 70. Success points: 34
>Styrian hab defence: 8 versus target 40. Success points: 32

>Sororitas rearguard: 84 versus target 70. Failure points: 14
>Styrian highway: 60 versus target 40: Failure points: 20

Canoness Malin's first combat in the Styrian Crusade is a baptism of fire. Her Commandery has landed in a hornet's nest and only fire and faith will see them through.

The guarded advance upon the hab-block proves a wise decision, as when your vehicles launch a smoke screen towards the enemy defences, enormous gouts of flame erupt from around the lower floors of the hab-block. Thankfully they have betrayed their presence prematurely, before your Sisters are within range.

Nevertheless the Styrian emplacements are brutally accurate even through swirling smoke. Some of them must have photo-targeters and despite the best efforts of the Retributors and Immolators, losses mount during the advance. A number of Rhinos and Repressors are immobilised by enemy fire, forcing Sisters to advance without cover and exposing themselves to heavy bolter fire that rents through their power armour.

One Immolator sweeps a big chunk of the lower levels clean with a plume of roiling flame, before a lascannon from the upper level fires down, igniting the vehicle and obliterating it in a bright explosion. Burning Sisters stumble from behind the flaming vehicle only for heavy bolter fire to rake them where they stand. A squad of Seraphim soar into the air and butcher the offending lascannon crew with their bolt pistols, only for another heavy bolter to shoot them down like birds at a hunt.

It is a bloody advance but the Sisters soon have their righteous vengeance. Immolators and Retributors purge the lower levels of the hab-block with their heavy flamers, the screams of Styrian rebels sweeter than any prayer to the Emperor as burning sanctified promethium spills from every door and window. "For the Emperor!" Palatine Velna leads her close combatants into the hab-black before the fires have fully extinguished, their armour protecting them.

>>5624739
Once the Sisters are inside the hab-block is purged with merciless swiftness. Velna and her Celestians Sacresanct cut a bloody swathe through the second level room-by-room, and several Styrians are seen leaping out of the upper windows rather than face them in close combat. Zephyrim and Seraphim land on the roof and cut their way down, shooting and slicing their way through Styrians until all three levels are flowing with heretic blood.

Behind you Palatine Shen leads her heavy support in the valiant rearguard, which is equally brutal. Another Castigator is lost when two battlecannon shells smash into the hull, the turret flying into the air along with half of the crew. But the Sororitas give as good as they get, targeting the Leman Russ tanks first. Sanctified shells struggle to punch through the Leman Russ' think frontal armour but Shen coordinates concentrated fire, destroying two of them before the Bastion lascannons account for another Castigator,

The Exorcists launch a salvo of missiles at the bastion, the weight of missiles shattering the ferrocrete structure and sending it crumbling down onto another autocannon emplacement. Retributor Sisters sweep the other infantry emplacements with their heavy bolters, cutting down Styrian infantry, and the remaining Leman Russ starts to withdraw as Shen's Castigators focus fire on the remaining bastion, large chunks of ferrocrete falling away from the structure as the Styrians start to abandon the building.

>Eastern habs: Cleared
>Western highway: Defences breaking, withdrawing.

What do you do?
>Let them flee
>Press the advantage, wipe out the highway defences
Either way a consolidation of your forces and appraisal of the situation will follow.

>>5624739
Oh, it's roll under?

>Press the advantage, wipe out the highway defences

>>5624742
>>Press the advantage, wipe out the highway defences
Better to take care of the tanks now.

>>5624749
Join channel
https://client01.chat.mibbit.com/?channel=%23RisingSons&server=irc.rizon.net
Yell at Hi for being slow on the rolls

>>5624749
(new player)?

there is some going on in the chat

https://client01.chat.mibbit.com/?channel=%23RisingSons&server=irc.rizon.net

its also a small sidequest for a larger one called chapterquest

>>5624742
>Let them flee

File: Sister of Battle by Rotaken.png (1.05 MB, 848x1200)

1.05 MB PNG

>>5624749
>>5624751
Palatine Shen's vehicles and Retributors surge forth and put paid to the Styrians. The remaining heavy weapon emplacements fight for their lives, gunning down a handful of Sisters before heavy flamers and Pyre shells bathe their positions in searing flame. The Styrian defenders scream, burn and die where they stand before the Exorcists aim a precise salvo of missiles at the remaining Leman Russ.

A flight of missiles screech skyward before arcing down, peppering the highway as several strike straight down into the battle tank's top armour and reduce the tank to a smouldering wreck, bursting and exploding open from inside.

Finally the storm of explosions and gunfire comes to a pause, giving way to the sounds of crackling flames and the pains of wounded sisters. Hospitallers rush from their covered positions to start administering aid and the Sororitas forces consolidate while keeping their sightlines guarded.

The enemy was well prepared for your offensive. Unusually well-prepared, and there are no reports of any other incursion meeting this kind of resistance upon arrival. Had it been Guardsmen that arrived here they likely would've been wiped out to the last man, but the Sisters of the Order of Bloody Tears are not so easy to stop.

Still the abundance of heavy weapons and fortified positions has caused heavy losses amongst your Commandery.

Please roll for losses
>3d20 + 18 Sisters
>2d5 light vehicles
>3 Castigators
Please roll, one person for Sisters, one for light vehicles.

The wounded are collected and those beyond help are administer the Emperor's Peace, and Canoness Malin regroups with her Palatines. "The source of the Styrian communications signal is to the north, Canoness." Shen explains, indicating on her tactical map of the level 60.

"Whatever it is, it must be of utmost importance for them to devote such defences." Palatine Rosaline adds, putting paid to any thoughts of withdrawal. You can't let this opportunity escape, whatever it may be.

Malin quickly identifies the options for her force.
The highway turns North and leads straight to the target, and is unarguably the swiftest route.
The city streets going East and then North are not as fast, and are flanked by high buildings, but would make it hard for the enemy to bring heavy forces to bear.
Going building-to-building through the dense urban environment would be slow, and your vehicles would need to use an alternative route. But the Styrians have little that could combat the Sisters in such close quarters short of collapsing the buildings themselves.

How do you proceed?
>Highway
>Streets
>Building-to-building (vehicles will need to choose another route)
>Other?
Again you can split your forces and take different routes with each.

Rolled 6, 9, 5 = 20 (3d20)

>>5624798
>3d20 + 18 Sisters

Rolled 5, 5 = 10 (2d5)

>>5624798
>2d5 light vehicles
rollin

File: Sister Hospitaller.jpg (277 KB, 1024x1453)

277 KB JPG

>>5624804
>>5624822
The Styrians' lethally accurate fire accounted for several of vehicles as Sisters used them for vital cover. In addition to 3 Castigators, 4 Immolators, 4 Rhinos and 2 Repressors have been destroyed or otherwise immobilised by enemy fire.

Sister Almoness Karmen, most senior of the forty or so Hospitallers attached to the task force, also delivers her grim report.

38 infantry Sisters are dead or too injured to fight, and another 24 Sisters who were crewing the assorted vehicles are also dead or seriously wounded.
The dead are lined up on the elevator as incense burns upon their corpses, and the wounded pray to the God-Emperor as Hospitallers tend to their grievous wounds.

Malin puts her pained Sisters out of her mind and focuses on the job at hand. She still has strategic choices to make:

Routes:
>Highway
>Streets
>Building-to-building (vehicles will need to choose another route)

Choose which forces go which route. Then choose what strategy they use:
>Double Time - Move as fast as possible.
>Steady Advance - Steady advance and open fire on anything that could be a threat
>Methodical - Move slowly, using scouts and tight formations to ensure security.

Canoness Malin knows that going too fast could increase the chance of stumbling into an ambush, but going too slowly and/or too loudly could give the Styrians time to prepare defences or even arrange a counterattack.

Even as she thinks on her next actions, Malin's vox operators report heavy communications and signals emanating from the target stronghold in all directions. Whatever it is, it must be coordinating Styrian defences over a vast swathe of Ardea. Canoness Malin knows that it must be destroyed, no matter the cost.

-----------
We'll pause the session there for the evening. Please make choices and we'll pick things up hopefully tomorrow.

>>5624798
> Other? Sewers?

>>5624764
Oh, didn't read the title, surprised this long runner is still going.

>>5624842
Sanctus 3 and 4
>Highway
>Double Time - Move as fast as possible.

Command, Sanctus 1 and 2
>Building-to-building
>Streets (Vehicles)
>Methodical - Move slowly, using scouts and tight formations to ensure security.

>>5624842
Since they're clearly a lot better prepared than we thought maybe we should go
>>Building-to-building (vehicles will need to choose another route)
>>Methodical - Move slowly, using scouts and tight formations to ensure security.

And let the vehicles follow behind and give supportive fire from the streets. Our initial battle should've thinned out their forces considerably (at least I don't see a reason why they wouldn't have deployed as much as possible there).

File: Landscape - city streets.png (1.63 MB, 1244x700)

1.63 MB PNG

>>5624843
There are plenty of sewer and maintenance tunnels that run in-between the levels of the city. Movement would be slow and vehicles would not be able to enter, but it would also be hard for the Styrians to defend and counter.

>>5624902
>>5625882
Heading through the hab-blocks from building-to-building, while vehicles move through the streets somewhat behind the infantry advance, seems to be the favoured strategy.

It is unknown what other forces may be present in the area but the local rebels have been mobilising troops and combating Imperial pacification efforts piecemeal up and down the breadth of Ardea.

The target facility is about 4 kilometres away, and this large sublevel of the city is about 10 kilometres in diameter. Barring unexpected encounters, moving different forces at different speeds is likely to result in them reaching the target facility at different times.

Please confirm if any forces should be sent down the highway or if all forces will be committed to moving through the urban streets & buildings.

>>5625995
Do we have any servo skulls or cherubs we can send out to do recon ahead of us?

>>5625995
>The target facility is about 4 kilometres away, and this large sublevel of the city is about 10 kilometres in diameter. Barring unexpected encounters, moving different forces at different speeds is likely to result in them reaching the target facility at different times.
Can we just adjust the armored advance to the slower one on foot? They're supposed to be supporting anyway.
And just move along the highway at the same speed, I assume it's surrounded by the stuff we're clearing.
Maybe we can put some vehicles on it and shoot at hotspots in buildings that give us trouble.

>>5628050
dis me

File: SoB1.jpg (90 KB, 866x1024)

90 KB JPG

>>5627827
>>5628050
A methodical approach would include sending servo-skulls to scout ahead of the main force.

To confirm then
Command, Sanctus 1, and Sanctus 2 will move building-to-building at a methodical pace.
Vehicles follow behind in the streets, providing supporting fire where needed.

Sanctus 3 and Sanctus 4 will move at a methodical pace down the highway, with infantry dismounted and vehicles providing heavy support.

If you're happy with this approach, please roll:
>1d100 for building-to-building group. Target: 80 (methodical)
>1d100 for highway group. Target: 80 (methodical)

Rolled 77 (1d100)

>>5628459

>>5628459
>>5629834
>1d100 for building-to-building group. Target: 80 (methodical)

Rolled 25 (1d100)

>>5628459
> 1d100 for building-to-building group. Target: 80 (methodical)

>>5629835
Jesus Wrenny, cutting it close here.

And happy Good Friday, everyone. Spend it with your family.

wait, are we doing roll under or roll over threshold to determine success?

Rolled 49, 72 = 121 (2d100)

>>5630095
Hi Wrenloft, good to see you. We are using a roll under system

I am rolling
>1d100 for whether the Styrians can prepare an urban counterattack. Target 30% (1-30)
>1d100 for whether the Styrians can launch a highway counterattack. Chance 30% (1-30).

File: Landscape - highway.jpg (286 KB, 1600x904)

286 KB JPG

>>5629834
>>5630071
>>5630159
>Urban advance: 77 vs 80. Costly success.
>Highway advance: 25 vs 80. Strong success.
>Styrian counterattacks: None prepared in time.

Palatine Shen leads Sanctus 4 and Sanctus 3 down the broad 8-lane highway that veers northwards and cuts through the urban landscape. Battle Sisters lead the way in the steady advance, moving on-foot between abandoned civilian vehicles before the dozen Castigators behind them ride straight over the detritus. Heavily armed Retributors and over a dozen Immolators and Rhinos follow behind, their guns scanning the surrounding towers and hab-blocks.

On several occasions small-arms fire erupts from the windows of the distant buildings, stitching the ground and pinging off heavy Sororitas armour. Whether they're scattered rebels or local civilians means little to the Sisters of the Order of Bloody Tears and avenging cannon fire smashes into the offending position, often collapsing half the building along with it.

Leading with infantry proves to be a wise choice as the Styrians have lined sections of the highway with heavy anti-tank mines that could have devastated your vehicles. With the Battle Sisters up front they are identified and destroyed without incident. The Sisters Seraphim and servo-skull scouts jump and soar along the tops of the adjacent buildings, scouting ahead of the steady advance, and they identify roadblocks that the Styrians have built from wrecked vehicles and ferrocrete blocks, heavy weapon emplacements - more lascannons and heavy bolters - hidden behind and waiting to open fire.

Thanks to the forewarning of the scouts, Shen's Exorcists lay down covering barrages of missiles so Battle Sisters can move forward, taking up positions and laying down a blistering storm of covering fire to keep the enemy suppressed while Castigators target the heavy guns one by one. The Styrian roadblocks are blown apart by well-prepared Sororitas fire before the surviving rebels attempt to retreat from their failed ambushes, bolter fire raking them down as they flee, Battle Sisters blowing them apart with merciless precision.

While Shen's advance is highly successful it is not entirely one-sided and desperate Styrian defenders managed to snap off a few shots with their heavy weapons before they are quickly destroyed.

cont.

Canoness Malin leads Sanctus 1 and 2 through the urban landscape, moving from one dense hab-block to the next and clearing them room by room while Immolators, Rhinos and Repressors rumble up the narrow streets outside. For now, the eight Penitent Engines and the Repentia Squad remain in reserve, heading through the streets as they hunger for battle.

Palatine Velna and her Sanctus are in their element. The large Palatine leads her Celestians Sacresanct at the forefront of the advance, their heavy shields and armour shrugging off small-arms fire as they charge up concrete stairwalls and smash through thin walls to obliterate any large group of Styrian rebels they come across - and any civilians foolish enough to get in their way.

Dominion and Battle Sister Squads follow in their wake, spewing forth plumes of flame and boltfire to cleanse the smaller groups and remnants of rebel resistance wherever they may be hiding. Zephyrim and Seraphim Sisters leap from rooftop to rooftop, butchering several groups of Styrians as they try to prepare ambushes with missile launchers from above.

For a time the advance is going well, the Styrians totally unprepared to face the power-armoured Sisters in such close quarters and unable to combat them with their small arms. Unfortunately they learn, and by the time the Sororitas are about two thirds of the way towards their stronghold they start to adopt far more unconventional tactics in their desperation.

Velna and her Sacresancts breach a fortified bunker built into the lower levels of a large hab-block, and as they slaughter the rebels inside the desperate Styrians detonate some kind of cache. Explosions erupt from windows and cracks shatter through the reinforced ferrocrete structure before huge portions of the block collapse in a tidal wave of rubble and dust. As dust bathes the streets and hampers visibility, Styrian fanatics clamber out of manholes and sprint from surrounding alleyways towards your armour. Palatine Rosaline and her Sisters gun down many of them but the suicide bombers leap upon armoured vehicles and detonate their melta bombs and krak charges.

In the ensuing chaos all of the Styrian rebels in the area press the advantage. Mortar fire from neighbouring streets lands amongst the Sororitas as they clamber from the rubble, and a group of enemy Chimeras rumble into the street ahead and start firing heavy shells from their autocannons that punch through Sororitas power armour. Canoness Malin's troops are put on the defensive as hundreds of renegades spill into the streets from surrounding buildings, laying down fusillades of lasfire while heavy bolters chatter from rooftops and buildings that had yet to be cleared.

cont.

File: Landscape - Burning City.jpg (255 KB, 832x1024)

255 KB JPG

Despite the heavy forces bearing down on them the Sororitas put up an indomitable resistance that smashes even the best efforts of the Styrians. A group of brave Seraphim soar down onto the renegade Chimeras, destroying several with melta bombs and inferno pistols before they are killed. Malin and her own Celestians take to the forefront and scythe down renegade infantry as they attempt to surround and overwhelm the Sororitas position. Entire companies of renegades charge down the surrounding streets, some backed by Chimeras and Sentinels, but Battle Sisters and Retributors cut them down with bolter fire while Castigator cannons blow apart the enemy vehicles. Missiles and mortars land amongst the Sororitas before soaring Zephyrim and Seraphim hunt down and destroy the enemy emplacements.

While Canoness Malin holds the line, Palatine Rosaline organises a hasty counter attack with Immolators and Repressors, the armoured vehicles charging down the street into the Styrian infantry positions before disgorging Battle Sisters and Retributors armed with their enormous flamethrowers, bathing enormous clusters of renegade infantry in sanctified promethium and bathing the surrounding buildings in the searing liquid.

Burning soldiers and civilians alike fall from the windows of the surrounding hab-blocks as the enraged Sororitas practically torch the district, spewing flaming promethium up and down the concrete structures until they are burning from within like sacrificial pyres. The crackling flames reach up to the ceiling of the subcity level and bathe the district in a dancing orange glow that flickers across black Sororitas armour, and Malin allows herself the satisfaction of victory whilst Sororitas survivors are pulled from the rubble. Thousands of Styrians lay dead and dying in the surrounding streets and buildings, their vehicles smouldering and broken.

Palatine Velna claws her way from the collapsed hab-block herself but many of her Sisters are not so fortunate. In addition to those lost in the collapsed hab-block, dozens of Sisters lay killed by enemy explosives, heavy weapons, or simply the weight of lasgun fire. Nonetheless, Styrian resistance within the urban region itself has been well and truly crushed. Entire blocks of are in a flaming inferno that climbs up from floor to floor, and any renegade to have survived has fled for their lives. The rest of Malin's advance to the enemy stronghold is uncontested, but they have paid a heavy price.

Please roll for casualties.
Highway:
>2d10 Sisters
>1d5-3 vehicles

Urban:
>2d10 Celestians
>5d20 Sisters
>2d5 Vehicles

>>5630291
Rollan ded sisters.

Rolled 2, 10 = 12 (2d10)

>>5630358
Try this again.

Rolled 4 + 3 (1d5 + 3)

>>5630291
Will roll the vehicles as well for the highway.

Rolled 7, 2 = 9 (2d10)

>>5630291
>Urban:
>>2d10 Celestians

Rolled 7, 3, 9, 18, 3 = 40 (5d20)

>>5630291
>Urban:
>5d20 Sisters

Rolled 4, 2 = 6 (2d5)

>>5630291
Rolland Urban vehicles.

File: Sister of Battle5.jpg (192 KB, 1032x1280)

192 KB JPG

>>5630364
>>5630436
>>5630562
>>5631709
>>5631737
>Highway: 12 Sisters, 1 Vehicle
>Urban: 9 Celestians, 40 Sisters, 6 Vehicles

Canoness Malin organises the swift consolidation of her troops within a small plaza. Wounded Sisters are pulled from rubble or dragged from smouldering vehicles as the surrounding hab-blocks crackle and groan from blazing fires within. The dead are collected and Malin steels herself for Karmen's report.

4 of Velna's Celestians were badly crushed by rubble, 2 of Rosaline's Celestians and 3 of Malin's own Celestians were struck down in the ensuing firefight. 40 other Sisters have been killed or severely wounded by the Styrian assault, many lost beneath countless tons of rubble but others struck by heavy autocanons or explosive weapons. Karmen also reports the death of three of her Hospitallers, gunned down by traitors as they attempted to treat their wounded Sisters.

Styrian missile launchers and suicide bombers have taken out Castigator and wrecked two more Rhinos, an Immolator, and a Repressor. Some are merely immobilised with shattered tracks or weapons, but others have been torn asunder with the loss of half a dozen of their crewmembers.

Canoness Malin takes comfort in the fact that for every Sister she has lost, dozens of Styrian renegades were slaughtered and they leave at least half a regiment of corpses and materiel in their wake as the wounded are sent back to the elevator and the remainder of her force push on towards the stronghold.

cont.

File: ArdeaFortress.png (33 KB, 2464x1596)

33 KB PNG

>>5632627
To say that the Sororitas thirst for vengeance is an understatement and their objective is too important to forfeit. As the Sisters approach the target stronghold from two directions, Malin's voxwoman intercepts huge amounts of communicators traffic going to and from the stronghold and over the hab-block roofs in the distance Canoness Malin sees the large transmission antennae stretching up to the high ceiling, the powerful vanes capable of transmitting and receiving through the dense subcity layers and coordinating a huge amount of the organised Styrian resistance across Ardea. Whoever is holed up in this stronghold is too important to let slip away, and even as her force approaches the stronghold intercepted communications reveal Styrian panic and talk of evacutation and escape. Something Canoness Malin will not permit, no matter the cost.

After a short while longer of trekking through the urban environment Canoness Malin's force makes it through the streets of towering hab-blocks and clustered towers, arriving at a vast open plaza - some kind of great city square with a once-Imperial Cathedral on its western edge, now twisted and defiled into a house of the Styrians' own foul faith. In the centre of the square is a ferrocrete fortress that must have been constructed after the planet broke away from the Imperium, its square walls a hundred metres in breadth with large bastion towers at each corner. Inside the walls is a large round Keep, the communications vanes stretching up from the structure.

The thick metal main gate lies on the southern side, and Malin scans the defences as her Sororitas stay in the cover of the surrounding urban sprawl. The fortress could contain over a thousand defenders and heavy bolters line the rope of the walls, and a twinlinked lascannon turret is perched atop each bastion tower. Reinforced columns with firing slits lie either side of the gate. Shen's forces approach from the highway to the East, her armoured spearhead poised as her familiar voice crackles over Malin's comms. "Sanctus 3 and 4 in position, Canoness." Thus marshalled, Malin takes stock of her forces in their entirety.

Southern Edge
>Canoness' Retinue (1 Celestian Sacresanct Squad, 2 Celestian Squads)
>8 Battle Sister Squads
>3 Zephyrim/Seraphim squads
>3 Dominion Squads
>2 Retributor Squads
>1 Castigator Tank
>7 Immolators Tank
>4 Repressors & 3 Rhinos
>1 Repentia Squad & 8 Penitent Engines
Palatines Velna and Rosaline are each accompanied by their own Celestian Squad as well

Eastern Edge
>13 Castigator Tanks
>6 Exorcist Missile Tanks
>4 Immolator Tanks
>8 Battle Sister Squads
>5 Retributor Squads
>11 Rhinos
>2 Seraphim Squads
Palatine Morweg is accompanied by her own Celestian Squad. Palatine Shen commands her own Castigator Tank.

File: Sister Repentia 7.jpg (146 KB, 1280x905)

146 KB JPG

>>5632628
The Sororitas' heavy firepower is on the Eastern edge, but their most dangerous closer-range fighters are undoubtedly coming from the south. Even now the Repentia are slavering for combat, their Mistress lashing them to keep them quiet for now. If unleashed at the right time the Penitent units could turn the tide of any battle, unleashed wrongly they could be gunned down for nothing. The Rhinos and Repressors are unlikely to fare well on open ground against the heavy defences, but could still serve a purpose as mobile cover for infantry - albeit likely to be lost.

The Immolator tanks could do a lot of damage if they can get close enough to bathe the walls with their flamers and multi-meltas, but again they are vulnerable to enemy fire. Only the mighty Castigator tanks could advance upon the enemy defences with confidence, but they are not indestructible and would be of questionable use up-close. Canoness Malin has little time to consider her options, as a number of airborne lighters slowly ascend from behind the walls. "Evacuees Canoness?" Palatine Shen reports over the radio, "The Exorcists have line of sight!"

Do you:
>Take the shots, lose any potential element of surprise
>Let them flee

>>5632630
>>Let them flee

>>5632630
>>Let them flee

>>5632768
Meant to quote
>>5632630
>>Take the shots, lose any potential element of surprise

>>5632630
Take the shot. Waste of time and lives to let them escape at this point.

File: Arvus1.jpg (176 KB, 997x735)

176 KB JPG

>>5632642
>>5632775
>>5633356
Canoness Malin's methodical approach getting here has cost her time now, and the evacuation of Styrian leaders is already underway. Too much has already been lost for Malin to allow any of them to escape now.

"Open fire!" Shen roars at her Canoness' command. Her six Exorcists open fire from the highway exit ramp, their majestic missiles soaring vertically into the air before they turn sharply and zoom straight into the three ascending lighters. The powerful munitions tear huge chunks from the lighters and they fall from the air in flaming, smoking heaps, crashing down behind the walls as great plumes of thick black smoke surge upwards into the air. Malin is confident no more of them will be foolish enough to attempt escape now.

The stronghold walls abuzz with sudden activity, the corner-mounted lascannon turrets scanning for targets as soldiers take positions atop the battlements. Mortars behind the walls launch several illumination shells into the air, the bright flares crackling against the subcity level's ceiling and illuminating the otherwise dim environment in crackling red light.

The experienced Canoness quickly identifies her primary options

Cont:

File: Sister of Battle1.jpg (292 KB, 900x1273)

292 KB JPG

>>5633514
=Heavy Support=
These duties are assigned to your 14 Castigator tanks and 6 Exorcists. Palatine Shen will lead by default.
>Suppressive Fire: Focus on suppressing the walltop defenders, taking return fire from the lascannon turrets but making approaching the stronghold easier for infantry.
>Focused Fire: Focus on the corner bastions. Destroy the lascannon turrets, crippling their long-range anti-armour ability.
>Create a Breach: Attempt to collapse a part of the wall.

=Light Support=
These duties are assigned to your 7 Retributor Squads and 11 Immolators. Choosing a Palatine to lead them would also provide a bonus.
>Sweep the walls: Once close, the force will focus on killing the walltop defenders. This will make any resultant infantry advance much safer.
>Purge the bastions: Once close, Melta and Flame will be focused on the heavy lascannon towers to bring them down.
>Attack the gatehouse: The light support force will focus efforts on the gate, destroying it and its surrounding defences with melta & flame

=Jump Infantry=
These duties are assigned to your 2 Zephyrim Squads and 3 Seraphim squads. In siege warfare, these brave and experienced warriors are wiling to undertake some of the riskiest actions. Choosing a Palatine to don a jump pack and lead them would also provide a bonus.
>Targeted Strike: The jump infantry will target the heavy lascannons and corner towers. Without adequate suppression, wall defences will take an extreme toll on them and even with suppression there is substantial risk.
>Forlorn Hope: The jump infantry will soar over the walls entirely, targeting the mortar positions behind the walls before engaging enemy defences from inside. This is a practically a suicide mission, but will cause absolute havoc with the Styrian defences and render them less able to counter all other sections.
>Reserve & push: The Jump infantry will wait for a breach before exploiting it with their rapid deployment. The least dangerous option for them, arguably the least useful.

=Penitents=
For the 8 Penitent Engines and 10 Sisters Repentia under Malin's command, death is its own reward. Choosing a Palatine to lead them would also provide a bonus, but would be extremely dangerous for them.
>Assault the Gate: The Penitents will assault the gatehouse, the Engines using their flamers and buzzsaws to tear through the gatehouse before assaulting the interior with the Sisters Repentia. Without wall suppression or infantry support this is likely to be suicidal.
>Close Reserve: The Penitents will wait for another breach to be made before being the first to surge through the gap. Dangerous but highly effective.
>Reserve: Deny the Penitents their wish for glory for now, keeping them in reserve in case they are needed later.

File: Sisters of Battle2.jpg (191 KB, 800x926)

191 KB JPG

>>5633518
=Infantry/APC=
These are for the 16 Battle Sister Squads, the 3 Dominion Squads, and their 14 Rhinos & 3 Repressors. Choosing a Palatine to lead them would also provide a bonus.
>Skirmish Pattern: The Sororitas infantry will spread around the entire stronghold in a spaced pattern, distracting the enemy and forcing them to divide their return fire over a larger area. Sisters will die, but the other sections of the force will have a better chance of success.
>Focused offensive: Dismounted infantry and their APCs will directly assault one facing of the stronghold in a strong but denser formation, forcing the enemy to focus their return fire. This will result in more casualties amongst the Sisters, but gives a much better chance of success to the other sections.
>Reserve & push: Sisters will remain mounted up and stay within the urban surroundings. If and when a breach is made, they will break cover and surge in to exploit the gap. This means the other sections will face the full force of Styrian defences alone until a breach is made, but if/when a breach the Styrians will have little hope of resisting the ensuing charge.

=Canoness' Retinue=
This is for Canoness Malin and her 3 Celestian Squads.
>Rear Command: The Canoness and her elite guard stays out of harms' way for now, coordinating all her units until a breach has been made and exploited. Beneficial for the success of the other sections.
>Field Command: The Canoness and her elite guard stay within the core of the infantry as they conduct their assigned task. Beneficial for infantry performance and likely to reduce casualties.
>Valorous Command: The Canoness and her elite guard are at the forefront of the infantry and will be first into any breach (or second if Penitents are first). Devastatingly effective once a breach is made, but dangerous.

Choose one option for each section. The failure of one section can be compensated by the success of another if they are both assigned to the same task. However at a bare minimum some form of breach will need to be made for the Sororitas' efforts to proceed. While each Section's choice is their focus, a particularly strong success will allow them to achieve additional goals.

Please select your options and form a coherent strategy. A good strategy will take all options into account so it would be best to support one single cohesive idea rather than adding a mishmash of different choices together.

>>5633518
=Heavy Support=
>Suppressive Fire: Focus on suppressing the walltop defenders, taking return fire from the lascannon turrets but making approaching the stronghold easier for infantry.

=Light Support=
>Purge the bastions: Once close, Melta and Flame will be focused on the heavy lascannon towers to bring them down.

=Jump Infantry=
>Forlorn Hope: The jump infantry will soar over the walls entirely, targeting the mortar positions behind the walls before engaging enemy defences from inside. This is a practically a suicide mission, but will cause absolute havoc with the Styrian defences and render them less able to counter all other sections.

=Penitents=
>Assault the Gate: The Penitents will assault the gatehouse, the Engines using their flamers and buzzsaws to tear through the gatehouse before assaulting the interior with the Sisters Repentia. Without wall suppression or infantry support this is likely to be suicidal.

=Infantry/APC=
>Skirmish Pattern: The Sororitas infantry will spread around the entire stronghold in a spaced pattern, distracting the enemy and forcing them to divide their return fire over a larger area. Sisters will die, but the other sections of the force will have a better chance of success.

=Canoness' Retinue=
>Rear Command: The Canoness and her elite guard stays out of harms' way for now, coordinating all her units until a breach has been made and exploited. Beneficial for the success of the other sections.
Ok, so my thoughts are that we can have our supports suppress the wall and rid us of those bastions, freeing up infantry to move in and disabling anti-vehicle resistance. This allows us to get our penitent engines and repentia to focus on the gate. We have our jump infantry cause a bunch of havoc inside the walls to buy the penitents time to crack the gate open and then link up. We have the core of our forces weaken the overall defenses by forcing the Syrians to spread out using Skirmish pattern, and Rear Command should increase the success of the above sections, if my understanding is correct.

Thoughts?

>>5633718
Change Jump Infantry from Forlorn hope to targeted strike. Don't waste 'em, otherwise good plan.

Version 2 (as opposed to version 1)


=Heavy Support=
>Suppressive Fire: Focus on suppressing the walltop defenders, taking return fire from the lascannon turrets but making approaching the stronghold easier for infantry.

=Light Support=
>Purge the bastions: Once close, Melta and Flame will be focused on the heavy lascannon towers to bring them down.

=Jump Infantry=
>Targeted Strike: The jump infantry will target the heavy lascannons and corner towers. Without adequate suppression, wall defences will take an extreme toll on them and even with suppression there is substantial risk.

=Penitents=
>Assault the Gate: The Penitents will assault the gatehouse, the Engines using their flamers and buzzsaws to tear through the gatehouse before assaulting the interior with the Sisters Repentia. Without wall suppression or infantry support this is likely to be suicidal.

=Infantry/APC=
>Skirmish Pattern: The Sororitas infantry will spread around the entire stronghold in a spaced pattern, distracting the enemy and forcing them to divide their return fire over a larger area. Sisters will die, but the other sections of the force will have a better chance of success.

=Canoness' Retinue=
>Rear Command: The Canoness and her elite guard stays out of harms' way for now, coordinating all her units until a breach has been made and exploited. Beneficial for the success of the other sections.

>>5634068
Sounds good, poor jump infantry.

File: Sister of Battle Palatine.jpg (532 KB, 1474x1474)

532 KB JPG

>>5634391
>>5634068
>>5634055
Canoness Malin quickly formulates a strong strategy, applying pressure to every element of the Styrian defences at once. The Palatines approve over the comms link before coming back to their Canoness.

The veteran Palatine Rosaline requests permission to lead the infantry in their skirmishing actions, using her experience to keep them competently positioned.

Aggressive Palatine Velna wants to lead the Penitent units, herself and her Sacresancts just behind the Penitents to guide them forwards and follow them into the breach.

Young Palatine Morweg is already donning the jump pack of a fallen Seraphim as she requests permission to lead the jump infantry in their daring offensive.

You can accept their requests or assign them to other sections. You can assign multiple Palatines to the same section if you wish, each of them increasing the chance of success. Once decided, I will calculate the thresholds for each section and we will roll.

>>5634507
Well, I don't see why we would decline their requests. Have Shen also join in on the gate breach for good measure. That's my idea, at any rate.

>>5634507
Penitent people might die, don't want Velna to join them. Declined. I want Velna's aggression to spur Morweg and the others onwards in the jump assault.

Velna grabs a jump pack and ensures those lascannons don't kill our tanks. The tanks HAVE to suppress the walls.

Purge the Emperor's enemies first. Then go ahead and join the gate idc

>>5634562
This, keep named waifus alive. Penitents aren't known for surviving.

File: Sisters of Battle charge.jpg (183 KB, 817x1000)

183 KB JPG

>>5634917
>>5634562
>>5634517
Canoness Malin dispatches her Palatines to their assignments and the Sororitas battleforce roars into action.

Engines rumble as the Castigator Battle Tanks descend from the highway and spread out in formation on the edges of the plaza. Palatine Rosaline quickly begins spreading out her infantry as they move along the edges of the urban perimeter to surround the fortress. Palatine Velna and Palatine Morweg affix jump packs and soar up into the air, joining the other Seraphim and Zephyrim atop the urban buildings and preparing to give their all to smash the Styrians' heavy lascannon turrets.

The inhabitants of the eight Penitent Engines groan and wail as their servos whirr and flame belches from their engines, the gruesome walkers preparing to move with the Repentia right behind them, the ten women babbling prayers to the Emperor as they grip their evicerators and Hospitallers drip blessed oils over their scarred bodies, clad in scraps of wax-fused parchment. From across the Demi-Segmentum the Order has answered the call to this Crusade, and these Repentia gathered from distant convents are not known to Malin nor are the transgressions or shame that drove them to their oath. But she knows that they are her Sisters, and they will not falter.

"For the Emperor!" Canoness Malin raises her power maul high and signals the assault.

Please roll:
>1d100 for Heavy Support suppressing the wall defences. Target 75 + 10 (Shen) = 85.
>1d100 for Light Support purging the lascannon bastions. Target 70. Additional +5 if wall defences are suppressed.
>1d100 for Jump Infantry targeting the lascannon bastions. Target 40 + 10 (Velna) + 10 (Morweg) = 60. Additional +20 if wall defences are suppressed.
>1d100 for Penitents Assaulting the Gate. Target 50. Additional +40 if wall defences are suppressed.

Aiming to roll under the targets. The thresholds take into account Malin's rear command and the infantry forming a skirmishing pattern.
If your roll is a double (ie 33, 55, 77 etc) then the Palatine involved (if any) has struck misfortune.

More degrees of success will enhance performance or even allow one section to achieve additional goals. Degrees of success/failure will impact casualties. Failure to eliminate the lascannons will cause vehicle losses to mount which could break suppression of the walls, leading to a cascade failure. Nevertheless if each section successfully plays their part in Malin's combined-arms offensive you can shatter the Styrian stronghold hard and fast, before substantial losses mount amongst the skirmishing infantry.

Rolled 55 (1d100)

>>5635120
>>1d100 for Heavy Support suppressing the wall defences. Target 75 + 10 (Shen) = 85.

Rolled 52 (1d100)

>>5635120
>>1d100 for Light Support purging the lascannon bastions. Target 70. Additional +5 if wall defences are suppressed.
Gogo Gadget lascannon

Rolled 11 (1d100)

>>5635120
> 1d100 for Jump Infantry

Rolled 1 (1d100)

>>5635120
Rollan penitents.

>>5635558
>Rolled 1 (1d100)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HGhP3p6lI3U

Rolled 34, 73 = 107 (2d100)

>>5635247
>>5635286
I am rolling
>1d100 for Shen. Higher is worse.
>1d100 for Velna/Morweg. Higher is worse. If even if affects Velna, if odds it affects Morweg, if doubles, both.

>>5635751
i take it the 34 means Shen's going to have a bad time.

File: SoB Exorcist_Art.jpg (227 KB, 813x566)

227 KB JPG

>>5635751
>>5635558
>>5635286
>>5635258
>>5635247
Palatine Shen's heavy tanks pour a cascade of overwhelming firepower upon the Styrian walltops as her tanks spread out across the plaza, each one blazing with three heavy bolters and their formidable turret-mounted cannons. The Exorcist battery sends graceful missiles skywards, loaded with fragmentation warheads that airburst above the battlements and shower Syrians with shrapnel. The wall defences are helpless and cowed by the tremendous firepower, huddling behind their barricades as Palatine Rosaline's infantry thunder into action.

Rhinos and Repressors rumble out from the surrounding urban streets, moving and deploying quickly under Rosaline's experienced instruction, disgorging battle sister squads that quickly spread out across the plaza. Soon they are lending their own weight of fire upon the enemy walltops, bolts popping against the walls and blowing apart any Styrian who attempt to return fire. The suppressed walltop defenders blaze wildly at the stalwart power armoured warriors who are rapidly surrounding their defences, and they run across the walls to redistribute their forces as they try to avoid being obliterated by Shen's formidable cannons that are tearing great chunks from the plasteel battlements.

Nevertheless the walltop defenders are great in number and heavily armed, blazing away blindly with mounted heavy bolters as they remain huddled behind the gunshield. And while their fire is totally inaccurate the heavy bolts stitch across the plaza in long lines of death that catch unfortunate Sisters in the open, smashing into their thick power armour and causing scattered wounds and death while Palatine Rosaline and her Celestians keep her infantry in formation and firing away - showing no fear in the face of the enemy's return fire.

Suppressed by heavy tanks and surrounded by battle sisters in all directions, the Styrian defenders fail to notice the units of Immolators - filled with heavily-armed Retributors - that break cover from the urban surroundings and make beelines for the corner bastions. The light vehicles push forwards quickly, readying their heavy flamers and multi-meltas as scattered lasfire and heavy bolters plink off their ceramite armour. "Kill them all!" Palatine Velna bellows from atop the urban buildings before she, Palatine Morweg, and almost fifty other Sisters soar into the air on their graceful jump packs, flying clear across the battlefield of the plaza below like angels. The awe-inspiring force splits apart in mid-air, coming down upon the high ferrocrete bastions at each corner of the stronghold.

cont.

File: lascannon.jpg (117 KB, 1478x870)

117 KB JPG

>>5636367
Malin takes great satisfaction in signalling the Mistress of Repentance, and she cracks her lash. "Onwards!" With a rumbling screech of servos the Penitent Engines punch straight through a thin wall seperating an urban street from the plaza, their mechanical legs pushing the condemned heretics across the once-Imperial square in the shadow of the once-Imperial cathedral towards their penance at the gate. The Sisters Repentia follow immediately behind them, corded muscles shaking as they grip colossal eviscerators and roar litanies of hate.


In the space of thirty seconds the stronghold is surrounded by Sisters of Battle and heavy vehicles, pouring a torrent of fire upon the walltops, tearing apart the plasteel defences with the explosions of heavy shells and slaughtering defending infantry with airburst missiles. Nevertheless the heavy lascannons in their armoured turrets are free to aquire targets. Their first focus are Shen's rumbling Castigator tanks, their blinding lasbeams punching into their heavy frontal armour. The turret of one of the Castigators is practically evaporated by a twin lascannon blast, and the nearest tanks start falter and reverse back. Shen commands her tank forwards to hold the firing line, roaring from her hatch and inspiring her force to hold firm and maintain their storm of fire. The Palatine keeps her force focused but pays the price, as the defending lascannons make her their next target. A twin beam cuts through her Castigator from front to back, boring through ceramite like butter as an enormous furrow is torn into the vehicle and a thermal explosion of metal explodes outwards, the Castigator bursting like a grenade as flame gouts from the hatches and shredded hull. Nearby infantry run to help and the remaining tanks are incensed and thirsty for vengeance, rumbling forwards as one as their cannons bark and chew apart a large portion of the western walltop, dozens of Styrian defenders apart in mangled chunks. Palatine Shen is dragged from the smouldering tank, wounded but alive as Hospitallers carry her away.

It is not until the Immolators are almost atop them that the bastions notice this grave threat, the turrets quickly veering away from the distant Castigators. The less armoured Immolators have no hope of enduring a hit from the heavy lascannons, and the powerful beams slam into their front glacis, the ceramite collapsing inwards before secondary explosions take the tank apart and Retributors spill out dragging wounded squadmates behind them. Fortunately the lascannons manage only a few shots at the Immolators before the jump infantry land atop the bastions and go to work. Seraphim boltpistols bark like machineguns from the bastion rooftops, peppering the surrounding walls and slaughtering outflanked defenders as they huddle behind the battlements.

File: SoB Seraphim.jpg (171 KB, 1500x2006)

171 KB JPG

Simultaneously the Zephyrim hurl grenades and fire hand flamers through firing slits, and clamp melta bombs onto the heavy lascannon turrets. Fearless and inspiring, the Seraphim and Zephyrim are peppered with small arms fire from the walls and the stronghold interior, scattering off their thick power armour. Palatine Velna jumps down onto the wall itself with several Zepyhrim, cutting down Styrians as they attempt to storm the bastions. The massive Palatine's power maul sends renegades flying from the walltops, their mangled bodies spilling from the battlements.

The young Palatine Morweg steps up to her first major command with all the heroism expected of a Sister of the Order of Bloody tears, blasting with her plasma pistols as heavily-armoured Styrian breachers attempt to accost her Sisters on the bastion rooftop. "Incoming!" a Sister Superior yells before a barrage of mortar fire strikes the bastion roof, Seraphim falling from the roof like birds from a perch - and only some still have enough life in them to activate their wings before they strike the ground. The incensed Morweg takes to the skies, soaring straight across the centre of the Styrian stronghold and unleashing a flurry of shots with her overcharged plasma pistols at the mortar battery. A score of Styrians are turned to ash by the lethal plasma storm before Morweg is plucked from the sky by a missile, and Canoness Malin can only watch in helpless dismay as her young Palatine drops from the air in smoke and glory.

Just moments later the lascannon turrets are torn from their mountings by melta bombs, the Seraphim and Zephyrim blazing back into the air as their targets detonate behind them. Immolators and Retributors gather at the base of the bastions too, spewing flame and melta that turns the ferrocrete structures into blazing pyres, molten metal and rock slagging off the thick round towers as flames surge upwards through them and screaming Styrians spill out from every exit. "Purge them all!" Palatine Rosaline bellows, her infantry pressing the attack as practically all return fire from the Styrians collapses.

cont.

File: Penitent Engine1.jpg (361 KB, 1000x1198)

361 KB JPG

At least a quarter of the defenders have been obliterated by now, but while the Styrians have been distracted by their own slaughter, they have failed to take action against what will spell their true doom. As the Penitent Engines approach the thick ceramite gate, firing slits open in the surrounding wall and the distinctive muzzles of multi-meltas appear, but the avenging Penitents are too quick for the short-range weapons and gouts of flame erupt from the twisted walkers, spilling into the defensive positions. More Styrian screams fill the air, and little burning embers they run across the rooftops and spill from the gatehouse before they are gunned down. Acting as one, the Penitent Engines rev their powerful buzzsaws and assault the gate itself, their power-field sheathed weapons boring through the thick ceramite effortlessly. The Penitent Engines tear the gate from its mountings and the heavy slab falls inwards with a shudder that shakes the ground beneath Malin's feet. The Repentia scream with joy and sprint through the legs of the Penitent Engines towards the absolution they crave more than life, and the Penitent Engines themselves are quick to follow.

The breach has been made and Rosaline's infantry start relocating to exploit their entry. The jump infantry join their Sisters on the charge, heading for the opened gate as the Penitents are unleashed upon the defenders. The unwieldy Penitent Engines charge the courtyard, spewing flame upon mortar pits as their whirring buzzsaws sweep around, butchering Styrian infantry as they try to level fire upon the exposed pilots. The Sisters Repentia head for the wall, charging up stairways with their eviscerators aloft. What follows can only be described as an orgy of blood that one could mistake for a Khornate ritual were it not for the prayers on their lips and the purity seals nailed to their bodies, the Sisters Repentia charging across the rooftops side-by-side as they sweep Styrians apart before them. Blood sprays like fountains from the rooftop as Eviscerators swing and rev and the battle-crazed Repentia charge without pause, barely even noticing when panicked lasfire cuts holes through their sinewy bodies. Within moments the entire southern walltop has been cleared of Styrians, blood and body parts spilling from the battlements as the roar their victory and move straight onto the next walls.

Now free to enter unopposed, Palatine Velna and Palatine Rosaline command their power armoured Sisters inside the walls as they sweep the walls clean with gunfire and Styrians try to flee into the central keep. While the power armoured sisters form a beachhead around the interior of the gate and lay down withering firepower, the Penitent Engines lumber around the entire courtyard butchering entire groups of Styrians and bathing the walls with gouts from their flamers. The Repentia cannot be stopped, breaking up into pairs as they charge across the walls to butcher any Styrian that has dared to stay put.

File: Sister Repentia1-.jpg (333 KB, 1280x1182)

333 KB JPG

Once the Sisters are inside the battle becomes a wholesale massacre. Boltshells and flame sweep across the walltops and psychotic Repentia tear apart any Styrian that survives them, defenders fleeing for the keep have to navigate between rampaging Penitent Engines, and inevitably end up burned to ash or torn limb-from-limb. Hundreds of Styrians are obliterated in minutes, and Canoness Malin follows her force across the plaza and through the gate.

Palatine Rosaline arranges the Sisters to form a perimeter around the sealed keep, suppressing defenders to hurl small-arms fire from high windows and firing slits. The walltops and interior courtyard are a mess of corpses and destruction, the Sisters Repentia finally returning to their Mistress once every last Styrian atop the walls has been reduced to pulp. They are a complete mess, covered head to toe in blood as if they had been bathing in it, but by some miracle of the God-Emperor all ten are still alive. "Hospitallers!" the Mistress of Repentance yells as several of the Repentia start to crumple to their knees from bloodloss, oozing from bullet holes and one even missing an entire arm. Fine scars to carry with pride.

"Canoness!" Velna calls out and Malin moves across the courtyard flanked by her Celestians, ignoring small-arms fire from the keep. Palatine Velna and her squad are gathered around the broken form of Palatine Morweg, her power armour broken and buckled, her leg and arm gone and furrows of shrapnel damage cutting through her torso, her helmet broken open as she looks up with her one remaining eye. "Do we have victory?" she rasps weakly through blood, reaching up to her Canoness with her one remaining hand. Canoness Malin takes to her knee and grasps her young Palatine's armoured fingers, nodding resolutely. "The God-Emperor himself sings your praises." she replies. "Hospitallers!" Velna barks and Morweg is carried away, just barely clinging to life.

File: StyrianSorcerer.jpg (83 KB, 1400x700)

83 KB JPG

>>5636377
Malin purges the thoughts of her young Palatine from her mind and focuses on the next challenge of purging the Styrian rats from their hole. The keep is large and thick and it would take days of bomardment from the heavy support to shatter it, long enough for Styrians to counterattack. A Penitent Engine attempts to break down the thick metal doorway into the keep, its buzzsaw eating into the plasteel before a conflagration of purple fire erupts from within, consuming the Engines' pilot. The walker stumbles back and collapses in a heap as the ethereal flame dissipates and the Sisters roar in defiance as they press their suppressive fire. "Sorcery!" Velna grunts with rage, as bright otherworldly light emanates from within the large doorway, and Canoness Malin feels her blessed Rosarius burning in response to the dark powers nearby. A figure appears at the entrance behind the half-broken door, clutching a twisted staff and clad in purple and black robes. Twisted in body and massive in stature, disturbing light surrounds him and incoming bolt shells detonate harmlessly before they can strike his body. The powerful sorcerer is guarding the entrance and pulls back out of sight before heavier firepower can be brought to bear.

What do you do?
>Overwhelming Charge: Throw Dominion Squads and Battle Sister squads at the at the entrance and drown the Sorcerer in vengeful Sisters. Virtually guaranteed success with likely high casualties.
>Melee specialists: Palatine Velna leads her Sacresancts, Zephyrim, and the Sisters Repentia in first. Better suited for close quarters, if successful there would be fewer casualties but there is a chance they could fail.
>Confrontation: Canoness Malin and her elite Celestians will be first into the breach. Malin is the only one with a realistic chance of taking the Sorcerer down by herself without casualties, her Celestians supporting against any other forces.

>>5636381
>>Confrontation: Canoness Malin and her elite Celestians will be first into the breach. Malin is the only one with a realistic chance of taking the Sorcerer down by herself without casualties, her Celestians supporting against any other forces.

something cinematic, i should hope.

>>5636381
>>Confrontation: Canoness Malin and her elite Celestians will be first into the breach. Malin is the only one with a realistic chance of taking the Sorcerer down by herself without casualties, her Celestians supporting against any other forces.
Because it's the coolest option.

File: SoBs.jpg (103 KB, 816x1024)

103 KB JPG

Rolled 26, 11 = 37 (2d100)

>>5636742
>>5637016
Canoness Stefanie Malin has fought many battles and slain many foes in the name of the God-Emperor, but this Sorcerer will test her to her limits. The Canoness prepares her plasma pistol and wraps her Rosary beads around her armoured gauntlet and the haft of her sanctified power maul, litanies and prayers etched into the ornate gilding of the venerable weapon passed down to her from Canonesses past.

Celestian Superior Tessia sees her Canoness preparing for battle, and reloads her own Storm Bolter. "The God-Emperor is with you, Stefanie." the venerable Sister nods.

"The God-Emperor is with us all Tessia." Canoness Malin smiles back before her power maul crackles into life. "Exorcists, barrage!" The Canoness roars before charging the gate, her power armoured form stamping across the paved stone plaza towards the short staircase and main entrance into the keep.

"Celestians to the Canoness!" Tessia raises her Storm Bolter and thirty of the most fearless and valiant women Stefanie could ask for are on her heels, ten Sacresancts holding aloft shining halberds and shields, twenty Celestians wielding bolt and flame. From beyond the wall Exorcist tanks launch their missiles, the projectiles arcing down and smashing into the entrance to the keep. The thick plasteel doors are torn inward off their hinges from the force of the blasts and before the smoke has cleared Canoness Malin leaps up the stairs with her Celestians close behind.

The smashed apart doorway is broad enough for ten to enter side-by-side and once through the smoke Malin is in a large circular entrance hall and Styrian defenders huddle behind sandbagged positions against the left and right walls, and on balconies from the second level above - still shocked from the exorcist barrage and plume of dust and smoke billowing through. Dead ahead is the Sorcerer himself, standing alone at the base of a broad staircase as a great bright light amasses at the tip of his staff.

"Imperials burn!" The Psyker bellows with an intensity that echoes around the room in a shockwave, sweeping away the dust and smoke and clearing the grey ferrocrete hall. He extends his staff to pour forth his warpfire, and Canoness Malin raises her plasma pistol as she charges the heretic.

Please roll:
>1d100 for Malin's shot. Target 50
>2d100 for Celestians. Target 70.

File: B7B37574-2CAD-49A8-9943-F(...).jpg (75 KB, 637x643)

75 KB JPG

Rolled 89, 17 = 106 (2d100)

>>5637383
>Celestians
Shut that bird up

Rolled 44 (1d100)

>>5637383
Shootan for Malin.

File: CrowTellingYouToCeaseYour(...).jpg (31 KB, 600x600)

31 KB JPG

>>5637424
>Rolled 89

File: Sister of Battle2.jpg (96 KB, 800x1017)

96 KB JPG

>>5637383
>26 for warpflame (Target 60). Strong success.
>11 for other defenders (Target 40)
>>5637424
>>5637440
>Shot successful. Strong warpflame success reduced to minor success.
>89 and 11 for Celestians (Target 70)

The fearless Canoness charges straight towards the Styrian Sorcerer as an enormous plume of swirling purple warpflame starts to erupt from the tip of his staff, and Malin squeezes the trigger of her plasma pistol.

The searing bolt cuts through the warpflame and bursts against the Sorcerers' psychic field, searing blue plasma blinding him and staggering him back against the steps. His burgeoning column of warpfare is thrown off-target, spraying upwards and around towards the high ceiling, but Canoness Malin is engulfed by the first few moments of targeted flame as she thunders towards the Sorcerer.

Malin's Rosarius flares as the thin sheet of warpfire passes over her, her power armour keeping her safe from the brief but searing flame. But her freshly-fired plasma pistol is not so well-shielded and overheats immediately, the cooling coils cracking and splitting as a hissing leak of plasma spews across Malin's hand and arm. The Canoness drops her pistol to the ground without breaking the charge, gritting her teeth as painful burns creep up her arm, and she focuses all of her pain and rage upon the foul heretic before her.

"Your soul will be mine, bitch of the Emperor." the Sorcerer froths with rage as he pushes himself back up to his feet, his unnaturally empowered body standing a head taller than the Canoness as he readies his crackling wooden stave to receive Malin's offensive, Malin upon him before he can ready any further ranged attacks.

Immediately behind Malin's charge comes Tessia and her Celestians. The Sacresancts lead, shields locked side-by-side like a phalanx of old as they march into the circular entrance hall. Styrian lasguns and heavy stubbers open up on the Celestians from all sides, shots rebounding off their heavy shields. Behind the shields of their Sacresancts, the other Celestians unleash their firepower upon the ebbedded defenders. "For the God-Emperor! For the Canoness!" Tessia bellows, her Storm Bolter roaring as she sprays bolts into Styrians on the upper balconies.

File: SoB sword.jpg (592 KB, 1920x1219)

592 KB JPG

Rolled 37, 97, 58 = 192 (3d100)

>>5638023
The Styrians are hopelessly outgunned as bolts tear apart their sandbags and they are consumed by billowing plumes of burning promethium, for the Celestians are veteran warriors and tear apart the defences with precise and methodical fury. Searing sanctified flame consumes the sandbagged positions and screaming Styrians stagger from cover as fire consumes their bodies. Frag grenades are hurled up onto the upper balconies, landing behind sandbags and blowing Styrians from their positions in eruptions of shrapnel and blood. The Sacresancts push forwards behind their shields, spreading out and assaulting the Styrian positions on the ground floor. Their gleaming halberds taste heretic blood as the women force their way through sandbags and plunge their halberds straight through the thick carapace armour of these keep defenders, tearing them apart with their power-field sheathed weapons.

Unfortunately, like cornered animals, the desperate Styrians fight with rabid fury and a Sacresanct is killed when one of the Styrians levels a melta gun upon her, the blistering anti-armour ray reducing most of the warrior to a puddle of molten ceramite and ash. Tessia's storm bolter avenges her a moment later, and then a Styrian from the upper levels hurls a large det pack down upon the Celestians before he too his reduced to scraps of flesh by explosive bolts. "Down!" Tessia roars as the stack of high explosives bounces against the stone floor before exploding with a force that cracks and shatters the surrounding masonry. Two Celestians are killed by the force of the eruption and two more sent sprawling across the floor, badly wounded.

The furious Sororitas continue their slaughter of the keep defenders, raking the balconies with boltfire until they're practically collapsing, and turning the sandbag positions into funerary pyres for the screaming Styrians behind. The Styrian soldiers are butchered to the last man and the Celestians quickly take up positions to cover the various corridors leading into the hall, ready to gun down anyone else that may try to come to the aid of the Sorcerer as he and their Canoness clash upon the polished granite floor of the large hall.

The Sorcerer is large in stature but has no power armour to aid his strength, nor does he have the sheer skill in close combat that decades of training and experience have afforded Canoness Malin. But the power of the dark gods surges through him, closing the gap between them and more if he can channel it properly.

Please roll
>1d100 for Malin's attack. Target 70. (Opposed test)
>1d100 for Malin's defence. Target 70. (Opposed test)
>1d100 for Rosarius. Target 55. (Success/fail only)

I am rolling
>1d100 for Sorcerer's attack. Target 50. (Opposed test)
>1d100 for Sorcerer's defence. Target 50. (Opposed test)
>1d100 for Warp Empowerment. Target 60 (DoS' add to his attack or defence)

Rolled 38 (1d100)

>>5638024
Rollan ze attack.

Rolled 3 (1d100)

>>5638024
>>1d100 for Malin's defence. Target 70. (Opposed test)
CAHM ON MAHLEEN
SCOAH SAHM FAHKN BLAWKS

File: Hull_Employs_Charm.png (516 KB, 960x672)

516 KB PNG

>>5639081
Somebody must have inspired her to let out her inner Hull there.

Rolled 69 (1d100)

>>5638024
Rollan rosarius l.

File: SoB shield.jpg (396 KB, 1920x1080)

396 KB JPG

>>5639079
>>5639081
>>5639083
>>5639264
>>5638024
The fury of the God-Emperor surges through Canoness Malin's body as her sanctified mace slams into the Sorcerer's raised staff, warp energy bursting and crackling as the two weapons make contact. "You will die, fool!" the Sorcerer grunts and launches into a furious assault, swinging his glowing staff like a cudgel as the warp lends strength to his blows.

Malin keeps her wits, stepping back as she uses her finely balanced mace to block, deflect and redirect the swinging staff. The Sorcerer has spent a lifetime intimidating and abusing powerless mortals, and the rage is etched upon his ritualistically scarred face as the experienced Sororitas Canoness parries every furious assault he makes upon her.

Back and forth across the large stone hall Malin and the Sorcerer duel, their glowing weapons singing through the air as explosive energies erupt and arc around the pair of them with every blow. Every blow from the empowered Sorcerer sends shockwaves through Malin's body, reverberating through her stalwart power armour with a force that could shatter rock. Fearless in the face of her unnaturally empowered foe, Malin flawlessly repels his offensive as the Sorcerer grows more and more tired and more and more enraged.

"Rargh!" the Sorcerer slams his staff down into Malin's outstretched mace, the hexagram wards on the haft of her weapon glowing with divine light as the Sorcerer's staff crackles with purple energy. Despite his overwhelming strength and power, the Sorcerer is impatient and unsued to fighting a true warrior. Infuriated by his failure to break through Malin's indomitable guard. Malin sees bright energy surging up through the Sorcerer's body as he keeps his staff locked against her mace, his glowing eyes glaring into the Canoness' soul as mere inches separate the mortal foes. The raging Sorcerer gives his all and a torrent of flame spews from his staff as it locks against Malin's mace, engulfing the Canoness in a plume that illuminates the entire hall in a purplish glow.

Hellfire surrounds Malin's body and senses, swirling around her and eating away at the surface of her power armour with a lethal hiss. Agoninsing heat cuts through joints of her armour and her glowing Rosarius is helpless to shield Malin against the fury of the warp. one of lesser faith might give in to fear as the warpfire burns through her armour, but with a prayer on her lips Canoness Malin endures the firestorm of pain as droplets of molten ceramite drip down the surface of her black power armour and her skin itself feels as if its ablaze.

File: Sister of Battle standard.png (1.5 MB, 992x1403)

1.5 MB PNG

>>5640262
The Sorcerer cannot maintain his warpfire for long as Canoness Malin pushes back against his staff with her mace, before gripping the staff with her other hand as well and propelling herself forward through the purple warpfire as hard as she can. "Arghn-!" the Sorcerer is sent staggering backwards as the power armoured Canoness throws herself into him, the robed figure lowering his staff and his hellfire dissipating into the air.

Canoness Malin has the upper hand now as she takes to the offensive, her mace swinging as she belabours the foul Sorcerer. She savours the fear in his eyes as he steps back towards the staircase, his staff letting out a pained wail each time her sanctified mace smashes against it. High, low, swing and jap, Malin's weapon is a blur as it sings through the air and the Canoness pushes forward upon the heretic. "Nngh-..! No!" the Sorcerer cries out as he is pushed back to the stairs and the experienced Canoness forces his staff upwards with an underarmed swing of her hefty mace before she jabs the flanged power weapon straight into his face.

The Sorcerer grunts in pain as Malin shatters his nose and blood spews down his face, swinging wildly with his energised staff. But Malin ducks low beneath his enraged swing and brings her mace around in a wide arc, the crackling head smacking into his thigh with a satisfying bonesmashing crunch. This time the Sorcerer screams as his leg crumples beneath him, the heretic falling back against the stars. "No!" the Sorcerer groans as his gods abandon him, raising his staff towards the Canoness as Malin brings her mace down with both hands. The weapon shatters in half as Malin's sanctified mace smashes straight through the warp-empowered staff and into the Sorcerer's chest, crushing ribs and pulping organs as blood spews from his screaming lips.

The mangled Sorcerer is splayed back across the stairs as Malin places her armoured boot upon his shattered chest, his hands clawing feebly at her leg as she slowly crushes his vital organs underfoot. Tessia and the Celestians sing praises to their Canoness, raising their hands in prayer as Malin holds her mace aloft in victory. The Sorcerer's corrupted eyes gaze up at his doom, wide with the fear of death that no good servant of the God-Emperor ever has to face, before Canoness Malin brings her sanctified mace down into his skull, smashing it apart upon the stone steps.

"Victory! Sisters advance!" Tessia roars from the entrance and within moments the stone hall is filled with battle sisters pouring in from outside, Palatine Velna and Palatine Rosaline leading from the front as power armoured Sororitas sweep the building clear of any defenders that try to put up a fight. Small arms in close quarters are no hope against Sisters of Battle welding bolt, flame, and chainsword, and Canoness Malin allows herself a rest upon the large staircase beside her bested foe.

File: Sisters of Battle group.jpg (63 KB, 800x542)

63 KB JPG

>>5640264

It's a matter of minutes before the entire complex is overrun by Sororitas, and Palatine Velna's Celestians are dragging Styrian commanders up from their underground bunker - at least those ones who didn't kill themselves or try to resist. "The Inquisition will want to speak with these scum." Velna growls as Malin casts her eye over the captives, who bear the uniforms and insignia of the highest levels of military command.

"They must have been coordinating the entire city-wide resistance from here." Palatine Rosaline allows herself a rare smile, for her Sisters were not lost in vain. Further Styrian resistance efforts across Ardea will be crippled, reduced to disparate, scattered bands of partisans without supply or reinforcement. The avenging Imperium will not be denied, and the efforts of Canoness Malin's force have almost certainly saved hundreds of thousands of lives that would have otherwise been lost in reclaiming this realm for the God-Emperor.

Canoness Malin returns to the courtyard outside where the fallen are being laid out. Celestians, Seraphim, Battle Sisters all, their power-armoured forms resting side-by-side on the ground. Though the assault on the stronghold was a resounding success several dozen Sisters were still killed in battle, and many more wounded. Sister Almoness Karmen tends to Malin's plasma-burned arm as her Sisters Hospitaller tend to the rest of the wounded, among them the ten Sisters Repentia whose penitence has certainly been fulfilled with their heroic rampage.

Now Battle Sisters man the walls of the stronghold, Castigator tanks at the gate and heavily armed Retributors scanning the surrounding urban landscape from atop the burned-out bastion towers. Malin's voxwoman reports that with the communications array atop the Keep she has relayed the situation to Canoness Preceptor Amelia Engel, and they are dispatching reinforcements immediately

The day is won, and Canoness Stefanie Malin looks upwards to see a banner of the Order of Blood Tears atop the keep, proclaiming to all the city that the servants of the God-Emperor are back to reclaim what is His.

+++ Session and Side-Mission Over. Thanks for playing everyone! +++
Thread archived here: https://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/qstarchive/2023/5624532/
News on the next session can be found here: https://chapterquest.fandom.com/wiki/Next_Session