Battle for Vogen 08 – Rearguard

Previous battles:
Battle for Vogen 01 – Embers
Battle for Vogen 02 – Rescue Mission
Battle for Vogen 03 – Assault on 176th FOB
Battle for Vogen 04 – Lost souls
Battle for Vogen 05 – Relief column
Battle for Vogen 06 – Cut off the head
Battle for vogen 07 – into Ashshore

After pushing through the chaos of District 13, the remnants of Jeager and Captain Scheider’s men had managed to link up with other PDF forces. Now about regiment strength, they were suborned to a Major Steinvik, the highest ranking officer of the motley group. Communications with HQ had been somewhat reinstated, and the group had been designated as Battlegroup Steinvik, with orders to regroup and hold District 7.

However, the rebels were continuously attacking the disordered column, and the rearguard sent alarming reports of ever greater numbers of the enemy. Schneider and Jeager were called over to Steinvik’s command salamander.

“Gentlemen, there is an enemy mechanised force harassing our column. We need time to refit and take up proper defensive positions. You and your men will buy us that time.”
The two men looked at each other. Their men had been in action for too long, they had barely slept for days.
“Sir, surely there are fresher units? Our men are running low on everything, we cannot stand a protracted engagement! What about the armoured units?”
“We must conserve the most important fighting strength of our battlegroup. I will commit one Brigand to your support. However, this is not a discussion gentlemen, you will hold this crossroad and buy us time to set up a proper defence line in Sector 6.”

As they exited the salamander with grim faces, they ran into the storm trooper sergeant from the 122nd Cadian.
“So, I hear you are the lucky blood bags that will stand and die?”
Jeager grimly nodded and spat out an insult of Steinvik’s honour.
“Well, me and my guys here love a good scrap, maybe we will see each other around soon.”

Imperial forces

Battlegroup Steinvik rearguard
Captain Schneider’s platoon
– Infantry squad, 2x grenade launcher
– Infantry squad, 2x plasma gun, lascannon
– Infantry squad, 2x flamer
– AT83 Brigand heavy tank

Lt. Jeager’s veterans
– Veteran squad, carapace armour, 2x melta, heavy flamer

Cadian 122nd Special Forces
– Ratling black ops team, sniper, demolition charge
– Storm trooper squad, 2x melta
– Storm trooper squad, 2x melta
– Armoured sentinel, lascannon
– Armoured sentinel, heavy flamer

Insurgents

Insurgent motorised force
Rebel warlord, eviscerator
– Rebel mob, 2x flamer
– Highwayman APC

Rebel mob, 2x flamer
– Highwayman APC
Rebel militia, 2x heavy stubber
– Technical transport

2x Technical, twin rocket launcher
Technical, twin heavy bolter

Renegade PDF
– AT52 Offender battletank
– Scout sentinel, autocannon

Scenario

With PDF forces being disorganised and not able to break the tide of the insurgents in District 9, the insurgents are now launching a hasty motorised assault at the retreating PDF forces. A small PDF group has been dedicated to halt the insurgent attack to buy time for the rest of the column to regroup. If the insurgents can break through, the exhausted column will be shattered, and Ashshore will be one step closer to full rebel control. If however the rearguard can hold, then the PDF has time to set up a proper defensive line in District 6.

There are 5 objectives. One at the chimney in the center, signifying control over the road to renegade controlled territory, and two at each parallell road, signifying increased control over the road to District 6. The renegades are at a disadvantage, as the imperials start in control of 4/5 objectives and in a strong position. As such, if the rebels can win even with the odds against them, the story impact will count for much more than their loss.

Early game

With a roar of engines and belching smoke, the renegade force shot up along the twin roads towards the road blocks. Imperial forces open up with everything they have at the charging horde of improvised fighting vehicles.

Lacking in heavy support, the imperial force has instead taken up a strong defensive position around a rugged adminstration building. Captain Schneider surveys the incoming enemy force from the elevated position

The supporting AT83 Brigand rumbled forwards, engaging the lighter AT52 Offender with its main gun and peppering the enemy infantry with the heavy bolter.

A pair of ratling special operators hide in a watchtower, hunting targets with sniper rifles and biding their time for a special surprise.

The renegades surge forwards, quickly reaching the road blocks, but not without losses. One of the highwaymen spun out of control and flipped as the driver was killed by the intensive fire from the imperial line. The insurgent mob crawled out of the wreckage and tried to find cover.

Mid game

The Cadian sentinel with a heavy flamer exploded, torn apart by rockets from a technical. With the threat of the heavy flamer removed, the insurgent infantry charged forward and wiped out an infantry squad in brutal close combat, taking control of the roadblock.

Firing the grapling hook, the two ratling spec operators swooped down close to the enemy battle tank. Deftly slipping past enemy infantry. they made their way to the tank, attaching a demolition charge to the hull without being noticed, dodging behind cover as the blast rung against the tank’s armour.

Unfortuately, the munitorium does not always have the best quality control. The demolition charge had gone off with a loud blast, but it had barely scorched the tank. Now, both the tank, a supporting sentinel and a group of insurgent infantry all turned their attention to the special operators. An immense amount of firepower hit their position, ending the brave abhumans’ service to the imperium.

Another attempt at taking out the tank was made by a squad of storm troopers, who infiltrated behind the enemy. However, both melta shots failed to hurt the tank, and it moved out of range.

The right side road block was not in rebel control for long. Captain Schneider led a squad in a brutal counter attack that wiped out the insurgent mob in a hail of bullets, securing the road block.

Late game

One the left side, the rebel mob surged forwards from the overrun roadblock, shots from slug throwers and flamers pinging off the hull of the brigand heavy tank. While they had no dedicated anti-tank weaponry, the tank commander was not keen on having them clambering all over his tank, and he pulled back, radioing for infantry support.

One the right road, one of the remaining technicals gunned the engine. The PDF soldiers throwing themselves out of the path. Speeding at a suicidal pace, the vehicle rammed into the second line barricade, trying to crush the sentinel guarding it with its spiked ram. The sentinel pilot saw it coming however, and sidestepped the charging vehicle, sending a lascannon shot towards it, that unfortunately went wide. Lascannon and rocket launcher tracked each other as the two ran circles around each other.

Seeing the enemy MBT moving to engage the infantry holding the right checkpoint, the Cadian storm troopers took decisive action. Rappelling down the power plant wall, they moved into position in the tank’s blindspot. Lacking supporting infantry, the enemy vehicle was oblivious of their presence until twin melta beams tore the outdated tank to pieces. The loss of their armoured support made the situation untenable for the rebels, and they broke off and tore away with their remaining forces.

End game

The final scenario score was 2-2, with one road block firmly in control for each side for a technical draw. The end of the road objectives were in control of the imperials until a technical punched through and contested one. While the objectives were tied, the renegade motorised force had taken a beating, and the Cadian special forces were about to capture the rear objective unopposed, closing off the retreat. Taking the strong imperial position at the end in account, this engagement ends with a minor win for the imperials.

Having bought time for the rest of the battlegroup to refit and take up positions, the ever decreasing 176th/32nd pull back to District 6 for some very needed rest and refit themselves, leaving the outer rings of Ashshore to the rebels.