Rogue Trader Cleanses Genestealer Cult

Once again gaming returned to Casa De Killgore. This time we dusted off the old Rogue Trader books and played a game using the classic rules and quite a few classic figures. It was Chuckaroobob playing his Rogue Trader with a detachment of the Eighth Imperial Shock Assault Legion better know as "The Imperial Dicks" space marines and some Imperial army support. While Big Roy and myself commanded the Genestealer Cult forces.

The basic scenario is, The Genestaeler cult has revealed itself and the planet is in chaos. The Capital city is firmly in the Cult's hands but they have a weakness. The Capital's only water supply is a massive cistern in the mountains lightly held by Cultists. The Rogue trader has directed a detachment of his forces to capture or destroy the wellhead, eliminating any resistance.
As the Imperials mobilize the local Magus sends out a telepathic signal and dozens of cultist and mutants rally to defend the wellhead.

The Rogue Trader Detachment. Two Dreadnoughts, Two Imperial Dick marine squads and a Heavy weapon squad, a Rapier laser destroyer, two thudd guns, two Imperial army squads and a Squat close combat specialist squad. This is just above a Two Thousand point army. One note on the marine heavy weapon squad is that every marine but one has a heavy weapon, a big difference from the more modern devastator squad.

Chuckaroo also brought his gunship conversion but it didn't participate in the battle.

These are the three versions of the Chainsaw Warrior figure for the game Chainsaw Warrior from way back in the day, just a few of the classic figures in Chuckaroo's force.

Here is the two thousand or so point Genestaeler Chaos Cult force. The genestealer Coven includes the Patriarch, a Psychic mastery Level Four Magus, five hybrids and four purestrain genestealers and two Coven Limos for them to ride in. I picked Slaanesh as their Chaos patron so all the cultists and mutants are in six man squads. Thirty mutants with hand weapon and shield, twenty four mutants with two hand weapons and sixty brood brothers with stub guns and swords. I also had three Rogue Psykers, four mutant bombs and the Deodorant Hover tank. I only had four heavy weapons in the army, a heavy plasma gun, Missile launcher and multi melta carried by the hybrids and a multi laser on the hover tank. All the beastmen had frenzon dispensers so the plan was to get them into close combat and watch the magic happen.

Chuckaroo deploys the Imperial forces. Slowly advancing on the wellhead settlement.

The Magus is on the hill working the masses into a killing frenzy. The Rogue Psykers are attached to squads of brood brothers and stand back as the beastmen get excited.

The Magus Preaches to the faithful.

The thump of a thudd gun opens the Imperial attack. Killing one Brood brother from the sentry squad.

A second Thudd gun fires indiscriminately into the cultist horde.

A Rogue Psyker directs the Brood brothers toward the Imperial interlopers.

The hover tank moves out of the ruins to unmask its multilaser and open fire on the Marine Heavy weapon squad.

The Squat close combat specialists march toward the Cultists.

The Imperials advance into the settlement.

The Thud gun fires again and scatters badly. Unfortunately the scatter lands the template on my Magus and kills him. Along with him goes the controllers or all the frenzon dispensers and the controllers for the mutant bomb's bomb harnesses.

Chuckaroo's dice rolling hot once again, much to my detriment.

Three beastmen finally make it into hand to hand.

The frenzied Brood brother charge into the Marine heavy weapon squad.

The Hover Tank claims the first Imperial casualty. At this time I was down about twenty or so models including all of my heavy weapon hybrids.

The first combat is resolved and the surviving beastman runs for the hills.

After some rereading of the vehicle damage rules the first limo is destroyed instead of shrugging off repeated hits of muiti melta fire. Knowing their time is short the Patriarch and pure breed genestealer get out and charge the dreadnought. They proceed to bounce all their attacks off of its power field.

More Beastmen join in the assault with the frenzied Brood brothers.

A thudd gun scatters wild and misses everyone.

The Patriarch and stealer down the power field and damage the Dreadnought but in return it kills several genestealers.

Two frenzied brood brother charge into the marines and are burnt down by the flamer.

Chuckaroo's dice start to cool down but it is probably too late for the Cultists.

The Beastmen charge into the center Marine squad.

Fresh Brood brothers and a rogue psyker charge into the combat against the marines. It he background the mutant bombs run by the combat trying for the squat squad behind. The Rogue Psyker burn up some psi point to power his force sword and chops down some marines.

The second Dreadnought moves over to support his stricken comrade.

The imperial turn the rapier on one of the mutant bombs and detonates its bomb harness. It throws out the max of six secondary charges and detonates the other two nearby mutant
bombs. This is the most 1 1/2 inch radius templates Chuckaroo and I have ever seen used at one time.

The second mutant bomb goes off and throws several secondary blasts. A couple scatter off of the table but one lands in the combat but fails to kill anybody.

The Third mutant bomb goes off in a good fireworks display but causes no more collateral damage.

The thudd gun makes a square with its scatter but doesn't hit anyone.

The center marine squad finishes off the surviving beastman.

The Patriarch and last stealer down the dreadnought and then prepare to be boltered down.

This is when we called the game. Ninety percent of the Cultist were dead and only a had full of the Imperial had been struck down. The surviving cultist fled into the woods to start rebuilding again. The Hover tank survived the battle and was last seen heading into the sunset as fast as it could fly.

I think everybody had a fun time and look forward to playing another Rogue trader game. For my part of the game I think the real turning point for the Cult was when the Magus was killed. Not only did I lose the controller for the frenzon and bombs but I also lost one hundred and sixty points of psychic powers and a force weapon. The second blunder was charging the Dreadnought with the patriarch and steeler brood. If I would have charged any other Imperial unit the Patriarch and steeler brood would have made short work of them. Another "if" goes with that, if the Patriarch and brood would have survived the bolter fire to get into combat to begin with.

It was a Great game and I think a rematch may be in order.

ColKG