Deathwatch - A Prize Most Valuable (IC)

[Ceridan]

After the last heretic falls, Tristan nods to himself, pleased at the quickness with witch the squad had triumphed in their first skirmish. ”Brothers Azirel and Svari sweep the immediate area; see if there are any more surprises out there.”

Tristan walks to the shallow top of a nearby shell crater facing toward the fortress. ”Brothers Charon and Onissius, see if you can wring any information from those heretics before they all expire.”

He takes up his magnoculars and sights in on the fortress. ”Brother Kaeste, try to contact the Inquisitor, failing that see if you can contact any Imperial forces.”

Spoiler

Show

Awareness of 58: [roll]1d100[/roll]

Tristan motions for Brother Alyxander to join him, and then asks him, ”Any suggestions on our next course of action brother?”

[Ceridan]

OOC:

Spoiler

Show

Double post, sorry, problem with my [] for the awareness roll. So, Awareness of 58 (1d100)[98]. My good rolls had to end sometime

[Executus]

Seeing the last heretic fall, Charon chuckles. "Well done, brothers. The Enemy lies broken before us, and we are unscathed," his voice rumbles over the vox net.

Crunching the bones of fallen Chaos scum as he strides forward, Charon scans the area for what the Chaos horde might have been advancing toward before the arrival of the Kill-team. "Our presence may have been noticed. We should probably move out soon."

Keeping his weapon in one hand, he thumbs on his cartographer to get a fix on the team's position.

OOC:

Spoiler

Show

I'm assuming you want to roll Awareness secretly, but Charon has a target of 56.

For the map, he's specifically trying to determine where they are in relation to the fortress and excavation site from the briefing, and how long it would take them to reach either.
Navigation(Surface) 54 + difficulty mods.
(1d100)[15]

[The Commander]

Tristan

Spoiler

Show

(Since you failed your Awareness Test, and I was going to call for one if you wanted to look for the Fortress, you've unfortunately been unable to spot the Fortress)

Taking a sweeping look through your magnoculars at the plains in front of you, you don't seem to see the Fortress that you were so readily expecting; at least not in this area. You do see muzzle flash, distant fires of burning, unidentifiable vehicles and the occasional element of Imperial forces or Chaos forces roaming and clashing far from here.

Charon

Spoiler

Show

Consulting your map, you determine your location as slightly South and West of your intended drop-zone. The Fortress lies North-North-West of your location by about 2 kilometres. The excavation site lies to the North-East about 3 kilometres. Judging by the direction the Horde of heretics were moving in, you're reasonably certain they were heading towards the Fortress. Scanning the immediate area, you can see no immediate threats. It would take you roughly 20 minutes to each the Fortress and 30 minutes to reach the excavation site.

[Arcanoi]

Kaeste nods at Tristan's order and deploys the long-range voxcaster, quickly plugging in an electro-graft and activating the device, communing with the voxcaster's young and tempermental machine spirit. With a brief intonation to the Omnissiah, he begins to work, initially scanning open channels for reports of other forces of the Imperium in the area.

Spoiler

Show

Tech use test - 56 Int + 10 for Electro Graft Use = 66 (1d100)[44]

[The Commander]

As Kaeste tunes the Vox Caster for frequencies, he picks up a mostly clear signal of Imperial designation.

"This is...*static* Lithman of Fortress Garrison Theta, we are... *static* attack! Foul heretics are besieging our walls! The scum appear to have... *static* several of our basilisks and they are attempted to bring down the walls and thin our ranks... *static* Anti-air coverage still operational. We... *static* heavy casualties, 23rd Regiment is wiped out. Please assist. Repeat. Please assist."

You are aware of gunfire, explosions and shouts throughout the transmission.

[Bowerbird]

Alyxander lowers his bolter, flicking his ammunition back over to standard bolts before reholstering it and walking over to where Tristan stands, raising his own magnoculars to his eyes he too scans the horizon for the fortress.

Spoiler

Show

Awareness: (1d100)[2] vs 53

[Daisuke1133]

Hearing Tristan's command, Svari responds into his vox, Acknowledged Brother. In this at least I can serve us well."

By Russ, I will not let my Brothers down again. But first...

Svari loads the clip of Metal Storm rounds back into place and locks it, he also makes sure that the Bolt and Kraken rounds are also secure within the Fire Selector before extending his senses out to detect any hidden dangers that are to be found.

Spoiler

Show

Making Awareness Tests tied to Hearing, Sight, and Smell. Still using Wolf Senses.

"Hearing" - (1d100)[52] vs 54

"Sight" - (1d100)[72] vs 54

"Smell - (1d100)[98] vs 54

Re-rolls in OOC thread

[The Commander]

Alyxander

Spoiler

Show

You quickly spot the Fortress to the North-North-West of your position at roughly 2 kilometres away. Through the use of your magnoculars, you take in the situation.

The Fortress is under full scale assault by a teeming mass of Chaos troops, lead by, unmistakeably, a number of Chaos Space Marines. The Fortress' walls are pocket marked with craters, both large and small, and the walls around the Fortress are full of Imperial Guardsmen firing valiently into the crowds of Chaos below them. On parts of the walls, Heavy Bolter turrets rain death upon the vile servants of Chaos, although they seem to be few in number and you can make out some of the shells and wreckages of turrets destroyed along the wall. The Fortress itself is a tiered system of square 'blocks' and atop the highest 'block' you can make out sniper teams and crews of Lascannons. Towards the rear of the Chaos Hordes, you can make out several basilisks crewed by what look like Renegade Militia. Each one in turn fires a shell towards the Fortress and takes out a sizable chunk of the Imperial bastion. You count 5 basilisks in total (although you cannot see behind the Fortress).

Between you and the Fortress lies the remains of several Chimeras and a few Leman Russ Battle Tanks; all burnt out or with a gaping hole in the side of them and their weapons looted or broken.

Svari

Spoiler

Show

You sense no immediate danger in the area. All you see, hear and smell is the death of the heretics before you and the smell of burnt fuel from the destroyed Chimera nearby to the South. You can, however, just make out, through your enhanced sight and hearing, a large battle waging just North-North-West of your position; although you cannot see clearly enough exactly what is going on. You do hear what you believe to be the sound of artillery though.

[Bowerbird]

Alyxander is unable to control his mouth upon sighting the Traitor Mariens, "Traitorous Scum!" he puts his hand on Brother Tristan's shoulder and spins him in the direction of the fortress, pointing in it's direction, "There, Brother, the fortress is under full-scale assault, and the Traitor Marines are with them." he scans the battlefield further, "I do not know how long the fortress will remain unconquered, the enemy has acquired Basilisks." he lowers his magnoculars and looks to Tristan, "Perhaps if we perform a quick skirmish on their artillery we might give our forces a fighting chance?"

[Narmoth]

Onissius checks if he has to reload and then switches to his force sword an searches through the heretics to see if anyone has survived
perception (44) (1d100)[65]

[Calimos]

Seeing the last of the vile heretics dropped down by his brothers' efforts, Azirel's anger and fury subsides and he begins to calm down. He kneels to the ground offering a quick prayer of gratitude to the Emperor and on his brother's command begins searching the area for any yet unnoticed threats.

"Acknowledged Brother Tristan. Sweeping search pattern initiated. Scanning for immediate threats in the vicinity".

Spoiler

Show

Awareness test to spot anything strange, disturbing or dangerous in the area.
39+20 (unnatural senses: hearing, sight)=59 vs (1d100)[66]

[Ceridan]

Now looking in the direction indicated by brother Alyxander, Tristan uses his magnoculars to appraise the situation. "I agree brother. Our secondary objectives call for such action and there is a high likelyhood that the Inquisitor may have withdrawn to the fortress at the outset of the action."

[Executus]

"Additionally, the fortress may provide transport for carrying the artifact. Based on the orbital maps, the fortress is about 2 kilometers away. We should advance now, or there may be no Imperial forces left by the time we get there."

Putting away the map device, Charon loads a magazine of Kraken armor penetrating rounds, then cycles his weapon's power loader to verify its function.

"Even if it were not our objective, the presence of Traitor Marines cannot be ignored. We must purge their taint from this world. Let us quickly decide on an attack plan and execute it. I agree that the artillery is a primary target, but the Traitors cannot be allowed to live."

OOC:

Spoiler

Show

Ammo count:
240/250 standard
120/120 Kraken
60/60 Metal storm
3/3 Frag grenades
3/3 Krak grenades

[The Commander]

Onissuis

Spoiler

Show

As you wade through the mass of blood and broken bodies you spot no heretic left alive. Those that do show signs of life quickly expire as you approach them, a curse to you and the Emperor on their lips. After a few minutes of fruitless searching you come to the conclusion that they are, in fact, all dead.

Azirel

Spoiler

Show

You spot nothing of danger in the immediate area, nor anything terribly out of place of a battlefield with Chaos.

[Bowerbird]

Alyxander stows his magnoculars once more, "I propose we use the tank debris to cover our approach, and flank their forces. There are five Basilisks, if we can each safely take out the gun crews simultaneously we may be able to turn the cannons their forces. If we are seen we should destroy the machines lest they return to Chaos control. What say you, Tristan? We should move swiftly if the fortress is to stand a chance."

[Calimos]

"All clear over here brothers", Azirel replies over the vox. "What is our next course of action?"

[Narmoth]

"No live ones left." Onissius sums up his search
"Are we not swaying from our primary target? Have we any reason to believe that either of our targets are there?" he then asks

[Executus]

Anger tinging his voice at the thought of letting the Chaos marines live for a moment longer, the hulking devastator argues his case once more. "Destroying the foul Traitors and their artillery is most certainly one of our objectives. The Inquisitor may have gone to the fortress for shelter. From the massive bombardment clearly visible on the horizon, if we ignore the fortress now, it will be gone by the time we finish searching the excavation point. We aid them now, or we condemn them to death."

[Calimos]

"And apart from that", Azirel interferes, "the Chaos forces assaulting the imperial fortress might be leaded by a particularly hated traitorous scum who dares to still call himself a space marine and who i'd take a great delight in impaling to my chainsword, wiping his filthy existence from the face of the Emperor's domains and simultaneously weaken their leadership as ordered by the Watch-captain as well".

[Narmoth]

"I do not want to deny your righteous fury towards the heretics, but we must keep in mind that they are a tertiary target in this mission. If the inquisitor was in the fortress, she would no doubt have requested an extraction. It is my opinion that we should try to contact the inquisitor at her sending range first, to try to assess her position" Onissius answers

[Ceridan]

Tristan nods in agreement to his Brother Marines advice. ”Agreed brothers, loyal forces are in distress and we are in a position to lend aid. Damaging the enemy and extracting the Inquisitor are both secondary objectives, but a sucure base makes any efforts to retrive the artifact simpler. What’s more, we have an opportunity to deal a heavy blow to the enemy in the process, this will also ease our efforts to secure the artifact. So, let us show them the folly of treachery.”

He turns to the Space wolf, “Brother Svari I need you to scout ahead, bare North-North-West, quick and quiet. Recon only. Use the abandoned vehicles to screen you. Report any enemy contacts, but do not engage unless forced to. We need you to find us a safe route up behind those Earth shakers before they breach the fortress. Go brother, the emperor protects.”

He then looks to the rest of the squad. “Every-one else, single file, five metre spacing. We will follow in Brother Svari’s wake until we reach a point from which to knock out the enemy artillery. Brother Azirel take point, give Svari a twenty count then follow. Brother Alyxander, bring up the rear. Every-one, stealth is key, hold fire unless ordered otherwise. It will be blade work until we are in position.”

[Arcanoi]

Satisfied that he had gained all forthcoming information from the imperial channel, Kaeste switched to the appointed frequency and began to broadcast the short, clipped code that Ticanus had given them to contact the Inquisitor.

[The Commander]

(Just going to point out by the way that you do pick up other Imperial frequencies on the Vox Caster. Most of the transmissions are from Guardsmen or Armor fighting across the planet and although some are in distress, they are no where near as pressing as the Fortress' distress.)

Kaeste

Spoiler

Show

Make a Cipher's (Inquisition) Test at half your Int - Passed, 1 Degree of Success

You submit what you believe to be the correct codes on the correct frequencies, but your efforts return nothing but static. Suddenly the frequency returns something.

"Errr... who are you and what do you want?"

The voice sounds old and male.

(Secret Roll - [roll]1d100[/roll]) Rerolling that OOC...

[Bowerbird]

"You all heard him, move up!" Alyxander makes sure the rest of the marines get into formation and start moving, "Time is of the essence, brothers."

[Daisuke1133]

"Of course Brother, I will stalk the pathways and find a way for us to approach undetected," Svari says as he turns toward the explosions he saw in the distance. When he enters the forest he puts his Bolter away, draws his combat knife, and retrieves and activates his Stummer, muffling most of his armour's clanking.

Spoiler

Show

I notice that the Concealment and Silent Move skills are always done as opposed tests. Just tell me when they need to be made and I will post rolls in the OOC thread.

[Arcanoi]

Surprised at a response, having assumed from the very start of the mission that the Inquisitor and her retinue were dead, Kaeste responds. "This is Brother-Enginseer Kaeste, Kill-Team Beta Gamma Secundus. Is this channel still secure?" As he spoke, he fell into line behind his battle-brothers.

[The Commander]

Svari

Spoiler

Show

(There's no forest, you're on open plains (it may have been a forest at one point, but the constant fighting has more or less removed all the trees), there are several wrecked vehicles ahead of you though, near the Fortress, so I'm assuming you're heading towards them.)

Make a Sight Awareness Test. - (OOC: Are you heading to the Fortress blind-folded? )

You make your way silently and stealthy over the plains towards your target and towards the wrecked vehicles as cover. As you come closer, you notice an unusual splattering of gore littered around the place and a moment later you realise why. With your eyes fixed upon the unusual litter of bloody body parts and the vehicles ahead of you, you don't notice that you have unintentionally walked into a minefield. This is a fact you soon come to realise as your armored boot depresses a pressure sensor on one of these mines. You barely have time to curse your awful luck in this mission this far before it explodes under you, knocking you off your feet and sending a shower of mud everywhere. It also does [roll]2d10+5[/roll] Explosive Damage (it's a fairly simple mine, nothing like Astartes Mines). - Rerolling that damage OOC...

Kaeste

Spoiler

Show

Make an Easy (+20) Scrutiny Test

For a moment there is nothing but static. Then the voice returns.

"Kill-Team? Errr... yes? Yes! The channel is secure Enginseer Kaeste. Where are you? How many of you are there?"

[Daisuke1133]

I suppose I should not be surprised by the cowardice of these traitors. Still, thank the All-Father for our holy Power Armour.

Without a word Svari rises up off the ground and dusts himself off before checking his surroundings for more mines before he moves from his current position.

Spoiler

Show

"Awareness Test (Sight)" - (1d100)[45] vs 54

[The Commander]

Svari

Spoiler

Show

Now in full knowledge of where you stand, you pick out the placements of the mines. You wince a little as you realise they are Imperial Guard mines, likely placed here in defence of the Fortress. Most have already detonated, judging by the relatively few left (not to mention the assortment of gore everywhere), and you mark out a safe route between them.