It was a dark night on a quiet battlefield...(40K)

>>>It was a dark night on a quiet battlefield. The glow of tracer fire subsided some hours earlier and things were still. Night birds began to ring out with their mournful cries and the smell of burnt flesh from the artillery shellings and plasma fire wafted in with the pulsing breeze. The space marines of the Deathwatch had spread out amongst the guardsmen, forming a ragged line of black armor mixed in with the myriad uniforms of Cadians, Catachans, and Tanith. The Marines and Guardsmen have been pinned in this small stand of blackened trees and ruined vehicles for two days now. The combined forces of a Tau Hunter Cadre and an Ulthwe' strike group quickly forced the Imperials into a defensive position. All on this planet are here for a single purpose...To capture a relic so powerful that it could alter the fates of entire empires in a matter of moments.

The Imperial group, taking stock of their equipment, have managed to keep a Leman Russ Demolisher, Hellhound and Deathwatch Razorback intact and operational. Along with two full platoons of shock troops, one full platoon of jungle fighters, a Catachan Devil team, and two Tanith Pathfinder Veteran teams, the humans have dug in with hopes that reinforcements will arrive. The night is dark and quiet...but not for long...<<<


Instructions:

Hey folks, feel free to jump in and participate. This is simply a free form RPG session. Explain your character and write some interactions. Follow along with the story and details and have a good read/experience.

Example of Play:

Sergeant Cobb of the Cadian 3rd checks his laspistol charges. Only two full mags left. "Shit, I need to throw a few in the fire for a charge".
Shifting his shotgun in its back scabbard, he wanders low through the darkness checking on his squad. The boys are grim, but thats the way Cadians are...Grim and Determined. Cobb passes one of the hulking, dark figures of the Deathwatch Marines. "See anything out there big guy"? The Marine answers, "Nothing on scanners. The Xenos have withdrawn for now, but they will come again very soon".
Sergeant Cobb pulls his canteen and takes a long gulp, "Well, Emperor knows we are in for it. Damn Tau and Eldar teaming up is a wicked lot of trouble. Worries the hell outta me". The Marine turns his massive helmet so that the glowing green of his lowlight visor cast a subtle glow on the Sergeant, "Emperor Knows in deed".

Example of Combat:

Sergeant Briggs of the 17th Catachan, Screaming Devils Veteran unit pulled the powersword and boltpistol from his belt in unison. The glowing red visor of the stealth suit was hidden from most but not the sharp eyes of the Catachan Devils. Slipping slowly through the trees, he and his men moved nearly into arms length of the bulky suits...With a silent signal, the Devils sprang forth onto the team***

***From here, leave it open as I will roll for results and describe the scene as it works out...


HAVE FUN FOLKS...That is what we are all about.

A lone figure gazed out at the clumsy formations of the humans from amongst the treeline. Dressed in the colors of Ulthwe, the farseer seemed out of place in the desolate landscape. "I take it you have identified their commanders," he said to no one in particular. "The large one, with the ornate pauldrons, to the left of the large tank." The reply came from another figure, who seemed to materialize from thin air, this one wearing a complex array of stealth systems. "I will report my findings to the Shas'O, and we will attack at dawn. Make sure that you uphold your end of the bargain, and we shall return the 'artefact' that we acquired from your world." With that, the Tau warrior disappeared, and the farseer walked back to rejoin his retinue in a nearby clearing. "Did you learn anything new, Master Seer?" "Only that we shall recover the true spirit stone of Eldrad Ulthran soon, reuniting his scattered essence, once we have secured this world for the fledgeling Tau. Send word to Exarch Laconfir, of the Warp Spiders, that his target currently lurks amongst the tanks, and is heavily equipped, but if his squad can kill the Mon'keigh commander, then this world will fall to our coalition."

Telar checked over her equipment, cleaning her sword and making sure no damage was done to her Banshee Mask during the day's battle. She mentaly relived the death of the Space Marines she had killed that day as she worked. A soft smile touched her lips at the thought. Soon the humans would fall. Once she knew her equipment was ready Telar retired to her bed. Tomorrow would be another day with another battle and more humans to kill for daring to be so arrogant as to think they were worthy of the artifact.

Shas'o Shel'ix turned to regard the reporting scout.

"Sir, the Ulthwe are in place. They will require the artifact when the humans are suppressed," the scout reported. Shel'ix regarded the distant traces of movement in the copse of trees that his Blacksun filter revealed for a moment before responding.

"Their requirements are irrelevant. The Eldar serve the greater good for now; in time they may come to fully appreciate it." Shas'o Shel'ix activated his communications uplink. "XV88 Team Leaders Manta and Stingray - assume firebase support positions and stand by. Forward scouts are moving into position to markerlight remaining vehicles."

Shel'ix returned to observing the distant human remnants again, trying vainly to identify the concealed Eldar preparing their ambushes. Willingly or not, both sets of aliens would serve their purpose in the morning, and by the day's end, one more planet would ring harmoniously to the glorious song of the greater good.

Sergeant Dorvan (88th Connaught Rangers) was being quiet as he crept through the undergrowth, glancing over his shoulder he nodded at Cuana, his deliver of the Imperium's righteous flame.
Cuana grinned, spurting gases and the mix of oxygen, touched off by the electric spark and whooosh!
The darkness of the night was lit up by a mix of burning shrubs, gases and the shriek of ignited Xeno's, who quickly attempted to returned fire.

"UP and at 'em lads!" roared Dorvan tiggering his plasma pistol, the rest of the squad added their fire power to the skirmish.

The last of the Xeno's dropped, the gaurdsmen lasfire slowly ebbed. "Get me a report on casualities and an cartridge check" barked Dorvan already cursing his too hot pistol, wondering how soon before it failed him... "Lorcan...get a team go double tab those critters...dont need any of them creepin away" Dorvan called out over their sections vox channel. "Moving out" came the gruff reply.

Dorvan cast an eye up towards the center of the Imperial Lines, wondering how the wre going to get out of this vermin trap

Shas'la Dur'gan Levton blinked while his viewscreen lit up with the bright orange hue of a Gueva flame thrower. While he waited for his vision to return Levton dug in his XV88 Broadside and swung his railguns into position. "Shas'o" he called into his communicator "identify targets of priority. I shall mow them down for the greater good.". With that his vision cleared and he could see the Gueva running around like frightened children. One figure stood out in particular, the punk with the flamethrower. And so at 95% of the speed of light two large, aerodynamic slugs were sent in his direction. Superheated air gave off a faint blue glow. "See, I can make a light show too" Levton remarked as he looked to see if his shots hit their mark.