Heresy: Conflicts of Legend – Battle of Molech
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Battle of Molech – Death-Charge of the Blood Angels
Hey guys! Captain Morgan here from Forge the Narrative with another custom scenario. Today’s scenario features content from the Black Library Novel Vengeful Spirit by Graham McNeill.
SIGNIFICANT SPOILERS AHEAD!!!
If you have not yet read up to this point in the Horus Heresy series, then you may want to come back after catching up. You have been warned!
This scenario was designed with the narrative in mind and represents the forces described in the novel. Since there are a lot of bodies involved, you may want to split the forces on each side between you and a friend, opening up an opportunity for a great four player game.
Let’s get on with the Scenario!
Summary:
Horus has come to Molech to seize a great power that could allow him to rival the Emperor of Mankind. The defenders of Molech, a collection of Imperial Knights, Imperial Army, Titan Legions, Ultramarines, and Blood Angels have prepared a last stand on the outskirts of the city. (some of these forces will be represented in another scenario)
The Blood Angels of the Bloodsworn, knowing the inevitability of defeat, have gathered their remaining forces to conduct a valiant death-charge that aims to inflict maximum carnage upon the center of the Warmaster’s battle lines.
Maloghurst the Twisted, Equerry of the Sons of Horus, leads the ground forces against the Blood Angels. Maloghurst is an accomplished tactician and general but Horus has not fully informed his Equerry about his plans for cosmic power. Maloghurst, seeing the Blood Angels prepare for a heroic charge up the center, readies the Warmaster’s Secret Weapon against the Blood Angels – The Red Angel.
Can the Loyalist Imperial forces halt the tide of heresy and stop Horus’ campaign to take Molech and whatever prize the Warmaster Seeks? Can you change the course of history?!
Objectives:
Victory Points
Modified Line Breaker (Loyalist Only) see below
Deployment:
Hammer and Anvil
Random Game Length
Reserves
Outflank
The Map: Terrain should depict a war-torn environment with wreckage of vehicles and/or plenty of craters to represent the effects of the intense back-and-forth fighting between the defenders and their attackers.
Dramatis Personae:
Defenders of Molech:
Vitus Salicar – Blood Angels Commanding Officer, Captain of the Bloodsworn
Drazen Acorah – Blood Angels ex- Librarian and Lieutenant to Vitus Salicar
Agana Serkan – Warden (Chaplain) of the Bloodsworn
The Warmaster’s Defiled Host:
Maloghurst the Twisted – Equerry to the Warmaster
The Cruor Angelus – The Red Angel
The Armies
Loyalist Forces:
The Bloodsworn
HQ
Vitus Salicar – Praetor 150
Artificer Armor
Iron Halo
Paragon Blade
Legion Command Squad 205
4x Legion SM Chosen
1x Vexilla
3x Combat Shield
1x Charnabal Sabre
1x Power Weapon
Rhino Ded. Transport
Agama Serkan – Centurion 90
Chaplain Consul
Melta Bombs
Troops
Legion Tactical Squad 210
SMx9
Additional CC Weapon
Sergeant w/melta bombs
Rhino AC
Legion Tactical Squad 210
SMx9
Additional CC Weapon
Sergeant w/melta bombs
Rhino AC
Legion Tactical Squad 210
SMx9
Additional CC Weapon
Sergeant w/melta bombs
Rhino AC
Legion Tactical Squad 210
SMx9
Additional CC Weapon
Sergeant w/melta bombs
Rhino AC
Legion Tactical Squad 210
SMx9
Additional CC Weapon
Sergeant w/melta bombs
Rhino AC
Legion Tactical Squad 210
SMx9
Additional CC Weapon
Sergeant w/melta bombs
Rhino AC
Elites
Legion Veteran Squad 270
Veteran x9
1x Melta Gun
Vet Sergeant
Artificer Armor
Power Weapon
Rhino AC
Tank Hunters
Legion Veteran Squad 270
Veteran x9
1x Melta Gun
Vet Sergeant
Artificer Armor
Power Weapon
Rhino AC
Tank Hunters
Legion Veteran Squad 255
Veteran x9
Vet Sergeant
Artificer Armor
Power Weapon
Rhino AC
Tank Hunters
Legiones Astartes (Blood Angels) – Gains Furious Charge for all models
Traitor Forces:
The Twisted Host (Forces of Maloghurst and the Sons of Horus)
Imperialis Militia Detachment
HQ
Force Commander 148
Power Armor
Augmented Weapon
Iron Halo
Tainted Flesh, Feral Warriors
Troops
Imperialis Militia 70
Lascarbines
Krak Grenades
Free Chimera
Militia x 9
Sergeant
Imperialis Militia 70
Lascarbines
Krak Grenades
Free Chimera
Militia x 9
Sergeant
Inducted Levy Squad 40
19x Levy Auxiliaries
Custodian
2 CC Weapons each
Inducted Levy Squad 40
19x Levy Auxiliaries
Custodian
2 CC Weapons each
Imperialis Militia Fire Support Squad 125
5x Autocannons
Imperialis Militia Fire Support Squad 125
5x Autocannons
Elites
Ogryn Brutes 400
8x Ogryn
6x Additional CC Weapon
2x Ripper Gun
Carapace Armor
Heavy Support 420
Militia Auxiliary Battle Tanks
3x Leman Russ Battle Tanks
Son of Horus Allies
HQ
Maloghurst the Twisted 140
Legion Command Squad 225
4x Chosen
1x Vexilla
4x Combat Shield
Melta Bombs (Squad)
4x Power Weapon
Free Rhino AC
The Cruor Angelus 130
Centurion – Champion
Artificer Armor
Refractor Field
Twin Lightning Claws
Troops
Legion Veteran Tactical Squad 245
1x Vet Sergeant w/PW
9x Vets
Rhino AC
Outflank
Reaver Attack Squad 399
14x Reavers
2x Melta Gun
12x Banestrike Ammo
Chieftain
Artificer Armor
Legiones Astartes (Sons of Horus)
Mission Special Rules:
The Twisted Host player deploys first
Bloodsworn player has the first player turn
All forces of the Bloodsworn must be deployed on the table and are not allowed to be held in reserve.
All non-astartes forces of The Twisted Host must start the game on the table.
Maloghurst the Twisted and his Honor Guard must start the game in their transport in reserve and will arrive automatically on turn 2 from The Twisted Host player’s table edge.
The Reaver attack squad automatically arrive from reserve on The Twisted Host’s player turn three unless rolled successfully on turn 2.
The Cruor Angelus arrives from reserves on turn 4 and may not come on the table earlier. It must arrive from the controlling player’s table edge.
Hopeless Charge:
The Bloodsworn charge to their deaths, hoping to cleanse themselves of past wrongdoings. To represent this, at the start of the game The Twisted Host is awarded victory points for every Blood Angel Infantry unit game as if they had already been destroyed. Blood Angel Infantry units do not award additional victory points when they are destroyed.
The Bloodsworn:
Victus Salicar orders the techmarines to overcharge their Rhino engines since they won’t ever be using them again. To represent this, the following special rules apply:
Lucifer Engines: Each Bloodsworn Rhino gains the fast and open topped (for the purposes of launching an assault) special rules. In addition, due to the smoke emitted from the Rhino’s as their engines are pushed to the limit, any units obscured by a Rhino that has not been wrecked gains the stealth special rule in addition to any other cover bonuses. Any difficult/dangerous terrain tests that are failed by the Rhinos must be re-rolled.
Pursuit of Redemption: Each Infantry model in The Bloodsworn gains the relentless and rage special rules. The Bloodsworn must declare a charge in each assault phase, if possible. Should they destroy a target in the shooting phase, they must declare a charge at the next closest visible, and in range, unit.
Maximum Carnage: Every model in The Bloodsworn with the Character or Independent Character special rules must always issue or accept challenges from other Astartes (in the case of multiple characters, The Bloodsworn player may choose which one will issue the challenge). If they successfully destroy an Astartes opponent in a challenge, or if the Astartes opponent refuses to accept the challenge, then they receive an additional victory point and add +1 to their combat resolution score.
Modified Line Breaker:
Every Loyalist Unit in the Traitor deployment zone at the end of the game is earns 2 victory points each.
This represents the Bloodsworn interfering with the Warmaster’s plans.
The Ex-Librarian:
As long as the model representing Drazen Acorah has not been removed as a casualty, all Bloodsworn on the table that are required to make a Leadership Test may re-roll failed tests.
Modeling note: Per their tradition, any Blood Angels during the heresy who went to their deaths would rub soot or charcoal over their armor turning it black. If the player wishes for additional modelling opportunities or wishes to use Death Company models with appropriate gear then that would be thematically appropriate as well, but not necessary for this scenario.
The Twisted Host
The Endless Horde:
Horus has accumulated a massive number of indentured slaves and conscripted soldiers on his crusade across the stars. Serving mostly as meat to clog the weapons of his enemies, they are nevertheless an important part of his strategy to take Molech. To represent this, each time a unit from the Imperialis Militia and Cults army list detachment is removed as a casualty, they enter the game next turn from reserves on a roll of a 4+. Roll when the unit is destroyed. If the roll is failed the unit may not enter play again and rolls for that unit are not made in subsequent turns.
Due to Horus’ preparation and resources, any unit of Imperialis Militia is allowed to take a Chimera transport equipped with Multi-laser and heavy bolter as a dedicated transport at no cost (which counts for the same roll for reserves as the unit it is attached to). This also explains the autocannons in the Fire Support Squads.
Twisted Schemes: Seeing the Blood Angels poised to strike at the center lines, Maloghurst has requisitioned forces from his legion to counter and blunt this surprise counter-offensive. All models with the Legiones Astartes (Sons of Horus) special rule may charge the turn they arrive from reserves.
The Cruor Angelus:
The Cruor Angelus, The Red Angel, is Horus’ secret weapon against the Blood Angels on Molech. The model is treated as a Champion (see above) with all the relevant rules/wargear associated as such, with the following additional special rules: Ragehost and Wings of Blood
Ragehost: The Cruor Angelus is the literal warp manifestation of the Blood Angels flaw and holds considerable influence over them when they are not accompanied by their primarch. To represent this, any Blood Angel infantry unit within within 6” of this model and has direct line of sight must take a Leadership test at the start of EACH of the Bloodsworn player turns. If the test is passed, the Blood Angel unit suffers a wound for each point the test is passed, with no save possible (Blood Angel player’s choice which model(s) to remove). If the test if failed, then the unit immediately falls under the control of the Twisted Host player(s) for the remainder of the game and do not count for the Modified Line Breaker Objective.
Wings of Blood: This character is treated as being jump infantry, and has the “Daemon” special rule (save reflected by the refractor field upgrade)*.
Modelling note: for players so inclined, the model should look like a power-armored Blood Angel apothecary defiled with red wings of blood and two fiery swords represented on the profile as lightning claws.
Phew, that’s a doozy! Even so, this scenario promises both players an opportunity for bloodshed, and you’ll be likely to see some intense combat and also opportunities for tactical play. Keep an eye out for more Heresy-inspired scenarios and be sure to tune in to the Forge the Narrative Podcast for additional Horus Heresy coverage.
Until we meet again in battles in the Age of Darkness…
If you’re digging all the 30k content please check out our podcast. The last several episodes we have gone over in detail several space marine legions RIGHT HERE ON BOLS! Episode 106, Episode 107, Episode 108, Episode 109 and Episode 110.
Captain Morgan
@sanguine_morgan
