The Rise of the Regulators - Caravan Heist

This close to the Hive shell the settlement was deserted. The Authorities had evacuated the area claiming the settlement was unsound after the Hive Quakes started but judging by the bullet holes and blood stains the 'evacuation' hadn't been entirely voluntary. 

Reluctant to break the eerie silence Brigitte merely nodded as each of the Regulators moved into position and readied themselves for the ambush. The atmosphere had grown grim as they had moved through the settlement. Howling Mad Mave's usual exuberance had ebbed away with each passing minute. Ludwig sat crossed-legged, eyes closed, craddling his Chainaxe, his lips silently moving offering up prayer. Even Grimy had lost his usual bravado although Brigitte wasn't sure if it was because he was still recovering from his injuries or it was the pervading atmosphere.  

'I've seen more life in a Corpse Starch processing plant' thought Brigitte. 'Is this the route they will take? Is this the time? Have they realised we've been listening in on them...'

The unmistakable sound of an approaching vehicle shattered the silence along with the Escher leader's doubts. A grin spread across her face 'The waiting is always the hardest part.' 

As the caravan moved closer Brigitte stepped out of cover and gunned down an outlier Enforcer guarding the vehicle.

Grimy attempted to gun down another but his shot flew wide of the mark.

Ludwig spotted an Enforcer moving towards cover and fired a Frag at him but the grenade scattered off of the cover harmlessly.

The vehicle trundled forward as the Enforcers clung to it.

Grimy was blasted from his feet by an Enforcer's Bolter and slumped to the floor seriously injured. Oberon, the Delaque Psy-Gheist dragged his prone body into cover.

An Enforcer levelled his Shotgun at Brigitte but the shot was saved by Brigitte's Mesh armour. The Escher leader returned fire and Seriously Injured the 'lawman'.

An Enforcer riding on the Vehicle's container spotted Ludwig lurking in the shadows and pinned the Redemptionist with his Bolter.

Howling Mad Mave launched herself across the settlement and took the Enforcer that Brigitte had gunned down Out of Action.

As the vehicle continued its relentless advance Oberon sent his Psychoteric Worm towards it to act as a conduit for his Wyrd powers, casting Spatial Psychosis onto Enforcer on top of the cargo container.

Ludwig climbed to his feet and returned fire but the shot flew wide and his grenade launcher jammed. The Redemptionist activated his Chainaxe and offered thanks to 'His' divine will that he should carry out 'His' will at a more personal distance.

WR-41-TH took over nurse duty for the Seriously Injured Goliath but his tender mercies proved no more adequate than Oberon's.

Brigitte moved around the old mining shaft and levelled her Bolter at the Enforcer leader riding on the caravan. The shot echoed around the settlement and the Enforcer fell with a Flesh Wound.

Oberon sent his Psychoteric Worm forward to Coup De Grace a downed Enforcer.

Howling Mad Mave jumped forward and blasted the Enforcer armed with an Assault Ram from his feet with her Combat Shotgun.

The Enforcers were in disarray but the vehicle continued forward regardless. The Regulators realised they were running out of time to loot its contents.

Howling Mad Mave leapt into combat with the Enforcer leader and hacked him down with her Chainsword.

With time running out WR-41-TH left the Seriously Injured Grimy to loot the vehicle and was joined by Ludwig and between them they collected 2 Loot Counters.

Just as the Regulators thought they had taken charge of the situation the Hive Spirits intervened to let them know who was really in charge. A roving band of Mutants showed up, no doubt attracted by the sudden noise that had reverberated around the settlement.

To make matters worse, they couldn't have arrived in a worse position. They all surrounded the Seriously Injured Goliath who had spent all of the battle bleeding out.

Brigitte moved up, she was too far away to loot the vehicle so she levelled her Bolter at 3 Mutants and gunned two of them down with her Rapid Firing Bolter. The Escher leader shouted to Howling Mad Mave to ignore the Mutants and concentrate on the cargo. so the Orlock Prospect jumped towards the vehicle to claim another Loot counter. The third Mutant shot at her with his Autogun and although it failed to wound it still pinned her meaning Mave would no longer be able to catch the vehicle next time.

A Mutant charged into Grimy, inflicting a Critical Injury on the Goliath Bully.

The caravan circumnavigated the settlement obstacles towards the edge of the settlement. Before it lay open road and the opportunity for it to move into high gear and outpace the Regulators. 

Oberon, Ludwig and WR-41-TH Looted the vehicle one last time to bring the their Loot tally to eight.

We thought we'd lost this scenario because the original Caravan Mission requires 10 Loot Counters to win. Then we realised that the original mission also starts with 10 models on each side rather than the six which we started with. So we're calling this a minor win because our Loot counters were over our starting strength.

After all these years this is the first time we've played this scenario, mainly because we never had a model to represent an appropriate 'Caravan' but thanks to Rob getting some base colours down on his Ridgehauler we thought it was high time we gave it a go.

Over the years we've moved away from a 4'x4' table and prefer a 3'x3' to avoid the usual couple of turns running to get closer to each other. This scenario would probably be better on a 3'x4' to give the antagonists time to actually loot it. We played diagonally across our 3'x3' but I felt that was too short so I'd recommend a 4' table length for anyone who plays this scenario.

Maman Brigitte

The Escher Leader managed two kills in this game and once again she was instrumental in keeping the Enforcers on the back foot. 

Credits: 31

Experience: 6 (15-9)

Reputation: 14

Brigitte spent most of her experience on the Spring-Up Skill.

Ludwig

The Redemptionist failed to take anybody out of action but he did manage to claim 3 Loot Counters. Ludwig will use some his experience to increase his attacks by 1 and he'll bag himself an exterminator from the flaming Cassock Trading Post.

Credits: 35

Experience: 3 (15-12)

Reputation: 12

WR-41-TH

The Ad-Mech Specialist managed one kill and claimed two Loot counters this game.

Credits: 0

Experience: 1 (13-12)

Reputation: 15

WR-41-TH can finally afford a Plasma Gun thanks to this week's haul and he's using his experience to increase his wounds by 1.

Howling Mad Mave

The Orlock Wrecker killed two Enforcers and manged to claim one Loot Counter.

Credits: 29

Experience: 4 (10-6)

Reputation: 7

Mave will be spending most of her Experience on increasing her BS.

Oberon

The Delaque Psy-Ghiest claimed 2 Loot Counters and his pet killed an Enforcer!

Credits: 0

Experience: 0 (8-8)

Reputation: 7

Oberon badly needs a physical weapon of some sort and thanks to this week's haul of credits he'll be getting a Web Pistol to give him some bite and he's using his Experience to increase his Toughness by 1.

Grimy

Grimy had a shocker. He was seriously injured in the first round and spent all game trying to recover from it. This was despite him having an assist for nearly all of the game. The only time he was on his own a Mutant showed up to Coup De Grace him! We rolled on the Medical Escort and Grimy received an Eye Injury reducing his BS to 6+ and put him once again back into recovery.

Credits: 0

Experience: 10

Reputation: 10

We gained D6x10 credits for each Loot counter which gave us 360 Credits to add to our Gang Stash, giving us a grand total of 385 credits.

40 of those Credits will go to WR-41-TH to help him finally buy his Plasma Gun and 90 Credits will go to Oberon to arm him with a Web Pistol reducing the Gang Stash to 255 Credits.

Howling Mad Mave smashed the final crate open to reveal yet more of the same components as the others.

"Nothing but junk!" hissed the Orlock Prospect.

"Hardly Junk" said WR-41-TH. "These are highly sophisticated devices capable of operating in vacuum or at incredible depths with their own internal power supply and the highest level of encryption protocols known to the Adeptus Mechanicus." gushed the renegade Ad-Mech, who was obviously impressed with their haul.

"So you know what they're for then?" replied the young Orlock.

"Oh, this sort of encryption is far beyond my clearance or understanding."

"So that'll be no then?" said Mave kicking the crate

"What about withstanding the effects of the Sump?" interrupted Brigitte.

"I suspect these would be impervious to the most corrosive of substances." Replied WR-41-TH

The Escher leader nodded confirming her suspicion.

"Well at least we know where they were destined for." added Brigitte.

"Where's that then?" asked Mave.

"The Sump at Tumbledown Rise"

"And how do you know tha..."

Brigitte flipped the lid of the crate over. "It's on the damn lid!"

Until next time....may the Hive Spirits watch over you 😉