40K/Inquisitor RPG. The Line of Damnation.

Imperial Overlord · Post by **Imperial Overlord** » 2004-12-30 11:50pm

Shanan was relieved to be working under an inquisitor who had some idea of naval tactics. "We have already scanned for active signal from the planet. In system communications are below normal levels and this is further complicated by the gas giant's magnetic field and the energetic primary. If they arch-enemy is present, which we strongly suspect, they won't be broadcasting important information in the clear. They'll want a specific contact."

"Deploying a Cobra to make astropathic contact will work, but it has most of the same difficulties of any other form on communication with the system. The enemy won't be able to read our communications, but he may be able to trace them. And then he'll know he has company."

Typhonis 1 · Post by **Typhonis 1** » 2004-12-31 12:13am

"True but We will be discovered sooner or later.When that happens we need to limit the information he gains. A single covba will say yes Imperials are here but not WHERE they are or in what strength."

"And if we play our cards right we can use the cobra as bait. To catch a few enemy fish I would much rather face them on our terms not theres"

Petrosjko · Post by **Petrosjko** » 2004-12-31 12:23am

Prius' posture and demeanor indicated that Shanan would best be served by seeing the complete and utter brilliance of Nathan's words.

Imperial Overlord · Post by **Imperial Overlord** » 2004-12-31 12:28am

"A workable plan, Lord Inquisitor." Shanan turned towards his coms officer. "Signal the Matchless to break toward the second belt and signal the planet from there."

"Yes, captain."

Outside the massive bulk of the almost kilometer long Cobra class destroyer triggered its main drive. A bright flare errupted from its huge thrusters as the mighty vessel being to push away from the gas giant and towards the inner system.

Imperial Overlord · Post by **Imperial Overlord** » 2004-12-31 12:37am

"Captain," reported a coms officer, "we are getting a relay from the Matchless. The planet is still held by Imperial forces. An enemy cruiser squadron fought their way in and dropped troops. The wrecked all system ships and the orbital batteries, but were repelled by ground based weapons. That was one week ago. They were last seen at the second belt, where they attacked a mining outpost."

"Enemy strength?" Shanan demanded.

"They have sited several raiders at long distance, type unknown. Two confirmed enemy cruisers, a Murder and a Devestation Class. Tentatively identified as the Hellhound and Plague King respectively."

Typhonis 1 · Post by **Typhonis 1** » 2004-12-31 01:02am

Nathan nods " Captain I leave getting us to the planet in your capable hands"

Petrosjko · Post by **Petrosjko** » 2004-12-31 01:07am

Prius' look said that those hands had better be very capable indeed.

Imperial Overlord · Post by **Imperial Overlord** » 2004-12-31 01:15am

Captain Shanan nodded. "Helm, ahead half."

"Aye captain. Ahead half." The monstrous engine arrays on the mighty battlecruiser fired, projedting a sword of fire from the Mar's engine tubes. The Cobra swarm deployed off the starboard side, closer to the gas giant. A moment latter they began to accelerate as well, pacing their larger brother.

------------------------------------------------------

"Captain, we have detected an astropathic trace."

"Really?"

"Yes captain. In system. Near the second belt."

"Order the crews to battlestations and an intercept vector. Inform the Plague King. And send Rend and Tear to scout."

"Your will," the sorcerer replied.

Captain Skyranx flexed his hands. It was a habit from before his bones had been transmuted to brass and his blood changed to molten iron.

GeneralTacticus · Post by **GeneralTacticus** » 2004-12-31 01:26am

Adivan entered the bridge, alone, as the task force got underway. He spent a few moments examining the various displays around the bridge, nodded to himself, and then closed his eyes. Those watching him got the distinct impression that he was looking for something.

Approximately ten seconds later, his eyes slid open, and he turned to Captain Shanan.

"They know we're here, Captain, and they'r ecoming this way. Just a couple of raiders for now, I think, but there will be more. Is the Nova Cannon loaded?"

Imperial Overlord · Post by **Imperial Overlord** » 2004-12-31 01:35am

"Captain," said a hooded astropath. "I am recieving a transmition from Matchless. Two Idolator class raiders have emerged from the belt and are in pursuit." Shaned nodded in acknowledgement to the Inquisitor's prescient display.

"Navigation, compute Idolator's projected course and display Matchless's path." Blue and red curving lines angled toward the aquila that represented the Retribution. Skulls marked the path at several points.

"Clarify," Shanan ordered.

"Unable to do so," responded the Senior Magos. "The Idolator closely matches the Cobra design in speed and maneuverability. Specifics of each ship will determine where intercept will occur."

"Chance of Matchless's escape?"

"Nil," responded the senior Magos. "Matchless was operating under minimum power stealth protocal to avoid detection until it locked onto the Indolators. The Idolators were able to acquire a substantial velocity advantage at that time. Outer envelope projections are-"

"Yes," responded Shanen, cutting of the Techpriest. "Helm, all ahead full."

Petrosjko · Post by **Petrosjko** » 2004-12-31 01:51am

Prius gripped the deck rail with white-knuckle intensity. It was battle, yes. It was in the name of the Emperor, yes.

But it was no way for a true warrior to fight, eye to eye with his foe. And it was no way for a warrior to die, blasted in the vast silence of space. While he was confident they could handle this challenge, all the same...

God-Emperor, give your unworthy servant the chance to rend the enemy in close quarters.

Imperial Overlord · Post by **Imperial Overlord** » 2004-12-31 02:01am

'Lord Captain," began the short commissar, "I must question this course of action. We cannot save Matchless and we end up revealing ourselves to a superior force of enemy ships."

"Incorrect," replied Shanan. "We can save Matchless and kill those Idolators."

"We won't make the intercept point in time and our bombers aren't any faster," replied the commissar.

"Correct. There is nothing the Retribution can do. The Cobras are a different matter. Calculate a firing solution for a torpedo volley to intecept the Idolators before they catch the Matchless. Have them fire."

"At this range Lord Captain, the Idolators will evade."

"Yes they will. And in doing so they will halt their pursuit of the Matchless and evade, which will change their intercept vector. Get the flight crews to their ships. We will soon be engaging the enemy."

Typhonis 1 · Post by **Typhonis 1** » 2004-12-31 02:30am

Nathan nodded and headed for a lif.There was nothing else he could do up here it was in the Captain and the emperors hands, he would merely get in the way.

"Prius get the company commanders together time for a strategy meeting"

Imperial Overlord · Post by **Imperial Overlord** » 2004-12-31 02:44am

"My Lord Inquisitor please wait," said Captain Shanan.

"The enemy does not control Zelnar Prime. It still has some defence stations and the capacity to build more. Until they take it, it remains an Imperial bastion in this system. They cannot permit that. And they don't have the firepower to do that."

"Unless they capture the Divine Retribution. Then they can win without reinforcements. That is an explotiable weakness. They will attempt to lure us into an ambush, perhaps near one of the gas giants or among the asteroids."

"We can use this desire against them. I need your precognitive abilities to tell me where they want to lure us."

Typhonis 1 · Post by **Typhonis 1** » 2004-12-31 02:56am

Nathan nodded to the Captain "Very well I shall do my best. Prius the strategy meeting shall wait till we secure the skies"

He headed over to the map and closed his eye, reaching out with his senses , trying to find the shifts that determine where the enemy may go.

The one cruiser definitely coming for them was leaving an easily read trail but the other was harder to find.The escorts were moving hphazardly but wait there the ediddied ammased yes there .

Nathan stabed his finger down onto the map "There Captain is where the enemy cruiser is headed"

Imperial Overlord · Post by **Imperial Overlord** » 2004-12-31 03:29am

The captain considered the map. "They'll mass together, of course. The Hellhound will engage the Cobras and shield the Plague King while the Plague King launches assault boats at us. The Idolators will attempt to pick off the Cobras. Hmmmm"

"Yes. I think we should use what will appear to be standard Imperial tactics against them. Straight ahead, after they 'surprise' us, with the Cobras using our guns and Nova Cannon as a shield. A fighter screen for our deployed bomber wing. We will, of course, attempt to cripple the Plague King with a Nova Cannon shot and force their formation to break with a torpedo volley from our Cobras. None of which will happen."

"Inquisitors, if you can give me anyway of trapping or eliminating the escorts before the battle, we have a good chance of pulling this off."

Petrosjko · Post by **Petrosjko** » 2004-12-31 10:09am

Naval tactics were completely out of his depth. Prius simply watched, his weigh shifting methodically from foot to foot with clocklike regularity.

Typhonis 1 · Post by **Typhonis 1** » 2004-12-31 12:38pm

Nathan looked at the map is brow furrowed.He closed his eyes........they snaped open "We need to provide the enemy escorts with a target they wont pass up...a crippled ship?? mayhaps pretend we were damaged exiting the warp?"

" It all boils down to how we make the enemy percieve us.If they think we are crippled by warp damage the escorts should be sent in to finish us off then deal with out other escort.....we could send escort grouops 2 and 3 away in an orbit using the planets ring system for cover so the could pop up bhind them and loose fire on there rear."

Petrosjko · Post by **Petrosjko** » 2004-12-31 01:17pm

Whenever possible, divide the enemy and defeat him in detail.

A basic precept. He nods in concurrence with Nathan's scheme.

Post by **The Yosemite Bear** » 2004-12-31 02:35pm

with no duties besides weapons training to occupy her, sister lillith began going through the lost texts left in her master's care, checking for heretical content.

The first "book" she picked up was puzzeling defeat you enemies by not fighting?, still the basic tactics and the use of "formless" manuver were sound all in all.

Imperial Overlord · Post by **Imperial Overlord** » 2004-12-31 09:45pm

"An interesting plan Inquisitor, except we have already revealed ourselves. We are committed to saving the Matchless, and perhaps taking out the Idolators before joining battle with the cruisers. The heretics need to capture the Retribution relatively intact in order to seize the planet and that dictates their tactics. They will not risk escorts against a battlecruiser. And if you are right, we know where they are going to lead us."

"Master of Ordinance, prepare our fighter squadrons to escort our bombers. Surveyors, status on Idolators."

"Still closing on Matchless," replied Lieutenant Flagg.

"Is the torpedo solution calculated?"

"Calculated and laid in captain."

"Fire." said Shenan. Outside, thousands of kilometers away, the Cobras unleashed a volley of torpedos. The huge missles, 60 meters long, leaped forth on pillars of fire towards an intercept point with the Idolators.

Petrosjko · Post by **Petrosjko** » 2004-12-31 09:49pm

Prius, watching the display, fingered his aquila and prayed silently.

Almighty Emperor, let your Vengeance descend upon the followers of the false gods. Let them know suffering before they die, and let them drift forever among the stars, lost to your light.

Imperial Overlord · Post by **Imperial Overlord** » 2004-12-31 10:35pm

As the torpedoes neared, the Idolators broke from pursuit, turning away to evade the deadly warheads and frantically accelerating away from the incoming swarm. Lines twisted and changed on the holographic display as vectors changed. Intercept points vanished as Matchless angled to rejoin her squadron and the Divine Retribution bore down on the Idolators.

It took moments of the servants of the arch-enemy to realize that they no longer had a chance of catching Matchless. They turned and burned back towards the asteroid belt, choosing a path parallel to part of the belt. A path that passed close to the predicted hiding spots of the heretic cruisers.

Typhonis 1 · Post by **Typhonis 1** » 2005-01-01 12:25am

Nathan watched as the battle unfolded an area of the asteroid belt seemed to draw his attention he looked at it. The display showed that the asteroids were dense and the area had a green glow to it.

"Captain what is wrong with this green area here?"

Imperial Overlord · Post by **Imperial Overlord** » 2005-01-01 09:31pm

Shanan turned his head. "Based on your predictions, this is where we have calculated Hellhound and Plague King will be. It is advantageous for us to allow them to believe they will ambush us."

"Hellhound completely outmatches us in broadside power and Plague King is our near equal. We have a marginal advantage in range. Hellhound will close with us as Plague King's assault boats attempt to cripple systems. The Idolators will reverse course and will join Hellhound in attempting to kill Pilium Squadron. When Hellhound gets close enough, it will attempt to board. New waves of assault boats from Plague King will assist and we will fall. Of course, we will endeavour to prevent this."

"The additional troops embarked will strengthen our ability to resist boarders. And we will target Hellhound with every weapon at our disposal, which they are unlikely to anticipate. The Idolators or Plague King would be more traditional targets."

As he spoke, Divine Retribution swept through space closer to its rendevous with destiny.