Christmas is saved! - A Rogue Trader Battle report

Just managing to get into 2014 with a squeak, Antipixi popped round in the post Chrimbo lull to get a game in. I had that gaming itch that needed scratching so we set to it with a seasonally themed game.

Antipixi brought along his troublemakers. An inquisitor, The Lady Nikita and her warband, a squat and two dogfaced aliens (she must be quite the radical!) she also hired herself a bunch of barbarous mercenaries to bulk out her numbers.

The Inquisitor's mission was to stop the notorious Emperor-denier, Santa Claus and his band of helpers from taking delivery of some STC material that reportedly could be used to mass-manufacture mini-entertainment units that could be used to divert mini-citizens from their devotion to the emperor. He must be stopped! His contact is an Elf of some sort in this sleepy town. Santa has deployed in the centre of town and needs to meet his contact and get back to his Lander at the other side of town. Just where the inquisitor has deployed.

The Helpers split into two groups, 4 of them heading for higher ground to see if they were being followed.

And the rest accompanying santa to visit the magical elf eldar trader.

The mercs sneaked forward, hugging the buildings

As did the rest of Nikitas warband.

One of the helpers took a pot shot at the doggy as appeared in the open, he missed but he got white hot plasma bolts whizzing back in his direction in answer, luckily these also missed.

Meanwhile the negotiations with the elf Eldar started. Santa had to pass a cool test in order to win the negotiation.

The mercs broke cover and opened up at the helpers.

And immediately took out won of them who tumbled to the bottom of the stairs.

The mercs split their fire effectively, taking pot shots at the other guys on the stairs.

But the return fire took out the mercs champion.

Another helper tumbled down the stairs, a crossbow bolt stuck in vital organ.

Lady Nikita, meanwhile, lurked in the shadows,ready to disrupt the negotiations.

But they are too slow! Santa and his chief advisor settle on a good price (a life supply of tangerines) and scurry off to what should be a nicely secured escape route.

At the nicely secured escape route all of the helpers return fire is aimed at the merc with the flamer who is eventually brought down after some terrible shooting.

And in rage, fatso charges the semi-naked helper mo the stairs and unceremoniously chivs him to death.

The flanking shotgun fire takes down the last helper from the original sub team.

In return, fatso is liberally doused with highly flammable liquid promethium.

Lady Nikita tracks back round to intercept the fleeing jolly heretics.

While another helper hopelessly attempts to gun down some of the enemy but is instead pulped by return plasma fire from the palms toting pup.

Fearing the worst Santa uses his teleport power (he is Santa after all) to zap himself to a roof top and uses is snow-melta gun to roast a hot dog!

The remaining to helpers are charged by a squat champion and one of the remaining mercs. Several rounds of slapping later.....

Both do santa's poor helpers lie in pools of crimson on the floor.

Santa is targeted by the rest of the inquisitorial team but he is saved by his displacement field which displaces him 6" away from the roof he was standing on. He appears in mid air and falls into some urban greenery which some how breaks his fall.

Luckily in his turn he passes his teleport test again and ends next to the landing platform. Another save from his displacement field lands hi in the bushes which he struggles to get out of.

Things are looking desperate for santa. The emperors agents are closing in. Does he stand and shoot it out or make a run for it?

A quick word with Rudie the pilot.

And a booming 'Ho! ho! ho!' as the lander lifts off among a hail of bolt shells. Next year the girls and boys will get their toys!

Antipixi and as had a great game and it turned out to be quite a tight one. My shooting was terrible and I just couldn't take down enough of his mercs to make a difference. One of them didn't even have. A gun and the other only had a hand bow. Antipixi's inquisitor was also a Psyker and also had teleport but she kept failing her rolls apart from one to boost her armour save and with only 10 psi points she didn't get much of a chance to use her powers.

More games next year we hope!