40k Rogue Trader: Raid on Fuel Station Zeta-6

This was the first game of Warhammer 40,000 Rogue Trader ever run at Dreamdealers, I intend to run many more of them, when I can get the minis painted! The mission is fairly straightforward, I kept it simple for the first game, as I wanted to make sure I got the rules right! We tried it twice, and although the marines won both times, they were still close games and the marines took a lot of casualties along the way (T3 and a 4+ power armour save in RT!).

Mission Overview:
The rebel forces on the backwater Imperial planet of Lunburg III have taken control of most of the world’s settlements and key installations in less than a year. Although not a particularly populous or important planet, Lunburg III is an agricultural world and thus a vital source of food and other resources like timber and water needed by nearby systems. Imperial forces have been slow to respond, but Space Marines of the Crimson Fists have finally arrived in force to assist the beleaguered Imperial troops in retaking the world. First, the rebels must be deprived of fuel and supplies, so space marine strike teams have dropped in all over the planet with the intention of taking control of or destroying the various supply dumps and fuel depots that are scattered around the hinterlands of the world’s small and only landmass.

Fuel Station Zeta-6, and surrounding hinterlands.

The Space Marines, strike team Dagger 2-8, has been dropped in under cover of darkness two klicks from Fuel Station Zeta-6. The station itself is a small fenced compound with various fuel tanks and stacks of drums full of fuel. Because significant rebel forces are active in the area (these are likely to respond quickly when they hear the fuel station coming under attack), it would be impossible to hold if it was captured, and it’s so far behind enemy lines, the remaining planetary defence forces couldn’t make use of the supplies in any case. Therefore it has been decided that destruction is the only course of action available. Orbital Energy scans revealed that the tanks are protected by an energy field, so long range weaponry won’t work. This, coupled with the fact that the fleet can’t get close enough to destroy them from orbit because of the rebel controlled planetary defence lasers, means that the strike team will have to assault the station, move in past the power field and blow the tanks with explosives.

The fuel station itself, guarded by rebel patrols.

The Space Marines:
• Each marine has a bolt pistol, knife, frag grenades and power armour (4+ save!).
• 9 marines have boltguns.
• 1 marine has a Plasma Gun.
• 1 marine has a Flamer.
• Sergeant Bosco (a space marine Hero) also carries a Chainsword and replaces Bolt Pistol with a Plasma Pistol.
• 2 demolition charges (carried by Bolter armed marines).

The Rebel Militia:
• 12 men (in 3 units of 4 men) all with Knives, Autoguns and Flak Armour.
• Commander Dhecker (human Hero) with Knife, Autogun and Flak Armour.
• Rebel reinforcements - one unit of 5 militia enters a random point on a board edge at the start of each rebel turn. 
 

Crimson Fist marines advance on the compound, one marine is hit and goes down!...

 Rebel militia rush to defend the sandbagged emplacement from the advancing space marines.

Rebel troops take up firing positions on the top of the fuel tanks.

A squad of marines advances past an overgrown ruin.

Rebels decide (perhaps foolishly) to counter-attack, and advance on the marines.

Rebel reinforcements appear and exchange shots with the marines. Both sides suffer casualties on the open ground.

The marines bravely continue to advance in the face of rebel gunfire, and several are killed. Remember, in RT, space marines are only toughness 3 and power armour only grants a 4+ armour save, which is further reduced to a 5+ since Autoguns have a -1 save modifier!

They don't have it all their own way though, as all the rebels on the walkway are blasted by highly accurate plasma gun fire! (plasma guns (and pistols) in RT are "follow fire" weapons, as long as you keep hitting and causing wounds, you can keep taking additional shots at other targets within 2" of the last one).

Despite being the only survivor of his squad, a lone marine continues to advance on the rebel compound.

Sergeant Bosco and his remaining men reach the fence, and chuck their demolition charge into the compound! Rebel Commander Dhecker looks on in horror from behind his barricade!

Despite Commander Dhecker's attempt to reach the demo charge and throw it clear, it explodes and wins the game for the Crimson Fists! (and leaves nothing of Dhecker but a pair of smoking boots). 

All in all, a great first game of Rogue Trader! I'm planning further games involving Imperial Army troopers, the marines of course, a band of Space Ork raiders, and undesirable cult and even some mystery aliens!