There’s something loose in the woods!

Grrrrr!

After looking into  40k second edition, and painting a few old models, I decided to give it a go.  Given I was using very few models I fudged a few things to my taste, like allowing individual models to go on overwatch rather than the whole squad.

Kurt’s company, a mixed human and squat mercenary force, have been hired by a harassed Imperial Governor to investigate attacks on the scattered human settlements of Barker’s World. Reports have just come in of an attack on a truck resupplying a nearby outpost and a squad has been despatched to investigate.

From left to right: Cap, Spots, Blondie, Two-Tone, and Mustard.

As the squad approaches the buildings they can’t escape the feeling they’re being watched.

[as they near the buildings, they trigger to Termagants to deploy]

On point, Mustard spots something moving to the left.  

He hunkers down on overwatch in the cover of the container while Blondie and Two Tone go to investigate.

Moving around one of the prefabs, Blondie finds himself face to face with a termagant and instinctively despatches it with his bolt pistol - only to be charged by another one leaping from the bushes; although it strikes him, his flak armour absorbs the blow.

Surprise!

Blam!!!

As if a signal has been given, more Termagants appear from behind the other prefab, triggering a hurried snapshot from Mustard, which misses. 

Joined by Cap and Spots, a desultory firefight ensues, which is ended by a well placed frag grenade from Cap, despatching one Termagant and causing the other two to flee.

On the left, things aren’t going so well for the squats, as one Termagant slays Blondie and follows up into Two Tone, and the other two manoeuvre around to the squat’s rear.

Cap’s flak armour and pack shrug off a cheeky shot from a Termagant behind him. Alerted to the threat, he returns fire. 

His and Spots’ combined firepower finish off another Termagant, while Two Tone wrestles down a finishes off the one attacking him.  The remaining Termagant on the left flees back into the safety of the jungle.

With one group of aliens dealt with, and the other hiding behind the furthest prefab, things are looking pretty good for the squats - until an almighty crashing and splintering of wood announces something monstrous emerging from the jungle behind them.

Rargh!

The plucky Squats turn to face this new threat and unleash everything they have on it but, to their shock, nothing even scratches it.

Charging forward, swinging man sized swords crackling with energy, the creature smashes Mustard to the ground. But, undeterred, the hardy squats fight back; weight of numbers prevails and they manage to drag the monster to the ground and finish it off.

Finally, the remaining two Termagants rally and charge the squats but, their blood up, the short hairy ones make short work of the aliens.

And so it’s all over.  The Squats have lost two of their own, but decisively defeated their ambushers, and have evidence to take back to the governor of what’s out there.

Ok, so narratively that was more of a Rogue Trader game, but huge fun.  Second edition really for mostly feel like a tidied up version of RT - only one movement phase, BS influencing blast weapons etc.  I really don’t get the close combat changes though.  It feels more complicated (though that could just be new to me) and one sided - there’s no chance for both sides to cause wounds.  I think I may just resort back to RT combat (if it’s good enough for Old World…).