At the September 2018 edition of the Sydney Mournival Events series, I had an excellent game against the powerful Dom (@thewhisperheads) and his grim Death Guard. We each took a 1250 point Zone Mortalis army. My list was:

+Lord Marshall- Anatolian executioner axe (master-crafted power fist), inferno pistol, iron halo & cyber-familiar.

+10 Veletaris- power axes, Veletarii Prime with melta bombs.

+10 Veletaris- power axes, Veletarii Prime with melta bombs.

+Enginseer Auxilia- 8 servo automata with 5 multimeltas, 1 adept with melta bombs.

+Ogryn Charonites- 6 Ogryns with charonite claws.

+Cyclops Demolition Vehicles- 2 cyclops with atomantic imploders.

My Lord Marshall, Mordecai Jhinter, is a Rogue Trader with obscure origins on pre-Unification Terra. He maintains close ties with certain Mechanicum Archmagi, but his true motivations are unknown. After centuries of war he has continually repaired and upgraded himself with the finest augmentations and esoteric wargear available.

Solar Auxilia Lord Marshalls are usually not equal to Legion Praetors, but Jhinter is about as close as they get!

I’m particularly interested in how my two newest units perform. The servo-automata with multimeltas offer some powerful high strength shooting, but on a static platform that might struggle in a Zone Mortalis.

The two Cyclops Demolition Vehicles with Atomantic Imploders are a hefty investment of points. But they’re truly adorable and their small Strength D suicide blasts may prove useful against enemy characters and other high-value targets.

Dom’s army is what you might call a more classic Zone Mortalis Astartes force:

+Custom Centurion- cataphractii armour, power scythe.

+5 Deathshroud Terminators- melta bombs

+10 Breachers- 2 meltaguns, Sgt with power fist.

+6 Legion Veterans- 1 missile launcher, Sgt with power scythe.

+5 Legion Terminators- cataphractii armour, power fists, chain fists, Sgt with power scythe.

+5 Legion Terminators- cataphractii armour, 1 reaper autocannon, power fists, chain fists, Sgt with power scythe.

+Voidsmen gang (Zone Mortalis Stratagem)- shotguns

+Murder Servitors (Zone Mortalis Stratagem)- chainswords

I must say I find the Death Guard pretty intimidating. That’s a lot of Terminators!

The battlefield is a twisting maze of densely-packed corridors and rooms, sealed by armoured bulkhead doors. Our objectives are to secure vital intelligence, represented by cogitator consoles.

The table was also created by Dom. I’m sure you’ll agree it’s wonderfully detailed and atmospheric.

The corridors and open chambers are filled with abandoned mining servitors, shipping crates, and other equipment.

For this mission, we’re using the full Zone Mortalis rules, which include special deployment- you deploy half your units at the start of the game, and the rest are held in reserve.

I’ve decided to deploy my servo-automata unit, one of the axemen squads, and my Cyclops explosive micro-tanks (in the bottom right corner).

The architecture of the battlefield means a lot of thought has to go into deployment and movement. It’s not something I feel I have a firm grasp on, to be honest.

I am keeping my Cyclops back until I know where Dom’s most valuable units are. They’re a potentially powerful surprise, but I can only use them once.

Dom selects his Deathshroud, his Breachers, and one unit of Cataphractii to start on the field.

The little blue marker in the upper left of the image represents a Point of Interest. This is a random narrative event system originally developed by the guys from the Eye of Horus Podcast. All the Sydney Mournival Events use this system to generate interesting environmental hazards, helpful equipment, or friendly NPCs during a game.

Dom has also deployed a small team of Voidsmen. This extra little unit is available as a Zone Mortalis Stratagem, selected at the start of a game. Dom also has a pair of robotic Murder-Servitors, which start in reserve.

Deathshroud are some of my favourite models in the Heresy range, and Dom has done a great job of making them look amazing. But they are a scary prospect for an army of baseline humans to face. Their power scythes are ideal for reaping through mortal men!

As often happens with Zone Mortalis battles, the opening phase begins with no one being able to see their enemy. Instead the armies focus on getting into strong positions, trying to anticipate lines of fire.

There are three objectives marked by the grey-green cogitator consoles. One is in the top right corner, another is near a big pale pipe on the left, and the last is on the lower right near the Death Guard Cataphractii.

The Solar Auxilia vanguard move up. The servo-automata head to the long corridor to get a clear line of fire at the Death Guard, while the axemen blast through a closed hatch with a melta bomb.

In the centre of the battlefield, the Death Guard Cataphractii advance through the facility, their heavy footsteps shaking the metal deck.

The Breachers and Deathshroud run forward to explore a mysterious noise near an inactive mining servitor. A low-ranking Assassin from the Callidus Temple springs out to attack them! Hidden Imperial agents are part of the hazards involved with exploring a Zone Mortalis.

The Breachers barely spare the Assassin a passing glance, instead moving up towards the objective. The Deathshroud, however, run in and try to bisect the lone figure with their power scythes. Agile beyond reason from a decades-long regime of harsh training and powerful combat drugs, the Assassin darts away, unharmed, then leaps back in to strike, failing to damage the hulking Terminators. With no wounds caused, the combat drags on.

Wary of how rapidly the Breachers are approaching, my units swap positions. The servo-automata with multimeltas move left, hopefully readying themselves for shooting at the Cataphractii. The axemen and Cyclops stay out of sight around the corner, intending to run out and surprise the Breachers when the get closer.

Breachers are a strong choice in a Zone Mortalis, well protected with shields and void-hardened armour. I’m not sure if my axemen can handle them one-on-one, but if all else fails I can send my Cyclops in!

Reinforcements arrive for the Death Guard in the form of skittering Murder Servitors. Thankfully, however, the second unit of Cataphractii do not arrive, nor do the outflanking Veterans.

The Solar Auxilia also get reinforcements, first in the form of more Veletaris axemen…

…And second in the form of Ogryns Charonites, with Lord Marshall Mordecai Jhinter attached! Instead of staying with his axemen bodyguard, he has decided to join a high-risk flanking attack, coming from behind enemy lines (using a Zone Mortalis Stratagem).

It looks like they timed their arrival well, as the Deathshroud are occupied dealing with the annoying Imperial Assassin. As he marches onto the field, Jhinter incinerates one of the Murder Servitors with his shoulder-mounted inferno pistol.

The first unit of Veletaris axemen has decided to move out into the corridor to confront the Breachers head on. If they survive, they will be able to claim the cogitator console on the lower left.

The Breachers react by opening fire with their bolters and meltaguns, slaying two of the axemen before they can close.

The remaining eight charge in, glittering power weapons raised. Wild axe blows ring off heavy shields. Men are thrown to the deck, crushed under ceramite boots. Energised blades bite deep into armoured helms.

After the first vicious exchange, one axeman has been killed. In return, they managed to hack apart four Breachers, including the Sergeant- truly heroic work from mere human soldiers. The Breachers hold firm, continuing the fight.

Over in the centre of the facility, the Enginseer Adept directs his servo-automata to fire their multimeltas at the oncoming Cataphractii, who have just sawn through a bulkhead door with a chainfist.

The clumsy servitors barely manage to hit the Death Guard, and whatever melta-blasts strike them are deflected by the personal shielding afforded by their Cataphractii plate.

Undeterred, the Terminators stride forwards, firing their combi-bolters and autocannon. With a barked order from the scythe-wielding sergeant, they charge.

The poor clumsy servitors are completely outclassed by the hulking posthuman warriors of the XIVth Legion. If they manage to survive a single round of combat, however, the nearby Cyclops could roll over to rescue them.

No such luck, unfortunately. The Adept and all servo-automata are slaughtered, reduced to scraps of metal and streaks of oil scattered across the deck.

On the right flank, the heroic axemen continue their grinding combat against the Breachers. The Solar Auxilia weather the storm of shield bashes, losing one of their number. But they survive to strike back, chopping down some more Astartes.

Incredibly, the Breachers decide to make a tactical withdrawal, linking up with their support back towards their deployment zone. This turns out to be a grave error. As they turn to fall back, the triumphant axemen hack them down from behind!

Nearby, the Deathshroud ignore the fate of their kin. They stomp the pesky Assassin into the deck, and turn to face the real threat…

Charonite Ogryns! Along with the remaining Murder Servitor, the Deathshroud prepare to charge.

The Death Guard hose the Ogryns down with gouts of flame from their wrist-mounted burner units, but the Ogryns are safe in their void-hardened suits, and shrug the damage off.

As the Deathshroud cover the last few metres, Lord Marshall Jhinter tries to slay one with a shot from his melta weapon, but misses.

A distinct physical shock wave resonates through the surrounding corridors as the huge armoured forms crash into each other. With surprising speed, the Astartes swing their razor-edged scythes before the lumbering Ogryns can react. Two of the big abhumans are cut open, their remains left steaming on the cold deck.

The other four Charonites surged forward to get to grips with their foes, punching with their hissing industrial claws. They do horrific damage to the Deathshroud. Some of them clamp onto limbs and rip them off in drizzles of blood. Some gouge into torsos with triangular blades, which spring open in messy eruptions of gore.

After the first few moments, only two Deathshroud remain, covered in the blood of their sworn brothers.

Showing no mercy, Mordecai Jhinter steps forward, hefting his axe in two augmetic hands. One of the Deathshroud challenges him instead of fighting the Ogryns, but his arcing scythe is glanced aside by the Lord Marshall’s personal deflector shield. Jhinter sweeps his axe low, carving through the Death Guard champion’s armour-plated shin. When the Astartes staggers, off-balance, Jhinter delivers an overhead chop that spits the Deathshroud helmet and wedges into his torso. He has to brace his foot on the dead warrior’s chest plate to free his weapon afterwards, like a woodsman freeing an axe from a log.

The last remaining Deathshroud murders another Ogryn, hooking his scythe into its armoured head. But he in turn is shredded into red metal scraps by Jhinter and the remaining Charonites.

I suspect there is a lesson here to apply to your own life: It doesn’t matter how staunch you are if an armoured four-hundred kilogram steroid-beast pushes a piston-driven tri-blade into you and bursts you into three distinct segments.

Back at the Solar Auxilia deployment zone, the Cataphractii continue their ruthless advance. Only the intervention of the second unit of axemen and a Cyclops Demolition Vehicle can stop them from reaching the vital intel at the cogitator console.

The Veletaris clamp a melta bomb on a locked door, opening it to reveal the full-strength unit of Cataphractii.

Before the heavily armoured Death Guard can attack the Veletaris axemen, however, a cute mini-tank rolls into their midst. It fires no weapons, and initially, takes no hostile action whatsoever. The nearest Terminator turns to look at it.

<<BEEP!>>

As the atomantic imploder charge in the Cyclops detonates, reality momentarily distorts, and a wash of overpressure floods through the facility. Thanks to the invulnerability fields of their armour, however, only one of the Cataphractii is killed in the blast.

The Sergeant blinks as the ashes of his comrade falls to the deck, then orders his remaining men to form up and open fire on the axemen.

A torrent of explosive autocannon shells rip two of the Veletaris apart, but they stand firm, ready to fight the Terminators in the cramped hatchway.

As the Cataphractii stomp forward, the axemen open fire with laspistols draw hastily from under their cloaks. With their foes so close, they can barely miss, and in a startling display of reactive marksmanship, manage to kill two Terminators!

With a furious bellow, the Death Guard Sergeant lays into the axemen with his scythe, cutting men down all around him. The sliced edges of carapace armour glow orange. Blood smokes off energised blades. Bodies collapse.

Eventually only the Sergeant of the Terminator squad remains, roaring with fury as the Veletaris hack their long axes into him from all sides. He knocks one to the floor with a backhand slap of his armoured gauntlet, breaking the man’s neck. He cuts another in two horizontally, so he folds back and topples as though hinged at the waist. The surviving Veletaris stand their ground, ready to fight to the death.

On the far left flank, the Death Guard finally get some reinforcements. The Legion Veterans have infiltrated around the flank of the Solar Auxilia force, and are only now drawing close enough to have an impact on the battle.

In addition to the outflanking Legion Veterans, the second unit of Cataphractii Terminators finally arrives, led by the feared Death Guard Centurion, Tomar Barbarak. Heavily equipped with combi-bolters, scythes, and chainfists, they will try to secure the objective in their deployment zone.

The only thing that can stop them is the Lord Marshall and his three surviving Ogryns. The axemen who defeated the Breachers are still running along the corridor, too far to assist for now.

The Ogryns advance, absorbing bolter fire, while the axemen hurry to help them.

With cold determination, Jhinter starts running towards the Death Guard, followed by the chemically-enhanced Ogryns. Bolt shells bounce off his defensive field, or spark off his armour.

Without breaking stride, he fires his mind impulse-link inferno pistol. The nearest Terminator is cooked in his own armour, falling to the deck as a smoking husk.

Pushing through the piles of barrels, Jhinter and the Ogryns leap into combat. The Cataphractii Sergeant and Centurion Barbarak meet them with with their scythes, wounding one. But the bulk of the Terminators are slow to strike with their unwieldy power fists, allowing the Ogryns to attack first. This costs them dearly. Charonite claws spring and snap, killing most of the Death Guard before they can defend themselves.

Tomar Barbarak is cut down, grievously wounded and out of action, and the last two Terminators struggle to fight off the rampaging Ogryns. Hewing about him with clinical fury, Mordecai Jhinter finishes them off, hacking at the Astartes again and again until they stop twitching.

Satisfied with his work, his ancient Anatolian blade dripping with gore, Jhinter consolidates toward the cogitator console, keen to unlock the secrets within.

On the far side of the battlefield, Dom’s voidsmen gang have been steadily advancing, jogging along eerily empty corridors, listening to the sound of distant slaughter echoing off the walls.

Now, they’re finally approaching enemy forces, down on the lower left quadrant of the facility.

The second unit of Veletaris axemen is still engaged in a desperate, protracted struggle with the raging Cataphractii Sergeant, who has culled the unit down to two men- the Veletarii Prime, and one other trooper. While the Asartes’ scythe is locked sparking with his comrade’s long axe, the Prime sees an opening, and buries his own power blade into the Legionary’s side. The Death Guard warrior falls his armour battered and covered in dozens of deep cuts.

As soon as the they rid themselves of the Terminator Sergeant, the axemen come under fire from the voidsmen. The ship-borne soldiers, experienced in boarding actions, blast shotgun shells at the Veletaris. Buckshot ricochets, and gun smoke billows. Luckily, the axemen’s carapace armour protects them from harm.

The voidsmen throw themselves forwards, sprinting past the idle Cyclops micro-tank, and fight the axemen in close quarters, using their shotguns as clubs to batter the Solar Auxilia.

One axeman goes down, knocked senseless by the voidsmen’s strikes. Only the Veletarii Prime remains. He is the last chance for the Solar Auxilia to hold the nearby objective. Already exhausted from the fight with the Terminators, he grits his teeth, swings his axe, and chops clean through two of the voidsmen.

But he is still outnumbered. Things look grim. He can’t afford to let the voidsmen reach the cogitator console. As he distracts the shotgun-wielding soldiers, the last Cyclops rolls into position.

The voidsmen turn in confusion as the Cyclops bumps into them from behind. Their squad leader turns away from the stubborn Veletarii Prime long enough to figure out what is happening.

“Oh sh—” he begins.

<<BEEP!>>

All four men are caught in a detonation that tears the fabric of realspace apart with a blinding flash.

After a few heartbeats, nothing remains but a haze of smoke and the lingering scent of ozone and heated metal.

With the corridor clear, no one remains to capture the cogitator console containing vital intelligence.

…Except the Death Guard Veterans! Huffing and puffing, they manage to cover a huge distance, running along the corridors until they reached the objective in the final moments of the battle. Despite not seeing any enemy combatants, they have focussed on the mission and performed their duty.

With barely any of the originally deployed men on the field, and none even close to any enemies, all that remains is to secure the important data for the Loyalist and Traitor cause. Each side holds one each, and the middle one is unclaimed.

The clumsy Ogryns are not much use in analysing the cogitator banks, so the surviving axemen move up to assist the Lord Marshall. No doubt a few of them have some spare floppy discs on them.

When the objectives are tallied, and the butcher’s bill taken into account, the result is a narrow victory for the Solar Auxilia!

Jhinter wipes his axe clean, congratulates his few remaining troops, and shares out a celebratory bottle of vintage amasec.

Holy shit, that was an epic battle, and a satisfying win. As usual, Dom was an excellent opponent, with a stunning army. I feel he suffered from a bit of bad luck, both with reserve rolls, and getting his Deathshroud tied up for a while with an annoying junior Assassin. The Points of Interest System often results in crazy random events for both players, but it definitely affected Dom more than me this game.

I, on the other hand, had a few runs of very good luck, particularly with the axemen managing to single-handedly cut down the Breachers. I also had some good fortune with my Charonite Ogryns rolling up some Instant Death hits on the Deathshroud, whose two wounds normally make them very durable and hard to shift.

I feel my army performed well, despite its somewhat unusual composition. The Ogryns and Lord Marshall did the bulk of the work, but both axemen units also distinguished themselves.

The servo-automata did nothing but feed the Terminators for a turn, but they’re an interesting little unit and I’m keen to learn how I can use them better in the future. The Cyclops with atomantic imploders are probably not worth their cost unless there’s a Contemptor Dreadnought for them to blow up. But I hope you’ll agree they were very entertaining to use.

Thanks for reading. Be sure to check out the Eye of Horus Podcast and Sydney Mournival Events. Do yourself a favour and follow Dom’s inspiring instagram page. Get involved with your local hobby community, and always remember: FULLY PAINTED IS FOR CLOSERS.