The Trial in the Tunnels

 Another campaign match! This time my Knights of House Victrix have retreated into a tunnel system and the Warhounds of Legio Solaria have been dispatched to find the High King and drag him out to be executed for treason, but little do they know its a trap! 

House Victrix with Dark Mechanicum allies. The High King in his Acastus Knight Asterius.

The warhounds of Legio Solaria.

Each of my banners in this mission are hidden by auspex counters, including two false readings. When the warhounds come within 18inches, or the enemy Knights with 12inches, the counter is revealed and my troops (if any) are placed.

My goal is to get the High King out the entrance where the Solaria titans came in and link up with allies outside the cave (on another table). The Loyalists win if they can be in base to base contact with the King at the end.

The warhounds march and reveal the Cerastus Lancers and Atrapos knights that moved up the middle.

The lancers charged the surprised titans and took out the first warhound.

Nearby the Atrapos make use of a chaos ritual to warp displace into range to charge as well, and with their lascutters cut down a second warhound!

While the fighting rages, Styrix and Moriax knights move up.

The Majera knights accompany the High King.

What could be on the right flank?

The third warhound opens up in desperation after being damaged, and with maximal plasma wipes out the Atrapos knights, while the Lancers are killed by plasma from the fourth warhound!

Legio Solaria breathes a little easier with the Cerastus knights gone.

The Serperos advance.

The Questoris Majera and Styrix knights combine their firepower with the Asterius and try to bring down a third warhound.

Damaged, the warhound falls but not before turning the Moriax knights into a crater.

The Solaria allied Lancers move up to tie up the Questoris knights.

Fearing the High King might escape, the remaining two warhounds form a defensive barrier at the cave entrance.

The stalkers move up to try and clear the way.

Unfortunately for me, the plasma of the Warhounds continues to devastate the smaller banners and all up one stalker is eliminated. It charges but fails to bring down the larger mech.

The Questoris knights pile in and try to keep the lancers engaged.

The High King, sensing escape is not in the cards today, carefully keeps out of sight. With neither of us accomplishing our goal, the game is a draw.

Meanwhile on the main table, my allies try to get to the cave entrance (right behind the green titan in teh centre in this pic) but the loyalists keep them too busy.