Rescue

What kind of crazed warriors would, having just escaped from a pit of vipers, return there?

Only the insane have strength enough to prosper...

After nightfall, Grak and Bruul approach the chaos lair; eager to recover arms and equipment which will aid their resistance to the vile invaders...

Strong spotlights reach out into the surrounding countryside, but they leave several good approaches open to the pair

To their astonishment they notice an ancient dreadnought being raised from the depths of the facility - the minions of chaos cannot be allowed to make it full operational!

Climbing to the top of a lift shaft they can see the venerable warmachine being marched into the central area to be worked on

Bruul climbs up to a platform, and aiming to be as quiet as possible tries to take out the two cultists up there - however one falls to his death as they struggle and the alarm is raised

Another spotlight is turned on and they see a tech--priest at work on the dreadnought; though of more immediate concern is the heavy stubber on station on a tower beyond!

They leap to the ground to take cover and clear the platform to the other site

Laying waste around the compound, Bruul suppresses the cultist on the other side of the compound while Grak takes care of the heavy stubber in the tower

Charging into the compound, Grak covers the other entrances into the courtyard while Bruul takes on the Tech-Priest. Wiping out all the cultists they can see they take control of the area.

They complete the start-up routines on the dreadnought (which had been on the verge of being made a weapon for chaos) and march back to the landing zone to make contact with the Valkyrie

Escape!

Most tragic of all was the quick capture of the “frozen berths”, in order for their family to receive a stipend for generations some volunteered for “extended PDF duties” and went into hypersleep to await a crisis. The PDF on rotation put up fierce resistance but after two months regular army resistance ceased. It fell on guerrilla cells hiding in the industrial wasteland of the capital and in the barren “Ironies”. Vast fields of alien grass cultivated for off-world export, but of no nutritional to local wildlife.

This is the story of one such band.

The story starts with the two heroes having been just brought out of hypersleep two years on to fight each other in a duel for the amusement of a group of chaos marauders. These have been tasked by their overlords with rounding up the remainder of the population into camps and fighting the rebels. Our two heroes find themselves disorientated, confused, in an arena holding a sword and  facing each other. Suddenly in the distance the sound of heavy gunfire erupts and all hell breaks loose…

High walkways overlook the ad-hoc arena which has been set up by the Chaos marauders. Members of the gang are fixated on the action below as Grak Zekka, renowned pistol fighter (known for his iron constitution, sheer determination and brusque manner) squares off against Bruul Stranga the fierce close-in fighter (whose ritual scarring and tattoos celebrating his various deeds adorn his body).

Across the river, an unheralded Valkyrie dropship lands, disgorging a squad of planetary defence troopers 

Taking advantage of the marauders' dismay Grak and Bruul help each other climb the wall and seek to keep out of the view of the defenders - they're still just armed with swords

The troopers engage the marauders on the walkways, keeping their heads down while giving the second group a chance to outflank the defences

They start taking fire themselves and take cover behind some rocks. They spot two marauders across the river from the main compound who must be guarding something

Grak and Bruul encounter those two marauders, with Bruul taking the lead with his sword

Spotted nearby, is a hideous Chaos monument which gives the PDF troopers pause as they pass

One unfortunate marauder, running from one side of the complex to another along the walkway slips and falls to the ground  (ultimately drowning in the stream)

Bruul still fights from the river against the two marauders, but Grak has backed him up and they win out. One surviving marauder runs for it

The troopers have finally gotten to the scene and as the second marauder runs, he's shot down by the leading trooper

Grak enters the bunker the two marauders were guarding, which has a deep shaft going down 

The troopers take cover behind a defensive structure and suppress the remaining marauders nearby before heading down the shaft - which leads back to the landing zone the Valkyrie is idling at

Having picked up some extra equipment from the PDF, Grak and Bruul resolve to raid the facility for heavier weaponry in an attempt to fight back!

Rest Stop

Holed up in an isolated farmhouse outside of Tranch, Markham and company need to gather supplies urgently. Of course finding reliable survivors and weapons would also be great if they are to cope with the strange walking dead...

They roll up outside a highway rest stop - Markham goes inside the store, while the others investigate the fuel station (they'll need to top up the truck if they want to go on many more shopping excursions).

At the crossroads - there's some activity in the distance but so long as they remain quiet they should get away with it 

Markham checks his six before heading to the store room to load up a pallet

Outside the fuel station, there's a burnt-out Militia armoured vehicle - with some dead crew members nearby.  

Exploring the fuel station, everything's locked up inside, but there's a way up to get the fuel pumps going manually

Markham hears a sound from somewhere - he tries to remember his CQB training, but it could get pretty hairy without someone to back him up

His caution is rewarded - there are two of those things near the checkout. He takes one down with a pistol shot while the other almost gets the jump on a buddy who's come inside to warn him

Across the way, two militia men come running out - they're the surviving crew members of the tank who'd holed up inside the fuel station. 

They hollering has attracted the attention of the shambling horde nearby - the lead militia soldier lets rip with his autogun, but that's the end of the shopping trip. 

They load everything handy aboard the truck and drive away - they've only got one trip's worth of fuel left for the truck...

Convenience Shop

The year 40.428 saw the expansion of warp storm Elohim into the Hazeroth Marches of the Calixis Sector of Imperium space. Many worlds were swallowed whole never to be seen in this dimension ever again, some were left barren and void of all life, scoured by the touch of chaos, and some have an altogether different story, one of despair and heroism. This is one of those stories.

The central government of the planet Hesiod’s Wake first realised their doom when a space hulk, the Tears of Damnation spewed forth from a wormhole above the planet, within an hour the planet had been sealed from the Astronomican by the warp storm, a mere week after the hulk had crashed into the only city, Tranch. The planetary forces lacking any orbital defences had to look on in horror as millions were killed, this was only the beginning of the nightmare. The majority of the planet being only vaguely aware of the emperor as a god were helpless, some fought the hordes of things that fell out of the hulk with whatever they had, most failed.

Officer Markham has just pulled into Harvey's convenience shop to pick up a few things before heading back to the station. A suspect is locked in the back of the cruiser. 

From the dusty road out of the city, a horde of strange men walk in. They've surrounded the cruiser and are trying to get inside

Across the way, Marv's Bar is being attacked as well

The bar staff find that the back way out is blocked as well

Markham goes outside to see if he can get his shotgun and save the suspect, but he knows he won't make it. He pops off a few shots with his sidearm - putting down a couple, but only attracting their attention really.

With two civilians running towards the door to the convenience shop, Markham holds his nerve to stay outside to give them covering fire

Inside, one of the other survivors makes his way to the back door - there's a way to the loading bay from there. But there are already some of those things inside! He shuts the door, but that won't hold them out

They've broken into the cruiser, and despite a spirited attempt to escape, the suspect is caught and eaten alive! The others go to the windows of the shop and start to beat at them, attracted by the movement and lights inside

The glass breaks and the survivors hurry to escape out the back, grabbing some supplies as they run

They make it to a delivery vehicle parked outside and drive away with not a moment to spare!

With immediate survival sorted, Markham would have to try to gather supplies to feed his small band of survivors...