I'm playing through the missions in the Pariah Nexus Crusade book, in order of appearance. The thirteenth mission is called Into the Tomb.
Before starting this mission, I took time to assemble the archeotech my Adeptus Mechanicus army has [finally] found. I'd mistakenly recalled that you needed 3 archeotech parts to assemble anything, but actually you only need a power source and an archeotech part. That doesn't really seem like "assembly" to me, it sounds more like putting a battery in. I'd expected something a little whacky, like the Host Creatures in the Unsanctioned set of Magic: The Gathering , where you combine two parts, one with a condition and the other with an effect. But actually you just roll on a table to discover what you've just stuck a power source onto.
One part must be a power source. For the other, I rolled a 1 and found that my archeotech was a Weapon. Then I rolled a 2 and got Neural Jammer, a pretty good 18" range weapon with 4 Attacks, BS of 3+, Strength is only 4 but it does have AP -2. That's not bad, and at this stage in the lore of the game it's appropriate because by now in the story all the Tech-priests are revealing the forbidden archeotech they brought along. It seems Scipio Ω5-Quintus didn't want to feel left out, and starts using a Neural Jammer. For added flavour, I'm ruling that for each Hit roll of 1, the Neural Jammer adds an ally as an additional target.
This costs the Adeptus Mechanicus 1 Requisition Point and 2 archeotech parts.
Story
Scipio Ω5-Quintus and the Blood of the Omnissiah have at last reach the towering pylons. Their auspex scans detect a hidden entrance into an underground chamber. They excavate quickly, unceremoniously blasting an ancient door from where it is lodged into the subterranean stone, and find a vast tomb. Is it coincidental that this pylon was built atop an ancient burial site, or is this part of a larger plan?
As Scipio Ω5-Quintus and 8-Dol discussed their find in bursts of encrypted binharic, a Skitarii alerted them of a hail from an approaching Astra Militarum Valkyrie. The ship lands moments later, and no sooner does it touch down does its boarding ramp open to reveal the imposing figure of Inquisitor Vindrix. She steps off the ship and approaches the adepts. She thanks them for clearing a path for her retinue, and declares that whatever's in the tomb is within the Inquisition's right of exclusivity.
The Tech-priests cogitate for only a moment before Scipio agrees, and orders the regiment to pack up. They've gotten Blackstone and archeotech from this expedition. If Belasarius Cawl wants more, then he can contend with the Inquisition himself.
A howl of energy from the tomb brings still to the atmosphere. Even Inquisitor Vindrix looks momentarily shaken. She heard voices in the wind coming up from the tomb. Could it be that the Stilling has the power to recruit the dead?
Her eyes fixed on the entrance of the crypt, she admits that the right of exclusivity has never been entirely clear in scope. Maybe it would be best for the Tech-priests to join her inside.
Armies
For this mission, I've decided to deviate from the usual match-ups. I'm running this one as a Boarding Actions game, with undead miniatures as the enemies, and just an Inquisitor, her requisitioned Adeptus Arbites Judge Dyer, and the character models from my existing Crusade Force.
- Technoarcheologist [Battle-hardened]
- Tech-Priest Engineseer [Blooded]
- Vindicare Assassin [Battle-ready]
- Cybernetica Datasmith [Blooded]
- Inquisitor Vidrix [Battle-ready]
- Adeptus Arbites [Battle-ready]
Because I'm using Boarding Actions terrain for this mission, I'm using the Machine Cult detachment rules from the 2024 Board Actions compendium.
The Tomb army consists of some miniatures from D&D board games, Wizkids kits, and Mansions of Madness. Because it's what I've got easy access to, I'm using Tyranid profiles for the undead creatures. But because it fits the flavour of what I'm after, I'm using the Daemonic Incursion detachment from the 2024 Board Actions compendium.
In other words, this is a slapdash patchwork reinterpretation of the mission, and I feel alright about that because A) it's my game and I can do what I want, and B) the core feature of Into the Tomb isn't the board layout or the armies involved, it's the very intriguing new mechanic of overloading objectives.
Overloading objectives
At the start of the game, each objective marker has a Power tally of 0, and all objectives are considered to be under the Defender's control.
At the start of each player's turn, each objective controlled by the Defender gets +1 Power, and each objective controlled by the Attacker gets -1 Power. Should an objective reach 5 Power, it overloads and is removed from the board.
The rules don't say whether Power values can go into negative numbers, and I couldn't find Designer Notes on the book's missions. I have to assume that the designers intended the Power levels to dip into negative numbers, because the potential for that is really obvious. It's not hard to imagine a scenario where the Attacker has Infiltrate or Scout and manages to control an objective before the Defender even takes a turn.
At the end of the game, the Defender scores 20 VP for each overloaded objective. The Attacker army scores 10 VP for each objective it controls.
This is a tomb, so I'm using sarcophagi as objective markers. To fit this into the narrative I've constructed as I play through the Pariah Nexus Crusade, and so the mechanics work with a small hero team, I'm considering all objectives as toggles. When the undead army is within range of an objective, it increases the necromantic effects of the Stilling (+1 Power), and when the Adeptus Mechanicus is within range it decreases that effect.
Strategic footing
For the sake of the narrative, the Tomb is the Defender and the Adeptus Mechanicus are the Attackers. They both choose the Defensive strategy though, so neither gains an Advantage and initiative is down to a roll-off.
Round 1
The Tomb rolls high for initiative. The Undead army is already in the tomb, so they Advance toward the objectives. Each objective is in a self-contained crypt, but with a roll of 6 the Undead basically have double movement. Of the 6 Undead, 3 get a crypt open, ready to enter on their next turn, and the other 3 make their ways deeper into the tomb.
On their turn, the Blood of the Omnissiah and Inquisitor team enters the tomb. Boarding Actions uses a simplified version of Doctrina Imperatives, so Scipio Ω5-Quintus chooses to add the Assault keyword to all ranged weapons this round.
They all Advance, some rolling higher than others.
The Tech-priest Engineseer 8-Dol reaches a chamber containing an objective and a (surprise!) ghoul. It's not in the mission but I decided that, thematically, each sarcophagus ought to have a low-level undead guardian lurking around it. They're basically environmental threats, a hidden regiment within the Tomb army. They act on the Tomb's initiative, but they can't claim objectives, and they attack only the living.
Speaking of living, Inquisitor Vidrix and Judge Dyre open the centre crypt and discover another sarcophagus and its accompanying ghoul. More importantly, on the other side of the room there's a ghost from the Tomb army. The Cybernetica Datasmith hurries to join the Inquisitor at the door.
Scipio Ω5-Quintus and the Vindicare Assassin head to a mystery crypt, the contents of which will be determined by a dice roll once they arrive.
Thanks to the Assault keyword, the Blood of the Omnissiah can attack during the Shooting phase. To keep things simple, I'm treating all living models as Adeptus Mechanicus.
Judge Dyre takes a shot from across the room at the ghost but his rounds go right through the spectre. Unfortunately, Inquisitor Vindrix and the Cybernetica Datasmith can't take a shot through the crowded doorway.
Over on the west side of the tomb, 8-Dol charges the ghoul in the small crypt, takes a swing with his powerful Omnissian Axe, and splatters ghoul viscera all over the room.
Scoring in this mission happens at the start of each army's turn, so no change in score this round.
Round 2
The Tomb rolls high for initiative again.
First, the Power levels of each objective gets resolved. Currently, control of the sarcophagi within range of Judge Dyer, in the centre crypt, is contested by a ghoul. 8-Dol controls the west objective, however.
- Objective North: 0
- Objective Northwest: 0
- Objective Centre: 0
- Objective West: -1
The ghoul in the centre crypt rolls very well and kills Judge Dyer. I probably should have boosted Judge Dyer's wound count to 3, but actually the ghoul rolled so well that he still would have died.
On the east side of the dungeon, 3 undead horrors rush down the corridor at Scipio and the Vindare Assassin. Thanks to an open door in close quarters, only the wraith is able to Charge, and it engages the Vindicare Assassin in melee. Thanks to her Invulnerable Save of 4+, the Vindicare Assassin takes no damage.
A xenos skeleton in the north end of the crypt floods the north sarcophagus with the nectromantic power of Noctilith. The ghost in the center crypt does the same to the centre sarcophagus, and a demi-lich for the northwest sarcophagus.
On the Adeptus Mechanicus turn, Power loads change. The west sarcophagus is controlled by 8-Dol, and all others by Undead.
- Objective North: 1
- Objective Northwest: 1
- Objective Centre: 1
- Objective West: -2
Inquisitor Vindrix and the Cybernetica Datasmith move into the centre crypt to seize control of the sarcophagus. The Inquisitor unleashes a psychic blast at the ghost with 2d6 (11) Attacks, hitting 3 times and dealing 2 Wounds. That's enough to banish the ghost, and it's ethereal form is ripped apart.
Scipio Ω5-Quintus takes a shot with his archeotech pistol at the wraith attacking the Vindicare Assassin and deals 1 Wound.
Round 3
The Adeptus Mechanicus rolls high for initiative this time.
First, there are more shifts in the Power loads. The centre and west sarcophagi are controlled by the Imperium now.
- Objective North: 2
- Objective Northwest: 2
- Objective Centre: 0
- Objective West: -3
Using the special Boarding Actions version of Doctrina Imperatives, Scipio Ω5-Quintus again adds the Assault keyword to all ranged weapons for the round.
8-Dol abandons the west crypt and Advances into the centre crypt. He charges (after a sheepish Command Re-roll) the ghoul, swings his Omnissian Axe, and splatters the ghoul all over the walls of the unhallowed tomb.
Inquisitor Vindrix and the Cybernetica Datasmith make an Advance toward the northwest crypt. They get close, but it's a long way around. They can't quite make it around the door, so they have no line of sight on a target and can't even try to Charge.
Scipio Ω5-Quintus and the Vindicare Assassin make a risky Fall Back through the open door, and slam the door closed behind them. Scipio Ω5-Quintus opens the mystery crypt and rolls a 2 on a random table to see what it contains. This also isn't an official part of the mission, but I love a surprise so I made one. Here's my custom table:
- Trap: +1 Power load on the most overloaded objective
- Pressure release valve: -1 Power to any 1 objective
- Remote control: Open or close any 1 door
- Upgrade: +1 to any 1 ally's next Wound roll
- Finger of death: Destroy any 1 ghoul
- Benediction: -1 Wound to any 1 Undead
Scipio Ω5-Quintus chooses the north sarcophagus and removes 1 Power load from it.
- Objective North: 1
- Objective Northwest: 2
- Objective Centre: 0
- Objective West: -3
On the Tomb's turn, the Undead lurking on the other side of the door opposite the Vindicare Assassin try to force it open. In Boarding Actions, you have a roll off and add Toughness to have a model force a door open or closed. The Wraith gets 7 and the Assassin gets 6, so the door is forced open. The Wraith attacks and deals 1 Wound to the Assassin. She deals 1 Wound in return though, and with 2 Wounds the Wraith falls to pieces. Just as the Wraith does, though, 2 more Undead shamble around the open door. The close quarters of Boarding Actions works in the Imperium's favour yet again and no attack is possible this turn.
The demi-lich at the northwest sarcophagus attempts to use the Soul Hunter enhancement from the Daemonic Incursion detachment rule, which would allow it to Charge at a neabry creature even without line of sight. However, a Charge roll of 1 negates that idea. Anyway, the demi-lich is really trying to overload the sarcophagus with necromantic energy, so he stays put.
Round 4
The Tomb rolls high for initiative. First, resolve the power loads:
- Objective North: 2
- Objective Northwest: 3
- Objective Centre: -1
- Objective West: -3
The two Undead in the eastern doorway attack the Vindicare Assassin. Across 8 Attacks, they score 6 potential Wounds, but the Vindicare Assassin has an Invulnerable Save 4+ and takes only 2. She's got 1 Wound left.
In her counter-attack, she rolls just as well as her opponents and scores 6 Wounds. They only have Invulnerable Saves 5+ and manage to shrug off 2 Wounds. That leaves 4 Wounds to account for, which destroys them both.
The Undead elsewhere in the Tomb are busy boosting necromantic power loads, so they stay put. However, they each have a ghoul minion to send into battle. The ghoul in the northwest crypt runs out into the corridor and attacks the Cybernetica Datasmith, who saves against all 4 Wounds. The ghoul in the north crypt runs out to attack the Inquisitor, but fails its Charge roll and can't close the distance.
The Adeptus Mechanicus is up next, so the power loads shift:
- Objective North: 3
- Objective Northwest: 4
- Objective Centre: -2
- Objective West: -3
The northwest crypt is obviously the priority. The Cybernetica Datasmith is occupied by the ghoul, so Inquistor Vindrix bypasses that skuffle and takes a shot at the necromancer powering the sarcophagus. She has an extremely powerful Psychic Blast that would definitely kill the necromancer, but I play as if it had the Hazardous keyword to mimic the Perils of the Warp rules. Psykers are powerful, but tapping into the warp is dangerous. She's already survived it once, I don't think she wants to risk it again. She uses her combi-weapon instead, which is Anti-Infantry 4+ and anyway I had a good feeling about the dice. Turned out to be wrong, of course, and she misses. Should have risked Perils of the Warp, I guess.
The Vindicare Assassin makes an Advanced move toward the north crypt, but the door is very cleverly closed so she can't get a shot in.
Next round is the final round!
Round 5
The Tomb rolls high again. The northwest crypt is now full of necromantic energy and the sarcophagus is overloaded. It bursts open, not just physically but also cosmically, to reveal a skeletal daemon with a fierce appetite for the souls of psykers.
- Objective North: 4
- Objective Northwest: 5 (overloaded and removed)
- Objective Centre: -3
- Objective West: -3
The daemon unleashes a torrent of infernal energy at the Inquisitor, which auto-hit. She manages to save against only 1 hit, and takes 3 Wounds.
She has 1 Wound remaining, but the necromancer rushes forward and stabs her with his bone sword. She saves against 1 Wound, but fails to save against the other. A Command Re-roll fails, so she takes the Wound and falls to the ground. The good news is, that was the Tomb's final turn.
And next, it's the final turn for the Adeptus Mechanicus. Power loads adjust, and the north crypt tears reality open to reveal another daemon.
- Objective North: 5 (overloaded and removed)
- Objective Northwest: 5 (overloaded and removed)
- Objective Centre: -3
- Objective West: -3
It's a pretty unspectacular round for the Blood of the Omnissiah. The Cybernetica Datasmith moves into the doorway to take a shot at the necromancer and rolls a Critical Hit followed by a Critical Fail to Wound. I decide that Scipo would sound the retreat at this point. They've decommissioned 2 potential breaches, but with 2 daemons on the loose it's probably time to just run, dropping melta bombs on the way out the door.
Post-game administration
Into the Tomb is a clever mission. I'll admit to over-confidence on this one. I couldn't envision any objective overloading, even knowing that power levels were analysed twice each round.
I think a couple of variations on this mechanic could be interesting. When an objective is removed at power level 5, it's pretty unlikely that anything's going to go away until Round 3 at the earliest, but more likely Round 4. It might be interesting to try objectives that disappear sooner (or possibly not, I'd have to try it.)
I also think I like scoring at the start of each turn. Maybe it only works for this mechanic, but the stakes felt higher.
This is possibly one of the best missions of the book.
The final score:
- Tomb: 40 VP (20 VP for each of 2 objectives overloaded)
- Adeptus Mechanicus: 20 VP (10 VP for each of 2 objectives controlled)
Adeptus Mechanicus
The Blood of the Omnissiah get 3 rolls for archeotech now, thanks to the Cybernetica Datasmith and the Technoarcheologist. Of 3 rolls, there's one 5+, so one Archeotech part is found.
They get 1 Requisition Point, and each unit gains 1 XP for taking part in the crusade. I'm not tracking XP for the Inquisitor or Adeptus Arbites because there are only 2 games remaining in the Crusade.
- Army: 5 Requisition, 33 Blackstone, 2 archeotech
- Armiger Warglaive [Battle-hardened]: 17 XP
- Skitarii Vanguard [Battle-hardened]: 26 XP
- Skitarii Rangers [Battle-hardened]: 18 XP
- Kastelan Robots [Blooded]: 16 XP
- Cybernetica Datasmith [Battle-hardened]: 17 XP
- Technoarcheologist [Battle-hardened]: 24 XP
- Tech-Priest Engineseer [Blooded]: 16 XP
- Sydonian Dragoon [Battle-ready]: 2 XP
- Vindicare Assassin [Battle-ready]: 4 XP
- Servitors [Battle-ready]: 2 XP
- Canis Rex [Battle-ready]: 1 XP
There were plenty of enemies on the battlefield, but no opposing army, so no XP to track.
Downgrades and crossgrades
The Inquisitor passes her Out of Action roll, so no admin required there. The Adeptus Arbites is dead because there are more judges where he came from. I can't promise I won't recycle his name, though.
Next mission
I feel like there was a good amount of reawakening in this mission, but nevertheless the next and penultimate mission is Reawakening.