--- title: "Pariah Nexus battle report 7" subtitle: "Polarising Energies" author: Seth publish_date: 2025-11-26 00:01 date: 2025-11-26 00:01 hero_classes: text-light title-h1h2 overlay-dark-gradient hero-large parallax hero_image: book_pariah-nexus.webp show_sidebar: true show_breadcrumbs: true show_pagination: true taxonomy: category: gaming tag: [ wargame, report ] --- I'm playing through the missions in the **Pariah Nexus** Crusade book, in order of appearance. The seventh mission is called **Polarising Energies**. In this mission, there are 4 objectives in No Man's Land, 2 with positive polarity and 2 with negative polarity. Each round, the polarities reverse. A unit within range of a positive objective gains the Benefit of Cover, and a unit within range of a negative objective suffers 1 Mortal Wound. Victory is determined based on objective control, so there's incentive to just hold on to an objective regardless of polarity, but there's also the practical consideration of how many Mortal Wounds any given unit can withstand. ## Story The Blood of the Omnissiah, led by Technoarcheologist Scipio Ω5-Quintus, has finally successfully reached their intended destination: A region of the wartorn landscape with surface deposits of Noctilith. Having battled their way through an onslaught of Tyranids and their crazed worshippers, past fallen [unstable archeotech](https://mixedsignals.ml/games/blog/blog_battle-report-pariah-nexus-6), they have every reason to believe this is the payload they've come for. This is reinforced mechanically, too. Thewinner of this mission gains 3 Blackstone fragments as a bonus! ## Armies I've been disappointed with Skitarii in practise, but on a purely emotional lovel I love the Skitarii. I think they look cool, I love a good cyborg, and I love the idea of them stealthing around the battlefield, sniping their enemies and letting bullets and blades bounce harmlessly off their mostly-metal bodies. So I'm using them, and as a backup plan I'm spending some Requisition Points to add a Sydonian Dragoon to my Crusade Force and deploying it in Reserve. * 1 Technoarcheologist [Blooded] * 10 Skitarii Vanguards [Battle-hardened] * 1 Tech-Priest Engineseer [Blooded] * 10 Skitarii Rangers [Battle-ready] * 2 Kastelan Robots [Blooded] * 1 Cybernetica Datasmith [Blooded] * 1 Sydonian Dragoon [Battle-ready] in Reserve I'm using a modified Skitarii Hunter Cohort detachment (and replacing "Skitarii Marshall" with "Tech-priest" because I have no Skitarii Marshall models). This grants my Skitarii the **Infiltrator** and **Scouts 6** keywords. That'll definitely help the Adeptus Mechanicus start strong, and it may be a killer combo with the Rangers' **Objective Scouted** ability (they can move away from an objective but still control it) and the Vanguards' Battle Traits of +1 to Move and +1 Advance. The **Tyranid Cult** army didn't do so great last mission, ending the game with 0 miniatures on the battlefield. Besides that, I'm feeling like the army list is starting to force a specific style of play, and that's getting a little predictable if not boring. The Aberrants come in and hammer at things until something bigger clears them off the board, the Reductus Saboteur runs around throwing explosives until he's killed, the lictors stand around being brick walls, and the Neurogaunts pop up as distractions. To inject some new life into the army (no that's not a Biophagus pun, sadly), I'm bringing back a Lone Operative. I've decided to try out the Sanctus, a melee specialist armed with lots of blades. He's the only Genestealer Cultist in this list, so I imagine he's a fanatic who believes himself to be a Tyranid (with 4 arms, he's getting close), and is trailing along behind the Tyranid Combat Patrol in hopes of proving himself worthy of Tyranid attention. However, he's lucid enough to know that too much attention can be deadly (my custom rule for this campaign is that when a Tyranid has no valid target within 12", then Genestealer Cultists within 12" become valid targets.) I'm using the **Insidious Infiltrators** Compat Patrol rules from White Dwarf 497 along with the default Genestealer Cults detachment rules where applicable. * 1 Sanctus [Battle-ready] * 1 Neurolictor (Death's Shadow) [Blooded] * 1 Lictor [Blooded] * 3 Von Ryan Leapers (Omega) [Battle-ready] * 3 Von Ryan Leapers (Chi) [Battle-ready] * 3 Von Ryan Leapers (Psi) [Battle-ready] ## Strategic footing **Pariah Nexus** has a great subsystem for deciding which player is Attacker and which is Defender. First, each player secretly chooses an Aggressive, Balanced, or Defensive strategic footing. Then you cross-reference the intersection of the 2 choices in the Strategic Footing matrix on page 105. The Adeptus Mechanicus chooses Defensive and the Tyranid Cult chooses Defensive. Nobody gets an Advantage, and it's a roll-off to determine the Attacker and Defender. ## Round 1 The Adeptus Mechanicus rolls high for initiative, so they're the Attacker. They institute the Conqueror Imperative, granting the **Assault** keyword and -1 Armour Penetration to their weapons. The Tyranids have deployed, unsurprisingly, in range of 2 objective markers. Thanks to their detachment abilities, the Skitarii Rangers and Vanguards have deployed in range of the other 2 objective markers. That means both armies control 1 positive and 1 negative objective. Polarity doesn't flip until Round 2. As it stands now: * Skitarii Rangers, Lictor, a Von Ryan Leapers units will suffer 1 Mortal Wound at the end of this Round * Skitarii Vanguards, Death's Shadow, and a Von Ryan Leapers unit currently have the Benefit of Cover During their Movement phase, the Skitarii Rangers move away from the negative objective marker, but they still control it thanks to their **Objective Scouted** ability. They open fire at Death's Shadow, but he's got partial cover plus the Benefit of Cover. I have a feeling that Benefit of Cover isn't meant to stack, but my terrain provides a lot of cover anyway, and I want the positive objective marker's bonus to be powerful. For this mission, I'm allowing an objective marker's Benefit of Cover to stack, so a positive objective behind cover provides +2 to a Save. The Skitarii Vanguard stand their ground and open fire at some Von Ryan's Leapers behind a wall and end up shooting the wall. Scipio Ω5-Quintus steps forward, takes aim, and manages to score 1 Devastating Wound. The Kastelan Robots Advance and, stopping short of the negative objective marker controlled by the absent Skitarii Rangers, deal 1 Wound to Death's Shadow. The Tech-priest Engineseer and the Skitarii Rangers see their opportunity, and Charge in for close-quarters combat, dealing 2 further Wounds. Unfortunately, the vile Neurolictor has **Fights First** and deals 3 Wounds to the unit (the Engineseer takes 1 Wound, and 2 Rangers are removed.) I think that's the best they could hope for, given a really inconvenient battlefield layout. Negative markers and lots of terrain impede infantry movement, but that's exactly why the Tyranids have brought in Von Ryan's Leapers. On the Tyranid Cult's turn, the Von Ryan's Leapers scamper around the battlefield (oddly they don't actually have any special leaping ability). Their bodies must be made of blades, because each one of them gets 6 Attacks in melee. Unsurprisingly, they kill every last one of the Skitarii Rangers, and somehow only 3 of the Skitarii Vanguards. Death's Shadow, probably very cross at having been Disgraced in the previous mission, deals 2 Wounds to the Tech-priest Engineseer, removing him from the battlefield. Finally, the Santus emerges from hiding and weaves through the Skitarii Vanguard's ranks to attack Scipio Ω5-Quintus. He makes 6 Attacks with his bio-dagger, but only deals 1 Wound thanks to the fact that most of the Technoarcheologist's body is metal. At the end of the Round, the Lictor takes 1 Mortal Wound for being within range of a negative objective. Both the Adeptus Mechanicus and the Tyranid Cult control 2 objectives, so no point in scoring. ## Round 2 Polarity flips! The Adeptus Mechanicus rolls high again for initiative and enacts the Conqueror Imperative to grant the **Assault** keyword and -1 Armour Penetration to their weapons. The Kastelan Robots move past the scouted objective (which is now positively charged) and open fire at the 2 units of Von Ryan's Leapers. They do some damage with flame and phosphor, and then Charge for close-quarters combat. The Von Ryan's Leapers have **Fights First** so they scrape at the hulls of the towering Robots but do no damage. When the dust settles, one of the Von Ryan's Leapers units is gone. The objective is still under Tyranid control, with the Neurolictor and the other unit of Von Ryan's Leapers hovering around it. On the south side of the battlefield, the Skitarii Vanguards are in combat with the third unit of Von Ryan's Leapers, and are quickly reduced to 3 (not including Scipio Ω5-Quintus, hanging on for dear life). There's really no other option. Scipio Ω5-Quintus obviously has no experience against Von Ryan's Leapers. Some of the Tech-priests warned him about their ferocity, so he did at least have a contigency plan. And it's obviously time to bring that plan into action. A Sydonian Dragoon comes lumbering onto the battlefield, its Skitarii Vanguard pilot bearing a taser lance with **Sustained Hits 2**. It Charges the Von Ryan's Leapers and electrocutes 2 of the 3. It could be too little too late, though. On the Tyranid Cult's turn, the Sanctus slashes at the legs of the Sydonian Dragoon and snags a cable loose, getting 1 Wound in. The single Von Ryan's Leaper takes out the remaining Skitarii Vanguard and deals 1 Wound to the Technoarcheologist (yes, that was 4 Wounds from 6 Attacks.) Scipio Ω5-Quintus nearly kills it as retribution, but thanks to a Command Re-roll the Von Ryan's Leaper manages to survive. This means that the objective is contested, and belongs to neither army (which also means that the Tyranid Cult currently holds more objectives than the Adeptus Mechanicus.) The Neurolictor and its Von Ryan's Leapers Charge the Kastelan Robots. Death's Shadow scores no Wounds, and the Von Ryan's Leapers only get 1 Wound in. It's payback time though, and one of the Kastelan Robots knocks out Death's Shadow with a power fist. No Command Re-roll because Death's Shadow is Disgraced and cannot be the target of a stratagem. The Von Ryan's Leapers dodge the melee attacks from the other Robot and the Cybernetica Datasmith, but the objective does now belong to the Adeptus Mechanicus. At the end of the Round, Scipio Ω5-Quintus and the Von Ryan's Leaper next to him each take 1 Mortal Wound. The Kastelan Robots and Von Ryan's Leapers successfully Save. * **Adeptus Mechanicus**: 15 VP (controls 2 objectives, and more than the enemy) * **Tyranid Cult**: 5 VP (controls 1 objective) ## Round 3 Polarities flip. Initiative roll is a tie, so Tyranids go first. They're all in close-combat, so it's all claws and talons against metal, with little success. The Von Ryan's Leapers in the north do put a few dents into one of the Kastelan Robots, dealing 3 Wounds. The Von Ryan's Leaper in the south try to kill Scipio Ω5-Quintus but a Command Re-roll makes possible a narrow escape. The Technoarcheologist is unsuccessful in his attempt to deal damage in return. The Sanctus is unable to scratch the Sydonian Dragoon, and gets tased in response. Even with the stacked Benefit of Cover, the Sanctus is electrocuted. This leaves the Lictor and a Von Ryan's Leaper on the battlefield. On the Adeptus Mechanicus turn, the Sydonian Dragoon steps over a ruined wall to prod the Lictor and deals 2 Wounds, but only after taking 4 Wounds itself. Scipio Ω5-Quintus tries again to end the Von Ryan's Leaper and hits with every one of his 3 Attacks. Only one hit causes a wound, but that's all that's needed. The Von Ryan's Leaper fails its save (even with the added Benefit of Cover) and dies. The battle has been decided at this point. Although it does look like the Lictor could actually do some real damage, it's the only Tyranid on the battlefield so it literally can't control enough objectives to outpace the Adeptus Mechanicus. * **Adeptus Mechanicus**: 35 VP * **Tyranid Cult**: 5 VP ## Post-game administration This was a fun mission, although I do admit to being confused about some of the details on how the objective effects are intended to function. Doesn't really matter as long as both sides benefit and suffer according to the same rules. I love the idea that an objective can cause damage. That forces fun choices to be made, and it even shaped my army list, even though the unit I brought in specifically as a response to that mechanic ended up dying after a single round. I'm not sure how the battle would have gone if I hadn't snuck in a Sydonian Dragoon. I feel a little guilty for it, but in my defense I really wanted the Adeptus Mechanicus to win, so there's that. I think I misused the Sanctus. Obviously he'd have been deadly against fellow infantry. I realise now that he had no business taking on a walking tank. Next time, I'll be smarter with him. ### Adeptus Mechanicus The Army gains 3 Requisition Points (1 for the battle, 2 bonus for winning this specific mission.) Each unit gains 1 XP for taking part in the crusade. Most importantly, the army gains 3 Blackstone Fragments! Because they won, they also get to roll for archeotech. They need a 5+ to find archeotech, and they roll 2. So far that's 0 archeotech across 7 missions. I'm awarding the Technoarchelogist with the **Marked for Greatness** bonus 3 XP, honestly just for staying alive. In total, here's where the army is: * **Army**: 3 Requisition Point, 10 Blackstone fragments * **Armiger Warglaive [Battle-hardened]**: 16 XP * **Skitarii Vanguard [Battle-hardened]**: 17 XP * **Skitarii Rangers [Battle-ready]**: 2 XP * **Kastelan Robots [Blooded]**: 14 XP * **Cybernetica Datasmith [Blooded]**: 12 XP * **Technoarcheologist [Blooded]**: 10 XP * **Tech-Priest Engineseer [Blooded]**: 7 XP * **Sydonian Dragoon [Battle-ready]**: 1 XP I missed the Tech-priest Engineseer's upgrade to **Blooded** and owe him a Battle Trait. He rolls a 5 for a weapon upgrade, and so now his archeotech pistol gets +1 Attack. ### Tyranids The Tyranids get 1 Requisition Point and 1 XP for partaking in a battle. A list of the Crusade Forces that have seen action so far, whether they were in this battle or not: * **Army**: 12 Requisition Point, 3 Blackstone fragments * **Neophyte Hybrids [Blooded]**: 14 XP * **Aberrants [Blooded]**: 6 XP * **Death's Shadow [Blooded]**: 12 XP * **Lictor [Blooded]**: 12 XP * **Von Ryan Leapers Omega**: 4 XP * **Von Ryan Leapers Chi**: 4 XP * **Von Ryan Leapers Psi**: 4 XP * **Neurogaunts [Blooded]**: 4 XP * **Reductus Saboteur [Battle-ready]**: 3 XP * **Sanctus [Battle-ready]**: 1 XP #### Downgrades Everyone passes their Out of Action tests, so no downgrades today! ## Next mission The next mission is [Amidst the Miasma](https://mixedsignals.ml/games/blog/blog_battle-report-pariah-nexus-8).