Hi Guys

Steve and I managed a game recently and this is the Batrep. I apologise that the phone took some fuzzy photos.

Steel Legion (v2014)

REGIMENTAL HQ [575]
Supreme Commander, 12 Infantry, 7 Chimera, Hydra, 1 Sniper
TANK COMPANY [700]
10 Leman Russ, Hydra
ARTILLERY BATTERY [250]
3 Manticores
ARTILLERY BATTERY [250]
3 Manticores
SUPER-HEAVY TANK PLATOON [200]
Shadowsword
SUPER-HEAVY TANK PLATOON [200]
Shadowsword
MARAUDER BOMBERS [250]
2 Marauders
THUNDERBOLT FIGHTERS [150]
2 Thunderbolts
THUNDERBOLT FIGHTERS [150]
2 Thunderbolts
WARHOUND TITAN [275]


Biel-Tan Craftworld (v4.2)

AVATAR [0]
ASPECT WARRIOR WARHOST [400]
Autarch, Exarch, 8 Shining Spear
ASPECT WARRIOR WARHOST [350]
2 Exarch, 8 Shining Spear
GUARDIAN WARHOST [150]
Farseer, 6 Guardians, Heavy Weapon Platform
WARLOCK TITAN (phantom sub)[850]
RANGER TROUPE [100]
4 Ranger
RANGER TROUPE [100]
4 Ranger
SWORDS OF VAUL TROUPE [250]
4 Fire Prism, Fire Storm
SWORDS OF VAUL TROUPE [250]
3 Falcon, 2 Fire Storm
VOID SPINNER [275]
Void Spinner
VOID SPINNER (scorpion sub) [275]
Void Spinner

Deployment is as the pics below.
Eldar objectives were to the right of their deployment while the Steel legion placed their forward objectives to the centre and their left with their blitz on their right flank.

The only garrison was Ranger 2 who occupied the trenches in the centre of the table in overwatch.






Turn 1

Biel Tan win the first turn and elect to go first.

Biel Tan - Void Spinner 1 activated and launched a barrage on Manticore 1 destroying 1 and breaking the formation.
Biel Tan - Void Spinner 2 retained and similarity launching a barrage at Manticore 2 but failing to hit anything and leaves a single blast marker.
Steel Legion- Manitcore 2 activated and launched a barrage at the Swords of Vaul 1 hitting 2 Fire Prisims with both saving however 3 blast markers were left. Only 2 fired.
Biel Tan - The Guardians marched to a forest towards the halfway line on the eldars far left flank.
Steel Legion- Shadowsword 1 doubled forward and managed to get a partial shot on Void Spinner 1. The Void Spinner was blasted to pieces.
Biel Tan - Ranger 2 went onto Overwatch.
Steel Legion- Warhound advanced in behind the forest on the Steel Legion left flank.
Biel Tan - Ranger 1 marched to occupy the trenches towards the centre of the table.
Steel Legion- Thunderbolt 1 killed 3 stands from Ranger 1 which broke the formation.
Biel Tan - The Autarchs shinning spears marched behind the hill on the Eldars right flank.
Steel Legion- Thunderbolt 2 strafe the Guardians lurking in the forest killing 1 stand and placing 2 blast markers.
Biel Tan - The Swords of Vaul 1 marshal advancing to the eldars right and clearing 3 blast markers.
Steel Legion- Shadowsword 2 doubled to the creater finding it has an angle on the fire prsisms from Sword of Vaul 2 but fails to hit, 1 blast marker awarded.
Biel Tan - Sword of Vaul 2 advance to the forest on the eldar left flank where they will catch Thunderbolt 2 with AA.
Steel Legion- Regimental HQ advance to the forest just behind the warhound.
Biel Tan - Shinning Spear 2 march into a postion on the eldars right flank in a position to assault the forward Steel Legion formations.
Steel Legion- The Leman Russ advance with several firing on the freshly moved Shinning Spear 2 killing one stands worth for 2 blast markers.
Biel Tan - The Warlock Titan doubles forward in front of Shinning Spear 2 and fires on Shadowsword 2 lurking in the creater but failed to hit and awarded a single blast marker.
Steel Legion- Maruader Bombers were concerned about the amount of eldar Flak covering the table and stood down.


Rally
Thunderbolt 1 received a blast marker while leaving the table. Thunderbolt 2 had both aircraft shot down from AA from the fire storms in Swords of Vaul 1.
All other formations rallied except Manticore 2.



Turn 2

The Warlock Titan summons the Avatar to the forest towards the warhound and the Regimental HQ.

Biel Tan win the strategy roll and elect to go first.

Biel Tan - The Warlock Titan engages and destroys Shadowsword 2 and receives 1 damage in return along with a blast marker. The Warlock consolidates into a position to lend fire support onto the Warhound and Regimental HQ.
Biel Tan - Shinning Spear 2 retained and activate and engage the Regimental HQ calling intermingled on the warhound and Shadowsword 1. The assault was clipping and neither force was able to inflict any damage until the Farseer and Warlock offered their fire support which put two damage the warhound and 5 units from Regimental HQ and won the roll of easily running down the majority of the Regimental HQ. The remnants along with Shadowsword 2 and warhound fled towards the centre of the steel legion deployment zone. The Shinning Spears consolidated towards the Steel Legion deployment fanning out in front of the Warlock Titan.

Biel Tan - The Avatar double retained and found itself without any targets to engage so doubled towards Manticore 2 firing on them which was enough to break the formation.
Steel Legion- Manticore 1 activated and launched a barrage at the Autarchs formation killing four stands of shinning spears which breaks them.
Biel Tan - The Guardians march towards the Steel Legion Blitz.
Steel Legion- The Leman Russ are unable to get a good angle on the Warlock so settle to advance and fire on Shinning Spear 2 and despite have the majority of heavy bolters in range they were only able to kill 2 stands for 3 blast markers.
Biel Tan - Ranger 2 attempt to activate but fail and use the Autarchs re-roll to march forward in order to try and set up a crossfire of the Leman Russ.
Steel Legion- Thunderbolt 1failed to activate but cleared their blastmarkers.
Biel Tan - The remaining Void Spinner launches a barrage at the Leman Russ killing one along with the Hydra for 4 blast markers.
Steel Legion- The Maruader Bombers throw caution to the wind and attempt to bomb Sword of Vaul 1. Both Firestorms fail to do anything followed by the bombers failing to do anything back. Both formations swapped some blast markers.
Biel Tan - Sword of Vaul 2 activated and double into a position where they have a crossfire on the Leman Russ with Ranger 2. The Fire Prisms kill another 3 Leman Russ which breaks the formation.

Steel Legion surrendered at this point handing Biel Tan the win.



Thoughts
The early advantage went the Eldars way hampering the Steel Legion artillery however losing a Void Spinner from a good shot from a Shadowsword stung.
The assault on the Reg HQ, warhound and Shadowsword by the Shinning Spears with Warlock and Avatar support at the start of turn 2 was the deciding factor of the game.

The Warlock did summon the Avatar with the intention that it would engage one of the many targets that were near it but in the end it wasn’t needed. However it did break the manticores which closed down an activation before they had reeked havoc which was useful.

I wanted to try out the fire prisms at the adjusted point costs. To be honest against Imperial Guard they are always going to earn their points.

Anyway I hope that all made sense.

Cheers

Mic

Thanks for the report, if I was playing the IG I would have hoped for more from the Reg HQ, but that is the way with these games.

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This report shows the power of the Warlock being able to summon the Avatar.
I would like to ask; if this was not permissible, how would this have affected the choice of formations and their use in the game?

Thanks for the report, interesting looking terrrain!

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http://hordesofthings.blogspot.co.nz/

Interesting to see the Biel Tan list in action.

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My gaming Blog

Hi all, I was the gaurd player on the receiving end of this and should clarify a few things.

Lol, apparently the rest of my post didn't get through... My point was essentially that this being my 2nd ever game of EPIC you shouldn't judge Biel-Tan overly harshly. That game was lost through my own ineptitude and primarily through intermingling...

The warlock is an absolute Beast and IMHO is significantly underpointed. But that game was lost because I let it do exactly what it wants to do which is a big engage on some sadly intermingled troops.

That said I don't honestly know how I would have taken it out. At best I could think of how to minimise its killing. The Void spinners did a beautiful job of dealing with my arty, given they have massive range there wasn't much to be done about that without more deployments perhaps, its not like my arty could return the favour and frankly I was lucky with that initial shadow sword shot as it was.

My shadowswords and tank unit could potentially have taken it out but with it being so fast + holofield + hit and run I can't seriously imagine a player like Mic letting me get shots onto it, not to mention that those units are going to get shredded by said Warlock as Priority 1 and of course there are a pile of Fire Prisms then going completely unmolested while I TRY and kill the warlock.

It felt like I had 2 real choices, TRY and kill the warlock whilst getting eaten by the army or try and Kill the army whilst containing the 50-75cm moving assault nightmare that can summon an avatar and reliably expect to go first in any given turn...

I've adapted the list somewhat since then to include roughriders instead of sentinels and deathstrikes instead of the 2nd arty unit, this might give me some more options though I doubt the deathstrikes would survive the voidspinners. The roughriders might give me some options to screen the big boy out and at least delay him....

Either way a fun game with a steep learning curve and a rough ending. I'm keen for a rematch at some point because I'm determined to find a way to crack Mick's Eldar... Possibly just not with Steel Legion, I'm exploring other Gaurd variants that I feel might have more flexability.

Good luck Beefie. I hope you succeed where I have failed. I agree with your assssment, you can take out the Warlock (or Phantom if well placed in a ruin) or the army. Try both and you succeed at neither unless very lucky. This makes for a great tournament army, but not much fun for a friendly if you want an equal match IMHO. It can be beaten, but starts off with a considerable "edge".

Tournament armies are supposed to be balanced and competitive. This makes for a fun game for everyone.
So saying that an army build will be good for tournaments but not so for friendly games sounds weird to me.

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"You have a right to be offended" - Steve Hughes
"Your feelings are hurting my thoughts" - Aron Flam

Hi!!

I am not a veteran player in Epic, but I have been playing wargames for some years...my little piece of advice about titans/beasts.

IMHO (warning: not based on real epic experience) these beasts (titans or other very powerful units) have all the same "problem". They are very costly. Usually it is very difficult to kill enough (or use in other way) to justify the cost. It is more of a psychological effect in my opinion.

If you ignore/delay that beast you will have a significant advance over the rest of the army. The other option is to be fully prepared to that kind of beasts deploying lots of TK...although I really prefer the avoidance option.

Just my opinion.

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Gwydion

I have to disagree with you there mordoten. A balanced and competitive Eldar list played by a skilled player such as mic isn't really a fun thing to vs... The Eldar army is designed around massive board control and forcing your opponent to play the game how you want them to play. If you are skilled or lucky enough to beat it the sense of satisfaction and triumph may be fun, but if the game doesn't go your way some people find it to be a tedious and unfun way to lose.

So how do you build and play armies for "fun and friendly" games then?? Weird builds and crazy tactics?

When we play the builds are competetive, the strategy is competetive but the mood is happy and friendly between us (beer helps!). It's a game after all, and people play to win.

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https://epic40ksweden.wordpress.com/

"You have a right to be offended" - Steve Hughes
"Your feelings are hurting my thoughts" - Aron Flam

Thanks for the report Mic!

And I'm with the rest of the crew on Titans, avoid them or go all in. Also try killing a Warlord Titan and you will start to think the Warlock is a weak titan.
Also never intermingle, especially SuperHeavies and Titans (And if this was a friendly game and the opponents 2:nd Epic experience I would have let him/her move the formations a little bit apart. If it was a tournament I would just smiled )

Did we read the same thing? The Avatar did support one firefight (a fight that would have been won anyway) and placed a blastmarker on another formation... On what basis do you think that this game shows "the power of the Warlock being able to summon the Avatar"?

Right you are Koo