I’m meant to be running someone through an intro game of epic on Monday night. They played W40k, Necromunda, etc a decade or so ago but haven’t gamed in a very long time. It's probably more likely be a one-off for fun/curiosity but you never know.

Am thinking about 2k with no flyers might be about right. Possibly a scout titan or two as titans are really epic, but possibly just basic stuff. Maybe just a 4 by 4 table for that size. We may only have and an hour and a half to two hours, so I' thinking I might get the armies and the table set up and ready and get as far as we can.

What armies should I choose? Orks vs Guard could be a good simple combo but I do have large armies for virtually all possible epic armies so it doesn’t have to be.

Anyone done anything similar and got any advice or lists you used?

I'd favour matched forces for a demo games with only limited time, as in Guard-vs-Guard.

This means if you explain a thing once, it's already explained to both players.

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It will just be the other chap to explain it to as I will be the other player. Might be slightly quicker mono race, but think two different armies seem more interesting somehow.

Ah, I thought the "they" in your first post implied a double intro.

Two different armies should be cool then.

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When I'm running someone through a demo or an introductory game, I either go with 1500 pt armies of two different types OR just pick 4-5 dissimilar types of units from each list and focus on the mechanics.

In the first version, I'm trying to highlight how the particular army plays without getting into too much depth, in the second, it's all about how Epic plays.

Keeping it small allows you the time to explain things without feeling rushed to come to a conclusion.

I would leave out WE's and Flyers. They are cool, but add to the level of detail that must be explained.

So after running through the second scenario, you are positioned to say things like, "Now just imagine being able to run a couple of Warhound titans or some Space Marine squads in Thunderhawks in your list and how much fun that can be".

Sell the sizzle.

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If they are competent gamers 4x4 at 2000 points should be fine and over in your 1 1/2. Orks vs Guard is ok, Orks vs marines is a bigger contrast. Guard vs Guard though has the fewest special rules. Could do something with mechanised guard and a Reaver vs tanks, super heavies and warhounds? Pair of thunderbolts each? That covers everything in Epic.

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An Epic demo needs war engines (possibly any size titan and/or gargant).
I avoid air. In a small demo army, air can unbalance the game. And it adds more rules to learn. The main rules are allready enough.

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Depends whether your aim is merely to teach the rules, or to show off the game as well. If your players already know that they want to start playing Epic, and you're just trying to teach them the rules, it's best to leave them out at first. Keep things simple to begin with, and introduce additional complexity like WEs later.

If however, your players are interested in Epic, but want to give it a try so they can see whether they like it or not, then it's worth throwing them in there. The presence of Titans (as a unit that actually works in a balanced game, unlike in 40k Apocalypse) is one of Epic's big selling points for a lot of people, and the small amount of additional complication they add to the rules is worth it for the added appeal they give the game overall.

Aircraft, though, should definitely be left out of a demo. In that setting, they're just a headache.

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