I have returned to Epic after a 10 year hiatus, and the Epic bug has bitten me hard. Sadly, I don't know of any Epic players within 60 miles of me. I had Friday off, so I decided to play a little solitaire against myself at a local game store. I remember playing solo at this store ages ago, but they've changed ownership and focus since then to collectible card games. Gone was the miniatures table that I remembered. Instead there were a bunch of 3x8 tables. I decided to give that a shot. Yep, there were only 78cm on the short side. This ended up being a bad idea, as you will see shortly.
I'm somewhat limited in what forces I can bring with what I have painted. Worse yet, I found out that I've lost a couple of models that I now I had painted: one sniper stand and one Deathstrike carrier. Anyway, here are my army lists.
Incompertus, 2990 POINTS
Ghazgkhull Thraka's War Horde (NetEA Tournament Pack 2024-02-12)
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BLITZ BRIGADE ('UGE) [500] (Break Their Spirit target)
10 Gunwagon, 2 Flakwagon, 3 Oddboy (with Supa-Zzap-Gun)
KULT OF SPEED [200]
8 Warbike
MEKBOY GUNZMOB (BIG) [395]
10 Big Gunz, 2 Nobz, 2 Oddboy (with Soopagunz)
MEKBOY STOMPAMOB [430]
6 Stompa (with 2x Big guns and Kombat'Ammer), 3 Dreadnought
WARBAND [315]
2 Nobz, 6 Boyz, 2 Grotz, Battlefortress
WARBAND [300]
2 Nobz, 6 Boyz, 2 Grotz, 4 Battlewagon
WARBAND [300]
2 Nobz, 6 Boyz, 2 Grotz, 4 Battlewagon
WARBAND (BIG) [350]
4 Nobz, 12 Boyz, 4 Grotz, Warlord
FIGHTA SKWADRON [200]
4 Fighta Bomba
Incompertus, 3000 POINTS
Steel Legion (NetEA Tournament Pack (2023-01-03))
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REGIMENTAL HQ [500]
Supreme Commander, 12 Infantry, 7 Chimera, Commissar, 1x Sniper
INFANTRY COMPANY [325]
Commander, 12 Infantry, Commissar, 1x Sniper, 2x Ogryn
TANK COMPANY [650] (Break Their Spirit target)
9 Leman Russ, Vanquisher, Commissar
SENTINEL SQUADRON [100]
4 Sentinels, Commissar
DEATHSTRIKE MISSILE BATTERY [200]
2 Deathstrike Missile Launchers
SUPER-HEAVY TANK PLATOON [200]
Baneblade, Commissar
FLAK BATTERY [150]
3 Hydra
BASILISK BATTERY [225]
3 Basilisks, Commissar
THUNDERBOLT FIGHTERS [150]
2 Thunderbolts
WARHOUND PACK [500]
2 Warhounds
https://photos.google.com/share/AF1QipPUFr1EA8qy4HC4IjTDFWFBBjyW8Lg5QXsjVcFlPq4SGnmllSz3J-AAl7ZXqtevnA/photo/AF1QipPXuq-JDze3iHfHYa49gF4rpAcprDUSHWwuvhgq?key=eVYtd3lxdDg2UkZqMVpZc2NVTElSYnhxcy1FYUdnOrk setup from their left to right:
* Battlefortress Warband 1 on the road
* Mechanized Warband 2 to the right of the river
* Warboss Big Warband garrisoned on Overwatch opposite from the woods on the Ork left
* Big Gunzmob garrisoned on Overwatch in the buildings (intermingled with the Warboss Big Warband); they were in range of the IG baseline
* 'Uge Blitz Brigade in the center
* Stompamob garrisoned in the woods on the Ork right
* Mechanized Warband 3 behind the hill further on the Ork right
* Cult of Speed Warbikes on the hill on the Ork right
* Fighta Skwadron off board
IG setup from their right to left:
* HQ Company between bridge and woods on the Ork left
* Infantry Company garrisoned in Overwatch in the woods on the Ork left
* Deathstrikes on baseline just to the right of the woods on the Ork left
* Warhound Pack in front of the Deathstrikes
* Flak Battery to the right of the Deathstrikes
* Basilisk Battery to the right of the Flak Battery
* Baneblade directly in the center
* Tank Company straddling the road
* Sentinals garrisoned in Overwatch screening the buildings on the Ork right
* Thunderbolts off board
The objectives on the Ork side are under the Gunzmob, behind the Blitz Brigade, and under the Stompamob.
The objectives on the IG side are under the Infantry Company, under the Basilisks, and in the buildings on the Ork right.
Turn 1
Orks win the initiative and immediately Sustain Fire the Gunzmob against the Infantry Company killing nine infantry stands and breaking the company. The company retires to the baseline behind the woods and contemplate the wisdom of bunching up when the Orks have Soopaguns.
The IG Sustain Fire the Deathstrikes, firing a missile at the Battlefortress, killing it; Warband 1 just became infantry. IG retain the initiative with a Sustain Fire from the Warhounds firing just the Megabolters at the Warboss Warband, killing a bunch of Boyz and loading a bunch of blast markers.
The Orks Double the Mech Warband 2 into the woods on the Ork left, securing the objective, and placing a Blast Marker on the HQ Company.
The Sentinals Sustain Fire into the Warbikes killing one. The IG retains the initiative, Sustain Firing the Flak Battery at the Warboss, killing more boyz, but still not enough to break the formation.
The Orks Double the Warboss at the Warhounds, hoping to rally them in the End phase to clear the blast markers and Engage the Warhounds the next turn. Their fire plinks one Void Sheild and places a single Blast Marker.
The Basilisks Sustain Fire into the Blitz Brigade, hoping to snipe a zzap gun, but only manage to kill a flak wagon. They retain and Sustain Fire the Tanks at the Stompas, but their reinforced armor shed most of the hits.
The Warband 3 Doubles up to the Tanks, ready to Engage next turn, and manage to kill a tank.
The IG responds with the Thunderbolts Ground Attacking the Warband 3, with nothing to show for it but a single blast marker.
The Ork Fighta Bommers Intercept the Thunderbolts, using their 360 degree AA to avoid Thunderbolt fixed forward flak and shoot down one of the fliers.
The HQ Company tries to Engage Warband 2, but fails both the activation roll, and the Supreme Commander reroll. They regroup and shed their blast markers, readying for Turn 2.
Warband 1 Road Marches up to the bridge, staying out of 30 cm of the HQ Company, hoping to shed their Blast Markers in the End Phase.
The Baneblade Advances to get in FF support range of the Tank Company and fires at Warband 3, again being ineffectual. The IG is unhappy with their dice.
The Ork strategy of letting the IG shoot all they want has paid off, as they can now move with impunity. The Warbikes Double up to the Sentinals, killing two (including the Commisar) in the cross fire with Warband 3; the remaining Sentinals move up and ZOC the Warband 3.
The Stompas Double out of the woods, getting into FF range of the Tanks, laying a BM.
The Blitz Brigade roar across the table with a Double, setting up in FF range of the Tanks, killing one with their zzap guns.
The IG had let their fear of the green skinned horde rule them, retaining the initiative to Sustain Fire into formations, hoping to break them before they can activate. Thanks to bad rolls for the IG, the Orks sat there and absorbed the hits, biding their time to set up heavy blows on Turn 2.
The fliers all retire off their own table edges.
On the IG side, only the Warhounds rally to shed their BM. The Infantry Company remains Broken and the Tank Company kept its 5 BMs.
Everything but the Blitz Brigade on the Ork side rallies; the 4 nobz in the Warboss Warband means they cleared all 8 BMs, starting Turn 2 without any,.
Turn 2
The IG groans as the Orks win the initiative again. The Blitz Brigade Sustain Fires at the Warhounds, landing 4 gunwagon hits and all 3 zzap guns; the Warhounds were completely annihilated. The Orks retain initiative and Engage the Tank Company with Warband 3. The Warband managed to get base-to-base contact with 6 of the 8 tanks. Between that and support fire from the Stompas and Blitz Brigade, the Orks kill the Commissar Vanquisher and 3 other tanks. Support fire from the Baneblade wasn't enough to turn the tide, and the Company was wiped out in the combat resolution, scoring BTS for the Orks. With their two hardest-hitting formations gone before they could activate, the IG is in a losing position, but they soldier on.
The Flak Battery Sustain Fires at the Warboss, killing all 6 remaining boyz and 1 nobz stand, breaking them and throwing them back across the road, over by the Gunzmob. The Baneblade retains and Sustain Fires at the Stompas, breaking them, and they retreat back into the woods (gotta love the Walker rerolls).
The Gunzmob Sustain Fires (with the Supreme Commander reroll) at the Basilisks, managing to catch a Hydra with a template, breaking both formations, who retreat to the IG right.
Trying to avoid They Shall Not Pass on Turn 3 (and maybe capturing the Ork Blitz), the Deathstrikes Double across the road in front of the Gunzmob. They shoot their last missile at the Blitz Brigade, vaporizing a gunwagon.
The Warbikes Engage the broken Sentinals, clearing them from the board, and consolidate towards the Blitz. The Orks retain and the Fightaz Ground Assault the HQ Company, killing two Chimeras and placing 3 BMs.
At this point, my brain starts to lose coherency and I begin a series of mistakes. I activate the Bandblade A SECOND TIME, and it Engages the Blitz Brigade by itself. It trades a DC for a gunwagon, but wins the combat by a single point (thank you Commissar!), breaking the Blitzers, who retreat past the IG Blitzkrieg objective. The HQ Company retains the initiative and performs an Advance towards Warband 1, with pitiful rolls, so they only kill a couple boyz. I forget to move the 3 BMs with the formation, which will be important in a second.
Warband 1 is in support range of a few chimeras, so Warband 2 Engages the HQ Company from the woods. They intentionally choose not to CC with all of the boyz, just to avoid a counter charge from the Commissar/Supreme Commander stand with all of their extra macroweapon CC attacks. A few hits are traded back and forth and I begin to work out the combat resolution. At this time, I brain fart and forgot about the 3 BMs on the HQ Company, resulting in the Orks losing by 1. I retreat them all the way to the Ork Blitzkrieg objective.
The lone Thunderbolt fails to activate.
Warband 1 Doubles down the road, spreading themselves between the bridge and the woods on the right.
The Fighta Bommers retire off their board edge, leaving the 3 BMs from the HQ Company behind. It is then that I realize that the combat should have gone for the Ork Warband 2 by 1, so I retcon things a little. The HQ is broken, retires to the IG baseline, and Warband 1 all moves into the woods to secure the objective. I leave Warband 2 around the Ork Blitzkreig marker, and will handle it as a Double activation on Turn 3.
The only IG formation that rallies is the Baneblade and the Hydras, which sheds its BM. That sealed the fate of the IG, guaranteeing a rout. I vow to play out the turn anyway.
Everything on the Ork side rallies except for Warband 3 and the Blitz Brigade.
Turn 3
Orks win the initiative again, though it hardly matters. I take the Double of Warband 2 towards their Blitzkrieg, cleaning up the stupidity at the end of Turn 2. The Orks retain the inititive to Double the Warbikes onto the IG Blitzkrieg objective. They shoot up the Baneblade, rolling 3 6's, and the reinforced armor of the war engine saves only saved a single hit, blasting the Baneblade off the board.
The Hydras double from their baseline to the bridge on the Ork side. Gotta love the 30cm move on those guys. Their shooting fails to kill off the Warboss warband.
The Gunzmob Sustain Fires at the Deathstrike carriers, wiping them from the board. The Fighta Bommers retain to Ground Attack the Hydras, survive the flak, and wipe them off the board.
The Thunderbolt Ground Attacks Warband 3, but it hardly matters.
I don't bother moving Warband 1, Warband 3, or the Warboss Warband at this time.
End of game: Orks 5-0
The IG Blitzkrieg was captured by the Cult of Speed on turn 3. Break Their Spirit was secured on Turn 2 when Warband 3 assaulted the Tank Company. Defend the Flag was secured by the Gunzmob (who never moved), the Stompamob (who rallied on turn 2 end phase) and Warband 2 (who Doubled back to the baseline on turn 3). Take And Hold was the Blitzkrieg objective owned by the Warbikes and the objective in the woods on the Ork left which was held by Warband 1. They Shall Not Pass was secured by the Gunzmob shooting up the Deathstrike carriers and the Fightaz blasting away at the Hydras.
So, there were some errors there at the end that tarnished the purity of the Ork victory, but they ended up not mattering in the end. The short table played merry hell with the tactics, putting the IG at a massive disadvantage. The Gunzmob could shoot all the way to the IG baseline, which they used to break two formations on Turn 2. The Blitz Brigade was able to Double all they way into the IG starting zone, placing them in support range of the Turn 2 assault on the Tank Company. The dice were awful for the IG. The HQ Company rolled two 1s on Turn 1 and failed to activate. The only broken formation they rallied was the Hydras in the End phase of Turn 2, and they lost a bunch of reinforced armor saves on the tanks (causing them to lose the assault) and Baneblade (destroying it before it could activate on Turn 3). I made MAJOR strategic error on Turn 1 with the IG by retaining the initiative so much. I was in love of retaining the initiative to Sustain Fire on the formations across the way. The Orks are used to getting shot up, and stood there and took it, building up a serious activation advantage by the end of the turn. The fire wasn't even all that effective, failing to break any of the targets. I also screwed up on Turn 2 by Advancing the HQ Company instead of Engaging Warband 2 in the woods. I could have moved them instead of the Deathstikes, gotten a decent clipping assault, and might have broken them.
All in all, I had a lot of fun and will do it again. I'll be sure to use two tables, assuming they'll let me. I took 5 hours to finish the game, and they had a Magic The Gathering tourney show up for the end, and I was monopolizing the table I was gaming on and the one beside it that was holding the tackle boxes that my models travel in. I'll probably play with smaller armies, giving me more flexibility in my force selections, helping me to finish earlier. I'll also play some Epic Minigeddon (
https://onyxworkshop.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/epic-minigeddon2.pdf).
