am i missing the post battle comments?
Not sure what to say. I found the game very enjoyable, it literally came down to the last activation of the fourth turn.
It's what I really enjoy about Epic, there's always an activation or a plan you can do to keep you in the game until the end. Sure, it may be desperate and have a slim chance, but if you pull it off, you can still win.
Example is my plan to Hold the Line and Defend the Flag, it was blown out of the water turn 3/4 by a Leviathan rumbling onto one of my objectives. I had to rethink and go for something completely different.
In other wargames I've played it can often happen mid-game that you are in an unwinnable situation, some games could be so bad it was over turn 1 (or even when writing an army list) and the remainder of the game is spent inflating your opponents ego.
Armies-
Squats- I didn't find the list overpowered, nor would I consider it underpowered. I'd put it on a 'power level' just below IG. They're strength appears to be much like Guard in numbers, but unlike Guard in Leviathan/Collosus mobile very tough artillery- much like Guard, you don't want to get in a shooting match. They're weakness is a lack of long-range artillery in the numbers Guard can bring (the Mega Cannon are tougher and scary, but Slow Firing and presumably not easily or cheaply bought, plus immobile), their AA also is light compounded by lack of aircraft.
Marines- I'm very slowly forgetting the long and hard learnt lesson from other wargames of trying simply to annihilate your opponent's army. In other wargames, missions exist, but destroying the enemy will severly hinder the enemy, so it gets priority.
I initially tried to slug it out with the enemy, tried to crack their formations and beat them in a fight.
Marines can't do that, nearly every Epic game should end with the enemy having more of his army intact than the Marines (point for point)- as where Marines must commit to assaults and get in close, the enemy can bombard from distance.
The key lesson is that, although the Marines will have less left, it is very important 'where' those formations are positioned. Marines have the mobility to pick where, the assault capability to push the enemy off it temporarily and the resistance to BM to hold it.
To this end I've stopped trying to set up smash air assaults turn 1 deep into the enemy deployment, instead electing to prep turn 2 and 3 air assault near or on enemy objectives.
It all sounds nice in theory, I'm still finding Marines very hard to use, and I always feel I'm on the back foot/underdog clawing for every victory.
With my Guard, sure I lose just as much, but I never felt my army whittled down to desperate stragglers like a Marine army can be- in short my Guard can set-up and move anywhere they want (talking Tank Co, Mech Co, etc) and dare the enemy to shift them, my Marines must always hide and only attack if they can isolate the bold as brass Guard.
Hopefully that's something to ponder. Please ask me any specific questions about the Battle Report, or my Marines.
Any thoughts on the list and how it played
I have to be honest, it played almost exactly as pre-EpicUK, with the changes being negligible.
Drop Pod/Rhino: I like the ability to switch, but I've been reliably informed this ability has been around all along. My 3k list now includes a Strike Cruiser as standard, if nothing else it's Bombardment really messes with enemy deployment.
Rhino/Footslogger: This is a definite EpicUK change, and it's the one I like the most. It allows me to use my Rhino models if and when it's viable.
My Supreme Commander is likely always to have Rhino's, as he needs to be on the board for his re-roll from the start. But if and when he may need to Thunderhawk or Drop Pod, I have that option- and am grateful.
Alternatively, I can put an impressive ground force together with 2 Tactical Rhino mounted, 2 Dev Rhino mounted (thinking of my 3k list), etc. if I face an opponent with heavy AA (Necrons?).
Time will tell if the above flexibility is worth a Strike Cruiser.
Terminators: The extra cost was swallowed, simply put Termies are the best unit in the army list- add 100pts, they'd still be necessary. Teleport allows the Marines to strike anywhere, anytime. They bring better armour and decent MW's- an ability Marines sorely lack.
Land Raiders: The pts reduction was appreciated. I still wouldn't include them in my 3k list, they where added in the 4k list to make my Dev's the BTS, allowing my Tactical with Chaplain to engage without worry- and because I like the models. Giving a formation Land Raiders prevents them using the flexibility to Drop Pod/Thunderhawk/Rhino/Drop Pod. It also gives a juicy target for Titan Killer shots that would otherwise rarely have anything worthwhile to shoot at. This game my 2 Land Raiders had to make 1 armour save, failed and one died...maybe that didn't endear them to me.
All in all I'd still consider the Marines one of the hardest Epic armies to use, my win this game was by the narrowest of margins and relied on several very precarious engagements at the end of turn 4 going my way. This game they did, many games they haven't.
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