An Epic Double Header

No games of Epic Armageddon in ooh, three years, and then two within a fortnight.  What a rarity.

I was gifted a pile of Epic models well over a decade ago, and in the last two editions of the rules I've found it to be a rare treat to play a game, as it happens, arranging one led to an opportunity to bag another, though with mixed consequences...

Anyway.  First up was a game against Gav, using my Orks and Imperial Guard; Gav fancied learning the game and I took him through a basic scenario with small, friendly forces.

Ah, how I love my Orkses, sweeping across the battlefield in mass formations.  I would attest that only in Epic (and then only in the very largest games) can you evoke the grandeur of battle that Games Workshop's art so often represents.  Otherwise as a game, it makes a good fist of large scale armoured combat, in a simple but plausible form. 

I attempted to wipe out Gav's infantry forces first, sweeping around his flanks, His left recoiled, but the Right was well supported and hunkered down.

I tried to put on more pressure, but my Gargant failed to take any action on two out of four turns allowing Gav to gradually dominate the right.  However, behind this, the remnants of my Blitz Boys and a mob of infantry were turning on his rear echelon.

In the end the game was a dignified draw, with neither side gathering any outright objectives.

The same could not be said of my second encounter a week or so later with Mark.  To be fair it was a game carried out in excellent spirits, but it soon transpired I'd brought a Space Marine knife, to a gunfight.

A slightly larger game at 3,000 points, I rolled out my Space Marines for possibly only the second time (Orks are my first choice normally) to see what they could do.  Mark on the other hand had the Tau, a force I used to face a lot in 40k, but have never played against in Epic.

To be honest, it was pitiful.

I lacked a coordinated plan, whilst Mark knew his force well, and how to get the best out of it.  No disrespect to Mark either, but there was a sense of that old GW classic, 'List Creep' in his force; being the phenomena whereby the latest army list in any Games Workshop game is always better than all the others before it! 

Now, you may call that bias, but I would say as a result I was getting pasted everywhere.  Not helped when I found the supposed big hitter in my force, the Revenant Titan, was completely rubbish (every other Titan has a Macroweapon of some sort, it seems, except this grandiose statue to pointlessness!)

Still it was a pleasure to look at the beautiful Forgeworld resin models, as they stomped all over me.  My they must've cost a pretty penny.  Especially this monster...

I mean, my Titan, could've easily walked around on it's back.

By the end of the battle, only my Titan, dubbed 'Norbert', and my Terminators and Landraiders were still active.

To be fair, Space Marines really take a lot more damage than I realised, and were far more effective in the assault than holding back at range.  My tactics, such as they were, played into Marks hands.

Well, back to the Orks then, and hopefully in less than three more years...

Armageddon it

Another opportunity to play Epic a while back saw me field my new Ork Gargant and Gunfortress; much to the surprise of my opponent (clearly, not readers of the blog) who didn't think I had such a thing.

The scenario was again the Orks trying to storm an imperial defensive line, this time skirting a city. Also the forces were larger - 3000 points - and the imperial forces were divided between Space Marines and guard.

The Imperial might, including these Baneblades was mainly hunkered down.

Whilst the Orkses formed a cloud of dust approaching en-masse.

The heavy handed outflanking tactics of my previous foray with the Orks worked ok, but the enemy was able to use the tactical flexibility of the Marines to counterstroke most moves.

I paid too dearly for a foothold in the centre of the town too, losing my Gargant in the process.

Overall it was a tactical draw, with my securing of one objective in the city, however in terms of losses the Orks were a spent force, and the Imperials though badly blooded could regroup to defend at least half the city effectively.

If there is any criticism I'd make it was that we couldn't play the scenario out to a full conclusion, just managing to scrape through two out of the four notional turns in 5 hours. On a small table, with lots of terrain, Epic plays slow, as everything can always act on something; there are no approach moves. Maybe next time we'll butt two 6x4's together and keep the same level of terrain and see what happens.

That other tank.

OK, first a confession; I actually have presented these models in the opposite order to which I made them. The FT17 to Gunfortress conversion below was made first. In terms of conversion, I didn't actually do all that much, and it shows in the profile of the tank.

Naturally I wanted it bristling with guns, though in this scale it's easy to get away with just drilling small holes and inserting wire. To Ork it up a bit more, I fitted a large close combat device (chainsaw) to the front and patched the surface with 'teef plates'.

What I was most pleased with however, is the paint job. This nicely distressed effect was done as follows:

• Basecoat entire model in Gun Metal
• Overbrush in Natural Steel
• Drybrush with a 50/50 mix of Natural Steel and Silver
• Paint a deep Red onto all the armour plates, but not covering the edges or seams; ensuring the edges are left ragged and uneven
• Paint Bermellon Red (a bright red) onto the deep red in uneven patches and splotches
• Mix 50/50 Bermellon Red and Bright Orange to add a final layer of splotches
• After all other painting is finished, cover entire model with Badab Black wash

On reflection I think I should have added some sort of artillery platform to the engine cowling, or simply done more with the side of the hull to break up the shape. But it will fit in well with my other gunfortress (a 1/87th scale T26), and as a quickie it was OK. Moreover it gave me the idea to build the more ambitious Gargant below.

Indeed, here they are both together, with some Orks for scale. Impressive, though seeing this photo, I'm even more sure the Gargant needs a 'wash' too.

FT17 to Gargant

Buoyed up by my game a couple of weeks ago; I had a fresh look at my Epic scale Orks for the first time in, well years. Lots of troops, hordes of vehicles, and a couple of war machines too. But there was definitely a gap. Although I picked up a Mega Gargant on Ebay some years back, in game terms it is simply overkill, being well over a third of the points of a normal army on its own. I fancied putting a mid-sized gargant into the fighting line.



However, the GW ones are mail order only, so work out about £21 with postage for the chap below:





The other problem with these is that they are very uniform, GW only make one model and yet Orky vehicles to my mind should always look different. I decided to take another route; both to save cash and make something suitably unique.

I picked up the HaT, FT17 tank set instead, a 1/72nd scale kit. You get two of these simple models for a mere £5.49; they only comprise seven parts each!




Looking at the model I concluded that I could cut the hull down and turn it on its end to make a body for my gargant. This was simply done with a good craft knife and a steel rule, no need for fancy tools.

I was at first thinking of using the rest of the hull for feet, but once cut off I discovered they made for a near perfect fit on the sides of the hull to extend it and transform the shape. Some minor trimming of the old track attachments and we were on. A back plate needed adding to cover the gaps, but this was an easy fix.

Next I worked on the head and shoulders and started to add some of the weapons. The turret would make a perfect Orky head with some additions, whilst it's old location, now in the middle of the hull would dictate the position of the gut cannon.

Next I worked on some articulated legs. Initially I went for a three legged CP-30 style arrangement. But it just didn't look right.

I slept on that idea, and in the morning tore the legs off and started again. If it is possible, they had actually made the vehicle look less plausible, as if a thirty metre tall walking tank wasn't unlikely enough!

The camera didn't get remembered during the rest of the build, but I chopped most of the legs off and used the rest to glue under the hull in a more believable fashion. The back leg was ditched as a non-starter. The remains of the legs were transformed into arms easily enough, and one was fitted with a massive chainsaw (very Orky) and the other with a huge Gatling gun. By this stage all that remained was to add a few details, like repair plates and so on; and it was complete.

As for the paint job; well it had to be red didn't it?

I went with some classic detailing, White teef, yellow and green patches for repairs. Some bare metal, scratched off, and a coat of dust on the lower portions. A vehicle this size if it could move at all, would surely kick up a storm of debris.

I'm musing whether it needs a wash of brown or black to add some more depth at present, but it's definitely ready for the table.

And, all that aside, there was still another complete model in the box, ripe for another conversion. But more on that tomorrow...

Tiny soldiers, big battle

Still playing catch-up here, hence the fairly intense run of posts. On Sunday I had the rare (for me) pleasure of using some of my Epic scale stuff. In particular I got to command my lovely Orkses against my opponents Imperial Guard.

It was mainly a match to help me get re-acquainted with the present Epic Armageddon rules. The armies were a modest 2500 points each, but this nonetheless allowed me to field some 150 (6mm tall) figures 40 or so vehicles. My opponent had more like 250 figures, but markedly less armour.
The game opened with the Guard trying to encircle my Ork town with trenches, and my aim was to break out. Although outnumbered in manpower, I was sure I could out fight him up close, and I had Stompa's and Battle Fortresses to provide a big hit (we capped the game to DC3 and below, and no aircraft - for simplicity and balance, what I didn't know was that my opponent only had infantry, sappers, able to really hurt my big vehicles!).

My plan was to ignore the defence lines as much as possible and instead sweep round the flanks. On the left I sent two warbands of Orks into the hills to work over the enemies right, whilst on my other flank I hoped to knock out his mobile forces with my Cult of Speed buggy squadron (16 vehicles) backed up by a Blitz brigade and the Stompas.
The left went well, but the right initially stalled when Sappers made short work of my Stompas. In response I sent in my reserve Warband and their Gunfortress (with my biggest weapons).

As stated, the left saw me victorious, as first the Guard rather foolishly charged me, and then I rolled up his flank, sweeping another Blitz Brigade into his rear echelons, whilst my warbands cleared out the defensive positions from behind.

By the end of the game, His troops were balled up in the centre of the table around an improvised network of defensive shell craters. I on the other hand owned 5 out of 6 objectives, and had 'broken the enemies spirit' by destroying his largest detachment.

It was fun, though you have to say that without their usual heavy armour the Imperial Guard were rather neutered, and I felt as long as I stayed in close and kept assaulting his lines the result was never going to be in doubt.

I still feel that the previous version of the rules was more enjoyable, given the extra variety the armies had, but it played well again and with two fully painted armies it looked pretty good too.

Two in One!

Last week was a good week for games.

Been a very long while since I got two games in within seven days, but I did it this week.

A game at home on sunday first of all; we rolled out the Epic 40k figures. As you can see from the arrayed armies of Orks and Imperial Guard, what they lack in size they more than make up for in numbers. In total the game involved around 250 figures and 120+ vehicles.



An Ork assault developed on the ruins of a regional penal colony on Armageddon. At first only an Ork supply station was occupied, but the fast moving forces of the Kult of Speed and forces of Battlewagons sonn applied some pressure to a defending Company of the 181st defence militia regiment. Although reserves for the 181st were arriving, it appeared it would be too slow to stop the Orkish advance.



A wide advance by the Orks was then backed up by infantry and the slow progress of the Ork Great Gargant. But now the long range firepower of the 181st and their tanks and artillery started to make an impression. Several ork units were pinned down whilst a Tank company made a rapid advance on the left flank:





Whilst some Ork forces advanced, others stalled and the first force was outright destroyed, sent into retreat. The artillery and concentrated fire of the Baneblade and Shadowsword tanks stopping the main attack. On the left, Orks were trying to counter the Tank advance.



As many Ork units broke, the Gargant finally came into play, in doing so attracting a mass of fire from the Reaver titan and Shadowswords. Sorely outnumbered, the Leman Russ tanks broke, but not without inflicting many losses on the Orks. The 181st and its' command company held in the centre. Overall a hard fought,but inconclusive draw; cut short a turn by the start of the final F1 race of the season!
....

The second game was at the Leeds club last night, and as promised I took along my Medievals; but not alas my camera! Two 1600 point armies for WAB - Flemish and French - put about 250 figures ont oa little 4x4 foot table.

A solid line of Flemish Pike were under my command, with a little help from some foot knights, Swordsmen, handgunners, bowmen, a cannon and a troop of mounted seargents. My opponent had a typical French array; two units of knights, some crossbowmen, heavy spearmen, light spearmen and a mass of peasants.

Terrain played a major part, as the French knights got lost behind a wood for the first three turns (moving back and forth in column trying to find a point they could attack without my cannon and handgunners getting them first). on the opposite flank the peasants occupied a farm, whilst my pike line advanced over a low hill, slowly forming an oblique line.

A misjudged manoevre on my part left my seargents - attached to the General - exposed to the smaller unit of French knights, near the farm. He should have pounded me on the charge, but even needing 6's to save, I made 5 throws and escaped unscathed, my horse cut two of his down and they fled. I'd turn his flank through pure good luck! He now had to try to block me with his knights, from charging his fighting line in the rear. He also turned his crossbowmen in fear of my horse.

The rest of his line had come well forward, whilst his general tried to chase down my skirmishers. Some of his spearmen tried to occupy the woods, but handgun fire and a pikeman charge dealt with them. My cannon enfiladed his crossbows, and the fled with heavy losses. Neverthe less a charge in the centre by his heavy spearmen stalled my advance and initially put flight to some of my troops. Only the foot knights held.

His king rode down the handgunners and threatend to do the same to my cannon, but by this point my centre had consolidated, three units outflanked and then destroyed his spearmen, whilste my last unit of pike flushed out the peasants from the farm. My horse failed to charge again, but by this poiunt the game was over. A Flemish victory, Hurrah!

All good fun, and my figures received a favourable response from the other members. Leeds seems to be one of the clubs where they think 28mm is dead; Oh how very wrong they are! still, it means my stuff gets some good attention. Other games on last night were a WW2 skirmish, a Vietnam game in 20mm; and as ever 15mm DBA (the same 2-3 players as always, with the same armies, and so far as I could tell, the exact same terrain) - apparently it's all they ever do.