Hope Delayed - Epic 30k AAR

XVI Legion armoured vehicles under fire in Epic gaming last night

The Conscripts resumed some of their regular gaming last night, as Dallas hosted our game of Epic 30k.  The scenario featured a hard-hitting task force from the XVI Legion, the Sons of Horus.  They had raided a not-quite-so-empty-as-everyone-thought Adeptus Mechanicus facility on a war torn world and discovered some lethal dark age virus artillery shells food for homeless orphans which would allow them to turn the tide on this planet in their favour.  The tough part was getting back to their lines - and the troops of the VII Legion, the Imperial Fists, stood in the way...

The fine Sons of Horus deploy for battle

The Sons of Horus task force included:

• Three detachments each of four tactical marine units and two support marine units and one Contemptor dreadnought
• One detachment of four devestator marine units and two Rhinos
• One detachment of three Land Raiders
• One detachment of two Sicaran tanks and one Sicaran Venator 
• One detachment of three Predators and one Predator Annihilator, and two Spartan Assault Tanks (carrying the "supplies")
• One detachment of three Scorpius Whirlwinds
• Two Fellblades and one Glaive (each super heavy playing as its own "detachment")

The VII Legion arrayed for war

The Imperial Fists were divided in two - the blocking force contained:

• One detachment of six tactical marine units, one Contemptor dreadnought, two Deredeo dreanoughts, and three Rapiers
• One detachment of three Land Raiders and one Cerberus Heavy Tank Destroyer

Land Raiders and Cerberus Tank Destroyer

Rapier battery and Dreadnoughts

The Reinforcements included:

• Two detachments of four tactical marine units and two support marine units and three Rhinos
• One detachment of three Land Raiders
• One detachment of two Sicaran tanks and one Sicaran Venator 
• One detachment of three Predators and one Predator Annihilator
• One detachment of three Scorpius Whirlwinds
• Two Fellblades (each super heavy playing as its own "detachment")

We used the "Epic: Armageddon" rules, with some home made adjustments and stats to reflect some of the Legion-era Space Marine vehicles. 

The game was set on a 6' x 4' table.  The Sons of Horus would deploy their lethal and large task force in one corner, and needed to ensure the "cargo" escaped from the opposite corner.  The Imperial Fists started with their smaller blocking force on the table, with reinforcements on the way.

Summary of the initial deployments and objectives

Frederick and Keegan embraced hope and change, taking command of the Sons of Horus.  Dallas and John served as the dupes of the so-called "Emperor", and played the Imperial Fists.  The scenario, we decided, would last 8 turns maximum - but with all this scary stuff, I was thinking everything would be on fire by the third turn...

The Hammers of Horus prepare to lead the way

Keegan and Frederick, channeling the Warmaster, opted for a very aggressive strategy.  In the first turn, the Sons of Horus Land Raider detachment got mangled in a duel with the Imperial Fist Land Raiders and the Cerberus, but the Sicaran tanks hit back hard for the Traitor side, while a rain of blast markers began to land on the infantry in the urban area - hits from Fellblades, Glaives, Herakles autocannons...it got nasty for them very fast.

Smoke and crumps in the distance - the Cerberus is taking a toll with its deadly laser battery

And it is lost just as quickly! The Imperial Fist Land Raiders come under deadly fire (and hot rolling) by Frederick and his Sicaran tanks

Emboldened, as the second turn arrived, they opted to push their "supply formation" - with Predators and the two Spartans, on a quick dash for the opposite table corner, reasoning the fearsome armour of the Spartans would get them through whatever Imperial Fist reinforcements might show up. It was a big gamble, but considering the Spartans would move 75cms on a "march" action, it was doable...

Go tell the Spartan(s)...

Devastator Marines from the XVI Legion tune up some Imperial Fist Land Raiders

The "crumps" pile up in the urban zone, as the Sons of Horus rain fire on the hapless fellows in blocking position

But it didn't work out as Horus-for-hoped...Dallas and John got their reinforcing Land Raider detachment in the way, Keegan struggled with poor luck on the saving throws, and it went downhill for the green side from there. One Spartan was knocked out.  The Sons of Horus would gain a measure of revenge, moving forward with the devastator detachment to rout the Land Raiders in a firefight.  Meanwhile, Frederick was prepping to clear the urban area with a classic combined-arms approach.  A rain of fire, including a terrible pounding from the Whirlwinds and the Glaive, fell on the blocking detachment.  Huddled in their buildings, they suffered relatively light casualties, but were piled under by blast markers.

How not to rally your pinned troops...bad roll for John

John hoped to get his Land Raiders, pinned in the first turn after an initial successful round of firing, moving again, but the dreaded "scottish number" appeared...it was looking like Horus might get away with at least some of his virus ammunition supplies for orphanages.

Blocking armoured forces of the VII Legion

The fellows that delivered the final blows of the game...

The start of the third turn went against the followers of Horus, however, and an Imperial Fist Fellblade moved in and made the final kill on the last Spartan, concluding the game.  The Loyalist dupes had prevailed - at a high cost - but prevailed nonetheless...

The Imperial Fist Fellblade lines up the final kill shot...

And it is delivered...game over...

It was great fun to play Epic once again, particularly with a nice 30k setting and scenario.  The "Epic: Armageddon" rules engine is really well done, with quite a bit of nuance and depth, without being too complicated.  A big "thank-you" to Dallas for hosting, and to John, Frederick and Keegan for playing.  Hopefully we'll see some more Epic 30k on the table a little later in the winter.