An Epic 30k Skirmish - Imperial Fists Fold...

Blast markers abound in an Epic 30k confrontation at Byron's place last week!

Games Workshop has recently re-released the game "Adeptus Titanicus".  As a long, long time fan of GW's long-abandoned "Epic" games and the 30k setting, news of the return of "Adeptus Titanicus" stirred many feelings.  I'll probably share/rant about those in another post. But more than anything, news of the release made me, first and foremost, want to get a game of Epic 30k in! I haven't played the setting or scale in many months, and back from my summer at the lake, I was keen to play a game - Byron M was kind enough to host and oblige last week.  Here are some pictures of the game.

For rules we used the "Epic: Armageddon" version of Epic, and stats from this amazing Epic 30k wiki. The scenario was not at all complex - a meeting engagement of two opposing detachments. Byron brought his lovely Epic 30k Death Guard to the table, while I played the part of the "loyalist" fools, deployment a force of Imperial Fist Legion Space Marines.  There were no Titans in the game, but each side had a couple of super-heavy Legion tanks backing up their forces.  The objectives were brutally simple - break the other force! The first side to have five detachments broken would lose...

Initial deployments taking shape...the Death Guard seem to be moving right into my trap *cough* (that's the official version I'll report to Malcador later...)

The first turn looked good for the Imperial Fists, as Byron struggled with his command rolls and so my forces were able to get a bit of a jump on the Death Guard.  Little did I suspect this would be the high-point for the Sons of Dorn...

Here is an ominous sight...Death Guard Spartan troop carriers, backed by a deadly Glaive super heavy tank...

Fellblade, Flachion and Dreadnoughts advance on the Death Guard flank.

In subsequent turns, Byron's evil dice mojo returned, with amazing saving throws, solid command rolls and other sinister benefits (no doubt derived from his forces' devotion to the great Warmaster, Horus Lupercal).  Meanwhile, I whiffed on command rolls, rolls to hit, rolls to save...you know, ALL THE ROLLS YOU NEED TO MAKE.  Sigh.

VII Legion armoured forces move out - Falchion providing cover at the top of the photo.

Falchion barely lumbering forward, thanks to failed command rolls on my part. Oh well. What could go wrong?

My Fellblade detachment wrecked some serious sh*t, blasting the Death Guard Sicaran tank detachment to tiny pieces. But that was it for meaningful success. Among many low points, the worst for me was the moment I thought I had Byron's assault marines dead to rights: surrounded by my Sicaran tanks, I was certain all of those Herakles auto cannons and heavy bolters would ventilate those sad Sons of Barbarus...but, no, Byron had blazing hot saving throws and...

Stars of the show for me - Fellblades, oh yeah!!

Spartans move ahead, carrying a detachment of tactical marine aboard.

And so...my Land Raiders broke, then my Spartans, then my Predators were blasted to pieces, then then one of my tactical detachments was broken in an assault carried out by the Death Guard assault marines who should have been misted by my Sicarans...the final blow came when my Falchion was blasted to particles...VII Legion suddenly remembered a meeting they needed to attend off world, and beat a hasty retreat, leaving the table to the victorious Death Guard.

Battle is joined - Death Guard Sicaran tanks halt my advancing spearheads...although the Fellblades (top right of the photo) will soon make short work of them...

The mendacious assault marines of the Death Guard.

Old Skool Predator tanks of the Death Guard move on through a drop pod LZ.

Another view of Byron's fine Sicaran tank detachment.

Near final dispositions (the only thing yet to happen before my defeat is the obliteration of my Falchion super heavy tank, seen hiding out near the middle bottom of the photo).

This game was a lot of fun, and again a reminder of just how excellent the "Epic: Armageddon" rules system can be.  The current editions of 30k/40k are such a morass, it is easy to forget that GW did release so many fun and excellent rules, "Epic: Armageddon" being foremost among them.  The rules reflect the character and "fluff" of the factions very well. And the 30k setting is just such a favourite of mine, so this was a great time. I hope to organize another Epic 30k game soon.