Epic... It was a simple epic!

Epic!
Who plays that anymore? Well, me... and Martin... at least on Saturday.

The "Epic" version of Warhammer 40K was one of Games Workshop's best games, in my opinion. For whatever obscure/obtuse business reasons, GW discontinued the game or sent it down to the minor leagues, along with some of their other great games, like Warmaster and Man-of-War. Before my move to Canada, my buddies and I played Epic a lot and we had most of the usual armies covered - Space Marines, Imperial Guard, Eldar, Squats, Orks, and Tyranids. I have a Tyranid army but I feel I should shower whenever I touch it. We had a few great games. Then GW changed the rules and I found the game unplayable. (Again personal opinion.)

A while ago, Kevin, one of the Panjandrums of the Hamilton Road Gaming Group, told me of the Net Epic discussion group on-line. The rules seemed to be a slight variation of what I considered the classic Epic rules. The usual armies were available, but they added a few others - including the Ecclesarchy (The Church of the Emprie), Slann, "Evil creatures" (somewhat weird, I think), and Tau. Oh, Tau! I've been converting and dummying them up.

Finally, Martin and I agreed to try the rules. We laid out small forces - Dark Angel Space Marines vs. an Imperial Guard force. The Marines were outnumbered but were of much better quality. The IG was wave upon wave of expendable infantry with heavy armour support and loads of artillery. We weren't sure how the game would be, but it ended up to be a real nail-biter of a see-saw battle - quite satisfying all around. (Martin grasps rules very quickly and we're both quite amiable at the table, so we have fun.

The objectives included a small town and a large power-plant. The Guard was to hold both and the Marines were to take both. Simple goals for a simple game. (Martin and I took the photos.)

Your humble blogger measures something or at least appears to.

The massive power plant, where the power-techs burn compost, leftovers, and old manuscripts
to provide power for the masses. (An end-of-game photo)

It ended up that only Martin and I played a game.
The rest of the group discussed the merits of sand-bagging heavy machine guns,
the M3 Lee, the Deuce-and-a-Half, pulled pork, and how to run a hobby shop.
In other words, the usual conversation.
We also bid farewell to a member of the library staff who was always helpful to us.

Early in the game, the Big McLargehuge* Memorial Power Plant was held by an Imperial Guard
heavy weapons section, backed up with a company of infantry.

Martin attacked and noted that because of the size of the forces, he should have defended. He kept up that chant until he saw how easily my troops were taken out. The Imperial Guard infantry have no saving throw! Neither of us could throw good dice for the entire game. Martin sent the Dark Angels infantry (two sections) toward the power plant, supported by three sections of Land Speeders and four Dreadnoughts. Another Marine tactical section, a section of Terminators, and a section of Assault Marines in Razorback APCs headed for the town backed by bikers, heavy weapons, and a battery of Whirlwind missile launchers. I had a heavy weapons section in the town and another in the power plant. Two companies of tactical infantry were in support, one to each heavy weapons section. A third company took the far right flank with a Baneblade super-heavy tank in support, to preclude a Land Speeder end run. In the centre, an entire company of Leman Russ tanks were set to move forward. Three artillery batteries - Whirlwinds, Basilisk cannons, and big rocket launchers - supported the entire force. Three helicopter gunships ("Death Pigeons") and bomber planes ("Vultures") could come on to support as well.

My third infantry company moves forward to engage the Land Speeders.

An early game photo of the heavy weapons guarding the Big McLargehuge* Power Plant.
The building is a chunk of wood with two old film canisters attaches as cooling towers
or maybe deep fryers. 

Heavy weapons in town, setting up in the post office or some other official building.

Leman Russ tanks with company HQ and a Commissar's tank.

Razorbacks! Land Raiders! Rhinos!

Land Speeders.

Dark Angels Devastators/Heavy Weapons.

Martin's advance came on quick and hurt my heavy weapons sections. His Razorbacks smashed my Rough Rider cavalry and cut up an armoured infantry detachment. I was able to hurt the Space Marines that were advancing toward the power plant, taking out about half of them before they could dismount from the APCs. His Land Speeders actually destroyed the Baneblade super-heavy tank and wiped out the heavy weapons section in the power plant, using their Flamers which ignore cover. When my Leman Russ tanks came up, they really damaged the advancing Space Marines and the Terminators' Land Raiders, although those big tanks gave as good as they got. The Space Marine advance supported by the Dreadnoughts finally took the power plant, and I was sure I'd never dig them out of that place. Just for a trial run, I brought up a company of infantry and after shooting for two turns, I charged the place... and re-took it! Not without losses, however.

Baneblade on the rubber road. Now you see it.

Now you don't. I've got to remember to pack cotton balls to show brewed-up vehicles.

The Leman Russ company come forward.

Dark Angels Whirlwinds.
These models were always among my favourites,

Slowly taking losses, the armour still advance.
The real strengths of the Imperial Guard troops in this game are the armour and the artillery.
I almost felt that the infantry was a side-show... until they retook the power plant!

There they are! Fighting hand to hand with Rhinos and an HQ stand.
The figures are from a BattleTech range. Not totally "orthodox", I know, but they add so much variation.
AND they're cheaper!

By the end of our time, I had lost and retaken the power plant. Martin had troops in the town and was grinding up my infantry there. My bombers and helicopter gun ships were doing damage and had taken losses from AA fire. The Dreadnoughts had been firing on the rear of the Leman Russ tanks and had done plenty of damage to the company, about two platoons worth. The bombers and the artillery finally did them in.

In the end we called it a "bloody draw", which I don't consider a bad thing, since I hadn't played there rules before and the figures hadn't seen the light of day in almost 10 years. I left both of us with an appetite to play again, and do do micro-armour moderns.

As Martin moves his Razorbacks, you get a good idea about the size of these models.

One of my infantry companies prepares to enter the forest and defend the power plant.

Helicopter gun ships... with a news chopper from the local news Tri-vid outlet.

I have fun painting flags, mostly free-hand.

Another infantry company in the town. Again BattleTech figs in the Russian green-and-cream cammo.

Martin's Terminators, Tactical Marines, and Assault Marines de-bus to annoy my peaceful town.

As to the name of my power plant, you can find it here in an MST3K rif.

* The origin of the Big McLargehuge Memorial Power Plant*
Thanks, MST3K!

Next week - Casserine Pass in 15mm.

SAGA plus at Hamilton Road

Following my usual break/hiatus/collapse after Easter, Beth and I went up to the Gaming Group on Saturday. Our son, Rob joined us, especially since we were going to play some SAGA and he dearly loves to get his Vikings out. So there were games of SAGA, a game of Ronin, a game of early black powder Japanese skirmish from Osprey Publishing, and Blücher, a Napoleonic game from Sam Mustafa. Since the tax preparation folks needed the large meeting room, we had the smaller gathering room. (All the photos in this entry were taken by my wife.)
Rob noted that he had never played against me in SAGA, so we played an "attack the village" scenario. Each player "bids" the number of points he/she feels would be needed to defend a village. The lower bid wins the right to defend the village with that number of points while the other player attacks with 6 points. Rob and I both bid "4" so we rolled off and Rob won the defence with 4 points of Vikings (a warlord {free}, two units of Bondi, and two units of Huscarls.) I attacked with my Irish - two units of Hearthguard/Fianna, two of Bonnachts/warriors (one of which was 7 wardogs with a handler; the other was armed with the two-handed Danish axe), and two units of kern/levi. Rob had no bowman or slingers while everybody on the Irish side had javelins, except the wardogs. So the name of the game was missiles!

Rob looks SOOOOOOO interested.

Vikings in the paddock! (There's a phrase you probably never thought you'd hear.)

My kern advance to throw stuff at the Vikings.

Bondi on a rampage. They were trying to get into one of the houses, but the kern beat them to it.

 The houses were in an odd configuration with one in a corner of the playing surface and two others a bit out from that. The victory conditions stated that the defender would win if, at the end of six turns, one figure was left in a house. I figured I'd have trouble digging the Vikings out of all the houses, although I ended up defending one house from attacking Bondi. My javelins cause a number of casualties to the Viking force and two Bondi were lost to "the sons of Dana", a battle-board ability that permits me to attack one unit if it is in short range (4"/10cm) of unclear, non-building terrain, as if I actually had troops there. The rules make some anti-Gael slur about the hidden people throwing potatoes, but I know for a fact that is is the Sidh taking revenge on the foreigners! (Just because I don't believe in fairies doesn't mean that they don't exist!) By the second turn, Rob brought up a unit of Huscarls to engage my hearthguard/fianna and both of our warlords were sucked into the fight. Rob's battleboard allowed him to almost double the number of attack dice he could throw, but he still only hit two of my hearthguard and I saved one with my cancellation throw. The Warlord fought toe-to-toe and warlords ignore the first wound on them. I did one wound on the Viking leader and he did two on mine, killing him. The victory conditions state that if the attacker's warlord was killed, the game was lost for the attackers. So that was that. We both agreed that this one was pure luck. I had taken out seven of Rob's Vikings and he had done in three of my Irish. But since the warlord was killed, that ended it.

Andy confers with Rob and I about deployment and similar rules.

The Vikings retain possession of the beer wagon and mutton. There go the dinner plans!

My Fianna units with the warlord in the middle.

Rob and his battle board.

I'm checking out my dice while Martin looks up a rule for his game.

"Cry 'Havoc!', and let slip the dogs of war". (Julius Caesar, Act 3 Scene 1)  The dogs are cool since they move as fast as cavalry and ignore terrain. They aren't much on their own but they make a great sweep-around unit or jackal-force. 

The Irish had a good chance of winning the thing, but the warlord fell and the bhoys melted back into the country.

Meanwhile Martin prepared to take on Steven's Normans with his  Pagan Rus. Somehow the game never got off the ground. It seemed that the battle boards were too incompatible and everything cancelled out something else. Rob's Vikings fought Andy's Anglo-Danes in a later game; I didn't see the outcome. Rob had to leave early to go to his shift at the restaurant, so he couldn't get in a third game. In the meantime, I spent a good bit of time introducing a new arrival around, while Beth took photos.

The Vikings attack the Anglo-Dane settlement.

Heavily-armed and dangerous. Some of Rob's force are shield maidens.

This might be easier if someone had brought a torch.

Some of Beth's best photos were of the game of Ronin that Ralph and Bear played. The game seemed a bit complex, but it looked so fine.

Bamboo stalks

The village that saw the battle.

Ralph and Bear lay our their forces. There appeared to be only a handful of figures on either side.
Maybe as few a 5 or 6.

The scenery was choice.

The game itself.

Warrior monks

Beth liked the looks of this figure. I agree that it is rather well animated.

Samurai bowman lets loose at the warrior monks.

Beautifully painted by-standers from Ralph's collection.
I believe there may have been a swap of some sorts and these might be Bear's now.

A bridge on calm waters... soon to see conflict.

In this case, I suppose people/minor characters count as scenery.

Samurai and ashigairu confront the warrior monks.

They mix it up at a fence line. I heard Ralph refer to the one figure as "Baseball Bat Guy."

A wider view of the melee

On another table, Cecil and Rich set out French and Austrian armies for a Napoleonic game in 6mm using Sam Mustafa's Blücher rules. I must admit Napoleonics in 6mm fascinate and tempt me, but I don't think the eyesight can take it anymore.

The Napoleonic battlefield

French grenadiers... perhaps the Dutch Grenadiers of the Guard?

French troops. I'm betting on Legere.

Austrians. This is the real temptation!

Although Beth and I left early to get Rob to work and had to drive home in a serious snow squall, we had a good time. Martin, Kevin, and I agreed to play "NetEpic" next week. This is revival of the older rules for 40K Epic gaming. I have quite a bit of stuff for this (6mm) game. It should be fun!

One of the strengths of the Hamilton Road Gaming Group is the wide variety of game that CAN be played there. This past Saturday, three different games were played - three vastly different and very colourful games!

Irish kern skulking.

Viking Bondi counter-skulking.