Epic Battle Report: The Battle for Golgotha

 The Battle for Golgotha


Introduction: To celebrate the levelling up of my Youtube channel and my commitment to provide exciting Epic material, I was wracking my brain to think up something that would be a bit of a treat for the community. To my intense relief, fellow Epic blogger Caregadras (check out his amazing Epic blog, you won't be disappointed) made the suggestion that was a winner: reenact the Battle for Golgotha, the famous battle between Epic legends Andy Chambers and Jervis Johnson! I can't claim my miniatures and terrain* are at the same level as theirs, but hopefully you'll find my version a lot of fun too! 

*I love the fortifications I bought from Battlescene Designs, but I haven't built them into rock formations the way WD did for the Squat fortresses.

Changes: There are a few minor changes to the Ork forces: I didn't have Gobsmashas or Hop-Splat Guns so I swapped those out for Lungbustas, Gutrippas and Dreadnoughts (a mistake, the Orks ended up fielding 50 points more than they were entitled to). I also didn't own a Mekboy Gargant or Wartraks (I think that pretty much every hole in my Ork army was highlighted by this choice of forces!) so I proxied them with a Slasha Gargant and the Nobz Warbles with flags which are suitably different in look to the actual Nobz Warbikes I was fielding! You'll notice that I didn't have the cards for the leaders but I did have a note of their stats and rules so that was all good. The Squat force was no problem for me to field, I had plenty of miniatures to cover everything there. I've done my best to recreate the terrain, but admittedly it isn't an exact match! 

Anyway, here's the video - the write up follows below! I hope you enjoy both! Please consider liking, commenting and sharing my videos if you enjoy them - but most importantly, please subscribe to my Youtube Channel if you want to see more - I have plenty of added Epic goodness on the way!

Scenario: This is a head to head battle, with 45 Victory Points required to win.

Army Lists:

Orks: 


Squats:

Battlefield Overview and Deployment:

Deployment was as Andy and Jervis set up. From here on in though, the game was played as normal, meaning that if you're familiar with the original battle report, things diverge from this point onwards.

The Orks received the pictured Mekboyz cards. The Bionik Bitz and Super Power Armour were given to the group of 8 Goff Nobz, driving one insane and confining him to the Madboyz Mob! The Kustom Force Field and Glyph Inscriptions were applied to the Lungbustas, intended to make them durable against the Thunderers defending the fortress.

Turn 1:

Movement Phase:

First Fire Phase: 

The Orks have no First Fire so the Squats look to take full advantage! The Colossus uses its Gyrocopter to bring the mighty Doomsday Cannon to bear upon the Kult of Speed! 




The barrage deviates... 

Note: I realised after this was a mistake, the Gyrocopter effectively makes the Doomsday Cannon a direct barrage attack.

...but still picks off two Warbuggies - and a stand of Nobz Bikers! 


To add insult to injury, the Gyrocopter itself picks off another Buggy! 


Meanwhile, the Colossus fires all four of its missiles, tearing up the hill opposite...


...before impact...


...and after! Three Shokk Attack Guns gone and a Pulsa Rokkit!

Finally, the Colossus targets the Great Gargant with its battle cannon...

...landing four hits! Three power fields are knocked down, but as they flicker, one shot is a direct hit! Fortunately the head only suffers the lightest of damage!


Yarrik in the HQ Baneblade fires at the remaining Pulsa Rokkits on the hill...

...and destroys one!


The Warriors in the tower are out of range so cannot fire. Next up is the Grand Battery which has a direct line of sight to the remaining units on the hill!


Once again the hill is bombarded - and practically cleared of all foul Orks! 


The Goliath Mega-Cannon tries to pick off the last Shokk Attack Gun, but somehow misses! That said, the  punishment the Deathskulls have taken this turn has been severe! 


The Thunderers are last to First Fire, aiming for their only target - the Mekboy Gargant on the hill!


A whopping 5 hits strike the Gargant - but the Kustom Force Field doesn't flicker and the hits are rendered useless!

Squat dice in red, Orks in green
Close Combat Phase:

With things going badly and Squat bikes piling in on tanks and Goffs around the periphery of the woods, Ghazghkull - possibly panicking - calls upon the power of the Waaagh! to turn the table on the rampaging bikes! 

The melee that follows is vicious - but, despite having the advantage, the Orks somehow manage to come off slightly worse than the Squat bikers!


Advance Fire Phase:

Gyrocopters split their fire between the Mekboy Gargant and last Lungbusta - but miss both!


The Lungbusta returns fire at the Gyrocopters but also misses!


The fearsome Overlord Armoured Airship strafes the Kult of Speed and remaining Shokk Attack Gun on the hill...

But, despite the firepower at its disposal, it only manages to destroy a single Warbuggy!



The Great Gargant is next to fire - it targets the Baneblades with its Battlecannon Head, Ripper Fist and Gatling Cannon - while the Belly Gun fires a ball round! The Baneblades are peppered with shots - but their thick armour stands up to the hail of fire!


The ball round is launched at the Colossus - and doesn't deviate! 

The Colossus fails its roll - and is destroyed! Note: The Colossus may have survived had I been playing Net Epic as Praetorians have damage charts like Titans. They are far more brittle in 2nd Edition!


End Phase:

Overview at end of Turn One.


Squat Casualties (destroyed Colossus not shown):

Ork Casualties:

Turn 1 VPs:

Orks: 25 VPs

Squats: 20 VPs


Turn 2:

Movement Phase:

First Fire Phase:

Ghazghkull and his retinue target the Overlord Armoured Airship - but fail to bring it down!

A Baneblade fires at the Great Gargant but only succeeds in downing a single power field!

The Mekboy Gargant brings its weapons to bear on the formidable Land Train! 

It fires its ball round - and once again, it is dead on target!


The round tears through the engine - obliterating it! 


The second carriage in the train manages to make the save and its path of destruction is halted!

But the Mekboy Gargant has two Kustom Cannon to fire as well! It rolls a whopping 18 attack dice and decides to hit the three remaining carriages in its line of sight with 6 shots apiece!


The first carriage soaks up the shots - but the next two are torn apart by the heavy fire!


Another Baneblade fires as the Gargant, landing only a single hit! 


However, the power fields flicker and the shot hits! It deviates from the intended strike at the ammo, hitting the Scorcher Turret, obliterating it and starting a fire! The turret, meanwhile, spins off the side of the mammoth war machine...

...and lands in the middle of a nearby melee, splattering a squad of Deathskulls boyz!


The Overlord Armoured Airship takes aim at the rampaging Kult of Speed!


And annihilates the Bowelburnas! All other shots go astray though...


Goff Nobz fire at the exposed Guildmaster and lead Gyrocopter...


Destroying both!

Mole Mortars activate...


...and target the last of the Shokk Attack Guns!


Killing him!


Nobz target a Baneblade - but it stands up to the punishment!

The remainder of the Mole Mortars try to clear the distant hill of Deathskulls - but miss their targets!


The Great Gargant activates and targets the two closest Baneblades with a combination of Gatling Gun, Ripper Fist and its Battle Cannon Head.


One survives the onslaught - but the other is torn apart!


The Goliath Mega-Cannon launches a volley... 


...at the distant hilltop...


...and more Deathskulls perish under the heavy ordnance!


Nobz Warbikes train their weapons at the lone Gyrocopter...

...and take it down! The objective is secured!


The Ork Dreadnought tries but fails to bring down the attacking Biker.


Thudd Guns aim for the Deathskulls Nobz...


...and another two stands fall under their fire!


A Lungbusta unsuccessfully shoots at its attackers.


Yarrik's Baneblade targets the Great Gargant...


...but, though a shot passes through the flickering power fields, the Gargant's armour stands up to the hit!

Thunderers hammer at the Mekboy Gargant...


...and two shots get through the fields - but, crucially, fail to deal any damage! 


Close Combat Phase:

Wildboyz attack Squat Trikes...

...but come off badly!


Bikes and Goffs go toe to toe...


...and the bikes are butchered!


Berserkers find themselves surrounded by swarming Goffs...

...but they tear them apart!


The last of the Squat bikes engages the Deathskulls. Both the Bikers and the Deathskulls are close to breaking...


...and both sides suffer casualties!


Advance Phase:

Trikes try to penetrate the Mekboy Gargant force fields - but fail!

End Phase:

The Mekboy Gargant is not damaged by the field - but only just!


The Great Gargant brings the fire under control while Deathskulls are broken - and the Boyz fail their Morale Check and are forced on to Fall Back orders!


But so too are the Squat Trikes!


Battlefield Overview:

Squat Casualties (destroyed Colossus & Land Train not shown):

Land Train: 6 VPs
Colossus: 5 VPs 
Guild Biker Force: 8 VPs 


Ork Casualties:

Deathskull Clan: 10 VPs

Turn 2 VPs:

Orks: 39 VPs

Squats: 30 VPs

Turn 3:

Movement Phase:

First Fire Phase:

Mole Mortars target the Warbuggies and Nobz Warbikers on the hill...

...and they pick off one of each! Sensing the writing is on the wall, the Nobz Bikers retaliate, targeting the closest Baneblade...

...and destroy it, breaking the Company!

The Overlord Armoured Airship targets Ghazkhull's crew...


...and thin their ranks, but by fewer than expected!


Ghazghkull responds by targeting Yarrick himself - but the legendary leader's tank stands up to the incoming shots!


Left exposed, and about to suffer the wrath of the Great Gargant, Yarrick issues one final order of defiance - to target the lumbering war machine. With four Power Fields still active, it seems like a useless gesture...

...but the power fields flicker - and the shot punches through the hull and hits the magazine, inflicting maximum damage and starting three fires! An immediate roll is made on the fire table and with four fires already burning, it does not look good for the Great Gargant! Internal explosions tear through the Gargant and reduce it to a burning pile of molten slag! Even Yarrick is stunned by the dramatic turn of events - little wonder that Orks across the battlefield shudder with shock and dismay!


The Mekboy Gargant brings its Kustom Cannon to bear on the Grand Battery - this time it can unleash 12 shots! 



It tears through the company, obliterating Mole Mortars left, right and centre!


With the Orks having no more activations to make, Yarrick acts as spotter for both the Goliath Mega-Cannon and Thudd Guns - but both barrages go astray!






Squat Warriors fire at foes in front - and behind!


And pick off a few more enemies!

The still intact Mortar Car has a direct line of sight on the Scorcher tanks...



...and destroys them!


Close Combat Phase:

The Wildboyz take on the Guild Master...

...and are easily defeated!


While a Wartrak engages a Mole Mortar...


...easily overcoming it!


Advance Phase:

The Gyrocopters target the Wartraks...

...and destroy another two! This is the last action of the Turn!


Battlefield Overview:


End Phase:

The Mekboy Gargant is not damaged by the field - but - again - only just!

The Kult of Speed is broken - and the Wartraks fail their Morale Check and are forced on to Fall Back orders! Deathskulls rally, but the Trikes fail their Morale Check again!

Squat Casualties (destroyed Colossus & Land Train not shown):

Land Train: 6 VPs
Colossus: 5 VPs 
Baneblade Company: 5 Vps
Guild Biker Force: 8 VPs 
+ 4 Objectives: 20 VPs

Ork Casualties:

Deathskull Clan: 10 VPs
Kult of Speed: 6 VPs
Great Gargant: 9 VPs
+ 4 Objectives: 20 VPs


Turn 3 VPs:

Orks: 44 VPs

Squats: 45 VPs

Squats win by 1 Victory Point!


Closing Reflections:

Wow! What a battle - and unbelievable that the Orks lost out by a single point! Given that Yarrick's Baneblade pulled off a wonder shot, the Orks can feel especially hard done by! It was funny seeing the Colossus going out to the ball round from the Ork Gutbuster as this was exactly how it played out in the original White Dwarf battle report. The second ball round trashing most of the Land Train was another big moment for the Orks, and it felt like the momentum had swung their way...but it was not to be! The weapon being blown clean off the Gargant was another fun moment, one of the nice details that's built into the Epic system that occasionally delivers a surprise and a few laughs! As you'll have noticed, I had to proxy the Mekboy Gargant with a Slasha, so I hadn't used the Mekboy Gargant before - on this evidence I may again in the future! The invulnerable shield (which can overheat) proved to be a real boon as did the two Kustom Cannon I tooled it up with (I didn't see any use for the close assault weapon), although the dice rolls were very kind when rolling the number of attack dice for those guns! It could have just as easily misfired, causing damage! One of the Epic community has pointed out that the Mekboy Gargant does not have a Gutbuster weapon, so unfortunately that was a schoolboy error on my part that it was treated as having one here (I thought all Gargants had them). It was a lot of fun replicating this classic battle and I hope you enjoyed reading up about it!

My Patreon is now live, so if you want to see what happened when I replayed this battle with 7,000 points and allowed free deployment, please consider backing me! I hope to make it well worth your while! This will be posted up on my Patreon within a week from now.

One technical note: I realised after the battle and reviewing the pictures that when I photographed the table at night, there was so much green and yellow on the table that it gave off a strange, almost sickly-looking light. I've noted this for the future, so you shouldn't see this happen again - and it won't happen in the 7K battle report.

Still want more? I've posted a "Director's Commentary" version of the video as well if you want to listen to my ramblings! Enjoy!














2 comments:

  1. Absolutely fantastic! A battle that keeps us all in suspense until the last dice roll! Congratulations Gordon!

    - Caregadras

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you so much sir - it means a lot coming from an Epic legend like yourself!

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