Hi all! I know that there are a lot of fans who come to this page for the Epic material, so I thought that I'd put up a post to formalise a video that's going on to my Youtube channel - and it will herald a significant ramping up of Epic videos on my channel there! I'm excited to share this news with you!
Firstly, I'd like to ask for your support by asking you to like, comment and share my videos, but most importantly, please subscribe to my Youtube Channel as this will be a massive help in ensuring that I can deliver what I'm about to promise...
So without further ado, here's the video (summarised details follow below):
I want to shape the content YOU want, so please comment on this video on Youtube to let me know the things you'd like to see - and I will try to accommodate as many of your requests as possible in the coming months!
To recap then, here's what you can expect from my channel each month:
Open Channel (All Channel Subscribers, Free Content):
1 Epic Battle Report (up to 4,000 points)
2 Epic Chats - talking all things Epic, but likely with a focus on Army Lists and general tactics
2 RPG Chats - player and GM tips for running games and campaigns of Star Wars D6, Judge Dredd and Alien
Q&A Session - broadcast 4 weeks after it has been released to Video Exclusive Patrons.
Patrons get to see all of the above content 2 weeks before it is released on the Open Channel. Sneak Peek Patrons can ask questions for the Q&A sessions. Q&A Sessions are released 2 weeks after they have been broadcast to Patrons on the next Tier up, but still another 2 weeks before broadcast on the Open Channel. Sneak Peek Patrons actively help me to keep the Youtube Channel and this blog advert free!
Patrons get the Sneak Peek benefits plus the following exclusive content (essentially gaining access to all content with the exception of private commissions):
1 Epic Battle Report (7,000 points) - forces, terrain, and scenario type will be dictated by Patron votes.
1 Campaign Epic Battle Report - same as normal battle report but with world map showing armies moving and engaging one another and then the same again at the end of the report to update the campaign roster.
1 Epic Tactics Video - already planned are videos dealing with every unit in every Net Epic Gold army! I will also take direction from Patrons in terms of content for these videos - I want to accommodate the conversations you want to hear!
1st look at Q&A Video - I respond to Patrons' questions directly!
None of the above will be shared on my Youtube Channel with the exception of the Q&A Video - which will be released to Sneak Peek Patrons 2 weeks after broadcast to Patrons on this Tier, and then released on to the general channel a further 2 weeks after that. I will field questions on the Q&A from Patrons on this Tier as well as Sneak Peek Patrons. As well as helping me keep my channel and blog advert free, Epic Video Exclusives Patrons are directly funding unique material that wouldn't otherwise be made!
You, as Patron, commission your own bespoke Epic video! You get to pick the forces, terrain and scenario of your choice! Essentially amounting to you producing your own Epic blockbuster, this is an exclusive which will be shared with no one else!
And that's it! Whether you support me by subscribing to the channel or back me on Patreon, any support you can offer is very much appreciated - thank you so much! Now, I need to get to work...
Update: Since I originally posted this blog entry, two groups have asked me to run a Judge Dredd campaign for them! As a result, I can now offer to run this completely home-brew campaign for the cost of £10 per player for a 3 hour session.
Introduction: In 1987, I picked up a copy of 2000AD (Prog 510). I knew nothing about it, but was instantly hooked by this comic which took me to a variety of grim and violent futures! It wasn't long before I was buying Titan Book collections and attending signing sessions at comic shops across Glasgow! That 2000AD fandom has carried on throughout my life (as the numerous Strontium Dog Miniatures Game articles on this blog will evidence), as has my love for Judge Dredd and Mega-City One - and no wonder! It is an incredibly rich environment which can deliver a whole range of stories, comic to tragic, from the personal to the epic! As I embark on my own adventure of becoming a GM for hire, I'm looking forward to sharing that love for Mega-City One's mean streets with new players online! This post sets out some of the options to give prospective players an idea of what they can play and an idea of what to expect.
First of all, here's me chatting about this service, but please read on if you want to know more!
The System: I'm happy to run Judge Dredd using either the recent system by EN Publishing or Games Workshop's system. I feel that the GW system is slightly simpler and more intuitive, but I'd be delighted to to run either!
The Action: The action is centred in the Judges'/Perps' own patch in Sector One, but occasional visits to the Cursed Earth, other Mega-Cities and even space are possible! As you'd expect, Judges will have access to the Lawgiver and Lawmaster and other Justice Department backup (Sector House resources allowing). Judges should expect to have to deal with the lowliest of crimes such as littering and jaywalking, all the way up to mass-murder! The city is packed with bored, half-mad citizens who often distract themselves from the crushing tedium of life in Mega-City One with the latest crazies, or worse still, fall into a life of crime! Very much mirroring the strip which had a lot of Dredd tales that only ran for a few episodes, but then a number of notable mega-epics, players should expect some cases to be low-level affairs, dealing with petty criminals, but others will be far more epic in their sweep! While perp player characters will start with far fewer resources and will have to find ways to get their hands on powerful hardware, they will often find themselves at the centre of some of the epic catastrophes which have struck Mega-City One throughout the years! My central aim is to deliver the gritty tone of the Dredd 2012, but with more of the madness - and certainly the Mega-City One - of the comics, but this can be tweaked to best suit your group's needs.
My collection of Case Files! I also own the Judge Anderson and a few other Dredd books, including Origins and Day of Chaos
The Platform: Discord will be used for chat, text and images, while Roll20 will be the platform for maps and tokens to resolve combat. Note that there may be occasions where the action is resolved in the theatre of the mind, but, in general terms, I prefer to provide players with map environments in order that the action is clear and easy to understand. Music, including the Dredd 2012 soundtrack will be available to players to listen to along with other handpicked tracks from my music collection which have a similar electronic and/or guitar futuristic feel to compliment that soundtrack (can be switched off if desired).
Characters: Players have the option to play as Judges or perps. As Judges, they can be Street Judges, or take a more specialised career as Med, Tek or Psi Division*. Perps can literally be anything the player can imagine!
*Note: The Games Workshop made taking a specialist Judge difficult, but, so that specialising is easy if a player wants to go down one of those routes, I have a workaround for this to ensure players can take the type of Judge they want (assuming players would prefer to use that system over EN Publishing's system).
Game Options: Due to the heavy lifting that has to be done by a GM to run Judge Dredd - most notably in creating Perp Sheets that the Judges will almost certainly request from MAC - I am regrettably unable to offer JD at a Casual Play level. I'm excited at the prospect of creating an immersive Mega-City One experience, so this is a challenge I relish rather than fear!
Campaign Play: My Order Out Of The Chaos Campaign is fully written, realised and ready to run! Set in the immediate aftermath of Judge Cal's demise, the players take on the role of new Judges being flown into Sector One as backup - but quickly find themselves embroiled in utter chaos! With each session unfolding in real time in Mega-City One, the campaign follows the Judges' baptism of fire as they fight to bring furious citizens under control in a ferocious 21-30 hours* on the streets! Incorporating elements of action, investigation and humour, this is a campaign designed to provide a challenge to both the Judges' brawn and brains!
*Depending on many elements, the campaign is expected to take 7 - 10 sessions to run and therefore 21-30 hours in game time.
Please check out these videos for more information on the Order Out of Chaos Campaign and details of rates to book sessions follow below...
Campaign Trailer outlining the premise and introducing the Sector House staff...
And take a tour of your patch in Sector One...
Rates:
£10 per player to participate in a session. Service Charges are to provide a three hour session, and all associated preparation and writing, with charges on a per-player basis with groups consisting of a minimum of 3 players. Payment of a session via Paypal is required before the next session is played.
Taste & Try Guarantee: If players do not enjoy themselves in the first session and do not wish to continue playing, that session is free - otherwise, payment for the first and subsequent sessions is expected.
Immortalise Option: For an additional £2.50 per player on top of the chosen Tier pledge, a full write up of your session will feature on my blog along with a PDF copy for each player. See Green Vipers posts on this blog for examples of what you can expect.
Introduction: When I was taken to see the original Star Wars film in the cinema at the age of two, I was so amazed that I got out of the seat and toddled down to the front of the cinema where I sat completely entranced for two hours! Soon after, I had a collection of the Star Wars figures and a copy of John Williams' double LP score which I'd listen to as I played with my figures. And so a love of storytelling and science fiction began. Forty three years later, I still love visiting a galaxy far, far away as I run Star Wars adventures using West End Games' D6 system. As I embark on my own adventure of becoming a GM for hire, I'm looking forward to sharing that love with new players online. This post sets out some of the options to give prospective players an idea of what they can play and an idea of what to expect.
First of all, here's me chatting about this service, but please read on if you want to know more!
The iconic film poster where my love of all things Star Wars began. West End Games used the same image for the cover of the 1st edition of their roleplaying game.
The System: I'm using the Star Wars REUP system which is the fan version of 2nd Edition Star Wars by West End Games. The reason I love this system is that it is simple to learn, yet can offer crunch should the GM require it (though my preference to to keep things as simple as possible).
The Setting: The Star Wars galaxy. Expect to visit planets, some familiar, some less so from the Star Wars universe with extreme climates and full of exotic aliens and strange creatures! My preferred setting is the Galactic Civil War as this is the period that most of the published game materials are designed for.
Please note that, for the purposes of home-brew games, I only consider the films as cannon. I do use Wookieepedia as a tool for designing my universe so I do try to avoid anything which clashes with anything in the EU, but some dramatic licence may be used from time to time. Some published adventures may also have elements which have been altered since Disney jettisoned the EU (which West End Games began with their game and supplements).
The Action: This can range from personal one on one gunfights up to major battles! Star Wars routinely sees Player Characters wielding blasters and lightsabers, battling on foot or in walkers or speeders, and piloting fighters and freighters into battle - even occasionally involving capital sized ships - should be expected also!
The Platform: Discord will be used for voice chat and to add text/pictures while Roll20 will be used for maps and tokens. I own all of John Williams' scores for Episodes IV-VI as well as some select tracks from Episodes I-III and curate a playlist of tracks for each adventure to set the appropriate mood! Please have a look at my Green Vipers posts which show examples of "Music Cues", giving an idea of how I select tracks to best fit the mood of the adventure. Finally, every adventure (though not necessarily every session) will have an opening scroll which, in campaign mode, can be tailored to mention particular group members, their ships and settings. You can click on this text to view all of the existing examples of opening scrolls on my YouTube channel.
Characters: The Star Wars REUP system has 26 character templates, including the following:
Bounty Hunter Brash Pilot Gambler Minor Jedi* Smuggler Tongue-Tied Engineer
*Note: To keep play balanced, I don't recommend there being any more than one Jedi character in the party. Also, Jedi characters should expect to gain their powers extremely slowly, literally over a period of months, if not years. Becoming a Jedi is not a quick and easy path.
These are just a sample, and, if you don't like any of those in the REUP book, there are literally dozens of other options available from other supplements! In addition, if Campaign Play is desired, I will happily guide players through the process of designing a character from the ground up! The character YOU want is what will be delivered!
Game Options: I am delighted to offer Star Wars at all three tiers, meaning that prospective players can opt to play Casual, Campaign or Unique Campaign play. More on each follows:-
Casual Play: Casual play offers the running of classic adventures by West End Games. There are too many to list, but the following adventures are among those available to run:
Tatooine Manhunt Strike Force Shantipole Battle for the Golden Sun Starfall Scavenger Hunt Riders on the Maelstrom Crisis on Cloud City
Black Ice
If there is another adventure players would like me to run, please do not hesitate to contact me as I am able to run most, if not all of the adventures!
Campaign Play: The published adventures are "one shot" in nature, unconnected stories which are fun in their own right, but if you're looking for a deeper experience, then campaign play might be for you!
During "Session Zero" character creation, players will be encouraged to come up with backstories to provide me with potential storyline hooks to thread into the campaign. Once the sessions get underway, the team will be provided with a home base where they will meet a group of allies who will be recurring characters in the campaign. A PDF of this will also be provided. Recurring villains should also be expected, and the aim will be to provide a series of adventures which tell a bigger story. This does not mean that the one-shot adventures will not be used, but they will be incorporated into the tapestry of a wider tale. There are some adventures too which have been partially sketched out in some of the campaign packs that I will adapt and expand upon to fully realise for play. A good example of this is The Long Shot campaign which, with the exception of Trials of the Godking which already existed as a full adventure, has now been fully realised for play. Campaigns which are currently available for play are as follows:-
The Long Shot (from the Classic Campaigns supplement): Rebel Campaign
The Minos Cluster (from Galaxy Guide 6): Trader Campaign
Elrood Campaign (from Operation: Elrood and The Planets Collection): Rebel Campaign
The Darkstryder Campaign (from the starter set and all three supplements): New Republic Campaign
Note: The Minos Cluster and Elrood Sectors are adjacent, meaning that one campaign can easily flow into another.
Further details about any of the above can be provided for interested parties, please do not hesitate to enquire!
Unique Campaign Play: Unique campaign play means me writing a campaign for your team of players and that it will be designed with all of your needs and wants catered for! You want to play as Imperial Agents trying to infiltrate Rebels, no problem! Stormtroopers in the 501st, sent for missions across the galaxy, you got it! Or maybe a team of bounty hunters, pursuing the galaxy's most desperate and despised? If you can dream it, I can't see a problem accommodating it!
For the really adventurous, I do have a complete 50 episode campaign called Rise of the Rebellion which charts a Rebel group's exploits running from 5BBY to 0BBY (5 years before A New Hope right up until just before the events of Rogue One). The campaign has been fully play tested with a group of 7 regular players already.
Plot Armour: I am pleased to be able to offer Plot Armour to be set "on" or "off". This means that adventures can occur within the established timeline of the films, dovetailing, but not changing anything established in canon, or, alternatively, the characters can take on the likes of Jabba or even Vader and the Emperor in their own alternate version of the saga!
Rates:
Service Charges are for a three hour session, and all associated preparation and writing, with charges on a per-player basis with groups consisting of 6 players.
Tier One: Casual Play. £7.50 per session running pre-published adventures.
Tier Two: Campaign Play. £10 per session running a mixture of pre-published and home-brew adventures with play tailored to the specific characters in the group. An introductory post will be put up on this blog and players will be provided with a PDF of the same document.
Tier Three: Unique Campaign Play. £15 per session running home-brew adventures only, tailored to your group's needs and wants for the campaign.
Immortalise Option: For an additional £2.50 per player on top of the chosen Tier pledge, a full write up of your session will feature on my blog along with a PDF copy for each player. See Green Vipers posts on this blog for examples of what you can expect.
Rules: For anyone not familiar with the system, here's a few quick basics: all attributes and skills under the attributes have a dice code, e.g. 3D, 4D which simply indicates how many six sided dice the player rolls, the totals of which are added together when rolled. Some dice codes have +1 or +2 after them, e.g. 4D+2, which would mean that you roll 4 six sided dice, add them up and add 2 to the result. Note: Roll20 automatically tallies the dice rolls so you don't have to worry about the arithmetic!
When asked to make a skill or attribute roll, the GM will set a difficulty for it. If the roll equals or exceeds the difficulty, the character has passed the test, while, if it is lower, they fail. The difficulties are as follows:
Very Easy: 1-5, Easy: 6-10, Moderate: 11-15, Difficult: 16-20, Very Difficult 21-30, Heroic 31+
When rolling the dice for any skill check, you have a single "Fate" dice which adds extra excitement to proceedings: roll a 6 and the dice "explodes", allowing you to roll another dice to add to your result - if another 6 is rolled, the dice explodes again and will keep rolling until a player fails to roll a 6! A roll of a 1 means that you will either be asked to subtract the 1 and the highest result from the total or, alternatively, the GM will tell you that a complication has happened and something interesting and unexpected happens!
You gain Character Points at the end of an adventure and can spend these either to increase your skills or can use them in-game to boost rolls if desired. Force Points also allow players to double all of their skills for one turn!
If all of the above seems straightforward enough, you shouldn't have any problem entering a galaxy far, far away! Join me! With our combined strength, we can end this destructive conflict and bring order to the galaxy!
For those unfamiliar with this blog, my name is Gordon Bissell. I'm a Game Master, role-player and wargamer from Glasgow, Scotland, who has a particular interest in science fiction. I have 33 years experience of GMing roleplaying games, going back to 1987 when, at the age of 12, I discovered Games Workshop's Judge Dredd: The Roleplaying Game. A huge 2000AD fan, I was instantly hooked and a lifelong love of roleplaying ensued! As well as GW's Judge Dredd, I have run the following games: Star Wars (West End Games' D6 system), Cyberpunk 2020, Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay, and EN Publishing's Judge Dredd game. On the other side of the GM screen, I've also played Star Wars D6, Paranoia, GURPs, AD&D, GW Judge Dredd, Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay, Star Trek and, most recently, Alien.
I've always loved GMing and have run more home-brewed more games than pre-published adventures. I have run a Star Wars Campaign which was entirely written as a home-brew and designed for my group of players which ran for over 50 sessions - so I'm able to deliver a deeper gaming experience if players are looking for something more than just casual play! I like to encourage players to think about what their characters are up to in downtime in between adventures (some of the best adventures I've run have arisen out of such details), but, equally, I do not insist upon this; casual play is equally valid!
Available Games:
I am currently available to run West End Games' Star Wars D6, Judge Dredd (either by Games Workshop or EN Publishing, whichever is desired by the group) or Alien by Free League Publishing. More information about what I'm offering on each system follows further down this article. More expansive descriptions of what is available will follow on posts dedicated to each setting.
Sessions:
Sessions will be run on Roll20 for maps and tokens, with either Discord or Google Hangouts used for voice chat (whichever is preferred by the group). My preference is to use maps where possible, but there may be occasions where the action unfolds in the "theatre of the mind".
A session will last 3 hours and ideally will be run on a weeknight (Mon-Fri) 7pm - 10pm or 8pm - 11pm GMT. Weekends really would only be the only times where I could offer more flexibility on time-scheduling (which may be necessary if group members are playing in different parts of the world).
Group Size:
Games will be run for a group of 6 players. Costings (found further down this post) are based upon this being the number of players in any given session.
Zero Session:
To ensure that all players are comfortable, a Zero Session will be run with all prospective players, free of charge. During this session, all introductions will be made, character sheets created, and we will have discussions about expectations and try to nail down the specific experience everyone is looking for. It'll be my job to deliver the game everyone is looking for in Session One - and for as long as desired! If the group cannot reach a consensus, then there is no obligation to proceed any further. Assuming that everyone gets along well and is willing to play the game...
Session One:
With the groundwork having been completed in the Zero Session, Session one will jump straight into the action! Whether that action is in a galaxy far, far away, in Mega-City One, or even a space station in the outer rim in Alien, Session One will be a taster of what players can expect on a regular basis. If players do not enjoy the experience, they may drop out at this point, without charge, no harm, no foul. However, the fee is anticipated and very much welcomed for Session One players who do enjoy the experience and wish to continue playing!
Casual Play or Campaign Play:
Players can opt to request sessions on an ad hoc basis, when I will host as and when required (subject to availability). Such an arrangement will mean that only casual play - adventures which only last a few sessions - can be accommodated.
Alternatively, if players want to play a campaign, I can create a campaign which will run for a desired number of sessions which will be run on a schedule agreed by all players. To provide the immersive feel of a campaign, weekly play is recommended, but the scheduling will be determined by the group (subject to my own availability). In a campaign, players can expect to meet recurring NPCs, both allies who set them missions (such as a General on the Rebel Base or a Sector Chief and associated personnel in Judge Dredd) and enemies who will make their lives as difficult as possible! My campaign style is to run a series of individual adventures which weave together to tell a larger, hopefully epic, tale. I also like to delve into character backgrounds where possible to give some added depth to the adventures.
Whether in Casual or Campaign Play, there may be times when members have to miss or reschedule sessions due to life commitments which I will try to accommodate as much as possible, but if there is a player who is regularly finding it difficult to make sessions, then it is possible they may be asked to leave the group and allow another player to join. None of the above is set in stone however, I will be as flexible as I possibly can with a group's requirements - life does get in the way sometimes, it's to be expected!
More information on the differences between both will be further detailed in separate posts on this blog.
What You Can Expect From Me:
A friendly, approachable GM who always tries to accommodate players where at all possible. My priority is to ensure everyone is having fun around the virtual table! I am always open to feedback if there are areas where players think I can improve. I'm also open to adapting play to be more focussed on action or roleplaying if there is a feeling of there being too much emphasis on one and not enough of the other! I recommend reading some of the Green Vipers posts on this blog to get a sense of what type of game I run for Star Wars. I'd be aiming to strike a similar balance between roleplaying and action when running Judge Dredd or Alien.
Options:
Star Wars West End Games D6 System: Rebellion era, Rebel Forces (Tiers 1-3 available)
Judge Dredd EN Publishing / Games Workshop, whichever system preferred: 2099 onwards (Tiers 2-3 available)
Alien: Free League Publishing (Tier 3 only)
Services Charges are for a three hour session, based on a per-player basis with groups consisting of 6 players:
Tier One: Casual Play. £7.50 per session running pre-published adventures.
Tier Two: Campaign Play. £10 per session running a mixture of pre-published and home-brew adventures with play tailored to the specific characters in the group. An introductory post will be put up on this blog and players will be provided with a PDF of the same document.
Tier Three: Unique Campaign Play. £15 per session running home-brew adventures only, tailored to your group's needs and wants for the campaign.
Immortalise Option: For an additional £2.50 per player on top of the chosen Tier pledge, a full write up of your session will feature on my blog along with a PDF copy for each player. See Green Vipers posts on this blog for examples of what you can expect.
Settings: A brief synopsis of what is on offer for each system follows, but individual posts detailing more information about I can run for each system will follow in due course on this blog.
Star Wars: I have a whole host of adventures and campaign settings I can offer here! For casual play, I have all of West End Games published adventures and can run any requested! On the campaigns front, I can easily run the Long Shot Campaign as I've done so recently as recorded on this blog, but there's also the Darkstryder Campaign or the Minos Cluster Campaign. The first two are Rebel Campaigns, while the latter focusses on a group of traders/smugglers struggling to make their way in the galaxy. With the current popularity of The Mandalorian series, I'd be willing to go to work on a "scum" campaign, though this would be fall under the home-brew campaign category.
In terms of the setting, expect to encounter strange creatures and bizarre aliens, travel to far-flung corners of the galaxy, visiting iconic worlds with extreme climates - and getting to pilot all of the iconic ships you know and love! Oh, and the action can range from personal one on one gunfights up to major battles - just like the films!
I'm most comfortable running adventures set during the Galactic Civil War, but have run a campaign which covered the period 5BBY right up to the events featured in Rogue One. Please note that I only count the films as cannon, so there may be elements in the games which contradict events in Star Wars Rebels and other expanded universe media. There is an option also to switch plot armour on or off, depending if the PCs wish to dovetail with the events of the films or if they fancy changing the whole story and taking on Vader and the might of the Empire themselves!
Star Wara RPG Books
Judge Dredd: My love of Judge Dredd doesn't go back quite as far as my fandom of Star Wars, but,as mentioned in the introduction, I've been a fan for well over three decades! I can run any setting covered by The Complete Case Files, but I'm most familiar with the early years of Judge Dredd, from 2099 up to Necropolis.
Players will have the choice of playing Judges or Perps - or, for the ultimate experience, alternate between both, some weeks playing as Judges trying to take down the perps, others trying to build a criminal empire right under the Judges' noses!
If, playing as one faction or the other, most of the action will take place in Sector 1, but, as with the strip, the players can expect forays into the Cursed Earth and beyond! As with Star Wars, plot armour can be turned on or off - as Judges, the players can take Dread's place in some of his most famous adventures- or as perps try to kill him! In the case of playing both factions, the action will be set in different sectors (to avoid the players finding themselves in the strange situation of building a criminal empire with perp PCs that their Judge PCs are actively trying to tear down).
My collection of Complete Case Files (I do own more Dredd and Anderson books!)
Alien: Enter a dangerous, uncaring galaxy full of slimy, deadly creatures - and that's just the company that employs you! Whether you want to part of a team of frontier colonists, travel the galaxy as space truckers, join the colonial marines or help the company expand across the galaxy, I'm confident that I can create a campaign for you!
Testimonials: There are currently four testimonials that I have here, but please watch this space, I will add more soon!
Brian R.: Gordon is an exceptional GM, Not only is he well-versed in many systems, but his ability as a storyteller is outstanding. I have been a player in many of his games from Cyberpunk 2020 to Warhammer Fantasy Role-play. Each time he found creative and fun ways to keep his players interested and engaged. I have always greatly enjoyed participating in games run by Gordon and hope to do so again in the future.
Please see comments below for more testimonials from Robert M, Craig M and Tom W (aka One Man Banned).
The Green Vipers campaign continues with this classic adventure by West End Games. This is the first time I've run one of the full standalone adventure supplements for my group and it will, by no means, be the last! I plan on running most, if not all, of those that were published! As usual, I own none of the images which were mostly sourced from google images. Please note that this is an advert free, not for profit blog.
Additionally, please visit The Rancor Pit. The support shown to me by fellow GMs and players there has been wonderful - thanks again to all of you who are still following these adventures!
The New Viper:
Music Cue: Rebel Briefing
The Green Vipers are called to the Command Bridge on Nowhere where they find General Lens Reekeene and Santhou. Captain Hannah is also there and still seems to be running Nowhere's command deck in the aftermath of the battle of Lorimax.
Lens: Thank you for joining us, Vipers. We've got another mission for you, but first I'm sorry to say there's going to be some more changes to your squad. CommanderHannah, if you would?
Hannah: Thank you General. After our success at Lorimax, the General has asked me to command Nowhere on a more permanent basis. This means that I'll be key in not only day to day operational duties, but also planning future campaigns for this ship and coordinating Roughnecks operations alongside the General. That being the case, I'll no longer be able to lead you on missions. Now, the reluctance of members of this unit to step up to the plate in terms of leadership is well-established. That leaves me with no option but to put in charge the only member who has consistently made the case that things would be better if they were running things.
Captain Hannah
Kaleban: Huh! Who would that be?
Hannah: C4-S0, will you accept the position of Captain of the Green Vipers!
C4-S0: Goodness, gracious me! Yes, of course, it makes sense! And, if you don't mind me saying so, it's not before time!
C4-S0
Tala: What? You were threatening to dismantle him last mission and now you're putting him in charge?
Tala Nor
Hannah: I'm sure he'll perform quite admirably.
C4-S0: Yes, that's enough from you mistress Tala. I'll not stand for dissent!
Tala: And what about you? You couldn't stand Hannah until now!
C4-S0: That's Commander Hannah to you! Admittedly, we have had differences of opinion, but that's all behind us now. Thank you Commanderfor this great honour!
Corr: Ah cannae believe yer puttin' this bucket of bolts in charge!
Lens: That's enough from you, Alden! Perhaps if you hadn't all shirked the burden of responsibility you wouldn't find yourselves in this situation!
C4-S0: Yes, pipe down or I'll have you thrown in the brig for your insolence!
Hannah: You'll be perhaps happier to hear that I've arranged for R3-FU to be given a full upgrade. He has full functionality now...
R3 beeps happily at this.
R3-FU
Lens: Obviously, we can't have you short-handed so you'll need a replacement.
Hannah: Indeed, I have one more parting gift for you! Please welcome my replacement, Beelam Bastrilla!
The bridge doors roll aside...
Beelam Bastrilla
The Ewok chirps enthusiastically as it joins the Green Vipers. His squad members stare at him in disbelief.
Kaleban: So much for not being 'short-handed'! You promised us a replacement, not a mascot...
Kaleban Maars
Hannah: Don't everyone thank me at once!
Hannah smirks maliciously. Worn down by the Vipers' constant sniping at his leadership, he enjoys his moment of petty revenge, before explaining that he has a new mission for them, one which will require them to use the Imperial Shuttle they stole from Callonia...
Elusive Prey:
During a hyperspace jump on the shuttle, the team watch a fuzzy holographic communication received from Dankayo base:
As the image fades, the Vipers chat to each other. C4-S0 is 1st Rebel, Corr 2nd Rebel, Kaleban 3rd Rebel, Tala 4th Rebel, Bots 5th Rebel and Beelam (interpreted by C4-S0) is the 6th Rebel.
Music Cue; The Sith Spacecraft and the Droid Battle
As they approach the Elusive, Corr takes the comms as the ship contacts them. As Beelam jumps on the shuttle's chairs and Bots struggles to grab him, Corr tells them that they have picked up a Rebel prisoner, a savage creature and they wish to dock with their ship. As they are granted access, Corr guides the ship in alongside the Elusive and he locks the Proton Torpedo Tube on to the Elusive.
Comms Officer: Ah, shuttle Bonderium, it looks as though you've locked a Proton Torpedo Tube has come unlocked and is...ah...sort of pointing our way. Would you mind shutting that down?
Corr: Aye, like I said, we've got problems here! Grab that wee nyaff, would ye, Bots?
In the next moment, Corr launches the Proton Torpedo and Kaleban opens fire with the laser cannon while Tala raises shields. Bots scoops up Beelam who he straps into one of the passenger seats at the rear of the shuttle. The shuttle shudders as the Elusive returns fire and both ships trade more fire, with Tala aiding Kaleban in blasting at the ship as Corr performs strafing runs. Then, as quickly as the battle began, it ends - with the Elusive making the jump to hyperspace.
Kaleban: I don't think we can trace a ship through hyperspace!
C4-S0: R3, quickly, plot all known routes through hyperspace based on their last known trajectory!
R3 interfaces with the ship's computer and begins frantically trying to calculate the various trajectories. As he does so, a needle shaped ship drops out of hyperspace and starts using a tractor beam to scoop up the Elusive's garbage. Moments later, a doughnut shaped ship also drops out of hyperspace and also starts scooping up the garbage - while attacking both the needle-shaped ship and the shuttle! Corr directs the shuttle away from the battle as the needle-shaped ship uses tractor beams to protect itself from the larger ship's assault! The doughnut shaped ship then makes a jump away...
Music Cue: The Little People Work
R3 picks up a transmission that indicates that the smaller ship seems to know where the Imperial ship went. After a brief conversation on the comms, the needle-shaped ship agrees to allow the Rebels to dock to negotiate a trade. They are led through on to the ship whose corridors are overflowing with bric a brac until they are brought before King Ebareebaveebeedee. The King and his people are Squibs and he is keen to trade with them. The Vipers offer him the shuttle, but it is only when his advisor, Spilfer, whispers in his ear, that the King offers the team a fresh bargain.
Ebareebaveebeedee: You bring us quest object from System of Paradise, we give you place-numbers to catch BigShip. Spilfer will join you to lead you to the quest object! All pals together now!
King Ebareebaveebeedee
The Vipers are reluctant, but the King will not be shifted. They take Spilfer and a "gift of bargain-closing", a chef droid called L9-G8.
Spilfer
L9-G8
Strangers in Paradise:
Music Cue: Han Solo Returns (At the Court of Jabba the Hutt)
On arrival in the Paradise System, the team find that the junkyard at the centre of the system is heavily blockaded by a series of the doughnut-shaped ships which they now know are Ugorian ships, hated enemies of the Squibs. After the Ugorian Customs Officers bring the team on board their ship - which is even more rammed full of garbage than even the Squib ship - they agree to pay the relevant taxes to grant them access to the system. It becomes clear to the team that Paradise System is a place of almost religious significance to the Ugors. They are forced to relinquish their weapons, but Bots manages to conceal his hold-out blaster and Kaleban a boot knife, while Beelam manages to bluff the Ugors that his spear is a walking stick. Tala tries no deception; she always has her claws if they get into a fight.
Ugorians
Just as they are about to return to the shuttle, Spilfer enters the Ugorian ship, causing uproar! The Ugorians believe he is a sacrifice to be served up to them on a platter - it is only when the Vipers pay a hefty fine for Spilfer's desecration of their ship that he is released and they are allowed to proceed into the sprawling floating junkyard of Paradise.
As they depart the Ugor ship, the Vipers try to interrogate and intimidate Spilfer into telling them what the quest object is and if it is a danger to them. Spilfer insists that it isn't, but still refuses to provide any further details. Having noticed that a strange black assault ship is tailing them, Corr takes evasive manoeuvres as they enter the thick debris field. Identifying a huge hollow cylinder floating in the garbage, Corr guides the shuttle in and powers it down until their pursuers pass them by and disappear into the distance. He glances inquisitively to Spilfer.
Corr: Where tae now, wee man?
Spifler: Dead ahead. Not far now...
That's No Moon...
Music Cue: Inner City
The Squib directs them into a section of the junkyard which is heavily patrolled by Ugorian vessels which they manage to slip past, and they find a huge honeycomb chunk of garbage - perhaps a huge section of an Imperial Star Destroyer - floating in the centre of the field. Rings of garbage drift in orbit around it, but what it oddly the huge piece of wreckage at the centre is completely still. As Spilfer identifies the body as the location they are looking for, the team stare out of the viewport, looking for places to land. While most only notice a bare wall where they can land, Beelam and Tala spot a disposal chute as another potential landing spot - but Tala identifies an emergency airlock as the most hidden of landing positions. Corr takes the ship in and successfully docks with the gargantuan chunk of wreckage.
Bots: Droids will slow us. Better stay here.
Bots Vridak
C4-S0: Yes. I shall oversee the mission from here. Keep me informed so I can best advise how to proceed. R3 and L9 will remain here with me.
The humanoids members of the Vipers - Kaleban, Corr, Tala, Bots, and Beelam - proceed inside the wreck and navigate their way through wreckage-strewn corridors. With Beelam rushing onward ahead of them, they proceed through what was once a high-level clearance command centre before discovering sleeping quarters which are filled with battered and broken pieces of what looks like specialised medical equipment.
Music Cue: The Magic Tree
Corr begins to feel uneasy...it's as if there is an unpleasant stench in the air, an evil presence...
Corr Alden
Beelam chirps excitedly as he discovers another door at the far end of the quarters. Kaleban overrides the door security and suddenly, as the door opens, they are pummelled by debris and they see the gleam of a black helmet and a black cloak billowing in the wind.
Beelam is first to act, and charges with his spear, disappearing into the darkness under the cloak while Bots shoot with his hold-out blaster...fortunately, they discover that the cloak and helmet are on a stand - and that Darth Vader is not here!
With Corr's help, Tala decides to search the room. They discover a device and a box which Corr is very interested in.
As he opens the box, Corr takes a sharp intake of breath. A lightsaber lies inside.
Concerned that it may be Vader's, he hesitates to so much as touch it. Sensing Beelam's curiosity to inspect the weapon, however, Corr reaches in and picks it up before the Ewok can act. Activating the lightsaber, a blue blade of pure energy ignites with a deep hum, and suddenly everything goes black around him.
He can see no sign of his friends - or anything else for that matter. Suddenly four lightsabers - two blue and two green - ignite out of the darkness. They start spinning with an incredible speed, transforming turning the air around Corr into a terrifying, chaotic riot of colour and sound.
General Grievous: Your lightsaber will make a fine addition to my collection.
General Grevious
Grievous swings his lightsabers at Corr, and the whole world spins on its head. He finds himself a child once again, back in the Jedi Temple beside his friend and fellow youngling Sors Bandeam.
Corr: Sometimes I think we’ll never become Jedi.
Sors: I know that feeling, but I think you’ll make it, Corr!
Suddenly an energy field separates Corr from Sors who suddenly turns around as Anakin Skywalker enters the room.
Sors: Master Skywalker, there are too many of them! What are we going to do?
Sors Bandeam
Corr tries to scream a warning to Sors but is unable to make any sound. He hears Obi-Wan's voice in his head, and shares his shock.
Obi-Wan: I have seen a security hologram of him…killing younglings.
Anakin ignites his lightsaber which suddenly transforms from blue to scarlet - as do Corr's surroundings. Sors has disappeared. Corr feels searing heat and finds himself standing on a mound of ash on the edge of a lava flow. A lightsaber - the same one he picked up moments earlier - is in his hand. As Anakin leaps at him, he swings his lightsaber and dismembers Anakin. Again, he hears Obi-Wan's words as though he is speaking them himself. The sense of loss and despair Corr feels is overwhelming.
Obi-Wan: You were the Chosen One! It was said you would destroy the Sith, not join them! Bring balance to the force, not leave it in darkness!
Anakin: I hate you!
Suddenly Corr is a child again, emerging from the cargo hold on the Centurion. Jaden Jericho sits him down at the holochess table.
Jericho: I don’t usually treat stowaways this kindly, but you want a game kid?
Jaden Jericho
Jericho's cloak turns to black and he transforms into Darth Vader. His lightsaber ignites once again as he approaches Corr.
Vader: Now I am the master.
Obi-Wan: Only a master of evil, Darth. You can't win. If you strike me down, I shall become more powerful than you can possibly imagine.
As Vader swings the blade, Corr is vaguely aware of a distant scream, that of a young man - but the overwhelming sensation is one of peace and serenity. Once again, all turns to black. The voices he heard in his mind are fading, barely more than whispers...
Vader: The force is strong in this one.
Obi-Wan: Corr, these are your first steps…
And then he is back with his friends, brandishing the lightsaber, aware that it belonged to Obi-Wan Kenobi - and that they are in Vader's quarters on the ruined remnants of what was once the Death Star.
Net Epic Gold Battle Report: Orks v Imperial Guard 7,000 points
Introduction:
Because of the popularity of my Epic Battle Reports - a massive thanks to the hundreds of you who've been reading them! - I thought I'd run another! Once again, I'll be using my Net Epic Evolution rules to run the game. Continuing the experiment I began last battle report, I've decided to allow units on Charge orders to fire: provided they are not engaging enemies in Close Combat, with a -1 penalty on rolls to hit. For anyone not in the know, the Evolution rules are my own variant of the Net Epic rules which, in turn, are a fan version of 2nd Edition Epic/Space Marine rules by Games Workshop.
The video version captures the highlights, but for the full experience, the write up follows below this!
Scenario:
The Orks have attacked a city on the world of Lorimax and the Imperial Guard have been tasked with defending the city from their incursion! Both sides have 7,000 point armies and are aiming to score 60 Victory Points (VPs) to win the battle. Victory Points are won by breaking enemy formations or seizing any of the 8 objectives. Each objective is worth 5 VPs.
Army Lists:
Once again I'm using Net Epic costings which are better balanced than 2nd edition costings.
To ensure consistency through the report, when the left and right flanks are referred to, these relate to the battlefield as seen from the Ork side of the board as pictured here.
Left Flank: There are three objectives here, two on the IG side of the board, one in the cathedral in the Ork side.
Centre: Again, there are another three objectives up for grabs here, but this time with two on the Ork side and one on the IG.
Right flank: Finally, there are two objective on this flank, one in either side of the battlefield.
The Battle Plan:
Orks: The central aim is to capture and hold the objectives on their own side of the board and to break as many Companies as possible. The Goff Clan and Renegades are tasked with holding the objective on the Right Flank while the Goff Warboss holds the objective in the Justice Department building. The Garments are tasked with holding the other objective. The Kult of Speed will take up a central position, hoping to make attacks of opportunity in Turn 2. The Bad Moons and Evil Sunz will hopefully hold the Left Flank without too much opposition!
Right Flank Ork Deployment
Centre Ork Deployment
Left Flank Ork Deployment
Imperial Guard:
On the Left Flank, Imperial Bikes hope to be able to jump enemy Orks and inflict casualties while the Inferno Gun Warhound and Vindicator Company should heap heavy casualties on any Orks who think that buildings are a suitable place for refuge! Backed up the Baneblade Company, the Tactical troops inside the Gorgons should be able to seize and hold the two objectives without issue. A lot of firepower - a Leviathan, Capitol Imperialis, Warhound with Turbo Laser Destructors and a Predator Company - is concentrated through the centre of the battlefield and it is hoped that the IG will dominate here. They should be able to deal with any Gargants that the Orks have at their disposal, but they have a reputation for being able to soak up a lot of firepower, so they'll need to get the fires if they want to take them down quickly! On the Right Flank, the Stormhammer Company, backed up by the Rough Rider Company should also be able to pose the Orks some serious problems! Finally, the IG have a Hellbore at their disposal - it will be looking for the most opportune location to emerge and cause carnage in the midst of Ork ranks!
Left Flank IG Deployment
Centre IG Deployment
IG Right Flank Deployment
Turn 1:
The opening activations are cagey and involve units moving up and taking cover behind buildings, such as the Rough Rider Company...
...Goff Lungbustas...
...the Kult of Speed's Warbuggies, Bonebreakas and Coptas. The Spleenrippas steal an objective in IG territory!
The Imperial Bike Company move behind the cathedral - but the Evil Sunz roar forward in their battlewagons to engage them! As they pour out of their vehicles, they have a glut of targets!
...but they only manage to pick off a measly two bike stands! Mediocre!
Opportunistic Goffs jump Rough Riders! Their assault will be resolved in the Close Combat Phase...
Vindicators surge forward, but although they have a decent roll to hit of 5+ on Charge orders, most of their hits go astray!
Indeed, only one stand of Boyz fall beneath the Vindicators' powerful Thunderer cannon!
The Weirdboy Battletower narrowly survives a potential overload as it activates (it rolled a 5 when a 6 could have destroyed it and nearby Bad Moons)! From his vantage point in the tower, he can see two biker units and a Vindicator! With an overabundance of psychic energy, the Weirdboy can hit each twice!
He unleashes the psychic barrage with a howl of pain - and all three targets are vaporised! Even the sturdy Vindicator has no save against this ferocious attack!
The first of the Gorgons moves forward. Frustratingly, its Tactical troops can't fully get into position at the edge of the landing pad where they want to be! They fire at the Evil Sunz, but most shots go astray...
...though the one unit that did make it to the edge of the landing pad manages to pick off a stand of Evil Sunz Boyz!
Skullhammas tear forward, making use of their boosted engines which allow triple movement on Charge orders! They target enemy Vindicators...
...destroying two!
Another Gorgon draws close to the landing pad and troops spill out.
Bad Moons transports - a mixture of Skullhammas and Gibletgrindas - push forward, Boyz pouring out to fire at the nearby Vindicators and Tactical troops on the landing pad.
The Gibletgrindas fail to pierce the plate armour of the Gorgons' blades - but the Boyz have more success, picking off another two Vindicators - and break the company!
The last of the Gorgons drop off Tactical troops and the Company HQ. They target the deadly Bad Moons...
...and inflict casualties!
Bad Moons Nobz disembark from their Battlewagons and rush into the cathedral...
One of the quirks of the Net Epic Evolution rules is that First Fire rules provide a +1 on rolls to hit. There is a downside to this however, with units revealed to be on FF orders providing attackers with a +1 on rolls to hit them! The bonus is all that matters at this moment, however, as it means the Nobz hit on rolls of 4+. They target the Bike Company and make an incredible roll...
...with devastating consequences! The bikes are cut down in their droves in the heavy hail of fire!
A Warhound rushes forwards to punish the bold Bad Moons...
...thinning their ranks with the boiling plume from its Inferno Guns!
Goff Nobz move into the building and target Rough Riders!
Their FF bonus helps the carve through the cavalry!
Hellhounds surge forward and attack! The closest available targets of their kind (as other Boyz are engaged in Close Combat), one of the vehicles can target the Nobz in the building! The -1 to hit for vehicles is negated by the fact that there is a +1 to hit units like the Nobz who are on FF orders! This is the double-edged sword of FF orders at work!
And the contingent of Goff Nobz is halved!
The second Hellhound fires its plume through battlewagons and Boyz...
...taking out one of each!
The final Hellhound fires...
...destroying another Battlewagon!
Acutely aware of the heavy firepower about to make its presence known at the far end of the road, Braincrushas take cover behind a building.
A Stormhammer moves forward and fires at the Goff Nobz...
...picking off another!
More Braincrushas take cover...
...while nother Stormhammer opens fire on the Goff Nobz!
...and almost wipes them out! Only one last stand commands the mob!
Lungbustas advance, but without any targets they are harmless!
The last Stormhammer rolls forward, but can only attack a single stand of Boyz...
...which it duly eliminates!
Nobz Warbikes move themselves into cover, preparing themselves to pounce next turn!
Predators suffer a lack of targets, but those they do have, they miss anyway!
The Renegade Mekboyz enter the fray! Most of their shots miss - but one of the Supa-Lifta Droppas manages to tear a Predator from the ground...
...before slamming it down upon the other, destroying both!
More Predators join the fray - but have no targets!
The Goff Warboss and his retinue take up positions across several buildings and open fire at the Predators...
...destroying another two!
The ponderous Capital Imperialis crawls forward and the Heavy Company spill out.
They all target the Warboss' retinue!
...but only succeed in killing their standard bearer!
The Great Gargant charges forward. It can only fire its Battle Cannon Head and Ripper Fist at a distant squad of Heavy Troops - but misses!
Predators advance and strip the Great Gargant of three of its Power Fields!
The Slasha enters the battlefield but decides not to fire the ball round, hoping to hit the Leviathan with it next turn. Frustratingly, neither its Ripper Fist or Deth Cannon land hits! One more destroyed Predator would have broken the company! With all of the Orks' army now on the battlefield, the remaining Imperial Guard units activate...
The Baneblade Company strip the Slasha of its Power Fields! An additional shot pings off the Gargant's armour...
Enter the Leviathan! It hits the Slasha with everything it has!
It blows the Slasha head clean off, starting a fire!
The Warhound is the last IG unit to activate. It, too, targets the Slasha with both of its Turbo-Laser Destructors!
It peppers the Slasha with hits - one of which punches through the ammo and starts three fires! An immediate roll on the fire table is made, and a series of massive explosions tears through the Gargant, destroying it!
Close Combat Phase:
Goff Boyz and Rough Riders clash! With both opponents having +3 CAF, the odds are even!
...and it shows! Both sides lose five stands of their warriors!
End Phase:
Overview: The Orks have seized 5 Objectives, while the Imperial Guard have secured 3.
Battlefield Overview
Left Flank
Centre
Right Flank
Ork Casualties (VPs awarded to IG):
Slasha Gargant (not pictured): 6 VPs
Imperial Guard Casualties (VPs awarded to Orks):
Bike Company: 4 VPs
Vindicator Company: 5 VPs
End of Turn One:
Orks: 34 VPs
Imperial Guard: 21 VPs
Turn Two:
Having failed their Morale Check at the end of Turn One, Vindicators fall back. They are the only unit who failed their Morale Check.
Orks win Initiative and opt to fire their Gibletgrindas at the Warhound. They strip its shields and land a further three hits, but none of the shots can penetrate the Titan's armour!
The Titan's princeps must sense the writing is on the wall for them as it hastily opens fire with the Inferno Guns!
And another four stands of Bad Moons Boyz are boiled to death!
The Great Gargant advances and fires a ball round from the Gutbuster Cannon, hurling it at the Leviathan!
Unfortunately, it scatters which means that it must have flew through nearby buildings! Its Head Cannon and Ripper Fist strip three Void Shields from the Leviathan while the Gatling Cannon destroys another Predator, breaking the Company!
The ball round destroys the first building and embeds itself in the second building!
The Imperial Guard attempt to wipe out most of the Kult of Speed in one fell swoop - as the Hellbore erupts from the ground!
Unfortunately, it misjudges the entrance point and only a Bonebreaka and a single Nobz Bikers stand and a building are lost as the ground crumbles and the Hellbore's grinders rip them apart in the pit! As it spews forth from crater, the entire Tactical Company spill out from the tunneller and indiscriminately engage infantry and vehicles alike in close combat!
Skullhammas activate, with two threading the eye of a needle to target Baneblades and the other targeting the Warhound!
One Baneblade is damaged and the other destroyed!
...while the Warhound's Inferno Gun is damaged!
The damaged Baneblade picks off a few more Power Fields on the Great Gargant.
Goff Boyz fire at nearby Rough Riders...
...and kill enough of them to break the company!
Predators strip a few more Power Fields from the Gargant.
Goff Battlewagons charge Rough Riders and Hellhounds.
The Leviathan rolls forward and peppers the Gargant - two shots bypass the flickering Power Fields but only succeed in punching a few harmless holes in the hull.
Braincrushas try to capitalise, stripping the Leviathan's last Void Shield and getting a shot through! Fortunately for the IG, the armour protecting the bridge even manages to stand up to the powerful Braincrusha cannon!
The Warhound fires its Turbo-Laser Destructors. It strips the Gargant of its last Power Fields...
...and damages the head, killing the Kaptain! It will have to remain on advance orders next turn while a replacement is found!
The second squadron of Braincrushas emerges and target the Leviathan. This is probably their last chance to take it down this turn!
Note: they should have activated with the other ones, but I forgot about them mobbing together in this instance. The different colour schemes were not my friend on this occasion!
But this time all three hit and the bridge is blown apart! The crew abandon the vehicle and the Leviathan is out of the battle!
The last Baneblade activates. This, too, is probably the Imperial Guard's last chance to take down the Great Gargant this turn!
One shot pierces the ammo and a fire is started. A roll on the fire table reveals that the fire is getting out of control - it can't move any longer! Crucially though, it is still hanging on!
Bad Moons activate, with four stands firing at the Warhound, while the other, with a vantage point high on the cathedral, targets the damaged Baneblade in the distance!
The Baneblade is destroyed!
And the Warhound's head is battered by successive strikes! One of the shots tears through and kills the princeps inside! It teeters momentarily and then crashes to the ground!
Vindicators activate - but despite only needing 2+ because both they and their targets are on FF orders, they roll a snake eyes! Has luck deserted the IG at a critical moment in the battle?
Evil Sunz activate and target Imperial bikes on one side of the building and Predators on the other...
Another Predator is destroyed...
As is a bike stand!
The remnants of the bikes engage nearby Evil Sunz Boyz.
Evil Sunz Nobz activate, destroying another of the broken Vindicators...
A Stormhammer targets nearby Goff Boyz...
...shredding all four targets!
Bad Moons Nobz target the Tactical Troops on the landing pad...
...and shoot down the hapless IG in their droves!
A Gorgon charges forward and attempts to burst the Skullhamma with its mine throwers - but the Skullhamma stands up to the exploding mines raining down upon it!
Goff Lungbustas advance, but they fail to hit the Hellbore.
A Predator fires at the Renegade Mekboyz, but its shots are deflected by the Dragstas!
Bonebreakas charge forward! Guardsmen howl in horror as the deathrollas bear down on them!
Fifteen men die unspeakable deaths, pulped and impaled beneath the spiked Deathrollas before both vehicles engage enemies in close combat!
Heavy troops swarm around the monument and fire at the Lungbustas...
...destroying two - and breaking the Goff clan!
The Weirdboy pushes his head through his barred cell and waves angrily as the tower advances...
...and his psychic barrage destroys a Gorgon!
More heavy troops swarm on to the monument, firing at the nearby Coptas and Lungbusta - but miss all!
Nobz Warbikes gang up on Tactical Troops!
...while the last squad of Heavy Troops bombard the Gargant - but fail to do anything more than further pockmark its hull!
Coptas (acting on instinctive behaviour) engage the Heavy Troops...
While the last two Gorgons emerge - but miss their targets!
The Skullhamma is next to fire...
...claiming another two Tactical stands on the landing pad!
Tactical Troops in the building respond!
...killing two more Bad Moon Boyz in the building - and destroying the Weirdboy Battle Tower!
The Capitol Imperialis continues to lumber forward - but, due to the mass melee ahead, it is starved of targets!
It does finish off the last of the Lungbustas!
Any unengaged Warbuggies gang up on nearby Tactical Troops!
While a Stormhammer bears down upon a single Goff stand! Talk about overkill!
Predictably, the Boyz die!
Acting on natural instincts, Gutrippas engage the nearest enemies...
A Commissar, his Rhino and a Stormhammer engage the Gutrippas in close combat!
Fearing an attempt by the Rough Riders to steal their objective, the Renegade Mekboyz crowd around it.
The Rough Riders respond, but cannot get close enough to steal the objective!
The Warboss in the building shoots at his attackers, picking off one of them!
The Warboss and his retinue shoot at their attackers...
...and enjoy some success!
The Predator HQ fires at three Braincrushas...
...destroying one!
Tactical Troops advance and shoot at the Nobz in the cathedral.
...killing one!
Battlewagons are last to activate, but they fail to destroy any of the remaining Gorgons.
Close Combat Phase:
Bikes fight Evil Sunz Boyz...
...with some success!
Tactical Troops battle Spleenrippas!
...but are wiped out! Worst of all, the Spleenrippa on the objective holds on to it!
Tactical Troops fight Warbuggies, Nobz Warbikes, and Bonebreakas in a mass-melee!
The Orks gleefully tear the Tactical Troops to ribbons!
More Tactical Troops take on the Goff Warboss...
...with similar results! The Tactical Company has been butchered!
Coptas take on Heavy Troops...
...and also do well! Things are falling apart for the IG!
Rough Riders take on a few Goff stragglers and some of the Renegade Mekboyz...
...with better, but irrelevant results - the Goffs are already broken, and they are unable to contest the objective or break the Renegade Mekboyz!
The final action of the turn occurs with the remnants of the Goffs and Rough Riders battling one another...
...and the Hellhounds are broken in the process!
End Phase: A roll is made for the fire burning on the Great Gargant, but it does not destroy it!
Overview:
Left Flank
Centre
Right Flank
Ork Casualties (awarded to IG):
Goff Clan: 12 VPs
Turn Two Total: 12 VPs
+Turn One Total: 6 VPs
+3 Objectives
Imperial Guard Casualties (awarded to Orks):
Leviathan (not pictured): 4 VPs
Warhound Titan: 2 VPs
Baneblade Company: 7 VPs
Predator Company: 6 VPs
Rough Rider Company: 6 VPs
Hellbore Company: 6 VPs
Hellhound Squadron: 2 VPs
Commissar: 1 VP
Turn Two Total: 34 VPs
Turn One Total: 9 VPs
+5 objectives
End of Turn Two:
Orks: 68 VPs
Imperial Guard: 33 VPs
A resounding and raucous victory for the Orks!
Closing Reflections:
Another fun game, even if it was more one-sided than the previous battle! It hadn't really felt that way in the opening stages, especially at the end of Turn One when the Slasha Gargant was destroyed without even having landed any shots! That left the Great Gargant facing down a Leviathan, Warhound, Baneblade Company and some Predators - good odds for the IG, yet the Great Gargant acted like Al Pacino at the end of Scarface, hoovering up incoming fire while yelling "I'll take all your ******* bullets!"
The focus on destroying the Great Gargant allowed the Orks to use the rest of their firepower to concentrate on breaking various IG Companies, while the IG failed to respond in kind, picking off Ork stands here and there, useless really when the Orks have huge Break Points. Defeating Ork armies requires greater focus on this front. Most egregious was the wasting of the Hellbore Tactical Company who should have advanced out of the tunneller to shoot at the Kult of Speed rather than engaging them in close combat! If they had broken those and focussed slightly more on the Bad Moons - who were 2 stands away from breaking - then they'd have gained an additional 22 VPs. That coupled with a little more luck against the Great Gargant would have secured a draw. The Capitol Imperialis and its Heavy Company failed to get involved which was also a major problem for the IG.
The Orks had similar problems with the Renegade Mekboyz who strangely didn't get into the action, but overall the remainder of their forces did their job well!
This battle report, the third in a month, will be the last for a couple of months as I have another trilogy to complete - the writing of the third and final book of my science fiction novels! Once that small matter has been dealt with, more Epic battle reports are guaranteed! Meantime, thanks for reading and for the support I've received from the Epic community for these posts!
