Batrep: Epic, 40k

If you've arrived at Death By Die thinking this is a battle report of an Epic 40k game, I apologise. If you've come here thinking this is a game of 40k that was Epic, welcome, my friend.

As you may know, a few months ago myself and Alun visited the Crow Valley Crusaders and played against an Imperial Fist/Iron Hands combo. And we lost. Aluns Dark Eldar was shot down quickly and I couldn't do much but be overwhelmed by numbers. We went down to the longest night on the weekend, and beat Mike, one of the players we'd previously lost too. But it wasn't that fulfilling... Shaun, who had commanded the Imperial Fists was otherwise busy being a Lannister and taking over (well, trying too) Westeros. Monday night however at the Reavers, who would challange us to a game, but that very pair of ruffians, Mike and Shaun. It was Imperial Fists and Iron Hands again, this time Alun chose his regular Eldar army after they proved succesful on Saturday (except against me ha). 

2000 points per player, all about the kills.

For a comprehensive list of the armies we took, then please accept my apologies for I have none. The photo above shows deployment, my reinforcments consisted of a ten man strong Legion of the Damned unit, Stormtalon and 5 Sterguard in drop pod with combimeltas looking for that first blood.

And you'll be glad to know I got it! I took out one of Mikes Plasma Predators, nasty buggers especially to power armour! We managed to take down a nice little chunk of the boys troops too, no total squads but there were whittled down with as much as we could fire, night fighting restricting us from concentrating fire too much. Aluns Dark Reapers also did well, the Exarch particularly.

Mike and Shaun struck back, by not knowing where to deploy their drop pods.

Lets be honest, sticking down your drop pods can take longer than deployment. Whats in them? Whats the biggest threat? This was the best bit though.... Shaun trying to explain to Mike that he couldn't get into melta range to kill my vindicator because the drop pod was in the way. Mike said he'd get rid of it, but then 5 minutes were needed to explain that he can't move into range to shoot it in the shooting phase. I think Alun was using his psyker abilities to strike discord in the Crow Valley ranks!

Mikes Contemptor jumped out and shot my Land Raider in the jacksie, causing a glancing hit. Shauns came down in front of Aluns Dark Reapers, whose destruction made them a prime target. Although they were battered, a couple still stood at the end of the turn. Elsewhere casualties were limited, although one of my five man squads took a couple of casualties and fled back, but regrouped safely.

All my reserves made it on, which is a relief as it rarely happens!

The storm talon races up the left flank, to give Aluns eldar some support and the Legion of the Damned materialse in the CVC lads deployment zone, also on the left. A brutal display of firing by the ghostly marines takes out Shauns Heavy Bolter devs, and in return Mikes plasma pred takes out 7 of the legionaires. I'd taken 14 wounds and lost 7.... what on earth! My sterguard were charged but killed a terminator with an overwatching melta hit, and my land raider bites the dust after a charge from Mikes contemptor. I fire at it with a lascannon and multimelta but do nothing, bloody contemptors! Again, casualties to both of our troops is taken and we both suffer some losses. Alun does get some charges into Shauns Sternguard and Chapter master, and a brutal combat erupts, each side taking some casualties but fighting on.

So my Land Raider is lost, out comes Vincent Eniko wielding the Burning Blade and holding aloft his Shield Eternal leading the Terminators on to charge into Mikes Terminators and Shauns Land Raider Achilles. I roll a three to charge. I do get into contact with the terminators but I'm half an inch away from the tank... Eniko had Furious Charge from his warlord trait and the termies could have done some serious damage to the landraider, now, I doubt I'd scratch it... or get to it even! Mikes termies duly died however so not all bad. The Legion of the Damned, well, two that were left, charged into the ruins and sent the scouts to their graves. Alun took out the Contemptor and more people died in combat, with Shauns Chapter Master finally dying to the Archons attacks. Elsewere the stormtalon took out some infantry, my thunderfire cannon was smashed apart, and Mike lost one of his contemptors too.

We had no idea who was winning at this point, each side claiming a lot of kills so we fought on. Aluns gravtanks flew across the board, although 2 were blown up, the firewarriors being taken down by small arms fire and a Termie charge. Mikes Chapter Master headed out to attack another Eldar tank, and I aimed my own Chapter Master at him. My termies were slowly taking out tactical marines but not quick enough to earn any points, although they did previously take two hull points off an achilles(yes there were two). Aluns Archon swept into more marines killing another unit with his incubi. The Legion of the Damned sergeant, now on his own, took on the Techmarine that was manning the Imperial Fists Thunderfire, aiming to reap revenge for the loss of my own artillery. And revenge was gained, the sarge slicing the Techmarines helmut down the middle with his power axe. I lost two Combat squads this turn, one to termie firepower and the other to the contemptor on my right. My stormtalon fired everything into Mikes second plasma pred and it blew up, phew!

The board was looking emptier now, both sides had taken a beating and there was no clear winner. My Chapter Master swept into Mikes, Termies still trying to deal with the tactical squad. although I didn't lose any, there was just too many with only 4 attacks per turn, especially with how I roll dice! A couple more squads were finished off, Aluns Dire Avengers fleeing and counted as a point, stormtalon finishing off one of Shauns Tactical Sqauds. The battle of the Chapter Masters could prove important so it seemed!

 The Chapter Masters struck each other, Mikes having a power axe and armour from the Clan Raukaan. I got some hits and wounds, but Mike saved them bar one. He cause two on me, and I too lost one. Drawn! Next combat phase I caused a wound on the Iron Father, and Mike failed his save. In return, he swung back and the wound bounced off the shield. It could potentially come down to a morale test then? Mike rolled, and it came up a six. Chapter Masters would have fought on! I'll take that as a morale victory though, cause more wounds! 

So we added up the points, myself and Alun had lost 17 units. When I saw that I thought we'd lost... but Shaun announced they'd lost 16. However, we'd gained First Blood, Slay the Warlord, and Linebreaker. A win by just two points, I couldn't believe it! To be fair, no matter what the score was I felt like we'd won because it was one of the most enjoyable games of 40k I'd ever played and one of the finest examples of why I love this game. Little moments, good luck, bad luck, tense dice rolls, and excellent people to play with and against. It doesn't get much better than that I can tell you! I'm sure I've forgotten some events from the game, but if the lads want to add comments then hopefully they will. Can't always have the victors tell the tale after all!

I think we'll have to do something special next time, perhaps an even bigger game. How my Legion sarge survived I don't know, truly a legend amongst the dead marines. Another dead Land Raider though! Thanks to these guys we now know how barrage works properly, as we wasn't sure before. For now though, thats it from me. Wrestlemania is coming up Sunday, and on Saturday is our very own event for International Tabletop Day so expect a report on that with plenty of photos!