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EPIC 40 000
5K Epic Armageddon - Orks vs Marines
This is a report of a 5,000 points a side game, Orks versus Marines using standard tournment rules for Epic Armageddon. It was played at the New Zealand National Wargaming Convention in Christchurch on March 25, 2005. I used my Orks. Dave Wallace used his Ultramarines, (which have recently seen the addition of many superbly painted reinforcements, including many of the new Epic Armageddon releases).
We played on a 5' x 5' table, and terrain was a cityscape on an obsidian plateau (we thought the black table tennis table surface looked better than the bright green cloth we had bought along, considering that we were using purely industrial scenery!).
ORK FORCES
(x1) Great Gargant; Soopa gun, Warlord.
MARINE FORCES
(x2) Tacticals; 6 Tactical Stands, 2 Vincators, 3 Rhinos (1 with Captain)
TURN 1
Above is a shot of the battle at the end of turn 1, viewed from the Marine baseline. 'O' are the Ork table half objectives and 'M' are the Marine table half objectives, (B = Baseline, 1 & 2 = other objectives placed by opponent). The Marine infantry disembarks into the ruins near their baseline and their armour moves up into support.
Above the same situation can be seen, but viewed from the Ork side. The two Ork Gargants charge down the road, and four Ork Battlefortress infantry mobs race up behind cover to try and get within stiking distance of the Marines next turn. Marine Whirlwinds fire on these mobs but cause only minor damage. One of the Ork Blitz Brigades breaks after a exchanging fire with Marine Devastators and Tanks.
TURN 2
On turn 2 the Ork Gargants continue their charge down the road and open fire at the Marine defenders. Few shots hit as the Ork gunners bounce around in the fast moving Gargants. The Ork infantry mobs rush forward disembarking and ready to assault on turn 3, shooting ineffectively into the marine defenders as they do so.
One Ork mob assaults the Marine position in the ruins on the Marine right flank. These Orks destroy two Marine Devastator formations, but the Orks are then routed by enfilading fire from Marine Predator Destructors and more Marine infantry.
Marine shooting takes a heavy toll on the advancing Ork infantry mobs and several Battlefortresses explode in spectacular fashion killing yet more Orks. A Marine Landspeeder squadron races through a gap in the ork lines and seizes the Ork baseline objective.
TURN 3
At the start of turn 3, the Marine Terminators teleport behind the Ork lines near the two remaining Ork objectives. A Terminator Captain orders a charge by all three Terminator formations, which all but wipes out the two Ork Blitz Brigades and one Stormboyz Mob nearby. The Marines now hold all the Ork objectives.
The Gargants halt, take steady aim, and unleash a devastating barrage on the Marine infantry defending the ruins near their baseline. However, the remaining Marine formations continue to blast away at the charging Ork formations, with the Marine Whirlwinds exacting a heavy toll on the exposed ork infantry. After heavy casualties on both sides all the big Ork infantry mobs are broken and in retreat, with Marines chasing close behind.
To stop the Marines winning this turn, the remaining Stormboyz mob doubles to contest the first objective held by the Marine Terminators, while Ork Buggies contest the other objective.
TURN 4
None of the Ork formations manage to rally this turn, which leaves the Orks with only two Gargants, 8 Buggies and 6 Stormboyz stands to stop the Marines achieving victory. The Ork Warlord charges his Great Gargant towards the Terminator Marines in frustration but it is too little too late, as the surviving Orks are gunned down and outmanoeuvered by numerous Marine formations. The Marines take two objectives, and the Orks have none.
CONCLUSION
Executed properly a massive Ork infantry assault is unstoppable, and I have grown used to smashing opponents with the brute force of Big Ork Warbands riding in Battlefortresses. However, in this game I underestimated the strength of the massed Marine lines, and I lost all my Ork infantry very quickly. I should have softened the Marine position up more with Gargants and Blitz Brigades, and been more careful with disembarkation. Trying to avoid my Battlefortress transports brewing up with Orks still aboard led me to commit these big formations too early, and into positions where they received huge amounts of damage. Combined with some clever manouevering by the Marines, the result was a well deserved win to Dave and his new Ultramarines force! (We found out later that Dave was underpointed by several hundred points, - so even greater glory is his!!) (21.04.05 - Update! Simon White, a helpful online viewer, has observed that the orks had 5680 points in thus battle! I had included my usual 4 big infantry mobs when I had only payed for 3 of them! Kudos to the marines for emerging victorious despite this piece of underhanded ork kunning!)
(x1) Gargant; Supa-Zzap gun.
(x4) Battlefortress Mob; 2 Battlefortresses, 4 Nobz, 12 Boyz, 4 Gretchin, 2 Flakwagonz.
(x2) Blitz Brigade; 12 Gunwagonz, (including 3 Oddboy Supa-Zzap guns).
(x2) Stormboyz Mob; 6 Stormboyz.
(x1) Kult of Speed; 8 Buggies.
(x2) Assault; 4 Assault Stands (with Chaplain).
(x3) Devastators; 4 Devastator Stands (1 Formation with Captain, 1 with Librarian).
(x3) Terminators; 4 Terminator Stands, (1 Formation with Captain, 1 with Librarian, 1 with Chaplain).
(x3) Landspeeders; 5 Lanspeeder Tornados (1 Formation with Captain).
(x2) Landraiders; 4 Landraiders.
(x2) Bike; 5 Bikes.
(x2) Whirlwinds; 4 Whirlwinds.
(x1) Predators; 4 Predator Annihilators.
(x1) Predators; 4 Predator Destructors.