Over the weekend I set about playing around with a way of doing Epic 40K Portable Wargames - again. Originally I'd based these on the WWII set in 'The Portable Wargame', but the latest version diverges from them a little.
I like using an 8x8 grid, but found that the distances and ranges were a little large. So I scaled them down, partially to give everything a more epic feel. These are the key features:
Card-based activation rather than IGOUGO
Infantry now only move 1 space, Tanks move 2.
Ranges are 2 for Infantry and 3 for Tanks.
At one square range you can either shoot or engage in close combat. If you engage in the latter and miss, the enemy gets a free shot at you.
Firing gives either e suppression or retreat+suppression result. Close combat, or any combat against a suppressed unit gives the normal retreat+ suppression or destroyed result.
I ignore facing, but if you can shoot at a target from multiple directions during an activation then you get a bonus to hit.
I played a few games with what I'd worked and and they seemed to flow OK, so I decided to be more ambitious. I set up a small force of tough, elite Space Marines defending a pass. They had plenty of cover, and a small reserve and totalled 9 units. Against them I set up a force of Orks, with about 50% more troops in terms of points, albeit that the points system is somewhat arbitrary. The Orks had 17 units, which is rather excessive for an 8x8 grid, but I was going for something epic here.
The attacking Orks. There infantry were a mixture of shooting troops and close-combat specialists. Their tanks weren't as tough as the Marine Land Raiders. They had some fast buggies to exploit breakthroughs.
The Marines. Their front line were their rank and file, whilst a more powerful commander and some Land Raiders were held in reserve. Off board were some drop-capable assault Marines.
The Orks pushed forward very quickly ...
... VERY quickly. Essentially they got that nightmare situation in any game with card-based activation - a complete run of their own cards with nothing coming up for their opponent. The Marines pretty much sat there as a green tide rushed towards them.
The Marine's left flank was overwhelmed.
Eventually they got a turn, just before the reshuffle card put all of the Ork cards back into the deck. The Marines deployed their reserve, taking the fight out to the Orks.
But it was too late. The Orks were inside the defences, and it was obvious that the game would now simply be a mopping-up exercise.
I reigned back my ambitions a little, and set up an objective-based meeting engagement with slightly smaller forces. I gave the Marines a Commander, three units of Marines, two Land Raiders and some Assault troops.
The Orks also had a War Boss, four mobz od Boyz, some MadBoy assault troops, a couple of Tanks and some Buggies.
The four hill squares in the centre were the objectives; whoever held the majority at the end of six turns would be the winner, with actually holding a square (as opposed to being the last occupant) being the tie-breaker.
The Marines got a good run of cards enabling them to grab three objectives. But they'd have to hold them against superior numbers.
The Orks surged forward. A tank battle began in the distance for control of that flank.
The Orks pushed onto the hills, undeterred by the Marines' shooting.
A couple of assaults later, and the Marines were pushed back.
The Marine Commander was covering their right flank, but found himself caught between Boyz to the front and buggies to the rear.
The tanks continued to fight it out on the other flank, with the Marines making the first kill.
MadBoyz moved up to support the surviving Ork tank, mostly because they're mad.
The Orks were driving back the Marines on the objectives.
They killed the Marine Commander. Blocking a retreat will do that.
The tank battle was won by the Marines, but it was a short-lived victory; the Ork MadBoyz assaulted the surviving Land Raider and destroyed it.
The Marines were now down to three units of infantry, but were putting up a courageous fight.
A good run of cards saw them destroy the Ork War Boss ...
... and then grab three of the four objectives. The game was now on its last turn, so if they could hold on until the reshuffle card was drawn they would grab a victory.
It was not to be. A final Ork attack on the last card of the game saw them push the Marines off one of the hills, leaving the fight as a draw.
I was quite pleased with how the flow of the game worked, but I might give it a go with troops less resilient than Marines and see how easy it really is to kill units. Whilst I'm using the One Hit Kills mechanism from The Portable Wargame I have watered it down a little by use of the suppression mechanism and by making retreats easier. Killing Marines is not easy unless you get very lucky, or can hit them a couple of times when they have no retreat available. The latter, of course, gives a use for fast buggies and bikes working their way into the enemy rear.
After having reread that last paragraph I think I may be in the process of reinventing Epic 40K HOTT. On a square grid. I'll try and avoid that.
Where did you source the miniatures for this?
ReplyDeleteThey're all from the old Games Workshop 'Space Marine' / 'Epic 40K' games.
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