Ambushes on Brind's World

The kid's friend had a day of school on Thursday and so came over for the day to play a couple more games of 40K with us. After the previous disappointment of playing for hours and only just finishing the first turn, I suggested playing with MUCH SMALLER FORCES! I suggested the kids all come up with forces that were 15-20 Power Level, and at least 1/3 of the force should be Troops and no more than 1/3 be characters. This worked out MUCH BETTER. Not only did we play a game to conclusion - we got to play TWO games to conclusion AND everyone was engaged and having fun the whole time!!



Yes, there is a stove and dishwasher in our living room... renovations are still underway...

GAME ONE

FORCES

Orks

HQ
Warboss Warkurr PL 5
Warlord Ability: Inspiring Leader

Troops
Ork Boyz (30) PL 13

Patrol Detachment, 4 Command Points


Necrons

HQ
Overlord J.O.E. PL 7
Warlord Ability: Legendary Fighter

Troops
Necron Warriors (10) PL 6

Elites
Deathmarks (5) PL 5

Patrol Detachment, 4 Command Points


SCENARIO

For both games we played the Ambush Scenario. It seemed like one that could be played at a lower power level and had an objective other than simply utterly destroying you opponent - although, that is an option, I suppose... The attacker sets up around the fringe in cover, then the defender sets up in some relatively open space. If the defender can get units of Power Level (regardless of how many are actually left in the unit) equal to one third of his force or greater off the far end of the table they win. We discussed the relative strengths and weaknesses of the two forces and decided it would probably be a lot harder for the Orks to attack as they had fewer units and the Necrons could slip past on one flank or the other. After this we decided to roll for it. Necrons won and decided to defend.


THE GAME



The table we used for both games. The relatively open area to the left of centre is the defenders set up area.



General J.O.E. plots his escape from this ambush. The attacker sets up some hidden deployment markers to start with (the red dice #1 and #2), then the defender sets up in their deployment zone.



The Orks then sets up their forces around the appropriate deployment marker.



Ready to RUMBLE!!

ROUND ONE

The Orks moved up to the front edge of the woods they were hiding in and lit up the Necrons... well... most of them lit up the air and ground in front of the Necrons, but the Big Shootas were actually in range and scored a few hits taking out two of the Necron Warriors.



...and on the Necron turn those two warriors came back (Ugh... Necrons... they're like a bad case of herpes... Mechanical Space Herpes!). They then slowly began to trundle up the table, shooting as they went. The Deathmarks managed to tag one of the Ork Boyz.


ROUND TWO

The Orks held their position and continued to fire on the Mechanical Space Herpes... er... I mean... NECRONS, and knocked one down again....

The Necron warrior did not get up again thus preventing this game from turning into a song by Chumbawumba. The Necrons continued their ponderous advance blazing away with their pew-pew guns. Their shooting was a touch more effective, taking down three more Boyz.


ROUND THREE

More of the same - except the Warboss and some of the Boyz with Shootas got in on the action... though the Orks, with all that extra shooting, still only knocked one Necron Warrior down.

On the Necrons turn one of the downed warriors got back up again (officially turning the game into a song by Chumbawumba...). Realizing this game was likely half over and his troops were barely at the middle of the table, Overlord J.O.E. started to lead his Herpes... I mean... Warriors off to the flank - but not so fast they couldn't shoot up five more Orks.


ROUND FOUR



The Orks moved out to intercept the fleeing... I'm not sure "fleeing" is the right word... Fleeing, to me, indicates some haste or desire to move quickly away... they were more like "moving slowly to the side"... so... The Orks moved out to intercept the "moving slowly to the side" Necron Warriors. The big Shootas took down two more warriors. The regular shootas, with their 10 shots, only hit once and, though it managed to cause a wound, it was saved...

Two Necron warriors got up again and fled with their Overlord... well... shuffled off behind the woods. The Deathmarks covering their... shuffling... managed to take down another Ork By and inflicted two wounds on Warboss Warkurr... which, really, I think it only made him angry...


ROUND FIVE



The Orks chased after the Necron Warriors, blazing away in all directions! someone managed to kill one of those pesky Deathmarks that were harrying them.

The downed Deathmark got up again (but somehow didn't get back on the table...?) The Necrons and the overlord moved a little and then lit up the Orks at close range - which took out two more of them - and the Deathmarks took down another two as well...



It being the end of the Fifth Turn in a variable length scenario, Finnegan rolled a die.... and the game was over and the Necrons, having gotten NONE of their force off the table, lost...

Well... that was a little anti-climactic, so everyone decided to play another round "just to see"


ROUND SIX



The Ork mob surged forward and unleashed some terrifying close range fire! Their prep fire alone took down five Necron Warriors.

Then they charged in.



Nekron Overwatch fire took out one Ork, which was just not enough to stem the green tide. The Orks utterly wiped out the remaining Necron Warriors - before they even got to finish all their attacks.

The Overlord had done a "Heroic Intervention" and joined the fray. He even spent a two Command Points to fight before the Warboss. While he (it? it's a robot right?) scored three hits, not one wounded. Finnegan figured he swung his big green scythe and the warbles grabbed it in his Power Klaw. Then the Warboss hit back and landed some telling blows with the aforementioned Power Klaw - scoring FOUR WOUNDS! OUCH! (or not... because it's a robot, right?). Still... that's got to leave a mark.



On the Necron turn Overlord J.O.E. fell back from the combat and continues his stroll towards the table edge... The Deathmarks moved and shot a few more Boyz...



At that point they decided that was enough. There was no way he'd make it off before the end of Turn Seven... even if the Orks DIDN'T for some reason charge him on their next turn and finish him off...


GAME TWO

FORCES

Eldar

HQ
Farseer Jiharrien Moonemnlookhe  PL 5
Warlord Ability: Tenatious Survivor
Psychic Abilities: Smite, Fortune, Guide

Troops
Harlequins (5) PL 7
(Narook, Millim, Loemenia, Rallensha, and... Stabpants?)

Elites
Howling Banshees (5) PL 5
(Fritz, Shan, Khara, Allren, Shaefha)

Patrol Detachment, 4 Command Points


Necrons

HQ
Overlord G.E.O.R.G.E. PL 7
Warlord Ability: Legendary Fighter

Troops
Necron Warriors (10) PL 6

Elites
Deathmarks (5) PL 5

Patrol Detachment, 4 Command Points


SCENARIO

Same as before, except this time the Necrons were attacking and the Eldar were defending.


THE GAME




All set up and ready to go. Learning from the previous game, The Girl decided he best option was to set up as close as possible to the far end of the table and SPRINT for it!


ROUND ONE



The Necrons decided to spend a Command Point to keep the dark rules going for an additional turn. I'm not entirely sure why, as THEY are the ones with long range weaponry...? But spend them they did. They also spent two do have two of their units ignore the dark rules for a turn. And so to start off the game they rained down withering pew-pew gunfire on the Eldar. Millim was grazed in all this and stumbled and broke a nail and had to tell the rest of the troope she was out for this one and wandered off.



On their turn, the Eldar didn't wait around - all moved and advanced as quick as they could for cover on the flank and to make for the escape route!


ROUND TWO



Overlord G.E.O.R.G.E. was utterly confused by this move and chased (well... trundled after them). The Warriors got far enough around the corner that they had a Harlequin in their sights and shot them up - causing FOUR WOUNDS - Leaving Rallensha alone to carry out whatever mysterious mission they were tasked with carrying out.



The Harlequins checked morale - not a big concern, they'd only fail on a 6... which is, of course, precisely what The Girl rolled (thank goodness for Command Points and re-rolls!). Rallensha thought about it a moment and decided "THE SHOW MUST GO ON!"

So on the Eldar turn, Rellensha, the sole remaining Harlequin took off like a bat out of hell and hauled flip-belt for the escape route.

The Farseer wasn't far behind her, and conjured up some Smiteness to blast away one of the Necron Warriors. The Howling Banshees moved up and fired off their shrunken pistols and took out another Warrior (they'd actually caused FOUR wounds with their five shots, but the Necrons saved three). They declared their charge, dodged all the Necron overwatch shots and in they went.



howling Banshees, WS 3+, 10 attacks... took out one Necron... The Necrons fought back and Khara stubbed her toe and decided to call it quits for the day.


ROUND THREE



Overlord G.E.O.R.G.E. and the Deathmarks were hauling robobutt to try and block that Harlequin from escaping off the table - as that single Harlequin making it off the table would mean a loss for them. Despite some pretty amazing advance rolls, it was clear they were just not going to make it... 2 of the Necron warriors got up again... so... there was that going for them...

...and then the Necrons and Banshees fought again...



Oh, those Banshees... Luckily they hit on a 3...

They still took out one Necron Warriors. Or perhaps they were just tipping them over like cows or something... The Necrons didn't manage to score any wounds. It was like they were having some girl-eldar-robo-slap-fight... I don't know.

On the Eldar turn the sole Harlequin scarpered and that effectively won the game for the Eldar. They decided to play it out.



the Farseer moved up and blasted General G.E.O.R.G.E., Necron Overlord, with some smite and caused two wounds. She also shot at him with her Shining Spear, but it saved those wounds.



the Banshees and the Necron Warriors kept up their slap fight shouting "STAAAAAWWWWP! STAAAAAWWWWP! " at each other.


ROUND FOUR

Two Necron Warriors got up again.... I think The Girl was getting rather tired of that...

The Overlord moved and shot at the Farseer, causing one wound, Then charged into close combat in a desperate bid to try and stop her from getting off the table as well!



The Overlord attacked the Farseer, no wounds. The Banshees took out another Necron Warrior. The Necron Warriors finally took out another Banshee (it was Fritz, one of them tripped her and she bruised her knee and took a time out...). Then the Farseer caused two wounds on the Overlord... but the Overlord saved them...

On the Eldar Turn the Farseer danced out of combat and off the table edge.

At that point they called it...

As I said at the beginning this worked out WAY better than last time! Everyone stayed engaged and excited about the game and were super stoked to actually FINISH a game! I'm hoping over the weekend I can get the kids to have battle with me and my Power Level 18 force (I did have one ready, just in case we got through two games and had time to spare...).

The kids friend has another day off skewl on Monday so he's coming over again, but I think we're going to set up for a day of painting!

Speaking of painting, I've been up to a bit...



Another Special Weapon Squad for the Tallarn force. Up next I should have a Catachan/Guaiacan Heavy Weapons team.