A while ago I cleaned ChaosOrc out of most of their Epic Ork merchandise.  Combined with ebay conquests, I got a sizeable Ork army for Epic.  This gave me two armies of a large enough scale to play.  My next problem: if I want to show kids how to play, HOW do I get them interested?

In the Epic Armageddon rulebook, there are “practice scenarios” that allow players to get used to the rules of Epic.  This is all well and good for players who are already interested, but what about drawing in new players?  Fooling around with a Space Marine unit or two won’t really let them get what Epic is about: BIG BATTLES.

So, I figured what I would do is make two balanced 3000 point lists, set up a battlefield, and let them have at it.  I typed up a double-sided sheet which explained in brief the rules of Epic, what each of their units did, and what their strategies in general should be.

I set up a battlefield at 21C and waited for some players.  I got my friends Alan and Al to play.  Alan was the first to sign up and chose Space Marines.  Al therefore played the Orks.  Here is a brief description of the battle:

Mission: Tournament Scenario. Each player has one objective on their board edge and two on their own side.  The tournament scenario has five win conditions. Blitzkreig: Hold the objective on the enemy board edge.  Break Their Spirit: Destroy the most expensive enemy formation.  Defend the Flag: Hold all 3 objectives in your board half. Take and Hold: Hold two objectives in the enemy board half.  They Shall Not Pass: There are no unbroken enemy formations in your table half.  At the end of turn 3, the player with more win conditions wins.  If there is a tie, play a 4th turn.  If still a tie, the winner is the one who has inflicted the most damage.

Setup: One board edge had about 1/3 of its side cut off by a shallow river, difficult and dangerous terrain.  A large bridge spanned the thin river.  This side also had about 5 ruined buildings, arranged as a small town, and one small forest.  The other board half had several large forests.

Forces

Alan: Space Marines

-Warlord Titan

-Terminator Formation with Chaplain

-Assault Marine Formation

-Assault Marine Formation

-Devastator Formation with Hunter

-Tactical formation with Supreme Commander

-Whirlwind Formation with Hunter

-Land Speeder Formation with one Typhoon upgrade

-Thunderhawk Gunship

Al: Orks

-Great Gargant with Ork Warlord

-‘Uge Ork Warband with two extra units of Orks and Gretchin each

-Ork Warband with 2 Battlewagons, 3 Gunwagons, and Flakwagon

-Ork Warband with 2 Battlewagons, 3 Gunwagons, and Flakwagon

-Kult of Speed with 6 bikes, 2 Buggies

-Big Blitz Brigade with extra Gunwagon and 2x Oddboy Supa-Zzap Gun upgrade.

-Mekboy Stompamob

-Mekboy Gunzmob with Oddboy Soopagun upgrade.

-3 Fighta Bommerz

Deployment

Orks put the ‘Uge mob of Orks in a central forest.  Each flank had one Boyz mob and one Gunwagon unit.  Gargant was right in the middle.  Kult of Speed on the flank.  Gunz off slightly to the right.  Stompas supporting the Gargant.  Space Marines deployed Tactical formation with Supreme Commander in ruined town.  Assault Marine units BOTH deployed inside the Thunderhawk off the board.  Devastators were in the forest to the right.  Titan in the center by the bridge, supported by Land Speeders.  Whirlwinds center behind the town.  Terminators in reserve.

Turn 1

Space Marine Terminators teleport behind enemy lines near the ‘Uge Ork Mob, in the back near Boys away from Nobs.  Space Marines win initiative.  Whirlwinds bombard ‘Uge Ork formation.  Initiative seized, Terminators assault ‘Uge mob, lose 1 stand and break the ‘Uge formation.  Ork Great Gargant activates and doubles, blasting three shields off of the Warlord Titan.  Warlord Titan responds and blows four Power fields off the Great Gargant.  Fighta Bommerz attack Whirlwinds, but Hunter suppression and poor rolls make their attack ineffective.  Thunderhawk with embarked Assault units smash into an Ork mob, wiping it out.

Turn 2

Terminators begin harassing the broken ‘Uge mob to keep it broken and advance on Gunz.  Gargant does another double, is now 1/2 way across the board.  Assault Marines split up and wreak havoc, but are damaged by Blitz Brigades in return.  Kult of Speed roars across the board.  Devastators shoot, kill 1 bike unit.  Titan smashes an Ork Blitz brigade.

Turn 3

Assault Marine unit 3 strong gets picked up by Thunderhawk.  Remaining Assault marine unit 1 strong hides behind a forest.  Ork ‘Uge mob regroups, attacks Terminators, kills all but 1 but still loses combat and flees again.  Whirlwinds mop up Big Gunz.  Stompas and Land Speeders duke it out in close combat, 1 Stompa and 2 speeders destroyed.  Titan fires on Great Gargant and take down last power field.  Gargant charges Tactical formation in Town, breaks them.  Devastators break Kult of Speed.  Hunter flak kills 2 Fighta Bommers, last bommer broken.  Thunderhawk claims Ork objective

Final – Alan’s Space Marines win

Blitzkreig: Space Marines  Break Their Spirit: Neither.  Defend the Flag: Neither. Take and Hold: Space Marines. They Shall Not Pass: Neither.

Analysis: Both Al and Alan got how the game worked pretty quickly.  Watching Al’s Gargant charge as Al shouted WAAAGH! was awesome.  I think this plan would work pretty well for Epic.