2008/07/19: PAGE Skirmish!

Unexpectedly granted some down time between missions, Kingbreakers leaders decided to leverage the opportunity and hold unplanned training exercises. Several firing range and assault drills were conducted with potential new recruits in the system, showing off the might of the hallowed Adeptus Astartes warriors! Mock battles were also conducted, including a high profile scrimmage between Captains Angholan and Petrarchus, testing new high-mobility tactics, missile launchers, and assault doctrines.

For this matchup, each Captain took charge of a small band of Kingbreakers battle brothers armed with paint weapons and engaged in ferocious mock combat to "capture" a long since ruined escape pod. Early on, Angholan and Combat Squad 1 rushed toward the objective while his Combat Squad 2 engaged in a flanking maneuver. Petrarchus' Combat Squad 3 countered with covering missile fire while Assault Scout 1 and the captain ran to deny the objective to Combat Squad 1. The scouts bravely dared CS1's enfilade and rapidly engaged in close assault. Knives brandished, Scout 1 began slicing through their ranks with ease. Seeing their brothers embattled, Angholan and CS2 quickly changed course and double timed toward the combat, outrunning CS3's continuing missile fire. They reached Scout 1 just as CS1 was ruled eliminated from the exercise, splattered with marker paint and cheering on their brothers on both sides. Quickly flipping their attentions, Petrarchus and Scout 1 dove right back into close combat with the newly arrived CS2. Meanwhile, CS3 picked up their gear and sped toward the objective, their targets now obscured on the other side of it. Power swords still crackling despite dampened settings, Petrarchus and Angholan stove at each other with full might but good cheer while the scouts and Combat 2 bashed away at each other. The scouts' momentum was too much for CS2 though, and they were dispatched as rapidly as their teammates. As they fell to the ground in feigned death, the scouts instantly surrounded Angholan, aiming to aid Petrarchus in the pitched battle for the objective. The melee petered out before the issue could be resolved however, as the referees called time and began untangling battle brothers from the scrum.

Fortunately, though the sheer power and strength of the average Space Marine makes even simple combat training exercises a risky proposition, no Kingbreakers were killed in the mock battle. Several broken bones and serious burns were reported, but damage was generally considered light and worthwhile in the face of the high educational and motivational value of the demonstration.

Stats & Results

Managed to talk Daryl and Caitlin into playing a couple turns, just to demo some of the core mechanics. Mixed responses... Big complaint: Wouldn't this all be way better on a hex map? I generally agree, other than the difficulty in making fancy terrain...

Also got in an impromptu game, about an hour, to round out the night and start working on 5th edition issues with which we'll have to get more familiar. Two teams of 250 points, split by Akil & Lovell vs Justin & Joe, all on Kingbreakers space marines. Akil: Combat squad + Captain Angholan; Lovell: Combat squad w/ flamer & heavy bolter; Justin: Combat squad w/ missile launcher; Joe: Assault scout squad + Captain Petrachus. Would have to look at rules to resolve final outcome better. Akil & Lovell reduced down to Angholan. Two scouts and Petrarchus KIA for Justin & Joe. Everybody piled around the objective, with Angholan alone denying it to Justin & Joe?

Lessons

Need to work on a good scenario, differentiated models (i.e., clear teams), minimal rules, and basic spiel to introduce new players. The mini-game w/ Daryl & Caitlin also highlighted basic issues with multiplayer games. Sample rules given in the scenarios in the 5e rulebook aren't very good for this. For example, a better approach to shooting into combat might be to simple allocated wounds before saving much like firing at a complex unit.

Will have to think more carefully about new objective rules, in particular what it means for objectives to be denied.

It seemed like both sides made good use of the new Run move. It certainly mitigated some frustration at the relatively short range of bolters. Several runs were made to put pressure on the objective & to move units around in order to be in position for mop up assaults in subsequent turns.

One thing of note is that the unit reference in the back of 5th edition gives several space marines invulnerable saves, in particular captains & masters. We didn't play with this, but I'm assuming that's something coming in the new Codex this fall. That will mitigate the value of the combat shield, of which Angholan was very happy to have one...

Scouts remain impressive in close combat, they were able to devastate the enemy by running forward and then closing in later turns.

Missiles seem much less accurate against small units now, as they're likely to drift off target.