October Wargames member Artur who is of the Boromites has shared his account of his first game from Month 3 in this article!
By Artur Sliwinski
First Blood or Where Did I Go Wrong?
They attacked at dawn, they simply did not have any other choice. Ghar were everywhere and to break out of this plateau meant to survive.
At first it seemed this bold plan might succeed. Ghar war machines were suppressed by covering fire and one of the battle suits even exploded after a lucky hit from a mass compactor. But then the mag light weapon teams were silenced one by one and a well aimed shot from a scourer cannon killed a Lavamite handler. The suspender platform he was riding on floated away while the distraught ‘rock hounds’ hid near a large space pumpkin patch.
The other handler decided to avenge his fallen comrade. He charged bravely into a group of assault suits but as he fumbled with the controls of his platform the Ghar had time to use their disruptor dischargers and slow them down further. Lavamite fangs and lectro lash failed to do any damage and another unit has been crushed by those horrifying plasma claws.
Slowly the attack lost the impetus and the already limited forces dwindled away under the relentless barrage of Ghar weapons. Soon it was clear that this particular small contingent has met its doom. With only a single intact Micromite shard and three Lavamites with a ‘Down’ order on the table, I had no choice but to forfeit.
This is how my first game with Boromites went. Did I mention that Ghar are scary? Well, they are indeed and I still must figure out how to counteract their main superpower: not dying at all. So far the obvious route is to purchase a Broodmother and give Ghar a taste of their own medicine.
Joking aside, I made many mistakes this game while Mark has certainly got the grasp of commanding those snuggly psychopaths. In hindsight, I should have concentrated my fire on one squad at a time and hope for those wonderful ‘tens’ to work their dark magic.
Another Day, Another Battle or How I Learned To Stop Worrying And Love the Lavamites
My next game was against Brett’s C3 consisting of a cunning combination of four Strike Squads all with these pesky plasma lances and a ‘vanilla’ x-launcher team.
This time I have been more cautious and grouped my mag lights together so as not to dilute their potential. I also hugged cover like crazy this time which made a huge difference.
I finally managed to use my lavamites properly and they chomped through a five-man squad with ease. Truth be told, at that time I have already suffered seven casualties including valuable members of weapon teams so the overall score was not exactly in my favour.
The fight was better balanced this time and who knows what the outcome could have been but I had to stop playing and go home. After all, time, tide and buses wait for no man.
Overall it was another valuable lesson and I cannot wait to fight Concord again. Especially now when the reinforcements are on their way…
The Upgrade or I Need To Plasma It Up A Notch, I Think…
Warlord’s idea of giving us additional 250 points has left me speechless. I did not expected that for sure.
However, this was certainly my chance to amp my shooting a little and since I could use as many plasma carbines as possible, I selected both an overseer squad and rock riders. The former with two additional gangers and lectro lash for an extra punch. All for exactly 249 points.
Not too shabby choice, I think. Any Boromite commander would be pleased with 8 weapons providing either the same amount of SV2 shots or spraying 16 rapid fire ones in a single turn.
Which brings us to the next part…
The Choice or Woe to the Unexpecting
‘We’re surrounded!’ The young ganger was obviously terrified but managed to keep his composure ‘They’re everywhere, I am the only one left from my squad. Requesting immediate backup! Otherwise, they’ll have us…’
The transmission was cut short and all they could see now was a screen filled with static.
‘Well…’ the Matriarch was the first to speak after a long period of gloomy silence. ‘What do you say about that, overseer? So much for your “cautious but optimistic approach”. It cost us a little too much, don’t you think?’
He grimaced angrily but dared not to answer, it was unwise to interrupt her. Instead he tried to withstand their combined gaze. Being the only male Boromite in the room did not help.
‘So many lives wasted. Again.’ The guild leader continued. ‘ Some would say this calls for a trial…’
‘I had limited intelligence and acted accordingly!’ He finally snapped and took a step forward. ‘Who could have known Ghar would be there! On this… this… muddy piece of ancient stone!’
A loud hiss was heard and the Eldest Daughter raised her activated lectro lash. ‘Come to Mother any closer and I’ll cut your dumb tongue off!’ She swung her weapon in his direction.
Overseer paled considerably when he saw streams of crackling energy dancing and shifting just in front of his eyes but stayed where he was. Being cheeky was risky but cowardice was an outright condemnation in this society.
‘That’s enough, Nimrah, thank you.’ Matriarch smiled gently ‘We’ll let it pass. All of it, but consider that your last chance, overseer. Now, what shall we do about this?’ She pointed at the now blank screen.
‘Ma’am, let me make up for my previous mistakes.’ He bowed his head. ‘I’ll take my squad and land there. There might be survivors. And it could be useful to find out what so special about this planet that everyone seems to be willing to fight for to death.’
She did not respond at first but took a good long look at each of her eight daughters. Finally, she spoke.
‘No, I need you somewhere else. Your strategy was flawed but you’ve excellent organisational skills and there’s just the task to match them. You stay here, overseer. Your team goes down there though. That’s a good idea. We’ll need their plasma weapons.’
‘But who’ll lead them?’ he protested. ‘I admit, I was wrong about this whole mission and my biggest error was to neglect giving them any command. Surely someone…’
‘Nivriss will go.’
There was a gasp of disbelief from all of them. Including the young guildess herself.
‘Mother, you cannot be serious!’ The Eldest Daughter was visibly irate ‘She’s too young, she has no experience. That would be too much for her!’
‘I said: Nivriss will go.’ the guild leader did not have to raise voice, she just changed her intonation a bit, and everyone took a small step back.
All eyes turned to the lonely figure in the corner. Nivriss tried to look unfazed, but inside she was panicking.
A chaos of thoughts flooded her. She recalled all her failures, all her blunders that eventually put her at the end of any queue to any important position within the guild.
She was, quite literally, the last one. Last to be born, last to be picked during games with her sisters. Nivriss the Insignificant they used to call her. Even their mother seemed to reserve much less affection for her than she did for the other seven daughters.
Is she trying to get rid of me? A paranoid thought crossed her mind. Is it what’s going on?
She wanted to say something, but fear paralysed her.
‘See, Mother?’ Nimrah grinned contemptuously. ‘She can’t cope. That might endanger not only this mission but…’
‘I can’t but agree, ma’am.’ Overseer paced the room, waving his arms in apparent outrage. ‘I never doubted you, but if we’re to gain anything from this Selena pickle, we would need a competent person to minimise possible risks.’
The room erupted in loud, angry conversations. Everyone had a solution that somehow put them in position of exclusive leadership. We should do this, avoid doing things that way, if only I was in charge, and so on.
The Matriarch did not join them nor did she even bother listening. She was waiting, her gaze apparently focused on a star map displayed on the armrest of her chair.
Why isn’t she stopping this? She must be fed up with them, why doesn’t she say anything? Of them all it is only her who has any real power. One word and the whole guild will do as she decides.
And then the realisation struck her. And suddenly all those grim abusive years faded away. She felt calm at last. Panic disappeared.
The power to decide has never left the room.
It’s just been relegated.
‘I’ll go.’ Nivriss said loudly, stood up and, for the first time in her life, stared directly into her mother’s jade eyes.
‘I’ll go and command them.’
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