Mersey Scythes Martin Otten and the guys spent the month of December in close quarter combat to bring this battle report and a rather handy pass fail table for us all to download here:
Martin: Hello fellow Antarian’s, this month I got to play my first full on 500pt battles, I will give you a quick turn by turn report on one of them, then I’ll tell you my thoughts on playing the game.
The Armies
| Concord | Algoryn |
| 3 man command squad with spotter drone and medi drone. | 5 man command squad. |
| 2 x 5 man strike squads with lance and spotter drone. | 2 x 5 man AI Squads with two micro x-launchers. |
| Support drone with subverter matrix, spotter drone and Batter drones. | Medi team. |
| Avenger attack skimmer with twin mag-light support. |
We rolled a dice and ended up playing Narrative Scenario 5: Outpost, we set-up the table as per the instructions, putting six numbered markers on the table, the attacker got to place their units onto the table first, the as I was defender I rolled a D6 and placed two units onto the corresponding markers.
Picture showing attackers units top right, and the six white markers in the defenders deployment zone, I rolled my two D6 and put my Medi-team on the bottom right marker and my second roll had me put one of my AI squads on the bottom left marker, afterwards all the markers were removed.
Objective:
The attacker has to get as many units as he can off the defenders deployment table edge, the defender has to stop him
Turn one:
The concord sprinted as fast as they could towards the Algoryn table edge, a few long range shots from the AI Squads Micro X-launchers failed to do and damage
Turn Two:
Lucky the concord hadn’t reached halfway across the table letting me add another two order dice to the bag, again the concord pushed for the table edge this time firing on the move and killing the med team. I moved my AI Squad towards the Concord firing the Micro X-Launchers at the Concord X-Launcher Team, getting a pin, the Avenger arrived and opened fire with its twin mag-light Support putting a couple of pins on a strike squad
Turn Three:
All the Algoryn units were now on the table the command squad run to the barricade to get some cover, the second AI squad came on behind the hill and fired there Micro X-Launchers putting another pin on the strike squad, the avenger opened fire and managed to pin the other squad and kill two of the troopers in the process, the concord continued there forward motion taking shots at the AI but with little results for their efforts
AI Command Squad behind the barrier
Turn four:
The concord command squad ran in the hope of getting behind the barricade in front of them and the protection it would offer, but they fell short and ended up on the wrong side of it, one strike squad failed its command check and were left out in the open, the other strike squad advanced and opened fire on the AI command squad missing there mark, the Al spent the turn moving into better firing positions ready for the next turn.
Concord caught out in the open
Turn Five:
Luck was on the side of the AI in this turn they got the first few Order Dice and the Avenger and the command squad cut down the Concord command squad, the remaining strike squads and the X-launcher advanced and fired back but caused no casualties the AI.
Turn Six:
Again I managed to put the first dice out the bag and used it on the Avenger to add pins to the strike squad closest to my table edge, apart from a few more pins both sides failed to cause any more casualties this turn.
We rolled a dice and the game ended there.
After game thoughts
So the game was over it was a blast to play, I think of the Concord had just went for it and sprinted all of the units every turn then they would have been across the table by turn four, lucky for me I managed to put some pins on his units and he decided to fight back and so slowed down to fight.
Some of the highlights of the game for me were the constant sense of excitement as you put you hand in the bag and draw out the order dice, never knowing till you look at it if it was going to be your turn or your opponents, another was my Avenger attack skimmer firing with both order dice into the C3 Command squad, adding pins, then killing one of the squad forcing a command check which was failed and the whole squad was removed as a casualty, this is such a great game!
Till next month take care.Martin.
Shane Phillips on his Isorian ‘s progress
The first game I had I made a fatal mistake, I didn’t make full use of my phase armour…
So there I was in a four player game and I had the first die of the game, so I brought on what was, and still is, my favourite unit, the sniper, oh how I love it but that will come later… On the edge to my side came a C3 unit, and they shot, I didn’t think it would be that bad, they were firing at extreme range, and they were shooting through cover, so I didn’t go down, biiiiig mistake! my sniper got slaughtered, and from there I was fighting a losing battle.
The second game I was determined to change this, and this is where the sniper becomes the hero I need. During set up, I noted the fact that there were barriers put close to each of the long table edges, and so a plan starts to formulate. As soon as I got a die pulled, the sniper ran on and set up behind the barrier by my edge, pressing up against it. And the rest of the turn continued as normal.
Next turn my die gets pulled first, and I decide to make full use of it, I had a command unit in my sights, and so the sniper fires on them, they decide to try to dash but unfortunately failed and so I roll my dice for the number of shots. 6. This pleased me (manic cackle of laughter), and I thought I’ve gotta get at least one down here, but no, the dice gods were looking down on me that day and the command unit was wiped out in one shot. The opponent was astonished, and too right, and wanted revenge…
The advance came for the counterattack, and the shot came. I reacted with a down order, and my camo drone put me down as unshootable, my opponent was livid. This continued, as the sniper took shot after shot, wound after wound, down after down.
That game ended well for me, as I started to utilise my down orders,and more and more of my army was surviving as a result. Of course, the rest of my army was doing work as well, advancing and firing, going down whenever a retaliatory shot came, really showing me the use of phase armour. In the future, I want to continue this, as well as it giving me the background idea of a guerrilla scout force.
Phase amour rocks! Till next time Shane.
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Sam Phillips
Josh Berridge