[NetEpic ML] Re: The Glory Days of SM/TL

From: Brian Evans <brian.a.evans_at_...>
Date: Sat, 18 Dec 1999 02:08:02 -0500

----- Original Message -----
From: Tzeentch <tzeentch666_at_...>
To: <netepic_at_egroups.com>
Sent: Wednesday, December 15, 1999 1:26 AM
Subject: [NetEpic ML] The Glory Days of SM/TL


> From: Brian Evans <Evans.Brian_at_...>
> > No spotters in ESM/TL.
>
> These existed. In fact anyone could spot. Remember indirect fire?

There were no special units created just for spotting. The only rule that
covered spotting was: If the artillery unit fires indirectly, use the
scatter die. That was it! Very simple.

>
>
> > All titans of the same class were the same cost in ESM/TL. Titan
weapons
> > were not considered for cost in ESM/TL.
>
> That was one of the biggest problems!
>

How so? Make the best Titan you can for the role you want it to fulfill.
The really good weapons had limits placed on their use: One shot only
(missiles), only one weapon may fire that turn (big plasma stuff), high save
modifiers would get few shots (usually one like the Volcano Cannon), many
shots would have low save (Vulcan Mega Bolter). I thought that the Titan
weapons were well balanced.

If you wanted a long range weapons platform, you could create one. If you
wanted a close in brawler, go for it.

> > One-Shot Missiles were limited by availability in ESM/TL.
>
> No they weren't. Combine that with the above problem and you had people
like
> me abusing the rules by having every warlord with two barrage missiles or
> (in some cases) two warp missiles and two barrage missiles AND
anti-infantry
> banners.

Never liked the Barrage Missle, you were too dependant on a single die roll
for your number of templates. I shy away from all or nothing weapons. Plus
anyone who uses the maximum coherency distance can really reduce barrage
damage, even from many templates.

What's an anti-infantry banner?

I usually took Warhounds with one Turbo Laser and one Plasma Blast Gun,
each. This gave me an average of 3 shots a turn, 2 shots being good a
knocking out normal tanks with one shot for smashing through heavy armor.
Advance these babies down a flank and watch the destruction.

I preferred Quake Cannons/Volcano Cannons for my Warlords on fire support
duty. As an alternative I would take a Plasma Cannon, then the rest of my
other weapons could be dedicated to close range/close combat.

> > No separate Flyer phase with all the flyer sub-phases in ESM/TL. Flyers
> > were just another unit on the battlefield, they just had high movement
> > rates.
>
> Which led to some REALLY zany situations. Plus some units were just plain
> overpowering since the boards were so small.

What were some of the zany situations that could occur? I remember that it
was always tough to use the DoomLord and DoomWings because they had a very
short range and were always moving. This left your fliers exposed and
waiting to attack until the Advance phase.

I like to see my painted models on the battlefield, next to other painted
models. It rankels that with the new flyer rules, most flyers will never
see the battlefield, they will just be on the flyer combat pad (name?). Why
even put any time into painting them?

> > You could only shoot at a charging unit if you had First Fire in ESM/TL.
>
> AFAIK only vehicles get a special dispensation so they <gasp> can actually
> use the otherwise worthless vehicle mounted bolters :)

I believe that the rule was, if you were pinned by the charging unit, you
could only fire at the models charging you. This would force you to fire
all of your weapons, not just the bolters, at the charging infantry unless
you were a Super-Heavy etc.

The thing that I liked about only first fire getting to shoot at chargers is
that it could be a very tough decision whether to move (advance) and be
vulnerable to charges or to protect yourself against possible charges (first
fire) but maybe not be in the best position. These were the little but
important decisions that made the game challenging.

In netepic vehicles pretty much get free bolter shots at their attacker,
regardless of what orders the vehicle was on and without the snapfire
penalty. It also looks probable that vehicle bolters will soon have an
increased chance of hitting.

> > Titans could be hurt by infantry in ESM/TL. Take massive losses, but
> swarm
> > attacks could work.
>
> Ugh. Don' get me started on this. Long gone are the days of suiciding
titans
> with Tactical Guardsmen (30 stands could usually knock down all the
shields
> if you were fairly lucky). They will never return, heck it was such a
> problem even GW changed the rule.

Yes, by the time you got to the 30th stand you would be rolling (31d6 + 0
CAF) against the Warlord's (2d6 + 14 CAF). It is usually only possible to
get about 6 - 8 or so infantry into close combat with a Warlord because
Titan Legions required infantry/tanks to actually contact the Titan's legs
instead of the base. Even the 8th Imperial Guardsmen would have only about
even chances of doing damage against the Titan. But the Guard were assured
of taking some horrible damage before they got enought die against the
Warlord's +14 CAF.

I believe that in netepic infantry are prohibited from attacking Titans
while vehicles are only allowed a suicide ram against Titans.

Remember, all Armored Fighting Vehicles are extremely vulnerable to infantry
attack, if left unsupported on the battlefield. That is why it is so
important to use a combined arms approach, even in a game like Epic. By
having a few infantry or tanks in front of the Titan, you should greatly
reduce the number of models that can reach the Titan.

> > Did have a separate psychic phase in ESM/TL.
>
> They did? Wow it's been a long time, have to break out my books again. I
> don't remember a psyker phase EVER being in any of the Epic games, even
E40K
> had no psyker phase.

Titan Legion RuleBook, page 24: "In the psychic phase models with psychic
powers can use them to try and influence the battle."

Titan Legion RuleBook, page 17: Order Phase
                                                    Movement Phase
                                                    Psychic Phase
                                                    Combat Phase
                                                    End Phase
Received on Sat Dec 18 1999 - 07:08:02 UTC