Slann battle report

From: Peter Ramos <primarch_at_...>
Date: Sun, 25 Feb 2001 12:14:56 -0500

Hi!

Well, we got some playtesting done, both games were similar in results
(close games), so heres one of them from the slann perspective.

Slann forces
Gravguard company
Necron raider company
Necron assault company
Frog Mech pod
Necron titan

Small force, but I contructed armies to test the major changes in rules
(warp jump), stat changes (gravguard, necron) and new units (titan).

Squat forces
Cyclops
Collosus
Leviathan
Squat brotherhood
Squat bike company
Squat gyrocopter company
One tarantula detachment
2 rhino detachments
1 ironhammer detachment
1 goliath mega-cannon
1 thunderer detachment

Each force is 4050 points. This is a rare battle were the squats have
numerical superiority.

The objectives were in two ruins on the two flanks with an objective in
the woods in the center.

Turn one

Necron assaults warp jump to all three objectives to take them, while
advance elements of the squat bike company engaged necron assault units
in the woods and right flank.

Gravguard and raiders followed on advance orders to give cover fire. The
necron titan went for the bikes to and to get in range of the goliath
mega cannon.

The squats sent out their gyrocopters deep into the slann lines to cause
havoc. Using the hq gyrocopters line of sight, many barrages fell in the
raiders lines knocking some out, but most would return next turn after
their repair rolls.

Slann kmights jump forwrd through the center and right flank in support
to engage the hosts of thunderers there. I risked a long 60cm jump with
commander bonus and lost one mech to the warp, but fell very close to
the thunderers.

Squat first fire started to pound me with the praetorians and goliath
shooting many barrges. dmamge in the nend was minimal. The necron titan
was a fire magnet, shot after shot hit it and either the armor or the
self-repair thwarted them all. Our fears of a pushover target were
rapidly fading.. Return fire for the slann was mostly in the advance
phase. Close combat left the woods in slann hands while assault necrons
suffered badly in the right flank.

The left flank was mostly in slann hands for the remainder of the game.

Slann fire was devastating. The necron titan took out a whole detachment
of thunderers and the goliath cannon. Back up fire from gravguards and
raiders wiped out most of the bikes and gyrocopters.

Due to the suats high break point not much was given although they
suffered grievous losses. The mech pod sustained its break point.

Turn one Slann 18, squats 13

Turn two

I sense I could finish this now so I moved in for the kill. My raiders
and gravguard moved in advance further forward while the remaining
assault forces consolidated the objectives.

The squats moved in their remaining bikes to attack the center and right
flanks, the praetorians moved closer. The whole brotherhood company
moved to the left flank, but were too far to make it to the objective.

Squat fired relentlessly into the necron titan, the thing was
impervious, not one shot got through. more casualties poured into the
raiders and necron assault. The Necron titan destroyed the reminders of
the bike compnay breaking it. The squat held the right flank, but lost
the center and left. Frog mechs jumped deep into squat lines, destroyed
remaining thunderers and tarantula detachment. They started wroking on
the cyclops downing shields.

It was mostly a shooting turn with both sides dishing out a lot of
casualties. Repair rolls were not so good to me now and a lost a lot
more. The assault company broke.

Slann 34, Squats 22

Turn three

I needed to break that brotherhood on the far left, so my titan went
that route. It was a gamble since I would leave my exposed back to the
praetorians (in retrospect a very bad idea). I mustered what I could to
take the right flank. The squats had so little left they could not hope
to take the center and left. My gravguard and raiders moved closer.

It was mainly shooting this turn.

I could not muster enough forces to take the right flank and praetorian
fire started to hurt as it broke the gravguards and raiders. The final
blow was a hit got through the mighty titans defenses and turned the
reactor off, then a second shot penetrated the head. The titan still
stood, scarabs busily repairing damage. The third and final shot ripped
through the head bursting it open. In the final act of defiance it
toppled over bringing down a nearby gyrocopter.

Then I knew it was truely over.....

Slann 43, Squats 46

Comments

CRAAAAP! What a heartbreaker! I played a good game until turn three. I
should have charged the praetorians and make them eat warp talon stew.
In the end my infantry broke the brotherhood, I gambled and lost. Great
game!

Regarding the slann units, quite frankly, I would not change anything.
The gravguard functioned superbly with their 50cm range. They are
infantry support so as used them as such. The combination of following
my assaults in advance was real good, even when the squats won close
combat I'd mop up the victory very easily with their devastating fire. I
think if you want 75cm range you should by vehicles, thats what they are
for. They dont need the range, they are excellent as is.

The Assaults and raider lower CAF worked out very well too. The raiders
are very good shooters a good counterpart to the assault troops.

The warp jump rules are superb, just what is expected, the longer the
jump the bigger the risk, everyone was very satisfied how they worked.

The necron titan worked extremely well, granted I was pretty lucky.
Darius and I agreed it should cost 750 points or so. I agree with Rune
that it should repair on a 3+ like other slann titans. Its only defense
is thsi save, especially versus mega-weapons like the cyclops beam. Its
chances should be better than 50%, so a 3+ is better after all its a
titan. The weapons are very good, one short range but many dice and the
other very effective titan/tank killer.

I await more testing from you guys, but on our end we are pretty much
convinced we have achieved balance.

Peter
Received on Sun Feb 25 2001 - 17:14:56 UTC

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