Re: SM2, E40K, DS2 discussion (was Re: [Epic] Couple Questions)

From: Eugene Earnshaw-Whyte <eug_at_...>
Date: Sat, 20 Sep 1997 16:27:43 -0700

Aaron P Teske wrote:


(says me)
>I

> > played against squats quite a lot, and any tanks I took were basically so
> > much expensive scrap metal. The bike thing was really more of a problem; but
> > my point is that, because of the large number of weapons with save modifiers
> > of -2, -3, or greater, tanks really were not much harder to kill than
> > infantry; in many cases, if there was cover available, they were much
> > _easier_ targets.
>
> Yeah. That's one thing I *really* like about Dirtside 2, some weapons
> are very effective against infantry but don't scratch tanks, others are
> the opposite, and some are moderately effective against both. (And then
> there are the direct fire fusion guns, which are *very* effective
> against both, but they're short ranged and very expensive.)
>

Sounds almost (gasp) realistic. Heresy is cleansed through burning....

> [snip]
>
>
> > I only saw the bugs get beat fair and square once, and it was in a 4,000 pt
> > game where the opposition took an Imperator titan - because of the vp rules,
> > the 'Nids _could not win_ unless they brought down the Imperator, which they
> > utterly failed to do.
>
> Whoops. Yeah, that could be a problem. But I really can't see why they
> couldn't do it... it would take a bit more tactics than one normally
> sees out of the Tyranids (regroup your infantry and come at the thing
> all at once to board the bastions), but I think it's certainyl possible.
>

(Much evil chortling). The bastions were full of Ogryns, the towers were full of IG
heavy infantry. That sucker had more firepower than you could possibly believe, and
it was supported by a couple of knight households, who were completely expendable
(to the last man.) If they'd just had to deal with the Imperator, no problem
(maybe), but with all the completely expendable troops getting in their way, it was
no real contest... their hierophants were always dead before they got to fire, and
the Dom's were pretty helpless (the Imperator has a psychic save, to add insult to
injury). Boarding the bastions is very difficult; tons of bolters, secondary
weapons, 12 dice for 4's (the Ogryns, snicker snicker), and of course all the
heavy's up top...and then all those guys with CAF's of +6. That battle wasn't a
victory, it was a rout. A couple of stealers did get into the bastions 'cuz of that
hive mind card that gives them an unmodified save, but they didn't do very well
against the Ogryns (being outnumbered 3-1).

> [snip]
> > I have no problems with the firepower of Predators, I just have a problem
> > with their having a CAF of 0, an armor of 3+, and costing 60 points each (at
> > least). They just die too easily, at 60 points a pop. If you're _very_
> > careful with them and your opponent engages other targets with the
> inevitable > bikes, you'll get the value out of them; otherwise they
> will simply swell
> > your opponents VP's.
>
> All the tanks tended to be that fragile, though, IMO....
>

Well, yeah, that's the whole thing. I like vindicators because they have a better
save, a cool gun, and are 3/4 the price.

> [Stellae Cognitae]
> > Cool, maybe I'll check it out (although a sane person might suggest I'm
> > involved in about 4 too many RPG campaigns at the moment, anyway...)
>
> ^_^ I know the feeling, though I don't think I've ever been in *four*
> campaigns....
>

Ars Magica, In Nomine, Vampire: the Masquerade, Amber, Champions, and Warhammer
Fantasy Roleplay, at the moment. Sick, I know. Some of them are played regularily,
some intermittently, but none are completely defunct. I'm a university student;
this is what I do between/after lectures, mostly. I also of course, play epic, but
not as often as I'd like.

> snip>
>
>
> Though, in case anyone missed it, see
> "http://www.andrew.cmu.edu/~at2u/shawk.html" for a basic list of my
> Titan Legion. (You can never plug too much... well, maybe. ^_- )
>
> [Alternate Titan weapons -- shorter, harder hitting HWBs]
> > Well, its hard to say for sure without playtesting it, but I don't think
> > these rules are really unbalanced. Sure the Warhounds can win firefights, but

> > they've probably sacrificed a turn or two of firing to do that... I think it
> > probably evens out. Warhounds always seem to win firefights anyway...
>
> Hmm, true, I do recall hearing that elsewhere. Especially if you keep
> 'em in pairs, since then they support each other....

Yup; Warhounds work very nicely in pairs, conveniently enough. I really like the
combination of a pair of Warhounds with a Warlord Titan; they are essentially
unstoppable in the assault phase - 54 assault and (with my Warlord at least) 44 fp
+a death ray. And the warlord has a Close Assault Weapon, for intimidating war
engines (60 assault is a lot for one model). If you read my lengthy battle report
from a while back (the 4-player one), this was the Titan group I was using. They
never lost a close assault or firefight throughout the entire battle, because of
their mutual support.

>
>
> > <whop--kerplunk>
>
> > Honestly though, I don't see the new Titan rules as less fun;
> > it's really cool to have a couple of the big suckers lumber into the middle
> > of a swarm of enemy troops and scatter the enemy to the four winds with an
> > awesome display of firepower superiority.
>
> <grin> OK, it sure sounds good, but it's a very different threat from
> SM2. In SM2, it was the fast and/or survivable CC troops you had to
> worry about; now, it sounds like it's anti-tank shots and death rays.
> While the latter may be more accurate, tinkering with the guns is not
> quite as effective, or as much fun....
>

There's definitely less to tinker with in E40k, but there _are_ compensations.
Perhaps list members could come up with some house rules for alternate weapon
loadouts...

Anti-Tank shots are a definite pain for anything with a 6 armor value; and Titans
feel it, for sure. One of the nice things about Gargants is that it makes less
difference...

> > YHAOS,
>
> YHAOS?
>
> Later,
>
> Aaron Teske
> Mithramuse+_at_...

  A somewhat obscure reference, I will admit. It stands for: Your Humble And
Obedient Servant. It w as traditional close for letters in the 19th century.

Eugene
Received on Sat Sep 20 1997 - 23:27:43 UTC

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