[Epic] EPIC Battle of Gettysburg.

From: J Andrew Evans <J_Andrew_Evans_at_...>
Date: Sat, 19 Sep 1998 10:00:49 +0100

I mentioned this Ork/Tyranid game we had on the list and got some interest. I
was some time back we played it and so what is represented here is my memory of
what happened.

I don't claim to be an expert on Gettysburg but having watched the Turner Film
thought it was a natural to be recreated in Epic 40K. I choose Orks and Tyranid
to fight it as we wanted a minimum of high powered weaponry and a maximum of
hand-to-hand fighting.

We created a horseshoe shape of hills (H). In the centre of the horseshoe we
placed two bunkers (b) These were the objectives - the Orks to hold, the Tyranid
to get. (Yes, I know Tyranid don't use objectives).

  HHHHHH HHHHHHH
                  b b
    H HH HH H
           HH HH
      HH HH
 HHH HHH

The Orks set up in and around the bunker area and the Tyranid entered at the
bottom of the map.
We did allow some limited mycetic drops by the Tyranid and they dropped at the
top right hand corner. Not sure why, it wasn't really historical at all. Apart
from that we limited the amount of Biovores/Dactylis available to the Tyranid
but allowed one Hierdule armed with Bio-cannons. This was the represent the
ammunition problems of the Confederate artillery at Gettysburg. This meant the
Tyranid had to survive surrounding fire and get into the centre by pure
assault. In order to prevent Assault Spawn "driving" through the top of the
horseshoe was fortified. This was meant to represent the wall and fence on the
hill at Gettysburg.

The Orks were made up mostly of boyz clustered round the Warlord in the central
bunkers. We allowed some mobile boyz in buggies and battlewagons. These
quickly moved to the sides to protect from flank attacks and create a funnel of
firepower into the horseshoe.

The Mycetic drops were countered by an Ork attack from the centre which
thoroughly held the Tyranid who never really got themselves organised enough to
attack from the side.

The main assault of the Tyranid from the bottom of the map was met by fire from
all the surrounding hills. An early attempt to break through lower down (bottom
left) was thrown back - sort of Little ROund Top. The main assault into the
centre was fascinating. I have never seen Carnifex thrown back so easily as the
horseshoe shape and boyz on the hills firing down on them limited the number of
tyranid that could form an assault into the middle and damage the Warlord. One
could get the genestealers up there (with huge casualties) but then couldn't get
them through the gap and into the Ork stronghold. In desparation the Hierodule
went in, but they don't seem so good in a close combat when there lots of
covering fire and fared little better. It lost assault after assault until it
became obvious where the game was headed.

Sure I could improve on it and you guys will have even more info on Gettysburg
than I, but it seemed to me from this little exercise that many historical
battles could be recreated quite easily using Epic 40K - as long as one isn't
too precious about exact historical recreations.

A#
Received on Sat Sep 19 1998 - 09:00:49 UTC