Games Workshop recognizes The Big Game on its Facebook page!

Well, traffic skyrocketed yesterday as Games Workshop posted about The Big Game on their Facebook page.  We went form our usually 150 unique visitors a day to 1,700!  Thanks guys!

Mae sure you join the Games Workshop page on Facebook!

Alec

The New World Records

So, after finally verifying all the army lists from The Big Game, we were able to compile our numbers and so here are the World Records as they finally stand.

These records were initially collected and kept by Siegeworld, the guys who started the mega-apocalypse games.  Siegeworld is a founding member of the Apocalypse40K forums and their records have been recognized by all the major Apocalypse clubs.  These records are kept in a special thread on the Apocalypse40K Forum and reprinted here.

Most Points in a Single Game

This requires all models to participate in a continuous game on one table interconnected or otherwise. All models must be painted (3 colors + based) and the game must last 4+ turns over an unbroken time period (eg-with some breaks, but no "pause and come back the next day"). 

The Big Game, Los Angeles Battle Bunker, January 22, 2011,   739,247

(The previous record for the Biggest Apocalypse Game was 382,000 by Siegeworld)

Most Points in a Single Battle

Same as Most Points in a Single Game, but models don't need to be painted, and one or more discontinuous tables. Anything goes so long as it is interrelated and simultaneous.  No turn requirements.

The Big Game, Los Angeles Battle Bunker, January 22, 2011,  864,057

(The previous record for the Biggest Apocalypse Battle was 520,000 by GMI games)

Most Points in a Single Battle - Multiple Locations

Same as Most Points in a Single Battle, but allows for multi-location play.

The Big Game, January 22, 2011,  22 locations in 5 countries  2,310,835 points

Note that this record has just been added so that record The Big Game set on January 22nd at 22 locations, is distinguished from a single location battle.  Siegeworld agreed that a multiple location event should have a different record from a single location event since it wouldn't be fair for one location to have to compete with multiple locations for a record.  Plus, we all want everyone competing for different records and pushing the limits!

Most Minis in a Single Battle

See Most Points in a Single Battle (single location). Same restrictions apply. This record is anything goes so long as it is interrelated and simultaneous. A miniature is counted as any piece which has its own base or does not use a base. Essentially, if it can be moved on its own (thus a swarm base is a single miniature). 

The Big Game, Los Angeles Battle Bunker,  January 22, 2011  18,592

(The previous record for the most minis in a Single Battle was 6,500 by Siegeworld)

Most Tank Models in a Single Battle


Anything with an AV, MCs, and GCs count as one, so long as they're painted. Single battlefield as per the first record and no turn limit.  

GW Manchester UK holds the title with 2,562 models.

 

The Big Game - Final Numbers

Well, it took me a few weeks after the Big Game all the numbers compiled and verified.  I actually have an army list for every person who was at the L.A. Battle Bunker and confirmed their numbers, so the records are very accurate.  We set every record that we were after.  We kind of figured we would not beat the vehicle record, but I hear Siegeworld is after that this summer.  So here are the numbers:

Los Angeles Battle Bunker

Total number of painted points on one table 739,247

(The previous record for the Biggest Apocalypse Game was 382,000 by Siegeworld)

Total number of models on two tables 864,057

(The previous record for the Biggest Apocalypse Battle was 520,000 by GMI games)

Total number of miniatures 18,592

(The previous record for the most minis in a Single Battle was 6,500 by Siegeworld)

 Total number of vehicles 1,752  (Not a record)

World Wide

Total number of points at 22 locations in 5 countries  2,310,835 !!!

The Imperium was triumphant!

Final Score World Wide was 407 to 331.  The Emperor's light prevails!

At the L.A. Battle Bunker the score was 183 to 122 for the Imperium.

  Bunker regular Annibal Sanchez's Chaos horde faces the Smurfs and IG

 The San Pedro Games Workshop store clan came prepared for war!

Former Bunker manager Chris Cailor on one crowded table!

Former Bunker employee Dave Hummel (on left) managed both Crimson Fists and Blood Angels against Senobio Aguilera (on right) and his IG.

The Big Game - Apoc-Eclipse, Apex, NC

Matt Plonski is the man behind Apoc-Eclipse, one of the founding apocalypse clubs of the Apocalypse40k.com forum.  This is his battle report of the game that happened at All Fun & Games in Apex, NC.


There was 96,850 points on the table.  64 Chaos/Xenos structure and 53 Imperial.

We used the objective rules for the world-wide Apocalypse game.  This called for 10 objectives and for us to tally them at every half turn starting in turn 2.  Here's how it went:

               2a    2b    3a   3b   4a   4b  total
IMP          4     4     1     3     1     3    16
XENOS    6     3     3     0     6     3    21


So, it was Chaos over Imperial, 21 to 16.

We stopped afetr the fourth turn which gave us plenty of time to clean up.

The battlefield (at lunch time):

My side of the table was very titan-heavy as all of the Imperial structure points were either on that side of the table, the high-mounted Defense Laser, or off-table as two Thunderhawks.  Chaos had a good chunk of our structure points on the other side of the table in the form of Scott's three Plague Towers.  My plan was to use my titans to take out the smaller titans near the Emperor's left side, this way all of our Deep Striking and summoned forces in turn 2 would be safer.  It worked well as we took out the Warhound and nearest Reaver.

Some of my super-heavies (Warlord and Reaver were sure to be within 6" of Silver Tower for the 4+ save):

Facing down the Emperor Titan:

JSV's mighty Emperor Titan:

Return fire in turn 1 was nasty, but they almost ran out of time.  They poured fire into the Tzeentch Silver Tower and should have killed it three times over when it finally died.  After that, I lost 4 structure and both arm weapons on the Warlord and most of the shields on the other titans.

In turn 2 I had a clear plan on what to do vs. an Emperor Titan.  Abaddon, carrying a Vortex Grenade, deep-struck at its foot with a squad of Khorne Terminators, scattering into its feet and getting delayed until turn 4.  (He never did throw that grenade, so he'll have it next time!)  Magnus came out of the Warp Rift in turn 2, along with a Lord of Change, a Daemon Prince, and M'Kachan (special character LoC) and they all tripped over themselves to not destroy the titan for as long as possible.  A squad of Tzeentch Terminators landed in front of the titan and never really did much besides contest/claim/contest the objective.

My Fire Lord (Tzeentch Thunderhawk) was kept off of the table until turn 3 so the other units could come on.  It fire-bombed some scouts out of an objective and then dropped Ahiriman with two squads of Thousand Sons onto an objective.  3+/4+ is a nice thing to have on an Apocalypse battlefield!  The Fire Lord also served to hide a squad of Robert's Ultramarine Terminators from my view; Terminators that eventually destroyed the Warlord Titan!  Ahiriman was kicking himself for sure that day.

The Emperor Titan exploded in turn 4a with a 35" Destroyer shot.  The final structure point was removed by Magnus the Red, which made him feel better because he rolled a '1' and was unable to attack it at all during his first turn on the board.  The nice thing about assaulting it with a bunch of Tzeentch daemons and Terminators is that everyone had either a 4+ or 3+ invulnerable save.  This was the only way the Chaos side was able to claim the objective at the titan's feet, since the explosion happened in turn 4 and there were two Space Marine squads inside the titan.  I lost most of my Terminators but there were still enough Terminators and Screamers (yes, Screamers) to claim the objective.  Still, a Imperial Terminator squad, delayed until turn 4, deep-struck and contested the objective for the second half of turn 4.

I'm very glad that it exploded the way it did.  It made everything worth while.   :)

Leviathan confronting a Plague Tower (one of three):

Lictors going to work on the Defense Laser:

Fire Lord lands (note the Ultramarine Terminators being shielded behind the tail!):

Lots more images including videos and a slideshow here.

I was very glad that I decided to bring so few models.  It was very easy to run the army.  It was weird that I deployed five squads in turn 4 (Abaddon, Ahirman, Khorne Terminators, 2x Thousand Son squads) just to take them right off again.  12500 points was never so easy.

The man-of-the-match was the Silver Tower.  I only wish I would have had a chance to shoot with it!


Matt

The Big Game - Borderlands, SC

Six players gathered at Borderlands in Greenville, SC for The Big Game!

On a frigid plain on Corridian IV, forces of the Tau, Dark Angels, Black Templars, Witch Hunters and Warmakers Space Marines detect strange emanations from a refinery. The Dark Angels also suspect one of the Fallen masquerades in the other chapters. Their accusations propel brothers into war! The Dark Angels forge a temporary alliance with the Tau. Then disaster--a splinter force of Tyranids arrives on the planet. But mysteriously they direct their attacks only at the Templars and Warmakers. The stage is set for an apocalyptic battle!

I will give a general outline of how the battle went before showing the pictures with comments. We had two objectives which were scored at the top of the player turns. The Imperial objective (the one in Imperial territory) was in the "south central" of the board near No Man's Land. (The camera generally faces north.) The Xenos Objective was in the southwest by a building.

Imperial team:
Jim - Black Templars/Witch Hunters - 4000
Sam (me) - Warmakers Space Marines - 4000
Austin - Black Templars - 1800
Total 9800

Xenos team:
Jon - Dark Angels - 4000
Hunt - Tyranids - 4000
Chandler - Tau - 2500
Total 10500

The Xenos took first turn and deployed mostly Tau and DA, with a few Tyranids, along south-central of No Man's Land, with some Tau and DA in the NE. The Warmakers and Austin's BTs went in reserve entirely, while many of Jim's BTs deployed opposite the enemy in the NE corner. Jim and Hunt both used the Tunnels asset, however most entrances were guarded, so this didn't have a big effect on the game.

In the NE corner, Jim's Templars waged a back-and-forth battle with DA and Tau forces the entire game.

Around the Imperial objective was a flowing scrum involving virtually every force. The Imperials scored this objective on the first tally, the Xenos on the second, and then it was contested for the rest of the game.

The Xenos objective was held by DA bikers and later also by Tau Fire Warriors. Austin's BTs, particularly Terminators, attempted to contest the objective, coming in using Flank March. They were mainly stymied by gaunts coming from reserve behind them. The Thunderhawk did bomb the Tau Fire Warriors off the objective, but the DA Bikers were close enough to still hold it. Therefore the Xenos held their objective the entire game.

Final score: Xenos 7 - Imperials 1

The Xenos Battle Line

The Xenos advance into No Man's Land. The Imperial objective is the mini-nuclear plant (from ArmorCast).

Forces face off in the NE corner.

LR Terminus and Thunderfire Cannon! This looks like the endgame at the Imperial objective.

The Big Game - Norway!

Norway was the first foreign country that we got to join The Big Game.  I was at Warhammer World in November when they were holding their "Throne of Skulls" tournament and I started talking with another Yank.  His name was Kag Sawyer and he asked me if I played tournaments and I told him no, I only played Apocalypse.  He then asked me if I knew about the Apocalypse40K forums and I laughed and that was the start of a great friendship.  He and his friends and I hung out the whole weekend and we had a blast talking about Apocalypse and they decided they needed to be part of The Big Game.   So here is their report.

Imperial reinforcements, designated the 7th army group, had made a timely warp jump and were inbound with the righteous fury of the Emperor. The group consisted of Imperial Guard regiments from Catachan, Mithas and Dessaria. Furthermore, they had been joined by Astartes task forces of the Silver Skulls and Dark Angels chapters.

The 7th army group had been tasked with establishing a landing site on the southeast peninsula, and conducted the drop with efficiency an aggression. The intent of the strategy was to establish an Imperial force that would push opposition towards the larger group of allied forces fighting in the north. Initial opposition was far lighter than expected, but shortly after the drop representatives from the Silver Skulls chapter vehemently advised an offensive push beyond the ruined city Imperial forces were holding. New intelligence revealed an enemy plot that had to be averted at all costs. The commander of the Silver Skulls Astartes would not divulge where he had got this information from, but his plan was stoically (and surprisingly) supported by the Dark Angels commander.

Imperial lines formed their first wave of armor up on two honored Baneblades and began to push towards the ruined city's limits. Immediately upon reaching that limit, the enemy came into view. A daemon device, a chained cube seeming to barely contain its infernal energies, hovered just beyond the last of the tall ruins. Sorcerers in the livery of Alpha Legionnaires were spotted manipulating the hellish device, and the Silver Skulls commander ordered the attack. As soon the first guns opened across no man's land warp rifts appeared all across the battle lines, bathing the entire area in waves of unnatural darkness, unnerving the Emperor's lesser men and disrupting line of sight. Through these rifts daemons of the warp began to pour, their heretical laughter drowning out the roar of the many corrupted Rhinos racing forward with assault troopers from the Alpha Legion and World Eaters.

In the middle of the battlefield, there was a sound of doom as an extraordinary rift was torn by clawed hands each the size of an Astartes, through which An'ggrath, daemonic champion of Khorne, strode forth. The Imperial lines faltered for a moment, as two Greater Brass Scorpion of Khorne skittled forward to flank the figure of hate incarnate. A moment of doubt fled through the men of the Empire. Recognizing this pivotal moment, the commander of the Silver Skulls punched the release of his Land Raider's Assault Ramp and charged out towards An'ggrath. He had no chance to reach the daemon in time to carry the surprise and initiative, but the sight was not lost on the Imperial men. Inspired by the honored silver armor racing across the overgrown ruins, defiantly facing damnation, the Baneblades unleashed their own hell - and the Imperial men answered.

The close range firefight was joined by the eruption of landmines cleverly hidden by advance elements of Catachan regiment. Several ancient Rhino APCs of the renegade marines were left torn and battered, and the Brass Scorpions' advance was faltered by intense fire from the Baneblades' holy weaponry. The Silver Skulls commander and his honor guard tore into the gargantuan daemon, but An'ggrath stood ready along with a lieutenant, daemonic prince elevated from the Alpha Legion that was currently warband pushing up the western flank. One by one the honor guard fell as they fought against the fury given form. An'ggrath and his daemonic prince slew with roars of rage until only the commander stood against their terrible will. His doom was imminent, but definitely the commander stood his ground and struck An'ggrath a mighty blow. He would not fall. Not yet. The Imperial lines needed more time.

Behind the epic fight taking place, daemonic engines and insane dreadnoughts of Chaos appeared. They had been hidden by camouflage and sorcerous energies in the very ruins the Imperial tanks were grinding through, and at point blank range they ripped into and through the armored might of three Imperial Guard regiments. Heavy air support attempted to move in to assist, but was driven off course by the energies being unleashed by all the tears in the fabric of reality. The shadow that fell across the dying Imperial lines seemed to symbolize the fate of the Emperor's men, but again heroism would inspire the common soldiery and ensure that they held their ground.

Hearing the frantic chatter of Marauder Destroyer squadrons failing to make an attack run, Brother-Pilot Angelus called all Navy Valkyries to form on him as he set his Caestus Assault Ram on a course straight into the terrifying dark cloud of hell unleashed. Trusting in the Emperor and the Astartes pilot, each Valkyrie dropped into the battlezone at combat speed, and as guided by Emperor himself; each and everyone came in with pinpoint accuracy and deployed their passengers safely as they poured their fire into the rear of the advancing Brass Scorpions. The brave drop troops rallied around the commander of the Mithas regiments and pushed towards enemy forces, trying to create a gap around the daemonic doomsday device.

Brother-pilot Angelus made his peace with the Emperor, and continued to guide his Caestus Assault Ram true towards the primary objective. Even as his ship was torn apart by Alpha Legion Havocs, his veterans passengers followed the Dark Angels commander out into the heart of the enemy. Behind them, guardsmen died as they faced Terminators, Blood Crushers, Defilers and terrifying Soul Grinders - all responding to the Imperial intrusion. Their doom would have been sealed in an instant were in not for Guardsman Marbo, appearing out of a small, dark pool of marshwater; His demolition charge was aimed to slay the force of Chaos Terminators, but after the explosion three still remained. Understanding his duty, the lone guardsman charged.

In the ruined remains of the imperial battle lines, all seemed lost. Although some had fallen, Blood Slaughteres and Dreadnoughts still rampaged through Imperial lines, and a large formation of Chaos Terminators arrived by teleportation right into the heart of battle. The Silver Skulls commander stood his ground, but he stood alone. However, as An'ggrath and his prince finally struck him down the commander smiled, for he heard the engines of the second wave of Imperial armor. They had arrived, pushing through the wrecks of their brave comrades - guns, flamers and cannon alight. Along with that second wave, three Land Raiders rumbled directly towards the heretical Terminators. In response Uraka himself appeared through another rift, along with seemingly numberless masses of Bloodletters. On the eastern flank, men of Mithas sacrificed themselves to stop the rush of a couple crazed Bloodthirsters. The two fought their way through ruins and wrecks, casting aside the battered hulks of Imperial armor, but were rendered down into nothingness as imperial reinforcements rumbled into weapons' range.

Back on the western flank, Uraka's hate-screaming hordes were answered by the roaring battle call of Catachan jungle veterans. Having faded away after placing their traps earlier, they now re-appeared. Led by old Iron Hand himself, a whole platoon of deathworlders fearlessly charged into the daemonic formation. As a berserk missionary screamed his fiery oratory, Catachan guardsmen sacrificed themselves with faith and fury. There was no mistaking their doom, but nor was there any mistaking their intent. With cries to the Emperor they fought themselves into a wedge aimed straight at Uraka himself, and in devotion they tore him down even as Bloodletters feasted on their remains. The Missionary was the last to fall, impaling his staff, bearing the book of his faith; into the sizzling remains of the notorious daemon as hellblades hacked him to pieces.

Alpha Legionnaires fell upon Iron Hand and his command squad. Standing amidst a platoon of support weapons, the grim Colonel tried to rally his men but the elite enemies of mankind tore them apart mercilessly. Hearing his angry curses, however, a lone Marauder managed to triangulate and follow his rather unpleasant vox transmissions in. Auto and Assault Cannon fire strafed the Alpha Legion marines as the large bomber screamed by overhead, but their only thanks was a last "about Emperor-damned time, soft Navy sissies" as Iron Hand went down amongst the squads of blue and silver. The Chaos Terminators nearby assaulted the Land Raiders, and rendered blasphemous amounts of damage.

Massed Imperial fire was slowing and weakening An'ggrath and the Brass Scorpions, which in turn was holding up the advance of several squadrons of Khorne Berzerkers. However, the battle still hung in the balance. While the second wave was pouring massive amounts of fire into the enemy lines, it still seemed as if their break-through was imminent. The line must be held! At this, the Silver Skulls Epistolary committed to the field of battle along with a full squad of marines in Tactical Dreadnought Armor. The Terminators arrived via teleport right into the lines of battle amongst the ruins on the eastern flank, braving hellish amounts of fire from the 60 renegade guardsmen dug into the ruins alternating ranks of fire. One my one the Terminators fell as the thousands of shots finally began to find weak points in their armor, but they managed to protect the Librarian who strode on in the middle of the squad.

Although his protection began to falter, they had brought him to where the psyker needed to be. Calming his mind and calling upon his faith in the God-Emperor of mankind, his father's father, the librarian faced the charging Greater Brass Scorpion of Khorne and deployed his Vortex Grenade. Slowed by the pummeling of two Baneblades, pinned and disrupted by strafing fire of the single Marauder Destroyer than had found the battlefield, the daemonic engines was unable to avoid the lethal device as it open up a rift back into the warp which tore the immense engine apart.

Deeper behind the lines of battle, Marbo used all his craft to find weaknesses in his opponent's armor while avoiding fists of crackling power and roaring chains, and one by one managed to bring the last three terminators down. The victory emboldened the drop troops, who held their position against the terrors that tore them apart, giving the Dark Angel commander enough time to fight his way through massed enemy fire and assault the crackling doomsday device. In the heart of the enemy, the commander tore into the cursed device, ripping apart its chains with his might power fist, and unleashing the hellish energies contained within. With a wild scream of rage and torment whatever was contained within the heretical cube tore free, and a storm crashed across the battlefield. Unholy lighting struck across the field of death at random, the screech of their passing momentarily paralyzing men and marine alike. The Baneblades were too of targets to avoid the lightning, however; and suffered greatly from their empyrean energies. One even ground to a halt, barely intact and its main armament burned out from within. The crew of the other struggled to contain and control the damage, and keep their holy iron charge operational.

When the shock of the release passed, combat resumed. Mithas and Dessarian reinforcements rumbled forward and poured their fire into the dug-in renegade cultists, Catachan siege vehicles assisted those company's remaining tanks of the center, battering the Chaos Terminators that had in their fury broken so many Astartes tanks. The final push came down to the roaring World Eater Rhinos, finally free to surge forward where the Brass Scorpion had blocked their bath.

As the last Terminator fell, the Silver Skull Epistolary stood alone in the gap where the Berzerkers came, instinctively recognizing the weakest pot in the Imperial lines. The Doomsday Device had been destroyed, but all could still be lost if the forces of Chaos managed to overrun the Imperial lines. Guardsmen bravely rushed forward to support the lone Astartes, but they would not reach him in time. Their fire tore the Rhino apart, but that barely slowed the furious champions of Khorne. The Epistolary quietly said his prayers as the squad of red traitors bore down upon him, and calmly assumed his combat position just as the enemy reached him.

Dozens of Guardsmen watched in despair as the librarian vanished amongst a sea of blood red, vox-amplified roars of rage and screaming chainaxes all but drowning out their senses. Soldiers cried out in frustration as they lost sight of their silver hero, their grips on their guns slacking as dread seeped through their limbs, into their shaking fingers. However, with a sonic boom the Terminator re-appeared, a dozen yards closer, his silver armor splattered in blood, static of power still dancing across his armor after the psychic gate, but his stance still strong and determined. The Berzerkers rushed him again, but as they did the number of their dead left behind became apparent. The guardsmen took to their arms and rushed forward with a cheer, Chimeras rumbling beside them, and as they advanced they watched in admiration as the Epistolary faced his attackers with martial perfection, his force weapon cutting down traitor after traitor, his blessed armor fending off every swipe of their angry axes.

The librarian cut down the last of the Berzerker squad, and before the doomed traitors could be reinforced, brave soldiers of Mithas and Dessaria took up position to meet their charge. The Imperial line of defense was again complete, strong and determined.

An'ggrath was on his final wound, the second Brass Scorpion at its final structure point, it was late and the commanders were hungry. Turn five saw the game called and the final result was a Imperial victory by 1 point. There were even more situations of note, but I believe I have - in summary - given you the gist of the game. Of course, history is written by the victors - had that one point swung the other way the narrative might have been written in accordance with quite a different interpretation of events, but such is the way of war. Defeat allows no explanation, victory needs none.

Battle Report by Kag Sawyer.

Armies of The Big Game - The White Knights

One of the great armies that participated in The Big Game was the "White Knights" of Allen Teeuwen.  Known on the Apocalypse40K Forum as DaBigBomma, Allen is one of the best converters in Southern California.  His Ork army is amazing with tons of scratch builds.  But for The Big Game, he brought his White Knights!

The Big Game - Royse City, Texas!

Besides international locations, we had lots of game stores in the USA and even an Apocalypse game club in Texas, that goes by "For The Emperor".  They have their own forum and are a very passionate group of fans.  So when they asked us to join in The Big Game, I of course said yes.  So here are their photos and battle report.  It goes to show that we believe in community and spreading the game to locations big and small. 

For The Emperor Battle Report:

Lots of Titans, good terrain, and a TV at the end of the table!

46,652 points and some how we managed a draw in the end 22 to 22. The Xenos lead through the entire game until the end when the imperial troops staged a small comeback and contested the objective held by the nurgle tower. A reaver titan was destroyed in shoot out with multiple warhounds and a super heavy flyer. We had one imperial warhound go nuclear clearing a 2 foot area. We had 8 Super Heavies and 7 Titans Including a Super Heavy Flyer.  A good time was had by all and it was one very long but fun day.

The forces deployed across all 4 battlezones.  Table was a 6ft by 16ft where roughly every 4 feet there was a different zone.  City,  Military, Industrial,  Sea-Pasture land and Hills.

Many of the titans and super heavies were placed in the pastureland but there were plenty still spread throughout all of the zones.

7 Titans and 8 Super heavies including a Tau Flyer and 4 Warhounds (2 Nurgle and 2 Imperial) 1 Reaver ,  1 Stompa,  1 Nurgle Plague Tower.


The Fluff

Corridian IV

During a recent transfer of technology to the research facility on TaCasa III the imperial defence forces and marines from the TaCasa system have stopped at a small port city with a secured military installation on Corridian IV. The various technologies are a prized asset and the heavily armoured TaCasa defence forces and marines will help defend many of the ports required to transfer technology to the research facilities on Tacasa III(while they are transferring said technologies.) As it would happen on this day the defense of the port city is required and after long periods of boring and often mundane tasks the imperial defence forces and marines are looking forward to obliterating the xenos scum For The Emperor!
 

Turn 1

The XENOS forces catch the Imperial Troops trying to bring more troops in from their orbiting navel craft and during the initial stages of the battle the imperial forces are short handed but determined. The initial onslaught from the XENOS armies disables and slows an imperial shadow sword and strips most of the void shields from the Reaver Titan 628.  Orks,  kroot and traitor guard pour into the streets of the city, military complex and industrial zone.  The Imperial Troops in other zones do not fare badly and only a hydra or two suffers shaken but the Vortex Deathstrike Missile is destroyed by the Tau.  The XENOS are aggressive and advance very quickly and appear to have been hiding in wait and quickly move to secure objectives. The imperial forces still in transfer of technology mode try in desperation to get more boots on the ground and a brave group of scouts fights towards another objective while Imperial Troops secure the buildings.

Turn 2

The XENOS army starts to advance in all zones and secures  4 objectives while the Imperial Troops  secure 3.  A baneblade is destroyed and the Reaver Titan 628 takes volleys of punishing fire and looses a primary weapon but manages to destroy a nurgle warhound. Both armies unleash orbital bombardments and one vortex grenade is thrown that swallows imperial troops while daemons appear throughout the imperial lines. A large contingent of reinforcements arrive for the Imperial Forces. Dark Angles and Blood Angles work hard to clear out the daemons.  Assassins of the traitor guard destroy the manticore and cause many of imperial guard tanks guns to sit idle.  The imperial guard implement a strategic redeployment silencing many of the guns for a time while the Black templar, Dark Angles and other Space Marines secure 4 objectives while concentrated fire from the super heavies and warhound push the XENOS off one objective, XENOS secure 3 objectives.  

Turn 3

The continued onslaught of orks bolstered by Deffkoptas,  Ghazghkull Thraka and a stompa quickly take back the lost objective while the imperial guard strategic redeployment silenced many of guns with the hope of better securing the defenses but this was not the case. The traitor guard shadowsword along with a manticore hit some critical coolant lines in the Warhound Punisher and though valiant efforts were made the titan goes nuclear clearing a quarter of the imperial and industrial sector. Tanks, troops and terrain were instantly vaporized as the baneblade sitting next to it also suffers massive damage.  At this same moment the reaver titan 628 was punished by another volley of fire from a warhound and a super heavy flyer and being unable to restore its shields and already crippled in the previous round collapses. The XENOS are bolstered but the previous turn’s arrival of new troops and the strategic redeployment helped mute the advance. While yet more orbital bombardments and two more thrown vortex grenades causes the warhound Dropkick damage and a quick move to get out of the way. Another swallows rhinos and troops on both sides. The shawdowsword of the Imperial guard destroyed the turbo laser mount on the nurgle warhound causing it to come crashing to the ground. A group of dreadnoughts has managed to clear the remaining Tau tanks equipped with rail guns and proceeds to assault the Plague tower. The XENOS hold 4 objectives and the Imperial Forces hold 4 objectives at the top and bottom of the turn.

Turn 4

Many of the imperial tanks are destroyed or crippled but the super heavies continue to hold their own. The marine and XENOS tanks are still pretty much intact while the orks trucks and deffkoptas are all but destroyed or crippled.  The XENOS and imperial troops are thinning but the objectives are still held. XENOS  4 and Imperial Forces  4. The vortex grenades all dissipate. Battles break out around the objectives trying to capture or to contest them as once again the big guns clear off one objective. Blood Angles made a valiant effort to capture this objective but just fell short. The objective protected by the Nurgle Plague Tower was contested as group of dreadnought’s having destroyed the tower assault Abaddon but this only leads to a draw. 

Imperial Forces 4 and XENOS 3, the battle ends in a draw

The Big Game - Canberra, Australia!

This is teh first in a series of battle reports from The Big Game locations around the world!


Well the guys at Cancon Apocalypse in Canberra, Australia joined in the big game and had a most unique table arrangement!  They also had a Tron - based Tau army!

These guys even did a 3D model of their table!!

The Battle Report:

After much complicated negotiation, the Ethereal Fo' Shizz' el finished his negotiations with Big Mek Rok-Nak: The Stompas would walk on the Blood Angels world of Baal. Ork Commandos took the orbital laser, and the Big Mek converted it into a tellyporta field of immense magnitude. The first thing the Blood Angels knew of this incursion, was the report that five Stompa's were advancing on their home fortress, and that a Tau Manta was leaving Baal, having dropped a significant force with serious air assets remaining. The Blood Angels were not without defences: 3rd Company, under Captain Tycho, were on a rotation home, and the Entire First company of the successor chapter "Sons of Zo" were on a once a millennium pilgrimage to Baal. When Captain Sui heard the home world was under assault, his choice to defend his ancestral home was automatic.

The approach taken by the Xenos meant that there were four critical points: The starport approach, the crossroads, the defence instalment, and the fortress door. Starting with the initiative, the Tau dropped bunkers a critical points, and filled them, at the crossroads and the starports. The Tau snuck crisis suit teams into the rear of the patrolling Scout Titan, and after Ion skimmers stripped it's shield the rail guns took a toll, forcing shutdown for repairs.The Orks charged straight out of the defence lasers, heading straight for the crossroads and ultimately the fortress. The Blood Angels responded with their usual speed and efficiency. Nearly 50 terminators came in, taking the Defence Laser, and contesting the crossroads. They peppered the Stompas with Krak missiles, immobilising the first one just as it cleared the radiation bridge. Various third company units took cover and started pouring fire into the attackers, and the vehicles started roaring along desert floor and the elevated roadway from the Mountain fortress to the starport.

In response the Orks poured their infantry towards the defence laser, but the Terminators held. The Blood Angels held the mountain gate and weathered the Tau aerial bombardments. The crossroads was a fiercely contested bloodbath, where Tau, mercenary Guardsmen, Ork and Blood Angel blood mixed in a sickening paste. 3rd Company Assault elements cleared the starport approach bunkers, and Brother Endaro ranged from within his Furioso Dreadnaught tomb, smashing Tau skimmers like tinfoil toys. The Warlord brought it's sytems back online, and started pot shots at infantry and Stompas alike.

Enraged, various Stompas approached the Warlord, sweeping the crossroads into Xeno control. However, the Titan Princeps was cunning, and hid his Titan away from Stompa claws by using the massive road approaches. The Tactical squads were slowly consumed by crisis suits fire, Stompa flame and claw. But the Sanguinary Guard and Assault marines kept sweeping the bunkers of Tau infantry, and the Son's of Zo weathered the green tides at the defence Laser.

The Blood Angels were pounded and battered, but they endured, and kept their mountain fastness secure. By holding the objectives, they soon called in overwhelming forces to their mountain home, and routed the enemies who dared attack Baal.

The empty tables - not the ones in the back!

Definitely an interesting layout!

A Tau flyer targets a Warhound!

The Tron Tau!

The Orc conga line!

More photos from The Big Game!

Here are some more photos from the L.A. Battle Bunker during The Big Game.

Both Imperial Fortress Wall sets protecting the Traitor legions!

John Lawrence, Andrew Schmidt and Dave Ashworth having fun...the name of the game!

Wayne Clark's 67,000 points of IG took up 3 tables and he faced off against EVERYTHING!

Ron Kent's Hierophant.  He couldn't play it since he was playing Dark Eldar, so he lent it to a total stranger!

My Crimson Templars get off a first turn charge!

What I faced!

Titans reigned on the unpainted table!

More to come!