Big Game 2012 Battle Report Part 1

This year's big game has come and gone and it was one of the most interesting games I've been a part of in a long time. There were some very cool innovations that I think we will be using in future games. One innovation was the 'world clock' the other was command points.

The World Clock is what we called the passage of real time during the game. This game was set up with a GM who was the impartial judge who designed the table lay out and the rules for the game itself. He had specific events that occurred at specific times as the game went on. These events were preplanned by him and only he knew when they would happen. An example was 5 hours into the game an earthquake would occur effecting everyone on every board making movement and shooting more difficult.

The other innovation which made the generals have more of an effect during the game was the command points. Each general was given a certain number of command points. These points could be spent at any time the general saw fit to use them. They were either the ability to drop templates on any board either the large 10" blast or the cloverleaf-shaped template. The points could be spent to change what entered any of the boards on any given turn or could even be used to move whole armies from one board to another.

Each player had to write down what unit came on at what turn during the game before the game began and how it entered the battle either moving on from one of their 'landing zones' or by deepstriking. The command points could be used to change when a unit came on or by what means it came on by.

Here is a map that was drawn up by the GM prior to the game to show you the basic layout of the boards: (The landing zones are the red lines)



Each board was linked to the main peninsula by a bridge. This allowed each table to operate on its own turn sequence. This allowed many more turns to be played than in a normal big game where everyone operated on the same turn sequence. This is what enabled the world clock to operate.

The main goal of this game was to move 'menials' from each board onto the main board and into the main citadel on the main board. The attackers needed to stop this from happening. Points were awarded by the GM for specific things that happened on each board and on the main board. Only he knew exactly how many points were awarded for accomplishing certain things.

There were other pieces of terrain like shield generators and menial hab blocks that could be destroyed by the attackers. These pieces of terrain when destroyed made certain events happen and had certain points awarded to the attackers and or subtracted from the defenders.

When you combine the fact that each table operated on its own turn sequence, random events occurred during the game, each table had objectives that affected the game when destroyed, and command points, you get a very interesting and enthralling game. That at least is what the GM had hoped would happen. Indeed as you will see with my battle report that is exactly what did happen.

So last Friday I arrive at the hotel with my army, some Wendys and no idea how I was going to deploy. All I knew was that I would be coming on behind the orks somehow. Here is my 6,000 point Minotaurs Space Marine Army ready to go:



I find out from my general that I will begin to arrive on turn 2 from behind the orks. I will need to write down which unit is coming on which turn. On turn two I will arrive off of the pule generator which is a piece of terrain to the right side of the peninsula. One turn two I will place my units on the board within 24" of the generator, they will then scatter d3" and can then move shoot and assault as normal. On turn 3 I have 18" and turn 4 I only have 12" off the of the generator.

The orks, who happen to be commanded by the attackers' general get a change of orders and have to deploy within a 3' x 4' box about 3' from the guard lines.



The Guard deploy:



Here is the view from the Orks of the citadel, the Reaver titan and the Imperial Guard that he will have to munch through:



On one of the side table the Blood Angels and The Dragon Lords Space Marines prepare for a massive fight against Chaos Marines:



On another table the Ultramarines line up to take on the Thousand Sons:



On the third side table the Marines Errant and the Space wolves prepare to defend against an onslaught of Chaos Daemons and those shifty xenos, the Tau:



On the final board we have the Imperial Guard with Imperial Navy Support against Chaos Marines and Traitor Guard:



Chaos Marines and Traitor Guard advance:



The Space Marines drop pod in to give the traitors what-for:



Tzeentch methodically marches forward:



On the main board guardsmen begin to poop their pants as the Ork super heavys advance:



My Minotaurs arrive to reap havoc on the Ork rear guard:



The Minotaurs move forward and disembark ready to unleash hell on the green bastards:



Lord Asterion Moloc and his terminator bodyguards begin to realize they may have bitten off more than they could chew:



The battle of the Blood Angels and the Chaos Marines is now in full effect:



Plague Marines of the Death Guard advance to take on the Dragon Lords Marines:



The traitors reach the Imperial Guard lines:



Daemons materialize out of the warp and attack the Space Wolves:



The Tau engage the Marines Errant:



Stay tuned for part two......