SM3 - ILL Met By Moonlight

The battlefield before dawn, the Recon Squads advance towards the enemy.. 

The first post of 2019, hooray!  Continuing with my Epic 40K obsession,  we have a clash between the Loyalist Ultramarines & the Traitor Word Bearers.  Both these sets of troops have been freshly painted by yours truly.  Army building being the part of the hobby I love the most.

This scenario is part of the free Epic Armageddon supplement 'Ill Met By Moonlight'.  The scenario is as follows: two equal sized forces are on their way to the frontline.  Contact is made with the other just before daybreak.  The vanguard of each  with the rest of the force catching up.  Some objectives are also included.  After so many turns, the game ends.  Victory dictated by objectives & enemy forces killed.   Restrictions are based on the units during the fist few turns, limited vision & fire range.

Epic Armageddon Campaign Supplement - Ill Met By Moonlight ==

http://www.net-armageddon.org/sites/default/files/compilations/NetEA-Scenarios-Book-1-Ill-Met-by-Moonlight-v1.02-Mobile.pdf

The mighty 'Ultramarines' Space Marines.

A Reaver Class medium Titan headed the force. Recon in the form of a RavenWing (Land Speeders, Speeder Bikes & 'Harleys').  Armour in the form of Land Raiders & Predators.  A Battle Company of Tactical, Devastator & Assault Marines.  Support with Terminators & Dreadnoughts.

The very naughty 'Word Bearers' Space Marines.

Led by a Reaver medium Titan.  A full Land Raider Company for armour.  A Devastator Company for infantry with Dreadnought support.  Recon with a motorcycle platoon.  Support with Whirlwind missile launchers.

Both sides had a Thunderhawk gunship, however no off-table artillery was available. 

"The difference between heresy and treachery is ignorance."

Turn One
The Recon squads advance.

Both Biker squads take an objective

Ultramarine Speederbikes advance cautiously.

Turn Two
The Ultramarine Speederbikes take another objective

Ultramarine Landspeeders advance

The rumble of armour hits the battlefield

"Hope is the first step on the road to disappointment."

Turn Three
The sun is rising, The Word Bearers advance into the settlement

Ultramarine Devastator Infantry take up a fire support role

The Traitor Reaver Titan marches onto the field.

Both sides are still moving to engage.

Loads of blue... lovely, lovely lovely...

Battlefield Overview end of turn three

"Fear denies faith."

Turn Four
BOOM!!!!!  Missiles hit the building holding the Ultramarines.
The building survives it's saving throw.

The armour battle starts, tanks brew up.
The Loyalist Reaver takes many hits resulting in the loss of its Laser Blaster.

Woaaa!  The Word Bearers take losses.

'Get Out Brothers!'
The Ultramarines Terminators have to start running as their Land Raiders go up in smoke. 

Even Stevens at this stage...

"Happiness is a delusion of the weak."

Turn Five
Target choice is poor for the Traitor Reaver.

'WWWHHHOOOOOSSSHHH'
The Word Bearers Thunderhawk Gunship screams in & drops off a squad of Devastator Marines.

Word Bearers Flank Attack!!!

The Ultramarines Recon Company waits on the flank.

'Patience, Brothers, Patience'

The Ultramarines Assault Marines drop in from their own Thunderhawk.
FFFIIIGGGHHHTTT!!!

The Terminators peg it to the nearest cover.

Big men in Big Armoured suits...

Oh dear... The Ultramarines don't wipe out the Word Bearers.
The Word Bearer Thunderhawk is torched.

The Word Bearers Devastators performed well. 

Whoops!  More Land Raiders brew up.

Battlefield Overview -1
The Word Bearers hold two objectives.

Battlefield Overview - 2
The Ultramarines hold it here.

"The blood of martyrs is the seed of the Imperium."

Turn Six
The Ultramarines Recon Company pounce, but some are taken out by units on overwatch.

The Word Bearers reinforce this objective.

The Ultramarines Speederbikes hit the Whirlwinds

The Landspeeders hit the Devastators.

The Ultramarines ready a charge. 

Here come the Big Boys!
Reaver versus Reaver.

Advantage to the Traitor Reaver though.

The Loyalist Reaver has less void shields & has taken damage to a weapon.

The Ultramarine Thunderhawk is free for strafing runs....

Casualties mount for the Word Bearers

On the other flank the Word Bearers get the upper hand.

The initial Titan firefight fizzles out.

The Utramarines Tactical troops are in a great position.

"There is only the Emperor, and he is our shield and protector."

Turn Seven
The Loyalist Reaver Charges in, however the Traitor Reaver went for First Fire orders & gets to unload it's weapons.....

The combat rolls are.... superb!
The left leg on the Loyalist Titan is blown off & the Titan is destroyed...

Again the Word Bearers on overwatch take out the Bikers as they move...

'ATTACK BROTHERS!'
A desperate gamble for the Ultramarines. 
The Tactical Marines & the leftovers of the bikers engage the Titan in melee!!

Melee attacks break out all over the battlefield now. 

The Ultramarine Terminators charge in...

Which Legion have the stronger battle brothers???

'AAaarrggh!'

The Emperor's guidance blesses the Ultramarines...

Ants versus the Elephant.
The Ultramarines swarm the Reaver.
Eventually the Ants have it!!!

The Word Bearers held two objectives...

The Ultramarines held three...

Victory to the Ultramarines, a cracking game, destruction abounds!

Back to the 'Reclusium' for both Legion Commanders, many lessons learnt.  Spav is new to Epic, but I'm remembering the combat bits and bobs from 20 years ago.  Hopefully we'll get some more combat units involved for the next game.  Melee combat in Epic is brutal as your unit doesn't get a saving throw if it looses the combat.  It pays to pile in for hand to hand!

Praise be to the Emperor!!!!!!