Battlemaster

[ysignal]

https://akbattlegrounds.net/w/multiverse/a/battle-honours-40k

I'd like to sign up to play this as the Space Marines.

[Some guy]

I'd like to sign up to play as the Tyranids.

[Battlegrounds]

[Battlegrounds]

[Battlegrounds]

CULT|icycalm>Run Warhammer 40,000


Battlegrounds>https://akbattlegrounds.net/w/multiverse/map/317ce754-a367-4ca7-bba6-43e4a7ab639a
Warhammer 40,000 Start Screen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FCZ0PQq3wqg



CULT|icycalm>Start


Battlegrounds>https://akbattlegrounds.net/w/multiverse/a/warhammer-40000



CULT|icycalm>ENTER THE 41ST MILLENNIUM


Battlegrounds>https://akbattlegrounds.net/w/multiverse/map/141006a4-6918-40a4-bbb2-3eedef4eca9b



CULT|icycalm>Play Battle Honours


Battlegrounds>https://akbattlegrounds.net/w/multiverse/a/battle-honours-40k



CULT|icycalm>ENTER BATTLEFIELD


Battlegrounds>https://akbattlegrounds.net/w/multiverse/map/a20f8a4c-0fb2-42fb-8705-086916a09241
First Encounter | Tyranids Combat Music: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d1rZCMQfRws




CULT|icycalm
@CULT|Some guy You need to declare where you want your first Termagant: top side or left side. Check the mission rules for the exact positions. This particular decision has no tactical significance however, because the positions are symmetrical. If you get a second Termagant and ysignal has moved, that will be a tactical choice.




CULT|Some guy
Top side.


Battlegrounds

[Battlegrounds]

Battlegrounds>ROUND 1
Turn>@CULT|Some guy

CULT|icycalm
In the instructions, it shows the Termagant straddling two squares, but since we're playing with grid movement (see https://culture.vg/forum/topic?t=9764) your Termagant has to snap-to-grid, so to speak, and the square that makes most sense is two squares away from the Hive Node, because in the instructions the Hive Node isn't next to the Termagant. I don't think this adjustment has any significant tactical consequences, but we'll see.
To move, we'll employ a quasi-FTG notation. So for example SE S S S would bring the Termagant to the immediate left of the Infernus (that's the Space Marine's name). Even better would be to enter SE 3S. So the full command to be parsed by Cult Intelligence (CI) would be:
Termagant>Move SE 3S
Diagonal movement counts for one square for the first diagonal move, and two squares for the second one, exactly as in Pathfinder.
This resets in the next round. So if you move only one diagonal one round, and another the next round, these movements both count as one square each.
Note that you can attack diagonally, same as in Pathfinder. Melee attack covers all 8 squares surrounding your character, including the 4 diagonal squares.
Can the Termagant shoot the Infernus from where he's standing? In terms of range, yes, the whole battlefield is within range. But in terms of line-of-sight, let me check.
For those who are curious, this is what it looks like in-engine:



So the question is if the Termagant can see the Infernus from where he's standing. Note that line-of-sight works very differently in Pathfinder and Warhammer. In Warhammer, as far as I know, as long at the trooper can see the enemy, he can shoot him. Though don't quote me on that as I haven't read the full rules. But for this tutorial, I am not supposed to read them, we're only supposed to play with the couple of pages of instructions I posted in the thread. So I just did a quick LoS check, and yes, the Termagant can clearly see the Infernus.
If, as we study the rules, we later realize that we made any mistakes in the tutorial missions, we'll just ascribe it to battlefield mishaps.
The whole point of the tutorials is to make mistakes and get them out of the way.
Same goes for the changes we're making to the game to make it fit the Discord format. It's an alpha, balancing will be required.
The command to attack is the following:
Termagant> Shoot (Infernus)
Then roll 1d6 to see if it hit, by simply entering:
1d6

rollem>4 ⟵ [4] 1d6

Can you attack from range and THEN move? It doesn't seem so. That's what it looks like from the instructions, and from a quick search I did. Because MOVE and SHOOT are distinct phases, and MOVE comes first (see https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hJRRnY4Kquk).



So first decide if you will move, and if so enter the move command.
Then shoot with the shoot command.
What if you move right next to the Infernus? Won't that count as melee?
Maybe, but we don't get instructions for this in the tutorial, so we'll treat it as a regular shoot command. I.e. it doesn't matter where you decide to shoot from for the purposes of this tutorial.
@CULT|Some guy
Make sure to tag me when you've done everything you can do. Always tag me so I don't have to check Discord a bunch of times a day.
And if you or anyone else has any questions, don't hesitate to ask them, again tagging me. Though only players involved in the current mission should tag me, non-players can ask questions too but no need to tag me because their questions aren't urgent.
There is no urgency to play your turns throughout the day. Take as long as you need. If you don't feel like playing today, leave it for tomorrow, no worries. The tagging isn't meant to instill urgency in people, it's just meant to help save people the bother of having to look into Discord multiple times a day.
TL;DR: This is what I need to see from you, Rory:
Termagant>Move SE 3S (or wherever you want to, up to 6 squares)
Termagant> Shoot (Infernus)
1d6

rollem>3 ⟵ [3] 1d6

CULT|Some guy
Termagant>Shoot (Infernus)
1d6

rollem>1 ⟵ [1] 1d6

Battlegrounds
Termagant>MISS
Turn>@CULT|ysignal

CULT|icycalm
I was kinda hoping you'd miss because otherwise I would have had to figure out how to import the wound icon lol.
There are many ways to depict wounds, and the one in the tutorial doesn't scale to bigger battles, but it looks cool, so I thought I'd digitize it. We'll see what happens, maybe someone will get wounded before the battle's over.
So the instructions say the Infernus is out of ammo so he can't shoot from range. He can move up to 6 squares, and attack using the Attack command, either Attack (Hive Node) or Attack (Termagant) while being next to them.
The die is again 1d6.
So you're all ready to go, ysignal.
In the meantime, people including Rory are free to chat or whatever if you have anything to say. Even the player whose turn it is can post comments if he wants to, perhaps because he can't play right now but still wants to chat from his phone or whatever.

CULT|Some guy
Can the Termagant move through the Hive Node?

CULT|icycalm
No.
That's why I think you didn't make a good decision.
I would have gone to the very center of the board and then shot if I were you.
BUT, with your 6 move you can still hit ysignal from the back if he goes straight for the node. So really, in this particular instance the bad decision isn't really bad. If the board was a tiny bit bigger it would have been a bad decision.
In fact going right behind him is a bad move, because he can then choose to hit you.
You can just keep your distance and keep shooting him.

CULT|Some guy
Can I shoot past the Hive Node?

CULT|icycalm
Good question.
Yes you can because the 3D model of it barely reaches knee height.
Btw that 3D model is taken from the original Dawn of War. That's why it's so basic, because it's from 2004.
Btw from the instructions it seems that if the Termagant is right next to the Infernus, the latter can't attack the Node.
So going right next to him might be a good idea.

CULT|ysignal
Infernus>Move NW 3N
Infernus>Attack (Termagant)
1d6

rollem>2 ⟵ [2] 1d6

Battlegrounds

Infernus>MISS

[Battlegrounds]

Battlegrounds>ROUND 2
Turn>@CULT|Some guy

CULT|icycalm
I would have gone straight for the Hive Node and taken a whack at it. You only need one good whack to win the battle.
You know that the Termagants will just keep coming, right?
Because this battle is so small, you can assess every possible move as in chess, and there is therefore an optimal tactic for each side. With bigger battles all this goes out the window and various tactics are viable.
Btw you could also have attacked from NW 2N.
Also, Rory can get out of there from SE. No attacks of opportunity in Warhammer, at least not from the tutorial instructions.

CULT|ysignal
Yeah, it was a mistake. When I thought about this yesterday, I made some wrong assumptions, like that after respawning on the other side, the new Termagant wouldn't be able shoot through the Node. I'm getting ready for work, so I relied a bit too much on my previous thoughts. I don't think there's any point attacking the Termagant, because he can just come back next turn and immediately attack no matter how I position myself.

CULT|icycalm
You should still be able to whack the Node in your next turn no matter what Rory does. With a bit of luck, that whack will win you the battle.
It's ridiculous how much fun this is with just two units lol.
Also btw the Termagants don't respawn. It's a new Termagant that arrives.
It's the Necrons who sort of "respawn". They auto-repair and come back in the middle of the battle.

CULT|Some guy
The rules say that the Node can't be attacked if the Termagant is right next to the Infernus, does that mean directly north, south, east or west only or does that include being northeast and so on?

CULT|icycalm
It makes no difference because the only way for the Infernus to attack the Node is if he's right next to it, because he's out of ammo.
And the Node is in a corridor.
But in general, yes, from all eight directions.

CULT|Some guy
So in this case if we're on different sides of the Node he can still attack it?

CULT|icycalm
Oh.
No he can't.

CULT|Some guy
Termagant>Move W 1S
Termagant>Shoot (Infernus)
1d6

rollem> 4 ⟵ [4] 1d6

CULT|icycalm
You don't need the 1 if you're just going S.
So it would be W S.
But you can't go S anyway because the wall is there.

CULT|Some guy
I meant move west.
West 1 square.

CULT|icycalm
W means move W.
S means move S.
3S means move 3 times S.
Don't edit the posts. Just post again.
It should be Move W.

CULT|Some guy
Termagant>Move W

CULT|icycalm
The roll remains the same, don't roll again.
It's cool you don't have to type anything else.
Lemme check if it hit.
It hit but he has a save.

Battlegrounds

Termagant>HIT
Infernus>Save
1d6

rollem>3 ⟵ [3] 1d6

Infernus>SAVED
Turn>@CULT|ysignal

CULT|icycalm
I suspect, from my limited knowledge of 40K, that this battle is a little skewed towards the Space Marine.
Could be wrong.
He is stronger than the Termagants, AND he can take twice the hits.
And all he needs to do to win is give one wound to the Node.
It's true the Termagants keep coming, and also they can prevent him from attacking the Node by just sitting next to it.
To find out if it's a balanced battle, you can just run it 50 times and see who wins more often.
People actually do this for the 28 factions and make tier lists, and that's how Games Workshop balances them.
Btw, something about the saves. Normally, each player rolls his own saves. But it'd be a waste of time to call ysignal in here just so he could roll his save, then go away until I've posted the result of the save, and then come back again to play. It's always more fun to roll all your dice, but not at the cost of slowing the game down on Discord to twice the duration. So Cult Intelligence (CI) will be rolling everyone's saves and other similar automatic rolls. And when we play the big battles in the engine then everyone can roll all their own rolls.
Keep in mind also that when you're playing a programmer game, the computer rolls everything for you.

CULT|ysignal
Infernus>Move W
Infernus>Attack (Termagant)
1d6

rollem>6 ⟵ [6] 1d6

Battlegrounds

Infernus>HIT
Termagant>Save
1d6

rollem
APP>4 ⟵ [4] 1d6

Termagant>FAILED
Termagant>DEAD

CULT|icycalm
At this point what I would like is to place the Termagant on its side on the battlefield, as a corpse. Which you can't do on a tabletop because of the base. However, it seems that I would need to import the model into Blender to remove its base and then reimport it into Tabletop Simulator. It doesn't sound like a tough job, but I don't want to slow the game down to do it. So I guess I will just remove the miniature from the board as it says in the rules. But eventually we WILL have piles of corpses everywhere, and I will add the movement difficulty rules from Pathfinder for when troops try to step over corpses.

Battlegrounds

[Battlegrounds]

Battlegrounds>ROUND 3
Turn>@CULT|Some guy

CULT|icycalm
So I have to take back the ruling I gave Rory earlier, about the Infernus not being allowed to hit the Node when the Termagant is diagonal to him.
If it worked this way, the only time the Infernus could attack the Node is in the first round. And there's no way that's what the designers intended.
I think our issue comes from the grid movement we are using. Because with tape measure movement the Termagant's base would have to be touching the Infernus's base in order to stop him from attacking the node. But the bases can't touch on the diagonal when there's the Node on one side and the wall on the other. It's only in the dumbed-down D&D and Pathfinder movement system that such an obviously unrealistic situation would still be legal.
The whole reason the designers put the wall there is for every newly arrived Termagant to have to go around it, thus giving the Infernus plenty of chances to attack the Node.
So that's how we will handle it: the Termagant CAN shoot from the diagonal, but he can't "threaten" the Infernus with melee from the diagonal, at least for the very particular circumstances of the Hive Node/wall setup in this mission.

Battlegrounds


CULT|icycalm
Also, the Termagant can't just cross the diagonal in front of the Node and just step in front of the Infernus. That would also make it impossible for the Infernus to ever attack the Node after the first turn.
Again, in Warhammer movement that diagonal would be impassable simply because the Termagant... can't fit through it.
In Pathfinder I think the move would be legal. Which shows how dumbed-down the RPG movement is compared to wargames.
So for Warhammer, and for our slightly dumbed-down movement system for Discord purposes, let's say that a diagonal is passable IF one of the sides is empty: i.e. in this case if either the Node or the wall weren't there.
Note that we're at the start of the 3rd turn, and at the end of the 5th the battle ends one way or another, as per the instructions.
If you add in the fact that the Termagants don't need to kill the Infernus to win, they can just run down the clock, then yeah the fight seems about fair. I certainly can't predict what will happen. The main mistake was that ysignal threw away the chance to try a free hit on the node in the first turn. The battle could have ended right there.
In the instructions it says "If the Space Marine's base is touching the Hive Node and not touching the Termagant's base, he can attack the Hive Node". And indeed, from the left-side diagonal he would not be touching the Termagant's base.

CULT|Some guy
Termagant>Move SE 2NE
Termagant>Shoot (Infernus)
1d6

rollem>2 ⟵ [2] 1d6

Battlegrounds

Termagant>MISS
Turn>@CULT|ysignal

CULT|ysignal
Infernus>Move W
Infernus>Attack (Hive Node)
1d6

rollem>2 ⟵ [2] 1d6

Battlegrounds

Infernus>MISS

[Battlegrounds]

Battlegrounds>ROUND 4
Turn>@CULT|Some guy

CULT|Some guy
Termagant>Move NW
Termagant>Shoot (Infernus)
1d6

rollem>3 ⟵ [3] 1d6

Battlegrounds

Termagant>MISS
Turn>@CULT|ysignal

CULT|ysignal
Infernus>Attack (Termagant)
1d6

rollem>3 ⟵ [3] 1d6

CULT|icycalm
lmao with these rolls.
Oh wait no, that actually hit.
But... did you mean to say Hive Node?

Battlegrounds
Termagant>Save
1d6

rollem>4 ⟵ [4] 1d6

Battlegrounds
Termagant>FAILED
Termagant>DEAD

[Battlegrounds]

Battlegrounds>ROUND 5

Turn>@CULT|Some guy

CULT|icycalm
He has two wounds so even if you hit him, you can't kill him, and this is the last round. Might as well enter Some guy>Pass to relinquish your turn.

CULT|Some guy
Some guy>Pass
He can't hit the node if I'm next to him so that was his only choice last round.

CULT|icycalm
Oh...
Damn. I'd forgotten about that.
So wait... you can still get next to him no?

CULT|Some guy
So he hasn't lost yet?

CULT|icycalm
Why would he have lost?

CULT|Some guy
You said it was the last round.
Also... Since we're using Pathfinder movement rules then I can always get to him from that position.
And then always block him from hitting the node...

CULT|icycalm
Yes it's the last round and after your turn it's his.
Yes that's what I am saying. It doesn't make sense.

CULT|Some guy
I think if we were using Warhammer's original movement rules then I wouldn't be able to get to him.

CULT|icycalm
The only way it makes sense is if the distance in inches is greater than 6 inches. But in squares it's exactly 6 squares, including the diagonals.
It's hard to see why that would be the case because one square is almost exactly one inch.
Unless they measured the distance to be just under 6 inches.
Okay now I see it.
In the original instructions, the Termagant is not supposed to start in that square. He is supposed to start half an inch above it, because he is straddling two squares.
That extra half an inch is what prevents him from reaching the Infernus in one round.
However, this hasn't affected the game until this round.
I just scrolled up, and it hasn't been an issue before. In the last round, ysignal managed to whack the Hive Node.

CULT|Some guy
He had to roll a 2 or lower to successfully hit the Node, for the Termagant it's a 4 or less.
Well, technically I had to as it's my saving roll.

CULT|icycalm
I meant he hit it, I didn't talk about the save.

CULT|Some guy
Ah.

CULT|icycalm
The save is not the issue here.
The issue is if we screwed up his chances to hit it.
And in fact I spent a couple minutes just now going all over the moves.
If ysignal had been playing well, we would have had an issue almost immediately.
But since he's been fumbling it, it didn't become an issue until the very last round: this one.
So all we have to do to fix this is place the Termagant on the line between two squares just for this last round. This means you don't get to reach him, and he gets one last attack at the Node.

CULT|Some guy
Ok.

CULT|icycalm
We can simply say that this last Termagant arrived at the scene from a slightly different entry point than the previous ones.
As for the future, from what I have seen of the missions, this won't be a frequent problem. The only reason that half an inch is a problem here is because the battlefield is so tiny, so it had to be designed very tightly to produce the desired requirements. For example the next mission has a battlefield at least 10x larger. I don't think we'll have an issue there. But since we were able to catch the problem here, I think we'll be able to catch it again if it arises. And worst case scenario, if we screw up a mission, we just play it from the start.
Let me post a new pic.

Battlegrounds

Turn>@CULT|ysignal

CULT|icycalm
Worth pointing out that we COULD have played with the Termagants going from line to line instead of from square to square. It would have been 100% accurate to the instructions while still using grid-based movement. Something to keep in mind for the future if we encounter a similar circumstance.
So you're done, the Termagant arrived there but got confused for a second and just sat rooted to the spot.

CULT|ysignal
Infernus>Attack (Hive Node)
1d6

rollem>5 ⟵ [5] 1d6

CULT|icycalm
Alright!
It's quite a nail-biter lol.
Rory do you want to roll the save since you're here?

CULT|Some guy
Sure.
Hive Node>Save
1d6

rollem>1 ⟵ [1] 1d6

CULT|icycalm
lololol

CULT|Some guy
Fuck...

CULT|ysignal
Omg

CULT|icycalm
It's fucking ridiculous.
I can't believe how much fun this stupid little scenario was.

CULT|Some guy
Well I had fun but I'm ragequitting Battlegrounds now, see ya!

CULT|icycalm
The Emperor Protects!

Battlegrounds
WINNER: SPACE MARINES (YSIGNAL)
THE END

CULT|icycalm
So the next mission involves 12 troops instead of 2 and goes up to 6 players instead of 2 and the battlefield is at least 10x larger.
And the winning conditions are way more complex.
Plus it has a sequel that goes up to 12 players, but can only be accessed by winning the first one.
It will take me a couple days to get it ready.
But first I need to post a ton of unlocks in the Battle Honours thread.
There is an awesome animation, and a programmer game, and some other stuff.
But FIRST I need a battle report from the winner.
Just a couple of lines telling people how he felt about the battle will do.
In bigger battles this will get more elaborate, but for this we just need a tidbit.
DM it to me ysignal?
And BTW this was the first versus battle in the Battlegrounds!
That's another reason I put everything on hold for half a year to develop this.
Now we can have versus battles every day if we want to!
In Pathfinder it'll be very rare. Outside the arenas that is.

[Battlegrounds]

YSIGNAL
+1 Infernus

[Battlegrounds]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qmcf9BFKYWE



GM's Note: And there's your 40K intro. And with that, the 40K metaverse is live! -icy

This is a 3 min crash course on what 40K is all about. Love it.

Usually I wouldn't think of 40K when listening to this song, but you made it fit so well, now the two are linked in my mind, very well done, impressive.

Loving the split screen moments.

Oh we'll give them mercy. The Emperor's mercy. Which is a blade to the heart.

Brother COOKED.

I'm convinced World Eaters listen to this song 24/7.

Tmw you realize Warhammer 40K inspired Doom.

It's like a release trailer for 40K.

Holy fuck m8 this is some insane editing huge props!!!!

40K anime intro.

All of this coming from a tabletop game that evolved into much more.

Now this is 40K!

Phenomenal editing.

Warhammer 40K with Doom music talk about symbiotic harmony.

Been watching this on repeat. Badass.

All 40K injected into a video.

You should do that for a living! Subscribed!

This is genuinely the best 40K edit I have seen.

[ysignal]

Luck was with me this time around, and I managed to prevail in spite of stumbling. After throwing away a free swing early on, I had a miraculous streak of dice rolls, and my Infernus destroyed the Hive Node at the last moment.