The Bridge of Sighs - A Maelstrom Battle Report

So Dave R. Agreed to come over for a Maelstrom game of 1850 points. He took his Iyanden Eldar army (which has won a painting trophy at a local tournament in West London in the past) and I took my trusty Iron Hands. We decided to have a game on an unconventional table.

The big bridge

The Small Bridge

This game is of note due to the table set up. We are all so used to the traditional six by four board with a number of buildings and line of sight blockers. But not this time. The board was eight by four foot and featured a large and very long bridge over a central river. The bridge is at least 12 inches above the normal playing surface? Although it is possible to gain access to the bridge via lifts (elevators - for my American reader/s) on either side, these only allow accessibility by the equivalent of 11 figures at a time. Flying or skimming models could also go up and down the different levels. There was also a smaller bridge at the lower level To give an alternative route across the river.

Above - The Wave Serpent car park on the approach ramp on the Eldar side of the river. In the distance, the Iron Hand's Chapter Master on a bike with the Gorgon's Chain.

Dave and I had played a game on this terrain before and we had created some special in-house rules. Firstly, we use the short table edge deployment option so that we play from either ends of the bridge, and due to the length of the table we play for six standard turns, and dice to see if the game runs for the additional turn seven and turn eight. Secondly, any troops with the potential to come on from the side of the table must come on from their side of the river (however deep striking troops can land on the opposite side of the bank). And thirdly, although you can fly over the river, if you should land in the drink, then figures are removed (this had happened in a previous playing of this game when one of my Land Speeder Storms (full of Scouts) was destroyed over the water and the scouts all meet their doom).

Above: The Wraithknight about to drop kick the Dreadnought into a watery grave.

The objectives were placed as follows; number one at the centre point of the big bridge, with numbers two and three at opposite ends. Number four was in the centre of the smaller bridge, and numbers five and six on the lower level in the centre of the deployment zones which meant they were placed under the big bridge approach ramps.

Above: Wave Serpent drops off its cargo.

This game could be split into two distinct phases. Phase one, three turns of shooting from Wave Serpents at the Iron Hand's Chapter Master, who eventually succumed to the incoming fire. Phase two, Wave Serpents go on a grand tour of the table removing enemy units at their leisure. In objective points it was level pegging until turn three when Dave managed his shooting very well in light of the cards he drew, and got seven points in one turn (he had two opportunities to roll D3 points and rolled a 5 and a 6, ouch!). My only other two memories from the game were my Thunder Hammer Terminators failing to bring down the Wraithlord in close combat, and my attempts to finally bring down the Wraithknight Warlord bearing fruit late on.

 I shall draw a veil over the final score. No one needs to see that! A good and enjoyable game.