Epic - Assaults and Eldar Trickery

Over the past few weeks, I’ve managed to get in a handful of games, and that time on the table has done far more for my understanding of Epic Armageddon than any amount of rule‑reading ever could. Playing through (few!) real Turns has given me a much clearer sense of how the mechanics fit together. It’s been great fun learning the game alongside my mates, and each match has revealed some nuance or interaction that I simply wouldn’t have appreciated from the book alone. 

One thing that’s become increasingly clear is just how central Assaults are to the flow of the game. They’re easily one of the most complex parts of the ruleset, and arguably the most important to understand. A friend of ours summed it up perfectly: an Assault in Epic Armageddon is like playing an entire game of Warhammer 40,000 - it's getting a bit of meme status actually 😆

Edar Wave Serpents trying to gun down a Formation of Broken Orks

Understanding Assaults in Epic Armageddon

An assault in Epic Armageddon begins with choosing the formation that will launch the assault and making the charge move into contact i.e., 15cm of a target Formation. All Units within 15cm of each other are involved. The defender may respond with counter‑charges, allowing them to reposition their units up to 5cm to meet the attackers. Once the formations are locked together, both sides resolve their attacks, including any supporting fire contributed by nearby (again, within 15cm) friendly units. After the hits are tallied, the assault result is worked out by rolling dice and applying several modifiers to determine which formation holds the field.

The aftermath of an assault can be just as important as the clash itself. The losing formation may be broken or even destroyed outright, depending on how many hits it suffered and how the result roll played out. The winning formation can then consolidate, making a short (5cm) repositioning move to adjust its stance for the rest of the turn. This charge, counter‑charge, attacks, supporting fire, resolution, and consolidation sequence forms the backbone of close‑quarters engagements in the game aka the mini game of W40k.

The Power of Inspiring Units

Formations might include one or more units with the inspiring trait, a rule that often seems minor until you’re deep in an assault. Each inspiring unit adds +1 to your assault result, nudging the odds in your favour. I really came to appreciate this in a recent game where my Shining Spears, supported by two Exarchs, charged a much larger Ork formation. The fight itself was tight (hits were close on both sides) but those two +1 modifiers tipped the balance, letting my Spears win the engagement and break the Ork formation. It was the first time I truly understood how decisive inspiring units can be.

Eldar Hit‑and‑Run Tactics

Eldar formations also benefit from their faction‑wide hit and run tactics rule, which dramatically increases their mobility after a successful assault. Most formations consolidate a flat 5 cm, but Eldar units can instead move up to their full speed value. For Shining Spears, that meant a 35 cm reposition after winning the fight - meaning they can make a huge withdrawal back into a safe, defensive posture for the rest of the turn. It’s a rule that's both thematic and I suspect will actively shape how I come to play Eldar going forward.

Another Eldar advantage is their ability to choose whether to shoot before or after any movement during advance and double actions. On a double, this means they can move–shoot–move, shoot–move–move, or move–move–shoot, depending on what the situation demands. 

This flexibility gives Eldar formations exceptional control over engagement ranges, firing angles, and exposure. Being able to reposition, fire, and then reposition again is feels like it's going to be really useful (and likely essential) in the future. It kind of complements their speed and enables hit‑and‑run tactics, making up some for their 'glass cannon' label.

And I haven't even mentioned Skimmers...

Final Thoughts

There's a whole lot of pain going on here.

Epic’s alternating‑activation structure means each turn is really a sequence of small, meaningful decisions - really a lot like many of the skirmish games I've played. Every time you activate a formation, you’re choosing not just what that unit will do, but how it will shape the board state for whatever comes next. The Engage action sits right at the heart of that decision‑making, because it’s the gateway to launching an assault and I’ve been learning that assaults are where games can be won, lost, or dramatically reshaped.

One of the most interesting parts of the system is the ability to retain the initiative and activate a second formation immediately. I’m starting to see just how powerful that can be when you plan around it. 

For example, I might activate an Aspect Warrior formation with Falcon Transports with an Advance, move them into 15 cm of a target, unload the troops, and shoot. Importantly, just the act of getting shot at in NEA results in a blast marker being applied. Even a single blast marker from that shooting can make a difference come Assault resolution. Then, if I successfully retain the initiative, I can activate my Shining Spears and launch an Engage action against that same enemy formation. The Spears benefit from the Aspect Warriors having softened the target, and they also gain supporting fire from them. That combination could swing the assault result significantly.

Layering these activations together feels incredibly... clever? especially when you start factoring in additional rules like Commander, which can pull even more formations into the fight - something I'm yet to try out. Suddenly you’re not just launching an assault, rather you’re orchestrating a coordinated strike across multiple formations, each contributing something to the final outcome. It’s exactly the kind of tactical puzzle I love: spotting a sequence, lining it up, and seeing it play out on the table.

I’m really enjoying discovering these interactions as I go. There’s something special about finding a tactic you want to explore further, testing it in a game, and then seeing how it evolves the next time you try it. I’m looking forward to seeing what else the game reveals as we keep playing.