Mission: Assault

Deployment: Middle‑Ground

Forces: 2v2 – UNSC & Covenant

Points: 200 pts per side

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The Battlefield

The battle was fought in a compact industrial district, likely part of a larger base complex. The table was dominated by heavy prefab buildings, cargo containers, and industrial platforms, creating a dense, urban layout with very limited open ground.

Large structures sat near the centerline, forming hard choke points and blocking most long‑range fire. Movement lanes ran between buildings, forcing vehicles and infantry alike to commit early to specific routes. Unlike the forest board, this table heavily favored durability, area control, and short‑range firepower.

Perfect conditions to bring out the big guns.

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Forces & Intent

This test game was used as an opportunity to field large models:

• Hunters on the Covenant side, anchoring lanes with brutal close‑range threat
• Warthogs on the UNSC side, providing mobility, exposed gunners, and suppressive fire

With the Assault mission in play, neither side could afford to sit back. The objectives demanded forward pressure and holding ground under fire.

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Opening Moves

Both teams deployed aggressively from Middle‑Ground, immediately contesting the central industrial block.

Vehicles pushed forward early, using buildings as partial cover while infantry screened objectives. The narrow streets and container alleys quickly filled with overlapping threat zones: Hunters locking down corridors, Warthogs racing to exploit gaps, and infantry darting between hard cover.

From the start, it was clear this would be a meat‑grinder.

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The Blast Weapon Problem Emerges

As the battle escalated, blast weapons began to dominate the center of the table.

At this point, a key rules interaction came under scrutiny:
How do Blast weapons interact with Exposed Crew and Gunners?

For this test, a temporary ruling was used:

• Blast attacks could affect transported models and exposed crew
• Knock‑back would not apply to those models

The result was immediate—and brutal.

Blast markers landing near vehicles proved devastating to the people inside. Gunners and exposed crew were wiped out at an alarming rate, even when the vehicle itself survived the attack. While cinematic, it quickly became clear that this interaction made open‑topped and exposed vehicles far more fragile than intended.

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Mid‑Game Chaos

Despite the mounting casualties, the game remained highly engaging.

Hunters performed exactly as hoped—slow, terrifying, and incredibly effective at area denial. Once they claimed a lane, pushing them out required real commitment.

Warthogs added constant pressure, forcing the opposing side to choose between targeting the vehicle or risking the exposed crew continuing to fire. Even under the harsh blast ruling, they played an important tactical role by controlling movement and contesting objectives.

The Assault mission kept both teams fully engaged until the final turns, with no safe fallback positions and no room for passive play.

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Endgame & Outcome

The final turns were a grind of attrition around the central structures. Infantry clung to objectives, vehicles limped but stayed relevant, and heavy units continued to dictate space.

Regardless of the final score, the game felt good to play:

• Clear tactical decisions
• Constant pressure
• Strong identity for large models
• No runaway advantage despite the lethal blast interactions

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Post‑Game Designer Notes

🚨 Blast vs Exposed Crew – Ruling Update

This test highlighted a necessary clarification:

✅ Blast weapons should NOT affect transported models, exposed crew, or gunners
✅ Only direct attacks may target them

While the temporary ruling was useful for testing, it proved far too lethal and undermined the role of open‑topped and exposed vehicles. This interaction will be clarified explicitly in the rules.

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📘 Manual Usability Improvements

This game also reinforced the importance of fast rule lookup during play.

Recent updates focused on making information easier to find, and this will continue to be a priority. The goal is for players to:

• Locate key rules quickly
• Resolve edge cases without slowing the game
• Spend more time playing and less time searching

Further refinements to wording and structure are planned with this in mind.

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Final Thoughts

This was a very enjoyable test game.

• Big models felt impactful and fun
• The Assault mission kept tension high throughout
• The board rewarded positioning and commitment
• The ruleset continues to feel solid and engaging

Most importantly:
👉 The current iteration of the game is fun, and that’s exactly where a system should be during testing.

Covenant vs UNSC – Test Game

The battle was fought on the outskirts of a small frontier outpost, half‑swallowed by a dense forest. Scattered hab‑structures, supply containers, and ruined foundations marked what was once a quiet base—now a warzone.

At the heart of the settlement lay the real prize:
a crashed transport, torn open on impact and surrounded by scorched earth and debris. Whatever it had been carrying was important enough to draw both sides into a brutal fight for control.

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Forces Engaged

The Covenant strike force advanced under the command of an Elite Major, supported by:

• Four Grunts armed with plasma pistols
• Two Needler Grunts
• Shield‑bearing Jackals forming the main firing line
• A Jackal sniper attempting to dominate the crash site from cover
• A black‑ops Grunt carrying a heavy weapon
• And a Suicide Grunt, pacing nervously near the wreckage

Opposing them, the UNSC deployed a compact but highly coordinated Marine force, anchored by Sergeant Johnson, whose presence alone promised trouble.

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The Battlefield

The forest pressed in on all sides, its thick canopy and undergrowth severely limiting visibility. Long‑range firing lanes were rare and unreliable, forcing both sides to maneuver cautiously between trees, ruins, and containers.

The crashed transport dominated the center of the table, forming

a natural strongpoint—and a deadly kill zone. Any unit holding it would control the flow of the battle, but staying there meant enduring relentless close‑range fighting.

Snipers on both sides struggled to find clean shots, frequently repositioning as the shifting battle lines denied them stable sightlines.

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Opening Engagements

The Covenant struck fast and hard.

Using the cover of the forest and the abandoned structures, Covenant units surged forward and quickly eliminated the UNSC communications Marine before he could trigger a redeployment maneuver. With UNSC coordination briefly disrupted, the Covenant seized the area around the crash site and secured the central objective, scoring an early lead in victory points.

For a moment, it looked like the Covenant would lock the Marines out of the town entirely.

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Pressure Builds

The UNSC responded by tightening their formation and preparing a Pelican‑supported push into the settlement. Marines advanced through the trees and ruins, using cover to close the distance while avoiding the worst of Covenant fire.

As the battle dragged on, Covenant momentum began to falter. Missed shots, failed damage rolls, and increasing UNSC pressure slowly eroded their advantage. The fighting shifted decisively into close quarters—shotguns, plasma pistols, and grenades dominating the narrow streets and wreckage‑strewn ground.

At the center of it all, Sergeant Johnson pushed forward with grim determination.

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Disaster Narrowly Avoided

One of the most dramatic moments came when the Covenant nearly wiped out a tightly packed group of Marines near the crashed transport.

A perfectly thrown plasma grenade landed squarely among them. Had it gone off as planned, it would have broken the UNSC advance entirely.

At the last possible moment, Johnson issued a rapid command redeployment, pulling his Marines clear just before the blast engulfed the area. The explosion tore through empty ground and wreckage instead of power armor—turning what should have been a decisive Covenant strike into a missed opportunity.

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Johnson Takes the Field

Surviving the blast, Johnson immediately counterattacked.

Leading from the front, shotgun roaring, he tore through Covenant infantry around the crash site. Grunts fell in droves, Jackal lines buckled under sustained pressure, and the Covenant formation began to collapse as the Marines pushed deeper into the settlement.

The Suicide Grunt remained a constant threat, forcing careful positioning and slowing the UNSC advance—but it wasn’t enough to stop the momentum shift.

The final round was tense and hard‑fought, with both sides trading blows amid the ruins and burning wreckage. In the end, UNSC control of the crash site and surrounding objectives secured the victory.

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Final Result

UNSC Victory
A narrow, hard‑earned win after a brutal fight over the wrecked transport.

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Final Thoughts

An extremely close and cinematic game from start to finish.

• The crashed transport gave the battle a clear narrative focus
• Dense forest and ruined structures forced constant movement
• Objectives kept both sides under pressure at all times
• Several clutch moments dramatically altered the flow of battle

Sergeant Johnson fully lived up to his reputation during the late‑game push.

Easily one of the most enjoyable test games so far.

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Post‑Game Analysis & Balance Notes

Overall impressions of balance were very positive. The rules flowed smoothly, and the match stayed competitive right up to the final activation.

Grunts

Grunts are currently costed at 5 points, and while reducing them to 4 was briefly considered, post‑game reflection suggests this isn’t necessary yet. Many Covenant losses were likely due to player mistakes—especially forgetting key rules like Stand Together during critical turns.

Further testing is planned before any changes are made.

Elites

Elite units performed exceptionally well, carrying much of the Covenant’s offensive pressure. Future Covenant forces will likely include more Elites, as they proved reliable in both attack and defense.

Suicide Grunt

A standout unit. The Suicide Grunt exerted constant psychological pressure, shaping UNSC movement throughout the game. Expect to see more of them in future Covenant lists.