Here, finally, is the final round of our
Song
of Blades and Heroes Campaign….
We had originally planned to play a “Short Campaign” of six
games – after this – our fifth round – we all decided to pack it in. We’d done
what we’d set out to do – try out the system and see if it worked – and it did…
and everyone liked it… but at this point it was pretty much a forgone
conclusion who was coming out on top and the kids were tired of their warbands
and wanting to start afresh with something new…
These games were played almost two weeks ago now and so
while I do have the pictures I didn’t take a lot of notes or anything and the
memory is getting abit hazy. So I’m not entirely sure how some things went down
(should have done this earlier when it was all still fresh in my mind!). I’m
not 100% sure the forces listed are exactly what was played with… but hopefully
it’s pretty close.
GAME ONE
Finnegan played against Amanda.
FORCES
Champions of Lagozed
(Finnegan)
1 Campaign Point, Retain the
Initiative
Lizard Man Champion
82 points, Q 2+, C 4,
Amphibious, Tailslap, Tough, XP3
Lizardman Warrior #1
52 points, Q 3+, C 5,
Amphibious, Tailslap, XP3
Lizardman Warrior #2
52 points, Q 2+, C 4,
Amphibious, Tailslap, XP3
Lizardman Warrior #3
52 points, Q 2+, C 4,
Amphibious, Tailslap, XP 3
Lizardman Warrior #4
52 points, Q 3+, C 4,
Amphibious, Tailslap, XP 2
Lizardman Warrior #5
52 points, Q 3+, C 4,
Amphibious, Tailslap, XP 0
Total 342 points
The Elves of Bolgen Wood
(Amanda)
1 Campaign Point, Tough as Nails
Elf Elite Archer Leader
100 Points, Q 2+, C3, Shooter
(Long), Unerring Aim, Leader
Elf Elite Archer
70 Points, Q 2+, C3, Shooter
(Long), Unerring Aim, Good Shot
Elf Elite Archer
70 Points, Q 2+, C3, Shooter
(Long), Unerring Aim, Good Shot
Elf Archer
55 Points, Q 2+, C3, Shooter
(Long)
Total 295 points
THE GAME
(Remember: click on the pictures
for a bigger version)
Finnegan’s lizards charging
across the battlefield as fast as they can – to close with the Elves before
they are murdered by their vicious bow-fire.
A brief regrouping – so no one
goes in alone and gets surrounded and squashed.
Once lizard had to (briefly) got
to ground to avoid incoming missile fire!
Moving up, still taking fire –
but most of the arrows were simply bouncing of the lizards hard scales.
Another Lizard staggered and the
Elves start trying to shift their position to keep their distance from the
Lizards.
But they didn’t shift quick
enough of far enough and the Lizards were soon upon them!
Once they were in combat it was
bad news for the Elves. The lizards had the numbers and were all higher in
Combat ability.
The elves were quickly taken
down.
The Elf leader was the last to
fall.
We did go through the post game
procedure for checking injuries and collecting income and Exploring and such –
because at this point, I think, we figured we might play that sixth game.
The Elves leader and regular
archer were fine – they simply must have ducked out and faded into the forest.
The two elite archers were in a bit of a bad way and would have to mis the next
game due to their serious injuries! This would have left her with only TWO
figures (and whatever she could hire with her income from this game!?).
Luckily Amanda collected 40 gold
for income – which would have allowed her to at least hire a new Elf Warrior.
Finnegan only collected 10 gold, but he later came across a temple during his
exploration and sacked it for another 10 gold. Amanda found a magic well, which
she ignored.
Part of the reason Amanda was
completely outclassed in this game was because Finnegan’s lizards had two more
games on her fey fold and had improved with experience. Most of them were Q 2+ and C 4 and Amanda’s were
only Q2+ and C 3 – and there were far fewer of them! Another game would have
seen Amanda’s surviving Elf archers get to C 4 and that would have made a huge
difference.
GAME TWO
I played against Keira.
FORCES
The Explorers (Keira)
Human Leader
60 points, Q 3+, C 3, Leader, XP 0
Human Wizard’s Apprentice
30 Points, Q 3+, C 1,
Magic-User, Spell Scroll, XP 3
Human Elite Archer
50 Points, Q 3+, C3, Shooter
(Long), Unerring Aim, XP 3
(Moderate Injury – Q 4+ for this
game)
Human Elite Archer
50 Points, Q 3+, C3, Shooter
(Long), Unerring Aim, XP 2
Human Elite Archer
50 Points, Q 3+, C3, Shooter (Long),
Unerring Aim, XP 2
Human Warrior
30 Points, Q 3+, C3, XP 1
Human Light Infantry - Slinger
28 Points, Q 3+, C2, Shooter
(Medium), XP 0
Total 298 points
Baron Phillipe Lapin’s
Men-at-Arms (me!)
3 Campaign Points, Tough as
Nails, Retain the Initiative, Combat Masters
Baron Phillipe de Lapin - Human
Infantry Leader
70 points, Q 2+, C 4, Leader, XP
3
Dame Margrit - Human Blessed
Paladin
96 points, Q 3+, C 4, Cleric,
Heavy Armour, Paladin, Steadfast, Fearless, XP 0
Gaston - Human Elite Archer
50 Points, Q 2+, C3, Shooter
(Long), Unerring Aim, XP 3
Renauld - Human Archer
44 Points, Q 2+, C3, Shooter
(Long), XP 3
Jean-Luc - Human Archer
44 Points, Q 2+, C3, Shooter
(Long), XP3
Pierre - Human Warrior
30 Points, Q 3+, C4, XP 3
Claude - Human Warrior
30 Points, Q 3+, C4, XP 3
Patrice - Human Warrior
30 Points, Q 3+, C4, XP 2
Louis - Human Warrior
30 Points, Q 3+, C3, XP 2
Francois - Human Warrior
30 Points, Q 3+, C3, XP 1
Total 454 points
THE GAME
Looking at the points alone, it was clear this was going to
be retty one-sided. Had we finished our
Dungeon bits perhaps I could have played a dungeon
raid against her – and let her fill the dugeon with traps and nastiness...? Or
perhaps given her a fort to defend…? Well we didn’t do that – we just played
the straight-up all-out-battle scenario…
(Remember: click on the pictures
for a bigger version)
The forces of Baron Phillipe
charge across the pass to deal with the “bandits” hiding out there.
Keira decided to send her forces
around the flank – perhaps trying to isolate and take out my archers and
Crossbowmen one at a time… a pretty reasonable tactic.
Unfortunately she blew a
activation roll early in her next turn (you can see it in the top corner!)
…and Baron Phillipe’s men were
upon them!
There’s really no honour or
glory in defeating a seven year old with a force 2/3 the size of your own… but
we played the game… She's an incredibly good sport about these things and wouldn't have me offering her any advantage.
Keira’s Warrior Wimyn were
defeated again…
Despite having her butt handed
to her in, I think, EVERY game of the campaign – she is still keen to play and
is already working on her next warband…
I think this was after the first
morale test – few left on the table – Keira conceded.
I’d suffered two casualties, but
both would be back in it for the next game. I’m not sure how many casualties
Keira’d had, the only note I’d made was that her leader had not healed properly
and would be permanently -1C – which I think had happened to her in her
previous game!?
Keira collected 50 gold – but
then lost one to my Theives Guild thieves. I collected 60 gold… plus the one
stolen from Keira… plus the five from the Ale House… netting me another 66 gold
– If we’d carried on that would have put my warband over 500 points!
During exploration I’d been
visited by an Adventurer’s Ghost which begged me to avenge his death. In my
next game I could nominate one non-personality character in the opponent’s
warband as the ghost’s assailant and if it was killed during the game the
character killing it would get one extra experience.
Overall I thought the campaign went very well. We all liked the campaign system and would play it again. I think, however, we might try a turn at playing more of a narrative campaign for our next one.
I would like to play a campaign with some other players - If I could ever get anyone out to play!?
I think building some more terrain would give us a few more options for scenarios.
Coming soon on Tim’s Miniature Wargaming Blog:
Hard to say… One one hand I have a bunch of stuff on the
workbench… and a pile of terrain stuff half built… and a bunch of free time I
could play some games with…
But I also have some reading I’d like to get done… so…
