Friday, April 18, 2014

The Battle for Boglen Wood – Round Five


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… 

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