Had a splendid game of Warhammer with my friend Dave this evening. Here's a pic of the initial deployment.
(click for larger picture)
Sorry about the slightly odd camera angle, but getting a 6' x 4' table in one pic is tricky.
Both Dave and I tried something slightly different with our armies for this 1,500pt game.
Orcs
Orc Big Boss on Chariot
Goblin Shaman
10 Orc Boarboyz (Big 'Uns)
25 Orc Warriors
25 Orc Warriors
15 Orc Archers
3 Trolls
Orc Chariot
8 Squig Hoppers
Dave had ditched his usual 2 Bolt Throwers in favour of a second chariot, plus he'd invested a whopping 300+ points in a large unit of Orc Big 'Un Boarboyz. Seeing them on the table really gave me the heebie-jeebies.
Bretonnians
Paladin (Questing Virtue)
8 Questing Knights
Paladin BSB
5 Knights of the Realm
Damsel - Level 1 Sorceress
5 Knights of the Realm
6 Knights Errant
6 Knights Errant
5 Mounted Yeomen
10 Bowmen
10 Bowmen
10 Bowmen - Skirmishers
I normally field only 2 or 3 larger units of knights so 5 smaller units was quite a change for me. Also I decided to leave out the Pegasus Knights because at 55pts each they soon use up a big chunk of the army allowance (and I never seem to make good use of them). Must admit that initially I did miss having a unit of 20+ foot slogging Men-at-Arms, but to be honest I can barely recall the last time they actually proved that handy in a game.
Both armies were fairly light on magic and magic items - which is how I like to play Warhammer. Not every Tomas, Dyck or Harald needs to be armed with a Vorpal Chainsaw of Immense Choppiness. Nor does every army need a 'Heironymous von Kloppenspelsinger the Supreme Patriarch of the Colleges of Mysterious Magic' (please insert ludicrous wizard name of your choice). But that's just my view.
The Game
The battle began with the Bretonnian army kneeling in prayer to invoke the blessing of The Lady (those ward saves are so handy), thus giving the first turn to Dave's Orcs. The Boarboyz and one of the big Orc units failed their animosity tests and stood quarreling, whilst almost everything else headed for the Bretonnian lines. The Trolls took full advantage of passing their stupidity test and moved 12" straight ahead.
In return the Bretonnians hurled the 2 units of Knights Errant against the Trolls and scored an impressive 9 wounds, but the Trolls regenerated a staggering 7 wounds! However, combat resolution favoured the brave. Actually it favoured the fellows on horses too - the Trolls failed their break test and fled only to be slaughtered by the knights, whose pursuit rolls left one unit stuck in the middle of a forest!
In Dave's next turn he called the Waaagh and his army surged forward without a problem. Across the table Orcs threw themselves at Bretonnia's finest. The most interesting combat was the chariot riding Orc general taking on the small unit of Knights accompanying the Bretonnian Battle Standard. The chariot's impact hits were saved by the knight's ward saves. Enraged, the Orc General challenged the Paladin to single combat, the brave knight could not refuse and a terrible melee began. Ok - perhaps I'm being a bit romantic here ... actually the combatants ineffectually waved the weapons at each other only to have the knight's warhorse inflict a single wound on the Orc! Combat resolution went in favour of the Knights as the Paladin was the BSB, and the Orc general broke from combat only to be hewn to pieces by the victorious knights. A very extraordinary combat indeed.
Dave's Boarboyz massacred their opponents, a unit of Knights Errant, but their slow pursuit left them open to two counter-charges from knights in the following turn, which saw them destroyed.
By turn 4 Dave's (beautifully painted) Orc horde was much reduced. The Bretonnians had 4 units of Knights still in the fray, though one of them was in bad shape. However, the Orcs were surrounded and in their turn the Bretonnians once again charged the Orc lines. A special mention should be made here of the brave Mounted Yeomen who sacrificed themselves holding up a large Orc unit and preventing it from potentially attacking the flank of the Questing Knights.
The final turn saw the last remaining Orc Warrior unit charged from 3 sides by Knights. Predictably they broke and were cut down as they fled through a wood. The pursuing knights almost caught the Goblin Shaman who had been keeping a low profile in the wood for most of the game.
As the dust settled it was clear that there was no point in adding up the victory points. Only one chariot remained of the Orc army. It was a 'Massacre' to the Bretonnians.
I must say that I really, really enjoyed the game. Dave is a first class opponent and a complete sportsman who keeps smiling throughout the game, and never gives up either. My lack of familiarity with the latest edition of the rules (haven't played since July, plus only a handful of games this year) meant that I kept muffing things up a bit or getting things a bit R's about face, but Dave patiently put me back on track (Thanks).
Need to play a lot more regularly, that's the ticket!
(click for larger picture)
Sorry about the slightly odd camera angle, but getting a 6' x 4' table in one pic is tricky.
Both Dave and I tried something slightly different with our armies for this 1,500pt game.
Orcs
Orc Big Boss on Chariot
Goblin Shaman
10 Orc Boarboyz (Big 'Uns)
25 Orc Warriors
25 Orc Warriors
15 Orc Archers
3 Trolls
Orc Chariot
8 Squig Hoppers
Dave had ditched his usual 2 Bolt Throwers in favour of a second chariot, plus he'd invested a whopping 300+ points in a large unit of Orc Big 'Un Boarboyz. Seeing them on the table really gave me the heebie-jeebies.
Bretonnians
Paladin (Questing Virtue)
8 Questing Knights
Paladin BSB
5 Knights of the Realm
Damsel - Level 1 Sorceress
5 Knights of the Realm
6 Knights Errant
6 Knights Errant
5 Mounted Yeomen
10 Bowmen
10 Bowmen
10 Bowmen - Skirmishers
I normally field only 2 or 3 larger units of knights so 5 smaller units was quite a change for me. Also I decided to leave out the Pegasus Knights because at 55pts each they soon use up a big chunk of the army allowance (and I never seem to make good use of them). Must admit that initially I did miss having a unit of 20+ foot slogging Men-at-Arms, but to be honest I can barely recall the last time they actually proved that handy in a game.
Both armies were fairly light on magic and magic items - which is how I like to play Warhammer. Not every Tomas, Dyck or Harald needs to be armed with a Vorpal Chainsaw of Immense Choppiness. Nor does every army need a 'Heironymous von Kloppenspelsinger the Supreme Patriarch of the Colleges of Mysterious Magic' (please insert ludicrous wizard name of your choice). But that's just my view.
The Game
The battle began with the Bretonnian army kneeling in prayer to invoke the blessing of The Lady (those ward saves are so handy), thus giving the first turn to Dave's Orcs. The Boarboyz and one of the big Orc units failed their animosity tests and stood quarreling, whilst almost everything else headed for the Bretonnian lines. The Trolls took full advantage of passing their stupidity test and moved 12" straight ahead.
In return the Bretonnians hurled the 2 units of Knights Errant against the Trolls and scored an impressive 9 wounds, but the Trolls regenerated a staggering 7 wounds! However, combat resolution favoured the brave. Actually it favoured the fellows on horses too - the Trolls failed their break test and fled only to be slaughtered by the knights, whose pursuit rolls left one unit stuck in the middle of a forest!
In Dave's next turn he called the Waaagh and his army surged forward without a problem. Across the table Orcs threw themselves at Bretonnia's finest. The most interesting combat was the chariot riding Orc general taking on the small unit of Knights accompanying the Bretonnian Battle Standard. The chariot's impact hits were saved by the knight's ward saves. Enraged, the Orc General challenged the Paladin to single combat, the brave knight could not refuse and a terrible melee began. Ok - perhaps I'm being a bit romantic here ... actually the combatants ineffectually waved the weapons at each other only to have the knight's warhorse inflict a single wound on the Orc! Combat resolution went in favour of the Knights as the Paladin was the BSB, and the Orc general broke from combat only to be hewn to pieces by the victorious knights. A very extraordinary combat indeed.
Dave's Boarboyz massacred their opponents, a unit of Knights Errant, but their slow pursuit left them open to two counter-charges from knights in the following turn, which saw them destroyed.
By turn 4 Dave's (beautifully painted) Orc horde was much reduced. The Bretonnians had 4 units of Knights still in the fray, though one of them was in bad shape. However, the Orcs were surrounded and in their turn the Bretonnians once again charged the Orc lines. A special mention should be made here of the brave Mounted Yeomen who sacrificed themselves holding up a large Orc unit and preventing it from potentially attacking the flank of the Questing Knights.
The final turn saw the last remaining Orc Warrior unit charged from 3 sides by Knights. Predictably they broke and were cut down as they fled through a wood. The pursuing knights almost caught the Goblin Shaman who had been keeping a low profile in the wood for most of the game.
As the dust settled it was clear that there was no point in adding up the victory points. Only one chariot remained of the Orc army. It was a 'Massacre' to the Bretonnians.
I must say that I really, really enjoyed the game. Dave is a first class opponent and a complete sportsman who keeps smiling throughout the game, and never gives up either. My lack of familiarity with the latest edition of the rules (haven't played since July, plus only a handful of games this year) meant that I kept muffing things up a bit or getting things a bit R's about face, but Dave patiently put me back on track (Thanks).
Need to play a lot more regularly, that's the ticket!
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