Friday, 6 May 2022

Targaryen's v Free Folk Battle Report

 After a prolonged break, another Thursday night battle report from down at Justplay, Liverpool 

Ste was trying a "new" Targaryen list ahead of the Board & Swords in Derby "Gather for War"event on Sunday, while I was using Mance with my Free Folk, although trying out the new Jon Snow NCU...

Ste's Targayens consisted of the following eight activations (nine with Unsullied Officer):

• Unsullied Swordmasters with Grey Worm - Unsullied Commander (C) • Dothraki Outriders with Fortune Seeker • Stormcrow Mercenaries with Unsullied Officer • Jorah Mormont - The Wandering Knight Non Combat Units • Illyrio Mopatis, Petyr Baelish, Pyat Pree & Xaro Xhoan Daxos

Yes, 4 NCU's Interesting to see, and would certainly have been a good choice agiasnt my usual 2 NCU build's. But my list

had 3 NCU's as below

• Free Folk Trappers with Mance Rayder - King Beyond the Wall (C) • Spearwives • Spearwives • Free Folk Raiders with Raid Leader • Free Folk Raiders with The Weeper - Cruel Tyrant • Followers of Bone with Jarl - Advance Raid Leader NCU's • Ygritte, Jon Snow and Craster


The scenario was a Dance with Dragons

Terrain: Ste placed stakes under left objective, I had a palisade far right, Ste put corpse pile central, and I countered with Weirwood

Set up from left to right: 

Targaryens: Outriders, Stormcrow Mercs, Jorah, Swordmasters with Greyworm

FreeFolk: Weeper Raiders, Trappers with Mance, Spearwives, Raiders, Spearwives with Followers of Bone outflanking...


TURN 1

I had Ygritte take horses and brought on the Followers of Bone top right


I was planning on getting around and into Ste's flank/rear as had it in my head he had Unsullied pikemen!!! I was tired, long day...


With 7 NCU's and 6 spaces, we filled out the tactics board quickly


Pyat Pree missing out with Illyrio last to go down


END OF TURN 1


Ste's Targaryen's playing cagily...


TURN 2

Ste took the letters and I took the swords and destroyed the right palisade so I could get on the right objective. We then filled the tactics board which was proving difficult for me given I normally run 2 NCU's and with Baelish the options were doubled. Ste used the House of undying twice and stripped me of cards


I took the centre objective with Spearwives to force the Targaryens out but also marched up my Followers out of arc to threaten the non-Pikemen!!!


Ste then used Baelish once per game to claim swords, allowing his swordmasters a 3" manouver to drop back, pivot and flank me. Nicely done...


Though the Horrific visage dropped 3 of Greyworms boys...


I was left with 5 Followers of Bone


I marched up onto the stakes for two wounds but took the objective and threatened two units. The Stromcrows had a lot of options with the Unsullied Officer and the unit still to activate.


Ste doubled activated to charge the Followers of Bone, scoring 5 hits. I managed to save 3 of them


And passed the panic check, so Ste failed to kill them 


BOARD END OF TURN 2

The Followers were hanging in there and had support coming up and had distracted Ste from the centre objective.


END OF TURN 2

                            FREEFOLK               3 VP's              (3 objectives)
TARGARYENS          0 VP's         

       
TURN 3

Once per game at start of round, Jon Snow dug into cards for Regroup and Reform (R &R)


I activated first with the Raiders having buffed the Followers with R & R and with raid leader hit flank of the Mercs with Overwhelming Assault for rerolls and sundering... (I should point out this was version 2 as originally Spearwives did it in the rear and wiped the Mercs out before Ste pointed out I only had 2" move with objective!!!) (It was a long day)


7 hits was nice but it could have been 10 had I chosen Critical blow over sundering


And Ste just passed his morale...


Leaving 2 men and I lost 2 Followers of Bone due to "Go down fighting"


Ste healed with Xaro for 3 and also to block 1 hit for the round. I used Crasters once per game heal 2and struck back, but fluffed it


Allowing Ste full access to the board!!!


I charged into the Outriders with Weeper Raiders and did some damage (to both as I was on stakes) while Ste left me with no room bar the House. I did lose Endless horde to a Field control, but my Spearwives maneuvered up 2" with centre objective.


And the Outriders healed easily enough...


With Ygritte making no real difference, I had a 3+ charge which came up a 4...


The six Mercenaries died in the onslaught helped by the Raid leader. But in killing 2 ranks I also caused two wounds on the Followers of Bones who died...


The Outriders struck back against the Weeper's Raiders 


And got 5 hits on the requisite 4+


I saved one which allowed me to keep the objective... And then the Swordmasters charged the Spearwives. Although I survived, they pinched the centre objective. I marched up Mance and the Trappers to block Jorah should he feel like a flank charge on either of my engaged units but he opted to run away


END OF TURN 3

FREEFOLK           6 VP's        (5 objectives, 1 Unit)

TARGARYEN          2 VP's       (1 objective, 1 Unit)

TURN 4

Activating first off the swords, Ste destroyed the Spearwives then used Overrun to hit the Raiders next to them. The Raiders survived, barely but I had used Diversion tactics to shift my Trappers up to hem in Jorah. I then activated and the Trappers shifted into Jorah's flank, showering him with arrows and the Andal fell...


Ste generously dropped off the "Retribution of the Dragon" on the trappers...


But in being eager to kill Jorah, I gifted Ste control of the board again...


I attacked the Outriders, using There's too Many to hit them for 5 wounds...


But lost wounds to the stakes and then the Outriders hit back, leaving the Weeper alone and taking the objective


Good job Mance and the Weirwood were in range!!!


END OF TURN 4

FREEFOLK     7 VP's      (6 objectives, 2 units)

(should have been 8 I realise now with dead Jorah and right objective)

TARGARYENS      5 VP's     (3 objective, 2 Units)

TURN 5

Activating first off the swords, I shot up the Outriders, leaving them on 1wound. Ste hummed and haa'ed trying to move them and work out what to to for best, but in the end opted to heal them up and hope for best.


I activated the Trappers and charged in, as with rerolls and panic i felt I could finish em!!!


No hits at first effort!!!


No hits second effort, and the Fortune seeker healed a wound due to auto passing!!!


Still, much to Ste's chagrin, I took the objective as had more ranks...


Steve played Sudden Retreat and moved away...  In the Centre, the Swordmasters were shuffling over to help at 1"due to my constant Ygritte influence. My far right Spearwives moved to and fro too but well away from the Swordmasters


Activating, they moved back further, seeking help from the Unsullied. But I got to move 2" away with Predictable manouvers


END OF TURN 5

FREEFOLK 9 VP's (8 objectives, 1 unit(and forgotten Jorah))

TARGARYENS 6 VP's (4 objectives, 2 units)

TURN 6

Ste had first activation, and after weighing everything up (including me not being worried thinking I'd got it won as he could only score 3 max and I was getting one on my right flank), Ste declared he was activating his Swordmasters for a 6+ charge at my Trappers. As he declared the charge action, I played my Trappers traps to reduce his movement to 1meaning he couldn't connect. In fairness, he rolled a 1 anyway so he wasn't even close


Ste shot me up a bit, as we contested the tactics zones. I charged into the Outriders hoping to reduce them some and as I did so it suddenly dawned on me that if I lost the Trappers, Ste would score 2 VP's due to Retribution of the Dragon and draw level and win on units left... AAAARRRGHHH!!! Fortunately, the Outriders had less attacks in melee and although reduced me down to take the objective, Mance easily passed the 4+ panic, for a change... 


END OF TURN 6 (& Game)

FREEFOLK 10 VP's 

TARGARYEN's 8 VP's


BOARD AT END



Well, that was a close run thing!!! We both made silly mistakes in the game, and the 6 spaces and 7 NCU's was a real challenge to master for me being used to 2 NCU's. Ste owned the tactics board and his force, although small, was better than mine. I focused on killing the Mercs due to the Unsullied Officer and with Baelish, bags and swords, there was a lot of attack potential. A cracking tactical game, that I think I was lucky to win to be honest...

Anyway, Boards & Swords Sunday will produce a three game report in a week or so...


Charity Appeal

Kieran "Scaddman" Scaddan is holding a 24hr sponsored wargame of ASOIF in aid of Veterans

mental Health charity on 28th/29th May.

Link to his Justgiving page is HERE

EVENTS IN UK


Gather for War on Sunday May 8th At Board & Swords in Derby Gather for War

Bad Moon Cafe, Great Dover St, London Sunday May 8th , A Prance with Pragons

24 player 2 day event Durham, 14th-15th MayWar of the Wall

Justplay Games Liverpool Sunday 29th May ??????

Kieran's 24 hour Sponsored Event 28th/29th May at Imjin barracks  

16 player event at Leodis Games in in Leeds, Saturday June 5th War of the White-Rose Cloaks

Saturday June 11th at Battlefield Hobbies, Daventry, Battle of the Bar-Stewards

 16th & 17th July Duke's Gaming Welsh Grand Tournament Cymru Grand Tournament

The 128 player 2 day event UK London Grand Tournament (ELO) 30th September Link

16 Player 2 day event 22/23rd Oct at the RIBBLE RUMBLE, ELEMENT GAMES, STOCKPORT, UK LINK



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