Ste and I headed over to Leeds for a four game event at Leodis Games, ran by Paul Whitehead and Thomas Whitworth. They do a great job of attracting newer players to the events, and even made a special rule of two to "handicap" more experienced players which I thought was a great idea. Special shout out too, to Blackgate Games who gave superb prize support for the event, meaning everyone got something for turning up...
The Rule of two meant if you have played in two or more events you have to take 2 lists, and play each twice and you could not duplicate NCU's or characters or have more than two of the same unit.
This gave me the opportunity to run dual Stannis supporting Baratheon lists, and get me to paint 3 units up the weekend before (always paint quicker with a deadline)
For Game 1 & 2 I would use Axell Florent commander
• R'hllor Queen's Men with Axell Florent - First of the Queen's Men (C)
• R'hllor Lightbringers with Red Priestess
• R'hllor Faithful
• Baratheon Wardens
• Baratheon Wardens
NCU's
• Selyse and Shireen
• Roose Bolton
For Game 3 & 4 I would use Andrew Estermont commander
Combat Units • King's Mens Andrew Estermont - First of The King's Men ( C)
• Champions of The Stag with Glory Seeker
• Baratheon Wardens with Master Warden
• Baratheon Wardens with Davos Seaworth - Onion Knight
NCU's
• Axell Florent
• Walder Frey
• Petyr Baelish
GAME 1
Matthew Lloyd (Lloydinspace)
Baratheons
A Game of Thrones
• Baratheon Sentinels with Cortnay Penrose - Castellan of Storm's End (C)
• Riders of Highgarden
• Champions of The Stag
• House Bolton Flayed Men
NCU's
• Eldon Estermont
• Shyra Errol
• Margaery Tyrell
Matthew made the trip down with two mates from Glasgow, and actually made an error inputting his list as his Sentinels were supposed to be Wardens and an NCU upgrade for Tycho Nestoris!!! Chatting as you do, I forgot to take a set up picture, so we join the game midway through Turn 1 with NCu's mostly activating for Matthew against my units.
I fired against the Riders of Highgarden with my Lightbringers
And managed a single wound
But got his with all the tokens via Baratheon Justice!!!
Board End of Turn 1
TURN 2
Matthew elected to charge the Lightbringers with the Sentinels who held magnificently!!!
I took the swords to attack back and deny the Sentinels a second attack, but the Lighbtringers whiffed in melee. The Riders lost as many wounds from missed attacks back than they caused!!!
But my Wardens did even worse!!!
I took the horse zone after Matthew took the bags to heal his Riders, and moved my Queens Men to be able to flank his Sentinels.
The Flayed Men took the back right objective, I hammered into the Sentinels, then maneuvered to take the central objective with the Faithful. The Champions ignored the easy R'hllor bait and although my Wardens held the right objective, sadly, I didn't fully overlap the left objective. My Lighbringers retreated out of melee.
END OF TURN 2
The One True King Baratheon Loyalists 2 VP's (2 objectives)
The Forces of Lord Renly, the Pretender 1 VP (1 objective)
TURN 3
Taking the swords, I cut the Sentinels down to three men. (Well, technically I shot them down with my Lightbringers having made them vulnerable)
Margery Tyrell on the bags healed four back, so I lashed out with Wardens for now and was handsomely rewarded as the Riders dropped to 5 wounds.
Please look carefully at the image below
What happened next was pretty intense and I didnt take enough pictures!!! But, Matthew took the Horses and retreated away with the wounded Riders. The Champions smacked the R'hllor faithful but not well and only lost 8 men. I charged the Flayed Men with my right Wardens to avoid being charged but lost enough men from his attack back to avoid contesting his objective. My Rhllor retreated to control centre. I crown zapped the Riders and they lost another wound. And I was unable to kill the Sentinels when the Queens Men attacked on activation!!!
Turn 4 saw the Highgarden Riders charge the rear of the 4 Rhllor Faithful!!! I spend a toekn to give the 4 wounds Riders 6 hits, but Matthew passed 3 saves and the R'hllor died. But I spent another token to give Axell's Queens Men a free attack who finished off the Sentinels. And they surged forth to allow line of sight to the Riders for my Lighbringers, who activated off the swords to shift up and then shot the last wound off them!!! The Champions of the Stags charged and shattered my Wardens tied up with the Flayed men, then dropped back onto the right objective. But I was solid on the centre so the Flayed Men marched down to threaten the Lightbringers who marched up behind the Queens Men and that's where we arrive as below...
END OF TURN 4
Stannis Baratheons 7 VP's (2 units, 5 objectives)
Renly Baratheons 5 VP's (2 units, 3 objectives)
TURN 5
I took the horses to deny it and move the Lighbringers back towards the far left objective. Knowing he needed to chase to pull it back, Matthew activated the Champions of the Stag and made the 4+ charge. I took the swords and shifted across to avoid being hit by the Flayed Men and deny sword to the Champions. I lost the centre objective in doing so.
The Flayed Men failed to charge in as a result of my move, so it was worth it
END OF TURN 5
Stannis Baratheons 9 VP's (2 units, 7 objectives)
Renly Baratheons 5 VP's (2 units, 3 objectives)
TURN 6
The Champions lashed out. I survived and healed. The Champions lashed out again. I saved loads and healed off Baratheon Conviction. The Flayed Men charged in. The Queens Men held.
END OF GAME
Baratheon's of R'hllor 11 VP's (2 units, 9 objectives)
Renly's Baratheons 5 VP's (2 units, 3 objectives)
Cracking game to start with, a Baratheon civil war and the infantry edged the cavalry. Really, they didn't as I picked on Matthew's weakest units and the Queens Men were rock. I also got lucky with my r'hllor fiathful trap failing to directly kill the weakened Riders, but it worked out better as when they nobly sacrificed themselves, I got the Sentinels and the Riders! With Matthew chasing, the score wasnt really a fair reflection of what was a very close game...
GAME 2
Tom Bell (Hylo)
Nights Watch
HONED & READY
• Ranger Hunters with Jon Snow - 998th Lord Commander (C)
• Ranger Hunters with Watch Captain
• Stormcrow Mercenaries withWatch Captain
• Conscripts
• Ghost
NCU's
• Aemon
• Bowen Marsh
At least I remembered the set-up picture. Forgot to mention, random terrain (didn't feature much in game one with 3 pieces) We rolled 3 walls in this one, five pieces in total.
Baratheons: Wardens, Lightbringers, Queens Men, Faithful, Wardens
TURN 1
Well, having just started running Night's Watch at our clubs Winter league, I knew the Rangers would sting. I went first and took letters and we played through the board...But I also forgot about the Watch captain, so they managed to get a shot off in Turn 1 following the usual tactics and maneuvering!!!
Table at End of Turn 1
TURN 2
Going first, Tom activated his Rangers and charged into my Lightbringers, who died. I used Selyse and Shireen to stay alive but then they retreated and shot me down anyway...
I was going to be out maneuvered and picked off piecemeal at Tom's leisure, so I went for a 5+ charge over the corpse piles to get stuck into Jon's Rangers. And rolled it!!!
And I didn't need the re-rolls either. R'hllor was shining on me this turn and sure this was when Tom mentioned he'd heard of my dodgy dice rolling!!! Dodgy as in lucky of course...
I dropped half the Rangers and have to say was well chuffed...
I was lining up a double long-range charge with Axell and the Queens men
But Tom was too canny and retreated, so I was unable to charge, shooting up the faithful as they went and dropping them down to a single rank. Ghost went wide and claimed the far right, with Stormcrows sat on far left. My Wardens on the left were shot up but held the left, the Queens Men held the centre and my other Wardens right. The Rangers were running rings around me though. Ghost took two wounds from the wall hits, despite me having made him vulnerable...
END OF TURN 2
NIGHT'S WATCH 3 VP's (1 unit, 2 objectives)
BARATHEON'S 3 VP's (3 objectives)
TURN 3
The R'hllor Faithful died to Jon's Rangers shooting...
after some spawny dice rolling from Tom as I shot up Ghost on two wounds with 5 hits from an Seryse taking swords but swapping to wall shots... and he saved them all!!!
Ghost moved off rather sharpish, and the Rangers on the left finished off the Wardens on my left side.
The conscripts moved up and healed Jon's unit, the Stormcrows looted my left Wardens corpses and stole the objective. While my Queens Men didn't know which way to turn, my right-side Wardens sat and watch from a distance. Ghost healed a wound from Jon, but with 3 wounds thought better of going back to the far-right objective.
END OF TURN 3
NIGHT'S WATCH 6 VP's (3 units, 3 objectives)
BARATHEON'S 5 VP's (5 objectives)
TURN 4
Jon Snow went first, charging into the rear of the Queens Men. And when they retreated afterwards, they shot down Axell and his retinue...
Activating Roose, who had put a panic token on Ghost last turn, I took the crown for the extra minus 1 and panicked the wounded dog. Tom rolled 3 wounds but passed the test. First time!!! I had him spend the token, and he rolled one less than the required 4, slaying the runt!!! Always the little victories that taste the sweetest!!!
With little left to do for me, Tom simply moved and seized the three objectives to close the game out.
END OF TURN 4 (& GAME)
Night's Watch 10 VP's (4 units, 6 objectives)
Baratheon's 7 VP's (1 unit, 6 objectives)
I had hoped my armour would prove more effective against the Rangers, but Tom knew to target my weaker unit's first, outmaneuvering my slower force and really just using the Rangers to do the hard work, especially hitting them in the flank. He knows his force inside out and didn't really need to get out of second gear but it was a good game and as I'm embarking on my own Nights Watch force, a good learning experience.
GAME 3
A DANCE WITH DRAGONS
P C (part time villain)
• Red Cloaks with Kevan Lannister - Protector of the Realm (C)
• House Bolton Flayed Men
• House Bolton Flayed Men
• Lannister Guardsmen
NCU's
• Joffrey Baratheon
• Roose Bolton
• The High Sparrow
P C was one of Matthew's mates down from Glasgow, and neither of them were feeling photogenic, it's not me being forgetful or rude...
I was running my Andrew Estermont list and facing a really scary looking Lannister list
We rolled a wall, corpse pile and hedge with the Lannisters setting up Guardsmen, Flayed Men, Kevans Red Cloaks and Flayed Men
I set up with Master warden Wardens on left, then the Kings Men and Champions with Davos and his Wardens far right...
I moved up aggressively in the centre, with Wardens again going for flanks but PC had ignored the right and was looking to outnumber me in the centre
TURN 2
I got the drop on the Flayed Men to the centre right, charging in with the Champions of the Stag
But two wounds were disappointing
The left sided Flayed Men charged in against the Kings Men and rather embarrasingly they simply imploded. Not straight away, but with Red Claoks panicking them they dwindled rather quickly Not as durable as the Queens Men for sure!!!
Having had their flank charged by the Red Cloaks, my Champions used Walder to retreat and claim the centre, while I failed a charge on the left to engage the Guardsmen. I took the right unopposed.
END of TURN 2
Lannisters 2 VP's (1 unit, 1 objective)
Baratheons 2 VP's (2 objectives)
TURN 3
I took the horses to deny any extra movements for the Lannisters and repositioned the Stags as best I could...
My Wardens charged the Guardsmen but failed to dent their armour and then got Lanister Supremacied for 5 wounds!!!
The Flayed Men flanked the Stags and hit hard...
They suffered from Hear Me Roar too.And when the second Flayed Men went in I had four wounds left
before I rolled four armour failures
P C was totally dominant on the field, and my two Wardens were at his mercy...
END OF TURN 3
LANNISTERS 5 VP's (2 units, 3 objectives)
BARATHEONS 3 VP's (3 objectives)
TURN 4
I healed up after the Red Cloaks came over using the Horses...
And I passed the "Lannister Justice" morale check. Sadly, the Red Cloaks the used the crown and charged!!! Kevan Lannister is pretty cool!!!
Charging across the wall gave me a 3+ save. But I didnt even need to expend the weakened
The Wardens "Counterstrike" caused 5 wounds and on when they activated, the Redcloaks quickly retreated!!!
The Flayed Men charged, after the Guardsmen attacked the wall. We weren't sure if that was legit as they were engaged, but if you can only attack or retreat, technically it was an attack. (kind of academic anyway). Especially as prior to Flayed Men attack I used Reckless Fury and killed two of my own unit!!!
With the Lannisters untouched, and my Wardens alone on the right, we simply activated the game out...
END OF TURN 5
LANNISTER'S 10 VP's
BARATHEON'S 5 VP's
Well that was an unmitigated disaster, as PC totally owned the Tactics board, negating my own. Walder did get to go as I was passing with Axell to get Walder used but he ended up healing or moving units rather than my plan to attack... With my Wardens split on both ends, the Red Cloaks and Flayed Men totally owned the centre and the Kings Men were desperately disappointing. Lannister Justice sadly bypasses my 2+ armour and helped decimate my Champions of the Stag. Well deserved win for P C
GAME 4
Adam Sargeant (Sarge Jungle)
A FEAST FOR CROWS
LANNISTERS
• Lannister Guardsmen with Gregor Clegane - The Mountain (C)
• Knights of Casterly Rock
• Lannister Guardsmen
• Lannister Halberdiers
• Lannister Crossbowmen
• Tywin Lannister
A less scary list and facing two NCU's would help me (or so I hoped)
Adam at least made a show of looking excited!!!
TERRAIN: Wall, Hedge, Weirwood
Lannisters (L to R): Crossbowmen, Halberdiers, Knights of Casterly Rock, Guardsmen, Mountains Guardsmen
Baratheons: Wardens with Davos, Champions of the Stag, Kingsmen, Wardens with Warden
I had a cunning plan: Two units on each side: Hold the right and hit on the left and use Davos and the Glory Seeker to heal up each others units!!! Oh, and crump the left side first as it looked weaker!!!
TURN 1
I let Adam go first and he took the letters. I took the horses, and also marched up with the Champions. Realising what I was up to, the crossbows who had marched up used the swords and shot my cavalry for 1 wound after shifting back. I had both Wardens get up at the objectives and did use Walder to get an auto charge ready for turn 2. The Lannisters Guards and Knights were closing in on the Kings Men as I'd sent them up to entice that
TURN 2
I charged in and killed six Lannisters, going 50/50 to avoid a Halberdier flank
The Kings Men had charged the Guards, sucking in the Mountain but Adam hummed and haa'd as there were four left!!! He finally committed to use Tywin's Rains of Castermere, then charged in with his Knights which was pretty horrific but left Andrew alive until he failed a panic check with his last To the Last!!! Damn. But it took 3 units and the Rains to make it happen!!!
END OF TURN 2
Lannisters 1 VP (1 unit)
Baratheons 2 VP's (2 objectives)
BOARD AT END OF TURN 2
My left was looking good but my right Wardens were gonna get it!!!
TURN 3
Adam charged the Champions with the Halberdiers causing two wounds. I took the swords and attacked back, killing half. Adam would then take the bags to heal up
The Knights flanked my Baratheon's but it took the Mountain to finish them off.
On the left, my Wardens charged in but failed to finish of the Halberdiers, but the Champions easily killed them on activation. I did use Davos to heal the two wounds on the Champions, and the Glory Seeker healed up the Wardens. The Kingsmen had put a corpse pile down which the Guardsmen took and the Halberdiers put one that the crossbows took. But I used Walder to panic them, killing two and dropping the objective.
TURN 4
I also caused a panic on the Guardsmen so got ahead on points, forcing Adam to come for me with his Knights of Casterly Rock, which is why so game was me denying movement and panicking and healing
I weighed up going after the Guardsmen but decided to let Adam come to me...
I backed off as far as I could, and to be fair to Adam, he just failed to connect on a charge by 1" with his Knights. And they had needed a six. It would have been a glorious for Adam!!!
TURN 5
Knights charged in, I survived, and hit back. I healed, attacked back. No one else moved
END OF TURN 5
BARATHEON'S 9 VP's
LANNISTERS 7 VP's
I took the bags to heal up my Wardens and stop the two Knights left doing so. Adam took swords and attacked but it was a bit meh. Cersei took the crowns to deny me a standard panic and hit the Wardens with objective
Yeah, I was confident I could hold...
My Faith in the dice were rewarded.
Sadly, when the Knights activated, the caused a few wounds and I failed the next panic check. I didnt die but the Knights stole the objective!!! Disaster!!! With 3 VP's v my 1 Adam would be tying on VP's and had more unit points on the table...
Late Walder was my last hope, taking the bags and using the crown...
And Adam failed it taking the last Knight (on 3 wounds) with him...
Literally, the last activation of Turn 6, old man Walder saved the day...
Table at END of TURN 6
BARATHEON'S 12 VP's (3 units, 9 objectives)
LANNISTER'S 9 VP's (2 units, 7 objectives)
WOW!!! I had 4 great opponents and 4 good games, but definitely saved the best to last. It swung so many times, both our right flanks folding and our left hooks knocking through the opponents. Wouldn't have begrudged losing at all losing to Adam, with that 6+ charge rolling a 5. And killing his Knights with Walder last gasp. I mean I barely hung on passing the Cersei panic with double 6!!! Truly great game, and a fantastic event. Paul and Tom did a greatjob
Overall Winner was Carlo Connor-Hill, whose Baratheon's were unbeaten (as were Dominic Hill's Night's Watch)
LAST EVENT OF 2022 for me...
Roll on 2023...
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