Last of the League: Crows, Stormcrows and more crows

 So for my last game in the Wardens of the North-West Winter league, my Night's Watch would be facing Dom's Night Watch in A Clash of Kings...

Not played Dom in a good year or so due to work clashes etc so good to catch up and have a natter. Also nice to play one of the more friendly list minded players in the group. Both of us had some Stormcrows, so fluff wise this was like a training battle to integrate the Mercenaries and                        Night's Watch troops together...

Dom's list was led by Jeor Mormont and was as below:

Shadow Tower Spearmen with Jeor Mormont - 997th Lord Commander (C)

Stormcrow Mercenaries with Yoren - Harsh Recruiter

Builder Crossbowmen with Watch Captain

Sworn Brothers with Bronn - The Sellsword

NCU's

Aemon & Othell Yarwyck

My own list had to use a Neutral commander as part of Greg's rules for the league, so I opted

for Daario and gave his army a strong Stormcrow feel...

Veterans of the Watch with Daario Naharis - Stormcrow Captain (C)

Stormcrow Mercenaries with Jon Snow - Lord Snow

Stormcrow Mercenaries with Watch Captain

Stormcrow Archers with Senior Builder

Conscripts

NCU's

• Aemon & Petyr Baelish

SCENARIO: A CLASH OF KINGS

Set Up & Deployment: Corpse pile, Weirwood, Corpse pile and Stakes

Dom's Night Watch: Shadow tower Spears, Sworn brothers, Crossbows & Stormcrow Mercenaries

My Night's Watch: Veterans with Conscripts behind, Watch Captain Mercs, Archers, Jon's Mercs

The two crow heavy armies face each other across the battlefield

TURN 1

Dom elected to let me go first, so I used Baelish to take the crown (to avoid Vicious Othell shots) but used the letters, weakening the Builder Crossbows, who Dom then marched up aggressively. I countered with my Veterans to give the crossbows a target, which Dom took using Aemon on the swords but rolled poorly losing 1 man which i took to keep the weakened on the Crossbows. 

I used Ameon on horses to move up my Stormcrow Archers and heal the veteran, and Dom targeted them with Othell on the bags.

I lost 3 men to the shooting...

 but despite the corpse pile and poor leadership of the Stormcrows compared to the proper Watch, I easily passed the panic check

The forces close up...

Dom's Yoren led Stormcrows march right up to the stakes...

Jon led one of my own Merc units up to counter, as Dom used the Watch Captain in his crossbows to move towards the centre. I activated the Stormcrow Archers to shoot up Yoren's Mercs

Scoring 5 hits...

and dropping three...

BOARD END OF TURN 1

The Shadow Toer Spearmen with Jeor had advanced up towards the centre objective, but by shifting the Crossbows, Dom had delayed the Sworn brothers who only advanced. My Conscripts kept in range o everyone but Jon's unit

TURN 2

Dom had Aemon take the horses and move up to nearly take the centre objective (and stop me from claiming it). I spent a while deciding whether to take swords and shoot, or go for it. In the end, I had to seize the opportunity and charged the crossbowmen. I lost 4 men form their "Ready. Aim Release" using the weakened token.

But again passed the panic check

Fortunately, I could get in 100%and not leave my troops open to a charge from the Sworn brothers. The Crossbowmen lost 4 Brothers from the attack...

Dom had Othell take the bags and shot up my Stormcrow Archers again but rolled poorly again.

I lost to archers to the shots...

And again easily passed the panic check...

I used the Watch Captain to have the Stormcrows attack the Builder Crossbowmen again...

But my dice failed me, only hitting (and killing) one...

Dom's Watch Captain attacked back killing two and I used The Fire that Burns against the Cold to avoid losing another 3...

I used the Conscripts "Supply Aid" order to heal the Stormcrows engaged with the Crossbows and then charged Daario and the veterans into the Spearmen, using the vicious card.

I lost two men due to playing The Shield of the Realm of Men, then played The Sword 

in the Darkness to make the un-activated spearmen Panicked and Vulnerable.

All seven attacks hit

And the Spearmen were reduced by half. 

Dom used the Fire that Burns against the cold to pass the morale, and heals a wound due to Jeor

The spearmen attacked back, losing one of their own to counterstrike but cutting down 4 veterans...

And with Dom having used both his NCU's, I had an open swords spot and Baelish!!! Who took the crown and used the swords.

The Veterans dropped five spearmen but Jeor passed his morale

On my right, Yoren's Mercs cut down the stakes. They'd been hit by Jon's Wat Cry earlier in the round to become Vulnerable and Panicked. Jon had moved up 2" when the spearmen attacked using The Watcher on the Walls as my Veterans were tied up and the Conscripts wouldn't benefit from it

Using Aemon on the swords, Daario and the veterans finished off Jeor's Spearmen

Going first next turn, I opted to ignore the objective to gain a better tactical position

Dom retreated the Crossbowmen out of combat to avoid the Veterans charging their flank next turn. Allowing the Stormcrows Archers a clear shot

And Dom's dice really let him down, losing five Builders...

BOARD AT END OF TURN TWO

Dom had lost his Commander, his crossbows were down to two men and his Sworn Brothers had been blocked off. With me going first, I had a commanding position with Jon's Mercs ignoring a charge into Yoren's Mercs to seize the right objective

END OF TURN 2

DOM'S WATCH 0 VP's 

MY WATCH  2 VP's (1 unit, 1 objective)

TURN 3

I had Baelish take the bags to deny Dom healing but I used the swords to shoot with the Stormcrow archers...

They targeted the last two Builder Crossbowmen, and despite only managing two hits, Dom failed both saves...

Dom had Othell take the crown

and targeted my Conscripts, killing 3 with shots and a further 3 with the panic failure (including their disorganised)

I had Aemon take the swords...

healing 3 conscripts up

and using the swords to allow the Archers to fire at Yoren's Mercs (with re-rolls and sundering for owning the bags and swords)

Four Mercs died and Dom charged them into Jon's Mercs, who lost six due to a failed panic too. My Watch Captains Stormcrows charged the Sworn Brothers, killing three

before losing five in return...

On the right side, Jon's Mercs gambled with "Reckless" Strikes but rolled no 1's

And all five attacks hit, dropping five...

And Yoren failed the morale check. Dom really wasn't getting any breaks with his dice rolls...

The archers fired seven dice with rerolls and sundering at the Sworn Brothers...

I scored 6 hits...

And even aced my own resulting panic check...

The Sworn Brothers saved well though, before being charged by the Veterans and being reduced down to a single rank.

END OF ROUND 3

DOM'S DOOMED WATCH 0 VP's

MY NIGHT's WATCH 5 VP's (3 units, 2 objectives)

TURN 4

Start of Turn Dom played Night Gathers, but failed his morale, hence the glum face above. Truly, when the dice hate you, playing me and me taking pictures just rubs it in...

Still, taking the bags with Aemon allowed the Sworn brothers to heal 3, attack AND improve their leadership and defence. Oh, and also wipe out my Watch Captain Stormcrows...

Helped by my dismal panic roll...

And Dom then played Night Gathers again and passed!!!

I took the swords with my Aemon healing the conscripts and allowing my Veterans an attack.

This cut the Sworn Brothers down to four men again...

Dom had Othell use crown for Vicious and again targeted the Conscripts

who lost three men to the shooting (using Shield that Guards) and passing morale (with Fire that Guards)

My Veterans then activated and got re-rolls with the light that Brings the Dawn

And scored all seven hits!!!

And Dom rolled seven saves (Bronn's bonus only saving one)

SUCCESS AT LAST !!! Face says it all, Dom's Dice to that point really were shocking 

And then I pointed out that as I had used Baelish once per game to control the bags, they had sundering so they did actually take a wound... Sorry Dom!!!

I charged Jon's Merc's in to the flank but rolled a 1 so couldn't reroll...

I scored three hits...

Yeah, Dom's good rolls were a one time only event as he failed three 4+ saves...

END OF TURN 4 (and Game)

DOM'S NIGHTS WATCH 1 VP (1 unit)

MY NIGHT'S WATCH 8 VP's (4 unit's, 4 objectives)

Well, at least the Watch came out on top!!! Great to paly Dom again but felt bad as bad dice certainly was a major factor in this game. Chatting afterwards we both agreed Dom had been to aggressive with the Crossbowmen, pushing them up like that turn 1 as the Ready Aim Fire is not a real deterrent against a force with the healing ability I had in the conscripts and Aemon. Targeting the Conscripts with Othell from the go would also have helped. Getting his Sworn Brothers stuck at rear was less than ideal too. But neither of these determined the outcome. Getting Daario three attack actions with Veterans (and vicious) in Turn 2 really turned the game as, again given my healing, Set For Charge didn't deter an assault. Even then, Dom really had some bad dice rolls in the first 3 turns!!! But good to face a fluffier list to face at the Wardens. It was only when I was setting up that I realised just how bad my morale was (given Othell) and hence why Dom placed two corpse piles. Sure, my dice helped. Also never really thought about not being able to put cards on them. But a good end to the league for me...

Also on a high note, Greg was feeling happy ahead of his Battle with Raymond (Sean Dyche effect or because his Lannister's absolutely smashed Mr Ray and his Greyjoy's???)