A Song of Ice & Fire: Lannister v Night's Watch

Another game down at Element Games with Gerry, this time trying out his new Nights Watch...

50 pts, A Game of Thrones and simply an absolutely phenomenal game was in store for us!!!

I was using my Lannisters as they are painted (4 more units left to do) and decided to go without House Clegane troops and keep the Maroon and Gold look...

My force consisted of:

Commander: The High Sparrow (NCU)

NCU: Tyrion (The Imp)

Lannister Guardsmen (with Guard Captain)
Lannister Guardsmen (with Guard Captain)
Lannister Crossbowmen
Lannister Halberdiers (with Bronn)
Knights of Casterley Rock
Knights of Casterley Rock
The Mountain that Rides

So 9 activations, and based on similar list I played previous week that had worked quite well at the Ribble Warriors, though dropped Mountains Men and two attachments to take second cavalry unit.

The High Sparrow giving +2 morale can be great, and his cards with the extra allowed in hand due to Tyrion is great. Two units of Guardsmen with captains are a Lannister core, Halberdiers are always good if you can protect their flanks, and Bronn is simply my favourite attachment... holding the moneybags brings so many bonuses to his unit. The Crossbowmen would give me a missile edge centrally I felt, and the shock cavalry against prevalently infantry heavy opponent would cover my flanks. The Mountain would simply chase objectives and look intimidating...

The complete Lannister force

Crossbowmen and Guards

The rest of the force, with The Mountain to big too fully fit in frame...

Tyrion and the High Sparrow may be polar opposites with regard to personality and character, but the ability to have an increased card hand and the Sparrow's nice buffs appeals to me

Also love the High Seneschal for allowing my personal bias in writing these reports, but also great to keep track of turns...

Felt guilty not getting the big guy in fully earlier

I decided as I had got there early to set up the board, with a bit more terrain than recommended and let Gerry pick deployment side. Also, been working on some 3D terrain and Wyrdwood tree as I didn't get all the terrain from the Kickstarter.

The board (6ft x 4ft) from the Lannister side: bog on the left, hill on the centre left, palisade nearest my edge and hedge on Night's Watch (NW) side, with Weirwood Tree, palisade and wood making up a cluster on my right...

My unfinished palisade. My only regret from the Kickstarter is not getting all the terrain, as have loads for other systems. Still, I don't mind making some...

Not much added to this guy, a Agrax Earthsahde wash on trunks and branches before a dry brush of cold white, Dragon Red leaves with a bit of dry brushing and just base to finish off...

Having just been released, hadn't even seen the Nights Watch figures until Gerry got them out. They are even more amazing than they look, great details (like the one eyed veteran).

Gerry's force consisted of the following:

998th Lord Commander: Jon Snow (or Robb Snow as I kept calling him for some unknown reason)

NCU's: Bowen Marsh, Master Amon

Unit of Sworn Brothers with Watch Captain
Unit of Sworn Brothers with Watch Captain
Unit of Sworn Brothers
Unit of Sworn Brothers
Unit of Watch Veterans (led by Jon)
Ghost
Unit of Ranger Trackers

9 Activations for the NW, and some solid infantry. The Watch captains allow for Vows to be attached before game to them, which was nice. I wasn't really up on the Vows and ho they would play, given they are relatively new out. But I was about to learn...

AND NOW GERRY'S WATCH BEGINS...

Bowen Marsh (left) and Master Amon (right). Bowen allows the NW to take top two tactics cards, add one to your hand and put other to bottom of the deck. Amon is a simply a healer...





Ghost, with Ranger Trackers behind. These guys proved to be not as lightweight as I expected...

3 units of Sworn Brothers with their Greatswords, and back right are the Veterans of the Watch...

Gerry had the pretty good idea of keeping the objective cards secret until the objective was taken, thus preventing the players from knowing what objective was best. There was a nice centre right cluster, and one out to my left by the bog.

Set up: Lannister left had Knights, Bronn's Halberdiers, the Mountain, Crossbowmen... From left to right on the Night Watch as you see above, Ghost, Ranger Trackers, Veterans led by Jon Snow, Sworn Brothers, then the two Sworn brother with Captains, and then last Sworn brothers...

Lannister right was two Guardsmen units and a unit of Knights...

Ghost and Ranger Trackers facing my left...

Jon Snow commands the Veterans

Sworn brothers, starting with some Vows...

The four central objectives...

A view from the Lannister right flank...

The NCU's get ready to play...

TURN 1

 

 

Gerry won the roll for side and first deployment, so I had to go first. Given I already had a good spread of tactics cards with the 4 I had to start, (all 3 of the High Sparrow ones plus counterplot) I decided to see what else I could get and took the Envelope, gaining two different ones. Bowen Marsh forced a panic check on knights on my left but they passed, while he added a card to NW hand.

I had deployed cavalry on both wings as I felt they were resilient enough to hold and harry while my central infantry marched up to take and hold the objectives. The Night's Watch felt the same, no flair from their troops...

The Lannister knights approach the NW flank through woods...

I was kind of surprised I was outnumbered infantry wise, but then I did have 3 cavalry units eating 40% of my points. Still, seeing an elite horde was a little intimidating!!!

I had a cunning plan to swing to my right and take the 2 objectives there while Bronn's Halberdiers aligned for a march onto the Centre objective, to hold while the Knights and Mountain kept their flank safe... Although the Mountain could also pinch the left objective...

With Crossbows whittling them down, the two Guards units would face off against the Sworn brothers while Cavalry gave me a spare unit... 3 v 2 in melee should see my plan work!

TURN 2

 

 

Bowen Marsh took the envelope first activation, increasing the NW's hand by 3 cards. Although I had no wounds to heal, the moneybags would allow Bronn's Halberdiers a 12" march to the centre objective, so Tyrion obliged by taking the purse...

As the Night's watch cautiously advanced, the High Sparrow influenced my left Knights for +2 morale while taking the movement space to advance my right guards onto the right objective. Scoring from this gave me another +1 to my card hand, plus an immediate card to boot...

The Sworn Brothers took a vow on the NW extreme left swung slightly to face the impending Lannister cavalry on my right emerging from the woods...

With no contact yet, Amon took the Crown and panicked my right Knights in the Woods...

Despite the best morale on the Lannister forces, they lost two wounds...

As already mentioned, extra card and extra card for hand. Both my Guards moved up to face off on my right

Sadly, as the Nights Watch moved up on my right, they took the objective opposite which reduced their opponents card hand by one, cancelling my objective bonus out...

Trying to force the issue, Bronn's Halberdiers marched up and took the centre objective, which immediately cancelled out an enemy attachement's abilities and would continue to do so as long as I controlled it. Poor Lord Commander Snow, his men just don't respect him, so he was duly "Robbed" of his healing ability should he pass a morale check...

The armies close in on the battlefield...

Not wanting to go in nursing wounds, the Knights were restored to full health thanks to the "Mercy of the Mother"...

However, despite clearing the woods with their free manoeuvre, they failed their 3+ required charge! They took a wound from panic despite their good morale and the Weirwood tree morale bonus but would surely be the first activation in Turn 3...

As Lord Snow observed from the hill, expecting a charge from the cavalry to his front, the Lannister Knights swung right to hit the Sworn brothers and seizing the initiative...

I felt confident that my forces would prevail, as Gerry now had some tough choices. Flank my cavalry, and be flanked in turn or wait and see what transpires, which would buy me time for my right flank to overcome his "refused left"...

Years of sitting on a wall looking North must have allowed the development of patience, as the Sworn Brothers Watch Captains both stayed put (or moved onto) objectives, which given the options of charging unengaged Halberdiers in the front, with a moneybags boosted melee attack and morale, hitting my cavalry and then getting flanked next turn, sitting on the objective (which restored D3 wounds to a friendly unit, by the way) was probably the prudent option...

As the Lannister right hook is revealed, the Mountain take the far left objective and stares down Ghost, the Ranger Trackers and the Veterans with Jon Snow, daring them to advance!!!

END OF TURN 2 :

Lannisters                             3 Victory points (from 3 objectives)
The Night's Watch                2 Victory points (from 2 objectives)

TURN 3

 

 

Lannister activation first, and know surprise when the Knights activated and crashed home against Gerry's far left Sworn Brothers... With their lances sundering, the ranks of the Brothers were severely depleted!!!



Sensing that the time had come, Lord Snow flanked my left cavalry with his Veterans, but the "Protection of the Father" allowed the Knights to hold steady with a few wounds taken...

Wanting to turn their flank, the High Sparrow boosted my left cavalry morale while allowing the right cavalry another rounds of melee...

The resultant combat saw the Night's Watch Sworn brother stand alone against the Wealth of the Rock

On my left, the Ranger Trackers led the fightback, weakening the Mountain and then wounding him with their arrows...

I was not impressed when the Mountain took a further wound from panic given his 3+ morale, but still felt he would be alright for a while, so had Tyrion take the moneybags to boost my Halberdiers and heal up my left Knights...

It is like I didn't even notice the flanking Veterans...

Still, as he will eventually find out against the Red Vyper, size isn't everything. Ghost, having sniffed out his opponents fear, bounded through the bog, flanking the Mountain...

And having a hearty meal while being able to send panic through the Lannisters in due course...

Annoying though the White Wolf had been in levelling the Mountain, some card chicanery allowed the destruction of my unit to gain some reinforcement to a NW unit (the Sworn brother on my right got some companion). Still, my right flank rolled on, with my Guards leaving the right objective and steaming into the Brothers before them. Some failed armour and a terrible morale resulted in as gooda s result fro the infantry as the cavalry had delivered...

However, Lord Snow proved to be quite the motivator, and as the unit passed its Morale check, the left unit of Sworn brothers doubled in size. This wasn't in my plans!!!

My second Guardsmen unit charged home, halving the Sworn brothers second from Gerry's left.

To make matters worse, the unit of his far left benefitted from more reinforcements, increasing their attacks to maximum, and gaining two attacks while making me vulnerable as they activated with their vow and Lord Snow's booming voice echoing over the field...

The Cavalry proved relatively resilient to the Greatsword attacks, helped by the wealth of the rock and Tyrion being on the money...

But the panic was beginning to set in on them!!! They had the upper hand, their opponents had sprung up out of nowhere...

Sensing the wind of change with regard to the battles initiative, Bronn's Halberdiers charged home with the Wrath of the Warrior, making 9 attacks with sundering and 3+ to hit, halving the Sworn brothers in front of them (and still on the objective cancelling Jon Snows ability)

The remaining brother and his Watch captain facing off against two full Guardsmen units activated next, but the Lannisters sought to reward them for their courage by bribing them...

As Tyrion was on the money, who could resist and the unit was lured away (destroyed)...

Sadly, Gerry didn't have access to my camera when he trumped me with Jon Snow's card, as the Watch Captain's oath made him change his mind... JON SNOW is a bastard!!!

End of turn 3:

 

Lannisters          4 victory points (3 plus 1 objective)

Nights Watch    6 victory points (2 plus 3 objectives and 1 dead enemy)

As you can see below, the Mountains death had freed up the Ranger Trackers and Ghost, but the Knights watch infantry was in real trouble. They should no have still been there!!!

And where did those guys appear from on my right, I had them owned!!! I did manage to drop a few brothers with my crossbows centrally, before charging in the Guards, but next turn they would have no Line of Sight...

The ranks of the Watch have been thinned, but with my left flank out numbered as their remain stoically, I feel I am on the back foot...

TURN 4

The Watch take the Melee zone, and Rob Snow and his veterans get a free attack...

Which made little impact on my left Knights...

Feeling this turn could really be tight, Tyrion grabbed the money, healing the halberdiers and giving them Bronn's "Extra Incentive"...

Almost recovered Halberdiers as the Cavalry on their flank take a beating...

Ignoring my diminishing cavalry, the Halberdiers strike, reducing the Sworn Brother to one man, but using Hear Me Roar on their panic test gave them  test with a minus 3...

Hurrah, with my cavalry protecting their flank almost gone, my Halberdiers finish off the Watch Brothers and prepare to about face...

Well, they would have but apparently they were not properly dead... AGAIN!!!

The cavalry fell to the Veterans, and a poor panic check... And my line looked to be in real trouble!!!

The Watch have overcome my left and their right look ominous...

Fortunately, my faith in the seven was rewarded as the High Sparrow took the Crown, forcing a panic check on the lone Brother which I rather meanly reinforced with a  second Hear me Roar... So with a -4 test, I finally broke a unit. If in doubt, roar twice!!!

As the Hlaberdiers turned to face the left, on the right the newly rejuvenated Sworn brothers got stuck in to my cavalry...

And despite the Weirwood tree, the pride of Lannister nobility were panicked from the game. Fortunately, my Guards were still to activate this turn.

The Guardsmen were undaunted by the fleeing cavalry, and their numbers were put to good use, breaking and wiping out the Sworn brothers with their captain, allowing one to pivot right and the others to advance and pivot left...

The swift Ranger Trackers literally flew up and in to the flank of my Halberdiers, as more cards from the NW was revealed (one unit already activated can activate again or something like that, so think they got hit twice) Fortunately, with Tyrion on the money AND the High Sparrow influencing them, the Halberdiers had an effective morale of 3+ and didn't lose anyone to panic, though I did lose a lot to the Rangers blades...

With first activation next turn, my Crossbowmen were advanced to hit the rear of the Trackers. But Ghost leapt off the left objective, and ploughed into them, killing two...

END OF TURN 4

Well, I had lost all my cavalry but the infantry had outnumbered and cracked through the Watch in the centre... My Halberdiers could have taken two objectives when they moved after winning (I'd seen this on FB, the trays are 7" corner to corner and objectives must be 6" apart.) But that felt wrong to us, so I opted to let Jon Snow have his healing owers and took the D3 wounds restored objective instead, figuring Bronns lads could use it which they did. I also had the reduce opponents card hand by one, while the NW had no objectives...

Lannisters                    8 Victory points (4 plus two objectives plus two destroyed units)
Nights Watch               8 Victory poins (6 plus two destroyed units)

TURN 5

The High Sparrow activated and took the moneybags...

 I healed up the Halberdiers further and influenced them as well, and the Sworn brothers facing them attacked killing one...

Gerry had activated them as he knew what was coming, and sure enough the Guardsmen charged in and reduced them down to one Brother...

The Ranger Trackers with their 7 attacks in melee, gave the Halberdiers vulnerable... And it seems their faith was waning, as despite 3+ morale they doubled-oned and only blocked one hit rather than D3 and two failed blocks to equal one wound from the protection of the father...

Still, I managed to keep two ranks barely, so the Halberdiers 9 attacks finished of another unit of Watch Brothers...

In the meantime, Ghost ate two more crossbowmen who panicked and lost 5 more...

 

Jon Snow activated immediately after Ghost due to their bond, and his Veterans charged in and diminished the Halberdiers. My Guardsmen on the right stayed put on the objective, as the Night Watch gathered their strength. Seizing the Crown, Bowen Marsh panicked the Crossbowmen off the board, while the tracker  moved up to seize the centre objective after the demise of the Halberdiers under their blades...

The right hand Sworn Brothers did damage the Guardsmen, but I healed up from my objective. Below is the board at end of turn 5

 

END OF TURN 5

 

The coins on the tactics board tell their own tale :

 

House Lannister: 11 Victory points (8 plus two objectives and one unit destroyed)                           

 

House of bastards, brigands, thieves and criminals: 11 victory points (8 plus one objective and two destroyed units)





FINAL TURN

 

Having first activation, the Ranger trackers charged into the rear of the Guardsmen, inflicting 7 casualties. With a minus one test due to rear charge -2 but Weirwood tree +1, my Guards rolled a three taking the remaining 5 Guardsmen off. (The Ranger Trackers had taken the centre objective and negated my Guard Captains ability, meaning I could do nothing to prevent their loss) OUCH!!!

With some card trickery, that allowed a unit to move after I attacked Jon Snows veterans with my activation, the Night closed in on my lone unit...

The state of play at the end (well nearly)... As I held an objective, I knew I had hit the 12 Victory point tally, but wasn't sure how it stacked with Gerry having surpassed it with a unit kill and Ghost back on an objective...

Ghost goes back to the scene of his first kill... (Obviously couldn't eat the Mountain in one sitting)

Realised I still had a panic test due to Ghost's objective, but with morale boosted by High Sparrow... Yeah, kind of ironic for Lannisters to be on the receiving end of poor panic checks!!!

The games ends with the Watch recruiting more members... That unit on the right was down to a solo Brother, remember!!!

 

END SUMMARY

 

So, after much wailing and gnashing of teeth, although we had both surpassed the Victory totals, reading further on says in the event of both doing so at end of Turn 6, its a draw if scores tied, but if one has more than the other, they win...

 

NIGHTS WATCH 13, LANNISTERS 12

 

I cannot tell you how much we both thoroughly enjoyed this game. I have now played 4 games, and they are getting better and better!!! When my cavalry hit his left flank, and he went down to one man, Gerry was sure his flank would crumple. Then boom, the Brothers swarmed back. And two units didn't die when they should have!!! The Watch were so resilient. The Sworn brothers wouldn't stay down, and although Jon Snow and his veterans weren't central to the melee, his tactics card held the line...

 

And the Ranger Trackers were superb, which given the negativity I've seen directed at them came as a real surprise. Sure, they look and I suppose are, light cavalry with short range bows. But boy do they work well!!! They can dish out vulnerable to an enemy unit at the start of every turn (from their traps I'd imagine) and they aren't so bad in melee. The Vows and tactics cards are many and varied, and Gerry bounced them about dishing out bonus moves, activations, healing and melee attacks all over the place...

 

Losing the Mountain without swinging his sword was due to my own overconfidence in him, as he can be a beast but Ghost was more than a match for him and a whole unit of crossbows. Bronn and his Halberdiers were awesome, the Guardsmen the unsung heroes and in fairness, my knights did everything I wanted them to. They held the left flank for a few turns which should have allowed my central outnumbering to break through quicker. Damn those regenerating Brothers!!! So glad I have my own Starter set of these guys, when I've finished my Lannisters, then Boltons, they are up before the Starks. Can honestly say it's been a long time since I've enjoyed losing as much in any game system, it was intense, surprising and exciting all at the same time...