A rare Thursday off work saw me head down to Justplay https://justplaygames.uk/ for a double header...
For the first game, I thought I'd try resurrecting my Boltons in preparation for running Neutrals in the Justplay League...
First up was Colin, fresh from his dual tournament wins and leaving behind his Nights Watch to try his hand with Targaryens
My list was
Ramsey Snow, the Bastard of Bolton (C) in Bastard girls ( for purely thematic purposes)
2 x Bolton Cutthroats, Flayed Men, Blackguard with Bronn
NCU's: Roose and The Late Walder Frey
One real Bastard and a bunch of girls...
Bronn in Blackguard, grab the bags for a 2+ save and 5+ morale...
My Flayed Men
Cutthroats 1
Cutthroats 2
Colin pondering...
His Targaryens deployed for battle with Outriders on my left as you look, then Unsullied Pikemen (no attachments but one model painted), Mtd Jorah, Bolton Blackguard (with large number of dogs, so remember they are NOT bastard Girls) with Daenerys, Queen of Mereen, and second unit of Outriders
We were playing Dance of Dragons, with a pair of bogs, corpse pile and Weirwood tree. Centre objective gave vicious, so no use to me as all my units have it!!! My right objective gave panic, left side vulnerable. I deployed Flayed Men, Cutthroats, Blackguard, B Girls and Cutthroats.
Daenerys and her hired Blackguard/Bolton rejects
TURN 1
Everyone moved up a lot, got shot a bit, healed a bit...
Raymond always takes 3 NCU's and with Baelish, Old Man Frey was going to be a real liability as once Roose had taken zone, he had total board control as long as he kept an eye out for my activations running out...
The Unsullied Pike were going to be a tough ask to break...
TURN 2
Colin took the horses to allow the Pikemen to collect the entre token and gain vicious, so determined to try and fight the buggers, I made a 5+ charge with the Flayed Men into their flank, and though they played their set for charge and scored a few hits, the Unsullied lost 3 men after blocking 3. They then valiantly retreated away from melee and my Cuthroats which would have soon charged. Sensible but niggardly...
Nice card to have if yer yella!!!
Still, they didn't FULLY retreat, and were still in 5+ range!!!
If you believe in your dice enough, it will happen!!!
So in went the Cutthroats...
Except they were a few mm overlapping the Flayed Men and Jorah was in the way for 50/50!!! Bugger, rules are rules so they ended up a whole 1" away. I'd suggest you always check you can fit before you get carried away...
Still, I did pass the panic check and it would give the Outriders something to do
And they did it well, with Jorah's help...
On t'other flank and not wanting to get left out, my Bastard Girls shifted up, loosed and followed through with a 4+ charge, causing 5 wounds on the right Outriders
Colin countered with his Blackguard/Girls, whom in a wicked twist of irony, suffered 3 wounds from Ramsey's "Horrific Visage"...
He is scarier than they are!!!
The Targaryen Blackguard caused 3 wounds, with a further 3 from the failed panic.
Which Walder healed up anyway, using the bags...
Having been reduced to a single rank by the arrows from the Outriders, the Unsullied stopped them underfoot and played Overrun to try and flank the Flayed Men. Colin rolled a one, which meant they couldn't get in with their 2" move so I pointed out he controlled horses and could re-roll, scoring a 6 and getting into their flank with room to spare. Vicious, in flank and with a corpse pile (placed by a Merren card) cancelling out the weirwood, this could hurt!!!
It does sometimes come down to mm you know, as the Unsullied did just fit!!! And they got a total of 6 hits!!!
Still, the dice Gods rewarded me for mentioning the charge re-roll, and I passed all my armour saves!!!
I had also failed a charge on the right with the cutthroats, and Jorah killing two men in Ramseys Girls so the turn ended with me a unit down and two units flanked.
END of TURN 2
House Targaryen 4 VP's
House Bolton 0 VP's
TURN 3
I activated Roose and took the swords, while also giving the Pikemen a panic token to allow "Our Blades are Sharp", which Colin failed to Counterplot
This led to four dead Unsullied, and they still had a panic token...
My Black Guard then hit Jorah in the rear, easily killing the Mormont slaver...
The left side Outriders shot the Flayed Men in the rear, dropping me a rank off them as they failed their panic...
When the Unsullied struck back with vicious again, they scored 4 hits...
True to form, I passed all 4 saves...
The Bastards Girls attacked the Outriders they were engaged with, who passed two armour saves.
But then they retreated away using Sudden Retreat...
As the Cutthroats clubbed at the Targaryen Blackguard, they lost a few men but easily passed their panic...
The Targayens popped off Tycho's healing ability to keep the ranks on their Black Guard and help the pikemen...
The Outriders that had disengaged using Sudden retreat badly shot up Ramsey's unit
The Targaryen Black Guard went in for the kill, and spectacularly failed, scoring no hits.
As Turn 3 came to an end, the Targaryens were in a strong position but I had managed to get the centre objective from the Unsullied, with the left still uncontrolled.
END OF TURN 3
HOUSE TARGARYEN 6 VP's
HOUSE BOLTON 2 VP's
TURN 4
Baelish took the crown and used the swords...
Allowing the Outriders to shoot into the Flayed Men's rear again as well as shift onto the left objective
While I lost the Bolton cavalry, I did enjoy seeing the Unsullied lose two men to the panic check they failed...
I had Roose take the bags to heal up Ramsey's unit, and bolster my Blackguard's save and morale, which allowed the Unsullied to flank them but I felt confident I could hold...
The Blackguard struck back having only taken two wounds from the Unsullied assault, and gaining the objective. Of course, this allowed the swords to be taken again...
And Ramsey was again badly shot up. I retreated away with Ramsey to prevent him being killed by the Targaryen Blackguard, who in turn retreated to ensure they couldn't be attacked by the Cutthroats, angling their tray to prevent a charge when the cutthroats activated. So they ended up moving after the outriders...
With the last activation, old Walder took the letters but I used the crown to panic Daenerys's Black Guard...
An easy pass, but they had taken a panic token earlier from Ramsey's Sadistic Games card
And Colin fumbled the re-roll, losing 3 men in the process...
I placed the token near my cutthroats as I was activating first in Turn 5. "Janky" tray manouevres, pah!!!
Rather surprisingly to both Colin and I, the game didn't end on turn 4 and the Boltons were still in the fight. With my activation first next, I'd have a choice to make on who to charge first, the Unsullied or the Outriders...
End of TURN 4
HOUSE TARGARYEN 8 VP's
HOUSE BOLTON 3 VP's
I decided to activate Ramsey first, to play "Issue commands" and allow my Blackguard to activate in his stead. Sadly, Colin had Counterplot and prevented it, and he healed up the pikemen I was about to massacre.
So for my next activation, no hanging about, I charged the Outriders with the Cutthroats in a blur of speed. And its not captured in the image, but it was another very narrow fit!!!
And scored seven hits...
With seven wounds left, the Targaryens made two saves...
But the vicious attacks caused a failure of the panic check and two wounds, so the Cutthroats surged forth backwards to take the objective.
Colin took the swords, and the Unsullied attacked...
I do like my Mercenary dice, as that's another six saves made...
My attack back was horrific for the Unsullied, losing 4...
After repositioning with the horses, Daenerys and her Blackguard charged in...
The Cutthroats lost 3 men but managed to pass both morale checks (as had a panic token), holding the objective and with the Blackguard holding the centre, I was still in the game...
END OF TURN 5
HOUSE TARGARYEN 9 VP's
HOUSE BOLTON 6 VP's
As you can see from below, with no missile threat, I moved Ramsey up into short range of both combat units
TURN 6
Activating first with the swords, the Blackguard struck the Cutthroats causing 6 hits, half of which I saved.
Using "Worth the risk" card allowed an auto-pass of the morale, and I activated and healed up the cutthroats...
It was ultimately futile, as they were wiped out as Colin finally managed to find his dice, and Daenerys scooped the objective. The Unsullied had retreated away and left my Blackguard holding the centre, but I was determined to fight to the last so Ramsey fired off his Tracker bow, whose hits were saved and tried charging home. Alas, he failed.
And then ignominiously failed the panic check (or was savaged by his girls for his failure)
END OF TURN 6
HOUSE TARGARYEN 13 VP's
HOUSE BOLTON 7 VP'S
Well that's another very close game between Colin and I, despite it ending in a crushing defeat. Its a hard ask to come back from 4 VP's down in an objective base game, especially against the mobility Colin had. Old Man Walder certainly contributed by having to activate last and allowing Colin to own me on the tactics board but I wanted to try his out and he's fits well thematically with Boltons.
Colin really had it in the bag from the moment I made the charge with my centre left Cutthroats but they couldn't fit in. That was so gallingly close but I kept at the Targaryens, doggedly holding on until the death, with some awesomely good dice rolls ultimately not saving me from my own errors.
We literally had just finished when my next opponent turned up...
!!!INTERMISSION!!!
Dale (and Alex) were new to the group at Justplay, and Dale having Nights Watch wanted to face off against Freefolk as he was sick of Greyjoys (Alex's force) and their outflanking shenanigans...
Having to take two armies down for the day meant I kept my standard Freefolk Mance list as it was box ready. (I AM RETIRING them now, for the rest of year at least)
Mance (C) in Trappers, 2 x Spearwives, 2 x Raiders with Raid Leader, Raiders with jarl, Mammoth
NCU's: Ygritte & Craster
I did talk through the list with Dale, highlighting the Spearwives and Mammoth and their abilities...
Dale's list was Jon Snow (C) in Veterans, Quorin Halfhand in Sworn Brothers, Pyper in builder Crossbows, Watch recruiter in Conscripts and Ghost, with Aemon and Bowen Marsh.
Being relatively new to the game (a month or so), Dale had read all the social media content about Nights Watch and did not want to be that guy with 2 Builder Crossbows and rangers and Othell etc. Besides, he is an honourable player!!!I told him about Colin and told him not too worry!!! Only joking, but explained no one has an issue with a unit of crossbows with a watch captain or even Othell. We have a good group. Besides, can't be worse than 3 dragons!!!
We rolled for scenario, which turn up as Honed and Ready.
I opted for a Weirwood on my left, Dale put stakes down centre my side, I put a bog centre Dale's side with Dale putting up a palisade.
A bit blurry, but this is Dale...
TURN 1
I opted to go first purely to increase my activations to ten with endless horde...
Dale took the crown and targeted my Mammoth. Craster on the swords was there after to heal some stuff up!!!
I lost a trapper and two spearwives (healed), stupid big woolly elephant rolled a 5 with a -1 next to Mance when he need a 6
Rest of turn saw me charge up the board(where not stopped by stakes and palisades) as did the Watch!!!
TURN 2
Dale chose to activate Bowen first so I played Wildling Diplomacy. Dale elected to continue to take horses and prevent Jarl's Raider coming on. I weakened the Crossbows and hit Ghost for the D3 + 1 wounds...
Bye-bye Ghost!!! Still, the Crossbows were moved up and into range...
I had Craster takes swords to prevent shots, healing up a trapper and getting a card before Aemon crowned the Mammoth...
Goddammit!!! Again, despite Mance off it went with a trumpetty trump, trample trample trample!!!
I used activations to destroy the palisade and stakes, while the Sworn brothers took an objective as did my raiders on the left. A Long range charge by the veterans left them short in front of both my spearwives, but I 3+ charged them with Raid Leader to improves hits and they killed 5 including a failed panic...
Atfter using regroup and reform to move Mance to the Spearwives as felt his leadership would be better used centrally (and allow him to score from centre objective), with their spear toss shift out to ensure flank, the Spearwives did what they do best, the Veterans were badly mauled...
I hadnt realised their save had dropped to 4+ in 2021. When I say badly mauled I meant wiped out
Jon Snow did lash out with "It Shall not end until my Death" but it was ineffectual, killing a few wives...
But it did allow me play Diversion tactics to move up Mance and his trappers for a flank charge against the Conscripts who had smacked my left side Raiders previously
Diversion tactics when attacked to move up, start of turn they took the co-ordinated assault rule using Coordination tactics to slam home and half their number...
I repositioned the Mammoth and more importantly, the Spearwives marched up into the bog read for my first activation, while my endless horde raiders took the right objective
END OF TURN 2
FREEFOLK 4 VP's
NIGHT's WATCH 1 VP
I activated Ygritte on the swords, influencing the spearwives before shifting them into the flank of the crossbows (her influence negating the rough and hindering effects)
And they charged in to the flank, negating the Crossbows much vaunted order!!!
The Builders lost 5 men in the charge
And a further three to the "There's Too Many" card on their panic check.
 |
The Conscripts killed off my Raiders on the left, conscripting the Raid Leader just on the principle that they could
I charged in with Mance's spearwives and killed the crossbowmen before retreating onto the objective on the centre. And then Aemon took the crown again!!!
The Mammoth had been crowned again and failed again, but was trampled off to the back field where it couldn't harm the Watch
I had taken horses earlier to bring on Jarl's raider who rear ended the Conscripts reducing them back down to three men, and had also turned to face Quorin's unit, who when they slapped my raiders down to one man. With them closing in, it allowed me to move up the Spearwives in Quorins flank
END OF TURN 3
FREEFOLK 9 VP's
NIGHT's WATCH 1 VP
After the Conscripts had been healed up by Aemon, I took the swords with Ygritte again, and charged in after some javelin throws. When attacked, Quorin killed off the Raiders with his God Down Fighting ability
With another There's Too Many card, I'd actually wiped the unit out but Quorins order kept him alive...
Rock hard is old Quorin, but he was now alone, vulnerable and panicked...
And the Raiders finished him off...
Craster took the horses to move the Mammoth back towards the Conscripts, who had already activateed and badly mauled the Trappers. Of course this allowed Bowen to take the Crown again...
And had i learned anything form round 1-3 and my Mammoth???
No, I hadn't as Dale lined up a wee trample as I failed my panic for the 4th time
Well, it didn't handicap me in the overall game and it was fairly funny to watch the beast march aimlessly al over the place...
The game ended with a 13-2 victory for the FreeFolk...
Dale endured this stoically but everything went my way and I know this army inside out, whereas Dale has had a few games with his Nights Watch and only played Greyjoys. He seemed to enjoy it, in a perverse sort of way as he saw how another force could play with my healing and movement card shenanigans. Dale really needs to play Colin as he didn't get the most out of his cards I felt, as Colin has 2 or 3 on each unit usually. The Mammoth was finally shown up in a bad light, but didnt impact the game at all in reality. The spearwives flanking was the match winner, as well as unit numbers and Wildling Diplomacy. Hopefully Dale and Alex will join our gathering throng and play in the league...
Alex on the right trying to break Ste's hand after Ste's Starks crushed the Greyjoy rebellion again...
Meanwhile I opted for a groin shot for Greg and Colin's game as the Lannisters faced the Targaryens, with the Targs winning out I believe...
In the fourth game on Thursday night, Aden's Greyjoy's lost 5-8 v Raymond's Baratheons, after his Ironmakers were held in check for two turns in a row with Davos "Parlay" tactics card. OUCH!!!
EVENTS
The biggest ASOIF event in the UK... A Song of Ice and Fire UK GT | LGT 2021 (lgtpresents.co.uk) Two day event in London run by Chris Eustace. I cannot go sadly, but a few of the Justplay regulars are...
Justplay will be holding their second event on Saturday 16th October. Tickets will be available soon here, so save the link if your interested. https://justplaygames.uk/collections/event-tickets
The lads at Imps Gaming in Lincoln are running another event in November which I'll be going to... A Song of Ice and Fire Ticket - Nov 2021 (imps-gaming.com)
I'll be running a two day event at Ribble Rumble in December at Element Games in Stockport, for 16 players The Ribble Rumble - ASOIF | Facebook
Gavin up at Gaming Figures in Redcar will doubtless run a few too Gaming Figures
As hopefull will Entoyment down in Poole, who organise the awesome Beachhead exhibition. Homepage - Entoyment Wargaming and Hobby Centre
Board & Swords https://www.boardsandswords.co.uk/ and Board in Brum https://www.boardinbrum.co.uk/will hopefull add anotehr event in before end of year...
All the above venues support the game and sell A Song of Ice and Fire Miniatures. Check them out, or pop in and visit if you are in the area...
COMING SEPTEMBER
The Justplay League!!! Will update more but essentially we're going to be running a campaign/league with a great wee rulepack masterfully put together by Greg Deane (Greggers)
