So with Ste being free and me having spent the weekend painting up some Golden Company, we arranged a Tuesday night game at mine (as not down at Justplay for a while). As my Golden Company were limited in choice, I selected an equally pathetic list of Bloody Mummers for Ste to use (with NO Flayed Men)
In the end, it was a fantastic game playing A Dance with Dragons...
THE OPPOSING MERCENARY FORCES
Daario Naharis defects from the Stormcrows to lead a unit of Golden Company (GC) Crossbowmen, a unit of GC Swordsmen led by a GC Officer with a GC War Elephant, and a second unit of GC Crossbows. NCU's were Roose Bolton and Petyr Baelish
Vargo Hoat in a unit of his Bloody Mummer (BM) Skirmishers, with a second unit of BM Skirmishers, a unit of disguised Stormcrow archers with Bronn, and 2 units of BM Zorse Riders. NCU's were Varys and Old Walder Frey...
The Golden Company Swordsmen led by an Officer
The Golden Company War Elephant
The Bloody Mummer Skirmishers complete with their lucky Dwarf mascot...
I seen someone post about taking the High Seneschal. As I write my blogs, I always take him in spirit, but often only as a turn marker on account of my poor run of form...
Ste and his Mummer force with no Flayed Men.
You know it's gonna be a bad night when Ste can crack a smile better than I...
TERRAIN: Wall left, Corpse pile top centre left, stakes dead centre and Weirwood top centre right
Mummers: Archers, Zorses Riders, Zorse Riders, Skirmishers, Vargo Skirmishers
Golden Company: Crossbows, Daario's Crossbows, GC Swordsmen, and "Capt Peacock" GC Elephant
TURN 1
Ste took first activation and seized the Letters, I had Baelish on the crown (mindful of Old Walder) and used the horses to advance my left Crossbowmen up
I then advanced up boldly in the centre, while Ste advanced up his left flank
I took the left objective (for an extra card in hand) and was in a commanding position to fight with Bronn Archers...
I also had a cunning plan with my War elephant!!!
After Steve didn't moved his archers, as i still had Roose to go before Walder (on swords) I moved the Elephant with the horses to threaten the Zorses...
Walder tok teh swords but used the Horses to bring Vargo up and threaten my Elephant...
Board at the end of Turn 1
I was surprised Ste had brought Vargo around rather than sit on the objective, but given his aggressive tendencies I really shouldn't have been (although he did keep Bronn out of a shooting match)
TURN 2
Ste assumed I was going for the auto in charge at the central Zorses, but I was focussed on my plan for "Capt Peacock" so went for the 3+ instead on the left unit, which I made...
My "planning and insight" added to my 4 attacks, plus two for his ranks for SEVEN wounds...
And a further two on the failed panic check. Ste decided no point in taking swords, nor healing, then checked Daario's cards to see if I had any shenanigans from them, and not seeing it, he retreated the last Zorse rider 7 inches away...
Activating Daario, I used Issue Commands to charge in with the Elephant again. Major face palm moment for Ste and happy glow of smugness from me...
Despite the weakened, I scored four wounds, wiping out the last Zorse...
First Blood to the hairless Mammoth!!!
I surged forth to threaten Bronn's Archers...
Ste had to respond, and so charged the beast with his second Zorse unit in the flank
Doing an impressive six wounds due to a failed panic. I took the bags and healed up...
Ste then attacked again, doing a few wounds before I took the horses using to move Daario's Crossbows up, taking the stake hits but grabbing the central objective.
But Varys order when I took the horses moved Vargo up a bit...
And allowed him and his Skirmishers to flank my GC Swordsmen...
And with the weakened from the Mummers Blades not being an order, tactics card or influence, nor Vargo Sadistic Mutilation, the GC officer was simply cut down despite his Boisterous Charisma...
I got badly mauled, and contemplated retreating but with Ste first next turn, I decided to go for broke and attacked back (after I used Sentinel on the Crossbows to manoeuvre off the stakes for two men)
I lost a man to counterstrike and did nothing to the Mummers...
Board the the End of TURN 2
Well my plan worked in that I got issue Commands off and wiped out the Zorses, and pressured the Archers. But I had forgotten about the need for the elephant to be in Long range of GC infantry, Ste had it pinned and about to die and he had flanked my hardest unit and cut it right down. So even if it wasn't a brilliant plan, it still allowed me to edge out front in VP's
END OF TURN 2
THE GOLDEN COMPANY 3 VP's
THE BLOODY MUMMERS 0 VP's
TURN 3
A less blurry picture of the battle field
Varys took the swords and the Mummer Zorse riders attacked Captain Peacock
Slaying the Beast to avenge their trampled brethren...
And Bronn's archers finally got into the battle with a flank shot at Darrio's GC Crossbows...
I then activated Daario's unit and played Sellsword Negotiations to restore 4 wounds...
I'd also taken the bags to heal up the Swordsmen as Vargo attacked but didnt do too much damage...
Daario and his GC Crossbows, having turned to face the Zorse riders and Archers off their Sentinel Order, returned fire at Bronns unit after a sideways shift
Sadly, I only scored 2 hits (and wounds)
And Ste passed both panic checks easily enough
The left side GC Crossbows killed four more though...
And the Zorse riders charged in and dropped me to two men in Daario's unit
Still holding off against The Goat, the GC Swordsmen gambled using Reckless Strike. Fortunately, Baelish was on the letters so that gave them full attacks with their Tactical strike
I lost two men due, one due to counterstrike and I also rolled a one, but did kill twice as many
Sadly, in concentrating on healing my units and maximising zone effects, I'd left the crown open for Old Walder to steal the first turn next
END OF TURN 3
THE GOLDEN COMPANY 4 VP's
THE BLOODY MUMMERS 2 VP's
TURN 4
Ste was spoiled for choice for who to kill first as the Mummers closed in...
Ste opted for the Zorse Riders to attack Daario off the Swords, with us both playing Planning and Insight to effectively cancel each card. Ste scored 4 hits...
And the dice Gods smiled down on me, saving 3 of them on 5+
I had Baelish take the crown and use the bags...
Healing up Daario's unit of GC Crossbowmen
After Vargo and his Mummer Skirmishers finished off the GC Swordsmen, and my left Crossbows reduced the Archers down to Bronn, the second unit of skirmishers tried a 2+ charge across the stakes to flank Daario... And rolled a 1!!! I also
I had used Surprise strategy to go and get Sellsword Negotiations again and put Roose on the letters swapping it out and allowing Daario to heal up again.
As the Mummer Zorses activated and attacked, I used worth the risk to keep me from failing the panic check but they did steal the objective...
Old Walder took the horses and got the Mummer Zorse riders attack again...
Fortunately, Ste fluffed his attacks and I only lost two men
END OF TURN 4
THE GOLDEN COMPANY 5 VP's
THE BLOODY MUMMERS 4 VP's
TURN 5
It was very close but at least I was activating first. But no, Vargo's Carelss Aggression was played by Ste, allowing a unit to attack at the start of the ROUND!!!
But again Ste's dice let him down and I managed to save one of the two succesful hits...
And though I failed the panic check, I only rolled 1 wound and with the Golden Company infantry all having Iron resolve, (one less wound from panic) it meant Daario survived... I also triggered sentinel to move up my left crossbows!!!
Iron Resolve. Nice!!!
Ste was a bit miffed, as Careless Aggression also allowed me to activate an NCU, so I would have two activations in a row. Baelish went on the bags...
Not to heal, I was done defending valiantly!!! I took the bags but used the swords and the left GC crossbows finished off Bronn and his Archers...
I then put Roose on the swords in my first proper activation, and having shifted up into short range shot into the flank of the Zorses...
They were reduced down to four wounds as they failed their panic. Daario passed his mercifully and took the objective...
The Mummer Skirmishers charged into Daario's flank on Vargo's activation using Issue Commands...
Daario finally fell, and the Skirmishers surged forth to threaten my last unit. Ste had given the objective to the Zorses, to ensure the Skirmishers were not reduced in movement
I decided to take the charge, opting to fire into the Zorses, killing them and dropping the objective near the corpse pile...
Varys took the horses, to position the Mummer Skirmisher in my rear...
And they then activated and charged into my Crossbowmens rear...
I made a few saves on 6 but the Mummers being down to 5 attacks from the stakes helped greatly
And I passed the panic check!!!
Old Walder activated last as normal and used swords from the letters to allow the Mummers to attack again...
But only managed 1 wound, somehow. Bad dice, a few saves (again) but I held my ranks
And of course, again my panic check was resoundingly passed...
The board at the end of TURN 5
END OF TURN 5
THE GOLDEN COMPANY 8 VP's
THE BLOODY MUMMERS 5 VP's
TURN 6
Varys took the swords and the Mummers attacked the Crossbowmen in the rear again, killing 6 in total and giving the objective to the Mummers.
Seizing the opportunity, I had Roose take the Horses and retreat...
Out of range of the Skirmishers with their reduced movement due to having the objective...
I then had Baelish take the crown and use the bags to heal 3 wound up on them...
Having brought both Mummer units together, and my GC crossbows take the objective near the coprse pile, Old Walder used the crown to panic my Crossbows
Who failed the panic and dropped the objective
END OF TURN 6 (& GAME)
GOLDEN COMPANY 8 VP's
BLOODY MUMMER's 6 VPS
What a game!!! I mean it was error strewn and played for a laugh really, with neither force being competitive builds. Ste forgot all about Issue Commands card even though he has been running Neutrals of late, then I made a mistake with charging the Elephant up the board first, then couldn't take the risk of retreating it or doing anything except let the Zorses pound on it.
Ste ignored the objective on my right and the Skirmishers swarmed up but I managed to hold them longer than either of us expected. It was so close at stages, but Ste must have been tired as he made a few mistakes in Turn 5 and 6 that gave me the win. Careless aggression really wasn't necessary (although it seems to good not to play it). By allowing me two NCU activations, I wiped out one unit, and reduced the Zorses down to a dangerous level. And putting the objective on the Zorses also gave me options when I killed them. In Turn 6, taking the Horses and moving up Vargo would have given two units to finish of the Crossbows. But at the end of the day, my dice were pretty lucky too, passing rear panic checks when I really needed to. Ste was unlucky not to win, but we both had a real good crack...
EVENTS IN UK
16th & 17th July Duke's Gaming Welsh Grand Tournament Cymru Grand Tournament
Saturday 16th July, KINGDOM Gaming, Northampton, Freehold St, NN2 6EF LINK
23rd July Board in Brum (Walsall) War of the West (Midlands)
Sunday 24th July The Rygas Summer Melee, Whipton Institute Social Club, Whipton Village Road, Exeter, UK 16 players
Sunday 11th September, Gaming Figures, Redcar 20 Players, 4 games event LINK
ELO is COMING (Stirling, Scotland), 13th August ELO is Coming
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
