Friday 23 September 2022

Neutrals v Freefolk: The Goat of Harrenhall v The Magnar of the Thenns

 Ste and I got some more pre-LGT game time in (well he did, I was just trying a "new" commander to me)

Ste is still deciding what to run for the Invitational and deciding to run his Flayed Men neutrals again.

• House Bolton Blackguards with Vargo Hoat - The Goat of Harrenhal (C)
• House Bolton Flayed Men
• House Bolton Flayed Men
• Stormcrow Mercenaries with Jaqen H'agar - Unnamed

• Roose Bolton, Petyr Baelish & Lord Varys

For my FreeFolk, I've ditched Mance to try out Styr, as I haven't used him as a Commander. (Scandalous, I know, but nor have I used the Weeper, Walrus or Mag!!!)

• Followers of Bone with Styr - Magnar Of Thenn (C)
• Free Folk Raiders with Raid Leader
• Varamyr Sixskins - Master Skinchanger
• Shadowcat
• Wolf Pack
• Thenn Warriors with Walrus Clan Chieftain
• Free Folk Raiders
• Frozen Shore Chariots

• Craster & Mance Rayder

The scenario Steve had chosen was HONED & READY

Set Up (Random Terrain): Corpse piles on left, top and bottom, wall in middle, Weirwood Centre right

NEUTRALS (L to R): Flayed Men, Vargo in Blackguard, Flayed Men, Stormcrow Mercenaries

FREEFOLK: Chariot, Wolfpack, Free Folk Raiders, Styr in Followers of Bone, Thenns, Raiders, Varamyr far right (Shadowcat does not deploy)


TURN 1

Ste opted to go first: Baelish took horses and used letters, making my Wolfpack vulnerable. I took the Letters with Mance and weakened a Flayed Men.  Varys took bags and removed weaken, Roose Crown killed two and I swapped swords for Craster heal them and another card (as played one)


And when I claimed the swords, Varys spent a token to do 3 hits on my Wolfpack!!!


I failed one, then had to re-roll the 2 successes and failed them. They didn't even get to activate!!!


I mean you go to all that effort as the 3 wee Wolves look shit and Ste does you like that!!! Still, I didnt give any VP's from it!!!


Ste had not advanced much up the board, adopting a wait and see approach, and I did similar but advanced both Raiders up to draw the Flayed Men...

TURN 2

Eagle went on Flayed Men to right, Shadowcat came on behind Stormcrows. Then I had Mance take Horses for a Raider leg up on right side...


And so began the dance of the Shadowcat!!! Steve declared an activation with his Flayed and did his cavalry move, allowing the eagle to forewarn the Shadowcat who shifted 2"in behind the Stormcrow's to deny the charge by Flayed Men. Nice and sneaky, so Steve moved them up a bit. I marched centre Raiders up to centre objective. The Stormcrows moved back to avoid a Shadowcat in rear allowing me move up the Raider on the right with Val. Was well chuffed, it had stymied Ste on the right!!!


The Flayed Men charged into the Raiders, killing seven on the charge!!!


NO Mance bubble? NO problem!!!


I healed up. Then survived a crown zap due to Weirwood!!!


Having used Diversion tactics, the Chariot was primed for a flank charge...


And dropped a rank of the Bolton cavalry...


Steve used "Issue Commands", foregoing the Blackguards activation to get the Flayed Men to attack the chariot, making short work of it despite his one hit due to the Vicious and corpse pile proximity. I also lost 5 more Raiders before that from the swords allowing another attack. I moved up to present a fairly solid line, taking both right objectives. I lost two raiders from scoring, and Varamyr took two wounds but I healed up with Craster once per game at start of next round.


END OF TURN 2

FREEFOLK 3 VP's (3 objectives)

NEUTRALS 1 VP (1 unit)

TURN 3

Ste had Baelish take horses and use the swords to finish off my left side Raiders, surging forth left to the objectives there. I then charged the Flayed Men with the Thenns but didn't do much.


Steve took letters, allowing me to take the swords with Mance for a second attack on the Flayed Men, which dropped a horse


Allowing Varys token to do 3 hits on my Shadowcat!!! Goddamnit!!! She died...


Vargo and his Blackguard charged the Thenns, and the Walrus clan chieftain was "sadistically mutilated" in addition to losing one man. I passed the panic check!!!


The right Raiders charged in with Raid leader and dropped the Flayed Men down to a single rank. They lost some men due to Roose panic check


The Stormcrows had swung around, but I managed a long charge with Varamyr into them. The Flayed Men attacked the Raiders and dropped them to one wound. Anything other than a one on the dice and they'd have been wiped out


I marched the Followers of Bone up onto the centre objective, and the Flayed Men charged them. Ste forgot about "horrific visage" and lost a rank to it. I lost 6 in return before Ste lost two wounds from "Final Strike "card


END OF TURN 3

FREEFOLK 4 VP's (4 objectives)

NEUTRALS 1 VP (1 unit)

TURN 4

My activation first, but Steve played "Careless Aggression", allowing his Flayed Men to hit the last Raider before I could go. He did kill me... But I could now activate an NCU and then I could go...


So Mance on the Horses for Endless Horde


Far on the right to claim the objective and avoid any roving Flayed Men...

Then Craster on the Swords to allow the Thenns an attack on the Flayed Men

I used overwhelming assault to gain Sundering, which was enough to finish the Flayed Men off with the help of Styrs Vengeance card they had attached!!!


Cue the shaky blurred picture. The Flayed Men healed up with Baelish on crown using bags, I regrouped and reformed to bolster Followers from the Endless horde guys who claimed the bottom right objective, Flayed Men healed again off bags. 


Varamyr mauled the Stormcrows, the Blackguard took a few Thenns out. I retreated them away rather than attack. The Followers of Bone killed a Flayed Man.


The Flayed Men then attacked the Followers of Bone. They had eight wounds to begin with, and I had all the tokens!!!


And yeah, I lost 5, Ste lost 7.  So he lost 3 to Horrific Visage, I lost mine but with Thenns Defiance caused 2 wounds, then used "Thenn's Supremacy" order which resulted in him losing another 2. I hadn't used it last round as felt Final Strike would be better!!!  Thats was awesome!!!


On the right, the Stormcrows moved over before attacking to deny a flank charge from Thenns next round. But Varamyr passed all his saves...


Battlefield at the END of TURN 4

The Blackguard were primed to charge, but the Flayed Men were in trouble... 


END OF TURN 4

FREEFOLK 7 VP's (1 unit, 6 objectives)

NEUTRALS 1 VP (1 unit)


TURN 5

Baelish took the letters but used the bags to heal the Flayed Men. I had Mance take the bags and healed the Followers of Bone...


It made it look better, but we were both nervous...


Steve charged Vargo and the Blackguard into the Thenns flank, who were panicked and vulnerable...


But the Thenns, or rather Thenn, hung on in there... I used Surrounded and exposed on the Stromcrows.


making them Vulnerable and then had Craster take the swords for Varamyr to attack...


I caused 4 hits, and Planning and Insight blocked two, while Jaqen the Walrus Chieftain did his order. But the vulnerable token allowed the one wound through. And Ste promptly failed his panic with 3 wounds, wiping out the Stormcrows. Varamyr surged forth back onto the objective


The Thenn survived a crown attack. Despite the panic token!!!


But Roose panic attack from horses zone swap...


dropped my Followers of Bone to Styr plus 2. Steve lost 3 woudns to Horrific Visage, before attacking...


Styr survived, all alone, but his men had a final strike...


And the -1 defence killed the Flayed Men... MAGNAR THE MIGHTY!!!  The Boltons were left surrounded as the turn ended.

Battlefield at End of Turn 5


However, the units controlling the objectives had to take some shots from the wall. You can see what's coming!!!


Yep. Varamyr failed four of five 3+ saves...


My units at the End of the game!!!


END OF TURN 5

FREEFOLK 12 VP's (3 units. 9 objectives)

NEUTRALS 2 VP's (2 units)

Four Free Folk left!!! Many a ballad will be sung after this outstanding Pyrrhic Victory. Still really at a loss to explain how Ste lost this so badly, but think I'll go with some Shadowcat chicanery, cautious use of the Flayed Men, really good morale dice despite Mance not being on the field, and the Followers of Bone with Styr. I mean that unit really rocked v the Flayed Men!!! Ste at least knows what he's taking to the invitational now...

Still think the Varys attacks were harsh on my wee pets, but losing 4 units (the two raiders too) giving zero victory points meant I was able to get ahead on objectives and stay ahead. Styr will return, really loved the dirty Baratheon feel of his cards...

UK EVENTS

Saturday 24th September Hear Me Roar Battelfield Hobbies Link

London GT ELO event for fluffy, friendly players 71 signed up 30th September Link

The MEGA 124 player 2 day event UK London Grand Tournament 1st & 2nd Oct Link

Event I'm running, a chilled wind down after London 16 Player 2 day event 22/23rd Oct at the RIBBLE RUMBLE, ELEMENT GAMES, STOCKPORT, UK LINK

Sunday 6th November, Castle Gamers Starter Box Tourney, Gilead Village Hall, Heol Spencer, Coity, Bridgend, UK LINK  8 player, 30pt starter box event 


Sunday 20th November Leodis Games Leeds No details as yet, but Leeds boys will post details here... Link




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