Friday 21 July 2023

Stark v FreeFolk: Unleashing the Beast!!!

 So as Ste gears up for the Northern Circuit event at Leeds (still tickets available) I said I'd face him with a competitive list and opted to run an activation heavy Mance list against him...

No, not Mag the Mighty!!! Nor Varamyr Six-skins and his whole menagerie. What??? There aren't even any Mammoths. No, for all those Leeds bound gamers, let me introduce...

THE BEAST


I mean if that's his pre-game friendly smile you know what your letting yourself in for.... 

So after plenty of smack talking, I took a decent infantry heavy force led by my most comfortable commander, Mance...

Free Folk Trappers with Mance Rayder - King Beyond the Wall (C) Spearwives Spearwives Free Folk Raiders with Raid Leader Free Folk Raiders with Raid Leader Frozen Shore Chariots Cave Dweller Savages NCU's Lady Val & Craster


Ste has three different lists he's toying with for Eddard at Leeds. After steamrolling Aden earlier in the week, the list I face had a surprise inclusion in that he had Stark Bowmen. (sitting back and shooting isn't something Ste normally does)

•Eddard's Honor Guard with Eddard Stark - Lord of Winterfell (C) House Tully Cavaliers Stark Bowmen with Crannogman Warden House Karstark Spearmen NCU's Catelyn Stark, Sansa Stark & Jaqen H'ghar

RANDOM TERRAIN: We rolled five pieces then realised
we didn't have our print outs so kinda guessed what they were.Hedge extreme left, wall, woods and two Weirwoods

STARKS: Spearmen, Bowmen, Tully Cavaliers, Eddard's Honour Guard

FREEFOLK: Raiders, Spearwives, with chariot behind, Cave Dwellers,Spearwives, with Trappers behind, Raiders



TURN 1

Ste went first and took the letters before I took the Horses


I moved the far left Raiders over to join my main force. I was planning on losing a unit and holding teh right side, while Ste dropped a unit on the left, giving me a two to one unit advantage...


Ste took the crown and panic bombed the Raiders on the left


Who failed and lost four men... Normally I pass my first morale check!!!


I played Endless horde on my left side spearwives, as figured they'd be first hit by the Tully cavalry


I swung around on the right as Ste advanced cautiously, leaving his cavalry to last...


And as I crowded away fro the Crannog Wardne in the bowmen, the first turn ended with me advancing up my right spearwives with Lady Val swapping the swords to her movement trick. With me going first next turn, I was going to go for it


TURN 2

I figured I may need Craster to heal, so Val took the swords, allowing the Spearwives to shift and launch their spears at Eddards honour Guard


I scored two hits and Ste rolled a one and a two, failing both saves...


For the morale check, Ste gleefully old me their morale was 6, but down to 5 with Eddard, down to 4 with the nearby Tully's (the new rule isn't in effect yet) and the Weirwood dropped it to 3+. I replied with "You can always roll a double 1"... Alas, my joy was cut short as Ste had Northern defiance meaning he would auto pass!


I charged in, using Overwhelming Assault to gain Sundering on the attack, with the Honour Guard now vulnerable


Ste scored one single successful save and dropped 50% of his men. Ste then gambled by ignoring the Bags and took the letters.


I had to take the risk, activating the Cave Dwellers for a 5+ charge... I didn't even come close. Still, they blocked of a flank Tully charge on my Spearwives


Ste took the bags and healed


So I had Craster take the horses 


and retreat my Spearwives out of melee, giving Ste something to think about


The Bowmen shot into the Cave Dwellers flanks, killing six of the savages...


I activated the Spearwives and moved them up to take the right side objective


Ste sent the Honour Guard in against the reduced Cave Dwellers but I saved on of his six successful strikes and passed the morale check... Huzzah!!!


I had a feeling Ste had Assault orders as it made more sense for the Cavaliers to finish off the Dwellers!!! So I moved Mance and his Trappers back to make room for the corpse pile that was coming. Sure enough, Ste took the Crown and played assault orders


I deployed the corpse pile and then had the Raiders take it


Ste took the left objective with the Karstarks...


So I sent the Wolf Chariot in which did four wounds thanks to Ste rolling pretty poorly from six hits. I also played There's Too Many for a further negative on his morale (as chariot charge has vicious)


And Ste didn't let me down... He only lost two due to Iron Resolve, but I was cursing the Northern Defiance card Ste had earlier!!!


And Ste lashed out with Fury of the Fallen, making some kindling for the Starks fires from the remains of my chariot...


With Ste going first, he opted not to take any risks and simply manouvered his Tully Cavalliers into a better position as I backed away


END OF TURN 2

STARKS 3 VP's (2 units, 1 objective)

FREE FOLK 2 VP's (2 objectives)

BOARD AT END OF TURN 2



TURN 3

Ste had Catelyn took the Swords and played a second Assault Orders


The Tully's charged my Raiders, easily wiping them out....


As Ste scored 10 hits and I failed 10 saves...


I played Diversion tactics and dropped the Spearwives back as far as I could...


I had Val take the bags but use her Horses trick 


 for the Spearwives move out a bit. Ste took the Letters before my Spearwives left the right objective to threaten Eddard despite the incoming Crannog Order. They only caused two wounds so I healed those of Craster. Ste then shot them again but I took the bags and healed.


Ste activated the Karstarks, while I marched Mance through the Raiders and took the right corpse pile objective. Ste then earned his new monicker of the Beast by charging my full unit of spearwives with Eddard and one guard!!!


He dropped seven on teh charge, and if i failed my pending morale I'd take +2 wounds...


I needed a nine as he was vicious!!! AND THE D3 was the killer!!!


A Ferocious and Devastating combination...


END OF TURN 3

STARKS 5 VP's (3 units, 2 objectives)

FREEFOLK 5 VP's (5 objectives)

BOARD AT END OF TURN 3

The dead Raider son teh left had given my spearwives a corpse pile hence my tying despite the kicking I was getting. Ste now had activation advantage to but I was going first and I DO NOT KNEEL.


TURN 4

I had Val take the bags, using her to move Mance and his Trappers 6" towards Eddard


The pesky Crannogman directed the Bowmen to shoot me but I lost only two men to the shooting in the flank!!!


The other three coming from Mance letting me down on the old morale check again!!!


I played Predicatble Maneuvers at start of Turn (Ste's), targetting his Tully's and Catelyn. If either  performed an action I could make an attack (shoot Eddard). So Ste activated Jaqen and I played Wildling Diplomacy. Ste wisely passed.


Start of my Turn... 


Regroup and Reform allowed Mance to swap out and reinforce the Trappers to six dice. I then had Craster take the swords so they could shoot. 


Six shots caused two hits and Ste passed them both. Bugger!!!


Ste shot me up with his bowmen. I shot again with my Trappers. I didnt hit....


Eddard charged in again and easily battered me


I used a second Wildling diplomacy to delay the inevitable, before leisurely took the horses and moved up his horses a bit...


The charge in killed seven men due to Ste rolling a 1 on the charge


Mance survived but not for long, giving up 2 more VP's  to add to the trappers previous one this turn.  Ste took the objective and with the Karstarks idling over on the left, that gave Ste the game...


END OF TURN 4 (& Game)

THE WARDEN OF THE NORTH 10 VP's 

(4 units, 2 for Mance, 4 objectives)

THE LATE KING BEYOND THE WALL 6 VP's (6 objectives)


Not much to say, Ste simply battered me. His Tully's did a few, the Bowmen helped but despite dropping men early, Eddard and one man did for me. Sure I tried a few mad charges but knew Eddard was the key to victory (and it turned out that way, but not in my favour) We both had some bad dice but Ste had the card plays to just outsmart me. He'll be ready for Leeds, and I'll stick to my Mammoth. Think Mance missed him...

Tickets for my event at Ribble Rumble in Manchester have sold quite quickly, with 12 of 16 places sold already...

LINK TO FACEBOOK PAGE (Ticket info there)

We may be able to add more spaces if demand is there early, so there's stilt time to sign up (Andy!!!)

OTHER UK EVENTS

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Common Ground Games, Cowane Street, Stirling, UK


SUNDAY JULY 29th


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Northampton
Dates as above


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COVENTRY GT

11/12th NOVEMBER

Centre AT7, Bell Green Road, Coventry UK

TICKET LINK
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ENTOYMENT GAMES 

A SONG OF ICE AND FIRE TOURNAMENT 

SUNDAY 10th SEPTEMBER in POOLE 


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And there are The Circuit Events run by ASOIF Stats and Carlo should be well supported.

Leeds GT August 5TH/6TH

You can find a joint rules pack – including information on how to purchase a ticket - for the events here:






THE LONDON GRAND TOURNAMENT

Saturday 30th September & Sunday 1st October

Paul Winter has taken over running this event and its the biggest one!!!


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RIBBLE RUMBLE 

ELEMENT GAMES, STOCKPORT

DECEMBER 2nd/3rd 2023

3 Games Saturday, 2 Sunday 2.25hrs each game. Nice chilled lists appreciated, newcomers welcome.

16 spaces, potential to extend if sales go well...



2024

THE WELSH GT 2024


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