BrianMcG: Winter is Coming: Three Game event at Battlefield Hobbies

Ste, Greg and I drove down to Battlefield Hobbies in Daventry, UK for a three game event as a pre-cursor to the UK Grant Tournament at the end of the month. Steve was running Targaryens, Greg his Lannisters and I was using my Greyjoys, with the two lists as below...

Of the two, I tend to favour Asha as like her healing "boots on the ground" and the Blacktyde morale bubble is much needed. I also really like my trappers...

Blacktyde Chosen with Asha Greyjoy - The Kraken's Daughter & Qarl - Asha's Champion Ironborn Reavers with Warsworn Ironborn Reavers with Warsworn Drowned Men Ironborn Bowmen Ironborn Trappers NCU's Erik Ironmaker & Lord Varys

The second list is much more aggressive but I don't tend to like the three NCU's as I struggle to control the tactics board

Silenced Men with Victarion Greyjoy - The Iron Captain Ironborn Reavers with Warsworn Ironborn Reavers with Nute - The Barber Ironborn Reavers Drowned Men NCU's

Aeron Greyjoy, Erik Ironmaker & Lord Varys

Ben "Panzer" Harris organised and ran the event and each table had its only little message, including a special one for me and my blog. I found this hilarious, absolutely unique, fun and thoughtful. And as my missus does actually quote the" Red Dwarf" scene to me when I start prattling away about my lucky dice...

Ste got one too

And even one for Greg I suppose (although he never made it to the bottom table in fairness)

Should also mention Battlefield Hobbies is an excellent venue, easily accommodating our 28 players with room for other games during the day and plenty of gaming stock...

GAME 1

SCENARIO: FIRE & BLOOD

John "donaldson" Donaldson

GREYJOYS

John had been out of the game for a while and was new to Greyjoys but we both had Victarion list builds, though he favoured two NCU's.

Silenced Men with Victarion Greyjoy - The Iron Captain (C) Ironmakers with Asha Greyjoy - Captain of the Black Wind Ironborn Bowmen Ironborn Reavers with Nute - The Barber Ironborn Reavers with Warsworn NCU's

Aeron Greyjoy & Balon Greyjoy

Terrain and army deployment: Corpse Pile, Woods, a pair of Weirwoods

John set up across the board with his three reavers on my left and centre with Ironmakers and bowmen on my right while I concentrated on my right with bare Reavers the furthest to the left, Vic's Silenced Men, Warsworn Reavers and Nute on my far right. The Drowned Men sat in behind.

I'd marked John's Bowmen and the Ironmakers, while he marked my bare Reavers and Victarion's Silenced Men

TURN 1

I opted to go first and had Damphair take the Letters while John took the horses, moving Nute's unit on my left up

I'd pushed the Warsworn and Silenced Men up in my centre, while John left his Silenced men until last. John's Ironmakers failed a 50/50 charge at my Warsworn's Reavers but pushed Nute right up.

This was to good to pass up, so I charged into Nute's Reaver

and dropped them to half...

The Ironmakers failed charged left them very exposed to my main three units...

However, John had baited me well with Nute as his Victarion Silenced Men marched up, and as I used Assault Order to almost wipe out Nute, leaving him alone.

John then used an NCU change to use Assault Orders to charge and crashed into my marked units flank but sadly for him rolled a second one, so no re-rolls or cards...

I lost six men to the charge and failed panic

BOARD END OF TURN 2

I'd marched my Nute up on my right to threaten the bowmen and the flank of the Ironmakers. We both looked strong on our right...

John surprised me by activating Victarion's Silenced Men to attack my Reavers, and rolled very poorly. And I passed the morale check to keep them in the fight. I took the Swords with Damphair, influencing the Reavers to heal one as they attacked and killed Nute. Balon then took the letters and brought Nute and his unit back. So I put Varys on the horses and retreated my marked unit of Reavers away from Nute (and Victarion)

A quickfire NCU play of attack, reviving the dead and then me running away from them.

But Damphair allowed me to heal three times as I attacked, then retreated then activated and moved away further.

John then pivoted his Ironmakers with Asha and charged into my Silenced Men, dropping seven of them with failed morale check.

In turn, I flanked the Ironmakers with the Warsworn Reavers and with vulnerable and sundering in the flank, dropped five men.

John crown zapped my Silenced Men but I passed and healed one, before Erik took the bags...

Which I swapped for a We Do not Sow attack, allowing the Warsworn Reavers to attack again using the Krakens Wrath card giving me Precision, re-rolls and a panic token, hurting the Ironmakers even further and dropping them to one rank...

This then allowed Victarion's Silenced Men to activate and attack the Ironmakers while playing Belss with Stone, Bless with Steel, healing 4 wounds from the Ironmakers two ranks, and a further two as I had both the Swords and Bags. My sundering attacks wiped out the Ironmakers, scoring 5 VP's as Vic was marked, the Ironmakers were marked and also had 2 VP's on them. And in all my excitement, as I was about to surge forth, John very generously reminded me Victarion can change that into an Overrun!!! So I crashed Victarion into John's Warsworn Reavers who had turned and moved over earlier to support the centre, dropping seven of them.

BOARD AT END OF TURN 2

Nute's Reavers had failed a charge at the bowmen with a roll of 1, and they had lost a few men to the Bowmens shooting shooting, but my Drowned Men had healed them up a bit before they lost another two to the failed panic from the failed charge.

END OF TURN 2

MY GREYJOYS 7 VP's (2 units at 2 pts and 5 pts)

JOHN's GREYJOYS 0 Vp's

TURN 3

I had Damphair take the swords, and Victarion's Silenced men finished off Johns Warsworn Reavers

Surging forth towards the Bowmens flank.

A blurry picture of the board with the Bowmen in deep trouble...

John played Rush of Aggression on Nute to allow him to charge home and destroy my Reavers when they failed their panic but I had What is Dead May never die and survived

I retreated them away by using the Horses, before the bowmen shot up my Warsworn Reavers, and I then healed my Reavers three to prevent loss from a possible crown zap.

Nute finally got to fight by hacking the Bowmen down to a single rank

And as john's Victarion turned to come back, my owned Victarion activated, put a VP on the Bowmen and then flanked them, easiljy cutting them down.

BOARD AT END OF TURN 3 (and Game)

MY GREYJOYS 13 VP's ( 4 units, at 2VPs, 5 VPs, 2VP'sand 4 VPs)

JOHN's GREYJOYS 0 VP's

A crushing win to start, but John was really unlucky in his charges round 1. Mt left side Reavers had no right to survived both Silenced Men attacks, and by them soaking up attention the Ironmakers were left exposed. Victarion in Silenced men for me proved a beast, but John's inability to re-roll on his charge, and poor dice on the next attack meant I survived to kill Nute. I also had some fantastic card combinations to drop the Ironmakers and heal my reduced ranks.

Game 2 would be played on Table 2

GAME 2

Daniel "Dan B" Bushell

TARGARYENS

SCENARIO: HERE WE STAND

Drogo's Bloodriders with Khal Drogo - The Great Khal (C) House Bolton Flayed Men with Fortune Seeker Dothraki Veterans Dothraki Screamers NCU's

Illyrio Mopatis & Barristan Selmy

I'd played Dan in my last visit to Battlefield Hobbies early in 2022, where my Mance and Mammoth list had got the better of him and though I hoped I'd face Dan's other list which was infantry heavy, I suspected he'd go for the hard hitting manouverability given the scenario, and I genuinely wasn't sure how to combat it.

One of the Dead Meta lads (Alan "TechNeqe" , the Bane of me Bainbridge) has terrified and tortured my Greyjoys and Freefolk infantry on numerous occasions and so I decided to stick with the Victarion list with no clear plan but felt Asha's units were just too light weight and I felt I had to keep the 3 NCU's for quarter control.

Another 18" deployment zone!!!

TERRAIN: 3 Weirwoods and a corpse pile under the Screamers on my right

TARGARYENS (L to R): Veterans, Drogo Bloodriders, Flayed Men, Screamers

GREYJOYS: Warsworn Reavers, Reavers, Drowned men behind, Vic's Silenced Men, Nute's Reavers

I felt a corner camp would deny the cavalry the ability to flank, but quarter control may be more difficult.

TURN 1

Dan went first and took horses to move up his Screamers up, so I took the Letters to gain two cards. this draw allowed me to form a plan so I swung my three hardest units over to the right a bit as the Dothraki moved up as a a canter. My far left Warsworn Reavers who dropped back away from the veterans. My last activation was a crown zap on the screamers, which caused three wounds.

TURN 2

RELEASE THE KRAKEN!!!

Ok, so the crown zap was a nice bonus but I'd drawn a second Rush of Aggression which means you count as rolling a six when charging. I'd already drawn one on opening hand, so I planned to take the fight to the Horsemen So Nute's Reavers activated and I played the card, charging in. Oh, and a second bonus from the card is Crtitical Blow...

All seven attacks landed, including 3 sixes for 10 hits in total, with sundering and against vulnerable screamers...

Dan failed 8 saves, then I made him expend the vulnerable token to re-roll his two successes which both failed. And his Screamers screamers as they died!!!

I surged forth with Nute's men to face the Flayed Men, who Dan activated and came steaming into them. However, Dan didn't roll as many Critical hits as I did, still killing six men mind but I held. I then activated the Silenced Men, played Rush of Aggression and flanked the Flayed men, with all the same benefits plus Vicious which caused seven wounds in total on the cavalry. I'd already put and Erik token on them, so destroying a rank my Silenced Men were giving out -2 to morale checks at short range and were in the Flayed Men's flank with vicious. Oh, and with two tokens, also get -2 armour save on their attacks

Of course, Dan wasn't just gonna let 'em hack away, so Drogo and his Bloodriders steamed into my flank.

Drogo tried some fancy Arakh play with Vic, who fended off the "Expert Duellist" with his Greataxe...

I lost six men to the Bloodriders charge, but passed my morale and healed one. Then finally, someone took the swords (me). My Silenced Men cut down another Flayed Men but Dan scored the 11+ to pass his morale and even healed one (Not just the Silenced Men with Dauntless)

While all this fun and games were going on, Dan had his veterans move over behind the Bloodriders, I marched the Reavers up, Dan took the bags and healed the Flayed Men, I took Horses to move into the far left zone, then had Varys sit in there to claim.

END OF TURN 2

HOUSE GREY JOY 4 VP's (1 unit, 3 Quarters)

HOUSE TARGARYEN 1 VP (1 Quarter)

TURN 3

With the battle in full flow, Dan took the Swords with Illyrio and had Drogo and his Bloodriders attack. Foregoing the assassination attempt, Drogo did an auto wound and brought me down to Victarion plus one, but I passed morale and healed a man back with Dauntless. I had also spent a Varys token so the Flayed Men took a hit dropping them to four wounds. I then activated Victarions unit, playing Blessed with Stone to heal two wounds and attacked the Flayed men.

They held in there with another assed morale check, aided by the Lead by Example card played after Drogo's earlier attack. Dan activated them, and attacked the Silenced Men, hitting on 2+. Sadly, I lost a few men and failed the panic, leaving me on two men again!!!

So i took the bags and healed them up to five again!!!

Drogo now activated, played Addrivati, did an auto wound and attacked my Silenced men again. But his dice rolls failed him, and I passed a few saves again so Victarion hung on with three men, four when passed his morale.

My Dorwned Men moved up and then start of next turn healed two more wounds.

Worried about some shooting shenanigan's, I sent the Warsworn into the flank of the Veterans, scoring nine wounds as Dan failed his morale check badly. And to compound it all, he tried a swift retreat but rolled a 1 so couldn't actually retreat. the solo Veteran turned to face and slashed back, scoring two hits...

And I passed both saves to rub Ironborn salt into the wounds...

My bare Reavers flanked the Veteran, despatching him and dropping back into my left quarter. Nute activated and finished off the last Flayed men before surging into the far right quarter.

Where they were joined by Varys and Erik

END OF TURN 3 (and game)

HOUSE GREYJOY 10 VP's (3 units, 7 quarters)

HOUSE TARGARYEN 1 VP (1 quarter)

As in Game 1, I had some amazing cards at the right time, my dice were awesome and my opponent desperately unlucky. Victarion and the Silenced Men soaked up far more than their due, the pair of Rush of Aggression allowed me to take the initiative and Dan desperately fought to fend off the Iron islanders, reacting to me rather than the other way about. The crown zap killing the screamer before Nute obliterated them with the critical blows really was the key moment of the game and that was just sheer luck. I genuinely felt for Dan, as he didn't do much wrong and I was just luckier than him... Again, as sure that's what happened last time out

LUNCH BREAK

So with two crushing wins I was tied in second with Kyle Webb with us both on 6/8/47 respectively, just behind Jack Prowtings Starks on 6/8/53. Wasn't sure who I'd be facing...

PAINTING

Paul Heaths Martell Dervishes and characters

Brian McGonigle's Iron Islanders

Kyle Webb's Casterly Rock Honour Guard

Ryan Dell's Dothraki Horde

GREG DEANE's DIRTY LANNISTERS

STEPHEN CONNORS TARGARYEN HORDE

STE's BRAZEN BEASTS

AND HIS SELCETION OF NCU's and CHARACTERS

JACK PROWTINGS AWESOME MORMONT SHE-BEARS & STARK WAR ELEPHANT

THE MORMONT WATERFALL SIMPLY LOOKS AMAZING

BARNEY CROPPERS KING IN THE SOUTH & RAINBOW GUARD

GAME 3

JACK PROWTING

STARKS

SCENARIO: A GAME OF THRONES

I was really tempted to run Asha for the additional units on the ground, but in the face of potential War elephant and Tully Cavaliers I wanted the punch Victarions force would bring. Jack did me by taking his none heavy list led by Rodrik which he (like my Vic list) had used for the previous two games to good effect. Not the usual Stark lists I've been used to with Ste, but plenty of trickery and hidden nastiness. Still, Victarion seemed a good choice now given his lack of subtlety...

Stark Bowmen with Rodrik Cassel - Master-at-Arms (C)

House Mormont She-Bears with
Rickon Stark - Prince of Winterfell & Osha - Spearwife Guardian

Crannogman Bog Devils with Crannogman Survivalist

Bloody Mummer Zorse Riders with Glory Seeker

NCU's

 Arya Stark, Sansa Stark & Robb Stark 

TERRAIN: Weirwood, Corpse pile, Wall, Weirwood

STARKS: Crannog Bog Devils. Mormont She-Bears, Stark Bowmen, Zorse Riders (Robb Stark wolf Cunning took them off)

GREYJOYS: Nute's Reavers, Drowned Men behind, Silenced Men, Warsworn Reavers, Reavers

TURN 1

I took the first activation and had Erik go on letters while giving the Silenced Men a pillage token. I weakened the Bowmen. In response, Jack had Robb panic bomb my far right Reavers, killing 3 of them. I used Varys on the Horses to move Nute's Reavers forward, Jack took the bags to remove the weakened on the Bowmen and giving Erik a pillage token. I took the swords to deny Sansa the activation.

With the numerical superiority, I watched the Starks form up, and brought Nute back around to counter any Zorses in my rear. My forces moved up on the right.

TURN 2

Jack took the Horses with Robb, bringing the Zorses on in my rear. I was as prepared as I could be, but had Damphair take the bags to heal up the right side Reavers as they were the obvious target

The Zorses went in, doing an impressive eight wounds all in on the attacks alone wih help of Devastating impact...

Fortunately, I passed my panic check. Twice!!!

I took the swords and attacked back, killing one Zorse rider and putting a wound on another. And suffered a wound when they passed their panic check. Arya took the letters and weakened Nute's Reavers. At the start of my turn, Arya used a token to retreat the Zorse Riders, which weakened my three remaining men. Nute then failed the charge, preventing my Reavers from also charging but the Zorses were trapped now.

With me going first next turn, they would suffer for their temerity!!! The Bog Devils took the far left objective, my 3 Reavers took the near right after Varys had taken the Crown to stop that threat to them. I marched the Warsworn Reavers up to threaten the bowmen. I held Victarion back in the centre, as he'd be exposed on their own.

END OF TURN 2

HOUSE GREYJOY 1 VP (1 Objective)

HOUSE STARK 1 VP (1 Objective)

TURN 3

I activated Nute's Reavers and charged in, destroying the remaining Zorses with both the attacks and a failed morale check. They then turned and moved up toward the right objective. Jack had Robb take the Letters and weaken the Warsworn Reavers, while I took the bags with Erik to heal up my Reavers. Jack then passed to see what I did, so I took the horses and moved my Warsworn into strike range of the Bowmen's flank. They activated and moved away, unsurprisingly

The Bog Devils stayed put on the far right objective, my reduced Reavers took the far right objective. The Mormont She-Bears went in and took the centre while my Drowned Men moved up. The Warsworn marched up to threaten bowmen and She-Bears alike, before the Silenced Men and Victarion charged into the She-Bears and dropped them down by a whole eight Mormont ladies...

BOARD AT END OF TURN 3

HOSUE GREYJOY 3 VP's (1 unit, 2 objectives)

HOSUE STARK 2 VP's (2 objectives)

TURN 4

Jack took the swords and lashed out with the Mormont She Bears, after war crying on them. They cut down a few ranks of Silenced Men, but the unit survived. I then activated Victarion's unit to play Raiding Call, taking four reavers from Nute's unit to supplement Victarions ranks. They then attacked and butchered the She-Bears, Rickon and Osha while securing the centre objective.

The bowmen activated and shifted back, shooting the Silenced men but they passed morale and healed up. I healed up two from the Drowned men next turn, using Nute to sit and effectively see what Jack did. He had taken horses earlier to move up, and also a swift reposition so they were auto in, and charged the Bog devils into my remaining five Silenced Men.

Despite the Marked target vulnerable, I made two saves (twice) and kept Victarion alive (although he was poisoned).

I failed a charge into the Bog Devils flank with the Warsworn Reavers, before the Bog devils attacked again with assault orders, killing Victarion but I played What is Dead may never Die. Jack and I both agreed the wording is clear, I wasnt healing I just remain in play with one wound rather than be destroyed. Which was nice. I activated out my other units to keep the two objectives

END OF TURN 4

HOUSE GREYJOY 7 VP's (2 units, Rickon and 4 objectives)

HOUSE STARK 2 VP's (2 objectives)

TURN 5

Going first, I charged the Reavers into the Bog Devils, killing six. they swift retreated away. Jack took the swords and shot the Warsworn up badly, but they'd protected Victarion. I took the bags to remove the poison from the Silenced Men, before using Drowned men order to heal them two. Jack took the crown and zapped the three remaining reavers on the far right but they passed their morale check. I took the horses to deny it to Jack and moved Victarion as far back as I could while retaining the centre. The Bowmen destroyed the Warsworn reavers

Jack attemted a 6+ charge with the Bog devils but failed and with that the game ended as I activated out.

BOARD AT END OF TURN 5 (and Game)

HOUSE GREYJOY 10 VP's (2 units, Rickon, 7 objectives)

HOUSE STARK 3 VP's (1 Units, 2 objectives)

Jack and I both agreed (with hindsight) the Zorses in behind my main line was a mistake. If they'd came on the other side he could have secured two objectives and I'd have had to react, as his bowmen and She-Bears could have held the centre v me with the threat of Zorses nearby. But wiping them out meant I sneaked ahead and could secure the two right objectives while fighting in the centre on my terms. I was patient (rare for me), easing ahead until I gutted the She Bears. Again, good card combos and some really lucky dice were a hallmark of the game but Jack was great to play against and those Bog Devils nearly did for me. The double six pass on the re-roll for armour meant I didn't have to use the What is Dead card, which saved me next turn. Again, when it all comes together Greyjoys aren't as bad as has been espoused since the latest change.

AWARDS

FULL RESULTS

BEST PAINTED UNIT

(No real surprise Jack won this. I can't wait to see his completed army)

BEST IN FACTION (TARGARYENS)

Ste Connor won this, after losing narrowly against Joe's neutral army first game and coming 5th.

BEST IN FACTION (GREYJOYS) & FIRST PLACE

Although Joe (2nd and Top Neutral), Ton (3rd and Top Freefolk) and Kyle (4th and Top Lannister all went unbeaten, i was the only one to manage three crushing victories to come out top.

PRIZE FOR ME

EVENT SUMMARY

By far the main thing to say about the event was the lack of cheesy, over powered lists and the variety of forces and builds from the 28 players. All three of my games were chilled and my opponents great. Ste had the same, and Greg lost two games with last roll of the dice again. All round, well balanced forces and players who weren't all about winning, but learning or trialling new things was really great to see, especially ahead of the LGT where I hope to see more of the same (may be wishful thinking. there were a few lists with golden Company, but only Joe's Neutrals had them in the top six. Faction breakdown was good too, with Targaryens, Greyjoys and Lannisters having 5 each and everyone but Boltons (not out in UK yet) represented.