So Thomas & Paul ran put their fourth one day event for A Song of Ice and Fire at Leodis Games in Leeds.18 players participated, with a 50/50 split between relatively new tournaments players and old hands like me (having now been to all four). First order of the day was to give me my top prize from last event, where I joined the Leodis Kingsguard by winning last time round with 50pts of Dragons
For this event I went for more themed lists, as below
LIST 1
"DARKSTAR'S STARFALL VANGUARD"
Sunspear Dervishes with Gerold Dayne - Darkstar (C)
Starfall Outriders
Starfall Knights
Starfall Knights NCU's
Oberyn Martell, Doran Martell & Walder Frey
LIST 2
"THE SAND STORM"
Sunspear Dervishes with Obara Sand - Eldest Sister (C)
Sand Skirmishers with Daemon Sand - Bastard of Godsgrace
Dune Vipers with Elia Sand - Sand Snake
Stormcrow Dervishes with Nymeria Sand - Sand Snake NCU's
Tyene Sand & Ellaria Sand
GAME 1
A Game of Thrones
HOUSE BOLTON
Matthew "Mongoose987" Thickett-Ward
Blackguards with Roose Bolton - Lord of the Dreadfort (C)
Blackguards
Dreadfort Spearmen with Grunt - Bastard's Boy
Bastard's Girls with Damon Dance-For-Me - Bastard's Boy
Bastard's Girls with Ben Bones - Kennelmaster
NCU's
Tybald & Walda Frey
Matt was down from Harrogate (posh Yorkshire, even with the flat cap) with a couple of his mates and I was telling Ste the night before about his list, as I think its pretty potent. I opted to run my Darkstar Cavalry list for the first game.
Terrain & Deployment
Random Terrain: Matt rolled a bog, I rolled Weirwood, Matt rolled a bog, I rolled stakes, Matt rolled a bog. Nothing like being consistent...
BOLTONS: Roose's Blackguard, Bastard girls, Spearmen, Bastard Girls, Blackguard
Martells: Darkstars Dervishes, Knights, Outriders, Knights
TURN 1
Matt went first, taking the Horses and moving up the Blackguard on my right. I took the Letters and Matt took the crown, panicking one of my Dervishes.
I had activated and moved my left Knights centrally out of the way, allowing me to then play the Lone Knight to march right up.
I then followed that up with Cunning ploy to move up again, sacrificing the right side Knights move!!!
My outriders moved along left to back up the rapidly advancing Dervishes
I bit the bullet and charged Roose's Blackguard, as they had activated and as I still had two NCU's including Walder with the bags and swords free. I had a Horrific Visage panic check first, with Roose's Intimidating Presence. Not great...
Still, I was still attacking with seven dice with Darkstar. I killed two of the Boltons!!!
I had used Martial training for re-rolls but didn't really help
I then got shot by the Bastard girls and lost a man, plus two more from the panic failure. Oh and Cruel methods card healed up the two lost Blackguard.
My cunning left hook had kind of stalled. So I took the bags rather than Swords. Should have learned the lesson from playing Ste earlier in the week and trying the same thing...
My Outriders also faced a panic check from the shooting due to Roose's Spread Fear!!!
I could have attacked again here with Walder, or healed. But I had another cunning plan!!!
I had Walder use Horses and moved up my mid table Knights
TACTICS BOARD END OF TURN 1
BOARD END OF TURN 1
TURN 2
I activated the knights and charged the Bastard Girls, only just fitting in.
Matt had Tybald take the swords and attack my Dervishes. I then had Oberyn take the bags to heal, after Tybald had spent a token on the Crown. So he took that, claiming it, and freed up the swords again for Walda. Nice!!!
This allowed the Bastard girls to attack the Horses but first Darkstar, alone, had a panic from the crown!!!
Oh blinking flip!!!
This allowed the unactivated Blackguard to turn around and have good laugh as the Bastard Girls ate my Knights. In hindsight, Darkstar died from panic so shouldn't have pivoted, but academic really.
I mean Matt literally hit with all attacks, I failed all the saves and I took 3 wounds from the failed panic.
I had Walder use Horses to retreat the Knights as it was the best I could really do...
But the Durty Dogs activated, shot me then charged. I mean he didn't even wound with the shooting, he just wanted to feed the dogs more...
With added tokens purely for effect, I was savaged!!!
I had moved up to take the centre objective, but the Spearmen didn't charge. Instead, the other Bastard girls shot them up, scoring three hits and I failed all three saves.
Oh, and I failed the panic check from that dropping the whole rear rank
My Outriders took the left side objective, while Matt only secured the far right.
END OF TURN 2
HOUSE BOLTON 3 VP's (2 units, 1 objective)
HOUSE MARTELL 2 VP's ( 2 objectives)
BOARD AT END OF TURN 2
TURN 3
Matt took the swords, shifted, shot and charged my remaining Knights but the bog denied re-rolls so I actually survived, passing some saves and both panic checks. I took the Horses with Oberyn and moved the Outriders up to support
I even shrugged off a crown attack on the Knights.
Doran took the bags and healed up the Knights
I was then attacked by the Bastard girl activation
Four hits resulted in three wounds...
And the last three knights simply panicked and ran away...
In desperation, I made a long range charge into the remaining five Bastard Girls, using Reckless strikes. 7 attacks with critical blow and precision, although I was weakened.
After the weakened, I'd taken four wounds and given two hits...
With the two hits I'd taken earlier, that cost me a rank. I did manage to kill two with the attacks, and Matt did me the courtesy of failing the panic check but not quite enough. Still, Matt didn't activate as he forgot all I only had Walder, so I played a second reckless strike as I used swords.
All four attacks hit, so Matt only needed four sixes...
TACTICS BOARD END OF TURN 3
HOUSE BOLTON 6 VP's (3 Units, 3 objectives)
HOUSE MARTELL 3 VP's (1 unit, 2 objectives)
BOARD END OF TURN 3
TURN 4
With first activation, a glorious death awaited. I charged in with my Outriders...
Ok, so a long slow painful death was really all they deserved. Fortunately, I had re-rolls
Yeah, a really long slow and painful death!!!
Genuine accident reversing the image, but my face says it all...
Taking the swords, the Bastard Girls hit four times.
I survived...
And delayed the inevitable with the bags
The minus one to hit from Rising temperatures didn't help as still took 5 wounds before the panic.
The vicious panic check caused my last Martell to die...
END OF TURN 4 (& Game)
HOUSE BOLTON 8 VP's (4 units, 4 objectives)
HOUSE MARTELL 3 VP's (1 unit, 2 objectives) WIPED OUT
Well that was an unmitigated disaster purely of my own making. I literally went off on a mad charge without support and Matt simply lapped it up. I did same against Ste three days earlier and didn't learn. And at least against Ste I had some tactics cards to help. Matt played his force really well, his attachments were ideal and I simply didn't use my original plan which was to maneuver an overwhelm with multiple units. Still, my dice failures scored a lot of sympathy from Matt (when he'd finished laughing). Darkstars feeble attacks those bloody Knights charging and utterly failing v the Bastard Girls, the dual Reckless strikes. And don't talk to me about panic checks!!! Plenty of Martell trophies up and around the Dreadfort after that...
At least that made my choice of army for the next two games easier, as you ahd to use each lsit at least once. Two epic Darkstar failures against Boltons meant I was not running this list again.
PRIZE SUPPORT
Got to say Thomas and Paul really lay it on, with some awesomely generous prize support from Leodis, Thomas scouring Ebay, Etsy, shows and events. Also, Gavin at Gaming figures, Mirfield Miniatures (between Leeds and Huddersfield) and also Adam at CMON (vouchers for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place) and Ollie at Asmodee UK for seven unit boxes sent through to me I passed on)
LUNCH
PAINTING
LEE PARKIN'S HOUSE MARTELL
MATT AUSTEN'S HOUSE BOLTON
ELLIOTT COULBECKS SCRATCH BUILT NIGHTS WATCH TACTICS BOARD
Jon Dale's Trio of Dragons
(Happy Memories for me at Leeds)
TIM WHITNEY'S NIGHTS WATCH
PAUL WHITEHEAD'S HOUSE LANNISTER
GAME 2
A FEAST FOR CROWS
HOUSE STARK
Matt "pooch" P
Crannogman Bog Devils with Howland Reed - Lord of the Crannogs (C)
Crannogman Trackers with Robb Stark - The Young Wolf
Stark Bowmen with Meera Reed - Cunning Trapper
Stark Outriders
NCU's
Arya Stark, Rodrik Cassel & Eddard Stark
Not met Matt before and he is relatively new to the game, looking to learn more than win,
so talked him through my force, the attachments etc and he had a "nice" Howland
Reed Crannog based list. I wished I had not already decided on using the Sand Storm list
as the cavalry would have been a better choice, but I'm kind of stubborn like that.
PS: I don't like Crannogs as Dan McDonald keeps beating me with them
Terrain & Deployment
Terrain: Weirwood, Wall, Hedge
STARKS: Bowmen, Bog Devils, Outriders, Crannog Trackers
MARTELLS: Stormcrow Dervishes, Dervishes, Sand Skirmishers, Dune Vypers
TURN 1
Matt took the letters, even after I'd played Sand Diplomacy to weaken it. I countered with the Horses, advancing up Obara's Dervishes
Matt then marched up his bowmen, invitingly close for Obara...
Learning nothing from the last game, I declared a charge, losing Dervishes to the Hidden traps and my rolled D3 for Reckless Heroism
I killed four bowmen, and lost two of my Martells when Matt took the swords and attacked back, I did not retreat.
I moved up my Stormcrows in support, but the Crannog Traps card did for four of them, after taking the bags to heal up my Martell Dervishes.
Tactics Board filled up
The Bog Devils moved up to support the bowmen
Which allowed me to move up my Dune Skirmishers and fire from their Quick fire Order
BOARD AT END OF TURN 1
The Stark bowmen retreated out of combat, as the Outriders moved up, while Rob led the trackers out right as my Dune Vypers came up central
TURN 2
Going first, I used Damon's Unsuspecting Charge Order to prevent Obara's Dervishes being trapped as they activated. After I put The Strangler Poison on the swords
I managed to charge with sundering, precision and critical blow...
Killing four Stark Bowmen
Matt used an Arya token and retreated, only an inch so I could not pivot and I took the letters before the Bog Devils flanked my Dervishes, cutting them down to two.
In turn, I flanked the Bog Devils but suffered three wounds from hidden Traps
The Bog Devils retreated away with swift retreat, and I pivoted the Dervishes. The Outriders moved up with their free cavalry move.
I expected the Outriders to flank Obara's unit, but instead they smacked into the Stormcrows
And surprisingly only lost two men with some poor rolls from Matt and a few saves. I attacked back from the bags rather than heal, using Sustained Assault for highest attack value. I also healed on of Obara's Dervishes
Matt took the Crown and zapped Obara's Dervishes
I failed the test, but Matt only rolled two wounds. I pointed out they had a panic token, explaining that if he made me re-roll three he could wipe the unit out.
Well, you know, Matt was learning and I'm just to nice for my own good!!! Of course I whinged about it at the time 😉
It left a big hole on my left but managed to fit the new Pile in behind my Stormcrows, who weren't looking strong.
I took the Horses and retreated them onto the recently made Corpse pile...
Having marched up his stark Bowmen to claim the left corpse pile, Matt thought about passing with Arya. Then decided to take it, as he had used both tokens and she would succumb to the Strangler until end of next turn. So it was a good move.
Shifting up, the fired into my Stormcrows with highest attacks courtesy of the newly acquired objective!
Scoring five hits on my remaining three men, my dice suddenly came alive and I passed all five
BOARD AT END OF TURN 2
I had managed to shoot up and the Bog Devils with the Dune Skirmishers before a 50/50 charge into Howland cutting his Devils down to just Howland...
END OF TURN 2
HOUSE STARK 3 VP's ( 1unit, 2 objectives)
HOUSE MARTELL 1 VP (1 objective)
Still, at least Arya was gonna die end of Turn 3
TURN 3
The tactics board for the bowmen to shoot again would have been my option, but that would have left the Outriders open. Howland was dead we both agreed. Matt didn't surprise me by opting to activate his Stark outriders...
but he did by opting to flank charge the Dune Vypers rather than finish off my Stormcrows! I did stymy the assault by playing Dune Tactics to reduce the attacks.
Despite the panic token, I only lost two men to the actual its...
I grabbed the swords with Tyene, healing up a Stormcrow as I went and the Dune Vypers finished off Howland Reed
and surged forth towards the Stark Bowmen.
Despite the Vypers bearing down on them, I was expecting a volley at the Stormcrows. But charging made sense as he would have been out of the Vypers charge arc...
But they only scored a pair of hits, and I managed a pair of sixes to stay undamaged.
And with Nymeria Sand, the much used 2pt attachment in the unit, her Dornish Vengeance kicked in after the attack as I had Tyene on the swords. So the four bowmen took 2 auto wounds plus 1 for both of my destroyed ranks. I genuinely wasn't expecting this at the start of this round.
But I was going to seize the opportunity and took the Horses to retreat the Sand Skirmishers
Dropping five wound on the Outriders from quickfire...
I then activated and dropped them a rank just by shooting
The Stormcrow Dervishes charged them in the flank
But they hung on, retreated and healed up off the bags. I marched onto the left objective with the Dune Vypers and Robb and his Crannog Trackers marched over to help out, leaving the objective on the right behind.
BOARD AT END OF TURN 3
END OF TURN 3
HOUSE MARTELL 4 VP's ( 2 units, 2 objectives)
HOUSE STARK 3 VP's ( 1 unit, 2 objectives)
TURN 4
Activating after playing Scout Openings, Tyene took the Horses and moved the Sand Skirmishers up before Quickfiring into the Outriders, killing them.
Matt went for the six up charge with the Trackers using Assault Orders from the Swords, and got it!!!
But they still did four wounds, taking a few wounds from counterstrike before I attacked back by charging in with the Dervishes (taking two wounds from hidden traps) and cut them down even further. Robb and his Trackers retreated, but rolled a one so didn't go far.
Which was fine as he he went for the Dervishes but I had used Rising Temperatures on them so they failed to hit hard...
I passed the saves required and took the bags to heal up the Stormcrows.
Engaged, the Dune Vypers and their gang up flanked the last of the Starks but only dropping them to two men before they failed the panic check badly...
END OF TURN 4 (and Game)
HOUSE MARTELL 6 VP's (4 units, 2 objectives)
HOUSE STARK 3 VP's (1 unit, 2 objectives)
Matt had me end of turn 2. The Outriders charging the Stormcrows would probably have given him the upper hand, but shooting them was probably a better option (as I did have Dune tactics). I had no right to pass five saves for three men end of Turn 2 and I doubt I'd have survived another volley. Matt was unlucky, and with hindsight the Bowmen charging Nymeria's unit and dying was totally unexpected, but it was the smart play to try and keep the unit alive. Yet again I went launching off with my commander on an unsupported charge thinking those bowmen were gonna be easy meant for Obara and the Dervishes. I did manage to gang up on the Bog devils quite well but didn't show the pictures. Still, it was a really good game but I was lucky to get the result. Still don't like them Crannogs...
Game 3
FIRE & BLOOD
HOUSE BARATHEON
Daniel "DanOldfield" Oldfield
Stag Knights with Stannis Baratheon - The One True King (C)
R'hllor Lightbringers with Bronn - The Sellsword
R'hllor Queen's Men
R'hllor Faithful
NCU's
Melisandre, Jaqen H'ghar & Axell Florent
Sorry Dan, the pictures of you with you're eyes open were well iffy,
so one of you dreaming about my big hairy female Giantess and Mammoths seemed to be the best option...
While the two Matt's were new and great opponents, Dan is an old foe who I had played at
the first Leodis event, the second game, and epic battle at War of the White Cloaks.
He's avoided playing me ever since but we still take the mick whenever we meet,
and he is a real fun player to play against. He is as big a wind up merchant as me!!!
TERRAIN & DEPLOYMENT
TERRAIN: Weirwood (miles away), Palisade, Hedge
BARATHEONS: KINGS MEN, STAG KNIGHTS, FIREBRINGERS, R'HLLOR FAITHFUL
MARTELLS: STORMCROWS, DUNE VYPERS, SAND SKIRMISHERS, DERVISHES
TURN 1
I HAD A CUNNING PLAN!!!
Taking the horses, I moved up my Sand Skirmishers...
Using their Quick Fire rule, they then shift along 2" and shot down four of the faithful.
I'd aligned so that if I got charged, I could flank the Faithful. However, Dan was too busy using J'aqan on the bags to let him duplicate a panic bomb on the Dune Vypers, killing 3. Bronn in Lightbringers then allowed them to shoot. I had to use Unbent, Unbowed, Unbroken on the panic check.
But that didn't work and I lost five men in total from the Lightbringers.
I took the swords and shifted and shot with the Dune Vypers
killing another Faithful
But Mel on Crown reduced me to the Bastard of Godgrace alone, so I activated and moved up into the flank of the R'hllor Faithful...
Well as you can see I was learning as I didn't technically charge into the enemy!!!
As the Faithful dropped back to counter my Dune Skirmishers, I played Cunning Ploy to bring up Obara's Dervishes at the expense of the Stormcrows activation
The Lightbringers attacked, scoring one hit, causing one wound.
One wound didn't seem too bad until I failed the panic check, losing 3 more and then the fire arrows jumped over and took out my Sand skirmishers. Bugger!!!
Still, that cleared a path for Obara and her Dervishes to charge in with Reckless heroism. I lost two men in doing so
With Sundering and Critical blow, I totally whiffed. Thankfully, I had re-rolls
Woohoo, I managed a whole, single hit!!! I miss my Freefolk dice...
And the Faithfull passed the armour save despite the Sundering...
Dan hadn't laughed so much in a long time I'm sure and eventually had his heavy Baratheons swing up and around to help the "weaker" units...
BOARD AT END OF TURN 1
TACTICS BOARD AT END OF TURN 1
HOUSE BARATHEON 1 VP (1 unit)
HOUSE MARTELL 0 VP's
TURN 2
I played the Strangler was played on the Swords
but J'aqan took it regardless, panic bombed Obara and her Dervishes, reducing them down before attacking off of the swords and wiping them out
They surged forth into the flanks of the Dune Vypers. But I activated the Dune Vypers, who charged into the Lightbringers, wiping them out and surging forth into the flanks of the Faithful
With a wee bit of luck showing up at last, I pushed it and went for a six up charge, sadly only rolling a five..
The Faithful were healed up, as Dan well out activated me now
I lost three men on the failed panic on the way in, I lost three men to the attack, and yeah, another three to failed panic
I was still in the fight though
The damage inflicted on me so far didn't even involve the Stag Knight or Kings Men as they trudged along (ok, two men did die to help Mel's bomb)
BOARD AT END OF TURN 2
TACTICS BOARD END OF TURN 2
END OF TURN 2
HOUSE MARTELL 2 VP's (2 units)
HOUSE BARATHEON 2 VP's (1 unit)
TURN 3
I charged into the flank of the R'hllor Faithful
Six precision hits was a great start, and I did wipe the unit out.
Dan had J'aqan do his Crown zap and Mel influence combination...
My D3 sure was hot at landing well for Dan in my panic checks, killing the last 3 Stormcrow Dervishes
But my valiant Dune Vypers led by Elia Sand turned to face the armoured Baratheon juggernaut
Tyene on the bags healed me to full strength
Stannis and his Stag Knights charged but it was disorderly due to Superior Positioning and they became vulnerable
The Stags lost two men to the counterstrike but cut down four Vypers
Taking the Horses moved the Kings Men closer
But not close enough as they failed the charge and then lost two men to a failed panic check
END OF TURN 3
HOUSE MARTELL 6 VP's ( 2 Units)
HOUSE BARATHEON 4 VP's (2 units)
TURN 4
Dan had J'aqen do the Mel bomb combo off of the Swords, killing a rank with panic and wiping me out with the melee attack. It was funny to see the two Kings Men chosen for the attack and then fail the panic and lose two more.
END OF TURN 4
HOUSE BARATHEON 9 VP's (4 units)
HOUSE MARTELL 6 VP's (2 units) WIPED OUT
Dan well deserved this victory, but he made hard work of it towards the end with failed panic checks. It's been a while since I've faced the Mel/J'aqen combo and I forgot how devastating it can be, but that didn't stop it being a fun and frenetic game as I, yet again, threw my units in piecemeal and lost the initiative mid game. It was a good laugh again, and good to see him at Leeds seemed as hadn't met up since Stirling in March. That's us 1-1, so next time I'll take a proper list and kick his ass again 😉
OTHER THINGS TO MENTION
They do a great job decorating the venue for the event
so I thought I should show it. And they add in the GoT music instrumental CD for background...
The Winner and new Knight of the Leodis Kingsguard is:
Lee "Squig" Parkin
Delighted for Lee, he's a great opponent and occasionally plays well too... 😈😈😈
Elliot Coulbeck has also done a battle report of his three games at Leeds, at the link below
Considering I came Twelfth of eighteen, I was pretty delighted with the prizes. Admittedly I got three for the spot prize for being tabled by Dan the quickest in Game 3, but also got best themed, worst in faction, and stuff for turning up, in addition to my Lego Kingsguard!!!
So for my next event, its going to be a more defensive approach with House Martell at the last event of the year
RIBBLE RUMBLE 2023
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