So Thursday night so Greg "Greggers" Deane pop over to mine and get some Ribble Rumble practice in with his Greyjoy's against my Martells. My force was more to use models I'd just painted, although I'm still working on the trays...
Sunspear Royal Guard with Demon Sand - Vengeful Knight (C)
Martell Spearmen
Martell Spearmen
Sand Skirmishers with Harmen Uller - Dornish Envoy
Dune Vipers NCU's
Doran Martell & Tyene Sand
Daemon Sand (with added shield) in Sunspear Royal Guard
Harmen Uller in Sand Skirmishers
Dune Vypers
Greg is tinkering with Greyjoy's again but was using his cherished Vargo Hoat (with Goat helm) he picked up for Most Sporting opponent at the London Grand Tournament.
Where better to place the Crippler than in a unit of Silenced Men...
Greg's list was pretty nasty looking with plenty of gimmicks, (not quite like my Victarion builds) so it would be interesting to see how this panned out...
Silenced Men with Vargo Hoat - The Goat of Harrenhal (C)
House Harlaw Reapers with Jaqen H'ghar - Unnamed
Ironborn Bowmen with Euron Greyjoy - Crow's Eye
Drowned Men
Ironborn Trappers
NCU's
Beron Blacktyde, Balon Greyjoy & Aeron Greyjoy
SET UP
TERRAIN: Stakes, Bog, Weirwood and Corpse pile
GREYJOY'S: Trappers, Silenced Men, Bowmen, Drowned men behind, Harlaw Reapers
MARTELL'S: Spearmen, Sand Skirmishers, Royal Guard, Spearmen, Dune Vypers
Turn 1
I won the roll off and let Greg go first, so he had Aeron take the letters, weakening my Dune Vypers which I removed with Doran taking the bags and adding claiming a token.
I moved up heavily on my left, as the Ironborn moved to meet my Dornish forces...
Having already taken the swords, Greg go to strike first with his bowmen by using an early We Do Not Sow...
Targeting my Dune Vypers, he managed one hit and I was pleasantly surprised to roll the impressive 4+ save. (I hadnt actually realised they and the Sand Skirmishers had such good defences)
TURN 2
Doran took the crown for a second token, targeting the Harlaw Reapers for a panic check
With a corpse pile nearby, a -2 test seemed a good call...
But Greg's Scottish GT dice were good...
Damphair took the swords to let the bowmen shoot
at my Dune Vypers again...
And his dice were certainly better this turn, although he had used the Drowned men's order to allow re-rolls.
It was here I realised I hadn't placed Tyene's Strangler token on. I obviously wanted to put it on swords, but reading the wording of the card there isn't an option to delay putting it on or putting it later. Anyway, Greg let me target the sword from Turn 3 (as we are both learning our armies)
I activated the left side Spearmen, who attacked the stakes...
Greg fired again with the rejuvenated Bowmen Marksmen apparently. No re-rolls this time either!!!
I was saving half and passing the morale but was down at half strength with the Reapers looking ominous
So I healed with Tyene on the bags and only noticed from the picture further up when she claims a zone she restores a wound. I didn't do that all game!!! Like I said, learning new armies...
Sure enough, the Reapers charged in and Greg rolled a one so no card or re-rolls
I guess the bowmen had used all the good dice, as they scored 2 hits. I saved both.
I moved the Spearmen up onto the centre objective, tempting the Goat to charge in. I played Superior positioning, with Greg rolling a 2 on the dice to deny him any cards with a disorderly charge. He wasn't impressed when I used my set for charge order either, although he only lost 3 men in total, healing one back from passing his panic check
I did get mullered though, dropping half my unit, but passed the panic check
I then played Cunning Ploy, not activating my Royal Guardbut letting my Dune Vypers maneuver
which allowed them to shoot the Trappers up pretty badly, killing five.
They then charged in, finally allowing Greg to play a card in Krakens Wrath
I lost 3 of the skirmishers
But I then attacked back, dropping the Trappers to single rank. Greg then used What is Dead May never die's seldom used bottom half to heal 3 up...
BOARD AT END OF TURN 2
We were engaged across the field, with support each but I felt stronger on my left.
HOUSE MARTELL 1 VP (1 objective)
HOUSE GREYJOY 0 VP's
TURN 3
Not sure I was allowed to place it, but Greg was ok about it. Poison on the swords.
I also had a Start of Round card in A Need for Vengeance. I would certainly have used it on the Sand Skirmisher had Greg not healed his Trappers there, but the chance to drop the Harlaw Reapers was more likely and tempting now
My melee attacks dropped three of them but they passed the panic check.
They then healed off the bag as Greg used the "free" NCU activation before they activated, allowing Greg to use Raiding Call and heal them for 4 and give them a second pillage. And having used an order from the Goat to give weakened he played "Exploit weakness" to give them vulnerable for all the tokens and allow re-rolls. I finally got to play Dune tactics which meant he was rolling his lowest dice though but with a failed panic I lost six Vypers.
I knew I was out matched in that fight, and hummed and haa'd about retreating as Doran took the horses for his third token. If Greg had another We Do Not Sow, I'd lose the Vypers if I didn't retreat them. But I took the risk and retreated the Sand Skirmishers instead.
They retreated towards the centre and used both they're order to fire into the Trappers flank and drop them to two men
Greg activated the bowmen, who shot down the Dune Vypers...
I had Tyene take the crowns and panic check the Trappers, who passed their test!!!
Beron took the bags to heal the bowmen...
I activated Dune Skirmishers who shot again, wiping out the Trappers. Greg played Balon on the Water Gardens to bring the Trappers back, unfortunately. He decided to bring them back on my right side, to seize the objective there.
I activated my spearmen, attacking the Silenced Men
And the attack was unimpressive to say the least
Passing the panic allowed the Silenced Men to heal one, and then they activated, playing exploit Weakness to give my spearmen vulnerable...
Seven hits, with double sundering meant saving on sixes... The Spearmen were annihilated!!!
Greg didnt surge forth onto the centre surprisingly but backed off a bit expecting me to charge as I was first activation next turn. I didn't charge, but marched up to claim the objective.
BOARD AT END OF TURN 3
I'd lost two units to Greg's one, but they'd came back on giving the Greyjoys numbers. I would have to play defensive now.
TACTICS BAORD END OF TURN 3
HOUSE MARTELL 4 VP's ( 1 Unit, 3 objectives)
HOSUE GREYJOY 4 VP's (2 units +1 for commander kill, 1 objective)
Greg played his Careless Aggression card to allow him a free attack at the start of round and his bowmen killed few Sunspear Royal Guard.
This allowed me an NCU activation before I then got to go. So I took the horses with Tyene to move up my Dune skirmishers, who used their order to shoot into the flank of the Bowmen, dropping them to half strength. I then had Doran takes the swords for his forth token...
And allowed my skirmishers a second attack into the bowmen, wiping them out...
Greg then took the crowns to panic attack my Royal Guard
Which they failed...
Fortunately, we are Unbowed, Unbent and Unbroken and auto passed. And I put this on the Silenced Men for a -2 morale on them...
I then activated the Dune Skirmishers to fire into the flank of the Silenced men
Scoring six hits...
And halving their number...
Raiding call was played when they activated though, with Trappers swelling their ranks as they charged the Royal Guard.
All attacks hits, but I blocked three with shield wall and saved 3 too...
But the Goat did call out the Vengeful Knight!!!
As the Goat sadistically mutilated Daemon Sand...
I had survived pretty well nonetheless but felt it prudent not to be engaged at the start of round 5 (Greg going first) so retreated, still on the objective but not controlling it.
The Harlaw Reapers moved up to threaten my flank, with the Drowned Men moving up to support Greg's centre.
END OF TURN 4
HOUSE MARTELL 7 VP's (2 units, 4 objectives, 1 Doran point)
HOUSE GREYJOY 5 VP's (2 unit +1 commander kill, 2 objectives)
TURN 5
The game was evenly poised here, as despite being behind, Greg had two powerful aggressive units.
And Greg started the turn with Jaqen H'agar morphing to Daemon Sand
Greg's first activation was the Goat and Silenced Men. And I hit him with Rising Temperatures. No tactics cards, -1 to hit and cannot heal wounds. Best tactics card in game I feel...
This meant I suffered 3 wounds total...
In order to prevent the Harlaw Reapers moving up, I didn't take swords but took horses...
And retreated again, but staying close enough to prevent the Silenced Men taking the centre...
The Silenced men blocked the Harlaw Reapers from charging the Royal Guard, so they swung up behind. I had took the swords to fire into the Silenced men, and did the same on activation. With -2 morale they even failed a panic check and only just survived the double volley.
END OF TURN 5
HOUSE MARTELL 9 VP's (2 units, 5 objectives, 2 Doran points)
HOUSE GREYJOY 6 VP's (2 units, +1 commander kill, 3 objectives)
TURN 6
I went first and took the swords to allow the Sand Skirmishers to kill Vargo and his Silenced Men
Greg took the crown but my Royal Guard passed the panic. I took the bags and healed my Royal Guard up, then activated Daemon Sand (nee H'agar) Harlaw Reapers to charge the Sand skirmishers. I played Rising Temperatures on them.
And followed that up with Superior Positioning (Disorderly charge) which Greg duly obliged with and then Dune tactics for lowest attack value...
Despite a near perfect hand of anti attack cards, I still was dropped down to a rank on the skirmishers.
I had moved the Royal Guard up 3" with the Spearmens Tactical reposition order, claiming the centre.
And I simply activated the Dune Vypers, healing one as I did and then retreated, using their orders as they went to shoot the Reapers. I'd passed the winning post and we simply activated the round our.
END OF TURN 6 (and Game)
HOUSE MARTELL 13 VP's (3 units, 3 Doran points, 7 objectives)
HOUSE GREYJOY 7 VP's (2 units, plus commander kill points, 4 objectives)
BOARD AT END OF GAME
I think the picture below really sums it up. Greg was behind end of Turn 4 but was about to hammer me. I got Rising Temperatures, it totally neutered his Silenced Men's attack and allowed me to hammer them without the ability to heal. And then it, along with a pair of other cards turn 6 stopped the Harlaw Reapers from one shotting my Dune Skirmishers. We were both trying out new things and learning, so mistakes were made on both sides but it was a really close game despite the end score. The one thing we did agree on that made a difference was bringing the unactivated Trappers back on my right. Had they came on my left to contest that objective, they could have gave the Spearmen a real issue. The Drowned Men would have been better sitting on the right one. Still, Greg will be back in a fortnight for a re-match!!!
OTHER UK EVENTS
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Lords of War Team Tournament
Morton Park Way, Darlington, UK
Sat Nov 11 2023
MORE INFO
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COVENTRY GT
11/12th NOVEMBER
Centre AT7, Bell Green Road, Coventry UK
TICKET LINK
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LEODIS GAMES
26th NOVEMBER
BATTLE IN THE CRIMSON SNOW
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RIBBLE RUMBLE
(My event)
MORE PLACES MADE AVAILABLE
ELEMENT GAMES, STOCKPORT
DECEMBER 2nd/3rd 2023
3 Games Saturday, 2 Sunday 2.25hrs each game. Nice chilled lists appreciated, newcomers welcome.
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THE WATCHERS ON THE WALL
Sunday 3rd December 2023, 16 players
Kingdom Gaming, The Ridings, Northampton, UK
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2024
THE SEVEN KINGDOMS
EVENT PAGE on Stats
20th January 2024, 32 players
Board In Brum West Midlands Gaming Centre, Walsall, Willenhall, UK
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THE WELSH GT 2024
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War of the Whispering Woods 2024
Pascal and his Microwave Express Train comrades
18th/19th May 2024
16 Player Event
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