BrianMcG: January 2024

After a good break over the Christmas period, finally got back out on the road for another A Song of Ice and Fire event, this time at Board in Brum for their Seven Kingdoms event. 20 players turned up, including Ste and Elliot as well as myself from the Wardens of the North-West. Having had a bit of a break, I wanted an easier to play force so opted for my Mance / Spearwives combo's rather than my Targaryen Dragons...

GAME 1

AARON "Mogsam" O

LANNISTERS

SCENARIO: "DARK WINGS, DARK WORDS"

House Clegane Mountain's Men with Gregor Clegane - The Mountain (C)

House Clegane Mountain's Men with Sandor Clegane - The Hound

House Clegane Brigands with Clegane Butcher

Lannister Crossbowmen

Lannister Halberdiers with Assault Veteran NCU's

The High Sparrow & Cersei Lannister

I'd not met nor played Aaron before, and he has only really played with his mate and

Lannisters, so Freefolk were an unknown. I went over my force, but he wasn't overly

fussed and planned to learn as he played. Have to say, as usual my pictures never do the

painting justice, as his Clegane force was beautiful...

Given the scenario, I opted for more on board activations

and went with my 8/2 Mance force as below

Free Folk Trappers with Mance Rayder - King Beyond the Wall (C)

Spearwives with Jarl - Advance Raid Leader

Spearwives

Varamyr Sixskins - Master Skinchanger

Shadowcat

Free Folk Raiders with Borroq - Boar Skinchanger

Borroq's Boar

Thenn Warriors

NCU's

Craster & Lady Val

Deployment

Random Terrain: Palisade, Hedge, wall, Weirwood, Wall

Lannisters: Mountains men, Brigands, Mountains men with the Mountain,

Crossbows, Halberdiers

Freefolk: Raiders with Borroq, Boar, Thenns, Trappers with mance,

Spearwives, Varamyr. (Jarl Spearwives outflanking)

The first two mission cards were less than ideal but more so for Aaron

But my initial card draw was...

TURN 1

I opted to go first, and kept the Shadowcat off for now to come on with the Spearwives.

With nothing going on on the tactics board we manouvered and marched up, with me holding back a bit left and centre, but marching up the right to face the halberdiers.

I passed with Lady Val early on.

Aaron did same with The High Sparrow, but decided to take the Horses (and ignore Wildling diplomacy). Gregor moved up with his Men, suffering 3 wounds form my card and also giving me a VP

Board at End of Turn 1

Gregor and and the Brigands were in my face, but Mance and the trappers were angled to deny the charge when Aaron went first. I expected the spearwives of Thenns to suffer.

TURN 2

I brought on Shadowcat and the Jarl's flanking spearwives behind the Halberdiers. Aaron was well unimpressed that they came on unactivated, but not having played Freefolk, he viewed it as a learning experience.

Meanwhile, the Clegane Brigands flanked the Thenns

Aaron scored six hits in total, and I cheekily saved three, before passing the panic check

My spearwives activated next, killing two Halberdiers with the spear toss before charging in.

All six attacks hit home on the first roll...

No saves were made due to vulnerable, and they lost a man to panic, leaving 3 Halberdiers

Aaron took the Horses to move up Gregor (losing 4 men to hidden traps). I then activated the Spearwives, who dropped a man with javelins, before killing four more leaving Gregor alone to face a panic check. Which he failed!!! Gregor and his unit evaporating was a massive blow, and quite unexpected.

Aaron took the swords to attack with the Halberdiers before he lost them, and I lost two spearwives as a result. I took the bag to heal the Thenns

Shadowcat eyed up a move around the flank of the Crossbows, as I was first activation and The Mountain's Men on my left moved up to stop me taking the objective. But I took the crown instead and panicked the three halberdiers.

More poor rolling saw their demise, which allowed Varamyr to cross the wall and seize the right objective and threaten the crossbows flank

I charged Borroq's raiders ineffectually over a hedge into the Mountains Men, then his boar went into the rear of the Brigands, while the Thenn's hacked away at the front.

END OF TURN 2

FREEFOLK 6 VP's (2 units, 2 objective, 2 mission)

LANNISTERS 0 VP's

TURN 3

Activating my Jarl's spearwives, I killed three with a volley before hitting home

The Mountains Men hit Borroq's Raiders

But I saved three and passed the panic...

I savaged back with a failed panic dropping them to a single rank before the Board flanked and finished them off

Shadowcat and Varamyr finished off the Crossbows

BOARD AT END OF TURN 3 (and Game)

FREEOLFK 11 VP's ( 5 units, 3 objectives, 3 missions)

LANNISTERS 0 VP's

Aaron had a tough baptism to Free Folk with my numerical advantage, manouverability and outflanking. The scenario was new to him also, and my dice were good and his weren't. It was one of those games, nothing went right for my opponent and everything went my way. Gregor's early loss, and the flanking forces really did tip the game heavily...

PAINTING

GAME 2

STEVE BUTLER

BARATHEONS

"FIRE & BLOOD"

A good first game win pitched me up against the grizzled veteran that is Steve Butler.

Never a good match up for me as he knows how I play and so has the measure of me,

and also runs Targaryens or Baratheons who are both good counters to Freefolk.

Stag Knights with Loras Tyrell - The Knight of Flowers (C)

Rose Knights with Thorn Watch Sentinel

Riders of Highgarden ( 6 )

Thorn Watch Daario Naharis - Reckless Mercenary NCU's

Lord Varys, Shyra Errol & Petyr Baelish

With Baratheons armour, I felt I need my Bears and big guy...

Free Folk Trappers with Mance Rayder - King Beyond the Wall (C)

Spearwives

Spearwives with Jarl - Advance Raid Leader

Frozen Shore Bear Riders

War Mammoth

Varamyr Sixskins - Master Skinchanger NCU's

Lady Val & Craster

TERRAIN AND DEPLOYMENT

Well, we played on half a board so all that matters was corpse pile and bog...

BARATHEONS: Stag Knights, Rose knights with Highgarden Riders behind, Thorn watch

FREEFOLK: Trappers to rear, Bear Riders (already moved up of tactics board) Spearwives, Varamyr, Mammoth

I kept Jarl Spearwives on outflank again. Steve deployed back about 12" on, I went full 18"

I marked the Riders and Thornwatch, with Steve picking Varamyr and my outflanking Spearwives. Weren't sure if marked units had to be on board, but rules say after deployment and they were deployed..

TURN 1

Val moved up the Bears of the Swords (swapping out). Steve used Varys to cause three hits (and three wounds) on them. I had Craster swap letter to heal 2 and draw on card.

Before I got crowned and lost two more wounds!!!

Tactics Board filled out

Turn 2

I brought on the Jarl's Spearwives behind the Thornwatch, despite Steve's Highgarden Riders ready to strike..

As I had Predictable maneuvers, and if they performed an action, before they did, I could attack...

So the Thornwatch shot off the swords, although Varamyr did shift forward.

After adding a few tokens to the Thornwatch with Surrounded and Exposed, the spearwives charged after chucking some spears.

Dropping them down to a single rank. They then activated, killed a few spearwives and retreated away.

Healing four models as they did so, so Varamyr charged them, even with their overgrowth

The Thornwatch dropped to five models, but Varamyr got flanked and died..

But that cleared room for the Big Guy to go stomping in with his critical blow attacks!!!

That was nice, and put me in a nice position...

Alas, those Rose knights took two rounds of javelins and charges and didn't budge. I mean they are designed to be a thorn in your side, but I can't win a battle of attrition.

The Riders of Highgarden flanks my Jarl's unit of Spearwives, obliterating them and putting Steve well ahead as marked unit on marked unit. Varmayr's loss added to that. Still, I did get an Endless horde Raider unit on from their demise...

BOARD (ok, quarter) AT END OF TURN 2

Steve ducked an NCU activation to avoid Wildling diplomacy, so tactics board at End of Turn 2

END OF TURN 2

BARATHEONS 7 VP's (2 marked units)

FREEFOLK 2 VP's (1 marked unit)

TURN 3

I took the swords for another mauling for the Rose Knights again

I killed seven, but had to take a Final Strike back...

Meanwhile, the Mammoth got flanked but managed to hold on with one wound left thanks to a pair of sixes. When he attacked back he brought the Riders down to one man...

Loras marked the spearwives and charged, wiping them out and securing another 3 VP's for Steve

With my remaining activations, I tried to save some pride, shifting up Mance and his Trappers to plink some arrows at the five Rose Knights. I got three hits, but Steve failed two of his saves...

And YES!!!. Despite a 4+ morale, he managed to roll a three and three wounds on the D3...

The Rider had retreated out of picture shot, but this was the board at end of turn 3 (and game)

BARATHEONS 10 VP's (3 Units)

FREEFOLK 5 VP's (2 Units)

That was closer than the points suggest, but as I said, Steve has the measure of me and the scenario was better suited to the Baratheons. I feel a morale victory in that i killed the Rose knights. I savaged them with the Bears and Spearwives, but he kept passing morale, healing and dishing out auto wounds. Steve wasn't really in any trouble, he seemed comfortable with everything I did and contained my forces and soundly beat me.

GAME 3

George "Gooderson" Gooderson

GREYJOYS

"A CLASH OF KINGS"

Silenced Men with Victarion Greyjoy - The Iron Captain (C)

Silenced Men with Nute - The Barber

Ironborn Reavers with Theon Greyjoy - Kinslayer

Ironborn Reavers with Asha Greyjoy - Captain of the Black Wind

NCU's

Balon Greyjoy, Rodrik Harlaw & Lord Varys

George was another new opponent who, like Aaron, had never faced Freefolk.

I know Greyjoy's very well and with twin silenced men,

Victarion Commander, Nute Leftenant and Balon NCU, I was worried...

I felt the bigs guys ability to takes hits would be more useful than the pets

so opted for the Bears and Mammoths again.

Free Folk Trappers with Mance Rayder - King Beyond the Wall (C)

Spearwives

Spearwives with Jarl - Advance Raid Leader

Frozen Shore Bear Riders

War Mammoth

Varamyr Sixskins - Master Skinchanger NCU's

Lady Val & Craster

TERRAIN: Wall, bog, wall, Weirwood, stakes

GREYJOYS: Theons Reavers, Nute's Silenced Men, Asha's Reavers, Vic's Silenced men

FREEFOLK: Varamyr, Bears, Mammoth, Trappers, Spearwives (Jarl outflanking)

TURN 1

I went first, taking the horses with Craster to move up the Bears

George took the letters, so I marched up my far right Spearwives. George then hit them with the crown panic

And I lost three of my lovely ladies...

As George marched Theon up on my left, a semblance of a plan came to mind. Avoid the centre and concentrate on the flank objectives and split the Greyjoy forces....

I used Val to move Bears left to assist Varamyr and my soon to arrive spearwives

Board at end of Turn 1.

I'd go three units on two at the flanks, assuming George didn't sit on the centre, which I hoped he might.

TURN 2

Spearwives came on behind Theon's Reavers.

But George used Theon's Reckless Heroism for a charge on Varamyr and charged in over the bog. He lost 3 men doing it...

But he didn't need the vulnerable token, as I totally fluffed my armour saves aided by the Sundering axes...

When they dropped back onto the objective, I had Val take horses and advance up spearwives. George took letter, so I had Craster take swords and did my charging volley and smashed the Reavers down to a rank...

George countered with We Do Not Sow and attacked back, rather ineffectually despite highest attacks from the Iron price card, and only killed three.

I did pass the panic which helped...

Tactics Board end of Turn 2

END OF TURN 2

GREYJOYS 3 VP's (1unit, 2 objectives)

(error in hindsight, as contested on left)

FREEFOLK 1 VP (1 objective)

TURN 3

With Asha parked in the centre, and having lost Varamyr from my left I opted to try and ram my right side numerical superiority home. I took the swords with Val, shifted the spearwives across, and charging volleyed Victarions Silenced men. I also put Endless Horde on them...

Meanwhile, Nute got off a 4+ charge to hit my Bears, cutting a rank off of them, before I smacked the Mammoth into their flank, having moved over with Diversion tactics. Asha had hit the Mammoth twice with War cry as well (last turn and this). The Bears had struck back too, so the Mammoth dropped Nute's unit to 2 models!!!

But I'd forgot he could attack off the bags, and he cut down the bears. Damn. Well played, but Damn!!! However, it did allow me a predictable manouvers off of it to finish off Theon with the spearwives without activating, and they moved off the objective to threaten Asha's flank in the centre.

Oh, yeah, I failed the panic to finish the Bears off...

Asha had charged in and put six wounds on the Mammoth, although they lost 4 Reavers to the hidden traps from Mance's Trappers. My spearwives also moved up with Diversion tactics, and between their charging volley and shots from Trappers, finished off the Reavers scoring an extra point as Mance's unit did the killing

END OF TURN 3

GREYJOYS 4 VP's ( 2 units, 2 objectives)

FREEFOLK 4 VP's ( 2 units +1 Mance killed, 1 objective)

TURN 4

Taking the Bags, George used them to have Nute attack the Mammoth!!!

But I passed armour saves on all three hits!!! So I activated the spearwives still slugging it out with Vic, reducing them down again to five models...

Again, Nute took the bags and killed the Mammoth, who promptly fell onto Nute and killed him and his last Silenced Men. Never take a Barber to shear a Mammoth!!!

This put the victory points up to five each!!! This was an epic battle...

I played Regroup and Reform to bolster the trappers from the Jarls spearwives as Nute was back on via Balon. I also swapped Mance out, then activated the Spearwives with Mance in them.

They cut down two silenced men with their spears, before charging home...

Claiming Victarion's unit and scoring 3 VP's in the process...

Before dropping back onto the centre objective. That was some pivotal card interplay.

END OF TURN 4

FREEFOLK 9 VP's (4 units, +3 from Mance kills, plus 2 objectives)

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

TURN 5

I activated the spearwvies unit to turn and face Nute's unit. I then hit George with Predictable Manouvers, allowing my Trappers to move away and also face Nute too. George simply didn't care as Nute charged the trappers after taking a few hits from the hidden traps.

Unfortunately, Nute and the Reavers easily cut down the Trappers. So I beefed up Mance's wives with bags to deny it to Nute. But George played Assault orders and charged my other spearwives, cutting them down (but bringing back a Raider unit as they had Endless hordes on them). I activated Mance and threw some spears, dropping a rank off of the Silenced men. But I did not charge in. George took the letters. I moved up my Raiders with horses, ready to march onto the left objective.

Good job, as the sneaky Nute played another Assault Orders!!!

And Mance failed with his Counterstrategy...

The dropping of the rank helped as I lost eight Men as George's valiant effort contested the objective. Fortunately, my raiders seized left and secured a narrow Freefolk win...

END OF TURN 5 (and game)

FREEFOLK 10 VP's (4 units, +3 Mance, 3 objectives)

GREYJOYS 7 VP's (5 units, 2 objectives)

Awesome, swingy, tense and exciting game to finish. George played Vic and Nute very well, and just didnt get the card combo's he needed until turn 5. My regroup and reform with Mance won me the game, but it was close in so many ways. Losing Varamyr stymied my flank on the left and I had to shift the Mammoth over to deal with Nute. Definitely holding Asha's charge was pivotal, as i then flanked and Trappered her to death, while my spearwives held Victarion up. Really fun game, George certainly was in my face with his force, but his silenced men didn't kill enough to make much impact on my morale...

RESULTS

THIRD PLACE

STEVE "ORVAR" HARRIS

TARGARYENS

SECOND PLACE

SAM "THE WOLF KING" SHAW

STARKS

WINNER

CHRIS "Chris-fnm" BAKER

LANNISTERS

BEST PAINTED

NIGEL "MAG" BARTLETT

FREE FOLK

Congratulations to the top 3, all unbeaten. And Nigel's Mag force was amazing...

Good to get back to A Song of Ice and Fire after being bitten by the Middle Earth Strategy Battle Game bug over last 8 weeks. So this was the first ASOIF event at Board in Brum since the new management, and they acknowledged ASOIF was a bit of an unknown for them and went for random rolled Game Modes, which is fair enough. But for newer players some of the mission card based scenarios don't lend well to events in my opinion. (And also, objective based scenarios favour my lists) But though I wasn't keen when they were rolled, it was good to mix it up a bit and play some of the less played scenario. Overall, it was a well run event with friendly players its a good, well stocked venue. Look forward to getting to a few more events there (ok, so Middle Earth Strategy Battle game is next up for me in March, my first)

So Ste came in fourth after his round loss one to Chris Baker, myself finishing sixth and Elliot came further down, having managed a losing 9-9 draw in game 1, a losing 7-7 draw in game 2 before a 6-5 defeat in game 3 at his first ASOIF event. Good to be back at it, and with the changes coming Monday, looking forward to another year of A Song of Ice and Fire events, some of which are below(and I'll be at a few for sure)