Aden, Ste, Cameron, Callum, Olli, and myself travelled over the Pennines to visit Leodis Games Brothers in Arms doubles event put on by the legend that is Thomas Whitworth.

As always, standard tournament rules don't apply, as Thomas had us make What If? two themed (if possible) 30pt list that would pair with one of your "Brothers-in-Arms" lists. Callum and Cameron ran Lannister/Martells, Ste and Aden a Targaryen/Free Folk pairing with myself and Olli going with a Nights Watch and Free Folk. 2 decks of cards each side, with a secondary commander swapped with your partner and played on a 6ft x 4ft, first to 14pts. 2 1/2 hour games with alternate units activations i.e. Team A player 1, Team B player 1, Team A Player 2, Team B Player 2. Oh, and 6 terrain pieces and can score off objectives Round 1. And Objective cards remain face down until taken (adopting this for Ribble Rumble)

The results were awesome games and some serious team interchanges

A day of pure gaming fun, with winning less important than taking part...

And as always, unbelievable prize support!!!

Everyone gets something...

Some people did practice, but Olli and I turned up with forces we wanted to run and themed along Jon and his Free Folk friends making an alliance with the Watch

OLLI & I

So for Game One, A Clash of Kings, we opted for out two infantry heavy lists

as we were facing Baratheons and Starks

Sworn Brothers with Jon Snow (C)

Veterans of the Watch with Alliser Thorne (Swap with Tormund) & Satin

Sworn Brothers with Watch Captain

Watch Marshal NCU

Aemon ---------------

Spearwives with Mance Rayder (C)

Spearwives with Tormund (Alliser Thorne exchange)

Spearwives with Jarl & Raid Leader

Free Folk Raiders with Raid Leader

War Mammoth NCU

Craster

Our first opponents were the comedic double act of Mark Bolton

& Josh Clack

Seriously unserious players, but a very nasty

list combination as seen below

Josh's Stannis list

King's Men with Stannis Baratheon (C)

King's Men with Axell Florent

Crownland Scouts with Dragonstone Noble

Baratheon Halberdiers with Andrew Estermont NCU

Davos Seaworth

Mark's Eddard list

Eddard's Honor Guard with Eddard Stark (C)

House Tully Cavaliers with Winterfell Guardian

House Umber Berserkers with Greatjon Umber

House Umber Berserkers with Winterfell Champion NCU

Catelyn Stark

TERRAIN & DEPLOYMENT

RANDOM: 2 Walls, 2 Hedges and 2 Corpse piles

STARK/BARATHEON: Tully Cavalry, Crownland Scouts, Umbers, Halberdiers,

Eddard's Honour Guard, Kingsmen, Umbers, Stannis Kingsmen

NIGHTS WATCH/FREE FOLK: Mance's Spearwives, Veterans, Spearwives,

Sworn Brothers, Raiders, Mammoth, Watch Marshal, Sworn Brothers

(Jarl's Spearwives Outflank)

ROUND 1

We took first turn, with Craster taking the Letters. Jake moved a unit, before Olli took the Horses with Aemon.

This allowed Olli's Veterans to get onto the centre objective Round 1

The Tully Cavaliers took the top (left Objective) but had Mance in their face with veterans nearby. Crownland Scouts stayed put as the Starks and Baratheons closed on the centre. Our forces were a bit strung out, more heavily on the flanks.

Board End of Round 1

STARKS/BARATHEONS 1 VP (1 Objective)

NIGHT WATCH/FREEFOLK 1 VP (1 Objective)

ROUND 2

The Spearwives with Jarl came on behind Stannis before Mark had Catelyn take Swords and play Assault orders for the Tully's to charge Mance's Spearwives

The Hedge helped as Mark rolled poorly and I only lost two Spearwives

and the attack also allowed me to play Diversion Tactics on the NW Veterans, moving into the Tully flank.

But that's when I found out I had to go, and not Olli. Damn, wish I had read rules. So my outflankers javelined and charged the rear of Stannis

Olli healed up with bags after his centre unit got hit hard

The Crownland Scouts took 3 wounds from attacking the Veterans who healed up with regroup and Reform and also took Alister Throne into their fold

The Tully's retreated out of combat with Mance, leaving the objective wide open.

In the meantime, Stannis and his Kingsmen chopped eleven spearwives down. Ouch!!!

So John Snow charged them, with the Free Folk using Overwhelming Assault to assist, choosing Critical Blow and Sundering and scoring eleven hits. Karma for the Spearwives, as the Kingsmen dropped to Stannis and expending a Too the Last...

Eldon's Umbers with Catelyn charged and cut down the Spearwives that Alister had left, but this triggered an Endless Horde unit so they retreated back.

The Raiders came on behind Mance to bolster our left flank as the Veterans cut down the Crownland Scouts, aided by a Javelin shot from Mance's Spearwives. In the centre, the Sworn brothers were facing the Halberdiers and Eddard, and keeping them occupied.

The Winterfell Champions Umber flanked Jon's Brothers but the Brothers held well

The central Raiders surprised everyone by dropping several Honour Guard when they charged in to support their allies

And the Watch Captain nearly finished him off, after they were attacked by the Halberdiers

This drew Axell Florent into the centre too

Oh, those Kingsmen know how to swing their swords. But the raid Leader survived

With Axell leaving them exposed, the Watch Marshall hit the umbers before the Mammoth charged in and did some clobbering...

End of Round 2

Our right flank was looking good

Our centre was looking threadbare...

And on the left, hmm, Tully's and Berserkers v Free Folk and Sworn Brothers. In the balance...

END OF ROUND 2

STARKS/BARATHEONS 2 VP's (1 unit, 1 objective)

NIGHTS WATCH/FREE FOLK 4 VP's (1 unit, 3 objectives)

ROUND 3

Going first, I had Craster take the Swords after using his once per game to heal two Sworn Brothers and then having them kill Eddard with the attack. But being the noble fellow he is, Olli allowed Eddard to "Take the Black" along with a few others and healed his unit even further.

The Jarl died to a failed panic from Davos on the Crown, so Olli had Jon attack and destroy the Umbers. Catelyn used the bags for an Assault Orders attack from Axell's Kingsmen, but only after tactical reposition brought the Mammoth into Stannis's flank

So I then had my aptly named "Stannisbane" Mammoth flank the Baratheon...

I didn't even need Josh to re-roll with the panic as Stannis breathed his last...

(This won our opponents the SPOT prize of Neutral box sets for losing both Commanders first)

(And we got scented candles, but Mark swapped my candle for his Lysene Pirates. What a good guy?)

Axell had easily finished off the lone Raider and so was free to flank Sworn Brothers on the centre.

but didn't kill them...

The Raiders flanked the Tully Cavalry, who had charged Mance but the wall saved the FreeFolk leader.

Unlike the Sworn Brothers who finally fell to the Halberdiers, who turned to face the Mammoth

Mance then turned and attacked the Tully's before Tormund led the Veterans in with Alester, dropping them to one model.

END OF ROUND 3

STARKS/BARATHEONS 7 VP's (5 units, 2 objectives)

NIGHTS WATCH/FREE FOLK 9 VP's (4 units, 5 objectives)

ROUND 4

Wildling Diplomacy didnt finish off the Tully, but the attack from them didn't drop Mance, so Olli's Veteran killed them, then surged back to prevent Mance being charged by the Umbers. The Mammoth backed away from the Baratheons and with time nearly up we played out the round.

BOARD END OF ROUND 4 (and Game)

END OF ROUND 4 (and Game)

STARKS/BARATHEONS 8 VP's (5 units, 3 objectives)

NIGHTS WATCH/FREE FOLK 4 VP's (5 units, 7 objectives)

That was a real blast, just so much fun. The tweaked rules and alternating play took a bit of time to get hang of, but really, the Sworn Brothers and Raiders held the best units while we took the flank objectives and held and won the flanks. This was actually the opposite of the plan we had at the start. I felt the left was weak and we'd lose it, but we didn't and the healing synergy of both forces really worked well. Josh and Mark had some poor dice, and Olli was immense, a cool measured commander while I was running around getting all over excited. Still, a good solid win, but that was totally secondary to the fun we had...

GAME 2

Dan & Mark

A GAME OF THRONES

Game 2 saw us facing another Stark and Baratheon combination with Dan and Mark running an even nastier aggressive Tully and tanky Baratheon combination. And they were a regular pair of chuckle brothers...

Mark was running Renly Baratheons...

Stag Knights with Renly Baratheon (C)

Baratheon Halberdiers with Thorn Watch Sentinel

Crownland Scouts

Rose Knights with Guyard Morrigen NCU

Cortnay Penrose

-------------------------- Dan was running a Brynden Cavalry force...

House Tully Cavaliers with Brynden Tully (C)

House Tully Cavaliers with Winterfell Guardian

Bloody Mummer Zorse Riders with Fortune Seeker

Grey Wind NCU

Robb Stark

Having to use both lists at least once, Olli and I opted for our unused lists as double Tullys would trample all over my Spearwives and the Stone Thrower would have a target rich environment with the Baratheon.

My second list was monstrous

Mag the Mighty - Mag Mar Tun Doh Weg (C)

Spearwives with The Great Walrus (swap with Jon Snow)

Varamyr Sixskins - Master Skinchanger

War Mammoth

Savage Giant

Shadowcat NCU

Lady Val

while Olli's Wall Guard were few in number but well hard...

Shadow Tower Spearmen with Donal Noye (C) & Satin

Veterans of the Watch with Jon Snow (Swap for Walrus)

Ghost

Builder Stone Thrower NCU

Othell Yarwyck

RANDOM TERRAIN & DEPLOYMENT

TERRAIN: Palisade, Bog, Corpse pile, Bog, Weir Wood, Wall

STARKS/BARATHEONS: Greywind, Rose Knights, Renly Stag Knights, Halberds, Tully Cavalry, Brynden Tully Cavalry, Crownland Scouts (Zorses outflank)

NIGHTS WATCH/FREE FOLK: Stone Thrower, Ghost, Savage Giant,Veterans, Donal in Shadow Tower Spearmen, Mag the Mighty, Mammoth, Varamyr, Spearwives (Shadowcat in outflank)

ROUND 1

First activation saw Mark take the Horses and moved up the Rose Knights. Val took the Letters, swapped to a move and moved up Mag.

Greywind took the far left objective, Ghost the near left. The Veterans turned to face the Stonethrower as we expected Zorses to turn up round 3 so Donal Noye advanced on the Centre. Mag replaced his activation with Hurl Boulder and caused five wounds on Brynden Tully's unit. The other Tully's charged in off of assault orders, the eight attacks doing 3 wounds on Mag. The Spearwives advanced up onto the near right objective with Varamyr hiding behind them, while the Crownland Scouts took the far right

Dan was eager to engage with his forces, and the early charge over a bog was gutsy.

END OF ROUND 1

STARKS/BARATHEONS 2 VP's (2 objectives)

NIGHTS WATCH/FREE FOLK 2 VP's (2 objectives)

ROUND 2

First activation saw Val take Bags and heal Mag up

Taking the Swords, Mag took a wound but this did deny Olli an extra Stonethrower attack. So he took the Horses and moved the Veterans nearer the Stonethrower and deny it to Dan/Mark. The Halberdiers took the centre

I made a 5+ charge with Stannisbane, my Mammoth, into Brynden helped by the Blitz card for 8" move... and the re-roll

Nine sundering hits resulted!!!

And Brynden dropped to one wound, but final strike was played and my Mammoth was badly mauled. Unfortunately, when Brynden activated and attacked later, he killed the Mammoth but It shall Not end until my death was played and it killed Brynden and remained on one wound... class! "Bryndenbane"

The Tullys that were in combat with Mag decided to retreat, while the Shadow Tower Spearmen charged into the Halberdiers, exposing their flank

With a Mammoth in their flank, I sent my Spearwives into the crownlands Scouts to dent them the objective and dropped them a few wounds. Varamyr took the near right objective

Of course, I can only contest if I had three ranks, but Marks lovely Baratheon dice helped out, need 4+ to hit and scoring one...

Mag charged into the Tullys who had so boldly charged him earlier, killing seven with a failed panic check helping

Mark sent the Rose Knights into Donal Noye's Spears and totally whiffed, with no re-rolls due to the bog. And the Nights Watch armour held, losing one...

Ghost held the far left but the centre and far right were contested, allowing us to get ahead.

END OF ROUND 2

STARKS/BARATHEONS 2 VP's (2 objectives)

NIGHTS WATCH/FREE FOLK 5 VP's ( 1 unit, 4 objectives)

ROUND 3

The Zorse riders came in on Dans deployment zone, next to my Mammoth while Shadowcat came on next to the Crownland Scouts. But with us activating first, we had Mag attack off of the Swords, killing the second Tully cavalry before overrunning into the flank of the Halberdiers, the bog preventing enough hits to kill them sadly.

With the Zorses on, we used Val to bring the veterans to bear on the Rose Knights after being reduced by the Stonethrower. Greywind skirted around my Savage giant, who had failed a charge on Robbs Direwolf last round. Greywind then failed a charge on Ghost, who just ignored his brother and sat on the objective. The Savage Giant moved up onto the far left

The Zorses finished off my Mammoth, and the Shadow Towers spears killed the rose knights. Mag killed the Halberdiers and took the centre, as Varamyr sat on the near right and the Spearwives kept the Crownlands Scouts from scoring

ROUND 4

With lots of dead units and Olli and myself scoring heftily from the objectives, Dan and Mark simply wanted to kill things, with the Zorses flanking Jon but we healed off bags.

The Crownland Scouts didnt do much either, scoring one wound

The Veterans failed a charge at Greywind, but Ghost didn't

killing Greywind with help of a vulnerable token and three ones rolled.

Dan had been champing at the bit to get a Dire Wolf off, and was actually toying with a Turn two charge.

The Stag Knights went for a charge against my Savage Giant

making it but only doing two wounds.

I activated but swapped the attack action for Shrug it Off to heal up

BOARD CENTRE & LEFT END OF GAME

NIGHTS WATCH / FREE FOLK 16 VP's (5 units, 11 objectives)

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

Another brilliant game, where quite simply, Olli's Spearmen held the centre alone, while Mag and his Mammoth stomped on the Tullys. The spearwives held surprisingly well, our dice were good but to be fair, Marks were abysmal and Dan really just wanted to charge things. (It took some persuasion from Mark for Greywind not to charge my savage giant in Round 2). We scored really well

from the objectives but Olli never missed with the Stone Thrower, Mag was truly Mighty and the Bryndensbane was great too.

GAME 3

Aden & Ste

FIRE & BLOOD

With two decent wins Olli and I were up on table two for the final game, where we were faced with this despicable duo with lists involving Dragons and Giants forcing Aden and Ste to wear the Badges of Shame for cheesiest lists...

Aden was running a similar list to my own with Mag commanding

Mag the Mighty - Mag Mar Tun Doh Weg (C)

Varamyr Sixskins

War Mammoth

Savage Giant

Wun Wun NCU

Lady Val

And Ste was using his monster list for a big tag team

Brazen Beasts with Daenerys Targaryen (C) & Jorah

Drogon

Rhaegal

Viserion NCU

Mirri Maz Duur

Olli opted for his Jon Snow list as the Stone Thrower wouldn't be able

to target Solos while the Sworn Brothers Martial Training could threaten

Dragons

Sworn Brothers with Jon Snow (C)

Veterans of the Watch with Alliser Thorne (Swap with Walrus) & Satin

Sworn Brothers with Watch Captain

Watch Marshal NCU

Aemon

I felt my triple Spearwives would be easy prey so went for the bug guys again...

Mag the Mighty - Mag Mar Tun Doh Weg (C)

Spearwives with The Great Walrus (swap with Thorne)

Varamyr Sixskins - Master Skinchanger

War Mammoth

Savage Giant

Shadowcat NCU

Lady Val

RANDOM TERRAIN & DEPLOYMENT

TERRAIN: Hedge, Hedge, Hedge, Wall, Weirwood, Stakes

(M) = Marked

TARGARYEN/FREEFOLK: Varamyr, Savage Giant, Wun Wun, Drogon (M), Little Mag (M), Mammoth (M), Viserion, Brazen Beasts, Rhaegal (M)

NIGHTS WATCH/ FREE FOLK: Spearwives, Mammoth, Sworn Brothers, Watch Marshall, (M) Veterans (M) , Sworn Brothers, Mag the Mighty, Varamyr (M), Savage Giant (M)

ROUND 1

Olli went first and took the Letters, weakening Mag. Aden took Swords and swapped it for

Val move, bringing Rhaegal back behind Beasts. I looked to use Val too but didnt want anyone suffering auto 3 wounds from Dragon attacks from Promise of Fire so I passed

Aden and Ste had set up to hit with the Giants and then have Dragons finish off. But I had a plan to split their units, so Olli moved Watch Marshall over to the left, within Short range of the Mammoth

Which allowed my Mammoth a Tactical Reposition shift Forward before the Varamyr activated and sat still. Ste and Aden were have a lot of long discussions about what to do, eating into time. (Impression we got was Aden wanted to charge but Ste was wanting us to commit)

Meanwhile, on Table 1

Callum and Cameron, facing Lord Commander Nicholas Keyes and Alex Grant

I went to activate a unit but Aden's little Mag moved up from Swift Reposition.

I ignored it and stuck to my bold gamble, as the mammoth had been doing well. I declared a 5+ charge and didn't need the re-roll, thundering into Varamyr with six hits and killing him.

before moving back six to draw out the enemy.

Mag wasn't bothered and charged into the Veterans with Blitz, becoming Vulnerable but auto in. However, disrupt and the weakened token meant only four Veterans died, and Mag took a wound back from counterstrike

Olli had slightly aimed his Brothers out, to give him more cover on the flanks but left a gap for a solo to get in without risk of countercharge. An error? Or a cunning trap for hunting Monsters? Well, with Precision and some good rolls, Mag lost three more wounds.

Wun Wun and the Savage Giant turned to face the Mammoth as I brought up Alliser's Spearwives to support, The Sworn brothers with Watch captain gave themselves options for next turn

After Varamyr destroyed the Stakes, my Savage Giant moved up and was outflanked by Rhaegal flying out of arc. Then Aden's Mammoth charged Jon's activated Sworn Brothers who had moved to threaten bad Mag. Needing a 5+, Aden rolled a 4, but the re-roll was a 2 which left him short by almost 4"

With just enough room, Big Mance went in and smacked the Mammoth with his trusty tree, doing five wounds. This triggered the Brazen beasts Sentinel to move out a bit, but they couldnt charge

The Mammoth also took a wound from the panic, sitting on two left

Drogon failed to charge the Spearwives, Ste rolling a one when a 2+ was needed. And Viserion was a 3+ into my Mag but he failed and was stuck smelling Adens Mammoths dung...

BOARD END OF ROUND 1

END OF ROUND 1

NIGHTS WATCH/FREEFOLK 1 VP (1 unit)

TARGARYEN/FREEFOLK 0 VP's

ROUND 2

Shadowcat deployed far left to help out. And Ste and Aden ordered tea and biscuits while they spent almost 5 minutes deciding what to do. First off, Aden wanted Viserion to charge Mag, as Olli then ad to activate and he could withdraw his Mammoth. Then conversation switched to the left where Drogon, Wun Wun and the Giant had a target rich environment. The it switched to the right as both my marked units were. Olli remarked that we might end up winning 1-0 at this rate..

And I get there was a lot to discuss...

In the End they took the bags and healed Mag.

And no more round updates as things went thick and fast...

Olli then flanked Mag for a load more wounds with the Watch Captains Brothers

Aden saved on sixes but was vulnerable thankfully as he saved 4 first roll

Ste used that as a Sentinel trigger to move the Brazen Beasts further right.

Viserion did then charge in, doing 3 wounds to Mag. So Olli then charged the Mammoth with his Veterans, as for all their plans they kinda forgot they could get past Mag (they couldnt have had the Brazen Beasts stayed put mind)

A marked unit, with 2 Vps on it killed by another marked unit gave us a load of VPs when the beast died

Of course, Aden then had the Mammoth fall on Mag and a 3 on the D3 would have killed me. But he rolled a 2, so I survived on one wound. And on activation, marked Viserion and smacked four wounds off of him

Viserion attacked Mag from the Swords (which hadn't been claimed), easily killing him. But Mag's Chieftains Fury killed took the Dragon down with him, and allowed two heals on the Veterans who were still slugging it out with bad Mag...

On the left, the Spearwives held from a Wun Wun attack, and healed from Stand United Brothers reinforcements from the Watch Captains Men. Shadowcat was killed by a charge from the Savage Giant who tried to Overrun into my Mammoths flank but it was pointed out that Aden rolled a one on the charge so no cards were allowed. The Giant dropped back to protect Drogon. With more activations, the Brazens Beast had activated but not charged.

But Drogon charged and the unit survived on account of suffering one less wound from the failed panic due to Alliser Thorne's Iron Resolve. Awesome...

Rhaegal committed on the right, flanking the Savage Giant. Ste rolled another 1 on the charge

(it wasn't their first 😉)

I activated the Savage Giantess, moved over and did three wounds to Rhaegal. Varamyr went in but Fire made Flesh kept Rhaegal alive on two wounds. On the left, my Mammoth smacked the Savage Giant for three wounds...

That was a bloody turn and end to ROUND 2

Olli and I were ahead something in region of 6 VP's to 2Vp's

ROUND 3

We took the Swords and had the marked Rhaegal die at the hands of my marked Savage Giant. This allowed a Sentinel charge from the Brazen Beasts. Which killed my giant with a marked unit, and Ste played his Overrun that he couldnt play earlier. But they failed to kill Varamyr, with my armour being solid and only took two wounds. Varamyr attacked back, dropping a rank. The Brazen Beasts then activated and attacked, doing one wound. Varamyr survived.

Olli then went, taking Jon Snows unit into Mag's flank after putting a VP on him and dropped him. Sadly, little Mag was weakened and his Chieftains fury attack didnt kill many

The centre was won by our forces, wit the Watch untouched. Varamyr had held the right and we had reached the VP threshold. But Ste and Aden poured all their remaining malice onto our left...

Wun Wun killed Alliser Thorne, our Watch Marshal ran out of Drogon reach so Drogon flanked my Mammoth, killing it but allowing me to fall on the Savage Giant and kill it...

Drogon fled away and the Nights Watch were victorious

BOARD END OF ROUND 3 (and Game)

NIGHTS WATCH/FREE FOLK 15 VP's

TARGARYENS FREE FOLK 9 VP's

Wow!!! That was just brilliant. I honestly didn't think we could win that prior to the game but several things contributed to it. I felt their marking of our units was poor, targeting weaker units like Varamyr and the Watch Marshall. We in turn targeted units likely to get into combat, i.e. Mammoth, Mag and Dragons. Also, they didn't deploy fully up, where the Dragons would have had auto charge first round even if behind the Giant screen. We drew first blood with the long range Mammoth and when they failed numerous charges, yes, we were lucky or they were unlucky (certainly with the number of ones they rolled) but Ste's dragons were too far back. And we were relatively quick and decisive in what we decided to do, they spent long time procrastinating plays and not targeting marked units.

But for all that, we were definitely the luckier and we loved it...

Aden was magnanimous enough to take a victory picture...

Have to say, don't know why I am smiling, I only had a one wound Varamyr left,

my forces was obliterated and the Watch barely took a scratch. Bloody Southerners!!!

On the top table, Callum and Cameron had a crushing victory too, meaning they were overall champions on units destroyed and got limited promos as well as the Golden Brothers

LINK TO FINAL STANDINGS

(Remember, it was pairs so count down in twos)

The Wardens of the Northwest

(or the Top four with Aden and Ste)

Olli's Stannis and my Renly second place trophies...

And a big book for my efforts with fluffiest themed army background

To summarise, Thomas Whitworth's event are just amazing. So much effort into the rules, the garlic sausage rolls, man it has everything and this was brilliant.

That is the reason his event sell out so quickly...

It helps we had three great pairings opposite, Josh and Mark, Dan and Mark and Aden and Ste. We had some real luck and pretty sure we didn't get everything right but what with the rules pack nothing that detracted from the games as we were all in the same boat. Trying to do the you go I go, he goes, they go and with combo's from faction cards and secondary commander, all great fun and highly enjoyable but bonkers mad trying to get head round it. In the end, we just rolled better...

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FORTHCOMING EVENTS

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