Campaign Report: First Blood

Our Players

 

Justin Cunnane: Chixl's Warhost (Lizardmen)

Jason Pierson: Waaagh Blackfang (Orcs & Goblins)

Louis Mule: The Murderous Legion (Dark Elves) 

Josh Affrime: The Horde of the Scorched Cauldron (Ogre Kingdoms)

Steve Stiefel: The Roving Province of Sigmarheim (Empire)

Rob Hawkins: Skryre Lord Skreekits' Lightning Engineer Cult (Skaven)

(You'd think we were having a contest to see who can come up with the longest army name!) To see more about the players and their armies, check out last week's post.

When we left our intrepid generals, the headquarters of the Roving Province of Sigmarheim was under attack from Waaagh Blackfang:

 

 

Another thing worth pointing out on the map is the collision of Lou's Dark Elves and Josh's Ogres in territory 55. Their armies are allied, and obviously didn't coordinate their orders very well. Josh opted to yield to the Dark Elves and Hold on the road instead.

The reports have come in from the front– Steve's Empire have successfully staved off Jason's Orc attack. Jason learned firsthand the folly of attacking an Empire gun line in a fortified position with a 150 point advantage. His Orcs retreated, for the moment.

 

 

In the following turn, Jason ordered his banners to fortify their positions and moved his reinforcements forward. I strategically planned my Skaven's banner maneuvers to capture as much territory as possible in subsequent turns.

Josh moved his Ogre banners down the road. Allied with the Dark Elves, they are enveloping the territory of the Lizardman. Lou sent his legions forward, launching two attacks against Justin's Lizardmen.

 

 

The two battles were: 1000 points of Lizardmen vs. 1000 points of Dark Elves, and then 1300 points of Lizardmen vs. 1200 points of Dark Elves. Because of the small size of the games, Justin and Lou were able to play them back-to-back the same day.

The reports indicated that Lou underestimated the all-around toughness of the Lizardmen; he was able to throw out a ton of Strength-3 attacks, but it was all for naught against the high-Toughness Lizardmen. Combine that with a lot of bad luck (despite the ungodly amount of re-rolls that Dark Elves are entitled to) and you've got one lost battle. Justin's Bastilidon held up Lou's Hydra long enough to flank it with Kroxigors for the kill. The battle turned into an all out rout after Lou's Witch Elves were broken by a unit of Saurus warriors.

The second game was much closer, but two failed Stupidity tests cost Lou his Cold One Chariots. Lou tried to take advantage of his superior shooting but, playing a little too conservatively, he'd only brought two bolt throwers and 10 crossbowmen. Next time the gloves would be off!

Both games were massacres; The Dark Elf banners were annihilated. Lou barely had enough territory to reform them back at their headquarters. If he lost any more, his realm wouldn't be able to sustain three banners, and he would need to dissolve one.

Here's how things looked at the end of turn 6:

 

 

Te Skaven and Orcs are quickly gaining territory as the other realms fight over their close proximity. The alliances are still in effect (Empire & Lizardmen; Ogre Kingdoms & Dark Elves; Skaven & Orcs) but would they last?

'Til next time!