One of the guys I definately wanted to face was Anthony. He appeared on the scene about 3 months ago and proceeded to set out a fully painted Beastman army which left us all in awe. Personally I think he was one of the catalysis for this whole "4 gamers".
As soon as I knew he was playing I wanted to see what new army he was going to pull out of the bag!
Turns out I would be facing Wood elves (that will be a new one!).
Turns out Wood elves bring their own woods with them! and if they have a wizard they move around like an armoured personel carrier??????
Anthony sets his forces across the table with his War dancers in the woods, I decide to keep my forces in close support as I figure I am going to spend the game chasing pointy ears around the table. Against some sage advice I decide to keep my wizard out on his own but will try to keep him within 3" on a friendly unit for the "look out sir!!" thing.
Heres a close up of the unit up on the hill.
and his Elf scouts are converted LOTR rangers
First surprise of the day is when an "Arrow of doom" suddenly multiplies in mid air and hits my knights with 15 hits! Thankfully the 1 up armour save is a god send but I know that it would have shredded any infantry I had on the table.
My Knights march towards the War dancers as quick as possible as I hope to bait them into charging.
The Gryphs and Wizard move to assault the Eagle and Elf unit on the hill. Markus opens up with the flaming cage spell on the eagle to trap it in place but this is dispelled so I slam it with the fireball Spell.
Eat incandesent flames of fury Elf Canary!!!
It was a gorgeous miniature but it had to go!
Eat incandesent flames of fury Elf Canary!!!
It was a gorgeous miniature but it had to go!
The Elves flank my forces and take pot shots at my forces but in my next magic phase I pin down the elves on the hill with the flaming cage and then hit them with the Fireball before the Gryphs charge to finish off the unit.
It looks like Elves are soon to become an endangered species!
It looks like Elves are soon to become an endangered species!
The Knights are going dizzy spinning on the spot as they are desperately trying to avoid flank attacks until the Gryphs turn up in support.
The next couple of turns turn into a massive game of kiss chase as I desperately try to stop myself being out maneuvered while trying to pin down at least one unit so I can get the charge off. This is made all the harder due to Markus rolling a double 6 and then getting stuck full of arrows (inevitable really).
Despite my best efforts I find myself out maneuvered and in charge the War dancers. Personally I am surprised Anthony does not commit more forces to these attacks and I suspect the Dancers are his only real hitty unit.
YES THEY ARE as I lose an entire rank of Knights and off they gallop towards the nearest table edge. Thankfully they outrun the pursuing Dancers.
Maybe its an oversight on his part but Anthony does not flank my Gryphs with his scouts and I get to chase after the Dancers for some pay back!
The Dancers crash in again and my only hope is I can hold on long enough until the cavalry arrive (literally)
The whiff of fear wafts through whats left of the Knights and the camps washer woman will be busy in the morning, but the Knights hang in there and give the Gryphs enough time to come crashing into the Dancers rear.
Lets see them Tango their way out of this one!
I poop a small brick when Anthony shows me how many attack die his Dancers have just generated!
Thankfully the Imperial armour saves me again and the 2 survivors run down whats left of the Dancers! while the Gryphs rein themselves in and turn to face the next threat.
This turns out to be a major mistake as I now know why Anthony did not commit more forces to the assault and his Scouts hunt down my General and snipe his out of the game................SOD IT !!!!!
That puts Anthony well in the lead on points but I can't believe my luck when he leaves his last remaining unit JUST within the charge arc of my Gryphs (the battle of 3mm springs instantly to mind) and I charge like a thing possessed through the woods as I only have this last roll of the die to win the game!
Thankfully the Gryphs do what Gryphs do best and whallop the Elves to the point of destruction. The Elves decide "Sod the trees" and flee for the nearest table edge but the Gryphs have a taste for Elf flesh and run down the remainder of the unit to give me a Minor victory in the final roll of the final turn. How close was that.
Anthony and I shake hands on a hard fought battle with both of us beaming from ear to ear!
Lessons learnt
1) using the flaming cage worked wonders but I need a plan B to pin down skirmisher units uncase some thing happens to the wizard early in the game.
2) I should not get too complacent about my armour saves and work harder to keep my units in cover as I am sure there will be other nasty surprises like the "Arrow of doom" lurking about.
3) really should work out whats what with magic items as I wasted 25 points on a dispell scroll when it was surplus to requirements.
P.S. This is how Custoras Should have met his end!
P.S. This is how Custoras Should have met his end!
Always enjoy your commentary your photos always do justice to the models.
ReplyDeleteCheers george, I think a pin hole camera would have done justice to Anthony's minis, they are gorgeous
ReplyDelete