Wednesday, January 18, 2012

Battle Report 2 - Beasts vs Bretonnians

John verses Noel in the battle for the bits of The Isle of Mists that Paul does not control.

The Bretonnian fielded a force of 9 grail knights, 4 Pegasus knights, one unit of 9 knights of the realm and another unit of the same with 6 knights, battle standard bearer and level 2 damsel. The ranged part of the army was 2 trebuchets and 30 peasant bowmen.

The Beastmen went with 2 chariots, a jabberslythe, a large-ish unit of gors with a level 4 shaman and a unit of bigger gors with their general and battle standard bearer. 

The terrain had no real bearing on the game. Nor did magic, luckily for me.

Noel goes first and just barely comes out of his deployment zone with everything but the jabberslythe. That monster stopped just in front of my slightly cloistered battle line. It used it's special ability to make me roll against my leadership on both KotR units and the P. knight unit. The grail knights were immune to its power as they are ItP. The p.knights took one wound and i think the jabberslythe took a kotr withs its tongue attack. The magic phase was short. 4 power dice for Noel with me getting 2 dispel dice. Noel successly chanels and decides to try to summon another jabberscythe which forces me to dispel scroll it. This was the thing of note that happened in any magic phase in the game.

My first turn, I charge his unit of I think bestigors with both the grail knights and the unit with my general in it. I needed 8+ on both charge rolls with three dice. I made both much to Noels disgust. (This is the second battle in a row against Noel where i got lucky with my charging rolls. He hates me for it.) I position the other unit of kotr to charge the jabberslythe next turn. I totally forgot to move my p. knights. I need that app Craig.  My magic phase, I roll 4 power dice with Noel getting 3 dispel dice. I fail to cast some spell so on to the shooting phase. The 30 bowmen take out a chariot. One trebuchet kills a gor and the other miss fires taking it out for next turn. This was my best shooting phase of the game. I rolled above average for the bowmen to kill the chariot with a few wounds to spare. I was pleased to find that the peasants have longbows. The combat with the bestigors went well for me also. I screwed up at the start by issuing a challenge with the grail knights instead of my tooled up general. Forgot about the rule of only one challenge per combat. Hows that app coming Craig? With the bestigors great weapons allowing my to get all my attacks off first i managed to inflict double digit casualties while only losing 3 kotr in reply. I made lots of armour saves and a few ward saves to boot. Noel was not happy. His general ran but i could not catch him with my grail knights. Another rules based fuck up by me here. Noels unit was below 25% of its starting size so could not rally. There was no point in trying to run it down. I should have reformed with the grail knights instead. I also forgot to make his other units take a panic test for them fleeing combat within 6 inches of them. The generals unit withheld pursuit and reformed to face his unit of gors, leaving its flank open to being charged by the remaining chariot. 

On Noel's turn, he went on the defensive a bit to much imo. He charged with his chariot but not with his remaining unit of gors. His reasoning was that as they lacked great weapons they would be unable to do much damage to my knights with their 2+ armour save. That is a fair point but i was very worried about them charging. The extra bonus a ranked unit would have given him to CR had me sweating it. I probably would have held against the charge, with me general taking the +1ld bonus and the unit he is with having stubborn and the battle standard bearer as well making any break test on a 10 or less rerollable. The knights and the jabberslythe both did some damaged to each other but the knights managed to win on CR and broke the beast. They failed to run it down tho, with it stopping just in front of my archers. The magic phases was a wash again. As was the chariot attack with the knights killing it out right before CR. 

My turn was pretty uneventful. I forgot my magic phase entirely (app please) but remembered to move my p knights this time. They went flying behind the unit of gors. I reformed the grail knights so that the gors could not charge my generals unit next time with out hit the grail knights first. In the shooting phase, the bowmen killed one gor and my working trebuchet killed 2 p knights. With three of my knight units surrounded his unit of gors Noel was surprised that I took the shot. It was overaggressive to be sure, but this was the first time i had used them and i wanted them to have done something. Some people can't be told i guess. Anyway I charged and kill his jabberslythe, just so I would not have to type that word any more.

In his go, Noel was of the opinion that it is better to charge then to be charged. He went for my grail knights, who it turn out can actually take a charge. They routed the gors who fled into the p knights and died. Game over.

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

A Dwarf's Tale, Ch 3: Miners

[As occurred in Year 3 Turn 2.]

The army were marching south when Gadrin Tunnelsguid stopped. His fellow miners could sense from his stance that something was afoot.

"Stop! Listen!", hissed Gadrin, "you smell that?".

The other miners spread out, moving with a slow and steady pace. Some lifted their noses to the wind and started sniffing. One miner picked up a stone from the ground and licked it carefully. Another had moved to a nearby stream and was slowly studying the contents of the its bed. Yet another bent to one knee and scooped some earth. He tasted it. He tasted it again and without changing his stance brought his shovel to bear on the soft topsoil beneath his feet. In a quick yet deliberate and measured pace Gadrin continually dug until a pick was required. Other miners had joined him and widened the hole. 

Not a single sound had been made since the first exclamation. Only the hiss-thunk of digging echoed around the camp. Later some Dwarves would swear they hear a fevered giggling coming from the direction of the miners.

Word had reached the armies general fast. He ordered them to make camp and let the miners do their work. The rest of the Dwarves gave the hole a wide berth. Everyone knew it was bad luck to disturb the birthing of a mine.

Some hours later night had fallen. Dorin had drawn the short straw, and reluctantly crept towards the hole. He leaned slowly over the edge. He couldn't see anything except the darkest dark of the very deep. He strained his ears...

"...oh mah gawd oh mah gawd oh mah gawd. SO. MANY. PRETTY. THINGS. mwah ha HA HA HA HA!".
"Get yoor han's aff that, it's mine! Wait. What? Up there? Yoo shure?"
"Hoi!  YOO AUP THERE! AYE YOO! W' MAY HA' HIT A SLIGHT SNAG (SNAG Snag)".

The echoes continued, making it difficult for Dorin to decipher what they were saying.

"Littl' Johnny Nae-Lahdders here forgawt oor exit stratehgy (stratehgy stratehgy) again. We'd try diggin oor way oot (oot oot), but we ken hoe that turned out last time (time time). Behsides, we've some gud news (news news). Wur' awl gonnae be rich laddie. RICH! (RICH Rich)".

The voice had descended into it's maniacal echoing giggling. Dorin leaned back and turned. He found himself looking at hundreds of Dwarves, standing in a perfect fifteen metre circle centred around him. He raised his fist to the night sky. A wall of sound hit him as a mighty cheer erupted from the throng.

Effect:
The dwarf miners and sappers report even better news from the scalded coast. A rich vein of precious metals such as diamonds, amethysts, sapphires and similar precious stones is found. The treasure generates d6 gold crowns each winter.

Saturday, January 14, 2012

Map - Year 3, Turn 2


Macdanalus, scrivener to the King. The Third Year and Second Campaign Month of the Great War.

And so the Beast Lord was laid low and the Kingdom of the Beasts came to an end. The Isle of Mists
would now come to be divided between the Kurgan, the Bretonni and the Norse.


Bretonnia
The two armies in the Plain of Ruin (C11) split from each other in the wake of the great battle.
The smaller force moved south and seized the Forest of Eyes (D11) unchallenged. The larger force
marched in to seize the Place of Dark Rain (D10) from the independent Kurgan nomads. A series
of fast paced and bloody skirmishes ensued with neither side able to secure a decisive victory. The
Bretonnian army retreated back to the Plain of Ruin (C11) to consider its options – they had lost 200
troops. Meanwhile on Norslatch the King ordered the cavalry army in Montfort (B5) to march at a
fast gallop south to Quenelles (D6) and await further orders. The army in Aquitaine (D7) boarded
the fleet which then sailed to the Vile Cliffs (E8) – dropping anchor just off the coast to assess the
situation. Finally, the army in Bastonne (B7) send out trackers – excitement builds as word comes
back that old mine workings have been discovered

Warriors of Chaos
The debased hordes moved en masse to fill the void caused by the collapse of the Beast Empire. The
armies in Hellcoast (B12) and Manbane (D12) moved south to occupy and seize Beast Rock (C12) and the Herding Plain (E12) respectively while a third army sailed along the coast before storming and then crushing and occupying Osthof (F12) – though it cost them 150 troops. The army in the Freezing Wastes (B16) again failed to find anything of note while the trackers along the Black Fire Coast (H16) reported sighting an entrance to a city hidden underground – a city of the dead

Kurgan upstarts
The men of the Vile cliffs (E8), Hergig (F11), Black deeps (E10) and Dark Forest (E11) all swore pacts of friendship and became part of the greater Kurgan peoples.

Dark Elves
The northern army based at the Silver River (G11) and accompanied by one of the two northern
fleets continued their conquest of Smith’s Isle after taking Bilbali (G12) by force – albeit at the cost
of 150 troops. The other fleet based on the Silver River sailed south to Cothique (I12). The last
fleet sailed north from Eataine (K10 )to Lothern (I11). Likewise the army in Avelorn (J10) marched
to Lothern (I11) while the army in Nagarythe (I13) moved west to the Fortress of the Dawn (J12).
Finally, the banner in Karond Kar (J14) moved south to explore Arnheim (K14) but found only empty wilderness when they arrived.

Vampires
The silent ghost ship sailed unnoticed along the coast from Castle Templehof (D4) to Carcasonne
(D5) while trackers sent out on Norslatch Isle proved fruitless in their searches. The order was sent
down and the host of Undead - three whole armies – marched south – they had expected to meet
resistance at the great keep beside the Glowing Crater (F9). But there was nothing there. The keep
was empty. The crater on the other hand...

There would be no fight just yet

Ogres
The Ogres resisted the impulse to march north. Orders were orders. They would wait in
Shambletown (G9) for the storm to break. Reinforcements poured north. The army and fleet in
Rockguts (H7) advanced towards Shattered Stone Bay (H8) while the army in Slave-Slaughter (I9)
marched north to Gash Kardak (H9). War against the Deadites was coming. War for Asur’s Rest

Dwarfs
The Dwarfs moved to end the unpleasantness and ‘misunderstanding’ in Barak Varr (G5) by moving
in troops from Silverspear (H4) to join the fleet stationed off the coast of the port city. The noble line
was replaced by an altogether more reliable sort – and cast out as slayers. Meanwhile the Dwarfs
moved to consolidate power on the Burning Isle. The army and fleet in the Burning Wastes (J3)
moved east to claim the empty wilderness known as the Scalded Coast (K4) while trackers exploring
along the Hissing coast (J6) discovered the entrance to an ancient mine...

Territorial Changes
Bretonnians take Forest of Eyes (D11) from Beasts – Village

Warriors take Beast Rock (C12) from Beasts – Village
Warriors take Herding Plain (E12) from Beasts – Village
Warriors take Osthof (F12) from Estalia – Village

Kurgan take Vile Cliffs (E8) from Beasts – village
Kurgan take Black Deeps (E11) from Beasts – city
Kurgan take the Dark Forest (E10) from Beasts – village
Kurgan take Hergig (F1) from Estalia - village

Dark Elves take Bilbali (G12) from Estalia - village
Dark Elves take Arnheim (K14) - barren

Vampires take the Glowing crater (F9) – fortress

Dwarfs take Barak Varr (G5) from Vampires - city

Bodycount

200 Bretonnian troops destroyed
150 Warriors troops destroyed
150 Dark Elf troops destroyed

Empires, the power struggle in depth

Scribes are generally a weaker skinnier Dwarf.
Their oversized brains 
clearly being too much a drain on 
the rest of their bodies for them to be good at much else.
Or: "Lies, damned lies, and statistics."

Somewhere in the depths of the Rusty Plains lay a building. A very small, nondescript building.

If you were to gain entrance to that building (which in itself is most unlikely), you might be surprised at how occupied it is. How well defended. And especially surprised at just how deep below ground it goes. And at the guards on each level.

The Dwarven Spymasters had been efficient. Their super secret headquarters had been collating data non-stop for weeks. Several scribes had collapsed and had to be taken away to be cared for in recovery.

At last, the reports were finished, and sent to the High King.


You may wish to go here for interactive graphs, where you can check the values of data points - as opposed to images of the graphs below.

Territory per Empire:  the number of hexes under each empires control.

Territory per Empire

Territory itself means nothing, without considering the value that territory can provide.
Economic Power per Empire:  the income generated per Empire
Economic power per Empire


Sea Power:  Fleets per Empire
Fleets per Empire


Military Might: the total points value of each Empire
Military might per Empire
Each piece of data for each empire for each turn was painstakingly counted using the maps that have been posted to this blog. All are reliable bar the military might, I only have actual banner values at the start of each year - not per turn.

Thursday, January 12, 2012

A Second Alliance

"M'Lord".... "M'Lord" said the creature.  "Wait" whispered Harakj.  This time the creature waited.  Harakj knew what had occurred.  The alliance of Elf and Ogre.  So, the wind changes course and blows West.

Interesting times.

State of the Nations

Empires of the Sundered Isles.
And lo, a census was conducted. Every being of every land was counted and accounted for.

Two years and a month have passed. A total of 13 turns of movement.
Three players have been wiped out, six remain.

Nine <men | dark elves | high elves | vampires | beastmen | french fops | dwarves | ogres | norsemen > enter,
(possibly only) one <dark elf | vampire | french fop | dwarf | norseman | ogre> leaves.

Another Druchii Alliance

Sangrin Hopetaker sat impassively behind the desk surrounded by his trappings of office, the ogre emissary’s stomach rumbled on the other side of the massive desk, dwarfed now by the emissary (quite civilised for their race he understood). His translator chattered, relaying the message much flowered by words about the great maw, a 1000 years and so on. Come on COME ON get to the f**king point he thought to himself I’m uncomfortable with this big smiling b**tard’s leer. He heard the words “Dwarf”, he hadn’t needed the translator at all but he wasn’t going to make it easy on them, nor had the lengthy delay been necessary when the emissary had arrived where the ogre had been offered no food and given an uncomfortable bench to wait on. So that was it the Dwarfs had attacked him from the west and his king was worried about us attacking from the east. If only he knew how stretched my armies were and how big an operation it was to subjugate the remaining High Elves he wouldn’t have sent this mission. He regarded the treaty once more then with a flourish and a perfect smile signed then handed it back. The ogre exploded into another tirade about the great maw before walking out backwards flanked by his translators and staff. Sangrin rose and bid him farewell before relaxing into his chair. A second later Hashin landed softly on the ground beside him his face still wrapped in a black veil. “Have your people follow him, I trust him as far as I can throw him, but he needs us and we need him so for now we have an alliance”. Hashin inclined his head once then softly padded out of the room. Sangrin swung around in his chair and regarded the map. He glanced out the window remembering standing there not two months past watching the sea of high elves appear at his gates. Things were getting very interesting. It would take time to consolidate his control of the island, this alliance couldn’t have come to at a better time.