Sunday, October 7, 2018

Staking a Claim Near the River of Sleep

Daqan: Crossing the River of Sleep (C1)
Uthuk Y'llan: Staking a Claim (C1)

The peaceful Uthuk Y’llan simply want a place they can call home and have staked a claim on a river valley. However, the aggressive Daqan Lords have other plans and launched an attack hoping to catch the Uthuk sleeping. Fortunately, the Uthuk were reinforced with their heavy troops.

The Uthuk deployed 2 units of Viper Legion Archers, 2 units of Fleshripper Brutes, 2 units of Obscenes, a Doombringer led by a Chaos Lord. The Daqan deployed 2 units of Citadel Guard, 2 units of Riverwatch Riders, 2 units of Ironbound, 2 units of Rune Golems and a unit of Greyhaven Mages. The Daqan also began with 10 lore counters.

The Daqan objective was to occupy the objective markers, however, they would also gain 1VP per turn if there were no enemy units occupying either of the two villages. The Uthuk were also aiming for the two objective markers but also gained 1VP per turn if they occupied at least one of each different terrain type: plains, forest and hill. As usual, victory goes to the force that reaches 16 victory points.
Deployment
Turn 1
The Daqan began the attack with a "line advance" moving one unit in each sector. On the right a unit of Golems occupied the rear village and the second unit of Golems advanced to occupy the forward village, On the left, a unit of Ironbound advanced to the closest objective marker. 2 VP.
Turn 1 Daqan Plan
Turn 1 Daqan Result
 
The Uthuk reacted quickly and launched a counterattack. On the right the Chaos Lord advanced to the closest objective. In the centre a unit of Vipers advanced onto the nearby hill, and on the left the other unit of Vipers advanced into the woods. 2VP.
Turn 1 Uthuk Plan
Turn 1 Uthuk Result
Turn 2
The Daqan attempted to surround the Uthuk forces. The Daqan used their magic to cast "crushing blow" on the Golems, allowing them to move and adding 3 combat dice. The Riverwatch raced to occupy the village vacated by the Golems while the Citadel Guards advanced to provide support. The Golems pummelled the defending Uthuk Obscenes and forced them back. However, the Obscenes were able to land a counter blow before withdrawing and killed two Golems. On the left, the Mages advanced supported by the rear unit of Ironbound. They cast a spell on the chaos lord but it had no effect. 2VP for a total of 4.

Turn 2 Daqan Plan

Turn 2 Daqan Result
The Uthuk reacted with the "patrol centre" command. The Obscenes and Doom Bringer both advanced and attacked the Golem on the hill on the left. However, the vile Daqan once again used their magic and cast "battle cry" which forced both Uthuk units to withdraw without combat. 2VP for a total of 4.
Turn 2 Uthuk Plan

Turn 2 Uthuk Result
Turn 3
The Daqan again ordered a line advance. In the centre, the light cavalry moved out of the village and attacked the Viper archers, scoring 2 kills, while the Citadel Guard on the right moved into the village. On the left, the Mages cast their magic against the Chaos Lord, scoring 2 hits. 2 VP for a total of 6.

Turn 3 Daqan Plan
Unfortunately the chronicler did not record an image after the Daqan assault.

The Uthuk reacted with an echelon left manouevre combined with the lore spell of "cannibalise" which allows a unit of Obscenes to recover their wounds if they eliminate an enemy unit. The Doom Bringer attacked the village, but had no effect, in part because the Daqan defenders used their lore to prevent a retreat. However, the Obscenes did succeed in destroying the last Golem. 2 VP for a total of 6.


Turn 3 Uthuk Result
Turn 4
The Daqan launched an attack on the right hoping the cavalry would push the Doom Bringer off the hill. They succeeded in scoring one hit but failed to make it withdraw. 2 VP for a total of 8.

Turn 4 Daqan Plan
Turn 4 Daqan Result

The Uthuk switched flanks and ordered a battle march. The Chaos Lord, Obscenes and Vipers on the right flank were ordered to attack. The Chaos Lord called on the aid of his lore in the hope of gaining extra distance, but his luck failed and he could only advance one hex to attack the Ironbound occupying the objective location. The Obscenes advanced with him to also confront the unit of Ironbound, while the Archers fired on the Mages. The assault by the Obscenes scored no damage at all, and they were wiped out by the Ironbound counter attack! The Chaos Lord scored a hit which was ignored by the armour of the Ironbound and although he also scored a flag the Daqan leader used his "valor and vengeance" lore to prevent the Ironbound from withdrawing off the objective. The only success was the archers who scored a hit which also poisoned the Mages. 2 VP for a total of 8.

Turn 4 Uthuk Plan
 

Turn 4 Uthuk Result
Turn 5
The Daqan reacted to the Uthuk assault and ordered an echelon left. The Ironbound attacked the Chaos Lord but only scored a single hit. The light cavalry in the centre attacked the Doom Bringer again and scored 2 hits but failed to force it to withdraw. 2 VP for a total of 10.

Turn 5 Daqan Plan
 

Turn 5 Daqan Result
As the battle neared its climax, the Uthuk ordered a clash of steel. The Doom Bringer on the left attacked the cavalry forcing them to retreat. The Chaos Lord attacked the Ironbound on the objective scoring a hit and 2 flags, one of which converted into another hit, and occupied the objective. 3 VP for a total of 11.

Turn 5 Uthuk Plan

Turn 5 Uthuk Result

Turn 6
The Daqan replied with their own clash of steel and the Ironbound attacked and killed the Chaos Lord! They then advanced to retake the objective. The Daqan also used their lore to gain an extra VP for destroying an enemy unit. 3VP for a total of 13.

Turn 6 Daqan Plan

Turn 6 Daqan Result
The Uthuk ordered a cavalry charge to bring the Flesh Rippers into the battle. One unit assaulted the Ironbound from the right but did no damage and were themselves damaged by the Ironbound counter-attack. The second unit on the left fared better and scored 2 hits on the Ironbound to destroy them and followed up with an attack on the cavalry to the rear scoring a hit and forcing them to withdraw 2 hexes. The Uthuk also used the opportunity to use their lore to gain an extra VP. 4 VP for a total of 15.
Turn 6 Uthuk Plan


Turn 6 Uthuk Result
Turn 7
The Daqan were now desperate and tried an attack in the centre combined with the use of lore to order the remaining unit of Ironbound to advance as well as the use of a portal to bring the rear unit of Golems onto the front line. On the left flank, the Citadel Guard, who were in the village, attacked the Doom Bringer scoring a hit and forcing it to withdraw off the hill. The Ironbound attacked the Flesh Rippers with an extra combat die scoring a hit and a flag, which caused a second hit. However, it was not enough to destroy them and when they counter-attacked they scored 2 hits on the Ironbound. The Golems attacked the archers but only killed 1. 1 VP for a total of 14. (note, had both attacks on the Daqan left flank worked, they would have scored 3 VP and won)

Turn 7 Daqan Plan

Turn 7 Daqan Result

With luck on their side, the Uthuk Doom Bringer returned to the hill and the remaining troops held their ground. 3 VP for a total of 18.

Turn 7 Uthuk Plan

Turn 7 Uthuk Result
The remaining Daqan withdrew leaving the field to the Uthuk Y'llan. The score if now 2 wins each,

Saturday, September 8, 2018

Sheltered Barrage in the Blood Stained Forest

Battle number 3.
 
The forces of the Daqan Lords once again attempted to ambush the peace loving Uthuk Y’llan. They deployed 3 units of greyhaven mages, 2 units of citadel guards, 2 units of citadel lancers, 1 unit of rune golems, 1 unit of iron bound spearmen and 1 unit of riverwatch riders against a band of 5 viper legion archers, 2 units of blood sisters, s units of fleshripper brutes and a unit of obscene. The Daqan reinforced their position with spikes and crystal spires, which, according to the deployment rules, cost one less deployment point than normal.

VP were awarded for occupying the marked spots and the Daqan gained a VP whenever they eliminated an enemy adjacent to the village, while the Uthuk gained a VP if a unit occupying a forest hex eliminated an enemy unit.
Starting Positions
Turn 1
The Daqan sprung their ambush using the echelon left manouevre. A unit of citadel guards moved forward to occupy one of the objective locations and a unit of riverwatch riders charged forward to occupy the second one, backed up by a unit of lancers. 2 VP.

Turn 1 Daqan Plan
Turn 1 Daqan Result
The Uthuk responded with an attack in the centre. A unit of fleshrippers raced to occupy the remaining objective while a unit of archers moved sideways and engaged the Daqan riders. this freed a path for a unit of blood sisters to move into the nearby wood and also attack the riders. Unfortunately, while the archers poisoned the riders, they did no actual damage and were in fact wounded by the rider counter attack. The blood sisters forced the riders to withdraw from the objective and occupied it themselves, but they also did no actual damage. 2VP.


Turn 1 Uthuk Plan


Turn 1 Uthuk Result
Turn 2
The Daqan launched a cavalry charge. The riverwatch used some lore to recover from the poisoning and moved into the trees to flank the blood sisters and threaten the Uthuk archers. While a unit of lancers raced into another copse of trees to attack the blood sisters. It is unclear exactly what happened next, as the blood sisters were destroyed but the Daqan did not advance onto the vacated objective. A unit of Daqan archers were wounded and forced to withdraw. 1 VP for a total of 3.
 
Turn 2 Daqan Plan
Turn 2 Daqan Result
Two units of Uthuk archers in the centre responded and attempted to engage the Daqan cavalry. One unit advanced to the objective marker and inflicted a casualty on the riverwatch light cavalry in the trees, but suffered a casualty in return. The second unit of archers also inflicted a casualty on the riverwatch. 2VP for a total of 4.
 

 
Turn 2 Uthuk Plan


Turn 2 Uthuk Result
Turn 3
The Daqan counter attacked with the lancers in the woods, riding down the Uthuk archers and taking the objective. They also advanced a unit of golems. 2VP for a total of 5.
Turn 3 Daqan Plan
Turn 3 Daqan Result

The Uthuk turned their attention to their left flank and attacked with 3 units. The blood sisters advanced into the woods and cast their spells on the nearby Daqan spearmen, wounding one, while the fleshrippers redeployed to cover the gap in the centre of the battle line. 1 VP for a total of 5.
Turn 3 Uthuk Result

Turn 4
The Daqan launched an "onslaught" allowing 3 units of infantry to move an extra hex. A unit of spearmen moved forward into the village to protect the flank of the objective. A unit of mages on the left moved forward and another unit of mages on the right moved into the hill and attempted to bespell the blood sisters to no effect. 2 VP for a total of 7.
Turn 4 Daqan Plan
Turn 04 Daqan Result
The Uthuk responded by ordering a "wedge" advance. The blood sisters cast "Fury of Uy’llam" and targeted the Daqan spearmen on the nearby objective killing them and scoring a VP for doing so from within a forest. The Obscenes moved forward and two units of archers engaged the riverwatch in the woods, expelling them and poisoning them but doing no actual wounds. 2 VP for a total of 7.
Turn 4 Uthuk Plan
Turn 04 Uthuk Result
Turn 5
Daqan then tried an echelon right. The unit of mages advanced as did the citadel guardsmen to attack the blood sisters. The golems also moved forward, while magic was used to permit the iron bound infantry to advance onto the objective. The attack of the mages and spearmen wounded one blood sister and produced a magical shield for the golems. 2VP for a total of 9.
Turn 5 Daqan Plan
Turn 5 Daqan Result
The Uthuk archers were ordered to "darken the skies" and fired volley after volley at the Daqan cavalry. A unit of heavy cavalry was destroyed, but once again the light cavalry evaded and withdrew into the woods. The Uthuk commander also used dark magic to "scatter" the Daqan who were surrounding the left objective marker. 1VP for a total of 8.  
Turn 5 Uthuk Plan

Turn 5 Uthuk Result
Turn 6
The Daqan on the left flank were spurred to action at the sight of the heavy cavalry being shot down and attacked. The remaining unit of lancers charged the Uthuk archers and ran them down while the two units of mages advanced to provide support. The commander also used his magic lore to move the iron bound heavy spearmen back to the objective on their right. 2VP for a total of 11.
Turn 6 Daqan Plan
Turn 6 Daqan Result
The Uthuk patrol in the centre took up the fight and the fleshrippers charged through the woods to strike the light cavalry while the blood sisters cast spells at the mages. The cavalry were destroyed and the fleshrippers immediately turned on the nearby heavy cavalry wounding them and forcing them to withdraw. One of the mages was wounded. 2 VP for a total of 10.
Turn 6 Uthuk Plan
Turn 6 Uthuk Result
Turn 7
The Daqan called on their battle lore to aid them. They gained 6 lore tokens which they used to portal the golems to attack the blood sisters forcing them to withdraw from the woods. 2VP for a total of 13.

Turn 7 Daqan Plan
Turn 7 Daqan Result
The Uthuk attempted to replicate that feat by also calling on their battlelore scoring two infantry and one elite action. They also used their lore to activate the fleshrippers. The obscene moved forward and destroyed the mages on the left. One unit of archers advanced and fired at the mages on the right poisoning them. The fleshrippers attacked the mages on the objective but, despite flanking them with the archers, had no effect. Finally, the archers in the rear fired at the remaining heavy cavalry unit and destroyed it. However, after the carnage, only 1 VP was scored for a total of 11.

Turn 7 Uthuk Plan
Turn 7 Uthuk Result
Turn 8
The Daqan forces attempted to exploit their lead and tried to surround the Uthuk. Both units of mages on the left used their lore to remove the poison and cast spells against the Uthuk archers, forcing the to withdraw. On the right, the golems attempted to push the fleshrippers off the objective, supported by the mages, but failed. 2 VP for a total of 15.

Turn 8 Daqan Plan
Turn 8 Daqan Result
The Uthuk attacked on their left flank with the golems, blood sisters and archers and defeated the golems scoring 1 extra VP for a total of 13 but it was not enough to defeat the Daqan. As they occupied 2 objectives at the start of their next turn the Daqan won with 17 VP.
Turn 8 Uthuk Plan

 
Turn 8 Uthuk Result