First off - I think we remembered to take terror / fear checks when necessary, might have missed a few. Basically I passed them all!
Turn 1: Stirland
Faced with quite a lot of chaff, I needed to clear the lines. The right most knight unit declared charge but rolled poorly. So the Pegi moved up to block one instead. The Archers shuffled out to block the left side and take some pot shots.
I was hoping with a lvl 4 I might have magic superiority but it didn't start well... failed 2 dice Pha's on the Archers.
Shooting was better, the Hellbaster let rip a mighty salvo and blasted Direwolves 3 back to hell. Archers inspired by the example knocked down one wolf in front of them. The cannon had line of sight to his Vamp Lord, so I crossed my fingers for failed 'look out sir'. The cannon hit home but no such luck - one dead black knight.
Not bad I suppose, but he's very close already
Turn 1: Vampires
The slightly depleted Direwolves charge my archers - too close for stand and shoot. He decided not to charge my Pegi, figuring I must have some juicy gear to risk 'lone wolfing him. Otherwise he's done a good job of keeping units within 12" of the general, so everything marches forward. Direwolves 1 move to block / tempt my Demigryphs and Hexwraiths move out to the flank (and a long way from anything with magic weapons, soulfire or banishment... hmmm)
His magic isn't massive but he does raise the missing black knight
Combat with the archers goes okay, we both kill two (which brings me down to 8 despite what the map might suggest!), I loose because of the charge but stay put
Turn 2: Stirland
I can't resist clearing the lines, so the Demis and Knights1 charge the left Direwolves whilst Knights 2 and the Pegi charge the righthand wolves. The IC Knights move up to keep pace and the Swordsmen move up to cover the Greatswords flank. Hellblaster is out of postion so moves up to gain better firing lanes.
Magic is abysmal - all I manage is soulfire on the IC knights (which was pointless and showed my hand ... now he knows they can kill ethereal ... which actually they can't! hmmm)
With no Hellblaster, shooting was a bit lean - but time for another stab at splatting his vamp... missfire and can't fire next turn.
Combat went completely to plan, both direwolf units get wiped out leaving my to reform the lines. Demi's reform, Knights 1 over-run to block the Black Knights. Knights 2 reform and face the zombies, whilst the Pegasus gets carried away, running into empty space.
Best of all, my Archers manage to finish off his last Direwolf unit, but take 2 wounds in the process. I reform to block his approaching line.
Turn 2: Vampires
1st turn of nasty vampire charges... he starts with Black Knights on the 1st Knight unit who hold (I mixed up the map here so bear with me!). The Vargheist charge my archers, who stand and shoot but leave no impression. The bats charge my cannon, which I had overlooked but couldn't do much about. He wanted to charge my wizard over my lines, but there wasn't space plus he didn't have line of site (can flyers charge over units?)
The Hexwraiths marched through my Demi-gryphs, killing one with their spectral nastiness.
Everything else moved up, but the zombies were out of the general's range so couldn't march (leaving them exposed to my knights
)
He rolled well for magic, plus picked up a channel so I was on the back foot. I failed to dispel 12" boosted Invocation of Nehek, which raised 6 zombies, 6 skeletons and 3 fellbats (he'd taken the necromancer upgrades). Zombies and skellies I can cope with but the bats was annoying. He then cast Wind of Death on 20+ but I dispelled
His Vampire lord chopped up one of my knights. The rest passed their armour saves but I still lost combat and fled a full 11" (right through his Hexwraiths. Unfortunately his Black Knights plowed straight into my Demi-gryphs. (I can't really remember how this all worked, but it made sense at the time!)
Next his Vargheist made a mess of my Archers, killing 5 without return. We joked that the last man would probably hold... low and behold double 1's! Tough bastard! Following his heroic display the Cannon crew wound a bat, only loose two in return and stay put.
Turn 3: Stirland
Okay so the Demi-gryphs are locked in combat (they aren't dead yet like the map suggests!) and Knights 1 rally / reform, but my left flank is looking grim.
My IC Knights and Knights 2 both charge his zombie block - fingers crossed I can win big and not get locked in eternal stalemate. The Greatswords shuffle forward a bit (I think they were getting impatient!). The wizard moves across, trying to keep away from the main treat
Magic is once again useless! I think rolled 4, I got 5+ ward on the IC Knights (vague protection against banshee!) but nothing actually useful. No shooting because the Hellblaster still can't see anything.
In combat the Vampire lord + Black Knights make a mess of my Demi-gryphs whilst I fail to make a dent which hurts (Demi's having a bad day!). He wipes me out but fails to restrain, the overrun takes him past the Hexwraiths but just short of my Knights. Leaving the whole left flank very crowded!
The combat with his bats and my cannon ends in stalemate - bats should be better than this? Next up is the Vargheist, surely a forgone conclusion but no, he misses all his attacks! Vargheist should be better than this!? So now my cannon and lone archer are all that stands between the Greatswords and probable annihilation!
Now for some payback... 14 Knights and a Warrior priest hack there way through zombies, 3's to hit (some with re-roll) and 2's to kill plus some horses which are always lethal! Zombies are squishy and 20 die, although not until they kill one of my Inner Circle. I win by a lot but still leave 5 zombies to hold me up - curses
Turn 3: Vampires
He starts by charging Knights 1 with his Black Knights, but I've already have a taste of that so I run away! (shameful I know but to win you have to survive!). I run a full 11" leaving me quite a long way off, he has nothing to re-direct into so he holds and reforms. The Hexwraths stay put, but probably should have moved up. His Banshee moves up to shout at my knights but his Skeletons are blocked in so they just shuffle forward and across (go 1 man archer road block!).
His magic phase is fairly strong, so he starts with Raise Dead on 3 or 4 dice but rolls double 6's. He summons a 10man unit of zombies in front of my Pegasus and then does a wound to both his casters and looses a few dice. He tries Invocation to bring them back but rolls short. Now his Banshee screams at my Inner Circle Knights, killing 3 but the rest stay put.
In combat the Vargheist finally finishes off my lone Archer... well done mate your name will go down in history! He reforms into two ranks to make space. My Knights combined finish off his zombie unit (mostly the horses!), IC Knights reform towards his Banshee, Knights reform to the new Zombie unit. Cannon crew clings on for another round of roadblock duty.
Turn 4: Empire
Go big or go home! The Greatswords charge the Skeletons, needing 9 and make it easily. The IC Knights charge his Wraiths with Banshee, The Pegi and Knights 2 charge the new zombie unit. Oh and Knights 1 rally / reform ... again!
I decided the Swordsmen are no match for his Vargheist and they'd be more useful guarding the rear of my Greatswords. Wizard moves to hide behind the building, just in 12" of both combats.
I rolled okay for magic and started with 3 dice Pha's on the Greatswords ... double 6's! He takes a wound and I loose a few dice. This leaves me pretty short, but I roll 11 for Shield of faith on my IC Knights which he throws 4 at to dispel. I roll last dice on Soulfire which gets through and takes a wound off his banshee + a wraith... good start.
In shooting my Hellblaster knocks a single wound off the Vargheist... uninspiring as ever
So now my big unintentional cheat! Flaming attacks don't hurt Ethereal, I thought they did and so did my opponent (I should have checked but I forgot my movement trays and was using the rule book for the Greatswords!). But then he was under the impression his Banshee could howl in my turn as part of combat, which it can't. I won without loss but only because I got the rules wrong.
The combat with the Knights and Zombies was predictable, he died horribly! The Fellbats finished off the Cannon crew and reformed.
In the big combat he gets to go first with 30 attacks. But hitting on 5's because of Pha's protection he only kills 3 Greatswords. My to hit roll is impressive... all 28 Greatswords hit (3's with a re-roll) + a few from the Captain and Lector. When the dust settles 21 skeletons are dead and the rest crumble.
Turn 4: Vampires
First he charges the Swords with his Vargheist, I don't much fancy that so run away. He doesn't catch me and this brings him out of position. The Fell bats move over to threaten my Hellblaster (they have a taste for Warmachine Crew!). His Black Knights are now free to wheel towards my Greatswords. The Hexwraiths move down towards my 1st Knight unit.
Necromancer's dead, but he still manages to restore a wound on the Vargheist with the Vampire
Turn 5: Stirland
Time for a re-shuffle, all the knights pass musician reform tests and add ranks which lets me line everybody up to counter charge his black knights in turn 6 (assuming the Greatswords survive!). Wizard hides behind the building and Knights one tuck themselves out of Vargheist charge arc (not really sure what I was doing here but couldn't kill his Hexwraiths anyway).
Precious little magic and he dispels everything with ease. The Hellblaster has a go at the Fellbats but only kills two
Turn 5: Vampires
His Black Knights charge my Greatswords, who stand and face the onslaught. Vargheist reform and the Hexwraiths wheel around my Knights, killing 2 but the remainder stay.
He has no useful spells so straight onto combat. I challenge with the Arch Lector (with Van Horstmans) but he accepts with the Champion, who does a wound but dies in return. His Vampire and Black Knights combined kill 10 Greatswords and my strikes back only kill two, but Stubborn keeps me in the fight. I pass combat reform test and rank up.
The Cannon and Bats do 1 wound a piece.
Turn 6: Stirland
All my support charges his Black Knights, just finding space for 5 knights down his right flank. Once again magic is a complete flop, partly because he still has a dispel scroll.
He declares challenge with vampire (forgetting I have VHS?), which I accept graciously with my Arch Lector... this shall be a righteous end to the game! I roll 5 hits, 3 wounds and he saves all 3 on 5+
Fortunately he fails to wound in reply so at least that's damage control. His Knights kill three Greatswords but I wipe him out in return.
We don't bother with the Hellblaster combat and he concedes
So my luck rolls on and the glory of Sigmar continues, but it feels like a pretty hollow victory
Nick
