Olde World Gaming – Round 1 – Joel Lucas – Wood Elves

The Mission :

Deployment – Battle for the Pass

Primary Objective – Objectives – three objectives, placed by TO. One is in each deployment zone and one in the center. Objectives could be held by any unit with five or more rank and file units (6 inches) or a character. Any unit could contest and prevent scoring. The objective in your own deployment zone was worth 1 point, the center was worth 2 and the last worth 3.

Secondary Objectives – Slay General 2 points; Capture (in combat) Standards (and BSB) 1 point each; Table Quarters (can be held by any model) 1 point each.

All Missions allowed for a maximum of 15 points to be earned.

The first thing I saw about this mission is that it required 5 rank and file models. I am running 4 units of 6 models. That means that if my opponent places 8 wounds well I’m left with just my characters able to score. I also see that I can give up a maximum of 16 points (6 if they get objectives, 2 for my general, 4 banners and 4 table quarters) so it’s possible for me to do well, but still only split the baby. What I would need to do was push hard and fast to keep my opponent facing his board edge instead of moving down the field to claim objectives. I would also need to quickly shut down any shooting, flyers or scouts. Smart play would also be needed to maintain at least 3 of my 6 possible scoring units (including characters).

Pairings went up and I seem I’m playing Wood Elves. His list was:

Spellweaver, Level 4, Lore of Life

Noble, Ogre Blade, Dragonhelm

8 Dryads
8 Dryads
10 Glade Guard, Music, Standard
7 Glade Guard, Standard, Scouts

3 Treekin
5 Wardancers
5 Wardancers

Treeman

So looking back at my plan and I see my priorities. His list allows for 9 scoring units (monstrous infantry counted at 3, not 5). He has only 2 banners, so a maximum of 14 points for me to earn (6 objectives, General, 2 banners, 4 quarters), but because of his larger amount of scoring units I will have to work much harder to open up my points. Based on my priorities, I knew that the two units of glade guard and the treeman would have to be top priority. While the characters also had bows, I needed to remove the major shooting first. For his spells Joel rolled Awakening of the Wood, Flesh to Stone, Throne of Vines and Regrowth.

Spells I rolled were Spirit Leech, Caress of Laniph, Soulblight and Doom and Darkness

The Table: I don’t usually make a section about terrain, but with the mysterious terrain everywhere I will be for at least this game. My third game was also on this table, so remember as you read. There were three buildings on the table, one each in opposite corners of one level and a big three level on more center. There was also a thick wood hedge (hard cover, -2), an impassible grave and a small forest.

You can’t tell in the above picture, but behind the tall tower is another building that granted a 6+ regen to any ‘good army’. The big building provided any wizard within 3” access to his entire spell lore. The grave caused a +1 to point on any model within 6” and the building in the bottom right gave an ‘evil army’ -1 leadership within 6”.

At first glance I thought this table put me at a disadvantage, but after some thought I realized that the pro-good and anti-evil features were in the corners and so easily avoidable, but the extra spells and +1 to point were much more towards center and more to my liking. After some thought, and two games, I was very happy with this table.

I missed pictures for deployment and the first few turns, but I kept to my pre-stated plan. I chose the top side in the above picture, placing him deploying next to the +1 to point for buffs to my shooting and giving me early access to the all spell building. Using the table picture for orientation, I deployed top, with one unit of dark riders on the right, one of the left and one towards center. The hydras and the characters went on the left-center to play ring around the building.

Joel deployed a dryad on the left, then his wardancers (with the hero going in one), then his treekin and treeman. His glade guard with his lord went into his first just off center with the last unit of dryads closing off the right side. He was able to use his skirmish and the narrower board to mostly block off the table.

We rolled and he got first scout deployment, placing his scouts in the top right corner. I countered with my shades in my back field. For vanguard, my two units center and left moved up to just be within long range (and avoid the -1 to move on my turn) and the right unit turned around to face the scouts. We rolled off and I got first turn.

I advanced my characters and hydra to take over the building. All the shooters stayed still. I rolled a 9/6 magic phase and proceeded to only get an 8 on my first casting of soulblight, ending my phase. For shooting I knocked down the skirmishers to only a few models and began to put pressure on the left most dryad unit in order to open up his back field.

On Joel’s turn 1 one he advances and spreads out, but leaves gaps between his units for me to exploit. His magic 7/6 magic phase is also a bust when he fails his first spell. He shoots up my right most dark rider unit, knocking them below scoring.

My turn 2 and the shades charge the few remaining skirmishers, which then flee and run off the table to deny me the banner. On the right I exploit the gap between the dryads and wardancers and move a unit of dark riders behind his lines. On the right I move the center unit between his units in the hopes of getting a later turn charge on the glade guard. The remaining right flank dryad unit moves to the edge to try to secondary that charge. I roll a 3/2 magic phase, get of spirit leech but fail to cause any wounds to the treeman.

Joel’s turn 2 and he reacts to my hard rightmost push. His dryad unit falls back to defend the glade guard and the treeman swings back. The treekin and wardancers close the door with the building to meet the hydras should they continue their swing around the building. The weakened dryad unit pulls back, but can’t get away from the +1 wound grave marker. Joel rolls a 9/6 magic phase, putting +2T on the gravestone dryads. His treeman puts 5 wounds on the center unit of dark riders, who roll an amazing 4 6’s. Because of this Joel is forced to put his bow shooting into this unit, knocking 2 more off.

On my turn 3, the center dark riders charge the glade guard, surviving the stand and shoot, but losing a member to the forest. This causes a panic, making the unit fall back. A hydra charges into a unit of wardancers with the hero. My wizard and a hydra move up to see his closing door, outside the wardancers range and at an angle where the treekin cannot get around the building to charge them. My left darkriders pull back to continue to pepper the dryads (the +1 wound stone effectively negating the +T). My right flank dark riders pull back away from the treeman. My shades move to claim my objective. I roll a 7/4 magic phase and fail the first spell (go magic!). In shooting I kill a little, and in combat my hydra pushes through the wardancers and hero, over running towards the glade guard.

On Joel’s turn 3 the treeman charges and runs down the fleeing unit of dark riders. He moves his left unit of dryads to block the hydra from the glade guard. The treekin turn to face the hydra, as does the treeman after the over run (with his leadership test). I’m assuming he thinks the dryads won’t break and he will get a counter charge. With a 2/1 magic phase Joel +2T the dryads, reinforcing my assumption.

On my turn 4 I charge the dryads. The dark riders begin to envelope the glade guard. My other hydra and wizard come around a little to see the treekin and treeman. My BSB charges the last unit of wardancers. I roll a 7/4 magic phase and things finally start to happen. Please note, that so far this game my magic has done nothing. My first cast is soulblight on the dryads, which is dispelled. I then put Doom and Darkness on them. I use the last of my dice to soul leech the treekin, killing one model. I use the dice I get back thanks to death to roll one die on Power of Darkness, getting 4 dice. I use those 4 dice to cast a small purple sun (thanks building), hitting one treekin and the treeman and killing both. Getting three dice back from that, I use Fate of Bjuna to kill off the last treekin. So 7 dice turns into 16 and kills 3 treekin and a treeman. In shooting I drop the archers down some. In combat I kill the dryads and overrun into the glade guard. Also, my BSB takes out the last unit of wardancers in combat.

Joel’s turn 4 and his right most dryad unit makes a break for my objective (at least I think that’s where he was going). He puts +2T on his glade guard with a 9/5 magic phase and follows that up with a regrow of 3 models (I had used all my dispel dice on a really good throne roll). My hydra decides its tired and doesn’t kill the unit off. He rolls snakes to stay.

My turn 5 and I move to shoot up the dryads, though being careful to not pull units to far away from the objectives. With a 9/5 magic phase I get soulblight off on the dryads and whittle them down with shooting (to 5 models, which leaves them as scoring). My hydra finishes off the archers but doesn’t kill his general, who stays.

Joel’s turn 5 and with a 4/4 magic phase gets +2T off on his caster. The dryads continue to run. The caster dies.

My turn 6 and my BSB charges the flank of the dryads. I move to claim all the objectives. I roll a strong 10/5 magic phase. Joel dispels Doom and Darkness but I cast Aspect of the Dreadknight on my BSB and soulblight onto the dryads. This is the first time I’ve ever cast Aspect, which is a shitty spell, but I didn’t want to risk failing that fear test. I kill 2 dryads, making them no longer scoring, but because he has moved into the building he is stubborn and holds.

Joel’s turn 6 and I kill 2 more dryads, leaving the last one stubborn in the forest, but he fails his leadership test and gets run down. Because of this I get to claim the fourth quarter, missing only the one banner that ran off the table and only giving up the banner the treeman ran down. 13/1 victory.