"They've failed!" The grey-skinned, cracked face continued to peer into a smoky ball of magical aether, the hint of a smile appeared on his lips revealing one cracked fang. Sensing the question, the whispered voice continued:
"Before you ask Achari, the exact details are unknown. For whatever reasons their plans to raise Nagash have not succeeded, he is not here. We are safe, for now."
Achari stopped pacing and eyed the gnarled elder still fondling his globe. "You mean..."
"Do not worry Achari, your line's betrayal may go unpunished for another age; at least from him. There were others ready to serve Him of course, woken from their slumber after millenia. Even now I can see them moving stone and heading towards the surface from their great pyramid tombs."
"So when you say we are safe..."
Achari's voice tailed off as the red eyes of the elder left the orb and bored into him: "It is not Him!"
Achari raised his hands in a brief gesture of appeasement. "Of course, Xorian. But what's one ancient evil that slumbers compared to another? It's still a power from before time that has awoken. Even without His banner to follow, that's still a new risk to us, to me!"
Xorian's smile broadened: "A challenge then, prior to the inevitable day when they do succeed. The others look to you and have seen your talents in battle, but merely against the peasants that have held pitchforks against you when defending their farms. Take some of your brethren, head south and face this undead king from years before. Rosalyn's hideous visage will be of no assistance as their force would be as immune as yours, but Zardor's banners may still serve you well."
Achari tried to hide any angst he had. In another it would be fear, but the vampire general could not show that he had any such emotion; and simply stated "Am I ready?"
Xorian turned back to the magical smoke "I do not know my boy, I do not know. You will be tested, and I can't protect you for all eternity. Immortal we may be, but that does not mean I will always be here for you."
Achari's voice broke. "Will you be there with me now?" he asked.
He cursed the fact that he going to be stuck in this pubescent, impetuous form forever. He had learnt to be more violent, more ruthless, more arrogant than the others; so that they would listen to a vampire boy; but wished he had had a few more years on him before he was turned. Eternally thirteen, Achari did not have an imposing form, his body was weak and muscles not fully formed, his blonde locks slicked back from his forehead. He was not the expected figure of a respected army general, but Achari had the backing of Xorian, and combined with his martial prowess, he seemed to be leading the clan. In moments of weakness, Achari questioned if this was really the true state and if he really led.
"I can't, not yet," Xorian said. "It is not time for me to play my part - you need to take this win yourself, without my aid. Take whomever and whatever you want from the town and castle, don't worry about weakening the defences. We are protected. Prepare for your journey. I will send message when I scry the exact location, but for now, march south."
Achari looked back more than once, but Xorian did not look up from his scrying globe. Achari could not help but wonder if this was their last encounter.
On leaving the clock tower, Achari first went to the crypts and purchased the service of some the abominations from the geistmaster. On this journey there would be towns and graveyards to raise a skeletal army, and the freshly risen bones would no doubt attract the wolves, but he had been given free choice and if going into battle with the unknown there was only one that had been on Achari's mind: Julik.
Julik was in charge of the town's defences, adept at raising/attracting the required forces at the right time. Be it through raven, magical portal, gold or sheer necromantic power, this archmage of undeath was second to none when it came to replenish the ranks.
Finally, not one to ignore advice given, Achari sought out Zardor.
Zardor was slow, both in mind and form. In a previous life he had been a chef that enjoyed the taste of his own cooking a little too much. Whilst not adept in battle, his girth and padding had helped him survive his fair share of stakings. Slow for a vampire, he was more than capable of keeping up with reanimated bones and so Zardor found himself often waddling into battle, holding the army's mast up high, surrounded by a throng of newly created troops.
Zardor did not question Achari's request He silently rolled up a number of banners and packed them, along with his needle and thread for mobile repairs, then made himself ready for the march.
Having collected his brethren, and after one final look to the glowing light at the window in clocktower, the three vampires started their journey.
[The cameras pan back to see the three vampires walk towards the sunrise; a flaming banner unfurls and illuminates the sky briefly as vargeists flap past the camera and fly overhead; an ethereal horse appears and Julik climbs on; whilst Achari jumps on the back of a winged steed that flaps to a landing; a horn bellows and encased in armour, four more mounted vampiric knights charge down the hill and join the caravan; as countless skeletal arms rise from the footsteps of Achari and a cacophony of wolf howls fill the air: the troops arrive - the army is formed].
It's All-Skype Fight Night!
Welcome back, WoffFans, to the first of the new season of Skype Fights! I, Kraken, will be typing in dessicated italics...
And it's me, Kas, in normal font. We are playing an all-new homebrew variant of army composition and magic rules (check out the following rules page).
Yes, we're aiming at a new season of Narrative Campaign. Each of us is taking a fraction of a basic 8th ed. army, then fighting a series of battles as our chosen generals struggle to muster troops. Once we're all at the heights of our powers, we'll have a three-way final tournament series. Expect wall-to-wall fluff and the gnashing of furious beards throughout!
And it's me, Kas, in normal font. We are playing an all-new homebrew variant of army composition and magic rules (check out the following rules page).
Yes, we're aiming at a new season of Narrative Campaign. Each of us is taking a fraction of a basic 8th ed. army, then fighting a series of battles as our chosen generals struggle to muster troops. Once we're all at the heights of our powers, we'll have a three-way final tournament series. Expect wall-to-wall fluff and the gnashing of furious beards throughout!
All of us will fight a first 'Civil War' round, pitching brother against brother from our starting Superlists. This first clash begins the tale of Kas's Undead armies, with dead rising against dead as a faction of the Vampire Counts take on a splinter group of Tomb Kings!
Armies:
Creatures of the Night
Achari Kaan vampire lord - Lvl1 Vampire (Invocation & Curse of Years)
, Ogre Blade, Enchanted Shield, Dispel Scroll, Talisman of Endurance, Red Fury, Heavy Armour, Hellsteed
Julik Ungieler vampire lord - Lvl 4 Undeath (Ryze + Fulcrum + Morkham + Sulekhim + Khizaar + Kandorak), Warrior Bane, Obsidian Amulet, Other Trickster's Shard, Heavy Armour, Shield, Nightmare
Zardor the Slow vampire - Lvl 1 Vampire (Invocation + Dance Macabre), BSB, Book of Arkhan, Heavy Armour
10 Dire wolves
10 Dire wolves
7 Dire wolves
49 Skeleton Warriors - Full command inc Flaming banner, spears
5 Vargheists
4 Blood Knights - Musician, Std + Banner of the Blood Keep
The plan? Bunch up behind dire wolf screen units.
Hold a big block to protect and condensed flank.
Aim for mass simul-charging and so closely packed was good; but closely packed is dangerous to casket.
So move quickly with vargheists and knights to take out war machines as soon as possible.
The Tomb Opens
Habashtophet, High Liche Priest - Heirophant, Lvl 4 Lore of Nehekhara, Book of Ashur, Talisman of Endurance
- Desert Wind
- Cursed Blades
- Incantation of Protection
- Righteous Smiting,
- Incantation of Dessication
Elkanin, Liche Priest - Lvl 2 Lore of Light, Dispel Scroll, Skeletal Steed
- Shem's Burning Gaze
- Net of Amyntok
- Birona's Timewarp
5 Skeleton Horse Archers
5 Skeleton Horse Archers
19 Skeleton Archers - Full Command
19 Skeleton Horsemen - Full Command, light armour
25 Tomb Guard - Full Command, Halberds
Casket of Souls
Screaming Skull Catapult
I have no idea what I'm doing with Tomb Kings. Having fought against them lately, I was impressed with their Soul Casket and their Chariots, and I don't have access to the chariots from the variant list we're using. Which was a shame, because I didn't notice that at first and my original list was mostly chariots.
Compared to the VC lists, I don't think Tomb Kings come out terribly favourably. But perhaps that's just me - perhaps I'm about to surprise myself. Tomb Guard with Killing Blow ought to scare the Blood Knights, for example,
So the rough plan will be to bunker down with the heroes in amongst core troops as bait, then try some kind of flank threat with the cavalry if I can get the Vampires to go for me. In the meantime, try and whittle away the foe on their way in with a variety of Casket shots, Light magic and feeble undead arrows.
Deployment
"Can you taste it? The mould, the dust, something not disturbed for years. They will be close."
Achari brought his steed alongside Zardor, nodded silently and then took the sky to review the locale. Seconds later Achari returned.
"They camp together over the next rise. They appear to be grouped around some casque that illuminates the night sky with all manner of manifestations and projections. I fear that that is a great weapon, or threat to us"
"Fear?" Julik growled as his horse snorted and joined the conversation.
Achari collected his thoughts and replied "I just mean that they seem to be protecting it, and it should be our first target."
"That's more like it! What else did they have?" Julik enquired.
"Some other contraption made of skulls, a lot of bonemen with bows, some with horse. There was another group, they had ornate armour and weaponry that glows. They reminded me of the Templehof guard back home. I noted that the one they seemed to bow to was encased in rags."
Zardor smiled. "I have something that I think you will like," he said, as the banner atop his pole burst alight. "Flames and rags... good combination."
"Their cavalry is superior to ours..." on seeing Julik's glare, Achari quickly added "...in numbers; and we should only attack them when ready. I have no doubt in our abominations' abilities, but my or your own may be tested in such a fight one on one. Of course together, I have no doubt we will be victorious."
"Send the wolves first, move them ahead as far as they can scout, and follow. We will send the abominations for the casket. Let's pick our fights, and focus on that damned casket. I don't know why, but I want it."
A reading from the Book of Tomb Kings, Chapter XV, beginning at the first verse.
1. Now at that time, Habashtophet was the Heirophant of the great necropolis of Dash Nakhuf, and on looking out at the time of rest he saw an evil host mustered around the edge of the city. 2. As was his custom, he therefore rose and called upon the guardian of Dash Nakhuf, saying 3. "Arise, O King! For the hour is dark and the envious foe once more gazes upon your palaces and gardens with lust!"
4. And so rose Berukazzenar, Mighty King of Dash Nakhuf, and with him was his Herald, Ushtabo the Oryx, and the attendant of Habashtophet whose name was Elkanin, and with them a great many of their warriors and people. 5. And they arrayed themselves as for war, setting a guard upon the heart of the citadel, wherein lay the Casquet of Souls that the enemy lusted over.
6. This was the manner of their muster. 7. Berukanezzar decreed that the foot soliders would be under his command, and set them forth at the heart of the army. Along with them were set the archers, and with them the machines of war, also the Casquet of Souls, that the power within it might be set against the enemy's brow to confound them.
8. And the light riders of horse were sent forth ahead to bring tidings of the enemy's number and command, and cause them such grief as they could do, 9. but the heavier horsemen were kept back and to the side, that they could be sent where Berukanezzar would command.
Achari frowned. "Why have they stopped?"
"Why? Because they found prey. Now they feed," Zargor said, smiling his slow smile.
As one, the wolves snarled into the darkness before padding forward in the same direction.
The Game
Vampire Counts Turn 1
Achari stared back at the drooling, winged fiends that he had hired and pointed at the casket. "Fetch it for me!"
The fiends lept to the air, briefly touching down near a wolf pack that was already fighting bone archers.
"FASTER!" yelled Achari and Julik twisted the winds to bring the vargheists back aloft until they were circling the casket ready to strike.
"That's it, they can't survive their assault," he said. He leaned back in his saddle, already relaxing. Leading the army would be easy after all.
Achari could only watch with pride as his wolves tore through the undergrowth and ripped shin bones first from horse and then from man. The scouting archer force was dispatched with ease, but the enemy would now know we was coming.
He surveyed the scene. He was surrounded by wolves still feeding on the bones they had recovered; with his vargheists circling the casket, his knights on one flank and the the slow skeletal horde on the other. Hopefully bunching up this tight was not going to be problematic.
Tomb Kings Chapter XVI, Verse i
It came to pass that, the first of the light horsemen being destroyed by the dire wolves of the foe, Berukazzenar beheld that the enemy would soon overrun their positions. So he called to his herald and the rest of the horsemen, and ordered them to return to the heart of the army, the better to defend their lines. And he himself did in like wise.
A great pack of beasts with the aspects of both bat and wolf threatened to fall upon the Casque and devour it. So then did Habashtophet turn to the lieutenant of the archers, saying "Now is the time decreed for you! Let loose and see that no man spare his efforts to destroy the foe! For I shall enchant thy bows so that every shot will seem double!"
And with that, did Habashtophet indeed set a mighty incantation forth, and a great wrath was kindled in the heart of the archers of the army. But the spirits of the foe sore oppressed him after this, so he spent no more of his energies at that time. Neither did the Casque let loose its powers, for fear that the enemy might take them for its own.
And then the lieutenant of the archers let loose, and lo, it was as Habashtophet had said, and every shaft did indeed seem double, and so did one of the great bat wolves fall. But many more were still set over the Casque.
And thereafter was the last of the light horse consumed by dire wolves.
Vampire Counts Turn 2
NB - my usual mapping inaccuracies are in play! The Vampire on Hellsteed should be on the other side of the house here. |
With flap of leathery wing and lupine howl the abominations descended from the clouds. Three picked up the casket's guardians and tossed them higher for another pair to swoop through the air and rip the withered skeletons in two. The lead vargheist grabbed the casket lid and proceeded to seal off the spirits inside. The others, enraged with lust for battle, crashed further into the large pile of bone.
Achari took to the air and let himself wipe his brow in the seclusion of high atmosphere before landing gracefully behind the safety of the house.
"Zardor: bring your horde this way, I want to protect our rear from any impending charge". With that the skeletal spearmen hugged the building and closed off any access to the rear of the vampire lines.
Julik hung back, baiting the armoured tomb guard to charge; and patiently waited watching the wolves bicker over the last of the archer's bones. He whistled and one pack leader pricked an ear, Julik smirked and nodded to the second set of horsemen creeping out of the swamp's fog. The alerted wolves padded backwards and tried not to disturb the rest of their pack. They snarled and lept on the scouting troops.
Verse ii
Seeing that the wolves were almost upon him, and knowing that the Casque was already lost, a great fury kindled in the dry heart of Berukazzenar such that it was terrible to see. And at his command did the greatest of his guard set forth, charging upon the host of the wolves with furious anger. And even as they did, did Habashtophet set dread energies upon them, that the blows of their swords would be twice as eager to kill.
At the same time did Ushtabo command the horsemen to turn back and be ready for his order, to run down the footsoldiery of the enemy and break their ranks.
Now were the leaders of the enemy, those who drank blood and wore armour stained in blood red hue, within shot of the bows. But howsoever they loosed their shafts, those enemies were proof against any shot, so that try as they might they could not harm them.
Even as this came to pass, were the men that crewed the warmachines consumed by the bat wolf beasts. But Berukazzenar gave this no heed, and turned his mind all to slaughter, and wrought such on the dire wolves that there were no more that could stand against him at that time.
NB - Just to clarify the action a bit here, the Tomb Guard were charged by Dire Wolves in the previous turn, wiped them out and trotted a tiny bit forward. They actually tried a charge on a second pack and failed the distance, but I felt this wasn't heroic enough and needed refluffing.
Vampire Counts Turn 3
Achari watched the abominations tear through the catapult's crew and shred the machine asunder. He considered if he gave the order to stop if they would listen. Their fangs elongated and dripping with drool the vargheists continued their onslaught and crashed into the archery line. The archers silently fell in battle as they ineffectually struck out with their bows. But as the dust settled still eight archers remained. The crushing impetus had been held... for now.
"I am no fool, I can wait," muttered Julik as he dug his heels into his steed gingerly and encouraged the beast to step backwards. The wolves sensed the situation and crept back too. He eyed the leathery Heirophant. "Let us see how strongly bound your ancient soul is to that failing body".
Julik pulled a dagger from his waist and sliced his palm, and drank two drips of blood. His eyes rolled back in his head and as the his horse walked backwards, an ethereal shadow of Julik remained. The shadow leapt forward at great speed and rushed towards the priest protected by tomb guard.
As the spectre passed through the liche, the priest convulsed and fell to floor. Julik's soul continued to move straight forward and carried the priest's soul ripping it from his physical form. When the connection snapped, Julik let go and watched as the liche's soul was sucked towards the casket. Julik observed with interest before being awoken in his own physical form.
Achari took note of the stomping horse hooves from the south and leapt to the other side of the swamp out of harms way.
Verse iii
"Alas!" cried Berukazzenar aloud "that this has come to pass, and great Habashtophet, my councellor and friend, is fallen amidst our host! Now is the time allotted to us short indeed. But let not despair overcome you, but instead strengthen your grasp on your blades, and let us wreak what vengeance we may against these despoilers."
And so he and his guard pressed once more into the thick of the enemy, for all that many more dire wolves came against them and sought to overcome them.
And hearing this, did Ushabto give his order, and the horsemen of his command fell upon the host of the enemy. So did Elkanin, mindful of his master's demise, caused a great net of light to fall upon their armoured horsemen in their bloody armour, hoping it might ensnare and burn them.
Vast were the hosts of the enemy's foot, and armed with many burning spears. And Ushabto called forth the leader of that host, one of their fell blood-drinkers, and did battle with him and wounded him sore, just above the breast. Yet he did not fall. And a great malaise overcame the horsemen, that where their spears fell, they were turned aside by the shields of the enemy. But many of their own number were destroyed, such that few were left.
And also were the last of the archers consumed by the great beasts that resembled both bat and wolf.
But where Berukazzenar marched were the enemy utterly confounded and destroyed, for such was his fury.
Vampire Counts Turn 4
Achari paused. It was the moment he was to be tested and would reflect on as the aeons passed. Was it time to charge blood knight, vampire lord and vargheists against the ancient tomb guard? He decided to show control and also avoid their glowing blades.
Julik shrugged off the magical net and pushed forward ready to counter charge when ready; and brought wolves into a similar state. The archmage had waited through the battle for the right time and seeing it now called for aid as two statuesque winged bone monstrosity glided into view. They hovered menacingly by the guard, ready to strike.
"Hold them up!" Achari yelled at the vargheists who set upon the tomb guard. Achari felt himself swallow hard as two gheists fell taking only a handful of guard with them. Their momentum stalled then the remainder crumbled to nothing.
On the other front Zardor cursed the herald he fought, and called to the power of Nehek to seal his wounds. Reinvigorated, the vampire struck down his challenger with ease and yelled a war cry. The skeleton warriors fought on in silence, and the enemy cavalry soon lay in burning wreckage.
Verse iv
Berukazzenar, seeing that little was left of his army and his people, and also seeing that the way was now clear to the great general of the foe, gave a great cry and led his guard forth in anger.
And the enemy general, he that was called Achari, stood proud in his saddle, the wings of his horse about him, and called upon the men of Dush Nakhuf to come and face him singly that he might destroy them. And none of them dared so to do, and their champions were ashamed and fell back.
But fear was also in the enemy's heart, for he beheld the fury of Berukazzenar and was sore afraid. For Berukazzenar was not ashamed by the feebleness of his champions, but stepped forward to the foe and accepted such blows as Achari could put upon him. And though he was wounded to the quick, he did not fall, even though Achari was consumed by a red rage and put Berukazzenar's armour indeed to the test.
And then seeing how the enemy's general was confounded and thus taking heart, did the guard of Dush Nakhuf step up to the side of their King, and set upon Achari with all their might.
Now, although he was sore afraid and wounded in the fray, Achari was not overcome. And his steed rose up with its wings, and smote Berukazzenar with its hooves, that the King was sprawled in the dust with the force of it.
But Fate was upon him, and written in the steel of his armour. And before dismay could take the hearts of his men did he rise up from the dust, and cleave through Achari with his sword. And Achari's steed did he also cleave through, that they fell broken in the dust and were no more.
But still their allotted time grew greatly short.
Vampire Counts Turn 5
These Morghasts should have appeared a turn earlier! |
Achari was lost, but the fight was to be won. Julik knew the heirophant was long destroyed so that, in time, the magical forces that held these guard together would give way and they would crumble.
So, Julik decided to give them time.
He ordered all the troops, save the morghasts to withdraw.
He also knew they would crumble faster once the king was dead; the morghasts marched forward to face the tomb king, ignoring their own safety or his bodyguard.
Verse v
So mighty was Berukazzenar in his strength of arms that the enemy durst not stand before him, and instead went their way as though they might flee.
But in their wake, the enemy had loosed the servants of the great traitor upon the men of Dush Nakhuf. And the shadow of death was heavy on them.
And now Berukazzenar's heart was heavy in his breast, and he knew that his allotted time was all but done.
Vampire Counts Turn 6
Zardor broke ranks and charged back to aid the fight with incantations. Holding the banner aloft he reinvigorated the morghasts. Their muscles flexed and they started to move with embued speed.
Julik remembered the orders of the general and summoned a black coach to the field, ready to transport the casket that had been their prize back home.
His manifestations were bold and whilst the black coach arrived through a portal of aether the effect on the winds of magic was enough to hurt the wizard. He scolded himself but knew that the wound was just a scratch and would be sealed in minutes.
Tearing into the heart of the Tomb Guard unit, the Morghasts focussed their efforts on the mummified King. Already wounded, he succumbed in short order, although his guard hacked one of their attackers apart.
Verse vi
Thus fell the great King Berukazzenar, smitten in battle.
He was avenged thusly: that his guard were not overcome by the servants of the great traitor, and they were instead destroyed. But their allotted time had also come to an end, and they perished and did not come again.
And dust settled in the palaces and gardens of Dush Nekhar, and in its markets and terraces, and in the great temples and the deep fountains.
And it was no more.
The Results
1895 v 996 VC win(16:4 in New Money)
Epilogue
"Where am I?"
Achari woke to find his body broken and half removed. He stared down his body lit by some light. Light that he had seen earlier that night. He was sitting on something cold. On the casket. The lid was open again and one of the skeletal spearman administered ancient rites.
"The soul I stole did not rest," Julik explained. "When we were loading the casket the lid slipped and one of the spearman had started to rasp. He was talking. I was ready to take his head but he made an offer that I knew would save me a beating from Xorian. His life for yours".
Achari stood, clothes ripped, armour useless, but whole. He surveyed the battlefield and smiled.
[The camera rolls back as a horde of skeletal warriors pack the last of the casket of souls in to the back of an semi-translucent coach. A lone skeleton picks at the battlefield, dons robes and picks up a snake-headed staff. Achari gestures to the coach in to which he steps with Zardor and the liche. Julik releases his hold on the necromantic forces binding the spearman who crumble on the battlefield. As Julik and his knights kick the air and gallop off towards home, the black coach takes to flight].
Locker Room chat
Here endeth the lesson.
Going into it, I was thinking how surprisingly balanced the lists felt. Which made me feel optimistic. Thirty seconds into the first turn, when my vanguarded light cavalry got eaten by wolves, I realised how badly I'd deployed. Especially seeing as Skeleton Horse Archers are scouts, not vanguards, something Skeleton Horsemen (who might have beaten the wolves) can do instead. Bah! Fool!
Not much to be done after that except try and make the most of what I had. As giant freakwolves ate my backline, and my Heirophant blazed, I realised that I could probably downgrade even that low aim to 'lose gracefully and enjoy the process'. Killing the enemy general helped immensely with that, although perhaps not so much with the graceful losing. Heh heh heh.
Mostly, I was a victim of my own inexperience with the Tomb Kings. I enjoyed using them, though - the Tomb Guard are a very enjoyable unit to stomp about with. If I'd taken a different army, foregoing the large and puny skeletal horsemen unit for an equally large unit of skeleton warriors instead, for example, then plonked all the shooty units behind that, I reckon Kas would have had a much tougher time of it.
But I enjoy a good beating, masochist that I am! And I'd certainly take Tomb Kings again so I could try and improve on this showing. Strong potential for a heavy gunline, I reckon, with some plausibly nasty surprises for anyone getting close.
That was tough. Yes the horse archers were easy pickings.
I was pleased with vargheists. I did have more hope that they would hold up against the guard, especially with the morghasts to help with crumble, but I was over ambitious in the fight (or rightly cautious over my general and blood knights to killing blow!)
I started the game worried about the large horsemen block, who bounced off my spearmen with apparent ease.
I had one target from the beginning, get rid of the casket, and so concentrated against it; also from a mustering point of view, it was my aim to get too.
On a vaguely related topic, I'd like to moan about summoned units a little. I love the rules and fluff of being able to do it, but I reckon there's a case to be made for allowing an enemy to score points from them.
Not merely because it might have lessened my defeat a little! Also because I reckon it makes the spell even more tactical. Yes, you get free troops, usually right where you want them. But you still have to use them properly. It also makes it a mite less demoralising for your opponent. Maybe only half points, they are cheap magic fodder after all. Dunno - just a thought, really, rather than a fullblooded demand.
I get that, and especially if they are created and then used in fifth round as a road block: even more so. Maybe a percentage is the way to go? Seeing as currently 0, and you suggest half; let's start at a quarter and see how it plays for a bit? VP points have been adjusted based on 25%.
That works, we'll see how it goes!
Tune in again over the coming months as the other Civil Wars kick off. Stylus will be looking to unify the Greenskin tribes, whereas I'll be starting outside my comfort zone and working back towards it. Chaos Dwarves for me!
I was pleased with vargheists. I did have more hope that they would hold up against the guard, especially with the morghasts to help with crumble, but I was over ambitious in the fight (or rightly cautious over my general and blood knights to killing blow!)
I started the game worried about the large horsemen block, who bounced off my spearmen with apparent ease.
I had one target from the beginning, get rid of the casket, and so concentrated against it; also from a mustering point of view, it was my aim to get too.
On a vaguely related topic, I'd like to moan about summoned units a little. I love the rules and fluff of being able to do it, but I reckon there's a case to be made for allowing an enemy to score points from them.
Not merely because it might have lessened my defeat a little! Also because I reckon it makes the spell even more tactical. Yes, you get free troops, usually right where you want them. But you still have to use them properly. It also makes it a mite less demoralising for your opponent. Maybe only half points, they are cheap magic fodder after all. Dunno - just a thought, really, rather than a fullblooded demand.
I get that, and especially if they are created and then used in fifth round as a road block: even more so. Maybe a percentage is the way to go? Seeing as currently 0, and you suggest half; let's start at a quarter and see how it plays for a bit? VP points have been adjusted based on 25%.
That works, we'll see how it goes!
Tune in again over the coming months as the other Civil Wars kick off. Stylus will be looking to unify the Greenskin tribes, whereas I'll be starting outside my comfort zone and working back towards it. Chaos Dwarves for me!
Coming soon to cinemas near you! Christian Bale as Berukazzenar! And maybe Joe Pasquale as Achari.
ReplyDeleteThey're filming it in Birmingham, I heard.
ReplyDeleteIn my head Achari was more a Home Alone era Macaulay Culkin
ReplyDeleteAh - we clearly let the wrong one in.
ReplyDelete