Battle Report: Famine, Sword, & Fire (Raid Along the East Trail)

This is a small narrative game of Famine, Sword, & Fire played solo to showcase some elements of how the game works.  This will not be an exhaustive explanation of game mechanics, but simply a narrative report.

 

Scenario: Raid Along the East Trail

A force of Night Goblins raids a distant farmstead on the eastern fringes of the Border Princes.  Mercenaries from Brivoli's Great Company (currently patrolling the region due to the prior season's increase in goblin raids) respond, hoping to save the farm and the workers. 

The Night Goblin force will begin off-table, entering on the west table edge, while the initial defenders of the farmstead will begin on-table within 6" of the farmhouse.  All remaining mercenary units will arrive as reinforcements, entering from the east table edge.

 

The Night Goblin force will gain victory points for the following: Destroying the farmhouse (+3), destroying the large shed (+2), destroying the small shed (+1), destroying a peasant mob or enemy unit (+1, each).

 

The mercenaries do not gain victory points in this scenario, they simply must prevent the Night Goblin army from scoring nine victory points.

 

Each structure has been assigned a target number and wound value for the scenario. 

The Forces

The Night Goblin force consists of 250-points, with the following units:

 

1x Company(8) Regular Light Infantry (Wall of Spears, Torches)

1x Company(8) Regular Light Infantry (Wall of Spears, Torches)

1x Company(5) Regular Light Missile Infantry (Skirmishers, Woodsmen)

1x Company(5) Regular Light Missile Infantry (Skirmishers, Woodsmen)

1x Company(5) Regular Beast Pack (Slavering, Pack Hunters)

1x Veteran Hero (Spellcasting - Sorcery, Master of Magicks, Stealthy)

1x Veteran Hero (Berserk, Quick March, Cruel) 

For this small introductory style game, I took some simple units.  I started with two core blocks of Night Goblin spearmen, equipped with torches to help them destroy the farm's structures more easily.  I took two smaller companies of Night Goblin archers.  I gave them traits which would help them sit in the trees and pelt enemies without being exposed to enemy return fire.  I took one beast pack with traits to help it eat the enemy peasant mobs more quickly.  I finished up with two heroes, one a Night Goblin shaman, and the other a sword-wielding maniac.  I nominated the Night Goblin shaman as my army's general.

 

The mercenary force was split into two groups.  Group A would begin on the table (near the farmhouse) while Group B would be arriving as reinforcements.  This meant the initial group would have to fight off the Night Goblins for a couple of turns before the reinforcements began to show up, unless I took fast units such as light cavalry, etc.

 

Group A consisted of:

 

3x Peasant Mob(4) - no traits.  These units were free for the scenario.

1x Detachment(4) Regular Light Infantry (Backstabbers, Ancient Grudge)

1x Detachment(4) Regular Light Infantry (Backstabbers, Ancient Grudge)

1x Veteran Hero (Overseer, Inspiring, Extra Armour) 

Having only a small force on the table initially I went for aggressive traits, including ancient grudges which I put on the two large Night Goblin spearmen units (one unit had a grudge against each).  Backstabbers gives me bonus dice against an enemy unit which is already fighting a friendly unit.  With so many detachments on the table, this made sense.

 

The peasant mobs are generally garbage, but they're free bodies...and who doesn't want to defend their own farmstead against evil goblins?  The Hero took Overseer which lets him boost the activation of nearby peasant mobs, and Inspiring to help the other detachments.

 

Group B consisted of:

 

1x Company(5) Veteran Light Missile Infantry (Well-Armed, Quick March, Piercing)

1x Detachment(4) Veteran Light Missile Infantry (Firelocks, Well-Armed, Pavises)

1x Company(5) Regular Light Cavalry (Skirmishers, Javelins)

1x Veteran Mounted Hero (Extra Armour, War Horn, Campaign Veteran) - General

1x Courier (assigned to General) 

This group was all speed and missile attacks.  The Light Cavalry have a Reinforcement value of two, so they'll start rolling to arrive on Turn 2, meaning the farmstead won't be outnumbered too long.  Two small units of veteran missile troops with a variety of traits would give me some stand-off shooting.  The general was a simple Veteran Mounted Hero with a war horn to activate friendly units nearby automatically - if only once per game.  My last few points were spent on a courier - a one-time-use item which lets me activate one unit automatically without testing.

 

Commanders & Agents

 

After designing the forces, I rolled for each unit's Command and Loyalty values - and then drew my armies commanders.  Commanders can boost or penalize units, and provide additional traits or benefits.  From this several units gained additional traits, and the Night Goblins received two agents; a Spy and a Mystic, while the mercenaries received a Spy.

 

Agents are off-table elements which impact the game, and are rolled prior to the start of the game.

 

The Night Goblins rolled for their agents and receives mystical omens, allowing them to inflict penalty dice on their opponent during the game - and a bribe which reduced the command and loyalty of a detachment defending the farmstead.

 

The mercenary spy likewise bribed one of the Night Goblin spearmen units, reducing its values.

Deployment

 

Group A from the mercenaries was deployed within 6" of the farmhouse itself.  Five detachments and the one Hero leading them.  The Night Goblins begin off-table, but take the first player turn. 

Player Turn 1: Night Goblins 

Beginning off-table, the Night Goblins began rolling to arrive on the table.  Amusingly the whole army arrived, excluding their general, the shaman.  One unit of spearmen had gained the Vanguard trait from their Commander and thus began on the table, breaking into open order to advance off the road and through the woods - the big storage shed in sight. 

Player Turn 1: Brivoli's Great Company 

Slightly disheartened to see the majority of the Night Goblins appearing on the table in the first turn, the mercenaries went about their business.

 

The Veteran Hero and one peasant mob were situated inside the small wall of the farmhouse, giving them some cover from enemy missile fire and a good vantage point.  The two detachments of light infantry moved forward, ready to face the Night Goblins which vastly outnumbered them.  One peasant mob even move forward, anxious (or terrified) to help.

 

Player Turn 2: Night Goblins 

Seeing the farm was not abandoned, the Night Goblins began gibbering with excitement.   Any remaining doubts faded when the wayward general arrived, hiking up his robes as he pushed through the wheat field.

 

On the left flank of the Night Goblins the first archers emerged into the edge of the tree line, loosing a volley of barbed arrows at the peasant mob on the farmhouse balcony.  The peasants screamed as several dropped to the ground, dead...and the mob took a Shock token from the fear.

 

Nearby the first unit of spearmen was hopping over the fence and, spotting the large shed nearby, decided to forego forming up and simply charged wildly at it - torches waving.  The stunned mercenaries nearby watched as the goblins set the shed alight and smashed at it with spear and fist, removing 2/3 of its wounds.  (I chose to pursue victory points over sound tactics...)

 

The Night Goblin hero scuttled forward in the woods, watching gleefully the destruction before him.

 

The other unit of archers was too busy arguing amongst themselves to advance.  The spearmen and the pack of ferocious squigs, however, marched forward anxious, hearing the sounds of destruction.

 

Player Turn 2: Brivoli's Great Company 

At the start of Turn 2, Group B units started to become available.  I rolled for both the Light Cavalry and my general, but only the Light Cavalry appeared on the table edge.

 

Nearby...catastrophe struck. 

The detachment near the Night Goblins who were busily demolishing the large shed...refused to move, even using the Inspiring rule from the nearby Hero.  The specter of fighting actual goblins froze them in place.  The other detachment also froze upon spotting the foe.  Even the peasants in the farmhouse refused to move.  In all, only one peasant mob advanced.  The Hero himself left the safety of the farmhouse and moved down into the field, drawing his sword.

 

Player Turn 3: Night Goblins 

Spurred on by the pure cowardice of the enemy...the Night Goblins rampaged forward.

 

The goblins hacking and burning the large shed suddenly realized there were humans only paces away.  They screamed, formed into Wall of Spears and charged.  Doubling the mercenaries, they inflicted two combat tokens, but suffered one in return.  One base of mercenaries was dispatched while the humans managed to shatter the formation of the Night Goblins! 

Watching this calamity unfold the Night Goblin hero selfishly ran full speed, jump kicking the burning timbers of the large shed.  It collapsed in a burst of sparks and ash.  The Night Goblins scored 2 victory points...only seven more to win. 

The archers nearby were so captivated by the fire and embers that they did nothing.

 

The other archer unit also continued to squabble, despite the jeers of their general nearby.

 

The remaining spearmen unit formed into Wall of Spears and marched forward.  The shaman grinned, summoning dark sorceries - casting 'Wall of Flame' on the unit so that it could not be charged in the following enemy turn. 

Seeing the wily peasant mob prepring to assault his goblins the shaman whistled and pointed.  With a squelching roar the beast pack hurtled across the table (using one of their two sprint tokens) to run straight into the unsuspecting peasants.

 

The squigs devoured three of the four peasant bases, and then broke the final base - it fled a full 12" toward its table edge, terrified and with a Shock for good measure!  The peasants inflicted one token on the beast pack, but it did not affect the squigs. 

It had been a tremendously solid turn for the Night Goblins and the scenario was rapidly going their way.  They had scored 3/9 victory points. 

Player Turn 3: Brivoli's Great Company

Things were looking dire as the turn began.  The general failed to arrive, again!  The remaining two infantry units would not start rolling to arrive until turn four.

 

The good news was that the last peasant rallied, removing one of the three Night Goblin victory points.

One detachment of light infantry activated and charged into the vicious squig pack.  In a fierce scrap, both units took two tokens, but the squigs lost two bases - while the infantry took wavering tokens and passed a loyalty test.  It was looking slightly better. 

With the squigs distracted the Hero attempted to charge into the mass of Night Goblin spearmen.  The Hero drew his sword, diving into the chaotic mass of goblins, cutting down several.  He removed two bases and inflicted a wavering token on the unit, taking only one wound in return (Heroes possess three wounds).

 

Now that the goblins were distracted by another unit, the detachment of light infantry could make use of their Backstabbers trait...and the fact that they goblins had broken formation...and their ancient grudge!  Despite both units rolling a fistful of dice...the Night Goblins did nothing, and the mercenaries only caused a loyaly test.  Quite a dud result!

 

One peasant mob advanced, furious at the destruction of their property.

 

Behind them, the newly arrived light cavalry took a moment to survey the battlefield, hesitant to charge without their general's orders.

 

Player Turn 4: Night Goblins

With the failure of more mercenaries to arrive, it was time to crush these puny farmers.

 

The second large unit of spearmen marched in Wall of Spears, crushing into the detachment which had just slain several of the squigs.  With a fearsome crush, the detachment of light infantry broke, fleeing in the face of so many goblins.  Next stop, farmhouse!

 

On the other side of the table, one of the Night Goblin archer units pelted nearby peasants with bows.  The peasants took several wavering tokens and a Shock token.  Taking advantage of this, the Night Goblin hero charged, screaming and butched more of them - breaking the peasant unit.

In the center the shattered Night Goblin spearmen struggled against the surprisingly nimble mercenary Hero.  Unscathed he inflicted two tokens on the unit, including beheading their unit commander!  Who was this guy?  The shaman grimaced and unleashed a Death Bolt spell at the whirling human mercenary. Nothing!  What protected this foolish human?

 

After the mercenaries fled the beast pack of squigs bolted after a fleeing peasant, devouring it and wiping out the unit.  5/9 victory points already!

 

Believe it or not the second unit of archers failed to activate for a third turn in a row.  The discussion or argument was surely heated.

 

Player Turn 4: Brivoli's Great Company

Short of a miracle it didn't look too great for the mercenaries or the farmers they had expected to save.

The fleeing light infantry detachment rallied, despite being next to an angry pack of squigs (probably a bad idea...). The fleeing peasants did not rally, continuing to run.

On the east table edge, good news at least.  The general had arrived, fashionaly late, but he'd brought two units of veteran missile troops with him.  Next turn the shooting could begin.  He nodded to the worried light cavalry commander who finally stood in his stirrups and pointed to the goblin menace.

 

To be sure, I spent my only courier on the Light Cavalry and they declared a charge against the long Night Goblin hero.  I burned a sprint token just to be sure I had the range and discharged my pistols (represented by the Javelins trait) as I galloped in.  The Night Goblin took two wounds from the pistols and a third when his head was chopped off in the charge.  Progress.

In the chaotic fight near the shed, the mercenary infantry managed to slay more Night Goblins while gaining a Champion of their own! (a rare combat result).  The mercenary Hero similarly suffered a wound, but chopped down more goblins, quickly turning the fight.

The remaining peasants watched on in fear from the safety of the farmhouse. 

 

Player Turn 5: Night Goblins

 

Seeing the arrival of more humans on the horizon, the shaman began to panic.  Wherefor had these men such mettle?  He spat and waved his arms excitedly, urging on his diminutive brothers.

In the center, the remaining large company of Night Goblins smashed into the back of the beleaguered mercenary infantry.  They took shock, and still gained inspiration from the fight, unwilling to break.  They grimaced at the Hero fighting alongside them and the Champion who had emerged...and then the squigs attacked.

The squigs pounced into the backs of the infantry, biting their necks and loins viciously.  The infantry unit finally broke, but being unable to flee, was destroyed.  The Hero watched in horror as the remaining Night Goblins turned on him, sticking him in the gut with several spears.  Finally the mercenaries near the shed had been dispatched.  It only took the entire goblin army.

At the back of the table the goblin archers failed to activate a FOURTH time.  The shaman was so irate he didn't even do anything this turn.

 

The remaining goblin archer unit loosed arrows at the swiftly galloping mercenary cavalry to little effect.

 

It had been a rough turn, but the Night Goblins found themselves sitting on 6/9 victory points.  So close!

 

Player Turn 5: Brivoli's Great Company

 

Losses were mounting.

On the general's left the Araby missile infantry advanced, loosing harmless arrows at the distant goblins.  He advanced next to the farmhouse, as he watched the stubborn dwarfs moving slowly.  On his right the light cavalry discharged their last pistol shots into the squigs (slaying one), and then charged into the battered goblin spearmen, slaying one base and breaking the unit.  It was going to be a close run thing...

 

Player Turn 6: Night Goblins

 

The Night Goblin shaman tugged his robe down over his head and screamed into it.  Down the road the broken Night Goblin spearmen fled across the fence and off the table.  He heard the archers behind him finally agreeing "what colour wheat is" as they started moving.  He reminded himself to curse the unit commander in his sleep...

 

Desperate for more food the squigs bounded after a small group of peasants.  To their surprise the peasants fought back angrily and none were slain.

Knowing full well that the light cavalry would run away if charged, the remaining block of Night Goblin spearmen ran down one of the remaining mercenary infantry detachments, and prepared to face off with the newly arrived archers and dwarf gunners.

 

Player Turn 6: Brivoli's Great Company

 

He was called 'il bastardo grigio' by his men, "the grey bastard".  Not many men even knew his real name.  They just knew he was as dour and miserable a sonuvabitch as they'd ever served under.  He never moved without purpose.  Today his purpose as simple.  He drew his war horn and blew into it fiercely (providing himself and all friendly units with inspiration tokens).

 

He drew his sword and charged headlong into the nearby squigs, skewering all the remaining beasts, much to the peasant's delight.

At the other end of the table the Night Goblin shaman felt the earth under his feet shaking.  He tugged his hood back up and his eyes bulged out of his head.  The human light cavalry came bursting through the trees, hacking at him.  He even took a horse hoof to his big nose, breaking it instantly.  He screamed for help.

The large body of Night Goblins came under missile fire from the Araby infantry, but noticed that the dwarfs remained silent (insulted that the Araby had taken the initiative to attack greenskins before they did).

 

Player Turn 7: Night Goblins

 

The shaman whipped his staff around frantically trying to fend off the mercenary cavalry.  He ducked a spear point and rolled in the mud under a fence.  "Save me you fools!" he screamed at the nearby archers who were watching with some measure of amusement.

The archers were too busy laughing the shaman to even loose an arrow in anger (yes, they failed the activate a FIFTH time...rolling nothing but 90's+ all game).  The other archers in the woodline scrambled over but only loosed a hapless volley.

In the center of the table, the large Night Goblin company realized they needed to burn down the farmhouse marched at it, hoping to clear the peasant mob and set it alight.  They successfully slew two of the three bases of peasants, but not enough!

 

Player Turn 7: Brivoli's Great Company

 

The remaining peasants in the farmhouse attempted to flee from the Night Goblins, but instead broke (putting the Night Goblins on 7/9 victory points!)

 

Once they fled, however, the Araby archers and dwarf gunners opened fire, inflicting casualties and wavering tokens on the large unit of Night Goblins.

Back at the road, the shaman died cursing at the nearby goblin archers who watched him being rode down by the light cavalry.  Behind the other Night Goblin archers an angry form appeared, hurtling through the wheat field.  The grey bastard had lost his temper.

Player Turn 8:  Night Goblins

 

Despite the death of the shaman, the Night Goblins were tantalizingly close...just a few more kills, or burning down the farmhouse would do it!

 

Ignoring the enemy guns and arrows, the Night Goblin regiment set the farmhouse on fire, destroying 2/4 wounds.  Along the road, the goblin archers loosed their wicked arrows at the mercenary cavalry but to little affect.

 

Player Turn 8: Brivoli's Great Company

 

The goblins had nearly won, but the mercenaries just needed a few rolls to stop them.

 

The bad news was that the fleeing peasants ran off the table, securing the victory point for the Night Goblins (holding at 7/9!). 

 

Seeing the goblins setting fire to the farmhouse the Araby archers and dwarfs both charged into the goblins, taking wounds, but trying to tie them up (the Night Goblins cannot attack the structure while engaged with enemy units).

The grey bastard charged into one band of Night Goblin archers, being shot and stabbed to death in the process, but inflicting four tokens (nearly breaking the unit).  The light cavalry charged into the other Night Goblin archer unit and inflicted four tokens as well, slaughtering 4/5 bases in a phenomenal charge.

Player Turn 9: Night Goblins

 

Even playing solo, this game was stressing me out.

The remaining Night Goblin archer tried to fight back against the light cavalry, but accomplished nothing.  They also failed to kill him!  In the woods nearby the other unit of archers eyed the farmhouse which was burning, but they were hesitant to move out of the woods.

In the center the Night Goblin spearmen inflicted tokens but no losses on the dwarf gunners, anxious to defend themselves.  It would take too long to fight off the infantry - the cavalry would surely return for them!

 

Player Turn 9: Brivoli's Great Company

 

Things were getting suitably desperate.  The light cavalry - despite being unable to kill a final base of Night Goblin archers had to withdraw from combat.  If they didn't get back to the farmhouse soon, the goblin spearmen there would kill off the mercenaries and set the building ablaze.

In the melee at the farmhouse two bases of Araby archers were slain, with little impact on the Night Goblins.  Spotting the other Night Gobin archer unit, the remaining peasants advanced, anxious to protect what was left of their homestead.

 

Player Turn 10: Night Goblins

 

This small, introductory 250 point game was officially ridiculous.

The last Night Goblin archer base - in complete shock of the flight of the light cavalry - steadily aimed and loosed an arrow, sticking one of the cavalry through the neck, killing him.  The other Night Goblin archers emerged, showering the light cavalry with missiles as well, inflicting another wavering token on the unit.  The Night Goblins at the farm house slew yet more Araby infantry, anxious to resume razing the stubborn house.

 

Player Turn 10: Brivoli's Great Company

 

The light cavalry failed to activate.  In this, the most key moment of the game...nothing.  The Araby infantry were slain, pushing the Night Goblin victory points to 8/9.

 

In a last desperate hope the dwarf gunners withdrew from combat successfully, simply hoping that next turn the Night Goblins would not inflict enough damage to burn down the house.  This would give the mercenaries one more chance to shoot and charge the final goblin unit (if we ignore the pesky archer units!).

Player Turn 11: Night Goblins

 

This was it.  The dice roll to win the damn game, finally. 

 

The Night Goblins had five dice to roll a total of 16.  Success.  The farmhouse turned into a pyre, and collapsed on its remaining timbers.  The Night Goblins scored their 9th and final victory point, winning the game.

The Outcome:

 

A narrow Night Goblin victory.  The models remaining for each side:

One unit of six Night Goblin Light Infantry with a Champion.

One unit of one Night Goblin Light Missile Infantry

One unit of four Night Goblin Light Missiel Infantry.

 

One unit of four Mercenary Light Cavalry.

One unit of four Mercenary Light Missile Infantry with a Champion.

One unit of two peasants. 

 

The Night Goblins scored:

+2 VPs for destroying the large shed.

+1 VP for slaying a peasant mob.

+1 VP for slaying a Light Infantry detachment.

+1 VP for slaying a peasant mob.

+1 VP for slaying a Light Infantry detachment.

+1 VP for slaying a Light Missile company.

+1 VP for slaying a Mounted Hero

+3 VP for burning down the farmhouse.