Battle Report: Famine, Sword, & Fire (Assault on the Trading Post)

Finding myself with a free Saturday evening, I decided to play a follow-up game to the previous Battle Report.  This will continue the story of the Night Goblin incursion into the Border Princes area, raiding along the East Trail.

This game will be a 300 point game, fought on a 4'x4' table (this table size seems to suit games of 250-300 points fairly well.  Much larger and I'd suggest a larger table).

 

The scenario for this game is simple, it's a straight up fight.  Both armies are arriving from "off-table" (one of three deployment methods).

 Background:

As the mercenaries of Brivoli's Great Company withdrew from the initial counter with the Night Goblins, they sent word for aid from a nearby camp.  A fresh force of mercenaries was dispatched, arriving ad a trading post along the East Trail.  Long ago this trading post had been a walled fortification, but now it sat in disrepair, crumbling walls long surrendered to the weather.  The occupants had fled further west at sight of the smoke in the distance, all too familiar with the indications of foul raiders nearby.

 The Night Goblin horde had lost its leaders, but a weaker, novice shaman had taken control after killing a few other contenders.  They knew that simply following the road west would reward them with more villages and farmsteads to raze.

 

As a roiling thunderstorm threatened from the south, the two forces met at the trading post.

 

Forces:

As with last game, I wrote up two quick and relatively simple lists, this time at 300 points, a 50 point increase over last game.

 

Night Goblin Force:

 1x Company(8) of Regular Light Infantry (Wall of Spears, Fleet-Footed)

1x Company(8) of Regular Light Infantry (Shield Wall, Musician)

1x Company(8) of Regular Light Missile Infantry (Well-Armed, Pavises)

1x Regular Monster (Fearsome Charge, Troll Blood)

1x Regular Monster (Fearsome Charge, Troll Blood)

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

1x Veteran Hero (Spellcasting, Magic Mushrooms, War Horn)

1x Veteran Hero (Berserk, Backstabber, Poison)

 

Using some of the same blocks of infantry as last game, but I've switched up some traits for variety.  I've added some of the newly painted trolls and swapped out the shaman for a spare.  The second hero will represent the Night Goblin fanatic and is concealed within a unit of spearmen.  I amusingly drew a terible General, which seemed fitting for a novice new to command...

 

Mercenary Force:

1x Company(8) of Regular Light Infantry (Javelins, War Drums)

1x Company(8) of Regular Heavy Infantry (Brutal, Steadfast)

1x Company(5) of Regular Light Cavalry (Pursuit, Advance Patrol)

1x Company(5) of Regulat Light Missile Cavalry (Skirmishers, Pistoliers)

1x Regular Artillery (Mule Team, Volley Gun)

1x Elite Hero (Inspiring, War Horn, Grand Banner - Revered Standard, Stealthy)

 

The mercenary force is smaller, but a bit harder hitting, with speed on their side.  I don't know if this will cope with the mass of Night Goblin bodies, but a big brick of heavy infantry is really tough to shift.  The Elite hero is kitted out as a support character and will help units stay in the fight.  The artillery will suffer from line-of-sight issues (I made the table after writing the lists without considering them).  The mercenaries drew excellent commanders across the board, and had access to two Agent rolls before the game.

 

Agents:

 

Through the use of agents, the mercenary force recruited a small detachment of locals to assist in the fight and deployed some units ahead of the game.

 

Player Turn 1: Brivoli's Great Company

 Winning the roll-off, the mercenary force began rolling to arrive on the table.  Using one of their agent results, I placed the artillery and the heavy infantry onto the table so they could activate first turn.  The artillery was dragged forward by its oxen, while the heavy infantry advanced quickly (well, as quickly as ogres are wont to...) down the right, toward the open field.

 The rest of the army, excluding one infantry unit arrived on the table - a huge result considering the mediocre quality of most units.  This was a solid advantage for the mercenaries.  If the Night Goblins fumble a few turns and arrive in strung out order, the mercenaries may be able to pounce before they can organize!

 

Player Turn 1: Night Goblins

Oof.  Well, as feared the Night Goblins rolled to arrive and only brought on less than half of their force - a company of archers, a single troll and the not-so-tolerable shaman.  The only slight saving grace was that a full table quarter was forest.  This protected me slightly from enemy missile fire, and would allow my trolls and heroes to take advantage.  Fighting in dense terrain like a forest means increased lethality for both sides.  It would be risky to send mercenaries into the woods with the trolls lurking around.

 

Player Turn 2: Brivoli's Great Company

 

Having expended energy rushing to the battle, the mercenary force slowed and caught its breath as it entered the trading post.  Only a few units activated successfully.  The ogres on the right flank, moving briskly down the outside wall - toward the open fields where the goblin archers were spotted.  The Hero marched up the center road, bellowing commands.  The last infantry unit arrived on the table (the mercenary force now complete).  On the left, the unit of skirmish cavalry galloped toward the woods, preparing their long ornate pistols.

Player Turn 2: Night Goblins

 

Fair trade.  Many of the mercenaries had failed to activate, giving the goblin force a breather.  This time, ruddy red caps could be seen poking up from the wheat field.  One spearmen mob arrived (including the hero concealed within!), and the squigs bounded into the forest near the shaman.  The shaman hesitated to order anyone forward as I didn't want anyone caught advancing alone by quick human cavalry.  Next turn...just bide my time...

Player Turn 3: Brivoli's Great Company

 

The mercenaries had a good turn.  Using some buffs from my Hero, the whole army activated.  The ogres advanced further up the right - now sensing the goblins ahead in the wheat field.  Behind them the arab swordsmen hustled to catch up.  In the courtyard of the trading post the Hero commanded the volley gun forward (it would have to deploy in the gateway to have a line-of-sight lest it be pelted endlessly by indirect arrows all the game without being able to respond).  In the woods the skirmish cavalry crept forward, wary of the squigs ahead of them.  Behind them the arab cavalry galloped up to reinforce them.  

The game would likely come down to two "fields".  The infantry fight in the open, and a blood disaster in the forest.

 

Player Turn 3: Night Goblins

 

More pointed caps appeared amongst the wheat and chaff.  The other goblin spearmen unit had arrived, as well as the last troll who'd been lagging behind.  The shaman hiked his robes up and made for the archers, casting a spell to increase their activation - which they promptly failed.

In the forest the squigs were anxious to charge, and I decided that now was probably the time.  If I was lucky and the skirmish cavalry rolled poorly, I could catch them.  If not, the squigs would have to distract them for a turn or two.  The squigs activated...the skirmish cavalry retreated only 6", giving the squigs just enough reach to catch them!  They devoured two of the cavalry bases, a superb result.  Behind the squigs a greedy troll bounded through the forest, smelling blood.

 

Player Turn 4: Brivoli's Great Company

 

First blood to the damned goblins, eh?  The mercenaries turn didn't get much better.  Inside the compound the volley gun was deployed in the gatehouse, aiming down the road (with good view of goblins).  The hired mercenaries were positioned nearby to hope to counter anyone charging the gun.  The Hero moved toward the forest, suspecting things were about to go pear-shaped in a hurry.

On the right, the ogres shifted, waiting on the araby swordsmen to catch up.  Now the horde of goblins was growing, even the ogres didn't fancy 3:1 odds.

On the left in the forest the skirmish cavalry attempted to flee the squigs, but broke (rolling a 99%!).  They fled just as the araby horsemen formed a line, ready.  The squigs were strong in the woods against open-order enemies, but a block of formed cavalry might be a stretch for them.  It would keep the squigs from reaching the broken cavalry though which was great.

Player Turn 4: Night Goblins

 

Putting on my goblin cap...I wasn't terribly sad about the misfortune of the mercenaries.  The goblins had suffered no casualties and were all on the table and ready to advance.

 

The shaman muttered a spell.  Nothing happened.  He muttered it again, and still, nothing.  He tugged the parchment out to study the words again...

 

On the open field the two goblin spearmen units marched forward, gibbering like fools.  The volley gun crew watched, baffled as the goblin archers marched up the road, stopped, and instead of loosing a volley of their crudely shaped arrows...instead deployed large wicker shields.

 

In the forest the two trolls sat comfortably out of the charge range of the newly arrived arab cavalry, and the squigs sniffed about, unable to decide what to charge.

Player Turn 5: Brivoli's Great Company

 

The remaining skirmish cavalry drew to halt, stopping their flight as they sheltered behind the other cavalry.  In the courtyard the Hero bellowed an order and the volley gun begin rattling its lead projectiles down the road.  The Night Goblins shrieked as the volley splintered several of the pavises they had erected, but an angry eye from their commander kept them in order.

On the right, preparing for the inevitable clash, the araby swordsmen beat their war drum, inspiring both themselves and the nearby ogre for the impending fight.

On the left the araby cavalry charged into the squigs.  It wasn't ideal by any stretch (normal units suffer penalties fighting in dense terrain), but it was the only thing to do.  The squigs and cavalry each lost a base of models.

 

The Hero ran toward the forest, sensing trouble. He could see the trees swaying and knew something larger than a goblin was in the trees.

 

Player Turn 5: Night Goblins

 

The shaman cursed as he continued to mutter his magical incantations.  He chewed a large rot-cap mushroom and waved his hands angrily at the nearby goblin archers.  In response they loosed a large volley of arrows.  One of the volley gun crew collapsed, an arrow through his eye.  His spell had worked!  Or at least that's what he'd tell himself for now...

In the wheat field one of the spearmen mobs advanced quickly and with a shout, shifted into shield wall in front of the ogres.  The other spearmen unit declared a charge, but failed by 1"!  The ogres took advantage of this and counter-charged.  One of the ogres grabbed the goblin commander's head and popped it like a grapefruit.

In the forest the squigs lost more creatures as they fought viciously with the araby cavalry.  The cavalrymen's eyes went wide, spotting two trolls bounding through the forest, only meters away.  This was about to turn against them very quickly.

 

Player Turn 6: Brivoli's Great Company

 

The Hero ran forward, waving his revered standard (drawing a wavering token off the araby cavalry). Nearby the recovered pistol cavalry galloped forward, firing into the forest with no effect on the trolls.  The araby cavalry slaughtered another base of squigs but knew that next turn the trolls were very likely going to smash into them.

In the center of the table the volley gun fired poorly, jamming several times as the remaining crew tried desperately to shoot at the large hordes of goblins outside of the gate.

On the right the mercenaries caught a break.  With a high pitched warcry the araby swordsmen smashed into the goblins, breaking their formation (the goblins lost 'Wall of Spears' when this happened).  The ogres then smashed more goblins.

Player Turn 6: Night Goblins

 

Despite a few good results for the mercenaries, this turn felt like it would be almost decisive.

In the forest both trolls charged into the remaining araby cavalry, smashing several to death, while the rest fled, broken.  Smelling the blood in the air the squigs bounded after them, catching and devouring the rest much to the horror of the nearby mercenaries!

The goblin successes continued!  The archers drove the gun crew off of their treasured volley gun, removing it from the game.  In the large melee on the right side of the trading post the shield wall goblins marched into the ogres, barely phasing them.  However, with a blood-curdling cry the fanatic hero leapt from his concealment in the other spear unit, smashing into the ogres, taking two of them down and inflicting a shock token!

 It was all looking pretty good for the gobbos...

 

Player Turn 7: Brivoli's Great Company

 

Well...that sucked.  I tried to salvage what I could from the ruins of my force.  My skirmish cavalry fired pistols into the squigs, breaking them, and then galloped out of charge distance of the trolls.  Similarly the Hero fled back to the courtyard, staying many steps ahead of the troll threat.  I'd have to reinforce inside the walls and hook up with my other units.

On the right the ogres wounded and drove off the fanatic, while doing little else.  The araby swordsmen only barely harmed the remaining goblins.  It was looking dire.

 

Player Turn 7: Night Goblins

Well this was looking good for the goblins.  I could maybe wrap up the game - not on victory points, but I'd simply have the mercenaries concede defeat if the game continued to turn against them.

 

The squigs failed to rally and continued to bound toward their table edge.  The fanatic recovered, likely bad news for the ogres.  In the large fight, both spearmen units targeted the ogres, whittling them down slowly.

Sensing the quiet of the gatehouse, the archers stashed their pavises, drew their daggers and began heading toward the trading post.  There was loot to be had.

On the right one troll stood bashing a corpse into the ground with glee, while the other chased the attractive banner of the mercenary hero.  His instincts told him that something tasty was carrying the white and blue fabric attached to the pole.

 

Player Turn 8: Brivoli's Great Company

 

I would have to make something out of this turn, or it was probably a sad day for the mercenaries.

 

On the right flank the araby swordsmen killed several goblin spearmen and broke the unit.  The ogres were in a deadlock with the shield wall'ed goblins.

On the left, in sheer desperation the pistolier cavalry advanced, firing into the troll with no effect.  The Hero grimaced and charged, unlikely to win against a monster the size of the troll.  While he stabbed the troll once, the troll responded, inflicting two of the hero's three wounds.

 

Player Turn 8: Night Goblins

 

Out of fairness, I gave myself one turn to clean up some mercenaries.  As much as I enjoy a good comeback story - it was looking rather dire for the mercenaries.

The troll facing the hero inflicted a mortal wound.  As he stumbled away, one of the cavalry fled upon seeing his general collapse.

In the larger melee the rejuvenated fanatic hurled himself into the ogres once more, killing another, but this time wrapping the chain around his own neck in the process.  The ogres, shocked by the sheer violence of the goblins were broken by the unwavering shield walled spearmen.  The araby watched as the proud ogres fled past them.

At this point I called the game.  While it would have gone on for another hour, chasing units around the table, it was a clear Night Goblin victory this time!

 

End Result:

A fairly lopsided victory.  The Night Goblins lost only a handful of spearmen bases, most of their squigs and a few wounds inflicted upon a troll.

 

The mercenaries had a full strength swordsmen unit left, and the volunteer levy that had joined them at the start of the game.  A resounding Night Goblin victory indeed.