Practise time. Wargamming on a deadline

I decided I needed to get my hand back in the game before I rock up to the tables on the 16th. So last night I decided to put the pressure on and play three games in six hours. However, I also wanted to help out mates with their tournament preparations, which meant that the three games would all be different game systems. in the end I managed my major goal, fitting all three games in in a 5 hour window (though the last game came to a close early as Sam had to be home before curfew). Here were the results...

GAME ONE: WARHAMMER FANTASY

OPPONENT: REX FOOTE

POINTS LIMIT: 2400

SCENARIO: BLOOD AND GLORY

a great laughing point in the game, as the  lone Waywatcher oh so nearly killed the Kharibdyss in close combat, what a battler

Game one pitted my Beastmaster list against an annoying as hell Wood Elf list, consisting of a High mage, Beast mage, more archers than I could shake a stick at, a medium sized block of Eternal Guard with a Shadowdancer and BSB and a treeman. Both of us had a total of 5 break points, but Rex's problem in this game was the shortening of the gap between the two armies. I deployed as far forward as possible in a hard pincer, with the Chariots, Hydras, Kharibdyss and light mage with bodyguard on the left and the corsairs, BSB and chaff on the right. I managed to get first deployment on my scouts as well as first turn, so the tree huggers found themselves about 5" away from my army turn one, as well as a dead Treeman being dragged as a prize behind Shar-Vear's chariot. I lost 90% of my chaff in Rex's first hail of hell, but after turn two it was practically a Dark Elf mop up as two Hydras showed why forest's don't like fire, vaporizing 16 of the 20 Eternal Guard where they stood with their templates.

A very empty movement tray. Due to a lack of built Hydras (i will be borrowing my good friend Hermans for the event) a few spare bases had to make do.

The game ended a lot closer than it at first appeared, as it came down to one turns difference, who would be broken first. unfortunately for Rex his archers could not pin down or flee the corsairs, who romped home to deliver the victory for the dark side. I believe that Rex will soon have a more in depth and rather less biased account on his blog here if you want to read more

RESULT: DASTARDLY VICTORY!

GAME TWO: FLAMES OF WAR
OPPONENT: JAYDEN HOWELL
POINTS LIMIT: 1450 EARLY WAR
SCENARIO: HOLD THE LINE

Jayden is popping his competitive cherry and jumping into the early war tournament at Call To Arms, taking the Imperial Japanese infantry division that he commissioned me to paint for him. Unfortunately my Finnish infantry division is no where near completed, let alone fully painted, so a good friend loaned me his Germans to fill out bases. the sides where...

Japanese 7th Hohei Division (fearless/veteran)
HQ with division banner
2 Hohei infantry platoons with  3 squads, 3 light mortars and banners
1 Hohei machine-gun platoon with 4 machine-guns
1 Hohei battalion gun platoon with 2 type 92 70mm guns and no spotter
1 Medium sensha platoon with 5 Chi-Ro medium tanks and 2 type 94 tankettes

My sexy ass anti-tank platoon, who ran after being thoroughly shot up

Finish Jalkaväkikompanie (confident/veteran)
HQ
2 Jalkaväki platoons with 4 squads and a close defence command squad
1 Jalkaväki machine-gun platoon with 4 machine-guns
1 Jalkaväki mortar platoon with 4 tampala mortars
1 Jääkäri scout platoon with 3 squads and a close defence command squad (fearless/veteran)
1 Jalkaväki tank hunter platoon with 2 boys anti-tank rifles, two close defence rifle teams and a close defence command squad
1 Jalkaväki anti-tank platoon with 2 45 PsTK/37 guns
1 Anti-aircraft platoon with 2 40ItK/38 guns
1 Artillery platoon with 4 76 K/02 guns
Fokker CX sporadic air support

Oh dear, that is alot of infantry facing the thin white line

This game ended fast. As the defender I had delayed reserves so only started with one Jalkaväki platoon (with combat attached machine guns), the Jääkäri scouts, the Anti-air guns and the Artillery on the field. Having to deploy first, and since he won if he could hold one of the two objectives, meant I had to scatter my forces. In the end he piled everything in the corner and threw them forward in one great wave, crashing over the hill in the pre-dawn assault. I was allowed to ambush two units, but foolishly only held the Anti-tank squads back, wanting to see where he would place the tanks. in the end the man of the match for me was the AA guns, that brutalised his tanks as they crested the ridge behind the objective, but it was not enough. The Japanese juggernaut smashed it's way over both the Jalkaväki squad and the objective, holding it against a counter attack by the Jääkäri. dawn broke on the very last turn, turn 4. I had not received any reserves.

Game face on, but little I could do about those gorgeous little buckets

RESULT: CRUSHING DEFEAT!

GAME THREE: WARMACHINE/HORDES
OPPONENT: SAM CAMPBELL
POINTS LIMIT: 35
SCENARIO: INCURSION

Chris Otton is hosting a second escalation league at the Kapiti Wargames Club, so both me and Sam decided to crank out some miniatures and have a go (I had just made a very good purchase of older miniatures from a colleague of my Mother, so was looking to blood them). The sides were...

Sam: Trollbloods
Madrak Ironhide
1 Troll Axer
2 Troll Impaler's
5 Trollkin Champions
10 Trollkin Fenblades
Krielstone Bearer and scribes
Fell Caller solo

Nick: Circle Orboros
Grayle Farstrider
1 Feral Warpwolf
1 Razorwing Griffon
1 Argus
10 Wolves of Orboros with command group
5 Tharn Ravagers with a Tharn Chieftain
Reeve's of Orboros solo
2 Gallows grove's

end of Sams first turn, just before my first moves. for those who want to know the far objective was the one that disappeared

This game had to be called early, but to be honest at that point it was anyone's game, he had turtled heavily around his big old stone, and the Wolves and Tharn were making great dents in his troops (thanks to the gallows groves removing his tough ability). However just before we had to call it his Axer had made a long charge and Bisected (quite literally) half of the Tharn unit, including the Chieftain. both of us were gearing up to pop our feats in the next turn so it would have been an extremely interesting turn, where one or the other of us would have come out on top. Oh well.

RESULT: INDETERMINATE

So at the end of five hours back to back games with little break, I was 1-1 with 1 draw. Pretty much my usual fare in this situation but with room for improvement.

Too Long

When your a full time university student it is hard to find time between work (since the boss never hired someone to fill important gaps) and my long distance relationship with my dear Ashleigh to actually get out and play. Looking back I haven't been to a tournament this year since heading up Beauty And The Beast's at the NZTC. However I have put my foot down and have been let loose for a weekend to once more stalk the battlefields of Wellington. Call To Arms HERE I COME!

However, this means I have two weeks to finish painting my list. It is Dark Elves. before the groans echo around the hills of Te Whanganui-A-Tara (woo, cultural) you may be interested to know that I plan to attempt a goodish position (not top place, too many dwarves for that) with NO Bolt Throwers, NO Executioners and NO Warlocks. Some think im mad, I prefer kooky. Here is the list.

Shar-Vear, High Beastmaster on Scourgerunner Chariot with the charmed shield. (305)

Niastra, Supreme Sorceress (lvl 4, light) on a Dark Steed with the iron-curse icon (245)

Calathan, Master Battle Standard Bearer on a Pegasus, with a lance, 1+ armour, 4+ ward and potion of foolhardiness (218)

5 Dark Riders with crossbows, shields and a musician (110)

5 Dark Riders with crossbows, shields and a musician (110)

5 Dark Riders with crossbows, shields and a musician and banner (120)

20 Black Ark Corsairs with additional hand weapons, full command and the flaming banner (260)

5 Shades with additional hand weapons (90)

5 shades with additional hand weapons (90)

Scourgerunner Chariot (150)

Hydra with flaming breath (180)

Hydra with flaming breath (180)

Hydra with flaming breath (180)

Kharibdyss (160)

2398

Fun, themed and a little insane. I will also be keeping a tally of how many monsters and large targets I can bring down with the list, a sort of moral victory points to offset some of the huge losses I will take from cannonballs to the face.

Can't wait to see you all there