knackers for cloak hooks AAR

As the dawn broke over the hamlet of Smere shallow long boats drew up the beach. Silently the occupants stalked across the sand and into the rough brush of the dunes overlooking the settlement. They began to down the sandy slopes to take up position when in the distance a horse whinnied. they stopped dead as one.  Before them stood not a sleeping village but a force of annoyed looking armored men, and they seemed intent on them. A broad man astride a mighty black stallion rode towards them, stopping not 50 feet before them he raised his sword arm. 'Foul raiders' he bellowed 'today is the day you meet whatever foul and depraved gods you choose to spend your time sucking up to. I am lord  in these parts and i am here to tell you that all this coast is under my protection and i offer you this truth......if you take one more step on it i will personally stick this blade so far up your jacksies you will be able to taste your colons!. I give you one chance, turn around, get back in your nasty little ships AND BLOODY WELL BUGGER OFF!'. From the rear of the mob of raiders a giant of a man in black spiked plate strode forward. He knelt for a moment, seemingly offering up a prayer. He then rose, pulled an ugly horned skull helm over his head...and laughed. Behind him his men slowly and deliberately  moved forward. The leader bellowed a command and as one they charged!......

This is not just my first game of the new year but also the first to get the write up treatment here on Wronghammer!. I used the really rather fantastic Lion Rampant rules as i find they give a quick and exciting game and i was a little pushed for time, also as i intended to do a write up and take photos i needed an easy to use rule set so i could concentrate on these things and not do anything too stupid!. I went for a small engagement with just 18 point forces and no scenario as i wanted to use the germ of an idea for background that has since become the piece of fiction i posted last time.

The forces are as follows:

Lord Yanics retinue, the defenders of Smere.

From left to right: GUNNERS- Crossbowmen (4pts)
                              MEN AT ARMS- Expert foot Sarjeants (6pts)
                              KNIGHTS OF THE COAST- Mounted Men at Arms, led by lord Yanic (6pts)
                              RANGERS- Bidowers (2pts)
 The force is designed to represent Yanic calling out his fellow lesser nobles and drinking buddies to keep their oaths and protect the area (the knights)  and the house hold troops he has under his command ( the men at arms and gunners). The rangers are one of many groups charged with defending the coastline from smugglers and small time raiding parties). It is made up of minis from Red box and mini art.

The bloodborne, raiders from the northern tides

   Clockwise from bottom left: BLOODBORNE BOWMEN- Archers (4pts)
                                                 BLOODBORNE WARRIORS x2- Fierce foot (8pts)
                                                 BLOODBORNE REAVERS- Foot men at arms (6pts)
 I designed the Bloodborne to be a wild raiding force full of savage warriors led by an elite group of dark warrior priests in the Reavers who form the commanders retinue. The minis used are a mix of Dark Alliance, zvesda and imex.
As i tend to use unpainted minis i use a colour coded bases for each force. Yanics forces are on red with white trim and the Bloodborne are on black with blue trim.

Set up

  The battlefield, a patch of land near the coast strewn with a few rough hedges and weathered rock piles.
Yanics deployment

                                       Knights on the extreme left supported by the rangers

gunners and the men at arms hold the center,

The Bloodborne deployment

                        The warriors thrown forward in the center supported by the Reavers.

The bows on the Bloodborne left ready to get the drop on the defenders unguarded right.

TURN 1

 I decided it would fit the nature of the Bloodborne to make them the attackers so they went first. The bowmen snuck forward to take advantage of the unguarded area on the opposing flank and as one the Bloodborne warriors surged forward towards the center shouting foul curses at the defenders as they went. I was planning to move them as far forward as i could to tempt the Knights to charge them leaving them open to a counter charge from the supporting Reavers next turn but as anyone who's played Lion Rampant will know when you need an activation to come off.........

                'Right behind you lads, thats it you get stuck in, don't mind us we'll be there in a mo!'.
With that fluffed activation play passed to the defenders who wasted no time getting the Knights in position to charge home against the warriors next turn. Lord Yanic struggled to make himself heard over the din of the warriors colourful language however because the next activation failed meaning no shots were taken at the advancing horde.

TURN 2
The Bloodborne warriors continue to belt forward shouting warcries about 'crows feasting on nipples' and 'kicking people with their own severed feet' and so forth. The Reavers again amazingly failed to activate leaving the warriors on the right unprotected against the Knights!. For their part the knights slammed into the warriors flank killing 5 of them to no losses!

BAM!, CRUNCH!, GETOFYABASTARDS!

The warriors were forced back but some how passed their courage test, until the rangers peppered the remainder with shot and they suddenly remembered they left something important on the ship!.

TURN 3

 Angered by the loss of their battle brothers the second regiment of warriors slammed into the Men at arms but failed to do enough damage to rout them. There was some joy for the Reavers as they remembered why they came and advanced towards the defenders troops. Having been forced to retreat by the men at arms the warriors now made a tempting target for the Knights who charged wildly into their ranks. The resulting carnage looked like this:

Leaving this:

The remaining warrior decided he was no longer fierce and took to his feet!.

Both regiments of warriors had routed meaning the Bloodborne had lost their first wave and were in a very dodgy position. The Knights had run rampant, like lions!. With the center cleared of immediate danger the men at arms turned towards the right to threaten the enemy bowmen and the gunners and rangers moved into firing range of the Reavers.

TURN 4

 The Bloodborne bowmen opened fire on the men at arms as they rounded the rock killing one of them, the men at arms promptly failed their courage test and became battered!.

'Oh no pointy sticks whatta we do?!'

The Reavers advanced for the second time, advancing into charge range of the knights and close range of the gunners!. At the first chance they could the Knights charged the Reavers....... and failed to do any damage!. Their opponents also fluffed their lines meaning the Knights had to retreat but help was at hand. The gunners leveled their weapons, took aim....and failed to activate!.

FINAL ACTIONS

 The Reavers needed no invitations and charged the Knights killing 2 and forcing them back.

,Taste spikey death horse face!'

The bowmen ignored the battered men at arms and doubled back into the center to try to support the Reavers. Seeing his drinking buddies falling around him Lord Yaric decided their was only one thing for it. Pausing to shout 'COME ON THEN YOU SPIKEY FACED SHERRY DRINKING SKIRT WEARING PANSY' he charged towards the Bloodborne leader who stepped forward and heft his giant mace towards the hated enemy.

Battle is joined

Mace hits face, face hits hits floor, 

Yanic hit the floor with a sickening thud. Seeing their leader floored the rest of his forces surrendered their weapons. The field, the day and the northern shores belonged to the Bloodborne!.

Well that turned round quick, at the end of turn 3 i thought the game was up for the raiders, one charge and the Knights would wipe the Reavers out and claim the field. Just goes to show in Lion Rampant there is no such thing as a sure thing!.

Till next time......