Somewhere on the Border Battle Report!

Hi!

Well I managed to get a quick game in this morning featuring my Dwarves versus a marauding band of Barbarians!

The Scenario

After several weeks of tracking, the Boar Companies scouts have located the warband responsible for the deaths of a camp of Dwarven hunters. The Boar Company must kill or capture as many of the barbarians as possible, especially the barbarian Chieftain, Lurmattii. The barbarians wish to drive the Dwarves from their hunting grounds so must break the Dwarven force and drive it from the battlefield.

The Battlefield

A clearing in the forest sparsely covered with large boulders and the occasional pine tree.

The Forces

The Dwarves

Dwarves

Grimli, Dwarf Commander
Quality 2+
Combat 4
Special Rules: Leader, Fearless, Short Move

92 points

Flint Dragonbane, Dwarf Champion
Quality 3+
Combat 5
Special Rules: Fearless, Short Move

50 points

Boar Company Dwarf
Quality 3+
Combat 4
Special Rules: Short Move

34 Points

Boar Company Dwarf
Quality 3+
Combat 4
Special Rules: Short Move

34 Points

Boar Company Dwarf
Quality 3+
Combat 4
Special Rules: Short Move

34 Points

Dwarven Hunter
Quality 4+
Combat 3
Special Rules: Mountaineer, Short Move, Shooter: Medium

29 Points

Dwarven Hunter
Quality 4+
Combat 3
Special Rules: Mountaineer, Short Move, Shooter: Medium

29 Points

Grunter, Boar Company Mascot
Quality 5+
Combat 2
Special Rules: Animal, Short Move

4 Points

Total: 306 points

The Barbarians

Barbarians

Lurmattii Greymourn, Barbarian Chieftain
Quality 3+
Combat 4
Special Rules: Fearless, Leader, Reckless

86 points

Skyclad Berserker
Quality 4+
Combat 4
Special Rules: Berserk, Fearless

41 Points

Skyclad Berserker
Quality 4+
Combat 4
Special Rules: Berserk, Fearless

41 Points

Barbarian Tribesman
Quality 4+
Combat 3
Special Rules: Fearless

27 Points

Barbarian Skirmisher
Quality 4+
Combat 2
Special Rules: Fearless, Shooter: Short, Stealth

27 Points

Great Wolf
Quality 3+
Combat 5
Special Rules: Animal, Fearless, Group Fighter, Long Move, Savage, Stealth

88 points

Total: 310 points

Deployment

The barbarians deployed in a group in the centre of their deployment zone while the Dwarves split into three groups, Grimli took one of the Boar Company and Grunter to the left flank, flint held the centre with two more Boar Company and the hunters deployed on the right.

Turn 1

The barbarians seize initiative. But the berzerker rolls 1 success and 2 failures so moves slowly forward and play passes to the Dwarves.

Grimli moves more cautiously forward supported by the Boar Company trooper in an attempt to block the gap between the rock formations. Grunter ambles along behind.

Flint attempts a bold move to flank the barbarian group and trap them in the narrow pass between two rock formations but rolls 3 failures and play passes to the Barbarians.

Lurmattii bellows a warcry and the whole barbarian force hurls itself forward and with his two remaining rolls, using his reckless skill the bold chieftain charges forward to lead the warband. The berserker on the right outpaces his leader, frothing at the mouth as he hurls himself toward his mortal enemies.

The following tribesman rolls two failures, possibly less keen to join the fray and play passes to the Dwarves.

The most Easterly hunter moves slowly forward seeing the great wolf is moving in his direction, the other hunter then rolls two failures and play passes back to the Barbarians

The Great Wolf attempts to close with the Dwarven hunters and rolls three dice but only gets a single success. Play passes to the Dwarves.

Seeing the danger Flint moves towards the wolf in an attempt to cut it off before it reaches the hunters. One of the troopers hurtles past him but the other rolls two failures and play passes to the Barbarians.

Turn 2

The berserker following the great wolf rolls 3 dice but fails with two closing with the wolf but passing play to the Dwarves.

Grimli hurls himself towards the barbarian leader, keen to bring vengeance for the kin he has slaughtered, his supporting trooper moves even faster scoring three successes and closes with the barbarian berzerker. Alas Grunter promptly rolls two failures and play passes to the Barbarians.

With a roar, lurmitti charges grimli, forcing the dwarf back with the sheer force of the attack. The berserker accompanying him charges the trooper but the dwarf blocks the frenzied blows with his shield.

Combat Ensues!

The barbarian skirmisher passes through the narrow gap in the rock formations and closes to try and get a shot off at one of the dwarves.

The berserker on the other flank manages to roll two failures and one success closing with the great wolf but again passing play to the dwarves.
Seeing the danger his leader is in flint veers towards the main combat taking one of the other dwarves with him, the second continues his move towards the wolf.

The two dwarf hunters move to optimum range so they can draw a bead on the approaching wolf.

Play passes back to the last barbarian to activate but he only manages to shuffle forward a little, obviously caused by too much mead the previous night.

Turn 3

Roaring his outrage, grimli hurls himself forward into the fray once more sweeping his blade in a blurred arc, the dwarf forces the startled barbarian to jump backwards to avoid being cut in two.

On the other flank, one of the hunters attempts to fire at the great wold but rolls two failures, passing play to the barbarians.

The Great Wolf howls and with an incredible burst of speed closes with the unfortunate hunter and literally tears him limb from limb with a gruesome kill (he doubled the dwarves roll and the savage ability resulted in a gruesome kill!) Seeing his companion die so horribly, the remaining hunter takes to his heels and flees the battlefield. The Boar Company trooper is made of sterner stuff and holds his ground. Seeing the wolf kill its prey, the following berserker whoops and closes on the remaining Dwarf on the east flank but rolls two fails and passes play to the Dwarves.

The Dwarven Hunter Comes to a Sticky End.

Summoning his courage, the Dwarf charges the great wolf, passing his morale check but the fury of the wolf drives him back again.

On the other flank the Boar Company trooper knocks the berserker to the ground with a powerful strike and Grunter bounds forward to aid his masters.

Flint closes with the action rolling three dice and getting two successes, but the last Boar Company trooper rolls only a single success from three dice and play passes to the barbarians.

The berserker struggles to his feet and continues the combat with the Dwarven trooper and the remaining barbarians close with the Dwarves blocking their way to freedom.

Turn 4

The Great Wolf attempts to kill the last Dwarf in his way but despite rolling three dice, only succeeds to roll a single success, passing play to the Dwarves.

Grimli finally manages to slay the barbarian chieftain with a blow that sends the unfortunate chieftains head flying from his shoulders. Seeing the loss of their leader, the remaining barbarians hastily pull back, apart from the wolf who is locked in battle with the Dwarf trooper on the eastern flank.

Pressing the advantage, the trooper accompanying Grimli closes with the berserker once again but rolls two failures and passes play to the barbarians. The berserker rolls 3 dice and gets two fails. To make matters worse he is promptly knocked over by the Dwarf.

Combat Heats Up Amongst the Rock Formations

Most of the remaining boar company close with their leader, but one seeing the battle between the Dwarf and wolf breaks off and scurries towards his kin after rolling three successes.

The remaining berserker moves towards this insolent dwarf but again rolls two fails passing play to the Dwarves.

Turn 5

With darkness approaching, the Dwarves are keen to finish off the barbarians but the trooper standing over the downed barbarian rolls three dice but fails two and his blow is thrown back and play passes to the barbarians. The berserker staggers to his feet but manages to pass play to the Dwarves with some bide dice rolls.

The Great Wolf forces the plucky Dwarf back but fails to kill him. Meanwhile the skirmisher attempts to be bold but only rolls one success from three dice and passes play to the Dwarves once again.

Flint attacks the berserker but is thrown back. Tiring of the stubborn barbarian, Grimli dispatches him with a blow that strikes him dead at his feet.

The remaining berserker finally manages to close with the Dwarven troopers in the East but poor dice, which have plagued the berserkers the entire game strikes again ending the turn.

Turn 6

Grimli attempts to finish the barbarians off but rolls 2 failures from 3 dice, closing with the skirmisher but passing play to the barbarians.

The remaining tribesman moves into combat with Grimli to support the skirmisher. Despite two successes and a supporting model, the skirmisher is no match for the commander of the Boar Company and is driven back.

An Epic Combat Nears its End.

The Great wolf again drives the Dwarf back but is unable to kill him, while the barbarian finally gets into close combat with someone! Unfortunately rolling two more failures and passing play to the Dwarves again.

The Dwarf he charged manages to hold off the frothing madman but cannot wound him. Meanwhile the remaining Dwarf once again, somewhat foolishly charges the wolf and is knocked prone by the beast.

Turn 7

The great wolf crushes the prone dwarf with its mighty jaws and causing the other trooper to break from combat and flee but play passes to the Dwarves once more.

Grimli is tiring and rolls three failures passing play back to the barbarians. The unfortunate barbarian makes the mistake of being overconfident and is run through by the dwarf commander for his troubles.

This brings the barbarians to breaking point and the remaining humans and the Great Wolf turn and flee the battlefield.

Conclusion

Grimli stared out into the darkness, his eyes squinting against the snow that had begun to fall. Despite killing Lurmattii and driving off the last of the barbarians, the victory felt hollow. He had lost two men and the damned hunter had run off into the forest during the battle. Now his force was badly mauled in a forest miles from the nearest Dwarven outpost and without the hunter to guide them, it would be foolhardy to attempt to move out before daybreak.

Turning to Flint, his second in command he ordered his troops to build a crude shelter amongst the great rock formation nearby. It promised to be a cold night and he didn't like the fact that the huge grey wolf which had killed two of his own was still out there somewhere. As if in mocking answer, a cry sounded in the distance and was answered to the East by another. 'Damn' he thought, 'Just what we need! The Children of the Moon are abroad tonight...'

Post Battle Ponderings

Well that was quite a fun game. The barbarians had truly terrible dice rolls though which pretty much handed the initiative the the Dwarves. The Great Wolf was totally amazing though and was more than worth the points cost. Saying that, the barbarians needed larger numbers to offset the Dwarves combat advantage so I may fiddle with the force a bit in future games.

The Dwarves were solid, if unexceptional in the game, apart from Grimli who was a one Dwarf wrecking machine and accounted for no less than three kills. I think he was also a tad lucky wading in like that as he could have been overwhelmed by sheer numbers, especially the combination of the Berserker and Chieftain. Fortunately the berserkers proved to be more dangerous to their own side. I think in future games I may up their quality a little as they should be fearsome savages not bumbling buffoons!

I suspect my next game will feature the somewhat battered Boar Company making a fighting withdrawal from the barbarian lands, while trying to hold off a pack of wolves who are dogging their trail...

All the best!