First Battle Report - Crunch Time

And I do believe the Goblins have finally sprung their trap! The Dwarf flanks are under considerable pressure. Those 'lil bearded tough guys are falling by the dozen!

I had an Envelope Command Card and ordered two units on each flank. Those pesky Dwarf Crossbowmen were hit by four cavalry units, were pushed out of the walled field they were hiding in and took a couple of points of damage. On the other flank, the Giant Spider kicked the doo-doo out of the Cattle Riders, who are also now stuck to the spot with spider web.


Those Cattle Riders are spider food!

Next turn, and the Giant Spider finishes off the Cattle Riders. Dwarves shouldn't have cavalry anyway. They don't now!  First VPs go to me. On the other flank the Dwarf Crossbowmen hold on, pushing back a Goblin Ostrich Rider unit which now has 3 points of damage. I'll need to withdraw it ASAP.


It's not just dark - a thick fog has descended onto the battlefield. I can't see a doggone thing out there!

The event card triggered a change in the weather. Visibility is now 1 hex, even for creatures with night vision. No ranged combat now, not that it will matter much the way things are.


The Dwarf Crossbowmen are making their mothers proud! But a minor catastrophe for the Dwarf army as their baggage is chewed up by the Giant Spider.

Those [expletive deleted] crossbowmen won't die. On the other hand, more victory points for taking out the Dwarf baggage.


Did you think those Dwarves would roll over and die? No siree they won't! The Dwarf commander urges his troops forward. And those Crossbowmen, not just holding their own but kicking some Goblin butt.

Since charging those crossbowmen I've rolled a 1 or 2 for every combat involving them. One unit of Ostrich Riders bites the dust - the first VPs for the Dwarves. The Dwarf command card is Follow Me, and all the Dwarf units within 2 hexes of the commander move onward. A unit of Dwarf Spearmen hit the Wolf Riders and do some damage.

That fog can't like it round here - it's gone already. The Goblins must see that as an omen - their centre line, stationary until now, screeches defiance and crashes into the advancing Dwarves.

The event card changed the weather back to clear again. I had an Onslaught Command Card - order foot troop units with a +1 combat bonus this turn. I'm still taking a risk - those Dwarf units are quite hard - but what the heck.


Those Crossbowmen have finally fallen to the cavalry. They may be vertically challenged, but they have more valour than thee and me put together! Songs will be written about this, their final day.

About time too.


The Dwarf centre has crumbled under the assault! The Commander fights valiantly on, but around him Dwarves fall left and right. It's slaughter.

The only combat I lost was against the unit led by Dwarf Commander. Two other Dwarf units were killed outright. I rolled 8s on the combat dice! That leaves me 25-3 up in VPs.

First Battle Report - Early Turns

It's a miserable, overcast day on the Catarrh Plains with just a hint of mist shrouding the battlefield. The Goblins, keen as ever for some bloodshed, start their advance with the Ostrich Riders on the left wing. And those careless Wolf Ride scouts that went missing on the eve of battle show up just in time to join the fun.

As I won scouting I get the first turn. The event card came up as Blood Lust - any destroyed units count for double Victory Points this turn. Unlikely to have any effect this early in the game. I used a Deployment Command Card to place a my late -returning scouts on the board. The Deployment card allows another Command Card to be played. I advanced my left flank cavalry. I plan to hold my centre units back as I'm not convinced that they can take on the Dwarves and win. Skirmish on the flanks, let the Dwarves come to me and hold the Giant Spider and Wolf Riders in reserve to counter attack.


The Dwarves plod straight down the middle of the field. The Dwarf Crossbowmen on the left flank open up on the Ostrich Riders and draw first blood!

Combat roll was a 1. With the Dwarves' 1 point superiority in tactical factors, this results in a point of damage to the Goblin unit, and it makes an evade move away from the shooters. Gosh darn it.


What is the Goblin Commander doing? He seems to be more interested in picking his nose than commanding an army!

The event card was Distracted. My army does not have a leader this turn. Not a disaster - it might be if the commander was in the thick of things though.


The Goblins continue their cavalry advance on the left flank. The Dwarf Cattle Riders move up alongside the infantry line, while the Crossbowmen rain down more death and destruction on the Ostrich Riders.

In a repeat performance, I rolled a 1 again.


Now either we're quite far north, or these lazy soldiers didn't get out of bed till rather late as it's getting dark out there.

Event card is Nightfall. As both sides have the Night Craft attribute, they can see in the dark and aren't affected.


There's some more skirmishing on the left flank, and the Dwarf advance pivots to face the outflanking attempt.

The Ostrich Riders finally do a little damage, shooting at a unit of Dwarf Spearmen. I was nearly in a position to attack the flanks of the main Dwarf line, but that plan has been scuppered. I need to get the other flank moving. I have an advantage at the moment as there are 3 Dwarf Units in reserve. I need to make the numerical superiority pay off before they get on the table.


And finally some action from the big critter as the Giant Spider starts skittering toward the Dwarves.

First Battle Report - And we're off!

I'm getting reports from the studio that the Wizard's Guild have resolved their technical issues and you are now receiving images. Let the battle commence!

First Battle Report - Set Up

Good afternoon ladies and gentlebeings. Welcome to the first battle report of the season, live from the Wastelands of Catarrh. I am your commentator for today, Arthur Braincell.

Today's report is being beamed directly into your head courtesy of the Wizard's Guild of Arcadia. Please remember to renew your subscriptions, folks. You know what the Guild does to defaulters.

The Dwarf army has cautiously advanced into the Goblin-infested wastelands, hoping to get revenge for last year's home defeat to the Goblin hordes.

The battlefield is as sparse as you would expect for a wasteland. There are a few rocky areas strewn around, but the main objects to be aware of are a handful of chasms that could prove deadly for anyone foolish enough to attempt a crossing.

The Dwarf army has deployed it's small but powerful force centrally. Presumably, they believe that concentrating their already formidable troops will render their advance unstoppable.

The Goblin army has deployed across a wide front, with cavalry and light troops on the flanks. My money's on the Goblins using their numerical superiority in an attempt to encircle the Dwarves.

We seem to have some technical problems with the scrying. We'll be right back after this commercial break...

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Perfect timing.

The camera batteries just died on me!

First battle report: the scenario

Hmm, what to do. I think I'll pick a "Recon" posture, select as many scouts as I can and hope for an ambush scenario.

The Dwarves, despite having a cautious commander, roll up a "Attack" posture.

I have 20 units in my Goblin army. That means I can pick up to 6 units to scout.

Lizard Riders, Ostrich Riders and Wolf Riders as scouts. 14 scouting points for troops, nothing for the commander, and a die roll of 2 for a scouting total of 16.

The Dwarves have 14 units. That's 4 units in the scouting pool. The Cattle Riders, both Crossbow units and a unit of Swordsmen. Rolling for each unit gets the Cattle Riders and 1 Crossbow unit scouting. 3 scouting points for troops. 2 for the commander and a die roll of 1 for a scouting total of 6.

Referring to the scenario generator it's a straightforward pitched battle, then. If I had rolled a 4 or more instead of a 2 I would have had my ambush. Having outscouted my opponent I will deploy my troops second.

Did anything happen to my scouts?

One unit of Lizard Riders is delayed, one unit of Wolf Riders misses the battle.

And the dwarf scouts?

One Crossbow unit is delayed.

And the terrain?

Wasteland. That may help my Goblins.

First battle report: the armies

I will be posting the battle report real time as the battle progresses. There will even be a half-time break for lunch!

Firstly, the armies.

(I) indicates inferior troops, (A) average troops and (S) superior troops.
Any additional attributes are marked {like such}.

The Goblin Army

All units have {Night Craft} and {Wasteland Craft}

Goblins - Swords (I) - 4 units @ 3 points each - 12 points

Archers - Shooters (I) - 2 units @ 3 points each - 6 points

Slingers - Skirmishers (I) - 2 units @ 1 point each - 2 points

Lizard Riders - Cavalry (I) {Fast} - 2 units @ 4 points each - 8 points

Ostrich Riders - Mounted Archers (I) - 2 units @ 3 points each - 6 points

Wolf Riders - Cavalry (S) - 2 units @ 5 points each - 10 points

Drummers - Musician (A) - 2 units @ 3 points each - 6 points

Shaman - Cleric (S) - 1 unit @ 7 points

Giant Spider -  Monster (I) {Web} - 1 unit @ 8 points

Hobgoblins - Warband (A) - 1 unit @ 4 points

Clan Chief - Hero (A) Commander (I) - 1 unit @ 11 points

No stratagems.

Total 80 points

The Dwarf Army

All units have {Night Craft}, {Mountain Craft} and {Magic Resistance}

Warriors - Swords (S) - 4 units @ 5.5 points each - 22 points

Warriors - Spears (S) - 4 units @ 5.5 points each - 22 points

Crossbowmen - Shooters (A) - 2 units @ 4.5 points each - 9 points

Cattle Riders - Knights (I) - 1 unit @ 4.5 points

King - Hero (A) Commander (A) - 1 unit @ 16.5 points

RuneMaster - Cleric (I) {Rune Lore} - 1 unit @ 5.5 points

Stratagem: Reserves.

Total 79.5 points

Which army shall I control? Coin toss time - heads for Dwarves, tails for Goblins.

And it comes up...tails.

The reputation of the Dwarf general is...(rolls d6)...cautious.