Thursday night arrived very fast, so much so I was busy assembling the last parts of my High Elves about an hour before leaving!
So the scene is set. Each player is registered on the mighty empires map with a starting settlement and a roaming army. Every week each player is given 2 build points to allocate to their new settlement. This could purchase an armoury, or a stables etc. or upgrade such an existing facility for better in game benefits. Once a certain amount of points have been spent it is possible to upgrade to a town, unlocking new buildings and bonuses, eventually going beyond a giant city! Additional build points are “won” through winning your alloted game that night. Immediatly I spent my build points on creating an archery range for my town, and upgrading it again to level 2, providing a one use only ability to re roll all 1′s that failed to hit or wound in 1 shooting phase. By upgrading to level 2, this also allowed the re roll of any 2′s as well. (Higher levels become really nasty, with a level 4 range I believe not only can I one off re roll 1′s, 2′s and 3′s but also get my attacks doubled).
Of course there are several different buildings with many benefits to different areas and aspects of your army.
Additionally to the main building and pitched blood baths there are side quests which you are required to undertake in the best possible manner. A cryptic clue is given around hinting towards the location of a powerful artefact which if found will no doubt be a great boon to your army! However moving around the mighty empires map was never going to be easy. Not only is a dice roll required to see how many spaces you move along the world, there are many interesting peices of terrain and local people as well as not so friendly farmsteads dotted around the empire. (More on these next post!) Thankfully enough, more than one player in the same location doesn’t instigate a fight!
After the simple rules were explained about the buildings, and a very leniant army list control, (1000pts that can be changed each week), the first battle lines were drawn up! I was ‘lucky’ enough to be pitched against a very mean looking Lizardman army.
(Early Pictures! Check for Updates)
While I cannot recall so much of my opponents forces, my list at the time was as follows:
- Noble (Eagle, Lance, Armour of Heroes, Shield)
- Mage (Silver Wand, Talisman of Protection)
- 20 Lothern Seaguard
- 10 Swordmasters
- 5 Ellyrian Reavers
- 5 Silver Helms
Magic: High Lore with Flames of the Phoenix and Courage of Aenarion.
It was a reasonable paced first game back into the fantasy genre for me, as very much enjoyed on both sides. The highlights for both sides both happen to be deeply tied in with the magic phase. My opponent had 3 large based lizardmen troll types (my lack of memory) surrounded by a good 30 skinks in a very large nasty block. Being large models the troll types were able to attack and then use the skinks as a meatshield, very nasty!
Unfortunatly for my opponent I managed to cast Flames of the Phoenix with an Irresistable Miscast (Double 6′s now miscast as well as irresistable!) and while my mage took a nasty wound, the remains in play spell caused a single strength 3 hit on every model. (Each turn this spell remains in play the strength inceases by 1). While the troll types just felt a warm breeze, the poor skinks however were roasted. Nearly 15 kills in one phase! With over half of the ‘meatshield’ in a nice melted pool, that was probably my most potent cast of that spell in memory.
On the other hand my opponent with the lore of the heavens managed to pull of a comet right in the middle of my backline. Fortunatly for the next 2 turns it did not land (on a roll of 4+ it lands I believe), although as a result its size and amount of hits it does is increased for every non landing turn. At first I was able to easily march away from the landing zone smiling, until a failed fear test sent my deadliest warriors fleeing in the general direction of where the comet was going to land. Sods law ensued and I fled directly under the marker the very same turn it landed. Needless to say a very large crater is all that remains of my swordmasters!
Overall whilst a very enjoyable first game, victory did go to my opponent. I took what I had learn’t and began plotting for the next week!
Good to know the game was fun!
With your army the way it is, are there any other armies / lists that you’re not keen on facing?
Looking forward to hearing about the next game in the campaign
Thanks, was definatly a great night!
The 3rd game is tomorow night. So hopefully will have the second game up in a few days followed by tomorows. As long as nothing distracts I will then be ‘in sync’!
After seeing all the armies, most worried about facing the Vampire Counts and Ogres. While High Elves are really nasty with always strike first and many rerolls thanks to initiative, those afforementioned armies are going to be a tough nut to crack. At least with chaos I can just ride with Lore of Metal and drain them down