Battle Report - Saga - Normans vs Anglo-Danes

Hello Folks,

Time for another Wednesday wargaming battle report. This one is a bit old, from just before Cold Wars. Didn't get around to posting it then and have been lazy. So fair to say I don't remember everything so we can go more by the pictures!

Once more playing new Saga with the only mission. This time we had pizza deployment (diagonal). Also set up the correct distance apart!

Normans had more knights this time aND tried out some archers. I had the same stuff but no big units, my main goal being to keep the 2-handed axe guys away from arrows.

Inital set up, normans with a neat line us more spread out.

First couple of turns we are just moving around as is normal more or less.

But then the knights arrive. They actually didn't fair very well, the Danes had lots of defensive abilities ready.

On my turn they were able to ridentify out of easy range so no revenge!

But they came back of course. Still not doing fantastic they beat up some warriors, but we're still having problems with the hearth guard.

Next turn I was able to pin a unit with fatigue and took them out.  The other retreating to the boulders.

That was the main bit if fighting just leaving some mopping up battles.

As it turned out we had another battle of the warlords! My guy won again, but was then taken out by another unit. Can be tough to keep them alive.

In the final calculation I was ahead by just barely enough to claim a  victory.

Really looking forward to the book of batles so we can try some different scenarios.

Thanks;
Mike

Cold Wars 2018 - Day 1

Hello Folks,

Now time for the day 1 cold wars coverage. As usual I applied my rule of doing 1 day of tournaments and 1 day of general stuff. So here are some pictures and what not from that.

Morning Game, Market Garden:

Friday morning we played in a large scale market garden game. Turns were 8 hours 3 of the per day. I forget what the stands represented I guess a batalion or brigade, but it was advertised as 8 divisions on the table.

I was controlling Kampfgruppe Von Tetau I think, anyway my job was to attack the British Paradise landing zone. Can't have those chaps running amok. Chris was trying oust Frost from Arnhem.  Some other guys were defending Nijamagen or running up XXX corps. I think we are a day after the first drop to start.

I just attack with most of my units. The left most stand is really weak so I tried to keep them out of it. As stands take hits they become disrupted then removed, but thus affects the formations morale so you are more likely to have it happen.

As time passed more paratroopers arrived, but also more German reserves. The air landing troops were not to hard to deal with but the paras had a defensive bonus of 2 which made them hard to hit. I discovered it was best to attack 2 vs 1 to improve the odds above we have 5 units fighting 2.

I was doing quit well with my attack. By the middle of the second day most of the British units are disrupted and their command is coming apart. I think I am close to taking the landing zone which is under the first british stand. I have a few disrupted units as well but mainly on my weaker stands. The main units are mostly good. Although my original group is wearing down.

More attacks British mostly pushed into the forest.

A shot down the table. XXX corps is in Nijmegen,  which is bad, and some amerucans are across the border.

With Frost holding and Arnheim reached by US Para, XXX corps not really going anywhere we called it here as an Allied win.

Would have liked 1 more turn to see if I could take the landing zone but it wouldn't have mattered.

This was a plates from the I think command decision guys of a new game called breakthrough. Was a fun game, but this scale of battle is not really my thing. Also don't really like the stands having labels.

Evening Game, By Fire and Sword:

After shopping and supper it was time for the evening game. A bunch of us signed up for fire and sword. They ottawa guys took control of the Hungarians (transylvania rules) fighting some Holy Roman Empire guys.

Here we are in progress. Almost all of us were robbers so had to roll for effects. I got 2 10s which meant none of my force would take part in the battle! I was given a pity reroll for 1 and just had some minor losses. Time to charge with the enlisted lancers!

Overhead view much later. There are not so many Hungarians now! You can still see my remaining 2 stands between the plowed fields. Still trying to kill some dragoons! The bad rolling continued but I eventually got them at great cost. Should have stuck with the robbing.

In the end it was king of a draw. The empire really crushed our army, but on the 9hter had achieved nine of their objectives, they had to get infantry into the village or our deployment area.



So that is it for the gaming at Cold Wars. Shopping wise I got some new books an some sweedish wagons, I want to do a wagon train army for reasons. Also picked up some team yankee stuff, a dozen hummers and some helicopters. Keeping with my plan to play some lighter games.


Thanks;
Mike

Cold Wars - Day 2 - Epic Armageddon Tournament

Hello All,

Just back from Cold Wars 2018, a yearly gaming convention that a few of us head to every year in March. As I have the last couple of years I participated in the Epic Armageddon tournament which is allot of fun.

This year I finished off a new army and took that to try, the Sisters of Battle as you have seen in the last few posts.

My list event was:

Mission with Rhinos and Supreme commander
3x units of Exorcit Tanks
1x unit of Immolators Tanks
1x unit of Seraphim
1x Dominion unit with rhinos
1x inqusitorial storm trooper unit with valkyries
2x units of Lightning Strike Fighters
2x units of Marauder Bombers


Game 1 vs Eldar (Iyanden):

For the first game I was set to face the Eldar, a tough opponent for the first go with a new army, and first game in awhile!

I spread out along the center, the Eldar concentrated in 1 spot. First blow of the battle was some pheonix bombers coming out and doing some good damage to my mission killing the rhinos. I brought in some fighters to try and shoot them down.

The battle continued from there. I brought in some more fighters and shot down a bomber this time. Most other units spread out and advanced getting ready for turn 2. One of my tank units got a bit to close to the Eldar Web way gate. This let an infantry unit double out and shoot them up pretty bad. I learned from this that wraith guard units are pretty brutal.

Towards the end of turn one. I called in some bombers and moved up some immolators to try and put pressure on the wraith units coming from the gate. Most other things spread out.

All the planes come back ready for the next turn.

I brought my seraphim in by the woods in the far left corner to threaten some of the tanks there and be close to the blitz. The eldar brought in an avatar which can't be good!

Things really heated up when the Eldar doubled with a big tank that has s wraith gate. Then launched an assault on my sister's squad through it. This crushed them pretty hard getting a break there sprit objective for destroying my most expensive unit.

I tried bombing them and asaulting with my dominions but this got me no where really but put them on my blitz objective making thing worse. Ther really are hard to kill.

As you can see the amount of dead is really piling up. I am still trying to put pressure on tge unit on the right. My goal is to get take and hold with that objective and the blitz.

More fighting back and forth. I have my storm troopers and bombers really putting pressure on that unit on the right but they just won't die. Same for the unit close to my blitz. Really the only thing keeping me in the game at this point is the eldar keep rolling 1s and failing activation tests.

End of the game, in the final tally no one was able to score 2 objectives so the game went to pints killed. I lost that by a decent amount I think. My retrospective for this game is I probably put to much focus on fighting the strong units. Should have taken out the weaker tanks and super heavies first.

Game 2 vs Chaos Marines (slanesh):

Set up for round 2. Another fun game, thus time the terrain is even better with a cool chutch for thw sisters to reclaim, couldn't resist putting an objective there! This time I mainly put infantry in tge middle and tanks on the flanks.

The chaos got thing going attacking my tanks. We both had allot of planes so this kicked off a bit of an air war.

This was going bad for me so I gave up and bombed a unit on the right. Sadly I didn't get a picture of it but a thunder hawk with a noise marine unit attacked my sistets unit, people like assaulting them. But they some how lost badly due to some lucky dice rolling. I then counter assaulted beating them up pretty good and putting break there sprit within my reach.

 Getting ready for turn 2.

Terminators wrapped in by my storm troopers and I put my seraphim behind the big forest by the noise marines. Sadly the chaos forces got the inital I've and crushed my Strom troopers with an assault. The a tank unit with a second one! I launched my own with the seraphim and the noise marines with just a dreadnought. Kept focus on him to finish the unit.

The battle for the middle heated up.  I was trying to take put rhinos to limit their mobility and also clear out some pesky AA tanks to help my bombers.

Lots of assaults resulting in lots of dead stuff again. But the Sisters are sticking it much better. They are giving as good as they take and having more activations is paying off.

Managed to scrap out a win this time. I think it was break there sprit and the blitz objective. At on point I was close to going for defend the flag but never had the strength to hold all three.

Sadly the monestary was left in enemy hands. At this point I am really glad I took the seraphim also. Good fighters and lots of ability to move around.

Game 3 vs Space Marines:

Final game was against the Space Marines. A bit less pictures at this point as I was getting tired, also this was a really fun game so that can be distracting. Back into the Grove of epic again.

All sprwad out for war.  Seems a bit thin for the marines as they have a lander with half an army. Lots of planes again as well which is fun.

Considering I had a big advantage turn one it went kind of bad for me. Lots of marines passing saves.

Turn 2 is where the action is however. A lander with 4 formations a very able army drops from space behind my sister's unit easily crushing it. But taking some losses. Thus was just cool.

But I strike back with everything I can bombers and Strom troopers and eventually tanks layering allot of damage.

Gets to a point where there is not so much left. Objectives mostly forgotten at this point. But I have as lost some of my units that advanced a bit to much last turn. The marines land speeder formation is turning out to be a real pain.

Turn 2 as we keep killing each other I was heading towards defend the flag and they shall not pass. This forced the marines blitz to cross over doing some damage and blocking that bur leaving theirs open.

Battling it on in turn 4 the fow turns to blitz and take and hold. With more unbroken units I was able to defend a bit and hold on objective on the far right. You can kind of see everything now focusing on the enemy blitz. I managed to march the seraphim there, and they held off another small alder assault and a good bit of shooting.  I brought my air force in to help break the contesting units. Sadly I was over focused on the lander and neglected to shoot at the single rhino contesting it!

Well with that blocked I just had take abd hold vs the marines with break there sprit so it went to points again. This time I was down by just 52.5 points! Man that is close.

So was a really fun tournament for me and a pretty good showing I would say with 1 win and 2 lost ties.


I was asked to comment on the sisters as well sonce this army is still a bit in development.  I think they are pretty good and fun to play. A bit like marines with a bit better numbers maybe. Decently tough units with good saves and lots of close range fire power. I really like the tank units. They kins of lack in long range firepower, especially anti-personal maybe. This was my first time playing them so I can't claim to know it all.

I really liked the seraphim and immolators were better then I would of thought.

The special faithful rule seems pretty pointless to me thou, not sure how to make use of that, but seems like more of a fun flavor thing.

Also personally I would like to see some of the other units you can get from Onslaught represented like bikers or Athens units but that is personal opinion. It is a cool army and I do like them.

Thanks;
Mike

Post for day 1 of Cold Wars to follow obviously!

Painting Update - Sisters of Battle Epic

Hello Folks,

Time for another small painting update. I decided to take a doffered army to the Epic Tournament at Cold Wars this year. So I have been expanding on the sisters of battle stuff that I painted last year for cangames.

Tanks:

A few more tanks from Onslaught miniatures.  This brings me up to 15 of these tanks, so I can field 3 units.  Not sure why but for whatever reason I decided to have more of a tank based force this time. Will see how it goes.

Fighters:

Last year I found my planes did quite well, also they have some cool model,  so I decided to double down. Onslaught don't make any for their Sisters line so I git these from the battle tech miniatures. Actually they do great space planes. Think they turned out pretty cool. These are standing in for lightning strike fighters for those into 40k.

Bombers:

One of the issues I gave with the Sisters army is that they don't have any artillery, I gave found that to be very useful in Epic. So I have also added 2 units of bombers! Same idea I figure. These are also battle tech miniatures this time standing in fir thunderbolt bombers. I thought they looked suitably bomberish, kind of like space stealth bombers?

So I think you can agree that is a pretty significant air force, hopefully people don't take many anti-air assets!

Pledge Status, 2017:

Bought: 62 (bunch of dark age irish plus the above)
Painted: 77
Total: 15

Numbers looking good so far, but bound to get some new projects at Cold Wars this weekend, so this positive balance may take a hit!

Thanks;
Mike

Battle Report - New Saga - Normans vs Anglo-Danes

Hello Folks;

Time for another Wednesday wargaming battle report. Once again we are playing Saga, I decided to try out some Anglo-Danes this time, and Serge has some Normans he has been building up. Mainly foot troops and mo ranged weapons however which doesn't gel that well with the Norman board.

Here is the set up. I somehow forgot that it is meant to be played 3 for across so we are a bit separated but added another turn to compensate.  Thus time we did the deployment where units can't star within 6" of each other. We also rolled for a special effect and got one where everyone gets 1 extra saga dice.

Turn 1 just has us advancing. I had a dounless sized unit of hearthguard with heavy weapons, for some reason I decided to send them on a huge flanking move way around a rock. This is either brilliant or insane?

Even more advancing. The Normans are from the pythoragian school of war so they made a very neat line.

Still a bit far for slow walking people to charge. So I moved up a bait unit of warriors and set up defensive abilities. My guys around the rock continue their journey.

The Norman knights accepted my dance invitation. Things went decent and after 2 charges I still had half my guys, so no dice lost.

I charged the fatigued and exposed knights and killed all 4 losing only 1 of my guys. My rock continue their trip, but the Norman line is drifting the other way for some reason??

Being the last mounted guy it was time for Mr. Norman Warlord to get into things. He charges my hearth guard and killed 2. At this point I made it my goal in life to chop his face. The first turn of this he annoying fly lived.

The Normans attacked some other units but with no huge success. This turn I attacked the Warlord again but didn't hold back. So he was rightly chopped by my Warlords heavy weapon. I expected to also due but some how survived. Fatigue us really key when warlords fight.

More pusing and shoving occurs. Some warrior units fighting each other. The Normans are finding it hard to attack from strong units without any knights. My big unit is closing in thou and the jaws music starts playing.

After a bit more murder the game was winding down. I only had 3 duce for the last turn and that is including the bonus. I decided my big unit needed to fight so they charged first 1 full unit of warriors, then another! The first one went pretty well, but they were exhausted for the second so that was a bit of a wash. Should have just done 1 good charge. The Danes get an ability that stops enemies from closing ranks which could have been key.

On the end it was 20 murder points to 17 for the Anglo-Danes, just enough to avoid a draw and claim victory!

I am really liking the new Saga more and more. Was fun trying out new things, makes me realize how important having a variety of armies is.

Also my older Saga armies are feeling their age. May be time to re-base and refresh them. But to many other projects on tge go at the moment.

Thanks;
Mike