His army comprised of...
- 1 x Hero General - Rommel standing in front of his half track
- 1 x Behemoth - a hulking great Tiger II
- 1 x Magician - an artillery spotter - all the advantage of an artillery piece, but the terrain doesn't get in the way!
- 2 x Flyers - one Fulke Wolfe 190 and a Stuka. Way cool models, 1/144th scale plastic jobbies from Japan
- 4 x Shooters - German infantry
- 1 x Magnificent Stronghold!
The terrain was pretty much as you see it...
A bit of Bad Going and three Steep Hills.
Having rued not using my Hordes at all effectively last game, I decided that they would run up the centre, and the Beasts would try to stay away from Tony's shooters for as long as they could by holding back in the 'wood'. My main thrust was hopefully to work up my left with the Giant and riders against Tony's bigg'ns - the Tiger and Rommel.
As I was advancing the boys, I had a bit of a brain wave, and decided to peel off a beastie so that it could support the thrust on the left from the relative safety from the Steep Hill. I really didn't want to get it caught in the open by Tony's mounted (the Behemoth and Hero). They didn't stand up too well last time!
It was at this point when I realised that Tony's Magician was relatively unsupported sitting atop the Steep Hill. "Ha!", thought I, "if I could get my Beasts in there, he's be dog meat!"
And so, I advanced my doggies out of the safety of the wood and off into the wild green yonder...
Unfortunately, Tony saw what I was going (I think it was the whole 'advancing in the open' thing...), and managed to move over a shooter just in time...
And even though it was 3 to 3, with a potential quick kill in my favour, he still managed to push me back...
...and bring over more shooters. Bother. Who managed to recoil me further. Bother it.
And so, rather than risk getting gunned down prematurely, I called the doggies back home.
On the other flank, we slowly lumbered towards each other.
Before the titans clashed, Tony flew the Stuka over and into my rear. Wasn't much I could do about it, so I hoped that the rest of his PIP dice would be low and carried on...
Not content to see my doggies run away, Tony decided to chase them...with guns...and malicious intent. And such intent was realised, when he managed to shoot on of my Beasts to pieces. Bother.
Still, at least my other Beast had made it to the hill, and was ready to hassle Tony's Tiger, and hopefully catch it in the rough.
Contact! As expected, Tony flew the Stuka into the rear of my Giant before I could get my doggies in to support him.
Hurrah! A stand result, and I was able to catch his Flyer and envelop his Shooter...
Another stand result with the Giant, and with the Beasties as well, but at least I managed to dispatch his Shooter. With any luck, I'd be able to mob his Hero General...
Incredibly, Tony moved in the Tiger to 'close the door' on my doggies. How rude!
Another stand for my Beasts (whew!), and my Giant managed to recoil Rommel, which he dutifully followed up after...
My next bound, and in go my Riders into the flank and rear of Tony's Hero and Flyer respectively. I also started to move up a Horde to menace the flank of his Behemoth, caught as it was in Bad Going.
Down goes the flyer, but Tony's General hangs in there. Bother. Still, now my Bad Going troops could at least do their job and dispatch his Behemoth, right? I mean, how could they not?
Argghhh! Noooo! My poor doggies get squashed by Tony's Tiger! Oh stink! That was my best chance to dispatch the jolly thing too!
To add further insult to injury, his Hero manage to bounce both my Giant and Rider. Bother.
Meanwhile, on the other flank, Tony has moved in his shooters to the point where I can threaten his flank...
Not content with the squishing of dog meat between its tracks, Tony turned his nasty big Tiger onto my luckless little Lizard riders. Even though his Behemoth was down -2 for being in BGo (we were playing any part of the base means the whole thing's in the rough), so were my Riders, fighting as they were enemy in the rough. Soo...+5-2+1 (uphill) to +3-2...doesn't take a rocket scientist to guess what could have happened next...
My second rider element was facing only slightly better odds when Tony's Hero came storming in. (Storming Rommel?)
Yet, shockingly, they were only recoiled, as were the second unlucky (or lucky, depending on how you look at it) Rider.
Significantly more shockingly, my Giant got zapped by Tony's Magician. He stumbled back and fall over Tony's Tiger. Aargghhh! Stink, stink, stink!
Right, time to get desperate! I through in my Rider again, this time sending in the Horde to close the door behind the Tiger. Not great odds, but hey, it's worth a crack, right?
In the meantime, on the other flank I through my doggies into his exposed Shooters, and hoped for the best!
NOOOOOO!!! Not only did Tony's Tiger stomp my Riders, but my Hordes didn't have the room to recoil, so they died as well! Arrgggghhh!
Well, at least I managed to take out one of his Shooters...but it still wasn't the highlight of the day for me!
I guess one good thing to come from the collapse of my left - at least the Tiger had run out of things to run over!
My next bound, the remaining Lizard riders having withstood another combat with Rommel, I tried my luck again with the Wolves...
...and it worked!
Unfortunatley...my Riders were not so fortunate against Rommel!
Bother!
And that was the game!
Still, it was an improvement over my first outing, and Tony really enjoyed the game, so it's all good!
Well done Tony,
Nick
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