(+2)/-/- Experiment Hawks v Orcs

   James and I were itching to try out the new (+2)/-/- variation. This grants thcharging unit 2 extra dice instead of +1 POW (-)/-/+1. We tried it and we both really like it, but it does put a different feel on the game and we noticed a few things. James was playing Hanwks against my Orcs and he really missed the added power on the charge turn, those Orc X/3 defenses are just a tough nut to crack. On the other end of the spectrum, when you get pinched and add in the pinch bonuses on the charge turn it really feels like you're throwing the troops into a wood chipper!

   On to the game! We were playing a Breaking Point scenario with map 2C from the Kingdoms deck. Map 2C has a shallow river going across the middle of the board with a bridge right in the middle

So here is the setup. On the left bank we have Hawkshold with peasants at the bottom at an angle and swordsman in front of them, then you have Heavy Infantry in front of the bridge behind the Infantry is a group of bowmen with Longbowmen to their right. His left flank is clearer in the pic above where you can see two swordsmen flanking a Pikemen.

If you look at the middle picture with the compass on the right you can see the Orc setup. In the extreme lower left you see a Wolfriders unit behind a row of four Goblin Archers behind 3 Goblin Raiders. To the right of the bridge we have SwordOrcs then AxeOrcs, and finally Marauders.

 

Turn 1 

Here we are at the beginning of turn two so you can see the result of all of turn one's action. James had first move and his Longbowmen did some damage on the center Raiders. The Goblin Bows were just checking ranges with their weapons. As you can see, a key part of the ocrish battle plan was to get the Human commander wasted on grog, so at least that part of the Orc plan was working!

                                                                          
                                                                              Turn 2

The Orc raiders are switched to hold. The goblins continue with a hail of ineffective arrows while the long  bows chew the the central Raiders. This foto is taken from the other side so the Humans are on the right. As you can see the Hawks begin to refuse their left flank as the Orcs get their shoes wet.

Turn 3

At the end of turn three the Longbowmen have finished off the central raiders unit and the Goblin Bows have yet to inflict a damage. However, the Wolfriders are abouit to ford the Isen and now we'll see some sword and fang action!

                                                                         Turn 4

The first melee! The Wolfriders charge in with 6 reg dice + 2 charge dice + 1 lash dice +3 ferocity dice for a total of 12 dice and do only 3 damage, but it is enough to force a command check. The Peasants get 3 hits and need 5s or less to wound, as you can see, they only get one wound so they do not force a command check on the Wolfriders. They fail their morale and go poof in a fine scarlet mist.

 

                                                                              
Turns 5&6 were so exciting that we did not get a picture of the action for turn 5 :-(
sorry. Essentially, the Heavy infantry engaged the raiders on the bridge and blew them out of the water and  turned on the SwordOrcs crossing right next to them and pinched them as they were giving it good to the Swordsmen opposite of them.
                                                                      Turns 5&6

 

                                                                            Turn 7

Which means at the end of turn seven things are looking grim all around. The AxeOrcs have flank charged the Swordsmen by the bridge and the Heavy infantry on the bridge can't come to their aid in a timely fashion because of the water so they move to receive the charge when the swordsmen are gone. The Pikemen don't charge the flank because the remaining swordsmen that are fighting the Marauders are about to give up their last gasp. Above the bridge, in a turn of events, the 3 Goblin bowmen finally managed to do Five damage on the swordsmen in one turn! The swordsmen are atalled crossing the river as we try out the new morale failure vs. archery where the unit is just stunned for a trun and inactive before being given new orders.

 

                                                Turn 8, the penultimate turn, and the Hawks victory!

This was the view at the end of turn eight. At the very top of the board you see a Goblin Raider with one red box about to take a full broadside from a longbow unit with the expected results. The Hawk Swordsmen are in the yellow and in the river marching towards the Goblin Bowmen. The Heavy infantry put the AxeOrcs into the yellow and they fail their first Courage check and die in the free hacks. This puts the Orcs into their breaking point and that was all she wrote.

 

In the green: Longbowmen, Bowmen, and one Goblin Bow unit.

In the yellow: Swordsmen, Heavy infantry, Marauders.

In the red: Pikemen, Goblin Bowmen,

Dead: 4 Swordsmen, Peasants, AxeOrcs, SwordOrcs, 3 Goblin Raiders, and 2 Goblin Bows, Wolf Riders.

Heroes for Hawks: Longbowmen who got the Kill XP for five Orcs units!

Heroes for Orcs: Everybody, I passed numerous Courage checks and only used one KYM on the Wolf Riders and then the AxeOrcs lost it at the end and that was the game.

Under performers were the beers which did not have their intended effect (but I'm glad James was able to drive safely home!).