Battle between Goblins and High Elves

ALL GOBLIN ARMY

RnF: 346pts, Characters:497pts, Monsters:150pts, Total:993pts

-Forest Goblin Warlord, SH SP, AoProt, PoStr, Riding Gigantic Spider: 162pts

The 4+ chitanous armor save of a gigantic spider makes it very tough, especially with the handicap rule that makes it unmodified for strength. I never considered the Armor of Protection before this battle, but for 50 points it is a good buy with its 4+ unmodified reroll to protect the general from RnF and missle attacks. It worked well for this warlord. I would consider it for an elf hero. Goblin warlord Ld of 7 is just not enough. Skarsnik as the warlord is mandatory for an all goblin army, IMO.

-Night Goblin Shaman, Level 3, SP, HoUrgok, Riding Gigantic Spider: 285pts

This was the warlord's solution to low goblin leadership. He would sound the horn and rally his troops. Sadly, (or luckily for the elfs) it does not work if the shaman is also fleeing. >grin< But mushrooms and Waagh magic managed to do considerable damage and exercise some control over the magic phase.

-Forest Goblin Spearmen, SP SH, 6widex5deep, Spider Banner, Boss: 157pts

Fodder for elfen spells and arrows. I think he fielded this unit just to have 20+ gobbos for the winds of magic.

-Night Goblin Warriors, 2H, 6widex3deep, Bad Moon Banner, Boss, 1 fanatic: 145pts

Twohanded weapons with the Bad Moon Banner is a classic nightgoblin setup. Dangerous and hard hitting. They rolled over what they were able to reach.

-Night Goblin Archers, SB, 5widex3deep, Banner, Musician, Boss, Fanatic: 94pts

This was his Range, FIRE! unit to cover a flank.

-Wyvern: 150pts

Sorry. Even the new tail attack rule does not help this sad creature against the high I of the elfs. Its poor stats were further compounded when the warlord misplayed the beast.

HIGH ELF ARMY

RnF:499pts, Characters:497pts, Total:996pts

-Elf General, HA, SoHoeth, GHoAtrazar: 237pts

The Elf Only, Sword of Hoeth, at 25 points, is a great buy. Ditto the 3+ unmodified save of the helm. No surprises here and almost makes the general worth his points. The general and the battle wizard were both deployed in a sizable unit of spearmen for extra protection and rank bonus for combat.

-Elf Mage, Level 3, FL, PwrFamiliar, CoFate: 260pts

I was nervous about not having a protection device on my wizard, but there was little I could do to afford magic items given the 500 point limit on characters and the extreme expense of elfs. A single level 2 wizard is worthless, IMO. Notice the Power Familiar and Chalice of Fate. If I am going to buy an expensive elf wizard, I want to make sure the Winds of Magic cooperate. >grin< The flail is a favorite take ever since I saw it in a Sage battle report, and it proved its worth in this battle. (Thanks Sage!)

- Elf Warriors, SH SP, 6widex5deep, Banner: 290pts

If there was some way I could convince them to leave the fancy shields at home, I would. Their sole function is to provide rank bonus for the general. I field then in deep ranks, fully expecting them to die. In a larger battle, I would have suitably equipped champion and hero in the front ranks. Against goblins, they actually cause some damage! (Where have all the elfen magic banners gone?!? I'm gonna try to steal one from the goblins!)

- Archer Unit 1, LB, 5widex2deep: 99pts

9 archers to cover a flank and to die for the Glory of Ulthuan!

- Archer Unit 2, LB, 5wide: 55pts

5 archers to defend an obstacle and to die for the Glory of Ulthuan!

- Archer Unit 3, LB, 5wide: 55pts

5 archers to defend an obstacle and to die for the Glory of Ulthuan!

DEPLOYMENT

Play was on a 38 inch square table, which put added pressure on the defensive minded elfs. We rolled to see who started selecting terrain and gobbos went first. Assume the goblins are on the north edge of the table, and the elfs are on the south edge.

A tower was erected on the NE corner by the goblins, but not before the warlord asked if Assault of Stones could move towers. Who said goblins are stupid? The elfs layed down 12 inches of hedges on their east flank that went SW to NE to the front edge of their deployment zone. The goblins passed, giving the elfs one more terrain piece: a small hill deployed on the west flank. The warlord broke out in a noticable sweat at the sight of the hill. Secret battle lines were drawn up, and forces deployed.

A wyvern appeared at the top of the tower, ready to claim heavy cover against shooty things, but still have clear view of the entire battlefield for a flying charge. This was one warlord who was not going to waste a round flying high.

The east goblin flank was covered by the nightgoblin archers, opposite the hedge row where the elfs positioned two 5 archer units. The forest goblin warriors massed in the center, as far forward in the deployment zone as they could get, opposite the elf general and the spear unit, which were practically falling off the south table edge.

The 9 elf archer unit assembled on the hill on the west flank and drew a bead across the entire west and center deployment area of the goblins. They were opposed by the night goblin warriors. The warlord positioned himself between the night goblin warriors and the forest goblin spearmen, ready to lead the charge. The shaman rode his spider between the forest goblin spearmen and the archer unit. Obviously, my opponent had thought about animosity. The worst he would experience is a mild squabble inside the ranks.

SPELL DRAW

Elf wizard, with a redraw, managed to get Fiery Convocation (great against lesser races), Hand of Glory (marginally useful in a small battle), and Deadlock (good for nullifying a magic item or spell, but its small range limits its usefulness.)

Nightgoblin shaman drew Hand of Gork (one of my favorites), Ere We Go (Ld 10, strike first is always nice to have) and Gaze of Mork (nasty spell against both characters and massed troops.)

THE BATTLE

The roll for battle duration came up 6. Drats! Six full rounds of the Waagh onslaught. The general girded his armor and prayed for the initiative. The elfen ghods blessed the roll; the elfs would go first.

ELF TURN 1

The elf general, suspecting the warlord had sent scouts to measure archer ranges prior to the battle, advances a few inches to the north to keep the nightgoblins guessing. The elf archers do not need such a scounting report. All launch a withering barrage at the shaman. Many arrows bounce harmlessly off the spider's hard shell, but the shaman is not so lucky. Two wounds on the shaman and one on the spider. The elf lord is pleased.

Staggered and bloodied, the shaman gulps a mushroom and fills with raw waagh power: 6 magic cards plus the Winds of Magic rolls a 9! The shaman now holds 10 magic cards. The elf wizard draws 5 power cards. I consider trading to get dispels. If the shaman holds Mork Wants Ya, I would be in big trouble. I decide to gamble.

Hand of Glory is played first to entice the shaman to play dispel cards. He plays a destroy spell card instead. I believe Destroy Magic can only be played against a spell that is cast against the shaman, but I say I will let him try to destroy any cast spell and, is he sure he wants to use it against Hand of Glory? He decides to destroy it anyway and succeeds.

Hand of Gork lifts the nightgoblin warriors over the hill and archers, and drops them just over 8 inches from the elf infantry west flank. Good move! I am convinced fanatics will be released next turn.

Fiery Convocation survives three attempts to dispel it (the dice are with me... for now <g>) and toasts a few forest goblin warriors. I want to drop this unit to under 20 to deny the shaman the power and special cards from the Winds of Magic, and to negate the rank bonus. I have no spells left that I can play.

Gaze of Mork blasts a hole in the elf wizard and vaporizes some warriors. The warlord now knows my wizard wears no protection. Ere We Go toughens the Forest Goblin warriors. >whew!< No Mork Wants Ya. I tuck a power card into the power familiar and count my blessings. Hoo boy! Another magic round like this and I will be in trouble. I should have tried to roast the shaman and his spider.

GOBLIN TURN 1

The night goblin warriors that were teleported behind the lines wheel and march towards the generals's west flank. FANATICS! Well, just 1 fanatic. The looney barely spins clear of his own ranks. Yup! The dice are with me. The forest goblins and warlord march forward. The gravely wounded shaman hangs back.

With a piercing screech, the wyvern leaps from the tower and charges the general and his guard. I am surprised at the boldness of the attack. The wyvern cannot possibly win this combat. Gambling on a failed terror test? Typical goblin manuver: send the beasts in first. The general holds the troops steady with his Ld of 10 against the wyvern's terror... and smiles.

The nightgoblin archers lob a volley at the row of hedges and drop the template right in the middle of the single rank. Hmmm... an amazingly accurate range guess. I have to compliment those goblin scouts. But they have no control over the scatter dice. The volley drifts and 12 arrows turn a single elf into a pincushion.

The wyvern's tail attack lashes against 4 models and fails to find a mark. It tries to shred my wizard. (The wyvern's strategy is revealed!) Three attacks, each needing 3's to hit... all miss! (Ever hear a goblin warboss screech curses at the ghods of fate?) The general and wizard each score a wound on the beast. I kiss the Sword of Hoeth and the flail for the S6 attacks. A wyvern has a toughness of 6. Even the warlord's leadership of 7 (>giggle<) cannot save the wyvern. It flees. I pursue to put some distance between the unit and the fanatic. The warlord barely contains his panic at the sight of the broken wyvern. The magically boosted forest goblins hold steady.

The shaman swallows another mushroom and the winds of magic roll a 12. Fiery Convocation is now at S5 and fries a few more forest goblins. (How many people play one can attempt to play a dispel card against a spell in play BEFORE its effect is worked out? Check the sequence in Battle Magic. My opponent claimed that such effects are worked out before magic cards are played. Of course, I did not argue. >grin< But I did check Battle Magic afterwards and I believe he is right!)

The shaman dispels Fiery Convocation, but I cannot get a dispel card to work and Gaze of Mork drills another hole in my wizard and vaporizes a few more warriors: an entire rank of warriors have been blasted by the eye of the goblin ghod. I try casting Fiery Convocation, but the shaman blocks it again. Horn of Urgok rallies the fleeing wyvern. Ere We Go again enchants the forest goblin infantry.

ELF TURN 2

The general charges the wyvern with his warriors, easily passing the fear test.

Archers open up against the forest goblins and take their number below 20. The shaman has one more mushroom left, and he is going to need it if he wants anymore power cards.

The wyvern is chopped down in full view of the waagh and panic sweeps through the goblin army! The general, shaman and night goblin archers all flee. The warlord petitions to flee towards his deployment edge rather than the nearest table edge and I grant the request. The bloodlust is coursing through my veins. I want to end it by the sword. (Hmmm... maybe I should be playing chaos? <G>

Winds of magic roll 8. Enough power cards to burn a few more forest goblins. >veg<

GOBLIN TURN 2

Somehow, the nightgoblin archers rally, but the shaman and general do not. They continue lumbering from the battle on their monster mounts. The fanatic reverses direction and heads towards the hill, barely missing his own unit. The night goblin warriors go looking for something to whack and march towards the rear of the hedge defenders.

The forest goblins, still infused with Ere We Go, rush the elf infantry. Without the Ld 10 from the spell, their elf fear roll would have stopped the charge. Spider banner gives them double attacks. They inflict horrible casualties on the elf rank andf file. The general and wizard cannot avenge the thrashing, and the combat is drawn.

Winds of magic rolls a 6. With no power card in my Power Familiar, I consider using the Chalice of Fate, but take the roll instead. No power cards. Ack!

ELF TURN 3

The hedge defenders take out a few nightgoblin archers at long range. They cannot hope to field a charge from the nightgoblin warriors, so consign themselves to their fate and try to inflict some damage before they die.

The archers on the hill decide to enter the melee. They charge the forest goblin west flank and just make it. Without Ere We Go, the forest goblins take massive casualties and break. Infantry pursues and cuts them down.

The Winds of Magic roll 6. Fiery Convocation is dispelled (can still play dispel cards on a 5+ even with no or fleeing shaman.) Deadlock against the Horn of Urgok is also dispelled. At least something went right for the warlord this turn.

GOBLIN TURN 3

Fanatic shifts direction again but has nothing to hit. The warlord and shaman rally.

The nightgoblin archers wheel to the west and launch a fanatic at the elf infantry. Four warriors die and a rank bonus is lost. The nightgoblin warriors charge one hedge unit, breaks it, and cuts it down. The second unit panics.

The shaman swallows his final mushroom and the winds of magic roll an 8. Hand of Gork drops the nightgoblin warriors on the fleeing archers. Cry no tears for the sons of Ulthuan. Their blood was not shed in vain.

The enraged wizard tries to roast the shaman. Fiery Convocation kills the spider. (We randomized the 2D6 hits of the spell just like arrows: 1 thru 4 go against the monster spider, 5-6 the shaman.) But the shaman has the last word. Gaze of Mork burns a final hole in the wizard.

ELF TURN 4

Half the battle still left to fight, but the goblins best fighting unit is on the other side of the battle field from where all the action is taking place. The elfs are down 5VP to 4VP, but the goblin line is in shambles.

The general swears revenge for the death of his battle wizard and charges the infantry into the shaman. The remaining elf archer unit has a clear shot at the nightgoblin archers, shoots 5 arrows, and takes down 3 nightgoblins, enough to force the unit of 11 goblins to take a panic test. They panic, of course.

The shaman puts up a valiant defense. All the general's attacks miss, but one of the two spearmen joining the attack gets lucky. The wizard is avenged!

GOBLIN TURN 4

The nightgoblins fail to rally and then flee off the table. Both fanatics spin crazily across the south edge of the battle field. The warlord swallows a potion of strength and urges his spider into a desparate flank charge into the elf infantry. The nightgoblin warriors start the long march towards the remaining elf archer unit.

The elf lord calls for a challenge, fearing the havoc the charge can cause among his fragile troops. The warlord and spider can only manage a single wound: all other hits are turned aside by the magical helm. I quickly compute the odds and realize the spider is very tough to wound. But he must have some device of protection or armor on his warlord to make him just as tough. The general attacks the spider. If I am going to get lucky, I at least want to kill something (spider has 2 wounds, warlord has 3). No dice! Banner and rank hold the day but the warlord passes the break test.

ELF TURN 5

Archers take a long range shot at the nightgoblin warriors, but the magical banner helps deflect the missles. The warlord and general fight another challenge. No wounds. That spider hide is tough! The warlord again holds against the banner and rank.

GOBLIN TURN 5

Both fanatics spin off the table, giving the elfs another victory point for the nightgoblin archers that fled earlier. The nightgoblin warriors close to charging distance with the archers. Another challenge, this time the general switches to the warlord. AoProtection is revealed and proves just as tough as the spider shell. The warlord and general fight to a no wound draw. This time the goblin looses his courage at the sight of banners and ranks and breaks. The pursuit fails to catch him.

ELF TURN 6

The warlord is charged by the general and his infantry and flees off the battle field. We agree to call the game and raid the fridge for cold pizza and flat soda. Some heartburn and a few belches later, we tally up the points,

Elves: 12 Goblins: 6.

A good time was had by all.

Carmen