I arrived with my stuff, we had a bit of a catchup and then the games were on. I didn't know what size game he wanted to play, we hadn't really talked much about it but when I got there, he said he'd made a 6 point list, and I have basically took what I'll be running in the first month for 6 points and the game was on.
The Setting
I've only written one scenario so far for small games called The Cursed Wellspring. We're fighting over the well before a storm or whatever arrives, while the evil spirits in the Well don't really want anybody to drink from the well. At the end of the 4th turn, the victor is the player who has most wounds within 6" of the well.
The Armies
Shadowborn - Slaves to Darkness
Chaos Sorcerer Lord
10 Chaos Warriors with Hand Weapon and Shield
5 Marauder Cavalry with Javelins and Shields
5 Chaos Knights with Glaives
Imperial Free People
General of the Empire with Banner
Grey Wizard
20 Halberdiers
10 Archers
5 Knights
The Chaos Sorcerer isn't actually part of my month 1 Warband, but my Chaos Lord I was rebasing at the time. His army has a large unit of Halberdiers which would be interesting to fight against. I know they get bonuses for being 20 strong, so did want to try getting a casualty before engaging.
Deployment
The field had some cover in both deployment zones, with 2 building to either side. Most of the terrain on my side was Inspring, while on his side it was Mystical. This would turn out to be very interesting during the game, as basically he got to re-roll to wound a lot during the game. We played the Realmgates as any old terrain, and did not use their special rules.
As you'll see soon, I deployed into the cover with my Chaos Warriors and flanked by my Horsemen and Knights, while he deployed a line across the centre of his territory.
Battle Round 1 - Forward March
The Shadowborn had the first turn, and the order was given to march forwards. The Sorcerer gave the Warriors Mystic Shield (and forgot about his visions!). The Warriors and Sorcerer march into the Inspiring Swamp (Who knew Swamps could be inspiring). The Knights push forwards towards the Deadly Dreadstone Blight, while the Marauder Cavalry run towards the Mystical Watchtower.
In the Imperial turn, the battle line shuffles forwards slightly to get into better position. The Knights swing past on the far side of Dreadstone Blight, and call their Duty and Honour Charge into the Chaos Knights and manage to kill one or two with the help of the Mystical weapons the Mystical Swamp gave them earlier, but take some casualties in return.
Battle Round 2 - Mystical Terrain
The Knights charge may have blunted, but the Archers were looking to help out. First the Grey Wizard casts Mystifiying Miasma on the Chaos Knights. Being near the Mystical Realmgate, the archers hoping to deal some damage. They shoot some arrows into the Chaos Knights but its largely ineffective.
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| The Archers send in some arrows |
With the Chaos Knights being in trouble, the Sorcerer lends Daemonic Power to them to help take out the Imperial Knights. He sends his visions to the Chaos Warriors, who for now are happy to remain in the Swamp. The Marauder Horsemen are befuddled by the Mystical Watchtower, and spend the turn doing nothing.
In combat, the Knights manage to bring down an Imperial Knight, but the Standard Bearer goes down in return.
Battle Round 3 - The Line Engaged
The Imperial people let up a cheer as the Chaos Knights are bought low by the combined might of the Archers and the Knights, but as the storm front moves in, the Shadowborn are urged forwards by the Dark Gods. The Warriors and Marauder Horsemen are spurred forwards by the Sorcerer. The Sorcerer kills another Knight with an Arcane Bolt, and lends his visions to the Warriors. The Marauder Javlins kill an Archer, before the Warriors and Horsemen charge in. The Sorcerer Lord attempted to charge the Knights from the Swamp to stall their advance, but failed his charge.
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| The Imperial Line is engaged by Chaos |
Battle Round 4 - The Storm Arrives
The Storm was near, and the Free People take the final initative. However, the Wizard fails to cast Mystifying Miasma on the Warriors , while the General advances into the melee. The Knights swing around to charge the Sorcerer. The combined might of the Halberdiers and General aren't enough to take out the Warriors, leaving 5 remaining, while the Knights managed to bring the Sorcerer Lord down to 2 wounds remaining.
The storm had finally come, and as much as the Warriors of Darkness would love to slay the Free Peoples, instead they retreat back to claim the Wellspring. The Shadowborn had taken the game.
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| The Warriors and Marauder Horsemen retreat from the battle to claim the Wellspring |
So after the game we had a bit of a discussion. At the end, we decided that perhaps a random turn limit would help the game, so that one player can't just retreat out to claim the objective on the last turn. Thinking about it a bit more, this possibly could've been avoided by him though if he'd moved up to contest the objective earlier. I think he enjoyed the re-rolls to wound he was getting from the Mystical Terrain. If he'd moved up a turn earlier, then all of his halberdiers and characters could probably contest the objective as well, and I wouldn't just be able to retreat back on the last turn. He also could've given me the initiative and he could've taken the last turn. If that had happened and I had retreated, he could've then re-engaged closer to the objective.
So that was game 1, now onto game 2! That's right! This game went fairly quickly, even though it was only like his 2nd or 3rd game of Age of Sigmar. That's one of the benefits of the small games. We replayed the same scenario, just with slightly more points.
The Armies
The armies were the same, except we added 3 points each in. For me, this was adding my unit of 10 Chosen into the army. He changed his up by changing the Halberdiers to be Spearmen, his Wizard to be a Bright Wizard, and added a unit of 20 Swordsmen and 10 Handgunners.
Deployment
We basically left the terrain where it was, but this time the board was divided diagonally. We ended up basically swapping sides, as I didn't want him near Mystical terrain again to bolster his shooting and line.
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| The battle lines form up |
I gave him the first turn as he doesn't have range anyway, his army moves up into and around the swamp near the middle, and his Knights move in front of Dreadstone Blight to guard the Archers. The shadowborn move up as well, with the Marauders moving up in front of the Swordsmen to shoot off some Javelins, killing a model reducing them below 20.
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| The armies move towards the Well |
The Imperial People gain the initiative. The turn starts with the Wizard firing off a Fireball at the Chosen, taking out a model and with more help from the Handgunners start to deplete the Chosen Warriors. The Swordsmen swarm into the Marauder Horsemen, but can't seem to deal much damage.
The Imperial Knights who had moved around the realmgate attempt to charge the Chaos Sorcerer Lord on the other side, but fail the charge.
The Sorcerer Lord quickly retreats back into the woods, with the Warriors moving to engage the Knights. The Marauder Horsemen retreat from the combat with the Swordsmen and throw a few Javelins at them. Now the combined might of Chaos meet the Swordsmen in combat, with the Knights, Chose and Horsemen all charging into the melee. The combat is swift and brutal, with no Swordsmen remaining. The Warriors take on the Knights around the realmgate, and manage to slay 1 and another retreats from battleshock.
Battle Round 3
With the Imperials on the back foot, the General decided they needed to get into action. Unfortunately the spirits took this as an opportunity to lash out, and killed 2 Spearmen bringing them below 20. The General put his Inspiring Presence on the Spearmen, with the Imperial soldiers moving forwards in the Swamp. The handgunners, wizard and archers continue to deplete Chosen Warriors, and then the Spearmen and General charge into the combat.
The Chosen show little mercy and start hacking at the Spearmen, depleting their numbers greatly. The Chaos Knights cannot bring their might to bear trapped behind the Chosen, and only a few attack. The general kills some of the Marauder Horsemen, but the Chaos Warriors wipe out the Imperial Knights.
However, disaster occurs! The Chosen and Knights both are befuddled by the Mystical Tower, they will not be able to attack in the combat! The Warriors swing north with the Sorcerer to start contesting the objective while the Chosen can do nothing but let Spearmen poke at them.
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| The Chosen can do nothing while under the Mystical effects of the Tower |
The Imperials still have the initiative, and the Archers climb down from their perch to stall the Warriors. The Handgunners continue to shoot into the combat, and the combined efforts leave the Chosen sorely depleted. The Bright Wizard can't managed to cast any spells, even within the Arcane swamp. The Archers shoot and charge the Warriors, killing 1 or 2 but take heavy casualties in return. The General and Spearmen still continue to fight, wiping out the Marauder Horsemen.
In the Chaos turn, the Chosen and Knights finally turn the tide, killing most of the Spearmen and wounding the General. The Warriors continue onwards towards the objective with the Sorcerer to contest the Wellspring..
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| The end of the fourth battle round |
We hadn't actually agreed upon whether we wanted the game to continue before we started, so we just decided on a 4+ the game went on. And so it did, with the Imperial winning the initiative again. The archers move up to the objective and shoot the Chaos Warriors, killing another one while the Handgunners launch a volley into the Chosen, leaving the Exalted Champion alive. In the combat phase however, the Exalted Champion and Knights are more than a match for the Spearmen and the Empire General, slaying them all and the Warriors quickly finish off the Archers. The Wizard calls a retreat and the both he and the Handgunners retreat from the field of battle.
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| The end of the game |
The games are a bit rough to the mind by now, since they took place 3 nights ago, but most of it's captured there. I seem to forget what the Mages were doing a lot of the time, I guess it was inconsequential in the long run. I'm pretty sure the Bright Wizard cast Fireball twice, but can't really remember the specifics.
I think it's good to get some playtesting of the scenario done. I'll probably tweak it a bit before the campaign starts, maybe around the random turn counter stuff. It's definitely a fun and interesting scenario though, so glad that's proven to be the case.
I do need to figure out some more small game scenarios that can be played though. Gonna have to look through some additional material before the campaign starts.
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