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Tuesday 24 January 2017

The Sacred Mole of Ukkert - 36pts Dragon Rampant Game

Prince Arthadan Silverhelm cursed, as the Ratkin mob skittered away from the Glade Guardian Treelord's thunderous charge, the Sacred Mole still in their furry-pawed grasp. His warriors halted exhausted around him, ornate armour and Elven blades drenched in the foul gore from untold scores of slaughtered Ratkin. Their bleeding corpses carpeted the ground of Ukkert Plain, their stinking blood already soaking into the grassy earth. Behind them, the remnants of the chittering horde melted away, their grevious losses meaning that it would be many a day before they raided the forest realm again. Volleys of arrows from the Elven archers encouraged them on their way.

The Treelord stomped ferociously onward, chasing the fleeing mob, raising its head and emitting an unearthly howling cry... Arthadan allowed himself an exhausted smile. The fleeing Ratkin would have no chance; the call of the Treelord would rouse the forest sprites, the dryads... Aye, it would even rouse the great eagles of Dynnar's Peak. The Mole would be returned... 

But not this day...

Fantastic game of Dragon Rampant with my good friend Andy MacTaggart yesterday at the club. It was my first game with the Wood Elves against Andy's Skaven horde. He had taken 10 units, many of which were low points cost (you get a lot of cheap Ratkin for 36pts!!) against my tiny 5 unit force of Elves!

Anyway, the game was a belter! Andy was trying to overcome me with sheer numbers, tying down my best units while his scouts sneaked the Sacred Mole off the table. However, the sheer number of his units meant that he rarely managed to move them all and my plan to force the action and cut off the scurrying scouts did work...almost!!!! They evaded the last charge of my Treeman and left the table about 20 inches short of their objective, at which point the game ended as neither of us could achieve the primary objective. I won by 2VPs to 1, only because I achieved a 2pt quest and didn't achieve my other one! I lost one unit - the spearmen, but took out over half the Skaven in some epic combats. Again, the sheer number of Skaven units meant that retreating units got caught up and, being unable to retreat properly lost more models...

We had a lot of discussion about the best way to represent Skaven. We reckoned it would be best for standard Rat warriors to be Bellicose foot - fleet-footed, fast and brutal in attack, but weak in defence. Anyway, we're going to play again in a couple of weeks...

I took some pics, but not many, and poor lighting meant that most weren't useable. Here are the few that are ok...

Shortly after the start of the game...

Shiny, redoubtable Elf battle line - discipline, that's what this is!!!

Just over half of the furry, chittering Ratkin horde...

Prince Arthadan's warriors have cut off the escape route...combat is imminent!

Jolly nice unit of Stormvermin Andy has painted there! They're going to die!

Treelord vs Skaven Master Assassin (with 'Venomous' - Yikes!!!) After several charges and countercharges, the Treelord triumphed!!

After much slaughter, the Ratkin scouts run desperately for the objective...see the Treelord's base top right of pic... He's coming for you, little furry ones....


Sunday 22 January 2017

Scarloc's Wood Elf Archers - the first 12 models

It's amazing what a Monday gaming deadline will do to speed up painting!! A 36pt game of Dragon Rampant at the club tomorrow has seen me get these archers done so I can give the Wood Elves their first outing!

These were tricky to paint, but so worth it! Some of my favourite ever Elf models! Note the use of Dark Age Pict and Saxon bucklers to make them look a little more, 'rustic' than those well-armoured and almost 'regular' looking spearmen from a few weeks back.

Anyway, I decided that I'd take a small but well tooled up force tomorrow.
Andy Mac is bringing Skaven - no doubt with loads of 'fearful' missile troops!  I'll be outnumbered...
Well, here's the list and an army group shot after the archer pictures.

Prince and bodyguard (Elite Foot Reduced model unit - Venomous - 9pts)
Guard Infantry (Elite Foot - 6pts)
Spear Guardians (Heavy Foot - 4pts)
Archer Guardians (Light Missiles - Sharpshooter; Invisibility - 9pts)
Guardian of the Glade - Treeman (Greater Warbeast - Cunning 8pts)





Sunday 15 January 2017

Dragon Rampant with Cameron - 'The Day the Dice Went BAD!!!'

So, with Mrs Geetarhero away for the day visiting a poorly 96 year old Grandma in hospital, Cameron and I were left at home on a rainy day. Great excuse to get the toys out for a game! Now, I don't yet have any archers painted for the Wood Elves so stuck to their High Elf brethren vs Orcs today. I also went for smaller war bands than I usually do - 24pts including fantastical upgrades - normally we do 24 pts of troops/abilities plus 6 - 12 pts of fantastic upgrades. However, Cameron loses interest too quickly with forces that size, so 24 pts (standard size force) actually worked well. The Elf force was the same as Dan Mersey's Vendel minis sample Sea Elf one in the rulebook, so 2 x elite foot; 1 x light foot and one archers with invisibility and sharpshooter. The Orcs had elite cavalry (Grognutz Elf Biter and his boar riders), greater war beast (reduced model troll unit), 2 units of fearful Gobbo light foot, one of which 'hates' Elves , a unit of Orc archers (Cameron's own models I got him off EBAY) and a unit of Orc Boyz as offensive light foot)

We decided on the Sacred Mole of Ukkert with me playing the dastardly Orcs who'd nicked it!

The game was immense fun, characterised by me rolling diabolical dice, both for activation and in combats and Cameron walked away with the game by rolling staggeringly brilliant dice and, to be fair to him, some sound tactical moves once I'd reminded him of some key rules. He really did play well not just win by good dice!

Here are some pics...a few aren't great cos I was in a hurry taking them during the game, but you'll get the idea!!

The Sacred Mole in its large (Lego) chest!!

A very overconfident Orc Warboss!

Prince Arthdan's Elves ready to rescue the Mole...

Early stages...Already failed activations have strung the Orcs out too far...unlike the highly disciplined Elves!

Arthadan tries to tempt Wild Charging Orcs into the trees... Clever lad, that Prince...

Worked like a charm... CHARGE!!!!

Chop, chop...Urk!!! Dead Gobbos...

Elf charge!! Finish the Greenskin scum!!!

Hack, chop, slice... Ground carpeted with dead Gobbos...

This isn't gonna end well...if you have green skin!!!

The Orcs still have the Mole, but their war band has lost the Gobbos and Trolls...deadly Elf archery seeing the latter out of the game!!

CHARGE....

Bugger!! That's the Elf dice....

And mine...thrice bugger, feck and damnation!!!!

Phew... A draw!!!

Argh...more Gobbos hacked down in heaps by those Elf princely guards...

The Mole-carriers make a desperate bid for freedom...

Aahh... Oh dear!!

This REALLY isn't going well now!!!

And that's that...only archers left now... The Elves have triumphed!!!

Friday 13 January 2017

Beware the Wrath of the Trees!!!!

Evening all! Painting of the Wood Elves continues... Here we have a classic 1990s Treeman - a Greater Warbeast in Dragon Rampant. It has been painted in the usual style, but with extra highlights to make it 'pop' in a few places...



Next up.... Some archers... FINALLY!!

Wednesday 4 January 2017

More Elves...

Hello and Happy New Year!! I have been busy since Christmas and here are the results... The army is slowly coming along!!!