Hey, and welcome to the first battle involving my Sartosan Pirates. This is only a 500 point battle, and I haven't even got that many miniatures yet - I did this so I could get a feel for what I was working with. Very pleasing result - I must say, that two blocks of Dwarves were not my favourite opponents with my 3/3/3/3 Looters and Deckhands. Superior movement won the day though! : D
Narrative (This is to set up my backstory of my Pirates a bit, and just because I like writing). Don't worry, it's not a Narrativce battle report - This is to set the scene. And then I can please those who like Narratives and those who don't.
Calous Blacktooth growled irritably as his boot caught on a fallen log. He was beginning to wonder if getting involved with the Dwarves was the right idea. It had seemed so simple and without flaw. Two Dwarf strongholds which had age old grudges against each other. Side with the largest (and conveniently the sea-farers) and thus gain their men upon your ships and their money in your purse. Simple. Or so it had seemed. He didn't realise just how much trouble his new enemy was - There were armies everywhere, and Blacktooth had to ready for war anytime he settled in a port within hundreds of leagues of the Strongholds, just in case there was a garrison who were settling there for a while.
And now it was a "matter of greatest urgency". Or so the Dwarven messager had said. An important Thane, with basically the smallest bodyguard that it could possibly take with it on it's travels. It had sounded easy, and the lure of that Dwarven gold was extremely tempting. Calous would have to stop underestimating tasks. His fleets were all away, at war or trapped in harbour by storms, and now he had an army of Deckhands and Looters - the youngest and the oldest, the most inexperienced. He smiled wryly. This was going to be so much fun. Not.
"Blacktooth! The enemy has been sighted just ahead of the next line of trees!" A runner called out in front of the red coated Captain. Blacktooth nodded, and barked out swift orders. The Deckhands, with loud choruses of sea shanties, rushed off to the flanks of the battle.
Great, thought Blacktooth. It's time to earn me some gold.
Armies:
Pirates of Sartosa
Pirate Lieutenant
Morning Star, Stromfel's Favour.
57 pts
Chest Keeper
Stromfel's Glorious favour and 2 Hand weapons.
104 pts
20 Looters
2 Hand Weapons and Bucklers.
Master, Standard Bearer and Musician.
145 pts
10 Deck Hands
Hand weapon and Pistol
Deck Master
98 pts
10 Deck Hands
Hand weapon and Pistol
Deck Master
98 pts
Dwarves
Thane
Great Weapon and Gromril Armour
Rune of Fury, Rune of Cleaving and Rune of Stone.
111 pts
16 Dwarf Warriors
Hand Weapon, Heavy Armour and Shields.
Full Command.
169 pts
15 Longbeards
Great Weapons and Heavy Armour.
Full Command.
220 pts
Deployment.
I realised quickly that I could not simple meet the enemy in combat - I had to get as many Flank charges and rear charges as possible, and I did plan to hold off combat for more Pistol shooting, for as long as possible. I did outnumber the enemy 3 units to 2, and I planned to use this and my Skirmishers as much as possible.
This map is pretty self explanatory. My Skirmishers on the flanks annd my Looters in the middle. I liked what my opponent did with his deployment, but I think he should've done it more extreme, and deployed in one corner, as he ends up being surrounded as he can't protect his flanks.
Turn 1
I won the roll off, and I decided that if I played it right, it'd be best to take first turn. great call as it turned out. I moved up with all my units, and started surrounding the Dwarves with my Deck hands. Not close enough to shoot yet, so that was the turn over.
The Dwarves moved up quite decisively really. I think my opponent hadn't thoroughly planned it out, and as it stood, he had both units basically focused on my Looters.
Turn 2
Both units of Deck Hands moved up the flank. With their skirmishing rule, they can move double their movement rate as a normal move, and pistols can be fired without penalty from movement. Cracking! They fired off 10 shots each, one fusilade at both units, and a warrior and two Longbeard fell. That meant the Longbeards lost a rank, and the Warriors were very close to losing one of theirs. My Looters had only moved up 1 inch. This was so that they stayed out of Charge distance, and to give the Dwarf player the decisive decision.
And I think the decision cost them the game. The Longbeards moved up as if to charge my Looters next turn, while the Warriors did a big wheel to face the Deck Hands in the wood. I'm not sure what he was thinking, as my next turn will show the error of his ways...
Turn 3
I declared all my units to charge this turn, against my game plan. The Looters had a clear shot of the warrior's flank, and they needed to take an opportunity like that. To help them out, the Deck Hands also charged, into the front of the warriors - I hoped their Pistols would help them in this combat. The Longbeards now had a clear run at the Looter's flank, so my Deck Hands on the right charged them in the rear, hoping to at least delay them long enough for the other combat to be concluded.
In the Warrior vs Looters & Deck hands combat, the Pirates failed to inflict any wounds, while the Dwarves hewed down 2 Deck Hands. In Combat resolution, however, Outnumbering, Standards, Ranks and Flank charges, caused the Pirates to win the combat 6 - 3!
In the other combat, both sides killed 2 of the others, but due to resolution bonuses, the Longbeards won the Combat 5 - 4.
The rolls for break tests really summed up the game. The Dwarf Warriors rolled two 6's, instantly breaking, while the Deck Hands rolled two 1's, and stayed to fight. After rolling a 3 for fleeing, the Warriors were quickly chased down by the Deck Hands and destroyed! I was not expecting to destroy one unit so quickly.
In the Dwarves turn, the remaining combat gave no deaths, and the Deck Hands lost on Resolution, only to take their Leadership test easily.
Turn 4
I tried to mop this up quickly, so my Deck Hands charged. The Longbeards passed their Break test for being charged in the flank while engaged in the rear, sadly. My looters took position to be able to charge if the combat continued.
The combined Deck Hands caused a whopping 5 wounds, which for 3/3/3 stat units against those with WS 5 and S4, is not too bad. The Longbeards hit back with a paltry one kill. 5 - 1 before bonuses - Afterwards, 9 - 2! The Longbeards needed double 1 to stay around - and promptly rolled a 5 and a 6. They were easily ran down by the pursuing Deck Hands, and the Pirates took their first victory!
With only 45 points lost, it was a Solid Victory in stats, but seemed more like a Massacre!
The points to be taken from this match:
~ Skirmishers = <3
~ In small games, don't tool up your heroes - Try and get as many small units, especially skirmishers, to make sure there are tactics open to you.
~ Stats aren't everything - Tactics was everything in this game!
Well, hope you've enjoyed this, my first attempt at a Battle Report! Hopefully, in a few months, I'll have bigger point armies to battle with... : D
