Battle Report: 2500 Orcs & Goblins vs Empire

T'was the last battle for Melvin's old Empire book, 7th Edition and just right before the new 8th Edition book came out (it was actually in the mail). It has been so long since we played Fantasy so it's a nice return to the old days. I started playing Fantasy with him when I first arrived in Singapore back at his parent's house in the late 90's.

We rolled up the Watchtower scenario again - damn I need to finish painting that damn tower.

Melvin played his 2500 points of Empire gun-line while I brought my take all comers list. This was not part of the campaign though.

Deployed our armies with the watchtower in the centre. Empire had the Temple of Skulls (but we played as a standard hill) and deployed his entire gun-line there. I would get the first turn by default (scenario rules) and was looking to charge into the Watchtower directly. Melvin deployed his Handgunners in there and this is such a bad scenario for his list cause he had nothing to hold the tower. Tet Hong and I discussed on the side and both agreed that the new 8th Edition Scenarios are the balancing act of the current game. It forces you to re-think your lists so that you can handled scenarios like Watchtower and Blood & Glory.

I glued my 2nd Mangler Squig closer to the ground and am a little disappointed that it drooped so low that the other squig is kissing the ground. I may have to relook into making him stick up higher.

Melvin's list had Empire's answer to Teclis - the golden boy. His list was clearly going to outstrip me in the magic and shooting phases of the game.

Melvin stationed 2 Engineers with each of his artillery batteries allowing them to work very efficiently. Definitely considered a +1 in my books if I were Empire.

In my 1st Turn my Goblins fail their Animosity Test and charges the Watchtower, blocking my Savage Big Uns. Ah well, life of a OAG general is never easy. Inevitably I had to launch my Fanatic from the unit. In my movement phase, I moved up the other Night Goblin unit and launch the other Fanatic. Could work to my advantage but I didn't really have a choice. I needed to move them up to control the tower flanks.

I moved my left and quite independent flank up.

In Melvin's turn, he moved Bathalsar to counter my Goblin Big Boss on wolf. Took a wound from some magic but other than that came out rather unscathed.

Melvin moved his Steam Tank up to keep my units away from the Watchtower. I was actually planning to use my Night Goblins to hold his Steam Tank up so he was really obliging to my plan. There was little in my army that could manage that thing...so it may as well be multiple Str3 attacks and hopefully I roll some sixes! Poison would have helped here actually. Gift of the Spider God anyone? Unfortunately I didn't get it during my roll.

Melvin concentrated all Empire fire into my unit of Savage Orcs on my left flank and hurt them he did. 6+ counted for nought here but it was Immune to Panic from Frenzy that kept them really useful to me.

During my Turn 2 I had to charge his Pistoliers due to Frenzy. And roll well I did! Managed to engage the Pistoliers and wiped them out. I had to overrun again due to Frenzy and it moved me out of the the charge arc of the Outriders but only 2 inches from the Hellblaster. I could not charge up as that was agreed to be impassable. Oh well they are Orcs...life is cheap!

I had charged his Steam Tank during my 2nd Turn and obviously lost combat. I regrouped them during the following 3rd Turn and reformed them to give my Savage Big Un's more room to charge up and into the tower. The left unit shuffled 2" to give more room. Go go Warboss!

We missed a picture here during Melvin's turn but this little fella was charged by Bathalsar Gelt. Here's what

he was armed with:
Goblin Big Boss
-Light Armour
-Shield
-Spear

So this little fella fights for all his life against this towering Special Character. Lo and behold, this little runt who cost 53 points did a wound and chased Bathalsar down! Now he deserves special attention on the painting table. 

Question: do I paint him up nicer or use one of my real Goblin Hero miniature to represent him? Let me know! 

In Turn  3 I charged the Warboss' unit into the Watchtower and managed to kill off the 10 Handgunners and promptly took over the building. The Mangler on the left finally got into contact with the other unit of Handgunners and they ran off the field.

During Turn 4 Melvin was redressing his lines to attempt to wrest control of the Watchtower. His only other unit was not a real combat unit - Handgunners again and was unlikely to be able to move my Savage Big Un's in that Watchtower. Melvin threw every bit of firepower into the Watchtower taking a few Savages down but the unit was not going anywhere with the Warboss and BSB in there. Melvin tried to lure them out too using my Frenzy against me but they held again. On a roll on 1 the game ended on Turn 4. Orcs and Goblins took the day!

This Scenario further emphasizes the need for units that can go enter and win combats. Depending on which army you play, this can be either elite units with loads of attacks or units with Frenzy or both! I gotta still play more scenarios but I think this is great way to meta unbalanced armies like the Empire army Melvin brought. Nothing wrong but the scenario has pointed out to him how it can throw the game for him.