Warhammer, 1,000 points, Wood Elves vs Beastmen

To escalate up our series of Wood Elf vs Beastmen games, we've came up with a bit of backstory and each created 1,250 points of 'named' characters (using the standard army list rules). These are the main characters of our campaign, each with a single nominated overall general, and a maximum of 3 wizards (any other unnamed wizards have to be level 1 max). These character can then be selected in future games, and can reappear (if they survive). We plan on a series of 5 (ish) games, each escalating by 500 points each time - as the Wood Elves max out at 2,500 points.

The Wood Elf army general is a Treeman Ancient (Greyroot), aided by a level 4 Spellweaver (Faenir of Argwlon), a Branchwraith (Willowif), a Waystalker (Yssion the Faun) and 3 Glade Captains (Maedhros, Isdril and Iorwyn) (all have pre-picked magic items and upgrades, etc, which cannot now be changed).

The Beastmen are led by a Minotaur Doombull (Gardak Gorfeaster), aided by a level 4 Bray Shaman (Ulkark the Hooded), a level 2 Bray Shaman (Kygrh Two-Heads), a Centigor Chieftain (Nrak Blackhoof), and 3 Chieftains (Avukr, Gkurg and Rutgor) (one is the BSB). Again, mutations and magic items are now set.

The other restrictions are on 'Rare' units, which have a limited number for the games, and once they are gone, they are gone. So, 1 Chaos Giant (for example), and 9 Giant Eagles (owls). Core and Special units can be picked as normal, per game, no limits below the army list ones. 

So, after the roving Beastmen patrol (in game 1) found a route down from the Grey Mountains, following a stream into a valley of the Argwlon region of Athel Loren, game 2 would see the Wood Elves quickly muster to stop the Beast's vanguard as they moved down a pass, seeking to break into the valley below. 1,000 points were picked for an evening's game, using Battle of the Pass scenario, here are the basic lists:

Wood Elves
Glade Captain Isdril
Branchwraith Willowif (level 2, Elementalism)
3 x 5 Glade Guard archers
5 Deepwood Scouts
16 Dryads
3 Treekin
2 Giant Owls

Beastmen
Bray Shaman Kygrh Two-Heads (level 2, Daemonology)
12 Bestigor
30 Gors
10 Ungor archers
10 Ungor
10 Harpies
1 Cockatrice

 We randomly rolled up some basic woods, rocks (and the stream) for 'wilderness' terrain, and deployed.

Deployment, along a 5' x 4' board.

Wood Elf battle lines, Dryads in the centre, flanked by the small archer blocks, back up by the giant owls and the Treekin on the far right. Deepwood scouts, scouting into the far trees - obviously.

Big block of 30 Gors, to charge right up the middle, through the woods...

It started with the Beastmen advancing, and the Wood Elves shooting them... some Ungor died, but they did not panic. The cockatrice (mutant death chicken), flapped up, and was immediately charged by an owl, which quick found out that that chicken was no joke... and died, losing the bird-on-bird fight... and leaving the cockatrice free to rampage about, backed up by the harpies, which also took some archery losses, but again, passed their panic test (damn them!).

Turn 1, Giant Owl swoops on the mutant death chicken... and is killed, with ease... OK, it is far too tough for a single owl to handle, noted.

From there, it did not get much better for the defenders of Athel Loren. In fact, it got a lot worse. The cockatrice flapped on into archers, and although they were not terrified by it, they lost the fight and rolled double 6 to Break, fleeing (Glade Captain and all), to be caught. Disaster. Meanwhile, the harpies feasted on more archers, wiping out a small band of 5.

The Cockatrice wins by just 1, but the rolled break test is a 12... good grief, the archers (and their glade captain) flee, are caught, eaten and destroyed. The cockatrice is on a rampage!

The main fight was coming in the centre, were the Dryads and Treekin had advanced to meet the Gors and Bestigor. This clash would surely decide the day. The Treekin charged and hammered the Gor (8 died, as did the Bray Shaman to a tree-whack) and they broke. The Gors just beat the Dryads, but they are 'Stubborn' and just fell-back a bit. The restrained and reformed Treekin could now come in from behind the Gors and hit them with a rear charge. It seemed they might yet win the day. The Branchwriath's spells were even useful... killing some Gors and giving the Dryads 'earthen ramparts', immovable trees (so I thought). 

Around this melee, the last giant owl charged into the harpies, but rolled terribly (all misses) and was killed in turn. Best harpies have ever done in any game I have seen. The cockatrice was turning around to comeback...  and it charged into the Dryad's flank. That big central melee would seal the deal.

It was disaster for the elves, the Treekin somehow all missed (!), the Dryads failed all their 6+ armour, 6+ regen and 5+ ward saves (zero passes - 6 died), and killed 1 – 1 poxie Gor. The break test was a rolled 11 (why?), they all broke and fled and, betrayed by my dice, cursing the gods and generally feeling well stitched-up, it was over in Turn 4. 

The game was a massacre, only 4 Elves and 1 Branchwraith were still alive... the Wood Elves had broken or wiped out no (zero) Beastmen units (the Bestigor rallied, the last Ungor, shot-up by the scouts, seemingly could only roll 5 or less for panic). The pass into the forest has fallen, and the main Beastman force, led by the Doombull, can now swarm into the valley beyond. The Wood Elves will have to fight better than this to save their valley from becoming a stronghold of chaos.

3 Treekin charge the Bestigor and, tree-whacking the shaman, before dispatching 8 foul beastmen (for 1 lost Treekin in return), the Beastmen break and run... the Treekin restrain and reform, to charge the back of the Gors... maybe they can turn it round?

Dryads and Gors meet in a big melee in the centre, winning this can turn the day in favour of the Wood Elves. Go little trees...

The Harpies pass their panic test and fall upon a small archer line, tearing them to pieces. Wood Elves, apparently, are no match for even a harpy in melee. And their 'swiftstrike' arrow shooting  isn't that strong... hmmm! New arrows please.
 

The wounded owl tries to fend off the ravenous harpies, but they roll well (again) and it dies too.

Charging Treekin make 7 attacks, needing 4+.... what! Shocking dice in this one... talk about out of luck... and the crucial melee is badly lost... 

The end, as the combat is lost and the super-rubbish dice continue, an 11 for the break test and the trees flee. The Dryads run 3! and are destroyed by the cockatrice. The Treekin run 6, and are caught by the Gors... end of game, utter massacre... bar-humbug!

Next time, we'll increase it to 1,500 points and I fancy trying the old 'Woodland Ambush' scenario (from 6th Edition), just because its characterful and themed. The Wood Elves will try to thin down the Beastman hordes. But, atm, it looks very grim, how do the Wood Elves stop Beastmen from just taking Athel Loren? Better dice will help... they can't get much worse...

 

Warhammer, 500 point Border Patrol, Wood Elves vs Beastmen

I have just completed my 4 month Wood Elf painting project, and so, for a Saturday evening's entertainment, we set-out a Border Patrol to give them a first tabletop outing. The foul Beastmen are raiding into Athel Loren,  and thus must be destroyed. We both picked 500 points, using the (very good) 'Border Patrol' restrictions, rolled a random terrain lay-out (stream, 2 woods, 2 big rocks) on a 4 x 4' board. 

Here are the army lists:

Wood Elves - 498 points

Glade Captain Maedhros  
with hand weapon, light armour, shield, asrai longbow, trueflight arrows, Daith's Reaper
Altered Kindred - Aspect of the Cat

10 Glade Guard   
with Lord’s Bowman, trueflight arrows

8 Dryads
with Nymph

5 Deepwood Scouts    
with Lord’s Bowman, trueflight arrows

Great Eagle (Owl)

 

Beastmen - 500 points

Wargor Gkur
with great weapon, heavy armour, pelt of the dark young

17 Gor Herd
with truehorn, standard bearer, hand weapon and shield

10 Chaos Warhounds

6 Centigor Herd
with cavalry spears, javelins

12 Ungor Herd
with halfhorn, hand weapon, short bows

 

Having deployed – to battle!

Well, the first turns started well for the Wood Elves, the Dryads and Centigor just rushed forward and they met in the melee in the woods, in which the Dryads (in their element, I feel they should get an advantage for this, like say -1 To-Hit, as you can't see the Dryads for the trees, but hey!), tore the Centigor apart (a big fluke dice roll helped), even after they went into Frenzy (smell of blood and sap). We forgot the remaining Centigors 'stomp attacks' - aargh! Drunken horses forget to trample living trees - shocker!

Meanwhile, the charging Chaos Hounds in the centre, losing a few hounds to arrows, charged the owl, which cunningly flapped off. More arrows ripped through the hounds and the Glade Captain charged them, magic spear in hand. Magic spear or not, he fluffed his lines (dice) and took a wound - oops! Don't worry, owl to the rescue, it saved him.

The Gor block (and Wargor chieftain) were running after the Deepwood scouts, who shot them, obviously, then used 'fire a flee' to escape back into the woods and 'skirmishing' moves to evade the gors. They gave up that chase and waded the stream into the centre, seeking something to hit. Coming the other way were the Dryads.

The Ungor had, by now, ambushed on to the back corner and were engaged in an archery duel with the wood elf archers, which didn't do much, but did whittle down the elves, by game's end, only 2 remained. Paff, losing an archery contest to Ungor - oh dear!

The game's climax was in the centre, were the big Gor block looked unstoppable, except maybe by every Wood Elf left... it had already charged into the glade captain, who tjought hard about fleeing, then stood and instead challenged the Wargor, a hero! He wounded the beast leader, but was cut down by its great axe. Now the elves piled in from all round, Dryads to the front, giant owl in the flank, Deepwood Scouts in the rear, and desperately tried to break the Gors. It didn't work, they were too tough, even after the Wargor was killed by the Dryad Nymph. The beastmen hacked back hard and won the fight (ranks, standrard, etc), and saw the break test roll an 11... oh dear, the elves/owl fled, living to fight another day... but the Beastmen had obviously won the day, and would soon be defiling Athel Loren - the wood elves demand their revenge!

The game lasted maybe 90 minutes (if that) and was good fun, we agreed to play again soon and escalate the Beastmen raid into 1,000 points next time, and just see what happens, and then link some battles together – this makes a good start. The Beastmen, flush from their fresh kills, will become bolder and move on deeper, hoping to seize new land to set-up their own herd-stones. I feel inspired for a mini-campaign (or at least series of linked games), to tell that story (and use all the wood elves I've painted). 

 

The Beast attack across the boundary stream (difficult ground), with the ambushing Ungor sneaking in at the side.

Centigor and Chaos Hounds, just charge!

Wood Elf archer and their Glade Captain leader, hold the centre

To their right, Dryads and Giant Owl (t'wit-t'woo).

Lurking in the trees, camo'd Deepwood Scouts.

The Gor block and scary Wargor leader, the main strike force, on the Beastman right.

Centigor and Dryads (all skirmishers) meet in the woods.

Owl faces the hounds, and then flees their charge, leaving the dogs an easy target for the archers behind.

Gors are hit by arrows from the Deepwood scout skirmishers, and come after them.

Dryads win the fight and tear apart the Centigor (with some very good dice). An even(ish) fight is one sided.

Glade Captain Maedhros leaps into the hounds, but only kills 1, and is wounded in return, he needs help! Bad dogs!

Ungor archers arrive and target the elf archer block over the stream. Arrows fly back and forth.

Help arrives, the owl charges in and tears the last hounds to bits. The Wood Elves are well on top...

..until the big Gor block crosses the stream (dodged by the scouts), and the Glade Captain boldly stands and challenges the Wargor, wounding him, but being cut down in turn... and the tide shifts...

The finale, all in on the Gors, Dryads, Scouts, Owl, but the defenders of the woods can't do enough and are beaten (but not before the Wargor is killed by Dryads in vengeance). The owl and scouts flee, leaving the last stubborn Dryads to fight and be cut-down. The Beastmen claim a narrow win.

The Wood Elf scout survivors can warn of the Beastmen threat and bring more elves to the next fight... 1000 points then, in a pitched battle, soon.

 

El Sakhari Gap, Tunisia '43 with Battlegroup:Torch

This was pick-up game, 750 points per side, US Armour vs DAK, set in '43, somewhere near El Guettar. The random scenario generated was Attack/Counter-Attack, and we rolled for random table corners for deployment. 

The forces were, roughly – US:

FHQ in jeep
FSU, M3 HT
FAC in jeep

Dismounted Armoured Inf Platoon
Armoured infantry squad in M3 HT
Medium mortar and loader team

3 x M3 Lees
3x M3 Stuarts
Recce HQ in White Scout Car

2 x T30s (75mm)
2 x T30s (75mm)
2 x T19s (105mm)

2 x Supply Trucks
3 x Timed P-39 Air Strikes
2 2nd Priority Artillery Requests
1 Counter Battery Fire Mission

5 Officers, 43 BR, 1 Scout

Germans:
FHQ in PzIHQ
FSU radio truck

Pz Grenadier Platoon
HMG team
76.2mm PAK with loader team and truck tow
1 x Pz Grenadier squad in 251/1

2 x Pz IVs
1 x capture Valentine
1 x Pz II

FAO in heavy car
2 x 105mm guns (off-table)

Recce HQ
SdKfz 234/1
Sniper

88 with loader team and HT tow
20mm AA on heavy car

Resupply truck

1 x timed 80mm mortar barrage
1 x timed JU-87 air strike

4 Officer, 43 BR, 3 Scouts

The early turns of build up saw the Germans arriving in greater numbers than the US, and their first timed mortar stonk, on the US ridge (an objective) wiped out the US recce artillery spotter team (others would have to fill in the role for the rest of the game). Behind them, far away, the 88 set-up for its long range ambush fire sniping role, out ranging anything the US could shoot back with, until they did get it pinned with a good mortar stonk. Still, it made the US tank's movement a bit hair raising, even if no hits were actually scored. 

The Germans quickly built up units on the hill to their left, first the armoured car taking the objective (then bombed by a P-39), with the PzII, Valentine, AT gun and Marder all arriving too, with an infantry squad, to secure it. The US armoured attack towards the high ground ran into the capture Russian AT gun, which scored 2 kills, suppressing 20mm cannon fire, and the Valentine's gun, which wrecked an M5 Stuart in the trading of fire, definitively won by the Germans.

The DAK didn't get it all their own way though, as a big 155mm strike called in from Corps guns, thunder across the gap, but failed to get any direct hits, much pinning though. By now, the T19's 105s had rolled in and were on-station to lay down some harassment, with their own dedicated supply truck keeping the shells coming. They opened up on the panzers across the gap at the spring (another objective), and would continue to, but with few results. The first T30 battery waited on the ridge on ambush fire, so should the Pz IVs appear, they were ready.

As 105 artillery traded back and forth, the US forces tried to push up again, but the infantry were driven back (using Fall Back!) by MG fire, and the M3 Stuarts found that AT gun on ambush fire too, and it smashed a light tank to wreckage with ease! The US force was pinned in, each attempt to move, left or right, being met by accurate fire. Then the Stuka showed up and its shrieking bomb-dive scored a hit on a T30, wrecking it... and that was about all the US could take today, with 2 counters taken (both 4s).

The US BR losses had build up to 44... and so it was solid DAK victory. 'Old Ironside' had been taught a harsh lesson... the Germans had 3 out of 4 objectives, out scouted, air attacked and all these counters all added up to make a big difference. The Germans had taken around 30 BR, mostly from unpinning and few losses, but nothing serious (like say a tank, or that 88!).

Throughout this game we tested all the version 2 rules tweaks, and a few trial new rules... and all worked well. Nothing radical in the changes, but tweaks to improve AT guns (both German guns used them and it helped a bit, the captured Russian gun scored 2 kills and was still going, even if its loader team was gone). All positive, unless you're an American tanker... 3 dead M3 Lees, 3 dead M3 Stuarts... hmmm! This armour ain't great...

Few shots of the sharp action at El Sakhari Gap.

The Germans split left and right, taking 2 objectives en route. The US, slow to arrive, don't get far, their left armoured attack, coming to an abrupt end.

US recce HQ get behind a rock to view the gap from their ridge. Hidden, but not for long.

Early, timed 80m mortar stonk brackets the ridge, the White Scout car is destroyed. Spotter team wiped out.

US responds with P-39 bombing runs, the first pins the armoured car, the next is driven off by AA fire, the third, well, missed! Not great from the USAAF.

DAK armour arrives and goes right, with tank riders.

German forces build up on their left, an objective secured. AT guns just arriving to deploy with good lines of fire from the high ground.

US armour moves up, to attack that hill, but faces heavy and accurate fire.

First 'Lee' goes up in smoke, hit by the AT gun. Get that pinned down quick!

DAK armour reaches the little spring, another objective and take up defensive positions, mostly on ambush fire.

Marder, pinned by hitting a mine, that did not destroy it (must have been an anti-personnel one). Long range sniping so far scoring no hits. 

More armour lost... the US tanks are having a bad day!

Stuka dive bombs the ridge as well, wrecking a T30... OK, the yanks have had enough!