Round 1: Ogres

Round 1 I played David and his Ogres. His list is pretty entertaining to play against as it includes lots of things that you rarely see on the tournament scene like using Gut magic and not having Mournfangs or Iron Guts. This was his list for the weekend:

Slaughtermaster

• Level 3, Gut Magic, Fencer's Blades, Talisman of Preservation

Bruiser

• Battle Standard Bearer, Banner of Eternal Flame, Heavy Armor, Great Weapon

Ogres (two units of six with full command and iron fists)

Stonehorn (with harpoon launcher)

Maneaters (four, full command, swift stride, stubborn, Banner of Swiftness, Heavy Armor)

Leadbelchers (three)

Scraplauncher

Sabretusk (single pack of 2)

What is interesting at first glance is that this list is missing almost all the normal Ogre tricks. Even though this was a 1750 point tournament, a lot of players would have just brought a unit of Iron Guts, two Mournfang, and an Iron Blaster, and called it good. It was refreshing to see an Ogre army at such a small point amount have lots of Ogres and creatures. Also, it was nice to not have to worry about a Hellheart, although with only a single mage that stays in the back field this isn't a normal concern.

Also, I noticed that the Maneaters are not the standard build, but are an interesting creation of David's. They are built to charge and hold up units until the Stonehorn or the Ogres also make it into combat. They are stubborn, have swift-stride and with the banner have movement 7. On paper this makes them an excellent long charging unit that should be maximizing its d3 impact hits as much as possible.

I asked David about some of his other choices, particularly the 'tusk pack and Scraplauncher. He said that the 'tusk pack was his cheap deployment drop, but I don't agree with his assessment. If he, or anyone, wants to maximize his cheap drops then this pack should have been split into two separate sabretusks. Each one gives a separate drop and the ability to redirect a unit. Plus, there really isn't that much that two 'tusks will do that a single one can't.

David stated that he liked the Scraplauncher because of its killing blow ability and the fact that most armies he has been playing take large units of troops. When facing such large units, especially heavily armored units like chaos warriors or knights, the killing blow en mass was better than killing a single model with an Iron Blaster. An understandable statement, but there is just something magical about that cannon that is hard to resist when looking at the Ogre book.

Finally, David brought a Stonehorn. I just love this guy. I don't think enough Ogre players utilize him to his full ability. Not only does he make units strike last, so you have more Ogres attacking the enemy, but he is much harder to kill than the other big Ogre creatures including Mournfang (and yes, I am ready for any and all hate mail at such a statement). Because of its special stone bones rule, it can take three or four cannon balls, or like-type weapons, to bring this creature down. I find it is a model that your opponent has to deal with or it will negatively effect their combats, and that alone is worth its points and spot in the army.

Looking at David's army, I was most concerned about a few units. In particular, I didn't want to see combat with the Stonehorn as nothing in my army, except for maybe wild-formed Dryads, could really hurt it before it crushed whatever it was fighting. Second, as my army ran a lot of chaff, I was worried about the Leadbelchers and the units' 3d6 shots. Finally, I needed to watch out for the Scraplauncher. I don't need my unarmored BSB or Level 4 getting killed by a lucky killing blow just because I rolled a 1 on a 'Look out Sir' roll. Therefore, heading into the game I viewed my priorities as:

1. Kill the Stonehorn
2. Kill the Scraplauncher
3. Kill the Leadbelchers
4. Kill the Maneaters (as they were the fastest unit in the army that worried me)
5. Kill the Units
6. Don't get into combat unless I am guaranteed to win and kill at least 1 Ogre a round.

With my priorities all sorted out, we checked on the scenario we would be playing (Broken Glory) and began Round 1. Broken Glory is a modified Fortitude scenario. Deployment zones are 9" from the short table sides and 9" from the center of the table. The winner is determined solely by victory points with the difference in victory points determining the type of victory: 0-99 points is a draw, 100+ is a minor victory, 300+ is a solid victory, and 600+ is a massacre.
Bonus points are awarded as follows:

• +1 for causing your opponent to reach their breaking point first (Note: there is no additional victory points awarded nor is the game over at this point)
• +1 if the enemy BSB is dead
• +1 if you did not lose any banners

We calculated our beginning fortitude. David's was 6: 2 from the general, 1 from the BSB, and 3 from regular banners (one in each of the normal Ogre units and one in the Maneaters). My starting fortitude was 4: 2 from the general, 1 from the BSB, and 1 from the large archer unit with the Banner of Eternal Flame. I knew I had my work cut out for me if I was going to actually cause him to break fortitude.

We set terrain so that each player had a tree, a building, and a hill in their immediate deployment zone. I also made sure that there was a copse of trees in the middle of the battlefield from which my Dryads would be able to benefit from their Stubborn special rule.

I rolled for spells and got Wyssan’s Wildform, Flock of Doom, Amber Spear, and Curse of Anraheir. David rolled for his three spells and got Great Maw, the toughness spell, and the regeneration spell, but I didn't really care as they were Gut magic from a level 3 so I wasn't worried that they would actually be cast that often.

Deployment was pretty straightforward:

On my left flank I deployed an eagle, a unit of Dryads, the Waywatchers in the upper forest, and a unit of Glade Riders next to the building. Finally, a unit of archers was deployed in the building itself.

On my right flank I deployed another unit of Dryads beneath the trees in the center, the other unit of Glade Riders next to them, and then the last unit of Dryads on the far right. Behind that line I placed the unit of archers with the BSB behind the forest and the large unit of archers with the Banner of Eternal Flame and the Level 4 in the building.

David's deployment was rather straightforward as well: everything important went in the middle. On the very right (from his side) of his deployment was the Scraplauncher (not pictured), then a unit of Ogres, another unit of Ogres with BSB and Slaughtermaster, the Stonehorn, and then the Maneaters. Behind the Maneaters on the hill David placed his Leadbelchers. The 'tusk pack was placed at the left flank corner of his deployment.

We rolled for the first turn, I won priority and began a game that can best be described as "pincushioning."

[Stupid moment #1: I was so anxious to start the game that I rolled the dice off for turn before vanguarding. Thus, one of the fast cav units took two turns moving around terrain before it was able to do anything. The game hasn't even really begun and I am making mistakes. This does not bode well for the Alamo.]

My first plan of action was to prevent the Ogres from utilizing their full movement capabilities. In this way, I baited with my fast cav on the left flank, moved the eagle and the dryads up to support a second turn charge, and brought the waywatchers 10" closer to the Ogre line.

My right flank simply moved up in a hard right formation with the fast cav taking cover behind the hill, the Dryads moved within the maximum charge range of the Maneaters and the eagle moved up behind them to charge the 'tusk pack if it emerged from behind the hill.

The magic phase began with a BANG! An attempt at an innocuous Flock of Doom at the Stonehorn was met by a "go ahead." A huge flock of ravens appeared (11 hits) and descended on the Stonehorn, biting and hacking huge chucks of flesh from its bones (4 unsaved wounds). Next, the main Ogre unit was cursed as the ground around them became a tangle of glass shards.

As the mage expended his last bit of magical energy, the archers decided the time was right to show the Ogres what the definition of Elven accuracy means. After a quick command that any Elf missing such large targets would be forced to wear a pink uniform next battle, the archers let loose causing several wounds on the Scraplauncher, the main Ogre unit, and causing the death of a Maneater. First blood to the Wood Elves!

David's turn began with his declaring charges against everything that was even remotely in range. Three failed charges later and the Ogre units had only managed to stumble a few inches forward. Though to be fair, the only reason the Ogre unit on the left flank failed was because my fast cav fled as a charge reaction and zoomed back into my deployment zone.

See! Look at me flee. The biggest surprise of the movement phase came when the cursed Ogre unit (with all the characters in it) didn't move. I know the curse is scary, but I disagreed with David's decision to not move this unit. The most that would have happened was it would have caused a wound or two, or at worst, killed a single Ogre. Maybe he was afraid of wounds building on his characters. But this unit would only move when I failed to cast the curse.

The Leadbelchers opened up in the shooting phase and proceeded to kill, three of the Glade Riders on the right flank. I wasn't expecting this and it hurt. But the unit passed its break test and sauntered on. 

[Stupid moment #2: Not paying attention to line of sight. I had the Glade Riders behind a hill, but not right up next to it. Thus, the Leadbelchers on the other hill could see a little bit more than half of the unit. I didn't notice this until he declared them as a target. For the future I need to make sure to have my units blocked by terrain as much as possible. This is also the second stupid mistake with the Glade Riders and its only Turn 1! There must be a pattern here.]

Turn 2 involved a lot more moving into position. The right flank continued its advance with the dryads moving a little further up and into the trees. The middle dryad unit moved straight into the center trees. The large archer unit left the confines of the building to be within 24" of the Stonehorn and the units of the left flank continued to move closer to the Ogre lines. Importantly, the fast cav on the left flank rallied, and as they had fled from a charge last turn, were free to move. The unit moved up again to bait the smaller Ogre unit.

Magic once again saw the main Ogre's unit cursed while the Stonehorn was hit with a giant spear of amber light reducing the giant monstrosity to ash (as the Stonehorn had already taken 4 wounds last turn I only needed to roll a 3+ to kill it even with its stone bones rule).

Shooting proved as effective as turn 1 as one of the Leadbelchers was wounded and the Maneaters were reduced to a single champion model who looked equal parts perplexed and pissed at what had happened. However, because the Maneater's had a banner in the unit that was killed to shooting, David lost his first fortitude point. Fortitude values were now Ogres - 5, Wood Elves - 4.

David's turn 2 began just like turn 1 with a series of charges. The small Ogre unit again charged the fast cav on the left flank who elected to flee out of the ogres charge range.

The lone Maneater also charged the dryads in the woods on my right flank, but failed to make the charge due to the loss of the unit's Banner of Swiftness.

Remaining moves saw David bring the 'tusk pack over the hill, reform the Leadbelchers towards the now-depleted fast cav unit on the right flank, and move the Scraplauncher closer for a shot at my Level 4 in the large archer unit. Both the Ogre magic and shooting phases were ineffective and the battle moved into turn 3.

Turn 3 saw two charge declarations from the Wood Elves with the dryads on the right flank making their charge against the 'tusk pack and the center dryad unit failing to charge the smaller Ogre unit. Luckily, I rolled so poor on my charge distance the dryads were still in the woods after moving their failed charge distance. The waywatchers moved closer to the Leadbelchers and the eagles swung around behind the Ogre lines looking for an opportunity to strike. The archers wheeled to see the incoming Ogres.

The archers managed to fell both the last remaining Maneater (netting me a substantial sum of victory points) and a Leadbelcher.
  

In combat, the Dryads struck first against the Sabretusks killing one outright and causing the unit to break and flee from combat.

Unluckily, the remaining Sabretusk outpaced the dryads as it crested the hill and out of the dryad's line of sight (the dryads managed a mighty pursuit roll of three). Don't they just look pathetic? They are probably mad that I haven't painted them yet and that is why their performance was so lackluster.

David's turn 3 began with more charges. On the right flank, the Leadbelchers charged the depleted fast cav unit off the board. In the center, both ogres units declared a charge against the dryads in the center that failed their own charge on my turn, and ...

both units made it into contact (Shit!). Though neither unit rolled high enough for the d3 impact hits (Phew!).

In combat, the dryads stuck first killing one bull in the smaller Ogre unit and two Ogres in the main unit. In response, the combined charge killed off six dryads. It could have been worse but because I was six wide only two ogres from each unit were in base contact. The dryads then passed their stubborn leadership 8 break test for being in the forest. It looked like combat would continue.

At this point I stepped back to see how the game was progresing. There were two Leadbelchers left on the hill on the right flank and a fleeing Sabretusk about 12" from the back table edge. In the center of the table there was a massive combat that I was sure to lose eventually (most likely this turn) as both units of Ogres were still combat effective. Moreover, both units were close enough that if they won combat this round, David would be able to charge at least one of my archer units on his turn. After assessing the situtation I began my Turn 4 in earnest.

I charged the Glade Riders and the eagle on the left flank into the smaller unit of Ogres as shown (Glade Riders in the flank and eagle in the rear). My thought here was to add some much needed combat resolution (as there were only two drayds left in combat), and if I got lucky, the smaller unit would be locked in combat on David's turn and unable to charge the archers. I also flew the other eagle 1" in front of the main Ogre unit in case it was free to move on David's turn.

With magic and shooting I killed off the fleeing Sabretusk and the last two Leadbelchers.

Combat saw a single Ogre die to the combined charge while I lost both Dryads and three charging Glade Riders. However, due to combat resolution, I only lost by one and passed both break tests keeping the smaller Ogre unit locked in combat on David's turn.

*Also, note the obnoxious eagle on the right!

On David's turn he once again began by declaring charges as there was little else available for him. He charged the Scraplauncher into the rear of my eagle in combat, and the main Ogre unit charged the other eagle.

In combat I lost every unit. The impact hits from the Scraplauncher killed the eagle, the small Ogre unit made short work of the remaining Glade Riders, and the eagle disappeared into a puff of feathers. However, David chose to reform his main block instead of overrun so that he could hopefully charge my archers on the next turn.

Turn 5. Time to get serious. The Drayds on the left flank (who had done absolutely nothing all game) charged the Scraplauncher in its rear. Both archer units on the right flank shifted further to the right and the remaining Drayd unit on that side moved down to help block Turn 6 charges.

In the shooting phase the combined shooting of the three archer units and Waywacthers managed to kill one Ogre in the smaller unit bringing it down to three models and another two Ogres in the main unit dropping it to four models (including the BSB, Slaughtermaster, and champion).

Combat saw the now Wild-formed Drayds kill the Scraplauncher and cause the smaller unit of Ogres to break and run into the trees.

David's Turn 5 was quick: the smaller Ogre unit rallied and the main Ogre unit reformed to be able to charge one of the archer units on Turn 6.

My Turn 6 saw only seven Ogre models start on the board. A little manouvering with my main archer unit and it was beyond the maximum charge range of the main Ogre unit. The BSB then jumped out of the small ten-man archer unit also on the right flank and into the large archer unit. The ten-man unit wheeled slightly to increase the chance that on a flee reaction they would be able to stay on the board. My remaining units simply converged on the Ogres' position because they could.

The combined archer fire on the right flank (now including the Waywatchers that had moved down and the BSB finally using his Hail of Doom arrow) fired into the main Orge block. Because I had reduced the unit to less that 3 rank and file models, I was able to kill both the BSB and the unit banner leaving only the Slaughtermaster and unit champion left. This also reduced David's fortitude to 3 (2 for the general and 1 for the banner in the other unit). The other archer unit in the building shot at, and killed, one Ogre in the smaller unit leaving only the unit banner and champion. I had missed my chance to kill that banner and break David. Drat!

David's Turn 6 began as most of his others had, with a charge. The main Ogre unit was too far away to declare a charge so only the smaller Ogre unit (with just the unit banner and champion) declared a charge against the small ten-man archer unit. I elected to flee and almost fled off the board (and I mean almost, like 1" away) but stayed, I like to think, do to the wheel in my turn changing where the center of the unit was. David took a minute, picked up some dice, passed his leadership test and declared a re-direct charge against the large archer unit. I declared a stand and shoot reaction, picked up a large handful of dice, and managed to KILL the unit banner breaking David's army right there. David failed his charge and then I did a little happy dance. No, really! I danced a little jig because, in all honesty, how many players can say they broke their opponent's fortitude in the final turn of the game on their opponent's turn. Not many I would wager. And with that the game ended and we caculated points.

I had managed to kill everything but three Ogres (though to be fair, as they were the two remaining Ogre unit champions and the Slaughtermaster, they were worth a fair number of victory points left on the table). I had managed to kill 963 points of Ogres compared to only losing 454 points of Wood Elves (both eagles, both Glade Rider units, and a single unit of Drayds). I won by 509 victory points giving me a Solid Victory under the scenario and 14 battle points. I also managed to pick up all three bonus points for (1) causing David to break, (2) killing his BSB, and (3) not losing any of my banners. Thus, at the end of Round 1 I was sitting at a pretty 17 battle points.