Margana, the Fourth Year, Summer, The Battle of Mudwater

 

Dahar fails to take Snake Pass

Malthodor finally takes the Forest of Nee after four turns.

Harno subdues Mudwater

Morrod attacks Harno at Mudwater

Batrep below

 

 

 

 

 

Malthodor spent over a year subduing one region which is a long time in a five-year campaign. Currently a 5 or a 6 on a d6 is required to subdue an occupied region and I wonder if this should be more nuanced. For example, a modifier of +1 for each consecutive year that an attempt is made. Or am I overthinking this? Could it just be down to the belligerence of that region?

Another consideration could be allowing nations to “fortify” a region. To do this they spend a season in occupation fortifying, a marker is placed on the map to signify this. Now it requires a “6” on a d6 to subdue. Again, apply a + 1 modifier for each season attempting to subdue the region.

This adds complications that are probably unnecessary in a multiplayer game but might add interest when playing solo.  Nations would have an option for consolidation as a strategy which adds another dimension and lends increased strategical importance to “bottlenecks” like Snake Pass.

The Battle of Mudwater

 

What is astonishing about Mudwater is that anyone would want to fight over it. A miserable region of marshland, swamps, biting insects and bad smells. The regional delicacy is eel in mud-sauce and worms. Do NOT drink the water.

The armies meet at the twin settlements of Mold and Pondweed. This, the cultural centre for the region boasts a public midden and its own inter-    village highway, a dirt track which is mostly laid with mud.

 There is a river that idles across the battle field, more sludge than water, there is a bridge that leads to the village of Mold and a ford at the Southern end. Adjacent to the bridge is an area of marshland, which is classified as rough terrain

Goza lost the Orc Archer unit and the Rabble at Dourcliffe, not that anyone has noticed the Rabble are missing.

 

 His army is defending, they will use the blue counters, his objective rolls the same as last time, Damsel in Distress, it seems he still has to rescue his son Gozason from Emero’s unit.

 Harno are the attackers they use the red counters. Their objective is to get to the Troll Hoard on top of the hill North of Mold, not shown in these pictures. Actually this game would have played just as well on a 4x4 table as the last two foot board (with the hill) was never used.

 Both sides have rolled an Outflanking manoeuvre. For Morrod this will be the Black Wolves wolf-rider unit led by Gagbor and for Harno the Wild Riders led by Thordeed.

 Mishaps Occur

Royal Guard are late 4 b/w

Emero, perhaps buoyed by victory, is enthusiastic 2 b/w

The army of Harno is confident after it’s victory at Dourcliffe

 

The army of Morrod is in a bit of state, the Berserkers and the Uruks are bloodied from battle and have minus one resolve each.

The Berserkers are enthusiastic 2 b/w and the Horrid Mask wolf riders are diseased

 

 

 

Turn 1 No Random Event

No shooting. All advance. Shatrag consults the priest in Mold “It’s a fungus” they tell him, he rolls a three, he can use this roll later in the same way as the prophecy spell

No flank attacks this turn. To perform a flank attack, the flanking unit has to roll d6 and roll equal to or less than the current turn number

 

Turn 2 no random events

No shooting

Shatrag’s Horrid Mask crosses the bridge

Denoeth and the Royal Guard arrive at the ford. He’s jubilant-one of his three moods, the others being belligerant and furious. He has clearly forgotten the last time he charged into a ford! The other Harno units arrive at the river ,the Unproven Youth hang back.

 

Across the water the Uruks chant and roar, they were deprived of a chance to fight at Dourcliffe and they want revenge.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Let’s all gather at the river, the beautiful, the beaut..…oh!”

 

Someone’s going to get wet

 

 

 

 

Turn 3 No random events

Shooting- Snagas cause 3 hits to Emero’s riders and sustain 4 hits from the return fire.

The Outriders cause 1 hit on the Uruks. I wonder if they should have a change of abilities. Either increase from shooting mixed to shooting. Or lose skirmish and be more capable of combat… something to consider. One of the great things with this game is it’s flexibility.

On the right in this picture the Youth are charging the Horrid Mask

The Youth charging the wolf riders leaves a gap in the Harno line, seeing an opportunity, the Berserkers enter the river

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Unproven Youth, they could do with a unit name, charge into the Horrid Mask who have luckily changed formation in time to receive them.

The Youth cause 5 hits but receive 8 and, broken, they run from the field

 

Denoeth charges through the ford and into the Trolls. Skaythe has made a tactical error which highlights some of the subtlety of this rule system.

If he had not advanced, he could have 1) cast his Empower spell on the trolls increasing their fight 2) he could have used his Titanic Diadem of Foresight.

But he didn’t and he is injured in the subsequent combat 9 hits v 9 hits! 

The thing about the Titanic Diadem of Foresight is thet you just don't know when you might need it

The dilemma! No one wants to enter the river as they will have negative combat modifiers, these are worse for mounted troops so they hold back hoping to charge the Orcs as they advance

However, the advancing berserkers will soon be in position to flank the horsemen as will the badly mauled Horrid Mask

 

 

 

Turn 4 no random events

Shooting Snagas cause 3 hits on Emero’s Riders, who shoot back causing 2 hits

Outriders pepper Uruks causing two hits

Denoeth rallies one point of Royal Guard

The Berserkers cross the river and wheel, the Horrid Mask form up on their flank

The Uruks enter the river

Emero backs up and wheels to get a position to shoot the Wolf Riders who are five points from dispersing

At last the flankers arrive. Gagbor and his wolf boys roll a one and come on behind the trolls. They must have got lost because they are further back than if they had set up with the rest of the army.

Randenberk fares no better and enters in a similar position, they both rolled ones!

Combat- the Royal guard inflict 5 hits on the Trolls who cause 7 in return

 

Turn 5 no random event

Shooting Emero’s Riders score 2 hits on the Mask and take 3 hits back

Snagas score 5 hits on the Riders

The Outriders cause no damage to the tough hides of the Uruks who roar out their disdain

Emero’s Riders are first out of the hat and they wheel towards the Wolf Riders but are unable to contact them

The Berserkers seize their moment and charge into the Riders flank causing 13 hits and receiving one, Emero and his Riders scatter, leaving Gozason to be rescued by the jubilant Orcs.

All Morrod units regain a point of Resolve

 

 

Goza delighted at the news orders the Uruks to charge the Outriders who evade and the Snagas cross the river on their right flank in support

The Wild Riders charge into the dripping wet Uruks causing 11 hits and receiving 5 themselves.

 The Uruks had been charging the Outriders and I wasn’t sure whether they should receive the charging bonus as their charge had been interrupted. I Followed the tenets!

The Royal Guard finish off the Trolls but have taken a lot of damage in the process

 

 

 

 

 Turn 6 no random event

Shooting- Snagas inflict 2 hits on Outriders and receive 3 hits in return

The Black Wolves cause 4 hits on the Royal Guard The King is not jubilant, he has gone through belligerent and is just arriving at furious

The Outriders back up, they look like they have one foot out of the door

 

The Snagas wheel towards the flank of the Wild Riders

The situation is looking dire for the Wild Riders

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Royal Guard have 22 hits and have a Resolve of 23! The Black Wolves know if they can cause one hit with their shooting they will disperse.

 

 

 

 

 

Turn 7

Shooting -The black Wolves score 4 hits on the Royal Guard who disperse, Denoeth riding after them shouting “I say, come back chaps, we shall thrash them yet”

The Wild Riders seeing their King making …ahem…a tactical retreat, sustain a loos of resolve and take to the hills leaving the Outriders to escape

Victory to the Orcs, they take Mudwater. They must be delighted.

Aftermath

The Trolls are fine and Skaythe is, well, unscathed. He is found closely examining his Diadem and scratching his head.

Harno-Thordeed and Denoeth are fine but Emero is truly dead. The Wild Riders are nowhere to be found and the Royal Guard and the Unproven Youth, who have still to prove themselves are bloodied and will fight the next battle with minus one Resolve

 

 

Autumn

Dahar subdues Snake Pass

Malthodor moves through Lake Morovere and attacks Dahar at Snake Pass, Malthodor are finally in a fight.

Harno attacks Morrod at Mudwater!

Two battles! I have had one fight per year for three years and now there are four in one year!