Post by Naitsabes on Jul 18, 2022 23:07:51 GMT
If you've come to find a beautiful battle report with literary value, sorry to disappoint, best move on. This is mostly a picture dump from a recent big game along with some waffling.
One of my favorite thing about 8th is that it scales rather well for big games. In fact, I will argue that's the best way to enjoy this glorious game. Recently, the stars aligned and we found the time and the location to run a 15k game. If you are curious, took a couple hours in the evening to set up, then a full day of gaming, and after some much-needed sleep a few more hours to box things up. We've done a few big games over the years and mostly settled on some house rules that work pretty well for us (details below)
For this game we wanted to bring out all daemon models. And after we figured out that wouldn't be a legal army, much frantic painting of mostly core units ensued to fill it out to a good 15K. As opposition we picked Dogs of War over the usual punching bag (The Empire) augmented with Ogres (10K + 5K, respectively). Instead of the usual 'Line them up' we came up with a little bit of a twist. Dogs of War and Ogres would be on opposing sides and ready to go at each other when an inconvenient daemonic incursion interrupted the proceedings.
Sethis, Fang of the Wastes, casually surveyed the field. Everything was going to plan. The ogre horde was arrayed on the hills above Finster. They were committed to attacking, low on supplies was not how ogres liked to march on through the Border Princes and the town was well stocked. Or at least it had been until his mercenary army started billeting. The burgomeister had complained but quickly come to his senses when Sethis pointed out that at least his troops stuck with eating the provisions, not the provisioners, quite unlike the ogres. His army was well placed to defend the town and vastly outnumbered the would-be attackers. ‘A great general wins the battle before the first shot is fired’, or something along those lines, and he most certainly was great. The successful defence of Finster would be another notch in his belt and future contracts were bound to be even more lucrative. He was about to order the artillery to open up when suddenly an unearthly shriek sent icy shivers down the veins of every living thing in the valley. And then the gates of hell opened…
Our table was a bit unconventional. We had two 8x4 tables and did not want a long&narrow setup as it tends to lead to isolated fights as opposed to a coherent battle. So, our best effort was this tetris block setup.
Mother of All Battles III – While waiting for Volganof - 18Jun2022 –
WHO
15,0000 pts of DoC vs 10,000 pts DoW (WAP 8th) + 5,000 pts Ogres.
DoC is divided into Belakor (serves as general) and four mono-god legions, each led by a Greater Daemon (who each give Inspiring Presence to their own legion within 6”).
DoW and Ogres are separate armies, each with a general and BSB.
GAME SETUP
We are using two 8x4’ tables in a ‘tetris block’ setup with 5’ overlap on the long side. DoW and Ogres deploy first as per sketch, facing each other. DoC army sets up four spawn points. Two each in the Eastern and Western deployment zones. Initially, spawn points must be 24” away from each other, they are then scattered D6” in a random direction. The four DoC legions are randomly distributed to the four spawn points and each legion must deploy within 12”. Lastly, Belakor is deployed anywhere in the DoC deployment zones. DoW/Ogres get first turn.
MARATHON
At the end of turn 7, game ends on 5+, end of turn 8 on 3+, game ends turn 9.
TOO EARLY TO CALL IT
At the beginning of turn 1 or turn 2 a player can declare that the battle is all but lost already. This player will then get an extra 1000 pts of troops as reserves at the beginning of his next turn, but will have to buy the first round of drinks after the battle. The other player gets 250 pts at the beginning of his next turn and may make mocking comments.
HOLD THE HILL/TOWER
Five objectives are placed on the battlefield in a mutually agreeable (scenery conforming) manner. One in each deployment zone (near the South end of the Northern Daemon zone; near the north end of the Southern Daemon zone), one in the very center of the table. Starting in game turn 2, at the end of each player's turn that player will score victory points for each held objectives: turn number x50. To hold an objective an unengaged friendly unit must be in 3” and no enemy unit in 3”. Fleeing units don’t count.
FATE INTERVENES
Each player gets three fate tokens at the start of the game. Each token can be used to re-roll a single die on the following rolls: Look out, Sir. Leadership test. Characteristic test. Armor Save. Ward Save. Flee Distance. Note: As usual you cannot re-roll a reroll.
WHERE IS THE ACTION?
Units can make a march move of 3xM as long as they are staying 24” away from the enemy. Units that normally can't march (e.g. chariots, random movement) double their movement.
TOO FAR
Anything with unlimited range is changed to 60” range. This includes spells, dispel attempts, items. Reign of Chaos results 5-9 are measured from the Greater Daemon of the ‘hated god’ (or, if gone, the most expensive daemon unit). Other RoC results are measured from Belakor (or if gone, the most expensive daemon unit).
WILD MAGIC - See Storm of Magic.
FAST FRIENDS
Ogres and DoW start as Desperate Allies. On turn 2 they become Suspicious Allies, on turn 4 Trusted Allies.
