Raid on Linden Way

As previously posted this was a test game to see if my conversion of Blood Bath at Orc's Drift to Warrior Heroes Armies and Adventures was sound.

In this game I took on the role of Magyar Ironfist, leader of the Kwae Karr, and the game system ran everyone one else.

The following is a photo report of the Kwae Karr Orc's raid on Linden Way. I painted all of these figures, save one, way back in the 80's so pardon the quality, and enjoy the trip down memory lane : ) Remember you may enlarge a photo by left mouse clicking on it and often may enlarge it again by repeating that action on the enlarged photo.

Dawn at Linden Way. Mayor Leofwine has drawn up the militia and the civilians prepare to evacuate.

Magyar and the orc skirmishers approach.

The crazed Illusionist is disturbed by this!

The approach.

The Illusionist gets frenzied and charges to his doom!

Mayor Leofwine implores the militia to patience.

The archers in the watch tower take the orcs under fire.

The orc main body arrives.

And advances.

Orc skirmishers reach the hedgerow.

Magyar leads the charge into the village.

Mayor Leofwine urges his men to fight for all that is good and holy.

The melee begins as the refugees exit stage right....

...and hope for the best.

The militia's assault is hard fought.

And drives the orcs back out of the village.

Magyar holds the roadway while exhorting his orcs to redouble their efforts.

Other orcs have broken through the hedge row and carry the fight  to the humans.

Magyar does a tolerable impression of berserker rage...

...slaying Mayor Leofwine and three of his men.

The green tide rush into the village.

Some of the orcs have broken off the assault to pursue the refugees. 

The refugees suffer under a rain of arrows.

Situation mid game.

The militia fight valiantly...

...but the greenskins will not be denied.

Slowly the orcs get the upper hand.

The defenders are getting thin on the gound.

Most of the refugees have fled, only three remain, one too wounded to move on his own.

The pursuit is close as more arrows take their toll.

In the village there are no longer enough militia to form an unbroken line.

The militia is pushed back while some poor fellow is trapped as the orcs advance past him.

The few remaining militiamen are surrounded.

And slain.

In the watch tower only one man remains unwounded. The last defender of Linden Way.

Undaunted he lets fly at the orcs massed in the town.

The hail of orc arrows is too much and the  last human falls.

And so it came to pass. Despite the militia having put up a really good show of it, the  final losses were disproportionately in favor of the orcs. Twenty militiamen, Mayor Leofwine, and two two refugees were slain for a loss of five orcs killed and another three wounded.

Now of course the militia losses were only so high because under the scenario rules they would never rout. Still the lack of orc casualties is a bit surprising. In Warrior Heroes Armies and Adventures (WHAA) a miltiiaman, here Rep 4) armed with a pole arm, is the equal of a Rep 4 orc armed with a sword. However the orcs did benefit from carrying shields while the militia had to do without.

Luck certainly played a role here though, as the human archers should have fared better than the orc archers on the ground, due to the cover provided by the tower. However time and again the humans fell while the orcs shrugged off a hit. Strange but then there is no accounting for fate.

As far as the conversion to WHAA goes, I am well satisfied with the result and look forward to working out the details of the larger game.

Hope you enjoyed the pictures and thanks for stopping by!

Orc's Drift in a Day

Way back in the 1980's Games Workshop released a series of campaign modules for Warhammer. Each set had card buildings and a series of linked games, usually three primary games and final battle.  

Fast forward to the early 2000's. When asked to develop Warrior Heroes, Armies and Adventures I always had it in mind to play these campaign games using the THW rules.

Now it is 2012 and I am finally getting around to doing so.

My intention is to play each campaign as single "mega" game, with all the battles taking place on an 8' x 4' table. That means that any individual scenario will only have a 2 foot square or so area on which to unfold.

Could be a tight fit but with the first campaign on the list, "Blood Bath at Orc's Drift" this should work. Each of the four games essentially consist of an orc attack on a smaller group of humans, elves, and/or dwarves in a defensive position. Given Warrior Heroes Armies and Adventures' (hereafter WHAA) mechanics, the close in nature of these battles should not prove troublesome.

As the orcs are on the common thread through the four scenarios, I will be taking on the role of King F'yar. The game system will handle the opposition.

Now the first question in any such undertaking is just how does one convert characters from one game system into another? Javier over at Javier at War ran a fine series of games using this same campaign set and those so inclined are encouraged to pop over there for a read. Just click the bit where it says "Javier at War" above.

For my part a bit of experimentation is in order. Things to consider are:

1. Carrying figures over by type.

2. Using some arcane formula for War Hammer stats as a basis for WHAA Rep.

3. Just winging it.

While I favor option 1 for most games this time I am going after a combo of all three! 

The battle of Linden Way will be used as test game for this method. The game pits an invasion force of some 40 orcs against 20 militia and some fleeing townsfolk.

The Residents and Defenders

 When using the term "militia" in a THW title, I would normally go with Rep 3. However the Warhammer stats for Linden Way's defenders seem no different than those for any human men at arms, so they shall be deemed Rep 4.

The Militia leader, Mayor Leofwine rates somewhere between the militia he leads and Magyar Ironfist, the leader of the orcs in this battle. I am inclined to rate him as Rep 4 as well, with the addition of a Hardiness rating to possibly offset any wounds incurred. Say Hardiness 2.

A scenario special rule has the militia so dedicated to protecting their loved ones that they are "not subject to the rules concerning rout". While WHAA has no morale tests per se, the Reaction test certainly fold in many elements of traditional morale tests. So here in a bit of a compromise, the militia must take Reaction tests but will not "Run Away", ignoring any such result.

The Kwae KarrTribe of King F'Yar

The orc rank and file also rate a Rep 4, although being on larger bases than the humans they will have a slight advantage in combat as per WHAA.

Their leader, Magyar Ironfist is Rep 5 with Hardiness 3.

Finally Bagrash the Shaman is Rep 4, Hardiness 3.

So with the forces established, next time we will see how the test game turns out.

Thanks for stopping by!

Giglamps and Blood on the Nigella

This is  the conclusion of the tale that began here.

Dear Orcs and Rats of the Afri Society of  the Notables Club,

I am writing you to confirm, with great sadness, the loss of the well esteemed Rat, Mongorc Park, and the return of the Second Nigella Expedition.

Where to begin? Where we left off of course...

We set off from the Capital of Bemako some 21 weeks after having left the coast. Having regained the Nigella it was our intention to follow its course to its mouth, hopefully locating the fabled City of Timsbucktoof along the way.

Sadly we ran into difficulty almost immediately. 

Twenty three weeks out, on a seemingly quiet stretch of river, we fell into an ambuscade of Othari brigands.

Their opening volley brought down our redoubtable Halfing guide, Vikda Moan as well as my acting Colour Sergeant, Bacon. Both losses would be felt keenly in the coming days.

The Othari put up a Brisk fire much to their credit, but our return fire was.er, more Brisk. There is no Otter on Valon who can fire as fast or as effectively as our stout Orcs, and the engagement became general.

Soon clouds of powder Smoke were drifting across the otherwise idyllic scene of the Nigella languidly flowing through a country as exotic as it was beautiful.

 Despite the volume of fire my Marines were able to maintain, our Losses steadily mounted. 

And yet there were signs the enemy's lust for conflict had been overcome. First one band than another of the fierce tribesotters went to ground.

It was soon apparent that only the frantic efforts of their Chieftain were keeping them in the fray. Their dashing leader could be seen capering about, hitting his Otters with the flat of his sword or threatening them with the barrel of his cruel looking pistol.

My orcs dropped around me and neither my Hat nor Coat were spared, each having been Holed in that Fusilade!

Still our find fellahs gave as good as they got and the Othari fire slackend. The brigands were compelled to fall back from the shoreline to the scrub Beyond providing better Protection and yet hampering their fire.

Again the Desert Chieftain harangued his Otters and was forcing them back into the fight.

Until one of our fine Marines, accustomed no doubt to potting Ferach Officers from the Mizzens of the great Orcs of War, dropped him where he stood.

Even as the Othari, their Leader dead, lost heart and melted back into the Scrub, a Roaring sound ahead told us why the Brigands had chosen this spot for their Ambuscade.


Rapids!

Soon the White Water succeeded where the Othari had failed.

One after another out boats disappeared into the churning water...

Only to reappear on the far side holed and broken...

Or not at all.

In all we lost our Guide, my Colour Sergeant, and three other ranks in the ambush, and Lt. Martyn, Engineer Bone, five Marines, the Bo'sun's Mate, one sailor, all of our boats and the majority of our supplies in the rapids!

I quickly had the orcs craft litters for poor Park and one of my Marines too wounded to walk, and we set out overland back to Bemako.

The wounded Marine did not survive the journey and Dear Park finally fell at last  to the Mouldera that had Plagued him for the majority of this Journey back in the "safety" of Bemako.

At this point I was left with a Sergeant, three Marines, three Sailors and a wee bit of powder and shot. Without any "hongo" with which even to buy food, I decided our best course was to hire on as caravan guards and make our way back to the coast.

Wending our way back to Pisofia took longer than having gained Bemako and Beyond and yet, having lost poor Sergeant Holcombe, one Marine, and one Sailor, we arrived, in due course, back in Pisofia some seventy or more weeks after our departure.

Park's final expedition has added greatly to our certain Knowledge of Afri.. The sources of the Gumbia and Nigella are Mysteries no more. And yet...

And yet much more remains to be done, Gentleorcs.

I cast down the gauntlet and challenge you to trace the Nigella to its Mouth.

I challenge you to find the fabled City of Timsbucktoof before some Jumped up Ferach Johnnies do!

In short I challenge You to fill in the Blank Spaces on our Maps of Afri, that the loss of Dear Park, Anderat, Martyn,  and the others need not have been in vain.

Your Obedient Servant,

Giglamps, Captain (brvt), Halflingland Rifles

-----------------------------------------------------------

So there you have it. Giggers is safe once more after a harrowing journey lasting nearly two years. It was touch and go if not very exciting after the loss of Park I dare say. The Heart of Afri remains as impenetrable as ever and the gauntlet laid down for others to pick up.

The Event cards for "The Sword in Africa" available from The Virtual Armchair General did not disappoint and the events contained therein were easily converted for use with my rules.

And what of Giggers? Shall he stay on and become an Old Afri Hand, or return to the Mordredian Wars and Urop? I had hoped to enmesh him in the unfortunate events occurring in the Suddan. Yet fate had other plans for our hero...

Hope you enjoyed the tale and thanks for stopping by!

Orc Exploring Officer: Mounted and Foot

Was looking for a figure to use as a dismounted version of Alternative Armies fine Orc Explorig Officer.

A request sent out on the Notables soon bore fruit! "Ian Phleming" pictured above was one of the figures included in the "Las Vegas and the One Armed Bandit" scenario pack for Flintloque and very fortunately I had one hidden away.

So with a little bit of paint and a card, er "card" added to t he mounted figures, here they are! The hats are a bit different one taller, one broader brimmed, still, easy to see one is meant to be the other and done with minimal fuss.

This chap will be seeing service in some upcoming missions for a new THW's project as well as of general use for Flintloqueian fun.

Hikz Pasha and the Battle of El Opie

The square had been marching through arid land for some days. One company of Askari on each face, a sprinkling of local tribesotters scouting out front, and the baggage and camp followers huddled in the center.


The scouts were convinced that the renegade halfling Mameluke Bettan Ahl Bey was not in the vicinity, but events would prove them wrong.


As the sun rose, and with it the stifling desert heat, the banners of the Halflingiah, as the renegades styled themselves could be seen in the distance. Soon the sound of hundred of hairy feet pounding the desert sands could be felt as tremor through one's feet. Hikz Pasha of course was mounted on his fine horse and only had the word of the Sultan's vizier, and Hikz' "aide", Tarbush Oyster Cracker, for this last bit of information.

Deployment

Initial Deployment

The game was played on a 4x6 foot table area littered with patches of scrub. The Ottermans, with four companies of musket armed Askari each of 16 rank and file, two officers, and a drummer, formed a square on one side of the table. Baggage and camp followers in the center and unit of 20 or so matchlock armed irregulars deployed forward along their line of march. It's been a rough journey for Hikz' otters and all are classed as Raw for this game.

The Halflingiah lined the opposite edge of the table from foreground to background in the photo above; Bilbo Ali and the followers of the Black Banner, the Green Banner of the Mameluke household troops, the White Banner of the Haddenogre tribeshalflings led by Osman Digit, each of these foot units consisted of a leader and 23 irregular followers armed with an assortment of melee weapons. Following on from the foot, Bettan Ah Bey watches on high from a convenient boulder, and his personal mounted following of 9 lance armed halflings mounted on Aegyptian hounds holds the far left of their line. All of the halflings are classed as Average Irregulars. Bettan Ah Bey is a magic user, a gift of the Author, blessed be his name.

Turn 1


The game got off to a slow start as some confusion prevented the Halflingiah from moving forward in concert while even more confusion prevented Hikz from accomplishing much at all!

Situation at the end of Turn 1

Turn 2

The fighting begins

The ball opened with the Household halfings charging home against the Otterman skirmishers. The skirmishers lost their nerve and fled! 

The Green Banner rout the skirmish screen

Hikz ordered the forward Askari company to open fire on the mass of fleeing Otterman and rushing halfing warriors alike, dropping one allied tribesotter, and three Halflingiah. The Green Banner were full of fury and their morale held.

Meanwhile, the mounted halflings made for the far side of the table preparatory for a rush at the square's far corner.

The Haddenogre and Hound Riders

As Bettan Ah Bey looked on, the Haddenogre advanced to support the Hound Riders in their assault on the square.  Forces were gathering, and not just the furry footed kind.

Bettan Ah Bey looks on

With a muttered "Ickity Ackity Oop Ah Ah!" the Bey called down a lightening bolt on the unbelievers!

Where one minute stood a platoon of Otterman troops, the next minute there were charred bodies and the smell of ozone and singed fur.

Surprisingly the Ottermen simply dressed their ranks and carried on with the job at hand...which was apparently standing around doing nothing because once again their goblin and ogre officers could not get the Askari to face left and form line.

Situation at the end of turn 3.

Turn 4


For the fourth turn running the Halflingiah won the initiative. The Green Banner promptly charged the front of the square.

Even directly under the leadership of Hikz, the troops were unsteady, failed to fire a volley into the charging mass, and died to an otter!

The frenzied halflings carried straight on and tore into the baggage and camp followers. Hikz was pulled from his horse and killed! The square was broken.

This was all too much for the left flank company, the one that had been fricasseed by the Author's Bolt, and they broke and ran, as did the camp followers (quite sensibly in their case I assure you).

Sensing victory, the Haddenogre promptly...stalled. Perhaps they were waiting in hopes of maximizing plunder and minimizing losses?

Situation at the end of turn 4

Turn Five


The Ottermen won the initiative for the first time this turn. Yet with four units routing and only two still game, it was a bit late in the day.

The rear facing company was overrun by fugitives yet each platoon managed to form independent rally squares and keep order.

No mean feat considering the chaos surrounding them I dare say. Their officers must have been justifiably proud of their otters.

The right face of the square, the only other company of Askari still in play, was unable to alter formation. Despite the haranguing and cursing of the goblin Captain, the troops remained in line facing out, ignoring the chaos and screams behind them.

Had the Green Banner not been so intent on plundering (as is the halfling way), the company would have been destroyed.

Back on the left face, the Hound Riders closed in for the kill.

Uttering their high pitched squeaky war cries they charged!

The Askari were as good as their training and kept tight in their square. The hounds thought better of running full tilt into a line of lowered bayonets and recoiled!

 Disaster was avoided and time purchased for the camp followers to make good their way off the table. In the meanwhile both platoons united, forming a company rally square.

Situation at the end of turn 5

Turn Six

The remnant of the Otterman force again won the initiative and put it to good use. The formerly static right face company formed a rally square and loosed a volley from two sides!

Bilbo Ali and five others fell! His followers quickly gathered up their fallen leader and escorted him from the field.

The Green Banner, roused from their revelry in mayhem, also retired, although not from the field.

At this point with more than half the Otfidels dead, and those that remained devoid of baggage, Betten Ah Bey called a halt to any further assaults. Why waste halfing blood when there is another way?

The two companies of Askari retreated from the field in square.

Situation at game's end

The Halfligiah followed to make sure the Ottermen could not stray from their square. Heat and thirst did the rest.

Summoned to surrender with full honors guaranteed by the Bey, the Otters lay down their arms.

Those who refused to join the Halflingiah were promptly slain, their bones left to bleach under the desert sun.

Notes:


What a corker! Action packed from first to last.

This was the third game played with "Company of Flintloques" in its current form. There was a slight change to melee this go round and that seemed to work nicely.

Halflings are a lot of fun in Flintloque. They are both dead hard and  yet only take a single wound compared to the two needed to bring down an Othari (otter) or three for an orc. In game terms this means that volleys loosed on them can be horrifically effective. Unfortunately for Hikz the quality, or lack thereof, of his force,  meant that only three volleys were fired which did for 9 halflings, 2 mules, and 1 of his own allies!

Bereft of missile weapons it is in hand to hand combat that the halfling excels. Hikz lost over 20 to 30 otters in melee as well, sadly, as himself.

 Now that the Halflingiah have some captured otter musketmen to bolster their forces, they will hopefully play as less of a one trick pony.

As mentioned elsewhere the magic system is a modified version of that in DarkeStorme. Never having played that game with Othari before I hadn't realized how very susceptible they are to magic. That is just as well however, as it fits my theme, of magyk still being a force in the Valon's wilder places.

Hope you enjoyed the game and as always, thanks for stopping by!