Jevenkah Battles Teshub at Fantasy Warriors

Posted on February 7, 2014 by SwordAndSorceryRPG

We wanted to play-test some special abilities we’ve been researching/developing to bring mass combat Fantasy Warriors wargaming in line with the Conan D20 rules for RPGing, so we took to the table. We replayed the battle from Saturday night, with Teshub fighting as the League of Nil-ith horn (mostly) orc forces and myself as the Free Jarls of Gautria.

We each picked 2 special abilities (from a list of about 15 that Teshub will type up for me later). Teshub assigned “Last man standing” to his warlord, making the warlord the last figure removed in a unit, and “Bloodlust” which allowed him to put a unit into bloodlust. I chose “Diehard” for my leader, adding a +2 to his save, and applied “Legendary Unit” to my berserkers which added +1 attack die for every 3 figures in the unit.

The League of Nil-ith Horn warlord arrayed his 3 units of heavy infantry in the open, with a unit of medium armored Vangen orc mercenaries on his left, and 4 orc heroes to his right.

The Gautrian Jarl attempted to use the terrain to the advantage of his more mobile light ulfhednar and berserk units on his flanks, while his 2 slower infantry units kept to the center. The men of Gautria were bolstered by 2 enormous sword thane heroes and one giant champion.

Both leaders looked to stir their troops to victory.

As the League forces began their steady march toward the Gautrian lines, the LNH Warlord drew his 2 Orc spear units together to fight in 2 ranks. The Gautrian Jarl moved his spearmen into like formation.

The ulfhednar spread out on his right, and the berserks with their giant hero snuck through the trees on his left.

When they emerged from the woods, they saw the opposing phalanxes about to clash.

The spear units closed for attack and the bloodshed began.

The heavy armor and mighty heroes at the center of the battle proved the difference for the LNH as the Gautrians crumbled.

Unable to get his berserks into attack orders, the Jarl took his remaining heroes and plunged into the fray. Seeing the fierce human berserks confused and holding their ground, the LNH Warlord refused battle there. The Ulfhednar moved in to strike so the Vangen mercenaries were thrown into Bloodlust by their unit leader.

Enraged, the orcs savaged the Ulfhednar and annihilated the men in a single round. Now blood drunk, the crazed orcs slammed into the Gautrians finest unit, the Berserks! On both sides there was great carnage and loss of life as the two units annihilated each other in the flash of two handed weapons.

Alone and outnumbered the Gautrian had no choice but to surrender to the League of Nil-ith Horn Warlord.

Battle of Turlin

Posted on January 18, 2014 by SwordAndSorceryRPG

The men of North Gautria gathered outside the town of Turlin to meet the massed forces from the League of Nil-ith Horn.

For this battle, my husband did double duty as referee and bad guy. He joined the League’s side and played the Grunevaldians with their elite heavy cavalry, a unit of elite heavy infantry Gautrian Guardsmen, and a unit of orc heavy infantry. His compatriots kept their armies from their earlier encounters of the event; Graf Stukkin with his three units of heavy orc infantry, and Alarun with two units of heavy and one medium infantry. Each had two urog heroes as well.

Bleddyn and I shared command of the North Gautrian army. Bleddyn took the King’s elite cavalry and elite heavy infantry, a unit of light infantry, and a unit of light ulfhednar. I played 3 units of heavy cavalry, and one heavy and one light infantry.

The League of Nil-ith Horn carefully plotted their strategy, while Jarl Kvig provided a morale boost to the Gautrians.

On the hilltop against the forest wall, Jarl Skalla Grimmson’s light bondi eagerly closed with the League of Nil-ith Horn heavy infantry elite Gautrian Guardsmen.

The bondi took high casualties and routed in the first combat round, which allowed the Gautrian Guardsmen to rush forward and pin Skalla’s cavalry in the next round. Adjacent to them, the two heavy infantry units of blue and green clash.

Poor rolling prevented the cavalry from taking down many orcs, while the League of Nil-ith Horn forces were able to rout a second unit of Gautrian infantry, also in the first round.

Gautrians fell on the field at every combat roll. King Gorm himself was lost to an urog’s sword. It seemed the gods were not with the Gautrians this day.

Jarl Skalla’s heavy troops battled on, but the last orc units were closing on them.

With the odds overwhelmingly against him, Jarl Skalla took his cavalry and fled south to his keep in Jarlin. By days end the League of Nil-ith Horn army had won a decisive victory at Turlin and were later able to establish a winter camp and beachhead on the coast at Larbro.

Kingdom Under Siege

Skirmish on the Northern Plains

Posted on November 15, 2013 by SwordAndSorceryRPG

Some of the League of Nil-ith Horn troops crossed over the mouth of the Torgova river and marched overland in an attempt to link up with the landing parties. King Gorm’s outriders caught one such band as the orcs left the cover of the forest. Our second Fantasy Warriors battle of the day (now turned to evening) saw Bleddyn command the riders, supported by a unit of heavy infantry, and a unit of ulfhednar: light infantry with fast movement.

Graf Stukkin led the Nil-ith Horn orcs with their own heavy unit, 2 units of Vangen orc heavy infantry and 2 urog heroes. Bleddyn brought his ulfhednar across the field and through the trees, and engaged the League of Nil-ith Horn unit. The urogs attacked the horsemen, while the battle leader Graf Stukkin joined with the heavy infantry of valdgraf and continued to close with the humans. The fighting was fierce and bloody, as the valdgraf heavy infantry joined the 2 urogs in their slaughter of the cavalry.

Bleddyn’s ulfhednar routed the League orc unit and sprinted to attack the remaining orcs. Blows were dealt back and forth.

Only the orc leader and the human bannnerman remained. They each got a saving throw. The bloodbath came down to the last dice roll. Would anyone walk away from this battlefield? The lone bannerman would! Bleddyn made his save and assured the people of North Gautria would be safe from these wretched orcs.

Kingdom Under Siege

Raid on Larbro

Posted on November 14, 2013 by SwordAndSorceryRPG

The first scenario featured our daughter as battle leader of the human village Larbro defending her people against the raiding orcs. She had to get a unit of women and children away from the sod huts, across the coast and into the woods.

Alarun rowed his forces in to quickly close with the warriors and attempt to capture the women.

This battle was to resolve what happened here in North Gautria while main characters were elsewhere on the map, and answer the age-old gaming question, “If a village is sacked and no player-character is there to witness it, does it really burn?”

Our daughter was an extremely good sport, as this was not a “fair” fight. She had 3 units of light infantry for the defense of Larbro and needed to hold for about 10 rounds to allow her civilians to escape. The orcs’ 3 units wore heavy armor and were outfitted for raiding, but one unit had to remain with the boats.

The orcs also had 2 urog heroes to Meav’s one bondi leader, who seemed a bit overwhelmed with his command.

She sent 2 units to the beach and kept her best unit back to screen the women and children, unwittingly leaving her battle leader unprotected after he issued the orders. (Mom’s bad! It was our daughter’s first Fantasy Warriors battle.)

The orcs disembarked while the urogs sprinted ahead to attack the human’s leader.

Alarun told my daughter all the bad things that would happen to that leader if she lost initiative next round.

And our youngest rolled lucky!

Meav moved her second bondi unit to intercept the charging urogs.

Her first unit engaged with the Nil-ith Horn (green & black) orcs took heavy losses and was destroyed. The veteran bondi stepped forward to confront the Valdgraf (red & black) unit and their ugly two-handed weapons, but the unruly Great Northern (brown) berserk orcs crashed through their line from behind, eager to fight the humans.

The women continued their fearful trek as the Nil-ith Horn soldiers marched on them. The human bondi and their battle leader fought the urogs with valor.

The bondi veterans faced an onslaught.

They slew many.

But the humans were overwhelmed, as both her remaining units routed.

The League of Nil-ith Horn orc forces secured plunder and a beachhead due to the success of the Raid on Larbro.

Kingdom Under Siege

Sagas of the Gautrian Kings #40- The Battle of Skarken River Conclusion

Posted on July 26, 2013 by SwordAndSorceryRPG

After the Gautrian champion Bleddyn Yorath defeated the urog Untak in single combat, our Jarl Kvig was quite enthused, and rallied his men.

The orcs deployed to meet our forces along the hill. The stalwart League of Nil-ith Horn orc heavy infantry were lined to the left, and the tribal orcs and urogs in front of Valden to our right.

The Kildarian Knights lead the charge and thunder towards the line.

The Gautrian infantry follows close on the horses hooves.

At the last moment, the cavalry shifts to the center, revealing the imposing spears and heavy armor of the Kildarian infantry.

On our right flank, the light infantry hidden in the forest crashes into a unit of wild orcs.

The cavalry refuses battle again and rushes behind the Nil-ith Horn Orc heroes, seeking a weakness in the League formation.

The Kildarian Knights draw out a lesser unit, and close for the attack.

Bleddyn’s light infantry’s numbers are reduced by bowfire from the high hill, but still they fight on against the wild orcs.

Infantry and cavalry alike attack the orcs’ well-organized line.

The bloodshed is heavy on both sides. And the heroes from the League of Nil-ith Horn begin to decimate the Gautrian infantry.

Jarl Kvig leads his heroic companions through the melee in an attempt to bolster the failing left flank.

The Gautrian infantry falls to the swords of the Nil-ith Horn orc heroes. A doomed unit of light infantry rush the orcs, and are slaughtered as well.

Jarl Kvig orders his heroes to attack the huge orcs.

From astride his warhorse, Jarl Kvig makes swift work of three of them.

While our party finally wears down the Nil-ith Horn heroes, the League orc infantry start to falter, and with that, the less disciplined tribal orc units begin to rout.

Valden the Ruthless, King of the Vangen orcs, and his greatest urog warriors are surrounded by the remains of the cavalry.

The giant urogs take many knights down with them.

The strength of the knights is too much for the urogs and King Valden is slain! The men are victorious!

Sagas of the Gautrian Kings #41- The Crows of Skarken>>

<<Sagas of the Gautrian Kings #40- The Battle of Skarken River

Sagas of the Gautrian Kings #40- The Battle of Skarken River

Posted on July 10, 2013 by SwordAndSorceryRPG

Jarl Kvig Melgarson sends Bleddyn and Wynston to scout the Vangen orc camp.

They find wild orc scout patrols in the woods nearby.

As Valden’s war council stretches into the night, Bleddyn and Wynston return to Kvig and urge an attack at dawn. Kvig agrees and the humans prepare for battle. First light reveals the Gautrian army opposite the orc camp, a muddy field between them.

Jarl Kvig takes the center of the field. Most of his personal retinue is a unit of heavy thanes that has followed him since he left Helvik over 6 years ago, and the rest a unit of faithful bonders from Timlin Town. Also in his command are a unit of the king’s heavy cavalry. Under the yellow-on-blue banner on Kvig’s left, Baron Vulmar (Jevenkah) leads his own heavy knights, along with one unit of heavy infantry and one unit of bonders belonging to the king.

Fading into the forest on the right flank is Bleddyn. Bleddyn hides his Utvalgte men and a unit of light bonders called from outlying villages of the king. They remain in the safety of the woods until…

…the orcs call to Jarl Kvig to send out a champion! Only the mighty Bleddyn Yorath has the fighting prowess to answer the urog that lurches across the battlefield.

The forces of Gautria crowd behind Bleddyn, his hero and bannerman.

If Bleddyn can slay this urog, perhaps that will inspire the troops.

The armies on both sides form up as the champions meet each other.

The orcs shout fiercely for their champion Untak.

But it is the Gautrian cheers that echo on the field as Bleddyn lands the final blow, severing Untak’s head from his shoulders and routing Untak’s unit of orc warriors.

Bleddyn stands victorious for the Gautrians in their first engagement. Will it be enough momentum to hearten the outnumbered humans?

Sagas of the Gautrian Kings #40- The Battle of Skarken River Concludes>>

<<Sagas of the Gautrian Kings #40- The Battle of Skarken River Prologue

Sagas of the Gautrian Kings #40- Prologue

Posted on July 9, 2013 by SwordAndSorceryRPG

This is the climactic fight Kvig Melgarson has been looking- some say unwisely- to have out with Valden the Ruthless and his horde of Vangen orcs. Valden’s forces number almost a third again more than the Gautrians. However, the Gautrian army consists of a larger percentage of better armored troops.

Just days before ( in Sagas of the Gautrian Kings #39), the Gautrian army was on the verge of sailing away from these lands under the banner of their king, Magnus, until Magnus was badly injured in an assassination attempt by the orcs. Wynston slew 2 of the attackers to keep Magnus alive and was the only one to hear his last whispered words before he succumbed to unconsciouness. Wynston proclaimed to the gathered jarls that Magnus wished Kvig to be his Champion and lead the army against the orcs. She was met with suspicious glances from a few, but her word went unquestioned.

Valden’s army has encamped and is underway reconstructing a bridge to cross the Skarken River into the South Gautrian Lands of Timlin. Kvig’s scouts bring him back preliminary reports from the orc camp.