We managed to swing one game of Armies & Hordes in. Since it was Independence Day, figured it was appropriate to have a 1776 battle. Of sorts.
The Loyalist, or British forces included 2 units of regular infantry, 1 unit of Indians, 1 unit of Indian Skeleton Archers, their General, and a beastly Scottish Hill Giant.
The Rebel, or American forces included 1 unit of regular infantry, 1 unit of Rangers, a unit of Beastmen (from the frontier) and a pack of hell hounds. Their General had an attached unit of bodyguards.
Our first attempt at a board. Dark green patches with trees were forested terrain (very rough), the white/green were fields (rough), and all else was clear terrain. The road was split into 3 sections for movement. The big patch of forest in the foreground should have been split into 2 areas.
Initial deployments. British from the South. In a surprise move, the American player (Sara) deployed her fast unit on the road. We both thought that would be dramatic, watching it sweep ahead. Then read the rules on fighting from column and realized it was not a good idea. My unit on the road also quickly abandoned it for a better formation.
American player (A) goes first and attempts to activate her beastmen. Rolled 2 failures. British (B) take over. A pushes the beastmen up the hill, they become fatigued.
B activates first unit of regulars - 1 fail. A moves hellhounds up the road. B pushes the unit into the rough ground.
Realizes he doesn't want to fight on the road. Moves giant up. Wants to move the other unit off the road to where the giant was. Has the General with the unit. Fails his unit activation with a 1. A rolls for beastmen and become refreshed.
Skeleton archers fail their activation.
Indians move up.
General moves to the side.
Turnover.
A rolls to activate her first group. 2 fails again. B takes initiative right back.
B rolls to activate giant. 2 successes, will be able to charge into the side of the hellhounds in column on trail. A uses the reaction die to move the hounds into an adjacent area.
Giant still attacks hounds, but no longer gets the bonus. Hounds lose 1 stand and retreat in disorder into an adjacent area.
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| Rebellious colonist-bred hell hounds attack a Loyalist Hill Giant |
Indians move in to attack hounds. Completely blow the shooting roll. Blows the melee roll. Loses 3 stands. Then gets 3 sixes on the morale roll. Retreat into woods.
Rest of units activate and move up.
On last reaction of round, A moves the bodyguards up (I forgot to give them shooter) and shoots the giant dead without even moving in to melee.
Turnover. A rolls to activate her first unit, using the bonus from her General. Double fails again. A keeps blowing her activation rolls. I just use reactions instead of taking over. Beastmen advance down the hill. Indians set up an ambush.
B advances units. On a reaction, A moves her rangers into the woods, roll 2 sixes on the shooting roll. Wiped out.
Turnover.
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| Surprise! Ambush time! Oops, we forgot to load first. |
A fails (1) activating her first unit. I use the reaction to attack the beastmen.
Shooting takes down 2, melee takes down 2 more, the last 2 fail twice the morale roll and run off the board.
Then she turns over again.
rit unit moves into the woods. Loses the combat and the morale roll, runs away.
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| Just a staged picture for furn |
