1st battle of Tamirkhaman desert

Heinreich Von Brandenburg had been told it would be a simple mopping up operation, Inquisitor Bartholemew of the Ordo Xenos had been quite specific about that. And as his force of eighty conscripts marched through the deserts he could see but sixteen of the aliens with their witch, general and a tank. This would be a pushover, outnumbered four to one the xenos would have no choice but to capitulate Tamirkhaman or be wiped out be overwhelming fire power from his brigade.
Heinreich laughed to himself before dismounting to join his squad.

This was my Imperial guard's (the 17th Ger conscripted brigade) first outing. We were playing 1000pts and I far outnumbered may Eldar opponent! I entered this game with the mind set any imperial guard player who makes an entirely infantry/cavalry no heavy weapons/vehicles army should have and expected to be obliterated by my opponent's elite force of Eldar.

Armylists were as follows

17th Ger conscripted brigade
Heinreich Von Brandenburg's, Company command squad (5 man)
company command squad (5 man)
Storm troopers (6 man) meltagun and outflank
Storm troopers (6 man) Deep strike
Guards (10 man)
Guards (10 man)
Guards (10 man)
Guards (10 man)
Guards (10 man)
Rough riders (6 man) meltagun
Rough riders (6 man) meltagun

Craftworld Kaela-Morr
Autarch, aspar fateblade
Doom seer
dire avengers (10 man)
striking scorpions (6 man) Outflank
warp spiders (5 man) deep strike
snipers (6 man)
warp spinner (tank)

The lines were arrayed thus with the eldar holding a tiny line against an imperial guard force that only just fitted on the table and this wasn't all of it!

Imperial Guard turn 1
move
In the move phase I managed to run my  rough riders halfway across the board in what seemed to me a very ill fated charge! After that I moved my Right flank forwards while holding my left flank back and ordering them all to do platoon fire.
shoot
The shooting phase was devastating with a whopping 60 lasgun shots finding their way into the dire avengers. It goes without saying that not a single dire avenger survived.

combat
After ordering the rough riders to advance with all speed they then charged the doom seer, he inflicted no wounds and was wounded by a hunting lance himself. Things were not looking up for the eldar who had at this moment a meagre 8 models and a tank on the board to my 84.

Eldar turn 1
Move
The eldar did little movement save to charge their autarch into the rough riders, hoping to save the doom seer... which he probably would.
shoot
In the shooting phase the warp spinner and snipers combined fire on the remaining rough riders, obliterating the squad in a fatalistic charge of the light brigade style.
Combat
In the combat the Autarch and doom seer made short work of the rough riders, slicing them up in a whirl of blades.

Guard turn 2
Move
This turn both my storm trooper units arrived, with one of the units outflanking right next to the Tower with the snipers inside and the other deep striking directly in between both battle lines. I then decided to advance the entire forward, easily pushing over the half way mark.
One of the units ordered to run, went charging through the acid spraying out of the pipes with two killed.
Shoot
Having moved my line forward to shooting phase was fairly uneventful, however I had moved one of my command squads in range of the aerial assaulting storm troopers, ordering them to open up with skirmishing fire on the Doomseer, which they did, killing him!
Combat
Combat was uneventful with the Outflanking stormtroopers failing a rush on the tower.

Eldar turn 2
Move
In the Eldar movement their Warp spiders finally arrived, and deployed behind the rear of the right flank guards. The Autarch then started running from the Storm troopers who had shot the doom seer.
Shoot
In the shooting phase the Warp spiders opened up on some of the guardsmen killing five and sending the rest fleeing straight past them. The warp spinner then opened up on the centre of the guards ranks killing six and forcing one of the units to go to ground.
The Snipers then opened up on some of the storm troopers killing two.
Combat
Using their teleport move the warp spiders do a hit and run, having sent a unit fleeing they slink off behind a building.
Guard turn 2
Move
In the move phase we managed to rally several of the units hit by the warp spinner (unfortunately not the ones targeted by the spiders, who now fled the board). After that the storm troopers began to close in on the tower, grapnels out.
Shoot
In the shooting phase the unit nearest the warp spiders was directed to open up with skirmishing fire on them, killing all but the Exarch with a hail of close range shots.

Combat
In the combat phase both storm trooper squads scaled the tower and assaulted the snipers, losing no casualties and completely wiping out the eldar before abseiling back down the tower and heading for the Autarch.

Eldar turn 3
Move
In the next turn the final block of Eldar reinforcements the striking scorpions arrived from their ranks, charging towards the storm troopers. The Autarch then flew up to the heights of the tower and the remaining warp spider charged the nearest guards.
Shoot
this phase was completely un eventful save for the Autarch taking out a single guardsman with his missile launcher.
Combat
In the combat the Striking scorpions easily slaughtered the storm troopers before they could even react to the space elves chain saws.

Also the lone warpspider rushed into combat with the nearest guards. The guardsmen lost one casualty to the Eldar before their sergeant ran forward and sliced him in two with his power sabre.

Guard turn 4
Move
In our move phase the subordinate commander quickly lead his line forward. On the far left the rallied guards advanced through the acid pipes, managing to march with little mishap.
Shoot
The Storm troopers and two the two other nearest guards then opened up punishing skirmishing fire on the scorpions killing three of them before charging into combat with them.
Combat
In the combat the storm troopers and 5 guards ran into a fight with the scorpions. The scorpions managed to kill all the guards and 3 of the storm troopers before being slaughtered by the sergeants.

The game now left just 1 eldar and a tank against around 30 guardsmen. In the Eldar turn however the Warp spinner blasted apart the last storm trooper and the last 6 guardsmen of one of the units. They also moved their Autarch rather unwisely out of the tower (he would however of been assaulted if he had stayed there)

In my turn I ordered my right flank guards to open up on Fateblade with skirmishing fire, wounding him twice and leaving him nice and vulnerable for Von Brandenburg's subordinate officer.

In the Eldar turn the Autarch charged into my company command squad and was cut down by my officer's power sabre, only killing two of the veterans in the clash.

The warp spinner then opened up in a last ditch attempt to  take out the remaining guards.

But even it's guns could not wipe out the last guard units and only killed 6 guardsmen.

The game ended with the Eldar tank remaining against both my command companies and 3 guardsmen. All in all this was a very good game and one I did not expect to win, but as I always say "once you've moved your line into the enemy's table half victory is almost certain!"

Now Rematch!

War in Wattonford: Battle of the river Bloodhorn

After the Siege of mount bloodhorn we cleared the table and I challenged Kotem's force to a rematch after my last defeat at his hands (http://warformiddleearth.blogspot.com/2012/02/war-in-wattonford-campaign-battle-of_18.html). We were using 750pts again and played using the same board as siege of mount bloodhorn, I let the lizardmen player set up in the river to make the most of his skink's aquatic special rule.

Marshal Lenk's huscarlsExalted hero Surtha Lenk
5 Marauder horse
5 Marauder horse
5 chaos knights
warshrine

Kotem's Watband
Kotem
12 skinks
12 skinks
25 skinks
10 temple guard

The game opened up with my two maruader horsemen units charging a unit of skink blowpipers who had come dangerously close, however one of the horseman units was obliterated by the skink's stand and shoot, but the other unit killed six skinks and sent the rest fleeing before overrunning into the block of 24 skinks.

 However in the lizardmen's turn the Temple guard led by Old blood Kotem flanked the marauders. In the ensuing combat one temple guard and 2 skinks were slain but all the marauder horse were annihilated. The skinks then rallied and it was looking bad for the WCs.

 But then, I overheard his battle plan to flank my knights when they charged his skinks, so just to annoy him I charged the knights into the temple guard. The champion was killed in a challenge with Kotem but brought him down to 1 wound from three, and the rest of the knights hacked up the temple guard, taking but one casualty. The knights then ran down the temple guard and Kotem before overrunning into the skink blowpipers. Whom the knights beat, and chased off the board.

 The skinks then opened frie on my general killing him before rushing down on my warshrine. I killed four skinkss before being run down by the skinkys. I had forgotten to use its giver of glory rule throughout the entire game!

 Then my knights were surrounded by all his skinks! It was the do or die 25 against 2, who would win? In the end it was a no brainer as the knights killed tons of the skinks over two turns before running them all down.

REVENGE was Slaanesh's, we had completly oblitarated them and I had thought that this was to be a war of attriton with the skinks sniping at me form the river, ah well two chaos knights kill 25 skinks, good odds.
And another tile is added to my empire on the campaign map, is that 4000pts now?

War in Wattonford: Siege of mount Bloodhorn

This was the store's special game: Siege of mount bloodhorn. It was meant to be a siege between two forces fighting over a ghostly garrison... however one of the staff who was meant to be bringing it was unwell and so we had three buildings that counted as objectives, but soon the manager ditched this and turned it into an all out old fashioned Victory points.
One side was composed of 2k of the store's vampire counts plus 750pts of warriors of chaos who arrived in turn 4. Our side was composed of 1k of Tomb kings and 1k of my Warriors of chaos plus 750pts of tomb kings that arrived in turn 4.

Host of Khemri and Slaanesh's chosen
Liche priest
3 chariots
34 skeleton warriors
19 skeleton archers
3 carrion
khemrian warsphinx
Exalted hero Valmir aesling on juggernaut
5 Marauder horse
5 Marauder horse
5 marauder horse
5 chaos knights
Giant
(Liche priest
39 skeleton warriors
6 chariots
tomb scorpion)

Lazzarus Vangheist's Legion of Wattonford and Tzeentch's chosen
Ghoul king Lazzarus Vangheist
Necromancer Scottus II in corpse cart
Necromancer Christofen
40 skeleton warriors
20 crypt ghouls
5 hexwraiths
6 crypt horors
Mortis engine
Terrorgheist
(Tzeentch sorcerer
17 warriors of chaos
5 knights of chaos)

Turn one for the Vampire counts set us back quiet a bit. Their crypt horrors charged my marauders on the left flank, sending them fleeing, whilst the hexwraiths and terrorgheist swapped their positions, which would force my giant and knight to swap as well. The rest of the force advanced.

In our turn one Valmir aesling Charged into the hexwraiths, but sadly the knights failed their charge to support him. The remaining horsemen then manouvered round to face the vampiric flanks with one unit infiltrating enemy lines. My giant, Kholec bone crusher then moved round to try and catch the terrorgheist. The rest of the force simply walked forward.
In our shooting phase the tomb kings opened up with all their bow fire and killed a crypt horror and wounded another.
In the combat Valmir Massacred all the hexwraiths with his sword of battle before overunning straight into the terror gheist's  face (which the manager is gleefully turning to face him).

 In the vampiric turn two the terrorgheist screamed at Valmir aesling, killing the exalted hero. In the magic phase Scottus then raised 6 zombies right in the path of the khemrian warsphinx and Marauder horsemen.

 Our turn three and the Skeletal chariots charged the horde of skeletons, one singling Christoffen out. The Warsphinx and Horsemen then charged into the 6 zombies while their fellows charged the mortis engine. The Giant and the knights then wheeled round onto the vampiric flank.
In the combat the chariots took out 18 of the skeletal horde, also wounding Christoffen twice. The zombies were easily massacred and did no damage themselves, but the mortis engine blasted off it's assailants.
Then the Tzeentchites arrived...

 The vampiric turn four saw the arrival of the forces of Tzeentch from the banks of the river Bloodhorn. Also the Chaos knights suffred a charge from the Terrorgheist. Very quickly all had been popped open by its scream and it was searching for its next victim. That combat then saw the Skeletal horde of Christoffen supported by the flanking ghouls of Lazzarus wipe out the skeletal chariots.
Then it was our turn four. Our Tomb king allies then arrived from behind our forces ready to rebuff the ranks of our dwindling flank. My giant then wheeled to face the rears of both the mortis engine and terrorghiest incase one of them decided to move out the way as they had been doing. The Khemrian warsphinx them charged Lazzarus and his ghouls.
In the combat all four of the tomb guard directed their attacks at lazzarus, one scoring a killing blow and smiting the ghoul king with a well aimed spear thrust. After that the Sphinx then trampled 13 of the ghouls leaving the rest to combat resolution. After that the army started to crumble with a Crypt horror falling dead and the mortis engine and terrorgheist taking a host of wounds each. Not a bad day's work for one sphinx.
And with their turn five came charges! The crypt horrors charged the triumphant warsphinx and the terrorgheist confronted the newly arrived chariots head on!

The superbly converted warsphhinx, i simply love the spears

 In the ensuing combat the crypt horrors easily tore down the warsphinx while the terrorgheist smashed to bits three of the chariots, but took a wound from the charioteers. Also the mortis engine charged into the giant, taking two wounds from the giant's chomp attack.

 It was a game decider for the giant as it took great chunks out of the mortis engine, if it could be killed the vampiric force would start to give way, if not they would have destroyed the entire Slaaneshi host and would become even more powerful as the game went on.

 Our turn five saw the large block of skeleton warriors charge the crypt horror conga line.
In the combat the Giant was in its do or die moments, I rolled a chomp attack... If i could roll a 2 or 3 on a D3 I would have killed the mortis engine, healed my giant to full and possibly saved the game for us. I rolled a 2, but the engine took its regeneration saves and saved one of them... Just one more wound and it would have been dead... However there was still chance! If it failed to wond me I would win combat by one and it would die, but it wounded me once and the combat was drawn.
Over with the "super ghouls" the Skeletons killed one for the loss of only one of their own.

After this the mortis engine used its powers to destroy the giant. To round off the game I can say that the tomb scorpion killed the terrorgheist but not before it has destroyed two chariots, the archers killed Scottus II and his corpse cart and the knights smashed up 72 of the skeleton warriors! Wow!
It was a hard fought game but in the end with two wizards, 32 skeletons, 3 crypt horrors, 5 knights, a mortis engine and all the chaos warriors to only two wizards, a chariot, 19 archers, a tomb scorpion and 3 carrion it was a resounding victory for the legion of Wattonford and Tzeentch.
My force, as always in these big games, had been wiped out.

So after myself and the tomb king's player swearing revenge on the legion of wattonford for our defeats last time we had been defeated yet again

Mongol Invasion of Japan, Part 1: Battle of Takashima Bay

This was the start of our studio Campaign: Mongol Invasion of Japan. It was inspired by my extensive collection of Scythians and Khandish (obviously based on mongols by GW) and a GW collectors model of a Manchu War lord and my opponents collection of Japanese (which can be seen in the 1912 campaign).
We decided to play a scenario I had come up with using lists created with my WAB calculator (http://warformiddleearth.blogspot.com/2012/02/warhammer-ancient-battles-calculator.html).
We used the following forces:

Japanese Defence force
Shoni no kagesuke on horsebook
Standard bearer
10 archers
8 samurai
10 samurai
14 ashigaru
6 ninjas
3 samurai on horses

Mongolian landing force
Khan Yowi
Kim of Korea
8 keshig with bombs, kharesh
8 keshig mounted with kharesh
10 foot men with kharesh
10 foot men with kharesh
So the victory conditions went as follows:
The Japanese got half pts for everything they killed
full points for everything they captured (forced to flee while at sea)
+500vps for capturing the khan.
The Mongolians got half pts for everything they killed
half points for every unit they got on the mainland
200pts for each tower
400pts for the village
+50pts for killing Shoni no kagesuke

Each turn we rolled a D12. On the roll of a 1 the kamikaze struck and every model on the water or within 4" took 1 strength 2D6 hit with no armour saves aloud

 The Japanese could deploy any where they wished on the board and the Mongol craft arrived from the far sea side. The japanese force set up with their archers on the island tower, their 8 samurai on the ship, the ninjas, general and horse on the shore, the other samurai in the tower and the ashigaru outside the village.

Then the mongol fleet arrived, ready for anything. The rules stated that until one of the mongols set foot on the Japanese shore I could keep regenerating my destroyed units off this board edge.

My first move was to send the entire mongol landing force to overhwelm the fortified out post tower. It was a source of easy points and those archers with their 2+ saves (in a building with pavises) would be a pain to my fleet unless i took them out, something that could not be achieved by shooting.
But first ashore was Kim, rushing forward towards the tower, only to be unhorsed and shot to pieces by the bowmen inside.

One of the aravs from the Ilkhanate, plus a mongolian mounted Keshig and a Korean keshig on foot, disembarked from the fleet, ready to surround and take the tower. But the Samurai warriors in the Japanese ship moved on to the shore as well, disembarking and preparing to drive off the attackers.

However the Keshig's proved to uncontrolable for Khan Yowi (who had by now disembarked), as they went hearing off into the action. The Korean Keshig made short work of the Samurai, before driving of the battle standard bearer and hacking him to bits on the beech. The Mounted Keshig on the other hand, charged the tower. They managed to kill two of the Archers but took a casualty themselves, leaving the fierce fight in the tower to continue.

While the Khan and his Aravs were dealing with the isolated tower, a small landing craft of plucky footmen from the Ilkhanate was making its way, followed by another craft containing Kim, towards the mainland.

By now the Mongolian horse had done their work, and had cleared out the tower garisson. The Khan had rembarked, but soon disembarked (Perhaps he forgot his packed lunch) and the Arav of the Ilkhanate was making it's way towards shore in the flat bottomed barge.
But both Keshigs were left stranded on the island.

The mongols were by now nearly all reembarked and sailing for the mainland. However Shoni and his Horsemen had now boarded the Japanese ship and were looking to pray on the smaller landing craft. Suddenly hope looked bleak for the Arav running the gauntlet for the mainland.

It soon became clear why Khan Yowi had disembarked as he set up his head quaters in the un maned tower. Here we can see Khan Yowi (unfortunatly not painted yet) and his retinue, including the turncoat samurai (Boo hiss) and his impaling stake (I use his retinue for markind wounds)

Then Shoni struck, him and his three riders boarding the Arav's landing craft. In a quick round of combat the four samurai had captured the vessel and the men of the Ilkhanate were marching to a japanese cell.

With an arav captured this put me back a considerable ammount and it looked like Kim too might soon be captured or slain by Shoni.

By now a barge had been found for the mongol horsemen and the entire fleet was sailing again, also a new Arav had arrived by craft to help storm the beech. But there was still no sign of the Kamikaze thankfully.

And unavoidably Kim's raft was also boarded by Shoni. The pair duelled and Shoni won, but slew the Korean commander instead of the desired capture.

With Kim distracting the Japanese Vessel and general the other barges and landing craft moved round it, preparing to disembark the force in the face of the defiant Samurai waiting for them on the beech. It should be an easy matter to overwhelm these picketts and the village should be ours before nightfall!

With Kim slain it looked as though Shoni may capture the Arav that had fallen behind, but at least the barge had now made landfall, and the men were preparing to disembark just as soon as more of the craft landed.

Not waiting for the Aravs to disembark the samurai waiting for them charged the barge, fighting out a hard combat withe the men of the ilkhanate. But after taking a casualty the Japanese fled, however I managed to maintain order in my ranks and the Arav did not pursue.

With thr Koreans now also on the barge and Preparing to disembark, the japanese decide to move up the Ashigaru to counter this new threat. Shoni to had moved his craft to shore and looked ready to disembark and stand to the last.

Then all woe, before Khan Yowi and General Shoni's Eyes KAMIKAZE! It ravaged the coast, striking down an entire arav and all but five Keshig and two footmen, But the mongols were not the only ones to suffer. Shoni was wounded and all his horse swept over board, luckily for my Khan he was just out of reach of the divine wind, but this considerable set back could have lost me the game (If i didn't get a man on the mainland I coulnd't win.

Then Kim (brother of the late) arrived with a force of Aravs and Mongol Keshig. But there was a small chance that we could reach the shore now, however even so there was a chance.

Shoni now disembarked from his ship, having been badly wounded by the storm. After this recent luck the samurai rallied and set about closing in on the last two Keshig on the barge. the two Keshig lost no time in firing their bows at the rallied samurai, and killed two.

The remaining four mongols were by now just waiting for the reinforcements to arrive, and praying to their ancestors that another Kamikaze did not strike them.

With another two shots from the two remaining Keshig another two samurai fell, this was too much for them and suspecting that there were probably many more mongols in the barge they fled for their village.

Then the Kamikaze struck again. It swept away everything this time, the reinforcements, the barges, the ships, everything apart from one Keshig! But now the next lot of reinforcements were here. However with the sun setting and the tide going out there was a slim chance we would make it. And with the new reinforcements the Khan commited himself for a costal assualt sending the last keshig on shore. And as his foot hit the sand we knew this was the do or die moment.

After many many turns the landing craft arrived! Kim however was shot down by a longbow shot from Shoni. Shoni and the Ashigaru now prepared to meet the assualt head on with the ninjas and three remaining samurai (brought down to size by a last charge from the Keshig. Bringing up the flanks.

Then the mongol hordes disembarked, ready to be charged in the next turn by the japanese defenders.

In the first round of combat Shoni hacked his way through one of the arav's, but was wounded. However the other arav destroyed the remaining samurai and began its march on the village while the Keshig on foot forced the ninjas to flee and took control of the beech tower.
The mongol keshigs however made little progress through the ashigaru, but didn't lose a man.

The arav was now force marching in column dirctly for the village, a post that must be secured before nightfall. Having driven of the mounted Keshig and run down the other arav, Shoni charged into the tower, only to be hacked apart by the Keshigs inside.

It was the final moments before night fell when the Keshigs dispenced of their Turkish bombs, hurling them into the Ashigaru below and taking out all but the drummer.

With night came the realisation that the Arav was still not in the village and would have to turn back.

Only two japanese men were left alive, but had the landing been at to great a cost for the mongol forces, would they infact have to turn back.

In the end it was a close run thing and my mongols won a minor victory by only 40vps.

The next battle would be an open field afair with my mongols facing the japanese in the open field, a thing that my opponnt remarked his samurai had "never done before".

War in Wattonford: Battle of Thunderfoot Valley

This is the next part in War in Wattonford, an instore campaign at my local games workshop, this time at 1K. Unfortunatly owing to the fact the manager was no where to be found the staff would not let me take photos incase I stole someone's identity and sent an assassin after them. So for this game I have included photos of the armies from other games.

It was our first 1000pt game, and I was pitting my army which was not doing to badly against the Ogre kingdoms army that was winning the campaign (I believe they were around 4000pts ahead of me).

Both forces were as follows

Bruiser Goliath's Warband
Bruiser
Fire belly
10 Ogre bulls
4 Mourn fang cavalry
Ironblaster

Valmir Aeslings' Champions
Hero on Juggernaut
5 horsemen
5 horsemen
5 horsemen
5 knights
Giant

Before I had my game I had just seen the ogre army come and stomp over three other armies with the two mournfangs dealing almost singlehandedly with the entire orc army and with the Bulls and Bruiser wiping out an entire chaos army, then both parts of the force came together trapping the skinks and lizardmen behind a building and crushing them all.

(Minus the Skaven and Daemons and plus 2 more mourn fangs and a firebelly this is the Ogre kingdoms army)

The battle started with his entire force moving towards my knights who were positioned on the far left of the table while my horsemen made their along a pass behind a building on the far right of the table, an obvious flanking action. My giant in the mean time stood behind the horsemen as a rear guard.

In turn one his Ironblaster opened fire on my Juggernaut, wounding the rider. Then in the next turn I charged my knights and Juggernaut into combat with the Ironblaster. In the combat the Ironblaster was reduced to two wounds, however it's Rhinox managed to dispatch my General.
In the next turn his Bulls charged into my knights with his Bruiser smashing the head off my knight champion. The Knights then fled and were run down by the cannon.
By now he had also manouvered his cavalry to face mine, as well as sending his fire belly to snipe fireballs at my Giant. However the spells were all dspelled and the fire belly soon found himself in combat with the giant, who decided to have a good yell at him, but was wounded three times even though the fire belly lost the combat.
But my marauder horse were not quite so lucky. Normally I would flee from the charge of so mighty a foe as mourn fang cavalry, but in the close confines of the area they were situated in I could see that one unit fleeing could well cause an un rally able route, so they took it like men, even though the impact was enough to kill them all twice over.
In the next turn the Iron blaster also charged my giant, hoping to kill it through impact hits, but it rolled one short and the giant lived. Also the giant the took a mighty chomp out of the Ironblaster, destroying it and putting him on two wounds instead of five. Seeing his companion fall the fire belly ran, but was sweeped up by the giant and hurled over his shoulder.
But now only five of my horsemen had escaped and as the game drew to an end we declared an ogre victory. The bulls could well of seen of the giant and the horsemen could have just kept on running till death.
A sad first outing for my WCs, but the Giant proved its worth doing more damage then the entire might of the three other armies that had faced the ogres before.