Vern and his Wonderous Journeys

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Monday, December 27, 2010

It can now stand on its own...



Feels like a baby isn't it. Still armless though.

Sunday, December 26, 2010

Timeline of the WAB Mini-Campaign

Year 1 Month 1
Army of the Evoker first sighted in the villages of southern Aegyptus. Some villages were destroyed while some towns and villages fell in with the rebels

Year 1 Month 6
Fall of Thebes to the rebels and was sacked. The rebel army digs in and awaits supplies.

Year 1 Month 11
The city of Siwa defected to the rebels

Year 2 Month 3
Imperial Army arrives in Alexandria

Year 2 Month 4
Rebel Army approaches the city of Memphis and began to encircle the city. The encirclement was not completed when news reported that the occupied cities of Thebes and Siwa were being cut off by a huge Imperial army. The rebels break off the siege.

Year 2 Month 4
Battle of Jawas. The rebels were defeated and half of the army was destroyed. The great Evoker was captured and executed. The leadership of the rebellion has been transferred to the Bantu leaders.

Year 2 Month 5
Imperial Aegyptus troops drove the fleeing rebels into the city of Thebes. Imperials began to start a loose blockage of the city, capturing every caravan that brought supplies to the city.

The Emperor warns his Carthaginian and Numidian vassals to not join cause with the rebels.

A messenger was sent to King Shaka of Isandhwana seeking assistance.

Year 2 Month 6
A second and much larger Imperial army consisting of Byzantine and Aegyptus troops army and began a tight encirclement of the city of Thebes. The rebels in Thebes began a propaganda campaign to inspire the locals to the city’s defence. With the memories of the prior sacking of the city fresh in their minds, the locals were unconvinced.

Year 3 Month 6
After a year’s siege, Imperial army requested for a truce and negotiated with the rebels. The rebel army will surrender the city but in return they will be granted safe access to the city of Siwa. An agreement was made, Thebes now belong to the Imperials.

Year 4 Month 2
Army of Aegyptus began preparation on the siege of Siwa.

Year 4 Month 6
While the main Imperial forces tries to distract the Rebel main army, the army of Aegyptus tries to sneak into Siwa and bumped into an all Libyan (who are allied to the Bantu confederation) force. Despite killing the Libyan commander, the Aegyptians were soundly defeated with four-fifth of the army destroyed. Lord Ahmose was killed in a chaotic cavalry melee. Basti the Kushite, a young warrior who was orphaned in the early days of the rebellion, led the remnants of the army to a fighting withdrawal.

Year 4 Month 8
The remnants of the Aegyptian army began to reassemble at Thebes. The former chariot runner of Lord Ahmose, Basti the Kushite was appointed Commander of the Aegyptus force for his bravery and determination in the past few battles.

Basti realised that his troops are too light equipped to challenge the more well-equipped Libyan soldiers of Siwa and resolve to rebuild a stronger army.

Meanwhile, the Imperial army began its withdrawal to the more hospitable city of Alexandria after six months in the field.

In the rebel’s end, victory scored by the Libyan forces greatly raised the spirits of the Bantu Confederation. A new field army, meant to replace the forces defeated at Jawa more than 2 years ago, was finally formed to bring the fight to the Imperials!

Year 5 Month 1
The city of Siwa was finally taken by the Aegyptians. The Aegyptians nearly failed and the battle was won only because a small elite force managed to sneak into the city while the Libyans butchered in the Aegyptians at the main gate.

Year 7 Month 10
It was another three years since the re-occupation of Thebes. No pitch battles were fought although a series of minor skirmishes took place throughout the period. However in the tenth month of the seventh year, the Numidian contingents of the rebels make a northern expedition to recover several towns and villages towards the province of Numidia and met an imperial army. The Numidian contingents were destroyed including the veterens from Siwa recruited years ago. About a hundred Numidian cavalry fled to the rebel base of Dongola to report the bad news.

The news was taken badly by the rebels, already it had sunk into the rebel leaders that no support and reinforcements will provided from Isandhwana in the south. The rebellion forces are on their own.

The Imperials are not a better position either. The empire is embroiled in wars along its frontiers and several regiments were sent to other war zones. Nevertheless Commander Basti keen to finish the campaign and he will build an army from scratch again if he has to do so (this will be the third time). Rebel negotiators that were sent to pally were killed.

Meanwhile, the tribes of Kush and Nubia began to recover from the bloodshed that took place in the early years of the war.

Year 9 Month 2
The newly recruited Imperial forces began to slowly secure the towns and villages south of Thebes. The rebels offered no opposition.

Year 10 Month 1
Commander Basti finally brought the Imperial army to the outskirts of the rebel fortress of Dongola. A fierce battle ensued and both leaders of the opposing forces, Basti the Kushite and Pewas Heartbreaker, were killed in the fighting.

The Imperial heavy cavalry eventually prevailed and crushed the rebel field army. The surviving Bantu leaders sued for peace and submitted to the Imperials. Dongola was handed over to the Empire but the surviving rebel troops were allowed to go free (and to become the most battle hardened and sought after mercenaries in the realm after the war).

The Bantu rebellion was over.

Tuesday, December 21, 2010

Blood and Fire - The Last Battle

It seems that nothing changes in the savannah. It was the same grass, the familiar sound of songbirds, the same sun and the same giantic boulder right in the middle of them all. While the rest of the world changes, the grasslands still looked the same as before and it seemed that they will remain so till the end of time.

"I have changed but my home remains as it is."

Basti the Kushite warrior stared at the boulder of his childhood, his Grey Fortress which was the anchor of his youth. How have things changed. Now the general has to rely on his armies, his men will have to do what his childhod fortress had failed years ago.

"Men! For ten years, the Bantu tribes have plundered the land and killed its people. For ten years have they dishonored the dignity of the Empire and her armies. Now men of the Empire, I appeal to you. Beyond this huge rock lies the fortress of Dongola. March with me my men, together we will bring down the fortress, together we will bring down this rebellion that has brought about so much loss in our lives. Together, we will have REVENGE. Together we march to Dongola!!!"

"Dongola! Dongola!" shouted the men. Slowly but surely they converge towards the fortress town that started it all...

=================

“Men! We will adopt the Narses formation. Heavy cavalry in the center followed by light cavalry in the flanks. Crossbowmen will take the extreme flanks of the army. The entire force will be shaped like a crescent moon with two equal halves with myself personally leading the Latinkoi knights”, ordered Basti.

Like a well drilled warmachine, the entire Imperial force move into position forming a glorious battleline when viewed from above. When this was done, the entire force move confidently towards the rebel forces arrayed against them.

Alas! The moment the rebels came into view, Basti realized that his tactics are too predictable. Imperial military tradition was to place the best cavalry to the right and the weaker cavalry to the left and his crafty foe had positioned their elite Bantu knights to his left while light cavalry skirmishes are at his right, ready to pepper missiles at his powerful but clumsy Byzantine cataphracts. Basti had barely registered his error when the dreaded rebel horse archers shot down scores of Balkan cavalry to his right. Curses! In no time will the rebels peel off his Balkan light cavalry screen, leaving his precious cataphracts exposed.



The setup. Since the rebel player happened to be also the Imperial/Byzantine player and also the narrator, the rebels are able to stage the optimal deployment. Yes this game is staged...only the dice are beyond the narrator's control and the results are unexpected.

Realizing that he needs to be decisive, the Kushite immediately joined the cataphracts and instructed his men to prepare for a frontal charge. Cataphracts are slow and can only proceed at a trod thus it will take sometime before Basti and his men were able to reach the enemy. Meanwhile the imperial light troops began to fire back at the rebels but soon it was obvious that the rebels will win the shooting contest as more Balkan light cavalry were killed.


We are losing men to shooting, we better charge soon!

To add insult to the injury, the dread Numidian light cavalry of the enemy totally out maneuvered Basti’s light cavalry screen and charged straight into his exposed crossbowmen behind! Numidian cavalry are famed throughout the world and conventional military wisdom dictates that they will prevail. But this day was not their day, somehow the crossbowmen managed to fend the Numidians and cut down many of the famed horsemen [see note 1]. Shocked by the reversal, the Numidians fled with the battle crazed crossbowmen in pursuit. After realizing that the Numidians seemed to be fleeing from the battlefield, the crossbowmen decide to stop and fire at the remaining rebel light cavalry instead, dropping many cavalry archers from their steeds and freeing the Imperial right flank from harassment!

Being in the forefront Basti was unaware of the miraculous development to his far right and rear. Yelling commands, he led the Byzantine cataphracts straight into the center of the rebel forces lead by the hated Bantu commander Pewas Heartbreaker while the neighboring Latinkoi knights charged the Nubian spearmen so as to prevent the latter occupied and from assisting Pewas’ unit. In the extreme left, the Byzantine Kavallarioi charged straight into the Bantu Knights but they were totally outclassed and were totally slaughtered.


All 3 Byzantine cavalry units charge. The cold one knights represent the Latinkoi of course.

In the center, the Latinkoi easily smashed the Nubian spearmen while the Byzantine cataphracts in their wedge formation rammed straight into Pewas’ bodyguards. Spying Pewas at a corner, Basti immediately lunged forward to deliver a thrust with his lance only to be blocked by Pewas’ tower shield. Too late! Basti do not have time to withdraw his arm and this momentary exposure in his defence is all that his experienced opponent needs. With a quick swing of his morning star, Pewas delivered a downward blow onto the Kushite warrior’s head, smashing the skull and killing the general instantly. Nevertheless, the Byzantines were unaware of their leader’s demise and it was only when Pewa’s bodyguards began to fall back in good order [see note 2] that the Imperials realized that their loved commander is killed.

Meanwhile back in the Imperial’s left, the Bantu Knights realized that they had actually smashed through the imperial line. Spying only some psiloi skirmishers and crossbowmen, they gleefully run down these expose infantry. The left flank belongs to the rebels!

At the Imperial’s right flank, the hidalgo mercenary skirmishers ran straight in front of the Balkan cavalry and fire point blank at the Imperial cavalry. They all missed [see note 3]. To their horror, a hundred Balkan light cavalry are now charging straight towards them!

Back in the center, the imperial heavy cavalry charged into Pewas and his guards again. Pewas was injured by a vengeful cataphract soldier. Although the guards were butchered by the charge of the heavy cavalry, they held.

Time for a counterattacked! With both heavy cavalry units pinned down by the bodyguards, the duelists to the left quickly charge the Latinkoi knights in the flank. Being experienced mercenaries, these troops were good in taking the initiative and in no time they were dragging the Latinkoi knights down the horses. But the tide turned again as Pewas was killed by a random kick from a Latinkoi warhorse in the chin. Seeing their commander killed and their fellow comrades killed by maces of the cataphracts, the remaining guards drop their arms and fled towards the fortress of Dongola. Disheartened by this turn of event, the duelist also fled from the melee. Luckily for the rebels, the Imperials did not pursue but merely re-dress their ranks [note 4].

With the rebel main forces fleeing, the cataphracts then charge into the rebel crossbowmen and destroying the hated rebels. The Latinkoi reformed to face the rebel skirmishing line and were greeted by a hail of arrows from archer skirmishes, losing 80 men from the devastating volley [note 5].

However the troops on the left flank can tell that the battle was lost. Their general was killed and the melee infantry in the center was destroyed while the Imperial Balkan light cavalry destroyed the remaining rebel troops at the opposite flank. The rebel recalled their forces and fled to Dongola.

Notes
1) The Numidian light cavalry fluffed all their attacks and were pwned by the Latinkoi crossbowmen.

2) Falling back in good order is unique to WAB. The bodyguards were originally stubborn but the Latinkoi knights have the first charge rules (which effectively give them the WHFB 7th edition fear rules for 1 turn). As it was a mass combat of 4 units, the charge of the 2 heavy cavalry units caused the imperials to win by a good margin. The Nubian spears fled and were cut down while the first charge rule of the Latinkoi NEUTRALISED (on a 4+) and removed the stubborn of the bodyguards. However instead of fleeing, the bodyguards are allowed to fall back in good order, which is what they did. Latinkoi knights and Byzantine cataphracts are a deadly combo and one provides the autobreak while the other provides the kills. It was lucky that such a combination was illegal for most games due to army composition rules and historical correctness.

3) The light troops at the Imperial right are very lucky. Conventional wisdom dictates total pwnage but tons of failed to hit and to wound rolls mean the right was fully intact! Compare this performance to the left flank where the equivalent units were just a red smear in the ground.

4)The Latinkoi were unable to pursue the duelist because you cannot pursue units that charge you in the flank in WAB (you were caught offguard and need to redress your formation!). The cataphracts on the other hand restrain pursuit as the bodyguards were down to three models and can no longer rally.

5) I rolled 4 ones for armor saves. The Imperial left was unlucky indeed.

=======================

And so it is over. Quite an epic ending with both commanders killed in the final story. The battle report was very detailed and clearly explain a lot of things so I doubt I need to explain much here. I was happy to actually use a more or less legal byzantine army this time althought I still need to proxy models. As I just had a game of WHFB two days before so it is natural for me to make comparisons. I like the WAB system more. I find that WHFB 8th edition was more forgiving when you make tactical errors because the list matter more. But in games like WHFB 6th & 7th edtion and WAB where poor quality troops can defeat a powerful one with the right execution, tactics become more important. Anyway what to do, that is the way WHFB is like now. I guess I should stop harping on it since I believe YOU THE READER has gotten my message. Hehehehe.

As I said earlier, I will play 8th ed for my friends while WAB is a personal thing with Junxian. And oh the concluding fluff for this WAB campaign will be in the next post. Stay tuned.

Merry Xmas!

Saturday, December 18, 2010

A very simple game of Warhammer 8th edition.

Today I had my 4th game of WHFB 8th edition, which happened to be my 3rd solo game. Turned out that it was also my first victory in this edition.

As I told Lawrence, it was a very simple game. On my left, my quarrellers were shooting Elmer's arrear boyz. His boyz eventually charge me which I fled and easily rallied and continue shooting in the subsequent turns. Elmer charged me a second time and my stand and shoot reaction cause them to panic and flee in the last turn. There is also a big block of orc boyz but they did not achieve much other than running down a unit of dwarven thunderers, followed by a turn 6 charge that I will talk about later.

In my right, Elmer had 2 chariots, a horde of NG archers and 2 bolth throwers. The NG archers will eventually join the fight in the center so I will talk about them later. The chariots advanced cautiously but were eventually found within range of the dwarf warriors (skullpass unit). I charged and elmer choose to flee as a reaction, I then re direct to the second unit, broke it, overrun and finally charge a bolt thrower in the final turn.

As for the center, elmer basically had his warmachines, trolls (beautiful models), and 2x50 NG with Orc characters. It was an intimidating wall of greenskin flesh. Facing it are my Hammerers, 30 men dwarven block, LB rangers and my warmachines. i was lucky and destroyed the doom diver in turn 1. I then threw a couple of stones onto the NG and the trolls. The NG more or less recovered their losses by drinking from a Wyrding Well and also gain stupidity and unbreakable abilities. The trolls got diminished but are still sufficient to make it into my bolt thrower and grudge thrower, destroying them before finally dying to my retaliatory warmachine fire. Elmer's block basically clash into my blocks. His NG block led by the BSB fought my hammerers and lasted for quite a few turns even though my 30 men block joined into the fight later. Later Elmer also brought his NG archer horde into the fray. Elmer's general led NG block got rid of my LB rangers but could not arrive in time to save his BSB led NG block from being eliminated. In the 6th turn, the general and his NG unit charged my hammerers where I won. Elmer's orc block charged my 30 men dwarven block (which was down to abt slightly more than 20 men and were still fighting the NG archers), I lost combat but held.

So that's it. A simple fantasy game. Basically both armies just shoot and fight, shoot and fight. Elmer's shooting were mostly magic while mine were warmachine death. The game was quite light-hearted and enjoyable especially when both players were rushing for the healing energies of the wyrding well (it is quite wrong when T4 dwarven warriors got resurrected). Elmer forgot quite a couple of his magic items so I dunno if the outcome of the game could have been different. My opinion of the 8th edition? My verdict is still unchanged actually. I find that today's game is a lot more enjoyable due to the lack of mass template doom (lack of uber magic spells, not too many pieplate weapons). Although the random charge distance and strike in I rules are BEARABLE, I would still prefer the older version. I actually did not bother to charge Elmer coz he strike first anyway and was unbreakable(or at least steadfast if the wyrding well was absent) which led me to purposely delay close combat action and preserve dwarven bodies while trying to do more ranged damage. If it were the 6th or 7th ed system, I will have chose to charge and punch through the night goblins instead. I feel that the new charging rules encourage list-hammer rather than the skill in manuveuring but as mentioned earlier it is still very much bearable compared to the other more pressing issues of 8th edition. If you let me choose, I will still play the 7th edition (maybe with 8th ed terrain rules) because I feel that picking the right list is already winning more than half the battle in this edition (which is not what I want). To me it is never about whether a player is being able to adapt to the new gaming mechanics or not, but whether this set of rules would lead to a better game.

WHFB now shares the same status as 40k in my interest. I play it only because my friends are playing it and it will not be my main game. My main interest will still be WAB. Even though my WAB experience is suffering from the lack of opponents and time(coz I have to competed my fantasy and 40k commitments first), I am still very keen on it and is still spending most of my hobby energies on it. I may not be playing real games with it for now but I have been enjoying myself in reading battle reports and other gaming materials on it.

Monday, December 06, 2010

Rognar Fireforge

Finally I have done up my Dwarven general, Prince Rognar Fireforge. Fluffwise, he had an disagreement with his father on the strategy of the Dwarves in their war against the vile greenskins and the ratmen. Frustrated with the elderly Dwarf's strategy of passive defence, Rognar decide to venture out of his hold to meet other likeminded dwarves in an attempt to reclaim lost territories for the Dwarves.

So here are some pictures of our brave prince.






The prince and some of his merry men that i have painted in this couple of weeks also.


Sunday, December 05, 2010

Stuff painted over the past few weeks (40k minis).

As I was telling Lawrence, I actually did quite a bit of stuff over the past few weeks but I have not update the blog. So here are the photos of the 40k stuff that I have painted


Inquisitor Lord Vondire





The leader of my forces. Lord Vondire do not believe in the Imperial Creed, having seeing with his own eyes that the Emperor is just a man (a gifted one no doubt) and not some godlike being (see http://vernwardiary.blogspot.com/2006/02/inquisitor-vondires-memories.html). He sees the Imperial Creed simply as an ideology to unify the Imperium of Man. Vondire is more concerned with the standing of his household and its power within the Imperium Administration and his position in Ordos Hereticus is simply a means to an end of achieving a stranglehold on power. That said, Vondire is very much concerned with the fate of the Imperium itself, as a stronger Imperium will ultimately lead to greater power for his family. Therefore Vondire is often seemed supporting wars of faith by the Ecclesiachy so as to claim worlds for the Imperium (often at the expense of Xenos or traitors).

Bertha Bestrafung





My female priest (priestess). She did quite a good job in killing marines and orks in her first two battles.

Acro-flaggelants




I got these models for a long time. Finally got them painted