KoW Concentric Game 1 Undead vs. Salamanders

The University of Victoria games club hosted their games day formerly called "Concentric" which this year included a Kings of War Tournament run by the UVIC Sunday Miniature Games Club. Brindley at the club but a big effort in to getting people out so we actually ended up with 14 players coming out, some for their first games of Kings of War. This made it the biggest Kings of War tournament ever held in British Columbia.

The tournament used the Clash of Kings rules changes and the final scenario was a modified  Kill and Push. You could also buy the re-roll of one dice per game by donating $5 to charity. I rally liked this since it helped take a bit of the  double 1's randomness out of the game, but there were definitely a few games where people used their re-roll early in the game and regretted it.

I had intended to take pictures for each turn but that did not quite happen.  Hopefully I will be able to remember when I forgot and describe the action that happened.

Game 1: I was paired against Gerald's Salamanders. He had a horde of Primes and 2 regiments of Ceremonial guard. A flying (teleporting) Fire Drake with Ancient and boots of levitation, and a horde of Rhinosaurs. He also has the scrying gem which, was popular at this tournament. The Scenario was Invade.

We ended up basically refusing each others flank, although I think Gerald got the better of it since my Soul Reavers were deployed across from a regiment of ceremonial guard (phalanx) and their ember sprite screen.

Deployment. The Dragons are on opposite sides of the table. 

Turn 1: No Picture

The Salamanders moved their main force forward . The Drake  moved to flame the Archers.
Undead: Werewolves and Dragon move towards the flanking force. Soul Reavers come into the centre and the main battle line turns towards the right flank.

Turn 2:

Salamanders:  Drake hops in behind my line and flames my Revenant King but doesn't get a nerve result. The ember sprites however breath attack the dragon get one wound and roll double 6's wavering him. Rhinosaurs charge the archers and rout them. Ghekkotah move to protect their flank from the Wraiths.

Undead: I pivot the wights and with surge from both the Necromancer and the Revenant king surge them into the flank of the Drake who routs. This was my first time using two characters to surge and I think Gerald's first time having it done to him. He was quite surprised and a bit discouraged after the early loss of his Drake. The wraiths charge the Ghekkotah and waver them. Werewolves charge the ember sprites routing them. Ghouls charge the rhinosaurs and do a wound or two.

End of Turn 2

Turn 2: Blurry picture of the wavered dragon. 

Turn 3:
Salamanders: Ceremonial guard charge the werewolves but only do a couple wounds. Rhinosaurs rout the ghouls. Skyward charges the Soul Reavers and does a wound.

Salamanders Turn 3

Undead Turn 3:

Some more fancy surging sees the Wights go into the flank  of the Ceremonial guard and rout them.  Wraiths rout the Ghekkotah. Dragon and Werewolves rout the other Ceremonial guard.

Turn 4:
Salamanders Horde of Primes routs the wights. Rhinosaurs rout the Wraiths. Tyrants run out of charge range of the dragon. The battle had pivoted a full 90 degrees by this point.

Salamanders Turn 4 

Undead Turn 4: The Revenant King stupidly charges the wizard who he of course does not rout but he's now about to get squished by the tyrants.

Undead Turn 4 

Turn 5 No picture : We started worrying about the scenario.

Salamanders: the Tyrants kill the King then pivot to face the Revenant Horde.

Undead: Horde and Dragon rout the Tyrants. Gerald's now int the position where it is going to be hard for his horde to actually get fully across the centre line.

Turn 5 Undead 

Turn 6
Salamanders:
The Horde of Primes charge and routs the Revenant Horde then realign to be across half (the metal models kept falling over on the hill).

Undead:
I move my units clear over half, while the dragon stays on my half and tries to flame the Rhinosaurs, but only does a couple wounds. No Turn 7 and the game ends. I ended up with a win despite it looking  very even. The Dragon and Soul Reavers being such expensive units I actually had quite a bit left points wise. I think it was a 16-4 for tournament points.

End of Turn 6

End of Game thoughts:
If Gerald had of been a bit more cautious with his Drake early on this game could have easily gone the other way. Or even if I had rolled surge badly. I felt lucky to come away with a win in this game .

Post Game Analysis with Vlad 

You call yourself a general? Your best unit the noble Vampire Cavalry spent the whole game wandering through the fields picking daisies while roasting one oversized chicken, that charged them! You deployed poorly and had to rely on the pathetic human necromancer to recover from your silly blunder. Any true vampire would be ashamed. Your grasp of the Dark Dark Evil Ways leaves much to be desired. Hopefully your performance will improve in future games, or you may find yourself impaled!