Armies of Arcana Battle Report (back to Battle Report Main)

Justin Floyd and I had both recently returned to Albuquerque. We got back in touch at Active Imagination, the area’s premiere game store. After a series of 6000 v.p. refresher games we agreed to an 8000 v.p. finale.

For my part I had learned a great deal of respect for Ork’s ability to soak up wounds and dish out damage. There will always be a lot of them. Justin is a sharp gamer and a real challenge to play against. He quickly learned to single out my characters from their vehicles (at –1 to hit) and slaughtered them at will. His hero on a beast had as many wounds as my Child of God (CotG) with 4. The Chieftain had 6. Even the Shaman out-classed my toughest Character by a wound. It is fundamental to AoA to beat the opponent’s characters thus forcing early unfavorable moral checks. I had a real problem.

My solution had to be many fold. First dump the lowly champions and stick to CotGs. Elite Phalangites are better off without a leader anyway. Second dump the howdah and ride the olophaunt. This gave an Oracle 8 wounds randomized and a CotG had 9. On the down side a mount of 4 or more wounds allows a character to be targeted as a unit. (AoA p.27). Mounted on a Pegasus they still had good wounds and could react quickly over a wide range. Third use a lot of Oracles, enough to dominate the magic phase. Their mounts would help ensure their survival. To pay for this I used all my elite VPs and came up with 5 CotGs and 5 Oracles mounted on 3 Olophaunts, three Pegasi and two horses. Two of the Oracles would stand in the Phalanx. 4 CotGs carried dispels.

My army would closely resemble the Successor State it was meant to be. It was composed of the following parts.

The Phalanx: These 3 slow solid units would be the hilts by which I held the sword of my army.

1. Numiari 24 Phalangites with imbedded Earth Oracle. 24(20vp) = 480 + 322
2. Omegai 32 Elite Phalangites 32(28vp) = 896
3. Lamdii 17 Elite Phalangites with imbedded Life Oracle. 17(28vp) = 476 = 322

The Line of the Demoi

D) 56 Hoplites. Lined up 28 wide this unit covered 16 ½" of front.

56(11vp) a steel at 616 My blade

The Cavalry Wing: This mobile division would be the tip of the spear.

E) Nomadai 24 Light Cavalry w/short bows led by a CotG suitably armed and mounted.

The Skirmish Screen: A shield behind which my plan would develop.

1. The Thrown Stone Oracle. A water Oracle riding an Olophaunt with a 14 Elite Slinger escorts.

14(15vp)=210 332+113+9(sling lv.3) = 454

2. Peltastoi 20 Skirmishers led by a CotG riding an Olophaunt w/Javelin lv.4 and Dispel.

22(23vp) = 460 172+113+14+50= 349

3. A Band of Hill Shepherds. 6 Skirmishes w/Infiltrate

1. The Nomadai would screen the cavalry wing and are listed there.

The Command Reserve: These Characters would deploy as separate units. A helm and breastplate.

1. Earth Oracle mounted on an Olophaunt

332+113= 445

2. Life Oracle on a Pegasus

332+63+50=285 each

3. 2 CotGs on Pegasi w/Dispel

Justin’s army appeared to be a larger version of what I had seen before. Why fix what ain’t broke. The third unit of Beast riders surprised me. I didn’t think he owned that many. Cautiously I asked "How many Shaman?" Gleefully I heard him reply "Three." Only one unit of longbows was also a relief.

At this juncture I must say all style points go to the Orks. The figures were well painted and represented what they were played as. For my part I had to use Kentauri to fill out my cavalry ranks and anything for slingers. Also many of my figures are mounted for other 15 mm game systems. This can be confusing. Hopefully movement trays would help define the unit actual game frontage and depth. One of the reasons I like AoA is this cross over possibility with more historic games like Armadi and D.B.A.

Justin Floyd’s 8000VP 15 mm Desert Ork Army for AoA

The Boyz - 3 units of 27 Warriors led by a Hero w/Dispel

324+85+50= 459

The Beast riders – 2 units of 16 Beast Riders w/sword led by 2 mounted Heroes

496+85(x2)=20(x2) each

370 213+20+50 314+20

As a form of skirmish screen Justin uses

2 units of Berzerkers 380vp each

1 unit of 38 Warriors w/2 weapons 494vps

and a unit of 9 Trolls (From the Deep Desert) 558vp

1. 20 Long Bows led by an Air Shaman 640+314vp
2. Titan 438vp
3. 2 Air Elementals 152 each
4. An Air Shaman riding an Adult Wyvern 314+193vp
5. 2 Giant Spiders (Infiltrating)

Bolog’s Waaag had more units for deployment purposes so he placed the excess first. The Longbows and Shaman took their predictable station on the wooded hill in the Center Rear. His line of Warriors began to form Left of Center Front. Back and forth he developed his left as I formed the Phalanx in the woods (for +1archery defense) at the center of the Graccan deployment zone.

Then the first Beast Riders were committed Right of Center. This precipitated a joint cavalry build up on the South end of both Armies.

My Skirmish Screen alternated placement with his Berzerkers, Trolls and Ambidextrous Boyz. Both support elements were placed next. Finally the Demoi of Hendrihapiopolous took their place in the gap between Phalanx and Cavalry, fully committing me to a death struggle on the South End. "Most places last," so Bolog led his Lancers to a reserve position on his right.

My plan was to take on the Beasty Boyz with my exposed left flank protected by the Edge of the World. I had been repeatedly flanked by these guys in the warm ups. I was greatly relieved not to have Beast Riders on both Wings. The down side is that maneuver would be constricted and there is little room to rally when you break in a corner. This crowding would affect both armies and proved to be a key to the battle.

For Victory Conditions Justin chose

1. The Beast Lancers
2. The Titan
3. 3. The Wooded Hill in his rear

I honestly don’t remember what I picked. My goal is always Destroy the Enemies’ Army and all else will come.

The two level wooded hill was a Joint Victory Condition.

In General Graccan missile troops are inferior to most other armies. Short bows have little better than half the range of long bows. Slings are weak, (-1 strength) Skirmishers with a natural javelin attack can move and throw or throw and swarm. They can be very mobile but still have such limited range. Standing in a wood for cover and on a hill for visibility the Ork Long Bows with 27" range would never need to move. This was reinforced when Justin chose the woods as a Victory Condition terrain feature. In general I look at the Skirmish Screen as a collection of human speed bumps. One or two volleys and a turn pinning down the enemy while I develop the Phalanx and Demoi, is all I expect. The first volley of black feathered shafts dropped 5 or 6 Elite Phalangites; my sling stones fell harmlessly. This did not bode well but I had a plan.

My plan to counter his archers took shape. A Fog Cloud appeared which forced the Ork Bows to take worse odds shot away from my massed center (+1 to hit a unit of 30+ figures). As a bonus his Chaos Shaman was effectively neutralized as he repeatedly failed to dispel the blinding mist before him.

Water Magic is well suited to channeling approaches and fire arcs. The oracle even got off a Create Pond in front of the advancing Herd of Swine. No damage done but it began a break down of organization on the Ork’s South End.

The Earth Oracle felt power flow up through the sturdy legs of his pachyderm as it stepped into place with the Demoi. Confidently they began to move. 2 Pegasus riders joined them, one offering a benediction. Looking left and right, each man with his boy in front of him, the Demoi advanced a Stone Armoured wall. To the accompaniment of shrill pipes they sang the Paen and felt themselves truly Blessed. With a +1 magical attack and 3 fixed armour these 11vp Hoplites were getting formidable.

The Ork Earth Shaman on this end also cast Stone Armor on the Berzerkers. The Nomadii lost their Holy Armor to a Dispel. My remaining Earth Oracle attacked the Ork Line with a Geyser.

On the far left the Nomadii swept forward a ½ move and fired. Ineffectually crowded behind the hill they caused few casualties for their numbers but Beasty Boyz were falling. Strangely a Hero’s pig staggered, stopped and stubbornly refused to move, as if Bound to the Earth. A pack of pork rushed past as the Hero cursed his mount. I smiled, for 1 Power point the Oracle had beat his foe without ever fighting him.

Turn 4 would be crucial.

Even though the first loss of a Magic User (MU) was mine his damage was done. (Why was my most expensive Character leading my least expensive unit you may well ask.) I was still up 4 MU’s to 3. His Shaman were occupied with Counter magic, the 0 and 1 power dispels were proving ineffectual against my 2 and 3 power Earth and Life spells.

The Fate of the Demoi of Hendrihapiopolous was at hand. Development had favored them. I had a combined 90 models with Blessing and the Hoplites had stone armor. When the lines clashed in the restricted space behind the hill we would be ready. The three magically overwhelmed Shamen had only managed a single persistent spell between them, Stone Armour on the Southern Berzerkers. Another Geyser erupted in the green line. A mistake was revealed when I attempted Rally Cry. Justin felt compelled to point out that a MU can only cast forward out of a Rank and File (RaF) unit. Rats!

Snorting and howling the Beast Riders rammed into the Aristoi. A petrify failed against a Hero, I rolled too low but the CotG made short work of the brute. That Boar unit Broke and moved to the rear. It had plenty of room to rally but for now it was out of the way. The Aristoi and the second Boar unit remained locked in melee, neither forcing a moral check on the other. A single CotG had stood in front of 2 Heroes on Beasts. That was a first, things were looking up.

Mayhem on the Far Flank and Outnumbered, but not Outclassed

A second mistake was revealed when the Phalanx began its advance. These slow RaF units would take several turns to get clear of the woods.

A lot of crucial things happened this turn. First I declared my Infiltrators and placed them in a position to ensure Justin’s broken Boar Riders continued their route off the board. Second, and probably most critical, his reserve unit of Boar Lancers was out of position. They were too close to make an oblique charge into the Schwerepunkt. A unit cannot make a face change maneuver and charge. Unwilling to adopt a skirmish formation, thereby losing RaF bonuses, they made a rearward ½ move to set up a charge next turn. Third my Demoi made an oblique charge into the locked up Boar riders, and using the rule that allowed them to "pivot as far as necessary to fill their frontage" they swept into the Trolls and Berzerkers. The resulting conflict would be cataclysmic for one or both of us. In game terms it broke down like this: The +1 magic Blessing of the Demoi would hit ½ the time. Although they had no strength to affect Stone Armour their own Stone Armour would negate the +2 strength of their enemy. Two CotGs can make short work of 2 mounted Heroes. Even an Oracle riding an Olophaunt can do incredible damage unopposed. Then came "The Roll". Between the Trolls and Berzerks, they managed 17 hits against my Hoplites. I counted out 17 dice and threw. Unbelieving Justin could only groan. Thirteen armour saves! Even with a 50/50% chance this was phenomenal.

The Aristoi and Demoi had stood firm. Two of the three Ork units broke under massive moral penalties they took from casualties and a 52 figure RaF unit. Neither of my units had sustained enough casualties to require a test.

On the far right the last of my Peltasti died in place around the Child of their God.

The pursuit phase of turn 6 swept into Bolog’s Lancers. Again the moral penalty of nearly 80 models in RaF proved irresistible, it was something like +14. The handful of unbroken Berzerks fell in overrun. My Aristoi stayed in contact with his routing Beast Riders. A big 6 on the pursuit roll allowed the Demoi to overtake the running Trolls. Few survived.

Justin surveyed the wreckage. His right wing was completely broken and routing. It was closely pursued by an overwhelming foe. They would never recover. The center was unfought but my Phalanx was coming, supported by the Nomadii who had rallied at the board edge. The far North was intact. Although the Peltastoi had died to a man around their leader and Olophaunt, while Pegasus feathers drifted down, they had held long enough. Twenty Skirmishers and two well-mounted C-oGs had really held up 3000vps worth of Orks. My plan to mount c-oGs on monsters had worked exceptionally well on that flank. The two Earth Oracles had helped with their Geysers but I give most credit to the Peltasti and the Kids.

Justin’s army would survive 2 or 3 more turns before the Graccan actually achieved their victory conditions. Longer if I took the time to really beef up the Phalanx with spells and to soften up the remaining Ork center with its Titan and Wyvern Riding Shaman. The combined power of two Unchallenged Earth Oracles is truly awesome. My 2 Life Oracles could Resurrect and Heal most of the damage I had already suffered.

Justin held out his hand with a hearty "Good game". It was over.

The women came out of the city-bearing laurel wreathes for the victors. (Hah. The women had gotten together and prepared a grand feast. A grand poisoned feast. Soon all the men would be dead and they would rule the world! Hahahaha) Helots butchered Swine a plenty for a great feast that night. But first the weary Demoi had a job to do. With wealth and the vote they had always looked down on the poor Peltasti. They had scoffed at them. "Cowards only good to throw and run away" they had said. Now they used their bare hands to raise a cairn of stones over them where they lay around the Children of their Gods. They had shown themselves to be Men of Hendrihapiopolous.

Though many a good wife wept, their daughters were taken up by the week long Bacchanal and in no few numbers succumbed to the charms of 3 handsome youths who spoke softly and were oh so strong. Many where the happy sons born to the common class that spring.

It is so satisfying when a well-laid plan pays off. It was a very precise Orkistration (pardon the pun) which put the right magically enhanced unit in the right place at the right time. Fifty-six of my cheapest troop type with proper support had proved irresistible. My choice of Characters was fortuitous and using Olophaunts as mounts made maximum use of Elite Victory Points. A truly foxy part of the plan was an intentional under-use of Oracles vs Shaman in the practice games. I only ever had two. I had hoped Justin would only play 3 maybe 4 max while I slammed him with 5. It worked better than expected. By turn 3 Justin was bemoaning each magic phase as counters and dispels used up his 3 power points (PP), while my combined 25 PP by turn 5 raised an aura of invincibility over my dice and took the spark out of his. By this I mean the dice swung my way as the game progressed. Justin pointed out after the game that he had compounded this imbalance by placing his Chaos Shaman too deep in his rear to use any of the really nasty but short ranged Chaos spells. The whole fight was on my side of the table. This could have been disastrous for broken units as they would have little room to rally. The way I figured, if my line broke in front of the Beast Riders it was all over anyway. In the end it served to concentrate my spell use. All 5 of the Oracles were on ¼ of the table while each of the Shaman were isolated in its own ¼. By game’s end 15 PP of my spells had actually worked. This compared with only 2 of his, 13 PP spent in a futile attempt to stop the Oracle’s domination of the killing field. In conclusion four things had worked to ensure a Graccan Victory:

1. Oracles had dominated the magic phase
2. My Aristoi and Demoi had turned back the Beasty Boyz (see #1)
3. The Phalanx had held the center, if only by default
4. Somehow less than 1000VP of Skirmishers took care of business on the right.

I’d like to thank Mr. Floyd for a great series of games. He was as gracious in defeat as he was in the three previous victories. I’d also like to thank Jody and Glen for the table space, terrain and Atmosphere here at Active Imagination , the home of Armies of Arcana.

Henry has an incredible ability to push the rules beyond my vision of possibilities. The 26X2 man unit is a great example of this - it allowed him to use the free wheeling after contacting the side of the Boar unit to get about 8" of extra movement . It could have backfired, by allowing so many hits from enemies across that frontage that his unit was certain to break and run. But, the Stone Armor and good dice rolls prevented this outcome.

Based on this battle, a unit always has to fit within a 12" area - the furthest distance between models in the unit cannot be more than a foot. This is the rule for skirmished units - it never occurred to me that someone could find a way to make a rank and file unit big enough to consider it for RaF units. So it is a simple extension of that rule. Note that this can still allow some outrageous wheels when contacting the enemy.