Kings of War 3rd Edition: #150 Varangur vs Ogres in Hold the Line

Intro and Lists

Kings of War Wisconsin was running a one day event, the Northwoods Melee, a quick 1-day event at 1500 points. Facing me was Tyler, whom we last saw in Battle 111, or Game 2 of the Northwoods GT where he was running Northern Alliance. This time he was running his dad's old "Snowgers" this time, fielding the following list:

Orges are very sturdy, and it looked like a very fun, elite list, leaning into all the fun things Ogres can do well. We have three regiments of effective Warriors, two hordes of Siege Breakers, 2 Sergeants with Heavy Crossbows, and two very fun unique characters with Grok and his Blast attacks, and Nomagarok with his boosted spells, all of which play well with the rest of the list.

The Snowgres.

The thinking behind my list was discussed here. Essentially, I wanted to play around with the terrain, and leverage some Striding and Pathfinding charges while trying to lean into the durability of two Cavern Dwellers with the following list:

The Ogre can take quite the beating. I should outrange everything against me for charges, but they have a good shooting component while I have none. We'll see how the game goes!

Table and Terrain

The tournament upgraded one piece of difficult terrain to a third forest, as a nod to Wisconsin history, and we were using our typical terrain rules, running the ruined buildings as Height 9 blocking terrain, the forests as Height 6 Difficult Terrain, fences as Height 2 Obstacles, and Hills as Height 3, and the field as some Height 0 difficult terrain.

The tournament used a roll-off into veto and pick system, with three scenarios offered each round. The first roll of the game is for scenario, where the loser nixes an option, and then the winner player picks between the remaining two. I forget the particulars, but we ended up with Hold the Line. A line is drawn down the center of the table, with 6" on either side. This zone is then split into three sections, with a left, right and center. Unit Strength in each zone determines who controls it, with the center worth 2 points at the end of the game, and the left and right each worth 1 point.

The Ogres won the roll for sides, and were lazy. They has a rather loose, staggered formation, with the three regiments of Warriors on the line. Sergeants guarded the flanks, and Nom and the Siege Breakers took the center, with Grok on the left.

Deployment, for both of us.

I didn't get in any real practice games with this, so going into the tournament, my deployment aim was trying to just play 2/3rds of the given board, and play for narrow victories. While I have a lot of Strider, I chose to ignore the right section this game, as the building would split my line.

The Tundra Wolves were my last drop, and they ended up way out on the left, angled, and ready to take the hill. We then have Draugr on the left, the Cavern Dweller, Thegn, Fallen and reserve Snow Foxes both in the woods a bit. The Cavern Dweller was also in the woods, with Kruufnir, the other Draugr and the Thegn completing the line, and ready to zip up past the building.

I won the roll off, and happily took first turn to kick off the tournament.

Top of Round 1: Varagur

The Varangur moved up, aggressively. 

The Cavern Dweller moves ahead at the double to take the hill, and is joined by the Tundra Wolves. The nearby Then pivots and moves, threatening things all the way to the Ogre line.

Lots of pressure against lots of smaller units.

The Fallen move up a ways, with the Snow Foxes in tow. They have Stealthy, but against shooting, I wanted to protect them a bit.

I regret sticking the Cavern Dweller in the woods now, as it can only move ahead 6". Just outside the woods, Kruufnir and the Draugr move up, with the Thegn projecting threat from my right wing as well.

With no shooting or magic, it is a quick turn.

Bottom of Round 1: Ogres

The Ogres are apparently eager to throw down, and cavalierly march up the field, keeping the lose formation. 

Defiantly, the Ogres move up.

I donk up my positioning a bit, and it turns out the Fallen are not majority in the woods like I had assumed, so they take 5 from a Sergeant and Nom. The Sergeant on the right takes a pot-shot at the Thegn on the right, but he holds.

Top of Round 2: Varagur

The Ogres move up to get charges, and so can be charged by me. My opponent was very cavalier with his moves, so I make sure to measure and demonstrate everything, to show that this is on the up-and-up.

For the scenario, the Draugr on the left peel off to start making their way to the left zone. We're trying to hide behind things and just take it slow with them.

The Tundra Wolves have a flank into the Sergeant on the left, and the officer is hit in the front by the Fallen. A combined 13 damage lands, and the hero is picked up with the Wolves side-stepping into the Ogre's deployment zone, and the Fallen overruning to get out of line of sight of Grok.

The Varangur slam into the flank of the Ogres.

The Dweller on the left is just shy of a charge, so it moves its speed into the field, trying to get in place for the future.

Snow Foxes zip ahead to block as the Dweller from the Woods hits the front of a Warrior Regiment, with the Thegn joining in the flank. The Dweller has 1 extra attack, but a combined 12 damage lands here, with the Thegn doing the heavy-lifting to pick this unit up as well.

Very tight spacing for reforms. 

The Thegn sidesteps, trying to create space for the lagging Dweller to see stuff next turn.

On the right, Kruufnir, the Draugr and Thegn all back up, getting just over 12" away from the Ogre Regiments, trying to stretch out the Ogre line more.

Top of Round 2: Ogres

Things are a little gummed up. Grok has a few options, but eventually charges the Thegn nearby. The rolls seem mediocre, and he blasts it into 8 hits, which translate into 8 damage, and the Thegn wavers. 

Siege Breakers and Warriors charge the Snow Foxes, and will pulverize and reform.

The Ogres retaliate, with a lot going into those poor Snow Foxes.

Nom take a hill, but only has one Warrior regiment in range to boost his spells. He goes for Lighting Bolt into the Thegn on the right, landing 2 damage, and get a lucky waver against him. The Sergeant on the right tries to join in, but is shooting with a cover penalty over the intervening Siege Breakers, and nothing hits. 

Reforms for the Ogres.

On the right, the Siege Breakers advance, and the Warriors try to get in position to score the right zone while threatening supporting charges to help the Siege Breakers if-needed.

Top of Round 3: Varagur

On the left, the Draugr make a break for it, since I am able to tie up most of the Ogre shooting this turn, and they'll be scoring for the scenario now.

The Draugr, just playing the scenario and living their peaceful life.

The fierce fight for the center continues. The wavering Thegn backs up to allow a nice, striding flank charge from the Dweller that munched the Warrior regiment last turn. With roll up a good number of attacks, in the flank, and thump 16 damage onto the legendary warlord, and luckily pick him up.

The Dweller from the left makes a charge through the field into the Siege Breakers, with Kruufnir making a flank charge into the unit as well. We'll actually take them up to an astonishing 10 damage, given all the armor, but they'll hold firm. I think they are Insanely Courageous, though holding here is not out of the questions at all, even on 10 damage.

The Tundra Wolves had a flank charge into the Siege Breakers as well, but I chose to be greedy and throw them into Nom instead, hoping to break through the Ogre caster and take the hill with rear-charges next turn. They underperform for just 9 damage (12 expected), and Nom is then found to be Insanely Courageous.

The mad-ogre Nom holds his ground.

The Fallen struggle to get anywhere, and are forced to try and reposition, and keep close, threatening some charges next turn to help finish off some units.

The Varangur Push is not as decisive as I might have hoped.

On the right, the wavering Thegn backs up, but I don't recall if this actually gets him out of range of the Siege Breakers. I think he is just in.

Tempting the Breakers though are the Draugr, who make a delaying charge into the Warriors ahead of them, and the Zombies are able to somehow claw 3 damage onto the far-superior unit.

Top of Round 3: Ogres

I actually thought the Draugr were safe when I made the charge. But the Siege Breakers can spy the back corner, and will take the charge, with the Sergeant joining as well in the flank, and the Warriors in the front. The unit of cold zombies is dutifully devastated and routed, as is proper. The Warriors on the right adjust slightly.

The Draugr take a beating.

It's a minor error, but there is a little space between the Warriors and the Draugr due to overhanging minis, and I could have been more careful here. Still, a triple charge into Draugr is playing to my advantages this game, so I can't really complain. In victory, the Warriors hold, the Sergeant overruns for a lot, and the Siege Breakers change facing.

The other Siege Breakers countercharge the Cavern Dweller, and greatly underperform, landing just 3 damage. 

Reforms for the Ogres.

On the hill, Nom fights against the Tundra Wolves, and lands a solid 4 damage, but the hounds hold.

Top of Round 4: Varagur

Most of the Varangur units are injured, but we on the offensive, and keeping the pressure on the remaining Ogres.

More multi-charges from the Varangur.

Things are jammed up in the center. The Fallen don't have great options, as the spacing is tight and they cannot join the Wolves against Nom, nor can they get into the hill this turn. So, they end up flanking the beleaguered Siege Breakers, with both Cavern Dwellers in the front, and Kruufnir in the other flank, and the Siege Breaker horde is devastated and routed, as is proper.

And the Varangur mostly break through!

The overrunning Sergeant is hit in the front and flank by Thegns, dealt 11 damage, and bested.

The disordered Wolves charge Nom again, will land a spicy 7 new damage, and the warlock is devastated and routed too.

Top of Round 4: Ogres

Everything should be in the center band for the Ogres, but they are running out of units.

One one Warrior Regiment can fight this turn.

The Warriors on the right hold. The Siege Breakers have no charges, and so spin around.

...but it does get an improbable rout!

The Warriors charge the Thegn, land a few more damage, and then spike the Nerve check a bit to rout him and then reform.

Top of Round 5: Varagur

Scenario-wise, the Draugr are still on the left, still scoring, and still not bothering anyone.

Wolves charge off the hill into the Warriors on the right. They deal a very respectable 9 damage, but the Warriors are found to be Insane now.

More charges from the Varangur.

One Cavern Dweller doesn't have a charge, so hops onto the hill to threaten the remaining Siege Breakers. The other Cavern Dweller can spy them though, and will take the charge, and struggle with just 1 extra attack, and landing just 3 damage against the big shields .

And the Ogres mostly hold the line.

Kruufnir and the maimed Thegn fight the Warriors in the center, with the Fallen hitting the flank, and this unit is devastated and routed, as is proper. For reforms, the Thegn sidesteps, getting into the flank of the remaining Siege Breakers, and Kruufnir sidesteps as well, creating space for the Fallen to reform.

Top of Round 5: Ogres

The Ogre Warriors land 3, taking the Wolves up to 7, and the Nerve check is spiked to take the uninspired unit up.

Mixed results for the Ogres, and unfortunately the Cavern Dweller holds.

The Siege Breakers hit back hard, landing 9 damage onto the Cavern Dweller, but the monster holds firm.

Top of Round 6: Varagur

The Varangur move to try and bully the remaining Ogres out of the game. They are not on the hill, but the Fallen charge the Warriors on the right, and land 4 damage, and will break the unit and now be scoring the right zone for the Varangur.

Some big charges to end the game.

Both Cavern Dwellers and Kruufnir charge the Siege Breakers in the front, with the maimed Thegn hitting the flank. Kruufnir does 2, but the other units each do 5 damage, taking the Breakers up to 17 damage total, and the horde falls. At least a few of my things here are scoring to give the Varangur control of the center as well.

The Draugr watch the concluding carnage from the sidelines.

The Draugr continue to hold the left for me.

Top of Round 6: Ogres

The Ogres are tabled, with nothing to do here.

It is a 4:0 sweep for the scenario, and a full 1500 points killed, for the best possible opening game I can achieve. It is a very strong win for the Varangur!

Game Conclusions

Tyler tags along to a lot of tournaments with his dad. He's been to way more than I have, and apparently put up some decent showings as well, all things considered. He's around 14, so I have a few years on him. In each of our games, I've tried to be a good elder gamer, prodding him to clarify his intent with stuff, and pointing out my speed and facings on his turn to try and prevent silly flanks and any "gotcha's", but when the replies and rebuttals are explicative-filled dismissals, there is not much to do besides take a breath and then take those flank charges on my own turn. The Snowgers here were a little cavalier, and three insane courage results the only thing that really kept them in this game.

The Varangur list worked well, with a fair amount of Striding and Pathfinding charges, and it was a very bloody victory to start the tournament!