Game 1 was a very strong victory, and with such a strong opening game, we foolishly rocketed ourselves up towards the top tables. We ended up on Table 2, up against Patrick and his Elemental-themed Forces of Nature! He had the following:
Patrick is bullish on the Druids as well, and aimed to squeeze even more utility out of them by actually running them with Elementals and getting use out of their Rally. And very thematically, we have all the Elementals represented for extra cool-factor points.
I had my Herd, with a very different take on the army, which I covered here.
The Elementals have the better reach with Airs and Waters, but if I can catch them, I think we might be able to slug it out for a decent showing. Kings of War has such a deep roster that mirror matches are rare in the blog here. While we technically have the same army, we're playing very different builds, which is super cool, and I am very excited to see how this plays out!
Intro and Lists
The event was in Reedsburg, WI, and we were throwing down at the neat, multifunctional community center. The Forests were Height 10, the two-tiered outcroppings were Height 7 blocking terrain, Hills were Height 3, Obstacles were Height 2, but just for cover purposes, and the overgrown field was Difficult Terrain with Height 1. Being a Northwoods event, one of the flat pieces was upgraded to a 3rd forest.
At some previous Northwoods events, we had used a nifty veto and pick system for scenarios here, but that was tossed this time. If players were playing different scenarios, scoring needed to distill things down to just Win / Loss / Draw, and led to a lot of ties, even with a separate attrition score. This time, we were using the Mantic Companion, the most okayest tournament program, and all playing the same scenario, which was revealed as the match-ups were announced.
Game 3 would be Compass Points, a scenario I am not super fond of, but also one I haven't really played much because of my biases. It is an Objective Scenario, with a home token, away token, and two side tokens. Your home is worth 2 points to you; the away token 3; and side tokens 1 apiece.
With the points split, I've found that you can't really go wide and play for all the tokens - a side token just isn't worth enough to swing the game. You are forced into either punching right up the middle and fighting for the two central tokens, or more often, just committing hard to your home and a side, and try to press out while your opponent tries the same.
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| The table, and the tokens we'll be fighting over. |
My opponent wins the roll for sides, and wants to swap. Left to right we have two troops of Earth Elementals with a Druid and a Water Elemental Regiment behind, then an Earth Elemental Regiment, second Water Elemental regiment blocking for another Druid (I think the Gladewalker), second Earth Elemental regiment, Fire Elemental Regiment and second Druid, a Greater Air Elemental, Air Elemental Regiment, and second Greater Air Elemental ready to just to babysit the token on the right, which I was not about to try and contest.
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| Overview of deployment. I remembered my Scout moves! |
Given the scenario, and with a big piece of blocking terrain out here, I felt forced to commit hard to the left, but that felt ok, as my default is trying to grab 2/3rds of a board and push out.
For the Herd, we have Guardian Brutes on the far left, aiming to run up use orders for Strider, and pressure inward. There's a Tree Herder out here too, then Critters screening the Druid with the Benner, Longhorns behind the hill, Brutes partially behind the hill, Longhorns partially behind the woods, the Chieftain and Tree Herder behind the woods with Critters in reserve, more Brutes supported by the Unicorn Druid with the Shroud, then Critters and angled Tribesmen, to hopefully complicate any Air Elemental envelopment.
I remembered my Scout moves, and then my opponent won the roll for turn order, and happily went first to try and get some early ground with his Shamblers.
Top of Round 1: Elementals
On the left, the Earth Elemental screen presses out. One is angled but smartly, where nothing can get into the flank of either troop. The Water Elementals stay just outside of 12" of the Tree Herder, and with their longer charge range, are threatening him instead.
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| The Elementals Shamble up to threaten things. |
The right wing of the Elemental line pivots and moves up, creating a concave, and tries to use the blocking outcrop to help, and the regiments of Earth, Fire and Wind Elementals all keep a rather uniform line, with the Greater Air Elemental waiting in back. No spells are cast, nor orders given.
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| And a Greater Air Elemental gets stuck with babysitting duty. |
On the far right, a Greater Air Elemental zips out to control the right token.
Bottom of Round 1: Herd
The Elementals are tough, and the Water Elemental and Air Elementals both outrange me. I need to mitigate things coming at me, and start forcing trades, as the Brutes should be able to smash stuff, if I can draw things closer.
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| The Herd layer up around the outcropping. |
On the right, I put the Brutes near the outcropping, and give a flank to the Air Elemental unit, which cannot fit. The Critters valiantly hide, ready to run up and instigate next turn. More Critters and Tribal Warriors face to the right of the outcrop, looking to prevent a run-by, and the Tree Herder steps up as bait. The Air Elemental should be in front, and with the Herder in the woods, anything hitting him will need an Order, or be hindered.
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| The Herd start setting up on concave. |
Also in the Woods is the Chieftain, and some Longhorns. Both should be just out of the 14" charge range of the Water Elementals. Brutes inch up, and Longhorns take the hill, with Critters back and ready to run up and block, and the Druid holds, waiting to react and support.
The far left has Brutes moving up to threaten the Earth Elementals while being safe from them in-turn, and the Tree Herder gets up and onto an obstacle. He is threatening charges, daring things to charge him, and is wisely out of arc of the Water Elementals in reserve out here. It seems like good pressure.
Top of Round 2: Elementals
It is good pressure on the left, and the Elementals know they can't effectively fight the Tree Herder right now. The Water Elementals retreat, allowing both Earth Elementals to move back as well. I am still threatening them, but am only given front charges, and only to the Herder.
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| The Elementals on the left pull back... |
While the left is retreating, the Earth Elemental regiments in the center are holding strong, and the right is pushing in hard. The Brutes kept most things in front arc, and with only one regiment able to fit in, I thought I was relatively safe over here. However, the outcrop has a weird footprint, and to anyone looking closely at the previous pictures, I left just enough room for a Greater Air Elemental to hit my Brutes in the flank. Nuts. This is a massive goof from me, and could have been solved by putting the Druid hidden over here, or by pivoting the Brutes just a few more degrees, to get the GAE into front arc instead. Again, nuts.
The Water Elementals get a Striding Order, hitting the Brutes in the front for 8 damage, and the Greater Air Elemental in the flank contributes 6, which feels low. The Brutes are Rallied and Inspired, but it's not easy to get the 4 needed to break them twice. It's a big loss, and unfortunately, it is not the only one for me this turn.
I didn't even see this one, but the Longhorns are in the woods, and so are visable, and their front corner is just a whisker within 20 inches of the Air Elemental unit, so the Elementals take a flank into my Longhorns. The Longhorns take 11 damage, and ... hold? I am stupefied, but feeling very lucky, and feel like I have the tools to recover..
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| Reforms, for the Elementals. |
My opponent passes the turn, and as I am scheming, realizes why the damage is only about half of what should be inflicted: he only rolled half his attacks. Nothing has moved for me yet, so we roll this back for him. The Longhorns take an additional 12 damage, and dutifully break. I am not longer feeling lucky.
Bottom of Round 2: Herd
On the right, the Tribal Warriors and Critters are caught out of position. Against fliers, I should have been layering a little better and deeper, I think. My options are limited to try and recover from the breakthrough here.
The Tree Herder needs a pivot to get around the Water Elementals, so it's either them or the Earth Elementals. I don't want to isolate the Herder, so we charge the Water Elementals, landing 5, with Critters running up to protect his flank.
Other Critters charge the Greater Air Elemental to lock it down for a turn, and deal a surprise 5 damage to it.
The Chieftain, being an individual, can make a hindered charge into the Air Elemental unit, and lands 4 damage into the unit, and I am feeling a little hopeful again.
The Tribal Warriors spin around, and the plan is to rear charge the Air Elemental unit next turn, and hopefully start to recover.
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| The Herd lands some ok damage as it tries to recover. |
On the left, the Tree Herder steps up, and Critters flap up, offering up charges.
Brutes hop over the obstacle, ready for a clean charge next round, and in the back right, the Druid takes the hill, with the Longhorns and Brutes inching ahead, threatening charges into the Earth Elementals again.
I will be very critical of myself this game, but I think the Brutes should be pivoted a little bit, to see the Tree Herder in the woods and that combat.
Top of Round 3: Elementals
On the left, the Tree Herder is untouched, though an Earth Elemental Troop does move up to box him in a bit. The other Troop charges the Critters, will land 4 damage, but not pick them up.
These charges let the Water Elementals charge out, and they are able to hit the far corner of the Longhorns, and align with a clear charge, which I didn't see coming. My opponent isn't even using Surge and is hitting me from all sorts of unexpected vectors! The Longhorns take 7 damage, and are Inspired, but an 11 and then a commanding 12 on the Nerve checks will see them off the field. The Water Elementals try to overrun, but only get 1 inch, this gets them out of arc of one of the Brutes, but not the second.
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| Reforms for the Elementals. |
The Earth Elementals in the center move out, with one just moving up, and one flank charging the Critters, while Fire Elementals hit my chaff in the flank. The Critters are scattered, but the Herder is protected.
The Tree Herder takes 3 from the Water Elementals, who regenerate a hot 3 as well, getting down to just 2 damage. The Druid tries a Command Heal and a Spell Heal, and gets the Greater Air Elemental down to just 1 damage, as it tosses the delaying Critters aside.
The Air Elemental unit lands 9 damage into the Chieftain, which feels hot, but with 24 attacks and the Brew of Strength, this is actually about right! Sheesh. The Chieftain holds, but I am still very much on the back foot here.
Bottom of Round 3: Herd
The Unicorn Druid sacrifices herself to delay the Greater Air Elemental, and charges in, but lands no damage. She tries a Command Heal into the Tree Herder, who gets down to 1 damage, thanks to that and Radiance of Life. The Tree Herder slams a hot 6 into the Water Elementals, which feels nice, but they are Rallied and Inspired by the opposing Druid, and will not easily break.
The Chieftain holds against the Air Elementals, and the Tribal Warriors make a hindered rear charge to assist. We'll take them from 4 up to 22 damage... where they will be found to be quite insane. Nuts.
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| Charges for the Herd. |
I can't deal with the Earth Elemental Regiments, so they'll need to wait. My options elsewhere are funky. I feel like I need to fight, so the Critters attempt to withdraw, and will do so, landing behind the Druid.
The Tree Herder on the left has a flank into one troop of Earth Elementals, I want that, but the overrunning Water Elementals got out of arc of the Brutes nearby, and that is their only charge for them. It seems like overkill to commit both units to that fight, so the Herder charges in to hit the troop right in front of him, landing just 3 damage, and the Brutes charge the troop in front of them. I believe the Druid aids the Brutes with a Bane Chant, and they'll land 10 damage onto their troop. I have Brutal, but they are rallied, and I cannot manifest the 4 needed on the Nerve check to break them.
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| One victory? That's not great... |
Other Guardian Brutes make a clean flank charge into the Water Elementals, will underperform, landing 16 damage, but luckily we'll pick one unit up this turn...
Top of Round 4: Elementals
On the left, the troops of Earth Elementals strike back. The Tree Herder takes one and holds.
The Brutes are hit in the front by a troop and the flank by a regiment, and we'll take 14 damage and break. The Druid here I think does a Command Heal and a Spell Heal to take the Elementals from 10 down to 7 damage.
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| Many charges from the Elementals... |
The other Brutes gets a multi-charge from proper Fire Elementals and Earth Elementals, who get a Striding Order, though I think it takes two attempts. We'll take 12 damage, and break, despite being Inspired.
The insane Air Elementals will best the Chieftain, but they've done more than enough this game.
The Water Elementals fight the Tree Herder, and land 4 new damage while rolling great for Regeneration and ending the round on 4.
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| ...and the Elementals deliver results. |
The only bright spot for me is the Druid taking just 4 damage and holding, though with no other units to assist, this doesn't really help matter at all, just delays the inevitable.
Bottom of Round 4: Herd
I got nothing. On the left, the Druid is able to top off the Tree Herder for damage, and the tree lands another disappointing 3 damage to the troop, taking them up to just 6. They are Rallied and Inspired, and hold strong.
The withdrawing Critters have a hindered flank charge into the injured Earth Elementals, and take it, though no damage is expected on 6's and 6's. The Critters deliver a strong 3, and spike the check to rout the troop! Huzzah! They'll reform to protect the Tree Herder and Druid as best they can.
The oither Herder continues on against the Water Elementals, but hot regeneration rolls are letting the Elementals pull ahead. We take them up to 9, but Rallied and Inspired, I can't break them.
The Druid swings and misses again, and the Command Heals flubs, or I forget Radiance of Life out here for the Druid. The Tribal Warriors best the Air Elementals, but a round too late. I believe they hold, but should pivot to threaten the Greater Air Elemental, just in case.
Top of Round 5: Elementals
On the left, the Earth Elemental troop struggles against the Tree Herder, but a Heal will get them down to just 4 damage, and they have a regiment of Fire Elementals and regiment of Earth Elementals coming in to help as the game concludes. The Fire Elementals fight the Critters, and will burn them away.
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| The Tree Herder takes a rear-charge. |
The other Earth Elemental Regiment gets a Striding Order to rear charge the Herder, and come to the aid of the Water Elementals, who continue their hot streak of Regenerating, and between that an a random heal (spell?) will get down to just 2 darned damage here. The Herder is on 6, takes just 10 more in total, but will still break. It's just too much.
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| The Herd is greatly outnumbered. |
The Greater Air Elemental will pop the Druid on the second attempt, and without the Tribal Warriors threatening it, can just pivot around and do whatever.
Bottom of Round 5: Herd
The Tree Herder makes a last stand against the Earth Elemental Troop. We'll take them back up to 8 damage, but don't break the Inspired and Rallied unit.
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| The Herd numbers are dwindling... |
I concede, and give up all my attrition points. The Tree Herder is stuck and about to be cleanly flank-charged. The Tribal Warriors could run, but can't get too far with Surge and the Greater Air Elemental nearby. I think I could be cheeky and run around with the Druid, but this all seems futile, and giving up a few more points with the Druid seems fine.
Game Conclusions
Even with one hand behind his back with the second Greater Air Elemental just babysitting that objective on the right, my opponent was able to clean me out pretty effectively. I had two errors in positioning that after several minutes of considering, my opponent did eventually find and exploit. Both were a bit surprising, and both cost me dearly, losing two of my serious units for free, and then I was struggling to get anything at all done the rest of the game due to miserable dice and being outnumbered.
Still, this game was a huge highlight of the event me. While you can't fix everything at once, big losses can offer up nice insights, and it was a pleasure to chat and learn from Patrick! I knew my list might struggle against a speedier one, and boy did it! He was a great guy and a pleasure to talk with and learn from, and while thankfully all my games were good in their own ways, this won my Sportsmanship pick as he was just a gracious opponent the entire time, despite steamrolling me! Thank you very much, Patrick!
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