Open Combat Battle Night 2

Another Open Combat night at my local Wargames club. We now a regular couple of players of this system and its working out quite well for a couple of quick skirmish games with varied warbands on a club night.

I had arranged two separate games for my new Orc warband as I wanted to try out the monster rules by using a massive Troll. My warband consisted of an Orc Leader with Sword and Shield, an Orc Champion armed similar, 2 x Orc Spearmen, 2 x Orc Archers and the Troll.

First game was against Simons Saxon Warband who had come to cleanse Midgard of the rampaging Orcs. Defending a small hamlet with a river running across the potential battleground the Saxons took up position to halt the Orcs advance over the bridge, whilst also looking to cover ford near the cottage.

The Orcs quickly took possession of the small hovel and the archers gained a good position on the roof, raining dark fletched arrows into the mass of Saxon defenders. Luckily for the Human Warriors their shields and armour deflected many of the barbed missiles with only a few minor wounds.

The Troll surged onto the bridge, exerting himself to rain a cacophony of murderous blows on the nearest warriors. The Saxon leader using his full authority intimidated the Troll and befuddled its tiny mind giving his men the advantage and they attacked back hard.

However with the Orcish leader and champion threatening to flank them at the ford, the Saxons had to withdraw slightly and defend this new threat giving the Troll time to recover and smash its way through the paltry human fighters, charging into the rear of the Saxon Hearth-guard.

Still with the black arrows raining down on them and the press of Orcs forcing the Saxons on the back foot the humans succumbed to the fury of the evil creatures and broke leaving the village in the hands of the Orcs.

Game two and I was up against Mikes Dwarven Slayers. I tweaked the warband slightly (as this was not a campaign and just one off games it was good to try new skills and see what fitted the Orcs best)

The board and terrain was set up, this time giving a central fence to fight over and then we set up the warbands opposite and commenced carnage. This game was straight forward, no tactical detours or manoeuvres. The Slayers charged straight towards the Orcs raging and swinging their great axes. Unfortunately they ran straight into a hail of arrows from my archers who again had managed to take position on the roof of a building (shooting from height really helps!)

This took down one Slayer quickly and the rest then leaped and rounded the fence only to me met by the immoveable object that was the troll. The Dwarves did slightly start to gain the upper hand though but the arrival of some Orc spearmen on one side and the leader and champion on the other, turned the tide.

The Spearmen held a few flamed haired stunty slayers in place whilst the combined attacks of the Orc commanders as well as the exerted enraged troll made shirt work of the Dwarves.

The venerated dwarves broke and left the field in Orcish hands. A cracking nights gaming and two different but highly enjoyable games.