Byron's Invasion of Ulthuan - Wrap up (420 points)

The Ansell

A Warhammer job-well-done should be celebrated with the traditional Ansell pose. 

Byron smiles with satisfaction next to his Goblin Army.

Adding up all of the points totals from each month's post the army (plus Eltharion and the Elf hero) totals 2,874 points. 

The extra minis 

In typical Byron tradition I have spent the last month of OWAC painting up additional models to fill out the army project. 

This final month I have been quite productive. In my previous post I said that I aimed to paint 30 goblins in the final month. I met and exceeded that target!

First is an ELF! This elf hero appears on the front of the box art challenging Grom.

He appears to be a proto-typical White Lion or Captain Korhil. He has a giant axe, uncovered arms, and an animal skin of some sort. 

My conversion cut up 2 5th edition White Lions and a early C series Elf Beastmaster (for the bare arms and head without a helmet).

These pics show the green stuff to fill the gaps. 

Here he is painted up.

Up next is the Wyvern.

The Wyvern doesn't appear on the box art, but the Battle for Maugthrond Pass scenario includes an Orc Shaman on Wyvern, Black Tooth. I am making a goblin army, so it will be a goblin shaman on Wyvern.

This Wyvern has a few conversions going on. The base is the Grenadier Wyvern. It has a storm dragon head and a giant scorpion stinger added. 

This is a WIP pic of the wyvern. My daughter suggested earth tones for the Wyvern. 

The Wyvern has a magnetic saddle so that I can swap out riders (if I get around to painting an Orc rider).

This is the Wyvern painted up. The banner is based on the banner from the Standee that came with the starter box. 

The Wyvern had a very quick turnaround. The monster arrived in the mail on the 28th and he was completed on the 31st. 

Then, even more goblins.

This is the final goblin banner from the starter box art. 

Finally a goblin shaman and scroll cady. 

1 Elf hero w/ Heavy Armor and two-handed weapon

1 Wyvern with level 3 Goblin Shaman

1 Goblin Shaman (and familiar)

17 spear goblins

7 goblin archers

4 goblin clubbers

Total 420 points.

The Artwork!

So, from the beginning, my goal was to recreate the artwork on the 4th edition starter box. 

Below is my attempt at recreating the box art with minis. The tricky thing with photographing minis is the focus. To fix this issue I tried to do a stacked focus image using my iphone camera and my photo editing skills using Microsoft word. When you change the focus it also wiggles the position of things, so it took a bit of work to fix it up. It definitely isn't perfect, but it gets the vibe right. If someone has been skills at stacking focus I'd be happy to share the original pics and let them have a go at it. 

The Shelf

At the beginning of OWAC I set the goal of filling an entire Ikea shelf with goblins. I think I've gotten quite close to the goal. There are a few gaps here and there, but I am going to call it a success. 

The Battle for Maugthrond Pass

Prep.

My goal was to play the most authentic version of the Maugthrond pass (while using more minis than just those included in the starter box.)

I had the Magic Item cards

I printed off photocopies of the spells and glued them to card stock.

I prepared 2000 point armies for both factions:

The High Elf army

The Goblin army

Next, the scenario allocates the High Elf forces between a village and 4 watch towers:

So, I had my son, without knowing the larger context, allocate his forces between the 4 towers and the village. 

I then set up the table to match the map.

I only had 2 woods terrain pieces. So I had to improvise with some lichen and moss, as well as some fields on the west side of the map. 

Not exactly an elven tower, but neither was the cardboard tower that came with the set.

The standing stone was improvise by covering a Warhammer Quest door in lichen and moss. 

Byron (Goblins) and Edward (High Elves) exchange glances before the battle.

Goblin Turn 1

Play in Maughthrond Pass follows a light script. Goblins go first. 

And, as the script says..... the mist recedes to reveal the goblin army. 

I deployed my army with Grom in the center. He was the general in an army that sorely lacked leadership. His 7Ld had a lot of work to do. I was also counting on his horn of urgok to rally wayward goblins. My next priority was avoiding a traffic jam. The goblin deployment is narrow so units invariably end up arrayed in layers. So, I put the wolf riders and trolls in the front, the chariots behind those, and the footslogging infantry behind. 

My first turn went off without a hitch! not a single failed animosity nor failed stupidity test! Things were looking up for Grom. A solid first turn movement phase. The wolf riders advanced on Grom's left to anticipate the forces in the village advancing. 

Shooting phase.

My catapult (the starter box didn't have rules for a doom diver) tried to crash rocks down on the heads of the east tower defenders.

BUT! The scatter dice had other ideas! I opted to GM this moment to allow this stray rock to count as notice of the Goblin's advance for the village, allowing them to move on turn 1. 

It's hard to ignore a rock clattering right in front of you.

I forgot about my magic phase.

Elf Turn 1

The council of Elril and Thronduin.

Elril and Thronduin swing into action! Both advance toward the rampant goblin hordes. And the wizard heads to the tower for a better vantage point.

Light the Beacon! In order to call for aid, the elves at the Eastern Tower must attempt to light the beacons.

Edward set two elves to light the beacon. But the results would have to wait until the end of the turn.

Shooting.

Edward got excited by the prospect that his bolt thrower might be able to kill an entire troll in one go. He scored a hit, wounded, rolled two wounds, but the troll regenerated one of the wounds. 

Magic.

The wizard's fireball was ineffectual.

The beacon is lit!

This means that the forces that Edward assigned to the other watch towers will arrive on turn 3.

Goblin Turn 2

First things first, Black Tooth arrives! 

Then, Animosity and stupidity.

Animosity wasn't terrible. Only 1 unit failed animosity. Squabbling broke out as the chariot crew fought over which way to go. 

Then the Trolls failed their stupidity. This was devastating but also entirely foreseeable as trolls are notoriously unreliable - even with Grom's .... unequaled leadership. I needed them to charge the elves on the hill and smash them to pieces. Nope. Instead the absent-minded trolls' less than rapid advance rippled back, halting all of the goblins behind them. 

But, no matter. Grom will adapt!

The chariot on the left declared a charge. Thronduin decided to flee from the chariot and escaped being run down. The Wolf Riders advanced preparing to overrun the village. 

Black Tooth sprang onto the standing stone. Edward and I agreed that the Shaman should have to sit next to the standing stone a turn longer than prescribed by the rules. 

Grom advanced around the Trolls. He positioned himself to run down the elves on the hill. 

This picture captures the traffic jam of goblins held up by the trolls. Over 70 goblins held up by 5 trolls.

This time I remembered my magic phase.

First, radiance of power from Black Tooth to protect Grom from those pesky archers and bolt thrower. Edward attempted to dispel it but failed. 

Radiance of Power on the trolls. 

Edward responded with a Fireball targeting my wolf riders. Dispelled.

Everything felt like it was going well for Grom. The elves on the left had fled. The Trolls and Grom were immune to Elf ranged attacks. What could possibly go wrong?

Elf Turn 2. 

Declaring charges. Elril steeled his will and resolved to do something Grom had not anticipated. Elril charged against Grom. [it should be noted that normally the wizard would have been in the way, but Byron decided, since he was a lone character it'd make sense that a formation or troops could simply move around him and thereby allowed the charge to happen.]

Thronduin rallied his men.

Elril charges home. This was the decisive moment that spelled Grom's doom. Elril and his men scored two wounds, slaying Grom's wolves. Grom attempted to strike back with his mighty axe. He hit twice and needed a 4+ to wound the upstart, Elril. Both rolls failed. Grom lost the combat and broke. 

Grom attempted to flee the combat (with two wolves dead, he now rolled 2d6 instead of 3d6.) and was caught by the daring elves. 5" to the Elves' 7".

Grom was pitilessly cut down and slain. 

Suddenly Everything fell into chaos and bedlam! Without Grom's stalwart 7 ld and the horn of Urgok, goblins everywhere began fleeing for their lives! Nearly every single goblin unit nearby failed its panic test. 

You can see all of the failed Ld tests.

The goblins scattered.

The left flank evaporated. Black Tooth. Gone. The wolf Riders. Gone. One of the chariots. Gone. Archers. Gone. 

Goblin Turn 3.

At the top of Turn 3, the Trolls failed their stupidity and lumbered forward. The catapult failed its animosity. An the chariot on the left that had initially stuck around while everything fled around it also took flight. All that was left to act this turn was a chariot and the block of goblin spearmen. 

The Chariot crew screamed bloody revenge and rolled their chariot to run down Elril. He may have caught Grom flat footed, but he was no match for a chariot at full speed!

The Chariot rolled a 1 for impact hits, causing 3 impact hits (d6+2 hits for the scythes). 3 Elves were killed. But Elril would not not go down so easily. Using his sword of switft slaying he hacked at the chariot causing 1 wound to each the crew, chariot, and wolves. In reply the chariot crew caused one wound on the brave Elril. But, because the elves started with +1 rank and the chariot did not have enough models to count the +1 flank bonus, the combat was a tie. 

The Goblin counter attack was beaten. 

Elf Turn 3

Elven reinforcements from the other towers poured onto the battlefield. 

The goblins were hopelessly outnumbered.

From the north tower, Shadow Warriors and Phoenix guard.

From the West, Archers and another bolt thrower.

From the South, archers and reaver knights.

Close combat. Elril and his men routed the limping chariot and cut it down in pursuit. The remaining goblins fled while the trolls gaped in confusion. The battle was over. A single unit of 10 spearmen and an elf hero had almost single handedly routed an entire 2000 point army of goblins.

Elril claims the field daring any goblins to challenge him.

Elril was declared the Warden of Tor Yvresse for his brave and bold defense at Maugthrond Pass.