It was time for a Warhammer Fantasy Battle last Tuesday night. I have been playing in a number of games since the beginning of the year. Mostly as a second player in group games. I have been slacking since being away on my various road trips and wanted to get back in the groove. Fortunately, my buddy the Wachmeister was available with his Deamons of Chaos Nurgle horde. I pulled out a list I had done some time ago. We met up at our FLGS and were joined by another buddy and had a game. Unlike most other games, this time, I actually took some pictures!
The game was the standard 2k points. Neither of us was fielding the most competitive list (we are not that kind of group). This is partially because we are not tourney players and probably more because we can only field armies based on the minis we have painted!
My dwarves once included two units of ten Thunderers (with full command), a unit of twelve rangers (with full command), two units of fifteen longboards (full command), an organ gun, an Anvil of Doom, a than standard bearer (banner of Grungi), Beardy Harry the machine gun thane and a Runesmith (three spell breaking ruins.
The Nurgle force had two units of eighteen Plaguebearers (full command), a unit of three Nurglings, a unit of three Beasts of Nurgle, a Soul Grinder of Nurgle, a BSB on Palanquin and Papa Nurgle.
I thought this game would not go well, as I did not have enough heavy shooting to take down the heavy hitters, especially with all the saves. I figured I would castle up in the corner and hope my firepower would cause enough damage, so that my units might be able to finish off the attackers as they went down. Most of my units had great weapons, so I figured that I would be able to slip a few close combat wounds through and hold out until turn six. I believe the Wachmeister’s plan was just to come forward and overwhelm my troops with their girth!
We just through the terrain out and rolled for set up. I won and Nurgle started the set up in the center. I matched to try to keep him from deploying to the flank. We finished and I deployed my rangers to anchor the left flank by the hill.
Nurgle won the initiative and moved forward to start the turn, casting a few spells. The main force headed toward my Anvil with the Nurglings drifting to the flank to face my Rangers. The Dwarves held and just unleashed their devastating volleys! I think I caused two wounds…. Between the toughness and the stacked saving throws, not much got through.
Turn two was much like turn one. The exception being that I was able to get a few wounds through, particularly on the flies and the sole grinder.
Turn three was a repeat of the first two turns on moving and shooting. The dwarves did some minor shifting of the lines, as it was clear that Nurgle was all in on the center. At this point in the game, Beardy Harry had caused a total of zero wounds… Not an auspicious first encounter! The Nurgle Flies also charged into combat with the end unit of Thunderers. The Thunders managed to squeak out the fight (at the cost of the champion). This was followed up by shooting, that reduced the Flies to one model.
It was now turn four and Nurgle was in position to launch their assaults across the lines. The Grinder charged against the flanking Thunderers, the Beasts hit the center Thunderers. Both Thunder units came out slightly worse for wear and were pushed back, shooting at their attackers in the Dwarf turn. More fire concentrated on the Flies, Grinder and Beasts. Most was only caused a wound here or there. It was up to Beardy Harry to finish off the Should Grinder and he finally came through and caused the last wound!
Turn five was a repeat with all the Nurgle line surging forward to engage again. Papa Nurgle joined the Beasts in their combat.This time, the Nurglings joined the fight against the Rangers and the last Fly against the organ gun. A unit of Plaugebearers also were able to hit the Anvil, as it was more exposed from the dwarves flanking infantry having been pushed back in the previous turn. The rangers took a couple hits, but were able to push pack the Nurglings. The Fly (which was down to one wound) won and pushed back the organ gun. The center Thunders were eliminated and the Nurglings pushed forward into the freshly arriving Longbeards. The flanking Thunders were finally eliminated to the man (at this point, the Grinder was down to a single wound. The Anvil was pushed back, only to be run into by Papa Nurgle in pursuit and being taken out in the Dwarf turn!
At this point, the Dwarves shooting was pretty much over and with the Anvil being stuck in combat took away the magic missile. The Ranger fire was pretty unremarkable, most of the wounds could not get through the saves (a problem the Dwarves had all game). Beardy Harry came through again and finished off the last Plague Fly, before it could charge the rear of my Rangers.
We had made it to turn six and things were looking bleak for the dwarves. I had hoped to save my main infantry units and characters and take out the remaining Nurgle units that were down to low wounds. Nurgle shed their remaining units forward. The BSB and last Nurgling stand charged the Rangers. The Beasts continued their attacks on the Long Beards, with Papa Nurgle continued his fight against the other unit of Longbeards with my BSB. I had lost my champion in the previous round, so decided to challenge with my BSB, hoping to minimize the overkill and keeping the unit alive. It still ended up being full wounds, even with the 2+ armor and 5+ Grungi save…. The Dwarves did hold and were pushed back two inches, with Papa staying in contact. The Rangers took some hits, but were able to win their fight. The other thunders were unlucky and were reduced to only three wounds. They fell back in good order, with the Beast staying in contact.
The final Dwarf turn was about trying to survive. Beady Harry and the Rangers tried to finish off the Nurglings and BSB. Neither happened, as the Nurgle saves came through again. The continuing fight with the beasts ended with the Longbeards being eliminated to the man. It was then down to holding off from Papa Nurgle! Well, he was not too devastating, so the Dwarves had to make a -2 Break Test. I rolled a ten and the Dwarves ran off the table…. The beards were not long enough…. We did not bother counting up points, as it was clear Nurgle was triumphant!
- Manteuffel