Warmaster Event (Winter 2001)

The day started wet and miserable with the gamers arriving at various stages of late. Dave Simpson arriving last, despite being one of the closest players. Click on the pictures to see a larger version.

I had elected to use the Vampire counts list, amid much laughter and mirth, from the experimental list in Warmag. Fully converted and painted, flocked the night before Battle was to commence. With a breakpoint of 10 coming from 6 Zombies, 2 Ghouls, 3 Grave Knights, 3 Grave Guard, 1 Bats, 2 Wolves, 1 Black Coach, and 1 Ethereal Host led by The Count (von Carstein), a single Vampire and a single Wizard. A little low on Characters for my liking, but I wasn't going to attack anyway.

My initial battle was against Nick with his Chaos (BP4) Army. My Battle Line Swung forward to close for the Chaos Knights, which attempted a charge, failed within 20 on the second order and then the rest of the Chaos Brigades, stalled also. In response I placed the bats behind a unit of Marauder Horse and pushed it back with magic, first blood to me (1BP)! Now the units of Chaos Knights charged and smashed through the front line of Zombies (-2BP) and into the waiting Grave Knights, Doomed to Fall again I thought…But then disaster as the Chaos Knights with 15 attacks caused only a single wound which was saved, then the grave Knights advanced and smashed the 2 units of Knights (BP3). Followed in the final turn by a charge into a unit of Marauders to end the game. A major victory for the Vampires, which I was about to regret…..

My Second battle brought me face to face with the defending Champion, Christian Burnett fielding an Undead Horde (BP11). The Count this time went charging up the Battlefield with the Grave Knight and Grave Guard while the Zombies faltered in front of the Artillery and Bowmen. The undead manoeuvred into a peculiar formation of lines and bars to maximise fire effect and then darken the skies weakening the Knights and pushing off the Black Coach (-2BP). The Guard and Knights then charged forward smashing bones to dust hitting rears and flanks, but following up into the hardest sphinx they had ever seen (6BP). The Zombies advanced too closely to the Artillery and Bow suffering for their bravery (-6BP). The Undead now countered with Chariot and Sphinx to great effect taking the Grave Guard out and reforming the flank (-BP8). With the end in site the Knights and Black Coach advanced and contacted more Bow in the rear taking more units (BP8), but again following up into the sphinx which ended the game by destroying the last Knight unit. The Vampires had lost, and badly as despite killing 8 units of Bow they had lost the more expensive units … massacred.

The third Battle was now against the Empire Army of Dave Simpson, a very competent General and the second slowest player at the event. The battle was to centre on a gap between a village and a forest. The Count this time advanced with the Zombies as the Knights and Guard refused to move off of the base line. A minor clash in the centre saw the first casualties fall as the Zombies were taken apart by crossbows and halberds, then the Empire Knights charged and played hunt the General in the rear of the Zombies, fleeing these the Count sort safety in the only unit not in combat, then the Empire cannons fired at that very same unit, destroying both it and the Count.. end of the game and one of the weirdest ways of winning… massacred again.

At this point of the proceedings The Nottingham Guys ran for the hills, narrowly avoiding the wooden spoon (Mr P).

The Final Game saw the Bretonnians BP4) turn to massacre the Vampire Counts Army. This time the army advanced in fits and starts, while the Bretonnians waited on its baseline. The Knights advanced and killed some mounted squires while the Guard advanced and pushed back the initial Bretonian charge while the wolves attempted to sweep round and cut of any push backs, nearly taking the Gail Knights. Then the Knights after ignoring every order initiative charged the Guard and Knights to Break the Vampires in a single turn….. Massacred again.

The Count is now back in his box, the initial battle was a victory due mainly to bad dice on Nicks part, second game a massacre I feel due to the army composition of the undead (8 units @30pts) legal but……well, beardy (not as beardy as it could have been.. that's a quote Mr Burnett). The third game was interesting as I only motivated the Zombies, which then failed to protect the Count and Lastly the Bretonnians won because Knights are hard and Zombies are soft.

All attending enjoyed the event; the overall winner was again Mr Burnett, and the next is planned for around six months time.

Regards,
Shaun