Well here it is, my second attempt at a "real" battle report from one of my WHFB matches. I can't promise they will all be this detailed, but I thought I would do what I felt was my "ideal" recap and see if I can keep up this level of detail. It probably won't continue like this though.
This past Tuesday (6/17/08) I played a 1000 point game against Mr. Stocks and his Dwarfs. I don't know that they have a "name", but I like to call them the Cheaty Stunty Shootaahs. My list for this match up was the following:
Tyrant: 200pts
- Heavy Armor: 6pts
- Tenderiser: 50pts
- Wyrdstone: 20pts
- Longstrider: 25pts
Total: 301
Butcher: 130pts
- Bloodcleaver: 25pts
- Skullmantle: 20pts
Total: 175
Gorger: 75pts
Bulls x 3: 105pts
- Light Armor: 9pts
- XHW + Ironfists: 15pts
Total: 129pts
Bulls x 3: 105pts
- Light Armor: 9pts
- XHW + Ironfists: 15pts
Total: 129pts
Bulls x 3: 105pts
- Light Armor: 9pts
- XHW + Ironfists: 15pts
Total: 129pts
Gnoblar Trappers x 10: 60pts
Total points: 998
I chose to go with a close combat Butcher with the intention of running him in a group of Bulls. I also made the decision to run "hard" Bulls with Light Armor and Ironfists to help protect against the onslaught of shooting in place of any Ironguts. That may have been a mistake in the end, but overall the Bulls held up fairly well.
For some reason beyond me, I played a Tyrant which is 100% illegal at this point total (no Lord slots). I didn't realize my mistake until the next day when Mr. Stocks mentioned it to me. Oops! I wasn't trying to cheat, honestly!
First up in this match, Terrain Placement.
I rolled a 3 while Mr. Stocks rolled a 1. I went with first placement, a small hilled forest in the center of the map. Mr. Stocks went second, placing a small stone fence on one side of the board. I declined to place any additional terrain and he then placed one tall hill on the opposite side of the board. This put me at a bit of a disadvantage as either side would provide bonuses to his army, but the alternative was to place more Line of Sight (LoS) blockers which would have given him a chance to place more hills for his Warmachines (in this case, Bolt Throwers with 48" range).
Next up was Unit Deployment.
I rolled a 5 while Mr. Stocks rolled a 1. I chose the side with the hill as I didn't want to deal with his Bolt Throwers having that much LoS on the board, but this gave the Dwarfs a wall to defend themselves behind while shooting at me for the majority of the game. It might not have been the best choice, but the decision was made and I began by placing my first Unit of Bulls (1) on the board. Mr. Stocks then placed his Longbeards, followed by my second Unit of Bulls (2). Next up for the Dwarfs the Quarrelers, followed by my third and final Unit of Bulls (3). The Warriors were next, and I dropped my Butcher and Tyrant models leaving only my Gnoblar Trappers left for the Scout placement phase. Mr. Stocks finished his deployment by placing his Thunderers, two Bolt Throwers (on either side of his infantry blocks), and finally his Thane in with the Warriors. I wanted to place my Trappers on the far right of the board, directly facing the Quarrlers, but out of LoS from them. This looked to block the Bolt Throwers LoS but my opponent did not agree with this. We rolled off and I lost, so the Trappers were placed in the forest to soak up attacks while my Bulls and Butcher moved into position.
Beer Guts - Turn 1
I rolled 1 (plus 1 from having less Units) for turn order while Mr. Stocks rolled 3. He decided he would like to go second, thus beginning the first turn for the Beer Gut Tribe! The first turn was mostly just a mad, yelling, drunken rush across the open field. The smell of Bugman's Ale and stunty blood drove the battle hungry Bulls into a frenzied death march against a line of Dwarf hand and long guns.
Bulls (1) wheeled and marched towards the table edge in an effort to hide behind the Gnoblar Trappers, while the Butcher followed, also attempting to hide behind the small green tide. The second Unit of Bulls (2) ran headlong at the enemy, screaming something incomprehensible about Dwarf cracklins and ancient floss, while the third Unit of Bulls (3) marched forward dutifully in an attempt to shield their boss.
Magic
The Butcher cast Bullgorger on Bulls (2) with 1 die and a result of 4, but then failed his Strength Check. He then attempted to cast Toothcracker on the same Unit with 1 die and a result of 6, but this was dispelled by 3 die with a 13. For his final spell attempt he cast Trollguts on the same Unit, but failed to please the Great Maw, rolling a 2 on 1 die. Not a good day for the fat, bloody buddy.
No Shooting or Close Combat, and the Beer Guts first turn was then over.
Cheaty Stunty Shootaahs (aka Dwarfs) - Turn 1
The cowardly Dwarfs apparently don't believe in "Movement" and decided they would stay where they were at.
Shooting
Forming the backbone of all cowardice, the shooting commenced in great clouds of black powder, and pointy wooden bits thrown from great distances. The Bolt Thrower on the far right turned and fired directly at the nearby Unit of Bulls (1), after turning just past the Gnoblars Trappers who were bravely attempting to throw themselves in harm's way. The shot hit and dealt 1 wound, but failed to kill the first model and so stopped before tearing through the Unit's flank.
Shortly after this a barrage of poorly crafted quarrels were launched in the direction of the same Bulls, hitting 3 times and dealing 2 more wounds. One Bull was dead, but the remaining two rallied with notions of more beer and blood for the brave who made it through the hail of death (either that or they were too stupid to notice they had lost one of their comrades). The cowardly Thunderers on the other side of the battlefield did what they do best, hiding behind a wall and shooting at those not fortunate enough to have guns of their own. They fired at the nearby Unit of Bulls (3) blocking the Tyrant, dealing 4 hits with 2 wounds, and negating the Bulls Armor Save with the help of their long guns.
No movement, and no Close Combat for this round.
Beer Gut Tribe - Turn 2
Movement
Fearing the harsh Ogre justice they so rightfully deserved for not saving one of the Bulls, the Trappers were able to overcome their petty differences and fight on (aka, no Animosity this turn). Still unable to get off any Charges, the Beer Gut Tribe followed the game plan; namely, getting into a position to smash the crap out of the oncoming force of grumpy little bastards. With the Gorger nowhere to be seen (rolled a 2 on the 4+), Bulls (1) marched forward and wheeled to face the Thunderers. Meanwhile the Trappers ran forward in an attempt to shield the remaining Bulls but stopped just short leaving a Bolt wide gap in the Beer Guts line. The Butcher moved forward to fill this hole, stopping just short of the position which would put him in the Bolt Thrower's line of fire. Meanwhile on the other side of the board, Bulls (2) bravely (and somewhat stupidly) marched forward and finished by staring down the other Bolt Thrower while guffawing loudly. The remaining Bulls (3) continued to march forward, shielding their larger, angrier kin with their significant bulk, and leaving an opening for the Tyrant to move through next turn.
Magic
After finding himself in a less than ideal situation, the Butcher attempted to cast Braingobbler on the Quarrelers who were staring him down. Rolling 1 die, the result was a spectacular 1 and a failure. Knowing his time on this plane was growing short the Butcher frantically ate and spit up the Bonechewer spell in the direction of the Quarrelers with 1 die, and a resulting 6. The Dwarfs prayed to their drunken ancestors, who seemed to be too busy bickering about ancient grudges to listen, and the resulting roll of 5 on 1 die was not enough to dispel. The hail of sticky guts and bone was enough to kill 2 members of the Unit, and the Butcher survived his Strength 4 hit.
Shooting
Sensing their failure yet again the Trappers threw their entire collection of sharp pointy bits at the nearby Longbeards, but it fell short of the grumbling old timers.
Again there was no Close Combat for the turn and thus the Dwarfs began their slow and arduous march against the Ogres.
Cheaty Stunty Shootaahs (aka Dwarfs) - Turn 2
Movement
Yet again the ... oh wait, huh? The Dwarfs actually got up and walked a couple of inches?! The Warriors and Thane decided to Charge the Bulls (2) after they grew tired of their endless guffaws and hurr hurr's from the previous turn. With a mighty effort they shuffled their tiny legs, sprinting at incredible speeds, before coming up 1/8" short on the Charge and only moving half of their attempt at 3". The cowardly Thunderers, in an attempt to hide their weak backs, rotated ever so slightly to face the Bulls (3). Meanwhile, on the other side of the battle, the Longbeards marched forward, eager to smash the only thing their tiny pig-like eyes could see: Greenskins.
Shooting
No spells on the board so the Dwarfs moved directly into their only real phase, shooting. The Bolt Thrower on the far right again launched a deadly spike towards the closest Unit of Bulls (1), hitting one squarely in the chest but dealing no wounds. "You call that ah bolt!? Hurr hurr hurr ..". Oblivious to what was happening around them the Bulls (1) didn't seem to notice the volley of quarrels hitting them as well, striking 4 times but dealing 0 wounds. Things were looking up for the Ogres, or at least this lot. On the other side of the board it was a different matter though.
After evading the oncoming Warrior charge, the Bulls (2) took a sharp pointy stick from the remaining Bolt Thrower, hitting them dead center and killing one instantly. The remaining two Bulls (2) felt a bit shaken by this turn of events, fleeing 5" after failing their Panic check with a roll of 9 on 2 die (they were too far out for the Tyrant's Ld score to matter).
With nothing left to do but grumble and pick bugs out of their matted beards, the Dwarfs were done and we moved on to turn 3!
Beer Gut Tribe - Turn 3
Movement
Finally, it was time for the smashing! The Trappers were too busy quaking in fear as the zombie like Dwarfs stumbled, and mumbled their way towards them and forgot about their differences long enough to move away from them (again, no Animosity). Meanwhile the Bulls (1) who had been shot at for so long charged headlong into the nearby Quarrelers, while their brothers (3) across the board moved in for the kill against the Thunderers. Both of these Units were peppered with projectiles, with the Quarrelers missing all of their shots, and the Thunderers hitting almost all of theirs (dealing 5 wounds). The Bulls (2) in the center of the table continued to flee, failing their rally check with a 9 yet again and running into the nearby forest. At the same time the Beer Guts were getting shot to bits, their Gorger made his appearance, coming in directly behind the Bolt Thrower near the Warriors and Thunderers (rolled a 3 on the 3+). The Butcher moved up within charge range of the Quarrelers and the Tyrant positioned himself within charge distance of the Thunderers and Bolt Thrower.
Magic
In a further attempt at redemption, the Butcher cast Bullgorger on the Bulls (1) in combat with 1 die, rolling a 4. This was promptly dispelled by 2 die with an 8. Two more attempts to buff the Bulls (1) were made, both Toothcracker and Trollguts, both failing with a 1 and 2 respectively.
Shooting
Sensing they were close to their small and insignificant end, the Trappers picked up and hurled another barrage of sharp bits at the nearby Longbeards, dealing 4 hits and wounding 1. The Longbeard in question managed to shrug off the damage thanks to his Heavy Armor, before proceeding to grumble about how tough Greenskins were back in his day.
Close Combat
Enraged by the death of his comrades the remaining Bull (3) in the third Unit smashed into the Thunderers, dealing 2 hits and 1 wound with 4 attacks. He lost the combat but passed his Break test and continued to fight. Meanwhile the Bulls (1) who had fared better against the incoming clouds of projectiles attacked the Quarrelers, hitting 5 times and wounding 3. One wound was saved by the Light Armor and Shields, but 2 died on the spot. After the Bulls (1) won the combat the Quarrelers failed their Break test and ran off the back edge of the board with the Bulls (1) pursuing.
With things finally looking up a bit the Beer Guts braced themselves for the coming counter attack with the board looking like this:
Cheaty Stunty Shootaahs (aka Dwarfs) - Turn 3
Movement
Again, throwing tradition to the wind, the Dwarfs reached a critical mass and charged headlong into battle. The Longbeards charged the worthless Gnoblar Trappers, who threw their remaining point bits helplessly at their dirty, flat faces to no effect (4 hits with 0 wounds). The result of the charge is a rank of Trappers again leaving their Ogre master exposed to the onslaught of Dwarf projectile weaponry, in this case the Bolt Thrower pointed at their Butcher. On the other side of the board the Unit of Warriors and their Thane turned to prepare for the coming charges of the Tyrant and Gorger.
Shooting
The far right Bolt Thrower launched a giant pointy log at the Butcher who was hit in the chest, and before shrugging off a majority of the damage, taking only 1 wound and stopping the bolt with his massive girth. The other Bolt Thrower turned to face the incoming Gorger, firing a point blank shot at it's chest with surgical precision. Sadly, Dwarfs are not known for their surgical prowess and the Bolt promptly fell to the wayside dealing 0 wounds to the ravenous horror in front of it. With the Quarrelers dead and the Thunderers tied up in Close Combat, the remaining shooting capabilities of the Dwarf force were not living up to the hype.
Close Combat
Combat began with the sole Bull (3) attacking the remaining Thunderers, where he was hit once but did not sustain any damage from their inferior Dwarf weapons. The Bull (3) lost the combat but passed his Break test. Across the battlefield things were not going as well for the Butcher and Gnoblar Trappers. The Trappers were quickly decimated by the geriatric force of the Longbeards, who then Overrun directly into the Butcher.
And with that battle hanging in the balance the Dwarf turn was over, and the Beer Guts were poised to strike back.
Beer Gut Tribe - Turn 4
Movement
The Bulls (1) who had chased the Quarrelers off the board returned in search of more violent conflict, only to find full ranks of angry old men beating on their tribe's Butcher and a Bolt Thrower pointed in their direction. Never ones to give up a fight before it started, they moved directly towards the Bolt Thrower and crew. The Gorger fell upon the other Bolt Thrower, howling for blood, and caked in what appeared to be dried excrement, while the nearby Tyrant ran headlong into the rear of the Thunderers (after winning a dice roll to determine if he was in the Unit's flank or rear before the Charge). The fleeing Bulls rallied and turned to face the Warriors and Thane, feeling quite content to stay in the forest and observe the action from a safe distance.
Magic
Yet again proving he had lost favor with the Great Maw, the Butcher was unable to cast a single spell in combat. After attempting Bullgorger on the nearby unit of Bulls (1) and failing, his attempts to cast Toothcracker (a 6 with 1 die) and Trollguts (a 5 on 1 die) on himself were both dispelled by the Dwarf forces (with an 8 and 10 respectively). With nothing left to live for the Butcher threw himself at the nearest enemy, eager to die and prove his faith to the Maw.
Close Combat
The Butcher promptly challenged the Unit Champion, killing him with 4 hits and 1 wound, while recovering the 1 wound he had lost previously thanks to the Bloodcleaver. It wasn't enough though, and the Longbeards won the combat forcing the Butcher to make a Break test at a -4 penalty. The Butcher failed his test and fled 11". The Longbeards pursued 6" but were not able to catch the Butcher. Meanwhile the Dwarf Thunderers found themselves sandwiched between two angry Ogres. The Tyrant striked first, dealing 3 wounds with 4 attacks and forcing the Thunderers to take a Break test. They failed their test and fled, but were followed by the remaining Bull (3) while the Tyrant waited to charge the remaining Bolt Thrower crew or incoming Warriors and Thane. It ends up being the Unit of Warriors as the Gorger decimates the Bolt Thrower crew, chasing them down before running headlong into the Warriors.
With fresh blood on the battlefield, and a renewed vigor brought on by having a Lord in a 1000 point game, the Beer Gut Tribe seemed to have the upper hand. Not everything was as it seemed though ...
Cheaty Stunty Shootaahs (aka Dwarfs) - Turn 4
Movement
The Longbeards charged the Butcher's rear and forced him to continue his flight away from the adult diaper wearing veterans. He fled an additional 8" but was not out of the game yet, still sitting 2" away from the edge of the board. The Longbeards failed their charge and moved just 3" forward. Meanwhile the Thunderers were able to rally and turned to face the incoming Bull (3).
Shooting
Again, with surgical precision, the Dwarf Bolt Thrower fired at the encroaching Bulls (1) but failed to hit anything.
Close Combat
The Warriors and their Thane were thrust into battle as they were attacked by the stinking, and ravenous Gorger. The Gorger tore through 2 of the front rank before suffering 1 wound of his own, but was able to stay in the battle for the next turn.
Beer Gut Tribe - Turn 5
Movement
After taking a moment to assess the situation, the forest dwelling Bulls (2) decided to move towards the nearby Thunderers in an attempt to help the sole Bull (3), who was currently charging back into battle against the remaining stunties with guns. Meanwhile the returning Bulls (1) charged the poorly aimed, nearby Bolt Thrower in an effort to stop to the Dwarfs from ever seeing another Shooting phase in the game. The Tyrant rushed into battle to join the Gorger and was promptly challenged by a Dwarf Warrior Champion, while the Butcher failed to rally and ran off the edge of the field giving Mr. Stocks 175 points and accomplishing nothing for the Beer Gut Tribe.
Close Combat
The triumphant Bulls (1) killed 2 members of the Bolt Thrower crew, winning combat and forcing the Dwarfs to make a Break test. They failed their test and ran 5" while the Bulls (1) chased the fleeing crew 7" and stabbed them in their tiny backs. The Thunderers were dealt another 2 wounds by the remaining Bull (3), but held fast for another round of combat. Meanwhile, the Tyrant smashed through the Warrior Champion, dealing 3 wounds and winning the challenge with an Overkill. Sadly it didn't matter as the Gorger failed to land a single attack, rolling 4 die and getting 4 ones. The Tyrant is forced to make a Break test which he fails, and he proceeds to flee 6" away from the melee.
Cheaty Stunty Shootaahs (aka Dwarfs) - Turn 5
Movement
With no enemy in sight, the Longbeards shuffled towards the empty table quarter in an attempt to secure some victory points for the Dwarfs.
Close Combat
The Thunderers managed to strike back against the lone Bull (3), but failed to hit or wound. The Bull also striked back, and also failed to wound. The Bull won combat by1, and the Thunderers were forced to flee 3" while the Bull chased behind them with a pursuit roll of 2". The Gorger stayed in combat, directing all of his attacks at the Dwarf Thane but failing to do any damage. He suffered and additional 2 wounds from the Unit of Warriors and only has 1 wound remaining at the end of the Turn.
Beer Gut Tribe - Turn 6
Movement
The Tyrant finally realized he was running from a bunch of moving speed bumps and quickly rallied to face the remaining Dwarf force. Meanwhile, the lone Bull (3) charged the last two Thunderers, who were able to stand their ground but were not able to fire at the incoming Ogre. With the Thunderers under control the Unit of Bulls (2) near the forest moved to help secure a table quarter in case the Dwarf Thunderers decided to stick around, while the other remaining Bulls (1) charged the flank of the Warriors.
Close Combat
The Bulls (1) were able to strike first, but dealt only 1 wound to the Warriors before one of the Bulls was killed outright by the Warriors on the flank. The Gorger attacked the Thane again, this time killing him and securing his head as a gnobby, hair covered trophy to decorate his cave wall. The remaining Warriors in the front rank were able to strike back against the Gorger but failed to deal the killing blow leaving the Gorger with one wound remaining and still in combat. The Bulls (1) failed their Break test and fled 8" away from the Warriors. Meanwhile the eternal struggle of Thunderers vs. Bull (3) finally comes to an end as they are killed by 2 wounds dealt with 4 attacks in the charge.
And with that the battle is over .... or is it?
Cheaty Stunty Shootaahs (aka Dwarfs) - Turn 6
Movement
The Unit of Longbeards continued its quest to hobble around the southern most corner of the map, while the Warriors found themselves stuck in Close Combat with the Gorger.
Close Combat
With their last bit of dignity intact, the Warriors managed to deal one wound to the Gorger, killing him and with it, any chance of contesting the table corner.
Game Result: DRAW
Yup. All of that for a draw. It could have been worse, I almost lost the cheating points I alloted for the Tyrant as he was running for his life. All in all it was a good game, and I have finally seen the true capabilities of the Gorger (this was my first time using the Unit). I really only have one thing to say in conclusion to all of this: I am tired of playing against Dwarfs.
Oh ... and good game Mr. Stocks (you Cheaty Stunty Shootaah).
