Back from 'Ard Boys

I had a blast this last weekend. Friday night I played a game of 40k, and a game of Lord of the Rings. Saturday I participated in the 'Ardboyz qualifier at Imperial Outpost and then got in another game of LotR.

The tournament was exhausting. But I had 3 really great games. In the end I took 5th place and so will not be going on to the semi-finals . First place had 48 battle points, 2nd had 47, 3rd had 46, 4th had 45, and I had 44. So needless to say it was really close. Jon Jensen, who won was 1-1-1, and those of us who finished 2nd-5th were all 1-0-2!

Here is my list:

Characters
Wood Elf High Born
Great Stag, Magic Spear w/ Killing Blow, Oaken Armor (Regenerates)
Treeman Ancient
+1 Dispel Dice
Spellsinger (Lvl 2)
Unicorn, 2x Dispel Scrolls
Spellsinger (Lvl 2)
Elven Steed, 2x Dispel Scrolls
Branchwraith (Lvl 1)
Annoyance of Netlings (6+ to hit in challenge)
Wood Elf Noble
Battle Standard Bearer
3+ Ward Save (when it fails its gone)
Sword of Might

Core
Dryads (8)
Branch Nymph
Dryads (8)
Branch Nymph
Dryads (8)
Branch Nymph
Dryads (8)
Branch Nymph
Dryads (8)
Branch Nymph
Dryads (8)
Branch Nymph
Dryads (8)
Branch Nymph

Special
Wild Riders (5)
Full Command, War Banner
Wild Riders (5)
Full Command
Wild Riders (5)
Full Command
Treekin (3)

Rare
Treeman
Treeman

Game 1 - Jon Daly's Tomb Kings
My 3 treemen, were very scared of his Screaming Skull Catapults, since they get no saves from them, and they take double wounds because they are flammable. The rest of my army was afraid of the Casket of Souls up on the hill. With that constant threat, I was unable to stop much of his magic, allowing him to get off the charges he needed, and to take ranging shots with his catapults.

I played conservatively with my treemen, and tried to surf them forward a bit with my plethora of Treesinging spells, but I got shut down. Finally when one of his catapult destroyed itself, I brought them out, but it was too late for them to do much. Meanwhile, one of his princes on chariot, in squad of chariots with a banner for +1 to hit in the first round of combat was running through units of my list. Fortunately I got them below half, and wiped out a big block of skellies, which brought the game to a draw.

Game 2 - Jon Jensen's Empire
3 units of core knights, 3 units of Inner Circle Knight, Kurt Helborg, Volkmar on War Altar, Leopold and 2 steam tanks!!! In this scenario, table quarters were worth 750 VP's instead of the normal 100. That's great for me, because if there's one thing my skirmshing, highly mobile army can do, its claim table quarters.

First turn he shoots his mortar at a treeman. It scatters right on top of my BSB who was hiding behind a forest, out of everyone's LOS. Dead. Then he shoots a cannon at my other treeman. Treeman takes no wounds, but the spellsinger behind him takes a shot to the face. Dead.

So at first I was a little behind in the magic department. But I managed to assassinate his remaining mages, who were in units of knights. He wiped out a couple of units of wild riders and some dryads as we fought over an area of ruins. In the exchange, I also killed some swordsmen, the stupid mortar and the stupid cannon.

I also led Volkmar around by the nose. He is frenzied and so hbas to charge if he's within range. I led him with a unit of dryads for most of the game. The last two turns, I led him through a shallow river, which caused wounds to the chariot.

We also so combat between the 2 steam tanks and my 2 treeman that survived. I eventually killed one of the steam tanks and got the other below half. I avoided Kurt Helborg like the plague all game, and he and his knights just chased a unit of 100 point dryads around.

In the end, I had 2 table quarters, and I got a solid victory.

Game 3 - Daniel Poppe's Orcs and Goblins
So much magic! He had two level 4 Orc Shamans on Boar chariots, and two level 2 Gobbo Shamans on Wolf chariots. This scenario called for placing two loot counters. Controlling each was worth 1500 VP's. One was in my deployment zone, one was in his. He set up his artillery pieces in the center of the board on a hill. I pretty much ignored the center and set up heavy on both flanks. He did the same, except for 2 units of savage boys.

In the early parts of the game, I tree sung the forests to protect the flanks and to isolate his units. I also drew out the fanatics early from his two night gobbo units, hoping they would hit forests or his own units. I took very little damage from them.

On the right flank I charged a unit of night goblins with a unit of dryads, hoping to cause enough wounds to overcome their static combat resolution of 5. Unfortunately he had nets, which make me strike at -1 strength. I lost and was run down. This put him right on top of the counter in my deployment zone. Also on that flank, his general charged out of a unit to hit some dryads. They held the first turn, doing no damage. Next turn, the general failed to cause any wounds, lost combat by 1 and ran away. Unfortunately I didn't chase him down. He wouldn't have any more part in the game, but the points would have been nice. There was also a fight between his giant and my treeman. They both held for a couple of turns. Some dryads charged in later and finished off the giant.

On the left flank, my terror-causing treemen ran off a couple of units and then charged into some big block of orcs. Here is where by BSB paid off. I was quickly whittling down these units, but still lost to static combat resolution. I failed my break tests a couple of times, but thanks to my BSB, I was able to re-roll and held on. In the final turn I lost a treeman, but he was unable to move back onto the counter. I popped down a unit of dryads on it. In that turn he hit them with a couple of spells I couldn't stop, and reduced them to one dryad left in the unit. He then tried to shoot it with his artillery pieces and some bows. But they all missed. And because of how the scenario was worded, I still held the counter and that one dryad gave me 1500 VP's (canceling out his 1500 VP's). In the end it was a draw.

3 great games. I was exhausted driving home, and all day Sunday I was still recovering. I had planned to take a lot of pictures, and I even brought my camera. The games were so intense, I forgot the whole time. I didn't even have much time in between games.

Next up... Easterlings for The Lord of the Rings.