Rotwater Blight Game 4: Orcs vs Seraphon

Game 4 and its against the Seraphon again but this time its more than just skinks. The game is Beast hunt with the orcs hunting down a Great Lizard beast. 

The Mission

This mission is Kill the Beast, so one side has the objective of killing the Beast (a monster or hero with +3 wounds) while the other side has to slay every single enemy model. So its a simple mission but a difficult one for both sides, as you will likely have to kill every enemy model to get to the monster.

The game is played on a 4x4 table with a separate 2x4 as the 'sky battle' zone which only flying models can go to.

We roll to see who gets to pick which side they are, and I win, selecting to be the Beast Hunters, hopefully it will be easier to kill it than protect the giant.

The Armies

In this game I am playing against the Seraphon, we both have similar models so I use all the models I have available to me (the full 60).

Hunters: Orcs

Grimgor Ironhide (general)

17 black orcs – full command

Orc Bigboss – Waaaagh banner

Savage Orc shaman

Orc Warboss on Wyvern

Orc great shaman

Orc great shaman

20 Orc boys – full command

Giant

Doom diver

Rock lobber

Orc Bully

BeastMasters: Seraphon

Bastiladon (The Beast)

Slaan (General)

Skink priest – Feather cloak

Skink priest

Skink priest

Saurus Sunblood

Old Blood on Carnosaur

3 Kroxigor

10 Skinks

5 chameleon Skinks

35 Saurus Warriors

Deployment

The beast sets up first, so I have to kill a Bastiladon... 3+ save, ignores rend, I'm going to struggle to kill it. By the end of set up the Seraphon had the unit of Saurus surrounding the Bastiladon, as well as the Sunblood. The Slaan in encircled as well. The Carnosaur and Kroxigor unit deployed on the right flank while the skinks and priests were on the left. The sky battlefield was bare.

My deployment had the sky empty as well. I had the trolls and black orcs on the right flank with Grimgor and the boys in the centre backed up by the shamans. I place the wyvern at the back and the giant towards the left. Both the artillery pieces are at the back.

I go first.

The Battle

Turn 1 – Orc priority

I give the trolls inspiring presence so they don't run, as well as casting shield on the trolls, black orcs and boys.

Movement phase has the orc line move forwards, every one running to get to grips with the lizards. Taking to the sky the Wyvern moves over to the sky board and just sits there with nothing to do.

Shooting has both the Doom diver and rock lobber target the Bastiladon and they both hit, and wound, but it saves both of them.

Seraphon Turn

Casting his magics, the Slaan casts mystic shield on the Bastiladon giving him a 2+ save, keeping the monster rather safe. The priests use their celestial rights, only one succeeds and allows the Saurus to re-roll saves.

Stomping down my right flank the Kroxigor and Carnosaur move straight for the trolls, and on the left the skinks move towards the giant.

Focusing its searing beam, the skinks target the giant and deal 8 wounds to it in a single shooting phase. Skink fire targets the giant but doesn't do anything.

Combat and the Kroxigor charge into the trolls but the Carnosaur fails to make it. Striking first the Kroxigor only manage to get 2 wounds though which is saved by the stone trolls enhanced save. Striking back the trolls manage to get past the kroxigors armour, dealing 2 wounds to one.

Turn 2 – Orc keep priority

Again I cast mystic shield on the boys, trolls and black orcs. As the trolls could run at any point Grimgor inspires them to keep them in the fight.

Swooping down from the sky the wyvern comes down as close to Saurus warriors as possible, I need to start taking them out to get to the Bastiladon. Badly injured but not out of it, the Giant stumbles towards the skinks, determined to squash something little.

Firing into the Bastiladon again, the artillery hit the beats but fails to penetrate its thick armour.

Charging though the woods, the Giant manages to reach the skinks but unfortunately the Wyvern fails its charge on the saurus. First the trolls swing and get enough wounds though to kill off the kroxigor in a single round of combat. The skinks fail to do anything to the giant and then he kill 4 back.

Seraphon Turn

Casting arcane bolt, the Slaan takes the first wound off the Wyvern and the skink priests attempt their prayers.

With the Wyvern now on the table the Carnosaur moves off the chase the larger beat rather than the trolls. Moving back, the Bastiladon gets out of range of the artillery while the saurus encircle it again. The priest with the feather cloak flies into the sky. Appearing from the woods the chameleon skinks appear next to the rock lobber.

Stuck in combat with the giant, the skinks shoot at his ankles and deal a single wound. Charging up its laser, the Bastiladon targets the wyvern and murders him in a single shooting phase. Blow pipes shoot at the rock lobber crew and the Chameleons kill the crew with ease.

With out the Wyvern alive any more, the old blood steers the Carnosaur into the orc boys charging like an avalanche. Striking first the Carnosaur only manages to kill 1 orc as their shield allows them to beat off most of their attackers. The giant kills more 2 skinks taking no damage back, then the orcs fail to do any damage.

Turn 3 – Orc Priority

Again the shamans get to work, shielding the trolls, but failing on the black orcs and orc boys. I feel he's going to target the black orcs this turn so I Inspire them with Grimgor.

The black orcs and trolls move towards the lizard lines.

With the Bastiladon out of range of the Doom diver, they target the Saurus and kill 3 of them.

Combat starts with the boys attacking the carnosaur and manage to deal 2 wounds to him. The skinks do nothing and the giant kills the skinks off. With out the additional protection the orc boys collapse, loosing 9 of them to the giant lizard.

Battle shock and 3 of the orcs run.

Seraphon Turn

Not yet done with the artillery the chameleons move to get them in range. The Saurus see the Trolls as a threat and move away from them.

Using its crystal, the Bastiladon targets the trolls and kill 2 of them with ease. The chameleons kill off the doom diver crew.

In combat the Carnosaur kills 6 more boys, leaving jut the Boss left, who fails to do any damage.

Battle shock and the Orc boss and Trolls run for it, leaving the table.

Turn 4 – Orc Priority

Again Grimgor inspires the black orcs. With the troll and orcs gone, the shamans shield the black orcs then arcane bolt the Carnosaur dealing 3 mortal wounds, then 1 more from the savage.

The black orcs move next to the Carnosaur and the giant limps towards the saurus line. Not wanting to get near the Carnosaur the warboss with banner holds his ground.

Combat and the giant smashes into the Saurus line and the Black orcs charge the Carnosaur. First the black orcs strike and rip the massive lizard to bits killing him in a single turn. Unfortunately this means the Saurus get to strike next and kill off the giant before he can do much, but he does fall on them dealing 3 more mortal wounds. In the back field the orc bully charges the chameleons, they deal 1 wound to him and he kill 1 of them.

Seraphon Turn

Casting his magic the Slaan cast mystic bolt on Grimgor and deal a single wound to him.

Movement and both of the skink priests move down the table towards my shamans.

This time the Bastiladon turns it focus on the Black orc and kill 5 of them.

In combat the bully takes a wound and take no losses themselves.

Turn 5 – Seraphon steal the priority

A double turn for the Seraphon. The Slaan alter the stars to benefit the Seraphon in some way (can't remember how) then cast mystic shield on the Bastiladon.

The skink priests carry on moving up and the Sunblood pushes his way though the Saurus warrior to get closer to the black orc.

Again the Bastiladon target the black orcs and kills 4 more. Shooting from the Chameleons kill the bully.

Charging and the Sunblood hit the black orcs but only deals 1 wound. The skink priests charge into the orc shamans, the shaman takes 2 wounds.

Orc Turn

At this point I need to kill the sunblood and go after the Saurus so I take a risk. Grimgor gets every one to fight! The shamans shield the black orcs and cast gaze of mork, wounding a priest and deal a mortal wound to the chameleons. The savage orc cast foot of gork, and stomps 6 saurus warriors flat.

Grimgor goes straight for the Sunblood and charges him, killing him in combat. Nothing happens between the shamans and priests. Not wanting to risk the Great banner, the orc warboss just waits near by.

Battle shock and 1 of the Saurus runs.

Turn 6 – Orcs take priority

The risk pays off, so now I can Inspire the black orcs so they won't run. Again the Savage orc shaman casts foot of gork and gork stomps on 3 saurus, while the other shamans both have to attempt to protect the black orc as the first failed.

With their objective near both Grimgor and the Black orc move stright for the saurus warriors followed by the Great Banner.

With a great Waaagh! Both Grimgor and the Black orcs charge the saurus warriors. Striking first grimgor kills 11 on his own! The Saurus strike back and bring down a single black orc who then kill 6 more lizards. The fight between the skink priest and shamans does nothing.

Battle shock, with 20 killed this turn the final few just run for it, knowing its not worth staying.

Seraphon Turn

With only a small number left the Slaan again casts shield on the Bastiladon and then manages to summon 3 more Kroxigor to aid him in this fight.

As the kroxigor as close the Slaan moves back to them as the black orc are too close. The Bastiladon moves towards the right.

Seeing Grimgor as the main threat right now, the Bastiladon targets him with his shooting attack, killing him with his super crystal.

Turn 7 – Orc priority

With little left the shaman casts foot of gork on the Bastiladon and manages to get a single mortal wound past its defences. The other two shamans both try to cast gaze of mork to kill off some chameleon skinks and wound the priests.

The black orcs and savage moves towards the Bastilidon.

The black orcs charge in and deal 7 wounds, all of which are saved by the monsters 2+ save.

Seraphon Turn

Summoning more reinforcements, the Slaan brings back the Sunblood, then shields the Basildon again.

Everything moves towards the Bastiladon to aid it.

Shooting and the shaman is picked out this turn and reduced to a cinder.

In combat I lose a black orc, but deal 7 wound again, which are all saved.

Turn 8 – Seraphon take the initiative

The Bastiladon kills the orc with banner and the Kroxigor charge into the black orcs, killing the few remaining. I'm not sure what killed them but my shamans are dead as well.

Victory to the Seraphon!

Post-Battle

That was a very close game and very enjoyable indeed. If only he didn't summon the Kroxigor unit I might have stood a chance at dealing a few more wound to the Bastiladon. I think I made the right choice trying to hunt down the monster, as all he killed my Wyvern in a single turn, and I would have felt like a dick hiding it in the sky battle field all game.

What I should have done was move the shamans away from the skink priests and up the field so they could have attempted to unbind the Slaan's magic when it tried to shield the Bastiladon, having a turn when it only had a 3+ save would have seen a lot more wounds put on it.

I don't feel too bad about this as This is the guy who won the Event over all, winning 4 out of 5 games and got the most favourite game votes (I voted for him as well).

Anyway only 1 game left to go, and my Orcs will be playing War of Storms vs Dwarfs.