Age of Warlords Official

The Norman Shooting Phase can be glossed over as they failed to kill anything this turn. The Romans, however, had fortune on their side. The horse archers went first, targeting the medium armoured spear unit that was moving to the right. But a poor dice roll meant that only one norman was felled. Then it was the unit of foot archers. Thanks to some rerolls, every model scored a hit, and every single roll to kill was successful too. The unit of 10 armoured normans went down to just 1. Brutal...

On the left side of the Roman line, the archers tried to finish off the heavy axemen, but were unsuccessful. But it was okay, for the cavalry were given the order to finally get stuck in.

AGE OF WARLORDS BATTLE REPORT
Turn 4: Shooting Phase

The luck of the Normans went from bad to worse. The Normans performed terribly in shooting, with no hits, while the Romans' were brutally effective. Things were looking grim for the Normans now...

#wargames #wargaming #historicalwargaming

Indeed, every chaos warrior knows friendship is magic 🤣

How else does one make a skull throne? 😁

Mmm, digging the one on the top left 👍🏻

A dwarf army defends some stone walls and a castle gate. Beyond the walls an Angmar army is mustered

Yesterday me and my friend finally played out a MESBG siege with my homemade walls.

My Dwarves defending against the horde of Angmar.

We bogged some of the ‘official’ rules, but made it work. Was a lot of fun. And really close to the end.

#Nerdlings

The 4th Turn began with the Norman Warlord splitting his largest unit, the 20 model spearmen unit in medium armour, into two units of 10, with one covering the right flank and the other moving to the left. It was a bold decision, especially with the archers behind in decent range to shoot at them. The Romans began their Movement Phase with the Swordsmen Unit falling back out of combat, using the Warlord Command of Break Off! (Which allows the unit to fall back without taking a Ld Test).

The Norman Infantry in the rear of the main battleline moved up, clearly attempting to flank around the line and hit the archers in the rear. The Roman Commander saw this move, and ordered the Archers to concentrate their shots on them.

The Norman Medium Armoured Spear Infantry, splitting up into two new units and moving to the flanks.

On the far right of the Roman Army, the Heavy Cavalry, the Cataphracts, reform themselves to be ready to charge into the infantry in front of them.

AGE OF WARLORDS BATTLE REPORT
Turn 4: Movement Phase.
The Norman Warlord started with a rapid order, commanding that the largest unit of the army split up and attack the flanks. The Romans then repositioned themselves, with the swordsmen breaking off and the cavalry moving up.

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Fair enough, and sure you have, hope you get more for Christmas 🎄

Epic! 😍 What an epic battle, nail-biting finish at the end. Hope the dwarves will be able to recover before Angmar launches another assault.

Wowsa 😍 they look amazing, is this all your chaos dwarves, or you got more to do?

Nagash is all, and all is one with Nagash... And Nagash demands all to be simply fabulous 😂

Me as a Bluesky therapist

Happy birthday! 🥳

The blue and dark gold one... 😍

Can't unsee it. Still can't believe she'll step down in January 😂

As the Morale Phase began, the Norman Warlord quickly used his final orders to the two units who had to take a Leadership Test. The two handed axemen on the Norman right were first. As a unit of 8 Heavy Infantry, they had a Leadership of 9, but after losing 4 in a single turn, their Ld was down to 5, but with the Warlord command of Ignoring the Losses, their Ld was back to 9, which helped them to pass their Morale Check and carry on fighting. The Spearmen in the centre was a harder challenge. Having started the turn with a Ld of 21 (the unit multiplies its leadership by 7 for any extra ten models in the unit. So for units between 21 & 30 models, their Ld was 21), then having lost most of their unit in The Shooting and Combat Phase, bringing them down to 9 models remaining, giving them a Ld of 11. Such losses were still not enough to break them, so they remained in the fight.

AGE OF WARLORDS BATTLE REPORT
Turn 3: Morale Phase

The Norman Warlord acted fast, sending out commands (or more precisely, threats) to his warriors on the cusp of routing. Because of this, nobody ran away; all remained to stand and fight.

Thus, the battle would continue into the next Turn...

That he was. How many others have ever commanded their own firing squad?

And this would have been an amazing role for him. I do wonder if Napoleon's total management, always wanting to be in control, preventing his marshals from displaying initiative, or getting annoyed when they do, had made things harder for him?

That I can agree with. Don't forget his cavalry charge at Waterloo, with no infantry support.

But you gotta admit, if you're in a tough spot, like retreating from Moscow, you wouldn't want to be with any other Marshal, Davout being the exception.

Too headstrong, you think? I noticed that at Friedland I think it was, his corps rushed forward and then got surrounded, having to be rescued.

The final combat of Turn 3 saw the Norman medium swordsmen attempt to smash the heavy infantry, but with a 6+ to hit them, not a single one managed to break through their armour and shields. The Heavy Infantry didn't have much luck themselves, killing only one norman. But it was still enough to win the combat, pushing them back, too. The Norman Warlord couldn't believe his eyes! They started the battle with more numbers, better equipment, and larger units. In a single moment, those advantages were gone. It was the decisive moment of the battle, but the Norman Commander was not willing to back down yet.

The combat ends on a lackluster note, with the Normans falling to kill any of the Heavy Infantry, while losing one of their own. They too are forced to fall back.

With the last combat done, it was time for the Morale Phase.

#wargaming #wargame #ageofwarlords #tabletop #miniatures

The central combat didn't go very well for the Normans either, with the Warlord failing to give command to them, too. Initially needing a 2+ to hit, it was modified to a 5+ due to Roman shields and being in Shieldwall. The result, they managed to kill 5 of the 16 Roman infantry in front of them.

The Late Romans did way better. Like the Normans, they needed a 2+ initially, but with a shield in the way, they needed a 3+ instead. This resulted in 9 more Norman Spearmen being killed, and bringing them down from 18 to 9 in a single stroke. Another unit would need to check their morale at the end of the Turn.

The aftermath of the battle, with the norman infantry fallen back, and the Roman infantry pushing forward, eager for their blood.

The Norman charge was met by the stoick resilience of the Roman forces, who held their shields together and stabbed out when they could. The centre unit, the spearhead, was all but annihilated in battle.

As per the rules of the game, the Combat Phase begins with the Warlords of both armies (starting with the Attacker) using their commands to aid their troops in battle. Once the orders are given out, then the Attacker selects which combat to begin with, fighting that round, then the defender gets a go, and once both sides have rolled, casualties are then removed. As Excellent Warlords, both had a great chance of getting what orders they wanted carried out, which would aid the charging party more than the defenders. To the Norman leader's horror, however, not a single one of his Commands reached their intended destinations. All three failed terribly. The Late Roman Commander's rolls were better, getting to use most of his commands. But once that was out of the way, the combat started, with the two handed axemen being the first...

The two handed axemen deal D3 attacks per model. When rolled for, they managed to get a whopping 20 attacks out of a max of 24 (not bad)! But with the medium infantry in Tight Formation, it wasn't going to be easy. They'd usually hit on 3+, but with Shields, it goes to a 4+, and then in Tight Formation, it goes to a 6+. So they rolled, and... Only one blow got through, killing one Roman warrior, who failed his 3+ Parry Save The Romans had their turn, with a whopping 18 attacks coming in, they hit the infantry on a 5+ (heavy infantry + shields), getting many more hits on the enemy. The parry save was a 3+, so easy to get, right? Wrong! Four failed their parry saves, too many blows coming in, and thus 4 Normans met their end. With the combat over, the casualties were removed, and the axemen were pushed back, the late Romans going forward. Having lost 4 of their unit, 50% of their strength gone, they would have to take a morale save at the end of the turn.

AGE OF WARLORDS BATTLE REPORT
Turn 3: Combat Phase (multi-thread)

What started as an almost sweeping win for the Normans as they charged into the Roman line, with a heavy advantage in numbers and weapons, by the end of the Combat Phase, it was a disaster for them.

(Read the alt captions for more)

You can still say yes! We all want it, it'll be amazing!

The Shooting Phase for the Normans was lackluster, with the crossbowmen finally getting to use their crossbows... But missed with every shot, aiming for the heavy infantry to support their comrades in front of them.

The Romans, however, were more fortunate. 4 of the light sword infantry on the far right were eliminated, while 6 more of the Norman Spearhead was cut down, leaving only 15 left. It meant that they would have to take a morale test at the end of the Turn, as they lost 50% of their full strength now.

But it didn't stop them from launching a successful charge! In fact, thanks to some good ordering from the Warlord, who ordered everyone to charge (gives everyone an 3D6 to charge), everyone that could charge, made it in. This would be the make or break moment of the whole battle. If the Roman line broke here then there would be no chance to recover from it. Both Warlords had 3 commands left to use, and the Roman Warlord prayed that his would be heard and answered to.

AGE OF WARLORDS BATTLE REPORT
Turn 3: Shooting Phase and Charge Phase.

Shooting was mixed, with the Normans not gaining as much success as the Romans did. But the Charge Phase was brutally efficient for the Normans, who charged forward and hit the whole Roman line with brute force!

#wargaming

The Turn 2 Shooting Phase began with the horse archers having another swipe at the Crossbows. Despite their range, and the fact that they moved, a single hit landed on an enemy model, bringing him down! Out of 8 crossbowmen that started the battle, only 6 remained. But it wasn't enough to send them to flight.

Next it was the time of the archers, who were focused on the Norman advance in the centre. The first archer unit on the right loosed their bows, but only one norman spearman was killed in the ensuing volley. The archer unit on the left had a better time of it. They fired at pretty much point blank range, killing 8 more. Within a moment of astounding good luck, the norman spearhead was given a bloody nose, losing their entire front rank, and was wittled down from 30 to 21 men remaining. Yet it wasn't enough to break them yet, and a clash now seemed inevitable.

Turn 3's Movement Phase, the Normans spent their time reorganising their army for the charge. The heavy infantry on the Norman right spread themselves into a single line, and moved as close as they could to their opponents. The Norman Spearhead moved forward again, this time stopping inches away from the line of contact, but still failing to adopt a tight formation before charging. The only ones that did form up into Tight Formation was the medium sword infantry on the center left. They intended to charge into the heavy infantry in front of them and cleave their way through.

AGE OF WARLORDS BATTLE REPORT
Turn 2: Shooting Phase, and Turn 3: Movement Phase.

The Romans had a successful Shooting Phase, felling several more of the enemy. But it wasn't enough to deter any to rout, and by the end of Turn 3's Movement Phase, the entire Norman force was ready to charge.

The Normans start their movement phase with another attempt to advance further. Fortunately for them, the roll was a success! The norman army surged forward in a single tide of steel, stopping about 12" away from the Roman front line. The unfortunate side of advancing the whole army is that they are now unable to do anything else; too tired from running forward in a sprint. And worse, the units have failed to move into tight formation as they advanced, leaving them vulnerable to enemy fire. The Warlord shrugs; better to move quickly and get in quick, than to move like a tortoise and get cut to ribbons!

End of the Norman Movement Phase. They're now within charge range of the enemy. But with the Normans waiting to reform, and the Romans unwilling to leave their shieldwall, they hurl insults at each other instead.

The Romans simply spend their movement phase repositioning. The heavy infantry close in on the light infantry's right flank, while the horse archers form up behind. The heavy cavalry head right to close the massive gap that's opened up the far right. With the whole Norman army having advanced, they again miss their shooting phase. Meaning the Romans will shoot again. Let's hope for their sake it's better than their last turn...

AGE OF WARLORDS Battle REPORT
Turn 2: Movement Phase.

With a roar on their lips, the Normans surge forward, goaded by their commander who marches alongside them. The Roman commander stands alongside his men, too, inching them this way and that to get into position.

#wargaming #wargame

The Late Roman Shooting Phase began with the Roman Warlord bellowing an order for the horse archers to shoot then fall back. This order was successful. Checking the range, they were 14" away from the crossbows, needing a 4 to hit, but as they moved more than 6" it was a 5 to hit. Rolling 6 dice, only one successfully hit. Another roll against their armour, which was a 3+, scoring a 5. The arrow tore into one man's armour, sending him flying back and down onto the ground. Whether injured or dead, doesn't matter, he won't fight in this battle anymore. After that, the horse archers fell back 13", their standard movement. The rest of the shooting from the Romans was poor. The norman shields blocked any arrows that fell upon them. With that disappointing finish, Turn 1 was finished, and Turn 2 began.

AGE OF WARLORDS BATTLE REPORT
Turn 1: Shooting Phase

A rather lackluster round of shooting for the Normans. Despite a great advantage in ranged weapons, the archers failed to score a single hit on anything. The horse archers were luckier, killing one crossbowman.

#wargaming

Superb day yesterday when 6 of met up for a refight of Liebertwolwitz in 1813. Great to see @tomjmegan.bsky.social Prussians take to the table again alongside my newly minted Russians and face off against @jaje7406.bsky.social French. All rounded off with an excellent evening’s social! 👌

Before The Movement Phase began, both Warlords rolled to see how good they were. Amazingly, both were Excellent Warlords, which means the issue commands on a 3+, and can order D3 +3 commands each turn, the norman leader getting 6 orders per turn, while the Roman one got only 4. The Normans kicked things off by the Warlord ordering a Mass Advance to everyone, but when he rolled for it came up and 2, which is a fail; some of the units heard, but not all of them. Nevertheless, they moved forward, slower than they hoped for, but still moved forward, horns blaring, dust clouds forming. It was a horrifying sight for the defending models on the far side of the battlefield.

The Late Romans used their time in the Movement Phase to launch their light Cavalry forward. Light Cavalry have the benefit of being able to shoot their bows, even if they have moved, while infantry must remain stationary to shoot. It gives them a nice edge, but makes them vulnerable if orders are not followed or they become trapped.

The rest of the Roman army begins to prepare for the clash. The light infantry in the centre form into a shield wall (Tight Formation) going long ways while having 5 models behind. The sword infantry on the left form up in single file, also forming into Tight Formation, same with the Heavy Infantry on the right. Everyone else stays where they are. Despite the numbers arrayed against them, they're feeling confident in victory. With the Movement Phase done, and the Normans unable to shoot due to advancing their Crossbows up, the only unit with ranged weapons, the Romans were next to shoot. Let's hope they made it count...

AGE OF WARLORDS
Pitched Battle Scenario
Late Romans Vs Normans
Turn 1: Movement Phase.

The Norman juggernaut surges forward. The Late Romans respond by moving the light cavalry forward to loose their bows, while the infantry spread themselves out and move closer to each other, bracing for impact.

There'll be more. There's just so many photos to post I couldn't do it as a single thread.