Orcs and Goblins vs The Empire 2250 points

Warhammer Fantasy Battle Report summary:-

The Helstorm Rocket Battery does sometimes work ! (great battle report with loads of pics)

source :warhammer.org.uk

credit : Atchman

27-Dec-2008

Robbie and I have wanted to play a game for a long time. He recently received his new Orc book, and I got my New Empire book a week ago. Since re-visiting the Empire, I haven’t tried any of the new stuff yet, so this game I decided to give up a cannon and try the Rocket Launcher and a unit of Outriders. One of my units of vanilla knights had to go, but it was replaced with a unit of Pistoliers. I now had two shooting cavalry units and two normal units. The Empire-shooting phase should have been pretty decent with two artillery pieces, 20 Handgunners and crossbowmen, the Outriders and the Pistoliers. We’ll have to see how it plays out.

Empire Army List: 2250 pts

Elector Count, Full Plate Armor, Shield, Barded Warhorse, Holy Relic, Sword of Might
Level 2 Wizard with Metal magic, Wizard’s Staff, Dispel Scroll
Level 2 Wizard, Fire Magic, Doomfire Ring, Dispel Scroll
Battle Standard Bearer, Full Plate Armor, Barded Warhorse, Banner of Sigismund

27 Swordsmen, Standard Bearer, Musician, War Banner
10 Free Company Detachment

29 Swordsmen, Full Command
10 Free Company Detachment
10 Handgunners
10 Crossbowmen
5 Knights, Musician
5 Knights, Musician
20 Greatswords, Full Command
10 Halberdiers Detachment
1 x Great Cannon
5 Pistoliers with Outrider upgrade
5 Outriders with Champion upgrade
Hellstorm Rocket Launcher

Goblins and Orcs Army List:

Black Orc Warboss, Heavy Armor, Enchanted Shield, Martog's, Boss Hat
Leading 24 Orcs with Full Command

Orc Big Boss, BSB Upgrade, Spirit Totem,
Leading 24 Orcs with Full Command

Orc Big Boss, Sword of Might, Light Armor and Shield
Leading 24 Orcs with Full Command

Level 2 NG Shaman 2 x Dispel Scrolls
Leading 20 Night Goblins with 2 Fanatics

20 Night Goblins with 1 Fanatic

GIANT

2 Bolt Throwers with Bullys
1 Rock Lobber with Bully
3 x 5 man Wolf Rider units
5 Savage Orc Boarboyz



Empire Army setup

I place the Pistoliers and the Outriders on the far left flank. There were two reasons for this, firstly there were lots of unsupported goblins and night goblins. Secondly, the Savage Orc Boarboyz were over there and from past experience they die rather quickly from shooting, but they pack a lethal punch in close combat.

The cannon was placed in the woods mostly because it had good LOS to the middle of the table. I also figured he would send some small easily panicked units after it and I had no less than the equivalent of 25 Handgunners deployed around the great cannon.

Next came my two stubborn units deployed to take a charge. In the gap between the BSB’s unit and General’s unit went the Knights Panthers ready to assist either unit. The flank guard was a unit of Reiksguard and the crossbowmen. On top of the only hill went the Hellstorm Rock Launcher.



Orc Setup

Robbie loaded his right flank to counter my mostly missile troops. Three fast units, two wolf rider units and the Savage Orc boys were arrayed against me. Supporting them was the BSB’s unit of Orcs, a bolt thrower, a Rock Lobber and two units of Night Goblins, both with fanatics.

He placed his General’s unit in the center of his line opposite of my BSB’s unit. A unit of Orcs with spears, with a Big Boss made up the left flank. The GIANT, a bolter and the Goblin Doom Diver supported the left flank. My central Knight unit would be caught in crossfire between all of the Orc artillery. Wow! Orcs outnumbering the Empire with artillery!



Both sides ready for battle! Empire goes first.



Empire first turn movement

The Pistoliers put the pedal to the metal and moved up to the house. I was hoping that house would both protect the Pistoliers from the Fanatics and help to pull them out harmlessly. Spurring their horses the Outriders moved up into firing position. Nearby the rest of the line moved up including the Handgunners.

I moved the Knights Panthers forward so that the Fire Mage could use his Doomfire ring. The crossbowmen and the Reiksguard held back to protect the flank of the General’s unit and the Rocket Launcher.

My magic phase started well with an IF Conflagration of Doom. Three of the six Savage Orc boys fell to the spell. Not realizing that Robbie had 6 DD, the rest of my phase was pointless.

Shooting did nearly nothing except take one wound off the leftmost bolter. The Rocket Launcher missed so badly it went off the table! I wasn’t impressed.



Here come the Norcs!

Animosity had little effect except to propel one of the Night Goblin units close enough to release their fanatics. One spun towards the Pistoliers and one towards the Greatswords. Robbie hoped to outflank my lines and sent all of his Wolf Riders around the side of the house.

Shooting devastated the Knights Panthers, reducing them to two models and the Fire Wizard. With the Empire General nearby, they easily passed their panic test.



Using their fast cavalry movement, the Pistoliers flashed around the house to target the Goblin Cavalry. The BSB’s unit moved forward using the Mage’s Tower to help shield its flanks.

Shooting was truly lackluster with both the cannon and Rocket Launcher missing everything. The crossbowmen, Handgunners and Outriders had little effect. I was beginning to doubt my investment. The Pistoliers however managed to blast three Wolf riders from their saddles, but they passed their panic test (drat!).



The Orcs Attack!

Animosity froze the Orc right flank. In the middle the Orc General decided that the BSB’s unit needed to go and charged forward assisted by animosity. The Detachment could just get two guys into contact due to the proximity of the tower. If we were doing sliding it would have worked better, but there were two Orcs opposite of two Free Company.

Magic did nothing again, just too much defense. The shooting had very limited effect again.

The BSB’s unit easily held the charge and defeated the Orc General’s unit. Losing the melee by four, the Orcs ran and the Orc General was captured! First blood to the Empire!



The problem was as I was pursuing the BSB’s unit ventured two close to the Night Goblins and lost TEN men to two fanatics! So despite my rousing victory, my BSB’s unit panicked despite the proximity of my General and off they went racing towards the board edge.



My BSB’s unit rallied easily and turned back towards the battle. My shooting finally decided to shine with the Rocket Launcher taking out ten Orcs! Finally some results.



Something panicked the Night Goblins and they ran for the board’s edge. My Pistoliers reduced the Wolf Riders to a single model. My shooting kept chipping away at stuff reducing the Savage Orcs to a single model.



The Spear Orcs panicked from the Hellstorm Shot and ran towards the middle of the board, leaving the GIANT to hold the flank on its own.



The Orcs tried a combo charge on the Pistoliers, but one unit squabbled so it was left out of position. The GIANT moved up into terror range of the General’s unit.



The lone charging Wolf Rider made it through all the Pistolier shots and managed to kill one before being killed himself. I moved forward trying to reform my battle line, which was in disarray.



The left flank where the Reiksguard move up to engage the Orc artillery.



The Orc right flank. The Night Goblins on the left destroyed the BSB’s Free Company unit; later they would charge the Greatswords detachment. Seeing the Greatswords, the Orc BSB’s unit charges forward. Without anything in front of them, the Night Goblins were free to charge the Pistoliers.



Another view of the action on the Orc Right Flank.



A lone fanatic smashed into the Handgunners sending them fleeing.



What a turn! Sorry I didn’t take any pictures but here is what happened. Failing TWO stubborn rolls the Greatswords ran and was destroyed! I was in trouble. With only light missile troops, the Empire flank was in jeopardy. I was rescued by an excellent shooting phase. The Great Cannon destroyed the left most bolter. Without any Empire troops nearby, the Hellstorm hit the BSB’s victorious unit and killed a DOZEN Orcs! This sent them panicking towards the Outriders, just missing being destroyed. However, they FAILED TO RALLY and died when they fled into the Handgunners. What a swing of luck. The Outriders shooting at short range destroyed the Goblin Wolf riders.



In the Orc turn, the Orc Boss sent his Boys into the BSB’s unit. Disaster struck and the Orcs did poorly and were destroyed by pursuit. Bellowing the Giant charged the Empire General’s unit, while the Wolf Riders charged the detachment.


Last photo of the game.

The Night Goblins finally destroyed the Pistoliers but pursued into one of their fanatics. However, they passed their panic test despite losing over half their number.

Though the Free Company held for a turn, they ran in terror at the sight of the GIANT and were run down by the Wolf Riders. However, this took them into the short range of the crossbowmen, which annihilated them with accurate fire.

The Giant managed to kill a few Swordsmen, but over several melee turns the Empire General’s Sword of Might cut it down.

On the very last shooting phase the Orc Rock Lobber destroyed itself with a misfire. Further over the other Orc the Reiksguard destroyed artillery, and the game was over.

Victory to the Empire!

The new units a little under whelmed me until one good shooting phase. The Hellstorm is so inaccurate that it seems useless. However, it had two solid hits during the game that were devastating. It easily killed two dozen models and caused the death of the Orc BSB’s unit.

The Outriders seemed useless until a unit ambled into short range. They displayed how deadly they are if you can get into good shooting position. At long range they aren’t much more than harassment guys.

I really like the stubborn battle line. It was just poor rolling that caused me to lose my Greatswords. If they had held the Outriders would have charged the Orc BSB’s unit in the flank and probably ran them down. On the other hand a BSB that can fight is almost as good as making the unit stubborn. With a starting CR of 6 it is very difficult to win melee against this unit.

So much for my testing of some of the some of the new items. This week I’m hoping to try out the Atchlector against the Tomb Kings and perhaps some of the other new devices.