Lugg Vale campaign, part 1

Before you continue you might want to check how the idea for the campaign came to be and what inspirations were used.

Coffee Break #12/2022

Initial setup and board

Lugg Vale Campaign – Powys (blue) against Dumnonia (red)
Powys always has Initiative except in Lugg Vale battle.
Available troops ( initial ). Can be modified by events.

armoured warriors
unarmoured warriors
skirmishers

Warbands are moving but nothing notable during the first rolls. Both focused on the sure battle to come. No events.

A warband of Powys catches up and launches a raid. To Battle !

Powys raiding warband decides for a flexible but weaker setup with 3 units of unarmoured warriors, one with a Leader, and 3 skirmishers.

Dumnonia decides to spent under the maximum points and brings more spears to the field.

Battlefield with a result of 4 features.
Powys places the Village ( to be raided ! ) and woods, while Dumnonia tries to guarantee a hill position and also some woods.

Battle resolution normal for 30 points, first side losing 2 units is considered defeated.

Dumnonia assembles 2 groups of spears and a separate group of skirmishers. Powys bets on a hard hit full spear boar snout and harassing skirmishers screen.

Turn 1

Powysians bet their Tactics on moving and some harassment with the Skirmishers but guarantee a Special Tactic if something unexpected comes up. Dumnonians want to regain Initiative and battle it out as hard as possible if possible.

Predictable opening moves. Both sides use Move tactics. Powys sends in the sticks and stones crew ahead. Dumnonia moves spears to the hill overlooking the village.

Dumnonia notices that it lost the march, but ends stealing the Initiative, with a poor selection of Tactics but adapts using the Special Tactic to charge the woods overlooked by the hill, which the spear find empty of enemies. Powys moves in force to the village.

Turn 2

Both sides make their plans. In what sequence will the tactics be employed ? In what units ? What targets ? What Special Tactics will be used ? One thing is certain, Powys decides to Seize the Initiative for the follow up turn.

Dumnonia warlord brings his own sworn warriors uphill. Powys senses the incoming clash of shields but decides on a shift of the skirmishers around the back of the village into the woods.

One thing must be said about attacking an enemy shieldwall – it is a dreadful prospect. Both sides expend Tactics trying to setup the best chances. Powys has the worst of it with only one simple Battle tactic left ( and Seize Initiative ) against 2 Special options.

Exchanging insults was customary. Dumnonian warlord uses a classic one before ordering his own spear to attack the enemy in the village. “I shall drink from your skull!!!!” ( cookie for who guesses ).

The attack is really furious ! With only a possibility of affecting the enemy with 5+ rolls given attacking a defensible position, at least half of the warriors do something positive. Powys must allocate hits on the units before being able to reply and decides to spread.

The warriors of Powys show to be second to none and give almost as much as they get ! Dumnonia risks an even spread. ( if the Leader unit gets destroyed the army gets 1 less tactic ).

Powys uses Battle tactic and continues the engagement in the village forcing the Dumnonians to the brink of collapse… almost…

The brutality of the fight is unheard of ! Dumnonians fight like the village is theirs ! ( oh wait… it is ! ) Having to distribute the damage the Powys player faces a problem. To balance all warriors to 1 or keep the Leader unit at 2 but lose one. Choices are made.

Turn 3

New turn. Powys has Initiative. Decisions are hard at this point. Powys needs to force enemy routs and resist own so it resolves for a concentrated use of Skirmishers while regaining cohesion. Dunmonia goes flexible and seizes both Special Tactics and try to steal Initiative.

Powys Move one area and pulls back form the village with the intent of Rallying. Dumnonia plays a Special – Embolden ( now possible due to owning the village zone ) and recovers points on two forces.

The powysian Skirmishers use Shoot into the village forces and score two hits ! This absolutely negates the points regained earlier but “that’s better than being routed” exclaims the Dumnonian warlord !!!!

Again a Special Embolden is decided by the Dumnonians and with a nice roll one of the warriors contingents recovers to full battle rating. Powys plays Rally and recovers 2 points in the Leader group.

The Battle tactic is useless without contested areas. Dumnonians have to endure the last action of the enemy with javelins again flying from the woods but scoring no hits. 5+ needed.

Dumnonia seizes the Initiative for the new turn and starts it with a Rally that sees two warrior bands recover to full battle readiness. Powys sees the danger that a Special – Charge can provoke and Moves the warriors further away to be able to breathe.

Charge those woods !!! …and with some freak luck on the rolls the Powys skirmishers and put to flight ! “RUN AWAY” crosses the mind of the powysian leader as the dumnonians emerge from the woods !! Still the turn must be completed and there’s still tactics to play.

Some javelins still find their mark and provoke 1 point damage. Dumnonia can’t do Battle and must wait. Powys cannot possibly win and decides to Embolden and call it a loss with 1 warrior and 2 skirmishers lost against none of the enemy.