Sartosa 3: Pieces Of Eight (Flame On Campaign 2008)

Hey Kurgan, what's going on in Sartosa?
Has there been a gagging order (I hope my dictionary didn't lie to me) by the Naval Alliance or what's the reason no news are coming from the island?

I know its gone a little quite on the Pirate Island but fear not:

A seven-player Warhammer Legendary Battle is taking place... TONIGHT!

Dragoon Tooth Isle will shake with the pounding of hundreds of feet as the armies of all four factions struggle to control the little spit of land off the east coast of Sartosa.

With 2000 points per player a massive multi-table battlefield and "real" Pieces of Eight representing victory points earned during the game it will be a corker (I hope...)!

Here's a list of those involved:

WarbossKurgan
Davespaceman
Nippy Longskar
mike
zelophahad
grotsmeg
Nethrag

OH BABY!
That about sums it up.

Thought that'd make ye happy.



I'm very excited!

I love the way you guys have two scales going on playing WHFB and Mordheim, you could even play a game with just one of your heros but using DnD rules with a neutral GM...somehow, not sure though!

HURRAH!
Barnacle rescued AND a VICTORY for the forces of Truth, justice, & the GREEN WAY [well, maybe we can skip the truth & justice part ]!

The truth might be Waaagh! (who knows) and I think it's quite just that everyone gets a good bashing, even the other Greenskins

DeafNala wrote:

HURRAH!
Barnacle rescued AND a VICTORY for the forces of Truth, justice, & the GREEN WAY [well, maybe we can skip the truth & justice part ]!

Phil called it an "Immoral Victory" since he knobbled Barnacle Nog, preventing me from technically winning (and getting the extra exploration dice) but since he fled and I got my First Mate back... I call that a win!

The Great Battle of Wrecking Cross


The (Legendary) Battle for Sartosa
Here are the modifications to the game rules:

• Each player in a team controls his own army. All players on the same side move their units in the Movement phase; all the players shoot in the Shooting phase; and so on. If there is ever a disagreement on what order to do things in, then roll a die to decide who goes first.
  
• Characters from one player's army may not join units belonging to a team member's army. Generals and army standards only affect units from their own army.
  
• In a Legendary Battle, each side receives one power or dispel dice in their dice pool for each player in the larger-sized team, instead of the usual two dice per side. So, if one team had three players and the other team had four, then both sides would get four dice. These dice must be distributed as evenly as possible amongst the players in the team, and then randomly decide who gets any leftover dice. Next, add additional dice to each player's starting pool as you would normally, and then carry on with the Magic phase.
  
• Players on the same side are not allowed to share the dice from their pool with other players after the dice have been distributed.
  
• Only one player per side may attempt to dispel any given spell, but they are allowed to try to dispel a spell cast against any unit on their side, including units commanded by other players.

The Table
Push as many tables as you can get your hands on together and form as irregular a shape as possible: An L-shaped, T-shaped or Z-shaped layout would all add more interest - anything other than a square or oblong!

Place five small groups of buildings as the objectives (place an objective marker in each group). One objective must be placed in each side's deployment area, and the remaining three must be set up in the "No Man's Land" between. No objective can be placed within 12" of one that is already in play. Woods, hills, broken ground, etc. should all be scattered liberally but each terrain piece should have a 12" gap around it.

Deployment
Each side has a Deployment Zone 36" wide per player and 18" deep. The area between each side's Deployment Zones is "No Man's Land".

Each player rolls a D6 and the lowest score deploys their entire army first within 18" of a single point on their side of the board. The other players deploy in ascending order of their dice roll (re-roll draws to determine the order which drawing players deploy).

All players are then allowed to move their troops a further 18" in the same order. Units must stop when they move to within 12" of an enemy model and are then "locked" until the game starts.

Starting the Game
Each side rolls a D6. The highest scoring side may choose to go first or second.

Reserves
It's entirely possible that you won't be able to fit all of the units onto the tabletop. You may also want to hold some units back even if there is room to deploy, in order to keep some troops in reserve to cover any losses you suffer. Players are therefore allowed to keep some of their units in reserve. These units are not set up with the rest of the army, and instead can enter play in the same manner as a unit that has pursued an enemy off the table (see page 43 of the Warhammer rulebook for details). The only difference to the standard rules is that any or all of the reserves may enter on any turn that the controlling player wishes, and anywhere on their side's table edge.

Desperation tokens
In a large, multiplayer game, it's not uncommon for one side or the other to end up with fewer points than their opponent. To help even things out, the underdog is given a number of desperation tokens that they can use to help them in the battle. How you represent the tokens is up to you; coins, counters or beads will suffice, although some players will want to scratchbuild some tokens that are in keeping with their army.

The side with the lowest points total receives one desperation token for every full 500 points they have less than their opponents' total points value. How the tokens are divided up is for the team to decide; you can divvy them out at the start of the battle, keep them in a communal pool to use as needed, or use any other system you may prefer.

A desperation token can be used to do one of the following three things, and is then discarded:

• To change a failed Break, Panic, Fear or Terror test into a passed test.
  
• To cancel out a spell in the same manner as a Dispel Scroll.
  
• To re-roll any single dice roll (including scatter dice and misfire dice). No dice may ever be re-rolled more than once, even if other abilities that allow a re-roll apply, and the re-rolled result must be accepted, even if it is worse.

Ending the game
Agree a time limit or "start last turn" time but make sure that both sides complete the same number of turns.

Set up five objective markers at the start of the battle. Any suitable marker will do; coins or counters are fine, but specially made markers are better! Take turns setting the markers up (roll a dice to see who goes first). One objective must be placed in each side's deployment area, and the remaining three must be set up in the "No Man's Land" between. No objective can be placed within 12" of one that is already in play.

You must check to see if you have captured any objectives at the end of each of your turns, so you check at the end of each of your turns, and your opponents check at the end of theirs. An objective is captured if you have a unit with a unit strength of five or more within 6" of it, and there aren't any enemy models closer to the objective than you are.

Each objective you control at the end of your turn scores your side a number of Pieces of Eight (PofE) equal to the turn number. So, each objective controlled at the end of the first turn is worth 1 PofE, each controlled at the end of Turn 2 is worth 2 PofE, and so on. Keep a running tally of each Player's score, and at the end of the battle the side with the highest total score is the winner.

The Teams

The Scurvy Dogs and the Naval Alliance



The Corsairs and Davy Jones' Crew



The Map:



Battle Report coming soon...

OH BABY! Cool photos & an excuse to just stare at all the neat toy soldiers. God is GOOD!

I wasn't going to ask, but, bugger that fo a lark, DID YOU WIN, Saul?

20th November, the year eight, Dragon Tooth Isle

The Great Battle of Wrecking Cross

Song will be sung of that day. Tails will be told by firelight to hushed crowds; old pirates will turn to jealous shipmates and proudly say "I was there" on the day that six mighty armies gathered to settle a matter of ownership of a tiny spit of land in the Pirates Current, off the east coast of Sartosa.

For the past year and more the wars on Sartosa had raged across the island but the little rock that used to be home to Dragon Tooth Castle had been ignored since the castle was razed to the ground. Several small settlements had sprung-up in that time and a meagre living could be made there (from picking over the wreckage of the many ships that regularly run-aground). Smuggler's Den, The Cannon Inn, Watchtower Hill, Skrag End and of course Wrecking Cross – all names that no-one had heard of until that fateful day.

The fate of Sartosa may not have been decided that day but there were other, darker, aims in the minds of the generals present. Then there was also the rumour of something buried deep in the rock of Dragon Tooth Isle, something older even than the Tomb Kings of Khemri, something that should not be disturbed…

~ ~ ~







The bulky form of Adm'rul Kurgan Grimjaw stood silhouetted on the hill overlooking Skrag End as the sun rose behind Wrecking Cross in the east. The wind blowing from the north west had brought a great fleet of ships, racing to be the first to claim the forgotten corner of Sartosa. On the way messages had been exchanged via carrier pigeon (and other, less savoury, means…), messages of temporary allegiances and pacts. So it was that on one hand stood the staunch allies of the Scurvy Dogs – Sartosan Pirates of various races, and on the other the colourful (even "showy", to Kurgan's mind) ranks of Prince Robinet Puissant's Troupeau à Ailes Royal. The pirates weren't entirely happy with the horde of Knights milling around so close (considering the numerous defeats they hand suffered from those very same chumbuckets) but the Bretonnians had a reputation for keeping their word so maybe they could be trusted.

~ ~ ~





With The Carcas anchored just off the north coast Count Josef Henrich Varcolai led his undead minions ashore en masse and marched straight past Watchtower Hill without sending any troops to claim it. He attempted to raise the dead sailors from past aeons to capture it on his behalf but the wind of magic blew against him. A cloud of Giant Bats took to the air and headed for Skrag End where Pegasus Knights and Bats played an airborne game of cat and mouse for a few minutes.







The mutant Trolls of Tyrant Ikrim Elfeater's army left a pack of salivating hounds to guard Smuggler's Den and set course for The Cannon Inn and the pirates of the Blue Sun Ogres that stood in their way…

The Orcs and Goblins of Warboss Snaptoof's Green Corsairs also had The Cannon inn in their sights and took possession of it immediately but they sent a detachment towards Skrag End as well, with a pair of Giants in the fore.



The Ironfang Orc Pirates advanced towards Skrag End too, but the bulk of their lines swung left to face the onrushing multitude of Warboss Snaptoof's Corsairs. The pirate's looted guns spoke and score good hits on one of Snaptoof's Giants and his Big'Unz while Broadside the Ironfang Giant headed for the other one.



The Troupeau à Ailes Royal left a handful of peasants to guard Wrecking Cross. The rest of the army mounted their chargers and galloped round the north side of Skrag End, intent on engaging the forces of Count Josef Henrich Varcolai.

~ ~ ~

Leadbelchers blasted Snaptoof's Boar Boyz and destroyed his chariot but Ikrim Chaos Spawn leapt out of the jungle and flanked them just as the Boar Boyz charged.





Warboss Snaptoof and his Boar Boyz, crashed into Git Turpinz Riders and swept them away crashed into Kap'n Mogrum's Boyz without breaking their stride. The Orcs braced against the charge and hacked at the boars feet (shouting things like "Here piggy piggy piggy!" and "Apple sauce!"). Mogrum slaughtered most of the riders with cutlass and steel-toed boots and when Broadside charged them the Boar Boyz broke - the Pirates trampled the Warboss and few survivors as they fled.

In the chase Broadside crashed into one of Snaptoof's Giants: He swung his club downward in a great two-handed blow but the cunning pirate side-stepped and avoided it. In return Broadside's broken-mast-club swing also met nothing but air and both Giants looked a little shocked! The rest of the Ironfangs dissolved into an unruly, squabbling anarchy – it seems they got into the store rooms of the tavern in Wrecking Cross before dawn.







Great crowds of skeletons and zombies pulled themselves from the ground around Count Josef Henrich Varcolai and more Giant Bats swept out from their hiding places and darted towards Skrag End. The ship wrecked sailors buried around Watchtower Hill finally became restless and captured the ornate building and its arcane brass telescope.



The Giant Bats flew into the windows and doors of the buildings of Skrag End and Kap'n Rukbadruk's Boyz followed him in as he battered down a door and stormed the buildings: The Bats didn't last a minute.

Snaptoof's second Giant, still bleeding heavily from the cannonball wound, charged Adm'rul Kurgan and the Hogwashas. The great Orc roared with glee and welcomed the brute with a wave of Martog's Best Kutlass. The Giant yelled and bawled but the Hogwashas held without fear.



~ ~ ~

Kap'n Rukbadruk's Boyz got carried away with themselves and ran out of the cover of Skrag End towards the rapidly approaching skeleton hosts of the Count. They charged and smashed the boney buccaneers to dust.

Snaptoof's Wolf Riders nipped in among the streets of Skrag End and started taunting the Ironfang Crab Riders and Troll. The Adm'rul carved huge chunks out of the Giant and it fell on the Hogwasha, squashing two of them – much to the amusement of the others. Broadside was quicker this time and swung his club again - he killed his opponent with a single fell blow.

Ikrim Elfeater's army munched its way through the Blue Sun Ogres (literally at times!). It would not be long before the Ogres crumbled – subjected as they were to the whole might of the Troll army plus a fair chunk of Snaptoof's Waaagh!





One of Ikrim's most foul talents was revealed as the Bretonnian Prince Robinet Puissant's Hippogriff landed a little to close. A nauseating jet of bile, pestilence and half-digested dinner was sprayed over the Prince, dissolving his immaculate royal robes, his very expensive royal armour and a fair bit of royal flesh. The screams could be heard all the way over in Wrecking Cross.











Kurgan and the Hogwasha's were charged by Snaptoof's big'unz and it looked grim fro the Pirates – but the looted guns had taken a heavy toll on the massive Orcs on their long march across the field and the numerous Hogwasha's overwhelmed the Big'Unz and chased them down as the ran.

~ ~ ~

When the dust settled and the carrion birds started gathering it was clear it hadn't all gone the pirate's way. Even though the battle had gone well the larger part of Dragon Tooth Isle was in the hands of the Corsairs! The remaining shares were nearly all divided between Davy Jones' Crew and the Naval Alliance. The Scurvy Dogs were very much left with table-scraps…

PofE scored:

Scurvy Dogs 2 (Saul 2, Dave 0)
Naval Alliance 6 (Richard 6)
Total: 8

The Corsairs 11 (Mike 6, Mark 5)
Davy Jones' Crew 7 (Jonny 7)
Total: 18

The Federation of Evil won and the Corsairs have taken control of Dragon Tooth Island for now...

Sounds like a win, Saul. Was it, huh?

I checked it out on the Flame On Forum; snatched defeat from the jaws of victory AGAIN, but it looked like an enjoyable game for all concerned & certainly a cinematic event. SO...that's rather a victory in & of itself.

Week 9

Island Invasion

The big news this week is the titanic clash on the tiny Dragon Tooth Isle; more on that later.

Firstly though the piratical Ogres of the Blue Sun Tribe battled a Vampire and his minions in the Cave of the Damned. The bulky buccaneers took a sound thrashing in the darkness.

The Osso Hills came under attack on two fronts: General Jeridian Neskijn and the Nordland Expeditionary Force fought off Gardrock and the Sartosa Harbour Independent Trading Syndicate while Prince Robinet Puissant and the Troupeau à Ailes Royal was narrowly beaten by Tyrant Ikrim Elfeater's Mutant Trolls. The Naval Alliance firmly held on to the bleak highlands even with the continued pressure.



The unfortunate eastern land mass of Dragon Tooth Island has avoided the worst effects of the Sartosan Wars over the last two years (after Nethrag and Prince Pharothep the Enduring levelled the old lighthouse and dug holes all over the place, back in the year six) but that period of relative peace came to an end this week. Armies from all four factions landed on the small island and tried to take possession of the small settlements that have sprung up there lately.

Adm'rul Kurgan Grimjaw and Tyrant Jayne of the Scurvy Dogs forged a temporary accord with Prince Robinet Puissant of the Naval Alliance. Warboss Snaptoof and Count Josef Henrich Varcolai of the Corsairs signed a dark pact with Tyrant Ikrim Elfeaterof Davy Jones' Crew. The two shaky coalitions took to the field in the biggest single engagement ever to blight the Pirate Isles in living memory! The Corsairs came out on top with a small but decisive edge over their rivals and allies!



Davy Jones' Crew held The Fortress of the Pirate King, Roba, Sartosa City, the Howling Marsh, Ossomunte, Caragio, The Old Penitentiary, Beffardo, Vermunte, the Volcanic Lake and Dead Man's Point and captured The Cave of the Damned.
The Scurvy Dogs held Fort Senelite, The Bay of Wrecks and Skull Point and The Pirate's Current.
The Corsairs held Caprio and captured Dragon Tooth Island.
The Naval Alliance held Ragil and the Osso Hills and captured Skull Sands.

DeafNala wrote:

I checked it out on the Flame On Forum; snatched defeat from the jaws of victory AGAIN, but it looked like an enjoyable game for all concerned & certainly a cinematic event. SO...that's rather a victory in & of itself.

It wasn't really that close - in terms of the fight we did pretty well, but the victory condidtions were all about the objectives and we just couldn't get to them quick or hold on to them for long enough to score..

"Take the money AND run" may not sound liken a GLORIOUS VICTORY, but it beats the Hell out of bolting empty handed. CONGRATULATIONS; A VICTORY of sorts!

Just got home from a four-player six-ship Warhammer Naval game!

I won't spoil the result as I'll write a Battle Report and post more photos tomorrow, but it was great fun!

YARR! IT BE TRAFALGORC!

Lord Nelson would be proud, not to mention Captain Hornblower. GREAT REPORT & WONDERFUL PHOTOS!

Week 10

The End… again


The weather taken another turn for the worse; the seas are running fast and heavy. Dark clouds once again race low in the sky over Sartosa. Any fool caught on Sartosa over this winter is in for a bleak time of it. Mayhap not as bad as last winter but it won't be the old rounds of drinking, feasting and bar-fighting that the off-season used to revolve around.

Tyrant Ikrim Elfeater secured the Cave of the Damned for the Davy Jonesers after it was re-captured last week. Then he proceeded to oust the Scurvy Dogs from their stronghold of the last seven weeks: Fort Senelite.

Prince Robinet Puissant and the Troupeau à Ailes Royal took part in a close-fought defensive action against a band of Chaos worshipers in the Osso Hills and drove the Blue Sun Tribe Ogres of Tyrant Jayne off of Skull Sands.



Contrary winds and high seas added complications to a massive naval action off the north coast on the Pirate's Current. A temporary treaty between the Naval Alliance and the Corsairs fought their way free of a squadron of Scurvy Dogs using the novel strategy of Orcs of Warboss Snaptoof's Rusty Reavers as boarding parties and Pegasus Knights as aerial support. The Scurvy Dog pirates were attempting one last desperate grab at other peoples' stores, merchandise and resources before they fled the island but they were repulsed with the loss of the Ironprow II for no gain, even with the superior numbers, reliability and accuracy of their carronades. It is believed that the Ironprow may have been recovered through the summoning of a magical storm that drove off the enemy before they had a chance to take possession.



So set sail mates, set sail before the storms get even stronger and trap you here for the winter! Make for Araby, Tilea, Estalia or beyond, but don't delay leaving for a moment longer 'an it takes to fill your hold with what little supplies there are left to be had.



Davy Jones' Crew held The Fortress of the Pirate King, Roba, Sartosa City, the Howling Marsh, Ossomunte, Caragio, The Old Penitentiary, The Cave of the Damned, Beffardo, Vermunte, Dead Man's Point and the Volcanic Lake and captured Fort Senelite.
The Scurvy Dogs held The Bay of Wrecks and Skull Point and The Corsairs held Caprio and Dragon Tooth Island.
The Naval Alliance held the Osso Hills, Ragil and Skull Sands and captured The Pirate's Current.