Sunday, April 7, 2024

Reclaim the Baggage - Not at All!

The Dwarves Take a Beating

So, the dwarves got well and truly hammered in this scenario. With Bifur and Bofur both dying in quick succession without even getting off the starting platform.  

Unlike the first scenario (which the dwarves just lost), where I don’t think I used the throwing weapons and heroic combats effectively, which probably made the difference in the first game. And at the end of that game, all of the dwarves had their full number of wounds and Oin can restore wounds.  In the second game, the dwarves fought bravely but just lost. They just didn’t have a real edge over the hordes of goblins.


So, the goblins crowded around eager to get to grips with the dwarves. The dwarves were left with no option but to advance and try and pin the goblins to narrow walkways. But three dwarves just wasn’t enough and from the first turn of combat the dwarves were surrounded. Once again, the chittering hordes rule is a real game changer.

The first turn of combat had plenty of drama with Bofur (with the support of Bifur) striking down the goblin captain when he took two wounds and failed with fate roll (with a one). On the other side Bombur also received two wounds from the two goblins he was fighting but he did manage to make his Fate roll.  Then in the second turn, he promptly struck both goblins down to return the favour.


Despite the loss of the captain, the goblins surged forward and quickly overwhelmed both Bifur and then Bofur in a couple of rounds of fighting. The dwarves did take down a few more goblins but the horde was too strong.


The dwarves were always going to struggle with this scenario as they only have three average fighters and no special combat abilities. Additionally, the goblins are allowed to deploy very close to the dwarves further limiting their tactical options. I am thinking that I would like to replay each scenario but choosing my own dwarven contingent.

The more I play these games, the more I am reminded of Space Hulk with a few elites battling unrelenting hordes in tight and confined battlefields.

 Rob 

2 comments:

  1. Ouch! Hard beat for the Dwarves! You're right, as you were narrating the action, I was just thinking of Space Hulk, I think you have a point there

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    Replies
    1. I think this will require a bit of change before I play one again. It didn't feel it had any real balance. But as quite often playing GW scenarios it just needs a small tweak.

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