Brood vs Skarrd Battle Report

[Osiris]

Disclaimer: When facing Pyrrhus its best to have several plans, loaded dice and to be up to date on all of your prayers.

The Brood Report:

I find its always best to create a force with a plan in mind. Normally I like to have a warband that does one thing REALLY well. This time however, I chose a more rounded warband! I wanted to keep my worthy adversary guessing and prevent him from becoming too familiar with my dirty tricks.

The Brooding Home Team:

A pair of Grists where a definite first pick. (A little ranged attack with templates is always a welcome thing when facing larger numbers) For intimidation factor I added a melee force of Mean JellyBean and twin Saw Blades. ! I needed that little something extra to harass and distract the Skarrd: A Gazelle

Field of War:

The table was littered with broken walls, gargoyles, ruined fence lines and statue dedicated to a long forgotten saint reverently placed in the center. Long ago it may have been a place of worship but Samaria had slowly reclaimed it brick by brick. It was here that the two forces would meet.

Digging In:

After losing initiative (a theme for this battle) I placed my Gazelle on the left most flank. MJB and his Sawblades in the center and had the Grists holed down behind some ruined walls with a clear view of the field and very ready to welcome any Skarrd visitors. Or so I thought .....

Bola Hunters! There is no curse foul enough in Brood to decry them. Pyrrhus deployed them within sneezing distance of my Grists. There they stayed for most of the game.

Turn One

Bolas, Bolas, Bolas! Failing initiative again - the Hunters entangled both hunters and even caused a wound on one. My Grists where able to free themselves and fire a lucky shot but the Bola's luck was higher and leaped clear of any harm. To add insult to strategy the Hunters were all staggered so that even a perfect cast template would only kill one. I spent the next few rounds in a shooting match trying to pick them off one at a time.

Deciding to leave my Grists to their own demise the rest of my force marched towards the Skarrd while my Gazelle made it unharmed behind the venerable Saint.

Turn Two

After another dismal initiative roll the Grists continued their fire fight after regenerating successfully. The Bolas scored a bevy of hits but the nigh indestructible Grist armor prevented any injury. A lucky shot by a wounded Grist even killed a Bola outright. One down two to go!!!

Things were a little more tense at the front. My Gazelle sprinted further down enemy lines trying to outflank the Toxic Mistresses hoping to draw their attention. As she did MJB and Sawblades 1 & 2 positioned themselves to strike for next turn.

This was it! Next turn was approaching. Pyrrhus still held a band of Harpies in reserve. If I failed Initiative again I could count on the dual Mistresses turning my Sawblades back into the slag they were birthed from. Then the buzz blades would be able to hack their way through the remains and go on to MJB. With the Brood Battle Master distracted those Harpies would be sure to descend mopping up my weaker troops.

I had to get Initiative.


Turn 3

I didn't get Intiative.

Things were looking bad. To make them worse Pyrrhus ordered his Grafter to hunt down my Gazelle. While Grafter got the charge she missed the attack!

Unfortunately she had kept my Gazelle from Skarrd ranks and put me in a desperate position: Do I gamble to break away and get to the Mistresses hoping for the BroodMere to her my prayers ... or ... do I pull everyone back hoping that Grist Bio-Repulsor fire will save the day?

I made my choice. The Gazelle failed her first break away attempt though Grafter didn't get an extra hit in (small comfort). The second attempt sent the Grafter sailing back 5 cm with a wound to the head. Another activation had the Gazelle right beside one of the Mistresses and deliver a well placed kick.

KABOOM!!!!

The other Mistress, Gazelle and a lone Buzz Blade were caught up in the explosion. Though a little burned the Gazelle and Buzzblade both survived.

KABOOM!!!!

The second Mistress ignited taking out the Gazelle, Buzz Blade and injuring the Kaustic. Even the Grists hearing the explosion grew bolder killing another bola warrior!!!

Turn 4

My Gazelle had sacrified herself in exchange for a small nuclear explosion. Now was MJB turn to prove himself! Charging into the fray he trageted a Buzz Blade and with any luck he would slice through and kill the buzzblade and Kaustic outright.

Instead MJB botched the attack and was swarmed by the rest of the Skarrd Horde. He took several ones, one cauterised and one poison. Rolling a 20 to save he failed and took small comfort in his acidic blood killing another Skarrd.

Now it was time for the Sawblades to shine. Both charged into the rear arc of unsuspecting Might Buzz Blades and both missed!!!

Turn 5

During lingering effects MJB was able to heal back having one wound left. The poisoned Might Buzzblade recovered and dire news was delivered - the Harpies would make an appearance -

Though sometimes fortune can be a twisted thing and due to time constraints the battle had to end in a draw. Though for many nights to come I will be dreaming of what might have happened ... would the Brood have been resilient or fallen to a weight in numbers? Would the Grists slay the last bola warrior and turn their deadly fire onto the Kaustic or would the Harpies devour the Brood Corpses that litter another fogotten battlefield on Samaria?

We may never know

Osiris

[Pyrrhus]

Disclaimer: When facing Pyrrhus its best to have several plans, loaded dice and to be up to date on all of your prayers.

heh heh

Definitely a great game -could have gone either way if we had played it out

[Dr.Mercury]

That was an entertaining read!!!

[Pr0fane]

Definitely good reading right there. Sounds like a fun, although frustrating, game. That's a lotta bad rolling, Osiris.

[Pyrrhus]

That's a lotta bad rolling, Osiris.

Oh pshaw Don't feel too sorry for him. While he did lose three or four init rolls and his MJB could hit the broad side of a buzzblade, his Grists did make 7 consecutive AR save against my Bolas, while I don't remember passing a single save all game ( not that you hitme that much )

[Osiris]

Definitely good reading right there. Sounds like a fun, although frustrating, game. That's a lotta bad rolling, Osiris.

You are right on both accounts Pr0fane. Thoug currently My Gazelle and Pyrrhus Rogue Bola Hunter are both up for MVP.

MJB has been benched until further noticed due to a continued lack lustre preformance during his last two battles. Perhaps I should be using him as more of a leader and less of a tank? The jury is still out on this one.

It was a lot of hardcore fun for certain. I'm looking forward to the next set of matches with Lady Veloria joining us.

The Question then will be .... will she be siding with the Brood or the Skarrd?

Cheers,

Osiris