ASOIAF: Escape From King's Landing

Thematic Scenario by Board Man Gaming

Quite a different way to play Song! 

We have quite a competitive Song scene at our Nopat &Taktiikka club in Helsinki and we wanted to play something else for a change. We have already played Battle of Bastards and now it was time for an epic scenario from the first book, or should I say inspired by it. Check out the scenario here

Setup

4 of us joined in to play a 2 vs. 2 60p. game. Me and Jaakko were commanding Starks (all Stark minis on the table are mine) and Leo and Seppo lead Lannisters... or took orders from King Joffrey I guess. Lannisters were a combination of Leo's minis and from a Lannister army we have at the club.

Stark Army

Faction: STARK

Commander: EDDARD STARK - LORD OF WINTERFELL

Points: 60 | 5 neutral (8.33%)

Activations: 10

Units:

• EDDARD'S HONOR GUARD (6)

   with EDDARD STARK - LORD OF WINTERFELL (0)

• HOUSE TULLY SWORN SHIELD (6) with Arya

• HOUSE TULLY CAVALIERS (8)

   with WINTERFELL GUARDIAN (1)

• STARK OUTRIDERS (6)

• STARK SWORN SWORDS (5)

   with SYRIO FOREL - FIRST BLADE OF BRAAVOS (2)

• STARK SWORN SWORDS (5) with Sansa

• HOUSE TULLY CAVALIERS (8)

Non-Combat Unit:

• CATELYN STARK - LADY OF WINTERFELL (4)

• RODRIK CASSEL - COMBAT VETERAN (4)

• LORD VARYS - THE SPIDER (5)

It was really cool to use proper wargaming terrain! We placed the terrain so, that units could not too easily deny charges by pivoting into queer positions between buildings. Anyways, these special game modes should be played quite casually!

Round 1. Can Eddard survive?

In the scenario starting positions of units with named characters are preset and Eddard and his Honor Guard started in a very precaurios positions with Joff and his King's Guard in front and Petyr with Mountain's men in his rear...

Luckily Starks got to  start the  game and we had a good starting hand; we opted to take horse zone and moved Eddard out of his akward position. Then at the start of next turn we played Swift reposition and moved a further 3 inches to be out of the LOS arc of MM and quite far from Joffrey as well.

After these manouvres we got the opportunity to charge MM into the flank and did so boosted with "Devastating impact". Leo rolled very well with his saving throws and with "I'm the King" he blocked two more hits. We had hoped to deal a far more devastating blow...

Lannisters then healed MM and on our turn we considered blocking the Crown zone, but didn't and this proved to be a fatal mistake, as Joff's unit could replace Crowns with a move, which brought them to within charge reach of Eddard. Varys used one of his tokens to cause a panic test to MM, but they held once more...

Then Joff charged and used 3 out of his banners to boost the attack and Honor guard lost 8  models. We then played "Fury for the Fallen" but Tyrion NCU digged up "Counterplot" and it was not to be...

History was repeated when Petyr and MM chopped down rest of the Honor Guard and Eddard lost his head! Near the city gates our cavalry moved into positions to have options to both check the advance of Lannister cavalry, as well as come help the still living Stark personalities...

Rarely seen on battlefield Lannister Honor Guard charged Syrio Forel and his escort of Stark Sworn Swords

Situation at the end of Round 1.

Middle game

Lannister started R2 and soon only Syrio was left standing against overwhelming numbers, very thematic indeed... while Arya watches in horror - fear cuts deeper than swords!

Valar morghulis!

Cavalry duel began as Clegane Brigands charged Tully cavaliers, but they were soon getting chopped down themselves!

Soon Stark cavalry overwhelmed Lannister cavalry - would they still have time to gallop into rescue of Arya and Sansa?

Arya and Tully Swornshields had watched Syrio go down and now brazed themselves for the incoming charge... but Lannister HG were already winded and didn't quite make it!

Then Stark girls countercharged but couldn't quite overwhelm the enemy "elite" (an unfortunate charge roll of 1 played crucial role here)  

End of Round 3.

End game

Soon Sansa's guard was overwhelmed and she was caught to suffer at the hands of Lannisters! 

Rest of the Starks hadn't goven up yet and Stark cavalry charged headlong into Joffrey and his retinue - aiming to revenge the wrong done to their liege lord Eddard! Unfortunately streets of King's Landing were quite confined and full strenght of cavalry could not be brought to bear.

As the cavalry couldn't quite destroy Joffrey (he stood alone for a while), Lannister infantry were able to join the fray. Bitter struggle followed...

...with Lannisters eventually standing in the control of the streets and only

Arya ecaping the clutches of Lannisters!

We indeed followed the narrative from the books!

As a conckusion, I think the battle was more or less decided, when we lost Eddard and his HG already R1 and could not finish Petyr and his MM retinue. This lead to all of Lannister infantry being able to overwhelm most of Stark infantry before our cavalry could dispatch Lannister cav and come to their aid. After the initial losses, we should have retreated with Arya and Sansa to consolidate with our cavalry...

A bitter loss, but it sure was a pleasure to play this visually very pleasing thematic battle!