The other day I said
that I was going to post up a Dragon Rampant battle report to test
the rules and see how the game plays.
This is actually my
first game using the system, I was going to get some practice games
in at the beginning of the year and attend the Rampant day 2020 event
which was being organised, but the world put paid to that idea,
especially as the thing was cancelled anyway due to the pandemic.
Anyway, for those who
don't remember, I did an introductory post about the game at the
beginning of the year, which you can find Here.
Given that whilst lock
down has been eased, we still aren't allowed to gather in groups,
Dragon Rampant was one of the best games in my collection to be
played solo.
To set the scene in my
house:
Out came the grass mat, the plastic bonsai trees and the
ruins which are Here I made a bit back, along with my completed small
forces. My son had gone to sleep, the Mrs was reading downstairs and
the cats were calm and sleeping of their dinner.
Time for me to get a
game on!
The forces are as
follows:
Stormcast Eternals:
Lord Castelland and Knight-Incantor - Heavy Infantry with Mystical Armour and Wizardling.
These have the leader
trait “Brave” meaning that they were never effected by fear.They had the spells:
Heal Thee!, Power Bolt and Stronger Shields.They have 6 wounds
each, using the reduced model count rule.
4 Sequitors – Heavy
Infantry.
They have 3 wounds
each.
4 Liberators – Heavy
Infantry.
They have 3 wounds
each.
A Dracoth Rider –
Heavy Rider with Wizardling.
He has the spells:
Banish Fear! Sod-Off-Spell and Power Bolt.He has 6 wounds.
3 Aetherwings –
Lesser War beasts.
They have 2 wounds
each.
The Nighthaunt:
Knight of Shrouds and 2
Dreadblades – Heavy Riders with Flying and Undead.
They have the leader
trait “Goader” meaning that a unit can automatically move without
passing a test to do so.
They have 2 wounds
each.
3 Myrmourn Banshees –
Scouts with Flying and Undead.
They have 2 wounds
each.
6 Grimghast Reapers –
Bellicose Infantry with Undead.
They have 2 wounds
each.
Banshee, Spirit Torment
and 10 Chainrasps – Light Infantry with Wizardling.
They had the spells:
Heal Thee! Bog Thee! And Befuddle Thee!
They have 1 wound
each.
An Abyssal Horror –
Lesser War beast with Flying, Flame Attack and Undead.
This has 6 wounds.
Now that the forces are
laid out, let's set the scene in the game:
“Find the ruins three
days march westwards from Ancestor's Fyrd, it's a small ancient hovel
nestled in the lee of Iron Ridge, we thought we could find a shortcut
and beat the Angus clan here to trade. All we found was death,
tormented spirits rising from the ground to attack us as we moved
through, there's no way traders will be coming here unless that is
dealt with”
Andrius Suresteel
thought about the tales of the wild eyed trader who had rode into
Ancestor's Fyrd six days ago. Trade was the lifeblood of the township
and needed to get through, more over, a significant Nighthaunt
presence this close to the town had to be dealt with and quickly. It had taken them three
days to call back the roving patrols which kept the Brayherd's to the
north in check, and leaving a garrison behind, they had marched out
to confront this latest threat.
“Sigmar's work is
never done my friend” Arinos Swiftsoul said from atop his Dracoth
mount as if sensing the unease in Andrius.
“No, it seems not,
we'll push on for another hour to the top of Iron Ridge and see if we
can spot anything” he replied.
“Very good lord”
Arinos said and goaded the Dracoth forwards to the front of the
column.
****
An hour later they had
marched onto the crest and were looking down at death.
Nighthaunt
were spilling from the ruins sensing the living warriors opposing
them, Chainrasps, Reapers, a huge Abyssal and the Knights which were
leading the horde. With a howl like a dry wind, they set forward
drifting on tendrils of smoke eager to kill the living.
“Form up, spread out
to cover the ridge, we have the high ground” Andruis shouted to his
Stormcast warriors.
Sequitors to his left,
Liberators and the Aetherwings to his right. Andruis on his Dracoth
following the Sequitors seeing the Reapers and Abyssal heading
towards that flank. Orine Silverheart, the forces' Knight-Incantor
remained by his side, the senior command and spell caster acting as
the lynchpin of the force.
Issuing orders, the
Liberators moved forwards to the edge of the treeline to make the
best of the room available, at the same time the Aetherwings, ever
unpredictable, shrilled and flew forwards, eager to rend the enemy.
The Sequitors and
Arinos however were caught out by the speed of the enemy who were
charging forwards en-mass, the Abyssal flying over the ghostly troops
to switch flanks.
Andrius couldn't be sure, but he could have
sworn he saw more ghost shapes in the ruins who hadn't moved but
couldn't see properly.
With a sudden shriek
the Aetherwings swooped forwards, driving at the Abyssal and tearing
with beaks and claws.
The Azyrite birds,
though valiant in the attack, hadn't managed to wound the great
ethereal beast at all, yet when it hit back, arcs of blood followed
the weighty hit and the hawks flew for the safety of the trees on the
ridge.
Meanwhile, the
Sequitors and Arinos had steeled themselves and marched forwards over
the crest-line, staring at the incorporeal horde approaching,
readying themselves as best the could for the fight to come.
At
his side, Andruis nodded with satisfaction as Orine muttered an
incantation to Sigmar and unleashed a bolt of purest white Azyr
lightning at the enemy leaders.
The bolt struck true
and one of the Dreadblade bodyguards seemed to drop somewhat towards
the ground and slowed, these creatures could certainly be wounded.
The other troops were watching as a cheer sounded from the length of
the ridge at the strike.
With a sudden surge of
movement, the Nighthaunt force threw itself forwards.
The
Grimghast Reapers fell upon the Sequitors with unholy vigour, their
scythes driving one of the warriors to the floor, his armour split in
two.
The unit, unsure of
themselves only managed to fend off the attackers before stumbling
back up the ridge where they came. A bolt of lightning leapt skywards
from the ground as the fallen warrior was reclaimed to Sigmar's
realm.
In the center of the
line, Andruis and Orine found themselves embroiled in a fight as the
Knight of shrouds and his bodyguard had charged forwards and swept
their blades in wicked circles.
“I am Vornos
Ravenhold, do you fear death?” it seemed to whisper and scream at
the same time.
Neither of the Stormcast deigned to answer and set
about themselves with stave and halberd.
Though bloodied, the
Stormcast heroes held firm. Their strength smiting one of the
Dreadblades and wounding the other as the Knight of Shrouds pulled
the ghostly creature in front of the halberd blow meant for him.
With
a sibilant hiss, he turned and led his ailing comrade back through
the trees for the moment.
In the center of the
Nighthaunt line, Amondrizel, leading the Chainrasps, let out a shriek
which cracked stone. She aimed her scream at the Liberators unit
causing them to cover their ears in pain and stumble out of rank.
At the same time, they
were hit by a more powerful shrill scream. The Abyssal had opened
it's jaws wider them a living thing could have and shrieked, digging
a furrow through the ground and pitching one of the stalwart warriors
from his feet.
Steeling themselves,
the Liberator unit redressed their ranks in-time to receive the
charge of the Abyssal which swooped down from the top of the nearby
ruins. Spectral claw met Sigmarite shield. Ayzr forged hammer
battered ethereal scale as the fight erupted.
Amazingly they managed
to drive the creature off, giving praise to Sigmar as they watched it
silently drift away through the ruins.
Their gaze draw down
towards the fallen comrade at their feet, before he is lifted away by
a bolt of lightning, reclaimed to Sigmar's forge. Steeling themselves
their set their sights upon the Chainrasp horde massing in front of
them.
The Grimghast Reapers
charged up the hill to engage the Sequitors once again. Scythes
flailing they set about the Stormcast as if they were a harvest.
Unfortunately, this
particular harvest was armoured in Sigmarite and fought back. When
the dust settled another of Sigmar's warriors was reclaimed, but two
of the Reapers had been banished back to the lands of Shyish.
Unfortunately, their
nerve didn't hold and they scrambled backup the ridge again, in-spite
of the bellowed orders of Arinos.
The figures which
Andrius thought he had seen at the beginning of the battle finally
resolved themselves as a unit of Myrmourn Banshee's. They swept
forwards and immediately began wailing at the Liberators unit.
Obviously wise to this tactic now, the Liberators were unaffected and
continued about their business.
Meanwhile magical
spells seemed to permeate the air as Amondrizel turned uttering
praise to Nagash, Supreme Lord of the Dead, seemed to reinvigorate
the Knights and they reformed themselves more solidly.
Orine, casting another
incantation from Sigmar, caused the Liberator's armour to begin to
glow, almost white with the divine protection coming from it.
And Arinos, bounding
forwards on his Dracoth, sent a searing bolt of lightning into the
Grimghast Reapers, causing one of the ghosts to disintegrate entirely
and causing the rest of the unit to scurry backwards to safety.
Not taking a single
step backwards, the Liberators charged forwards with a mighty
warcry!
They smashed into the Chainrasp line and battle was joined
in earnest.
Rusted sword and
spectral claw proved no match for the mightily protected Liberators
who proceeded to banish six of the ghosts in a matter of moments,
hisses and gasps echoing from each banishment.
Amondrizel, sensing
the fight was turning, spitefully stabbed her dagger into one of the
few weak points of the Liberators causing a wound, before turning and
gliding away with the surviving Chainrasps following through the
ruins.
Once again Vornos
Ravenhold led the charge up the hill, determined to see these upstart
living beings be drawn to the world of the dead. He managed to draw a
bead on the Knight-Incantor and sweeping his blade in a whistling arc
dealt a sever blow to her, driving her to her knees. He over extended
however and being so set on killing Orine, he failed to recognise the
death shriek of his remaining Dreadblade, let alone the whistle of
the Halberd which had now cut through several of his physical ties to
this realm. Panicked and badly out of position, the Knight of Shrouds
emitted a high pitched wail and bled into the ground and returned to
Nagash in Shyish.
With their main source
of connection to this realm defeated, the remaining Nighthaunt all
seemed to fade and little, their power somewhat diminished, until
Amondrizel, the thorn in the Stormcast sides, screeched once again
and focused the rest of the ghosts on the battle, only the Abyssal
fled from the battle line, recovering it's wits a few moment's later.
As the Knight of
Shrouds dissolved into the floor, the Liberators and Aetherwings were
back on the attack.
The Aetherwings seeking out the retreating
Amondrizel and Chainrasps, clawing at the ghosts which deftly
avoiding the return attacks.
The Liberators carried
on their forward momentum and slammed into the Myrmourn Banshee's who
were lining up to attack the Lord Castellant, current;y helping the
wounded Knight-Incantor back to her feet.
With another warcry to
Sigmar, the Liberators set about the Banshee unit before the enemy
knew what had hit them. Wiping the spectres from the realm, an
echoing wail emitting from each undead banished..
Arinos had charged into
the Grimghast unit again, driving his Dracoth hard. The creature
swept about with it's giant claws, biting forwards as Arinos swung
his sword, keeping the standard he held high.
With the turn of the
Reapers once again, the Nighthaunt seemed to loose whatever passed
for a heart amongst their kind and quit the field.
The Nighthaunt had been
driven away, Andrius gathered about him his surviving
warriors.
Though many were bloodied and Orine Silverheart was
struggling to stand by herself, his forces losses were thankfully
light. Two Sequitors and one Liberator had been reclaimed by Sigmar
for reforging, the one Aetherwing which had fallen was lain to rest
at the foot of the crest.
“We have done great work here, the
trade lines from the west will resume to Ancestor's Fyrd with the new
of this victory, Praise be to Sigmar!” He spoke to his warriors.
“Praise be to
Sigmar!” the echoed.
“Further” Andrius continued,
“Eldermnon Hammerborn, your and your Liberators have performed
above and beyond that which was expected of your today. In
recognition of your deeds, your shall be referred to as 'The Bulwark
of the Heavens' from hence forth”.
The Liberator Prime
stood straighter at this news, pride filling him. Even his wounded
soldier shrugged off the help of his fellow to stand with his prime
in recognition of this accolade.
Looking about him with
a weary but proud eye, Andrius Suresteel met the eyes of every
Stormcast present.
“We march to Ancestor's Fyrd!”
****
Well,
an enjoyable couple of hours play testing the rules.
I enjoyed
the randomness of activations, and the fact that if you fail an
activation, then your turn automatically ends regardless of whether
it is the first activation or the last. There was much luck of the drawer in the game, if some of the rolls, especially for the almost immortal Liberator unit had gone the other way, then it would have been a very different story. Likewise the Knight of Shrouds, inspite of him being the "Big Bad" couldn't seem to cut his way out of a paper bag, nevermind a fully armoured warrior!
One of the things I like the most about this game is the damage system
is very well done, simple but elegant and I had that down after the
third combat. I think with time and a few more playthroughs
then I will get speedier at the rules and not have to cross-check as
much as I did, as this is what ate up a lot of the time today.
I will definitely be
playing this again in the future, and maybe organise a campaign for
myself to play through.
Until next time...
- Lewis
