Lyrgard's battle reports (links in OP)

[Ixe]

These are great, Lygard, and a nice thing to contribute for the C3V judges. I am a sucker for narrated picture battle reports in general.

As a rule of thumb, however, it's a good idea to test customs against established units (be they official or VC) rather than pitting them against each other. Sometimes this is unavoidable if you are testing a custom faction that must play together, but for SoV in particular, the customs are all tested and judged on their individual merits. Part of a test tells you how it interacts with other units, which may get skewed when you have it interacting with other units that themselves have issues.

Don't take my comments too seriously. These are still great to see and a lot of fun to read. Thanks for doing them!

[Lyrgard]

Yes, I totally understand your point, Ixe, and I knew that what I was doing was not a playtest in ideal condition. On the other hand, it is a good way, I think, to get a first hand impression of many differents figures. When playtesting, I feel I need a game or two to just "feel" the figure, to gain some vision of how to play the figure that I may have missed just from reading the card. It was this sort of "preliminary" testing game.

As for narrated pitured battle report, you can read my previous ones (if you didn't already) or just wait till I translate some I made in french. I have something like 3 to 4 I want to translate. One of them is a huge 2vs2 thematic battle, each of the 4 players controlling 2 armies, the undead against the valiant human army, with nearly 200 photos

[Lyrgard]

The undead plague

Nicholas and Iskra, the sinister lovers, chose an old village to settle in. Most of the inhabitant were killed and turned into undead atrocity, thralls. The local militia was dispatched but quickly slaughtered. Thoses brave soldiers were not even granted the peacefull rest of death because the dark hex of the vampires force them to serve their new master in a squeletal form.
The local Lord decided to call a troup of specialists to deal with the problem, and also dispatched a squadron of his finest knights to help them.

The confrontation will take place near the ruins of the former surrounding wall of the village

Nicholas and Iskra surrounded by the dead villager

What remains of the local militia, a group of armed clattering bones

in the silent of the dusk, Iskra start singing a strange and distorted incantation

• Nicholas Esenwein
• 4x Preyblood thrall
• 3x Deathstrike thrall
• Sonya Esenwein
• Rechet of Bogdan
• 2x Skeletons of Annellintia

= 660 points

To face them, a brave group of vampire hunters, lead by the renowned Van Nessing himself. With him are the devout Ana Karithon and the mystic Myrddin. They recruted the strong Asterios to break the bones of the squeletons.

A squadron of fine knights escorts them

• Van Nessing
• Ana Karithon
• Myrddin
• Asterios
• 2x Knight Templars

=655 points.

The sun finishes to disapear on the horizon as the two armies start their fight. Who, of Good or Evil, will rejoice this night ?

Spoiler Alert!

The first round

Round 1


Ana is the first to move




On the other side, the remnant of the militia swarm forward




The powerfull Myrddin catches up with the cleric




The skeletons begin to flood the ruins





Van Nessing moves forward

and once more. He readies himself to receive the charge




Nicholas Esenwein takes flight to a dominant position over the battlefield.From there he spits insults on the weak, warm humans attacking him.




Round 2 : Charge !


Asterios moves forward, to counter the skeletons




But as he does, a deathstrike thrall also advances, as if to counter him.




Asterios doesn't let that frighten him and charge ! Halas, he needs to use his full movement (not his SA) and his single attack is blocked




The smell of the blood that beat in the veins of the minotaur drives the thrall crazy and he immediatly jump on Asterios without caring for his defense. Asterios easilly manages to kill him but took 2 wounds in the process.

The smell of the freshly drawn blood makes two preyblood thrall to advance




Asterios ignores the menacing thralls and begins to hack his way inot the crowd of skeleton. Two fall, crushed by the axes of the rampaging beast.

(One of them goes on Iskra's card)



Following the blood scent, a thrall rushes to Asterios and wound him. The mighty Asterios has lost half his lifes




Round 3 : Flee !

The wounds drive Asterios furious. He uses his great axes with rage and destroys all the undead around him

then run away. I made a big mistake, here, as I thought that Ana could heal him, but his size prevent it, as I'll realize later.

Alas, the two slain skeletons go to the cards of Iskra and Nicholas Esenwein



Even as he run away, Asterios leave a trail of blood. Following that, a thrall makes an impressive run to attack him on the back, wounding him twice, leaving him at death's gates.

Another thrall moves from the startzone




Asterios does a about-turn and tries to strike down his aggressor, but fails

Asterios is dying, and seeks desesperatly the help of Ana, so he tries to leave the engagement, but the thrall doesn't let him do and gives him the last strike




Yet another thrall leaves the startzone.




The Van Nessing's team lose a turn on Asterios.



The thralls take hold on the map




Round 4 : Braced spears



The templars charge to avenge Asterios. One of them kills the nearest thrall while two others take position.




But the thrall are undead and thus don't know fear. Two normal attacks from deathstrike thralls make two templars to bite the dust.




The templars retaliate

but a thrall supernaturally blocks a galoping charge (3 shields)




The battle is fierce. The knight that charged and was blocked is distracted and don't see the preyblood that jump on him from the side.

and the lucky deathstrike, now free to move, goes attack another knight but fails to kill him.




The deathstrike is quickly surrounded and killed by the templars swords, and the last templar is getting rady for a charge.




While the thrall get all the attention, Iskra swiftly moves behind a tree,

and finally ends her incantation :

Answering her call, the Rechets of Bogdan come into existence on top of the ruins.
On their mistress' order, they swoop down on the chief of the opposing army,

Van Nessing takes two wounds, despite Ana's protective aura.



Round 5 : Spears and bones



The vampires claim the initiative ! The Rechet of Bogdan try one more time to fall the main caracter of the opposing army, Van Nessing

but the vampire slayer only takes one wound this time



The hunter immediatly retaliate

but his second attack, even imbued of divine fury, is dodged




Iskra makes a skeleton to emerge from the ground

Once again, the skeletons march towards the heroes of Good




But they are quickly intercepted by the Templars. the nearest two skeletons are trampled on, while a third Templar charge violently the vampire Iskra. Halas, the vampire is hidden by the shadow of the tree and supernaturally manage to dodge the blow (Rha! it was a 6 dice attack !!)

The two slain skeletons are reduced to ashes under the horses' hoof and won't be able to come back



Iskra doesn't falter and once again reanimate a skeleton.

Using the road, one of them attacks the Templar the nearest of the heroes and kills him.

two others surround another templar, but his shiled keep him alive.

a last skeleton tries to protect his mistress but fails to kill her aggressor




This templar turn about and kill the skeleton

the other templar still alive, struggling with two skeletons, doesn't manage to kill one.
The slain skeleton success his reanimation roll and goes back on Iskra's card !


Round 6 : Alones in the dark !


The vampires claim once again the initiative.
The Rechet don't achieve the dreaded 3 skulls, but still put another wound on Van Nessing. The vampire hunter only has one life left !!




Van Nessing is gravely hurt and cannot muster enough strenght to kill a Rechet. Ana panics and fails her heal !!

Van Nessing then draws from his divine fervor to find the strenght to attack one more time. Behind him, the wise Myrddin puts his hand on the healer's shoulder and instills some of his energy to her. Ana snaps out of her panic and heals Van Nessing, at last !

Immediatly feeling better, the vampire slayer cuts in half one of the demons




Feeling the fear in the mind of his opponents, Nicholas smiles, showing his pointy tooth. With a soft rustling of his cape, he takes flight and lands near a Templar knight...

Without taking the time to savour this fresh soul, he moves once more :

The two last members of the escort died in an instant. Van Nessing and his two comrades are all alones against the dark forces.



The forces of Good take a turn gathering their courage to see this to the end, whatever the cost. (the order marker was on the Templar)



Nicholas' smile widens, but he stays cautious. Why risk his own life when he has docile servants ! He reanimates a skeleton,

and sends them on the heroes. A skeleton arrives next to Van Nessing and wound him (2 lifes left)




In this dire situation, Ana made up her mind ! She'll assist her chief to the end ! Her heal nearly restores Van Nessing to full health.

Strong again, he sends a skeleton back to hell.




Round 7 : Why won't they stay dead ?



Van Nessing plays first. He tries to kill the last Rechet but fails




Iskra summons the last skeleton on her card next to her

and the undead hord attacks Ana, wounding her once




But Van Nessing is watching and won't let that happen !

His divine furor allow him to play again, and Anas use this moment to heal his last wound.

Another skeleton is slain

(But, even with the holy relic that he holds, the skeleton goes on Nicholas' card)



The death is not a peacefull sleep for this skeleton. As soon as fallen, Nicholas reanimates him again.

The skeleton charges once more.

Ana is their primary target because her powers annoy the vampires. She is wounded twice.




Van Nessing defends the healer tooth and nails !

Halas, the power of his holy relics doesn't seems to work so near of the vampire, and once again, the skeleton just go back on his master's card.



To be immediatly reanimated.

And rush back to fight.

Ana takes another wound

Ana is at the death's gate, with only one life remaining. Their is only 3 skeletons left, but they keep coming back ! Will this madness ever end ?


Round 8 : Torments



Van Nessing won't let Ana be killed without doing something. He attacks a skeleton (taking a leaving engagement swipe from the last rechet by doing so) and reduce it to ashes.

Ana regains hope and heals him

as he continues and definitively removes another skeleton from this world.




But while the hunter is busy fighting the skeletons, Nicholas' smile widden even more ! At last, the hunter leaved his healer unprotected ! The vampire takes flight and drive his dagger right into Ana's heart...

"And now, you'll serve me !"

Without resting, Nicholas also attacks Myrddin and wound him




Full of rage, Van Nessing moves to attack the vampire but Ana, the faithful Ana, or rather the monstruosity that now moves her body, attacks him from behing as he passes. It is too much for the hunter, his blow lacks conviction and is easilly parried by the vampire. Nicholas licks his lips, savouring the feeling of helplessness flowing from him.




The last skeleton slashes the renowned hunter in the back with its sword




Van Nessing is still under the shock of losing Ana and his hands are shaling out of fear. The vampire taunts him while dodging his weak attacks




The last skeleton continues to harrass him on the back...




Round 9 : To the end


Van Nessing finally comes about. If he is to die today, he won't go alone ! His hands stop shaling as he strike the vampire once

then a second time !

The wicked smile on the vampire's face suddently disapears. Deep in his eyes, a glint a fear appears. Was he too reckless ? The cornered mouse is the most dangerous !



He calls his thralls for help ! A thrall receive the call and begin to run to its master's help.

He gathers speed !

And jumps on the hunter's back with great savagery and break his neck.

Van Nessing, the great vampire hunter, is no more...
Ana, her free will gone for ever, turns on her previous wizzard comrade and wound him cruelly.

Myrddin is the last to stand !



The order marker n°2 was on Van Nessing, so Myrddin cannot do anything.



Nicholas, with a sight of relief, show he can be magnanimous. He quickly and properly finish off the wizzard...

Haha, not at all ! Nicholas doesn't knw what pity means ! No rest for his opponents ! Myrddin knows the same fate than Ana...




The undeads are weakened, but the main opposing force in the area has now vanished. They'll be able to quickly extends their territory and enlarge their ranks again !




The humans will perhaps some time later come again to hunt them. But this time, the undead will be ready and... powerfull ! Nicholas bends over Iskra and kisses her. With a grim laught, they take flight. A new hunt has begun !

[Crixus33]

Originally Posted by Lyrgard

[*]Rechet de Bogdan[*]2x Squelettes d'Annellintia[/LIST]= 660 points

What is this strange tongue? I can in no way decipher what it means. It isn't like the words are cognates or anything.

[Lyrgard]

Thanks Crixus33, I forgot to translate that.

Just to help you understand this strange and savage tongue :
Squelettes d'Annellintia = Skeletons of Annillintia
Rechets de Bogdan = Rechets of Bogdan.
I hope the photos make more senses to you now
You should really learn french, it is not this hard, as you just saw

On to the first round (not much this round) :

Spoiler Alert!

Round 1


Ana is the first to move




On the other side, the remnant of the militia swarm forward




The powerfull Myrddin catches up with the cleric




The skeletons begin to flood the ruins





Van Nessing moves forward

and once more. He readies himself to receive the charge




Nicholas Esenwein takes flight to a dominant position over the battlefield.From there he spits insults on the weak, warm humans attacking him.

[Lyrgard]

Round 2 : Charge !

Spoiler Alert!

Asterios moves forward, to counter the skeletons




But as he does, a deathstrike thrall also advances, as if to counter him.




Asterios doesn't let that frighten him and charge ! Halas, he needs to use his full movement (not his SA) and his single attack is blocked




The smell of the blood that beat in the veins of the minotaur drives the thrall crazy and he immediatly jump on Asterios without caring for his defense. Asterios easilly manages to kill him but took 2 wounds in the process.

The smell of the freshly drawn blood makes two preyblood thrall to advance




Asterios ignores the menacing thralls and begins to hack his way into the crowd of skeletons. Two fall, crushed by the axes of the rampaging beast.

(One of them goes on Iskra's card)



Following the blood scent, a thrall rushes to Asterios and wound him. The mighty Asterios has lost half his lifes

[Lyrgard]

Round 3 : Flee !

Spoiler Alert!

The wounds drive Asterios furious. He uses his great axes with rage and destroys all the undead around him

then run away. I made a big mistake, here, as I thought that Ana could heal him, but his size prevent it, as I'll realize later.

Alas, the two slain skeletons go to the cards of Iskra and Nicholas Esenwein



Even as he run away, Asterios leave a trail of blood. Following that, a thrall makes an impressive run to attack him on the back, wounding him twice, leaving him at death's gates.

Another thrall moves from the startzone




Asterios does a about-turn and tries to strike down his aggressor, but fails

Asterios is dying, and seeks desesperatly the help of Ana, so he tries to leave the engagement, but the thrall doesn't let him do and gives him the last strike




Yet another thrall leaves the startzone.




The Van Nessing's team lose a turn on Asterios.



The thralls take hold on the map

[Maklar the Silver Prince]

Wait, so the great Asterios is only single-based? And couldn't he have used is special attack to attack and then run away with no wounds? Or is it only squadies, not commons, that don't get to make leaving engagement attacks?

Looking good!

[Lyrgard]

Yeah, Asterios is single-based. and the disengagement part of his power only works against small or medium squads. His boosted defense is also only against small or medium squads, so pseudo-squad made by common heroes like the thralls or the wyrmling have it easy against him. The only way he could run away with no wound would have been if he managed to kill the thrall.
But another quite limiting factor of his power is that he can attack the same figure only once per turn, so he couldn't attack the thrall 3 times.
All that keeps his quite impressive defense in check.

I added a link to the Asterios SoV submission in the first post of this report.

[Lyrgard]

Round 4 : Braced spears

Spoiler Alert!

The templars charge to avenge Asterios. One of them kills the nearest thrall while two others take position.




But the thrall are undead and thus don't know fear. Two normal attacks from deathstrike thralls make two templars to bite the dust.




The templars retaliate

but a thrall supernaturally blocks a galoping charge (3 shields)




The battle is fierce. The knight that charged and was blocked is distracted and don't see the preyblood that jump on him from the side.

and the lucky deathstrike, now free to move, goes attack another knight but fails to kill him.




The deathstrike is quickly surrounded and killed by the templars swords, and the last templar is getting rady for a charge.




While the thrall get all the attention, Iskra swiftly moves behind a tree,

and finally ends her incantation :

Answering her call, the Rechets of Bogdan come into existence on top of the ruins.
On their mistress' order, they swoop down on the chief of the opposing army,

Van Nessing takes two wounds, despite Ana's protective aura.

[elvenwizard9]

Really cool report... I think those knights picked the wrong part of the undead army to screw with, considering their point value.

[Lyrgard]

Round 5 : Spears and bones

Spoiler Alert!

The vampires claim the initiative ! The Rechet of Bogdan try one more time to fall the main caracter of the opposing army, Van Nessing

but the vampire slayer only takes one wound this time



The hunter immediatly retaliate

but his second attack, even imbued of divine fury, is dodged




Iskra makes a skeleton to emerge from the ground

Once again, the skeletons march towards the heroes of Good




But they are quickly intercepted by the Templars. the nearest two skeletons are trampled on, while a third Templar charge violently the vampire Iskra. Halas, the vampire is hidden by the shadow of the tree and supernaturally manage to dodge the blow (Rha! it was a 6 dice attack !!)

The two slain skeletons are reduced to ashes under the horses' hoof and won't be able to come back



Iskra doesn't falter and once again reanimate a skeleton.

Using the road, one of them attacks the Templar the nearest of the heroes and kills him.

two others surround another templar, but his shiled keep him alive.

a last skeleton tries to protect his mistress but fails to kill her aggressor




This templar turn about and kill the skeleton

the other templar still alive, struggling with two skeletons, doesn't manage to kill one.
The slain skeleton success his reanimation roll and goes back on Iskra's card !