Epic Battle Report: 3 vs 3 1000 pt. armies

[Junge Roman]

On June 21st, in the heat of the early Texas summer, six Heroscapers joined together to test the might of the Valkyrie, and in so doing, tested the limits of their own luck and endurance. This is a report on the epic battle that ensued.

The battlefield, formerly known as “The Jungle Holocaust,” may now be known to some as “The Zombie Holocaust.” The carnage that these hills and trees and fair waters knew that day shall not easily be forgotten




Three armies gathered under the banner of Utgar, and three armies gathered to face them in the name of the alliance.

Note: All Heroscape official rules were followed with these exceptions: some zombies were allowed to start off the board because of starting zone restrictions. Play order alternated between teams, with initiative rolls done as normal.

For Utgar:
The Orc Horde
Ornak
Brunak
Grimnak
Tornak
Nerak
Krug
2x Blade Gruts
2x Arrow Gruts
2x Heavy Gruts
2x Swog Riders

The Undead Legion
Cyprien
Sonya
2x Shades
10x Zombies

The Swarm of the Hivelords
Subakna
Wosaga
Negoksa
Meburqsa
4x Nagrubs
3x Stingers
2x Grok Riders

For the Alliance:
Jandar’s Knights and Sentinels
Sir Gilbert
Concan
Sir Dupuis
Eldgrim
2x Templars
2x Knights of Weston
2x Sentinels

Einar’s Samurai
Kato
Hatamoto Taro
Kaemon Awa
Tagawa Samurai
2x Tagawa Samurai Archers
3x Ashigaru Yari
3x Ashigaru Harquebus

Ullar’s Wizards Cadre
Acolarh
Ulginesh
Chardris
Jordhawn
Emiroon
Arkmer
Morsbane
Kyntella Gwyn
2x Aubrien Archers
2x Warriors of Ashra
Theracus

The battle began with careful maneuvering by both sides. Very little action occurred in the 1st round.

In the 2nd round, blood began to be spilled, and it became apparent that at least in the early rounds, the conflict would be three separate 1 vs. 1 actions.
Disaster overtook the elves early, as the onslaught of Wosaga and the Grubs proved to be more than a match for the vanguard of wizards, as both sides struggled to win the bridge. Morsbane was the first to feel the coil crush, and the remaining group gave their lives to finally destroy the worm. Wosaga did indeed earn the title of Elfbane that day. Later analysis would indicate that both sides should have led with their squads first, instead of employing the blood of their heroes, but the die was cast.
Meanwhile, in the ravine on the opposite end of the battle, Jandar’s knights of Weston, backed by Concan and Gilbert, were fighting and dying to stop the seemingly endless stream of Orcish champions. The battle appeared to be stalemate, with a timely charge by the Templars being offset by volleys of Swog backed Grut archers. This bloodshed would continue for many turns.
In the middle rose the jungle, and the jungle beckoned many to their doom. Zombies infested the brush like an unstoppable plague, and the Vietcong –err, Ashigaru, advanced with true stoic discipline to eradicate the undead. 2 zombies perish under the guns of the peasants, but 1 more rises as a spearman falls under the mass of rotting flesh. How long could the wicker hatted men endure?

The mid-game was much of the same, but the Ashigaru, having lost their Tagawa Samurai backup, retreated from the jungle. Though they abandoned the jungle to their enemy, they left the undead army nearly halved in strength. The zombie threat was lessened, but far from eliminated. Now the forces of Einar would attempt to back their comrades while the zombies gathered in renewed strength amid the tropical leaves.
The elves had reorganized in their causeway fort, and Arkmer gathered some strength to him as they attempted to hold their ground. Many Marro crossed the bridge merely to die for their troubles. The tide was turning back. The hivelords were dead. Meburqsa was dead. The Groks were dying, and Negoksa was left with his stingers to try to knockout the elvish threat. The elves, with a little help from some Einar spearmen and Kaemon Awa, were starting to cross the bridge.
Back in the valley of death, Jandar’s forces were being whittled down to nothing by the remaining Orcs. All the Orc champions were dead. Brunak was dead. The heavy gruts and blade gruts were shattered. However, the arrow gruts were still very much alive and supported by Swogs, they were advancing Krug to deal the finishing blow on Jandar. Concan had fallen. Sir Gilbert had fallen. Sir Dupuis was running amok amidst the orcish forces, but only 1 Templar and 1 Knight of Weston remained. The sentinels still lived, but then Cyprien flew in. Sir Dupuis fell. The sentinels all died killing Cyprien while arrows pierced them. The situation was grim for the alliance, as it appeared that Krug and the remaining Orcs would be free to rush the middle. Enter the harquebus.

No one expected Krug to lose to 3 stalwart Ashigaru. It was destined to be, though. As Krug advanced, 1 KOW and 1 Templar rushed to meet him. They held him, but had no effect on him. Then 2 volleys later, Krug was dead. Unfortunately, so were all the remaining forces of Jandar, save Eldgrim. The harquebus wisely retreated in the face of greater numbers (4 Arrow Gruts, 1 heavy grut, and 2 blade gruts), but Eldgrim decided to go for one last chance at glory. He rushed, killed an arrow grut, overextended, and killed another arrow grut. Success! However, Eldgrim would depart from the field the very next turn, his spirit passing to Kaemon Awa.
Einar was basically gathering his forces together, putting out a front of bowmen, and recalling his last Ashigaru. Some 4 squads of zombies, Cyprien, 2 squads of Shades, and Gruts were now closing in on his position. If the elves fell, the last stand would be in his starting zone. Cyprien arrived first, and Kato ended him. It would be the final glory for the Daimyo.
The elves, having suffered so horribly in the early battle, were now taking the fight to their enemy. They pursued Negoksa to this fort, slew him, and eliminated most of the Marro. The Marro counterattacked, and in close fighting, all but Kyntella and 1 archer were killed. Only 1 Nagrub would cross the river to trouble the Samurai in the last stand of the alliance.

The endgame was everything you could ever want it to be. Kyntella proved her worth by killing a shade. Secret zombies popped up all over the place: in the causeway fort, in the jungle, near the ravine. It was samurai archers, guarding their flag, versus a couple of handfulls of undead, 1 Nagrub, and 2 Arrow Gruts. The samurai fought with great honor and skill, but in the end, death would consume all.

This was an eight hour game. While it was incredibly fun, it is one of those things that you really only need to do once. My friends were not as sure as I am that we shouldn't do this again.