Beastmen vs. Orcs

After a few weeks of games where we just put the new system through its paces, we've now reached a point of familiarity and are able to tighten up our tactics, able to play to win!

Still, and I've said this several times, though many great analysts out there have made some comments and predictions, everybody is still a long way from understanding how the game will ultimately shake out.  What's that mean?  It means we're a long way from canned armies, from knowing what's 'best.'  It's a fun time to be playing Warhammer!

Frankly, I'm not sure I'll see another holiday from the normal like this for many years to come.  GW managed to turn the paradigm on its head and shake everyone up.  Not easy to do.

Moving on, here's a game between my Beastmen and the Master Manipulator (every store needs one)'s Orcs and Goblins.

The MM(esno) is almost done with his 1000 point list.  He's sporting a block of Black Orcs (seen here), a block of Boys, a unit of Night Goblins with two Fanatics, a Stone Thrower, two Gobo Doom Divers, a General and an Orc Shaman, level 2.

I finally put my beloved Minotaurs in the box until our local games get bigger.  I'm using a big block of Bestigors with the Banner of Speed, two small units of naked Gors - one for ambushing - three Chariots, a Gorebull, and a Bray Shaman, level 1.  It was my first real attempt to build something decent and I'm pretty happy with it so far, but the Shaman needs a boost and the Gorebull needs to be replaced with a Wargor; both easy changes.

My army moves up, as so.  The Orcs hold back to drop rocks and Goblins on my head.  He can pick out my Gorebull, since it isn't of the same type as the unit he joined, so it can be picked out.  Note: you can see he's off to one side, as per the new rule, since the Bestigors are mounted on 25mm bases.  If he joined Ungors on 20mm bases, he'd displace 4 of them and rank up as normal.  Here, he doesn't affect the ranked formation at all, other than widening its frontage.

He backs up slightly, adjusting the amount I'd need to roll on 2d6 in order to charge.  It was a good play, since ultimately it stalled me for a turn, giving him another shooting phase.

Here my Bestigors take cover behind an obstacle in case his Black Orcs get froggy and charge me.  Note I'm keeping the Gorebull free to charge out unobstructed if necessary, though I had no intention of doing so.  My Gors move up to release the Fanatics.  They didn't accomplish much at all, both dying to doubles within a Game Turn.  My other unit rolls a 1 for Ambush, so my opponent places them behind my line to begin walking.

I have two Chariots on the right flank.

Here the Gors are trying to play catch up.  Note, I haven't removed the Ungors from their old 25mm bases, so they're 'Gors' for now.  I really need to finish basing this army.  The sand looks drab.

He repositions.  His Orc Boyz get set to take the charge, while his Black Orcs try to shift my army to the left flank.  It opens a good view for his support elements.  My Gors, meanwhile, didn't fare so well against the Gobos, losing half their numbers.  My Bray Shaman had jumped out of the unit the turn before the charge, so I wasn't worried about it.  Here my Gors are running, but the Night Goblins failed to catch me.  My leftmost Chariot died to support fire at some point.

My Gors rally and I set for the charge.  The Master Manipulator (every store needs one) and I actually discussed the best way to do that, and this is what we ended up with... his idea, for the record.  The idea is to set for the charge and perhaps survive long enough for support from the unit catching up.  If the Gobos choose to hold, I can perhaps bring both elements in to the fight.  The main fight is the Bestigors vs. the Black Orcs.  I don't challenge, so his General does.  I accept that on my Champion, leaving the Gorebull to decimate the ranks some.  I win the fight but he holds.

An overview: you can see the double charge on the fight flank.  I had no choice when he blocked me off with the Boyz.  I was worried, since the new rules aren't nice to unsupported Chariots, but the combination of two works quite well.  I also made my Primal Fury checks with both, so I pick pick picked away at 'em.

A bloody battle.

At this point, the struggle in the middle is going to be telling...

...and it is!  I break the Black Orcs and the Night Goblins run!  This happens in the Black Orc phase, so in the Beastmen phase...

...I run off both units!  I first declare a charge on the Goblins, sending them running off the board, then I make my Leadership test to redirect and force the Black Orcs to roll a flee results as well.  Bye-bye!

The game was effectively over, though the Master Manipulator (every store needs one) ended up playing it out to the bitter end.  That's a trait he shares with Little Barrera, both believing they can learn from every phase, even in lost games.  I think so too, to a certain extent, by I'll fold on games where the outcome is obvious and time is an issue.  Anyway, here was a last laugh moment - I needed 2's to kill the war machine...

Anyway, that's game!  It was, I believe, the first game I've won in the new edition.  Hell, probably the first game of Warhammer I've won in a long, long time!  I've never been that good at the game, but I'm looking to change that with this system... helped by the fact that the boys seem to like the game and are willing to stick with it for the time being.

Thoughts?  Ideas?