Monty Python’s Empire World Tour Battle #2 - Norsca
2500 Points v 1875 Points (Scenario requires defender to be at 75%)
Scenario: Raze & Ruin
Background: Before Arthur could enjoy the fruits of his victory in Albion, word was received from several coastal cities back home that they have been victims of numerous devastating raids at the hands of the Norse. Arthur turns north, looking for justice & revenge.
Notes:
As almost always, army lists are based more upon what figures I had on hand rather than what works best for any particular army list.
Terrain was placed using a random generator I created
I recently decided to rebase these guys - and many are not done yet
Arthur’s Forces:
Arthur Himself (Grand Master w/ plate, shield, barded warhorse, Obsidian Blade & Talisman of Protection)
Sir Lancelot (ABS w/ plate, Enchanted Shield, Sword of Striking & Talisman of Preservation)
Sir Galahad (Luther Huss: Great Weapon, Heavy Armor & barded warhorse)
Tim the Enchanter: Level 4 wizard: dispel scroll
Lore of Fire: Fireball, Flaming Sword of Rhun, Piercing Bolts & Flame Storm
The wise man from scene 24 (Engineer w/ repeater pistols)
The Dead Collectors: Level 1 wizard on barded warhorse; Van Horstmann’s Speculum
Lore of Death: Soul Blight
6 Knights of the Round Table (inner circle): Great weapons, plate, barded warhorse,
Steel Standard Magic Banner, musician.
Arthur, Lancelot, Galahad & the dead collectors line up with this unit.
12 (Empire) Knights of Camelot: Great weapons, full command
24 Swamp Castle Legion (Swordsmen, light armor, shields), full command
38 Cult of the Black Knight (Great Swords, plate), Standard of Discipline, music
1 Rabbit of Caerbanog (Luminark of Hysh)
1 Brother Maynard & Holy Hand Grenade (Volley Gun)
1 Knights who say Ni (Volley Gun)
Arthur & Patsy
Lancelot & Concorde
Sir Galahad
Sir Bedevere
Sir Robin & Minstrels
New Arrivals & their mounts: Sir Henry Beerheart & Sir William du Tell
Norsca
Ragnar the Unlucky (king): Sword of Battle, Girdle of Might, Heavy Armor, shield
Lagertha the Hot (Jarl): Sword of Battle, Talisman of Endurance, Heavy Armor, shield
Ragnar’s Skald (ABS): Great Weapon, Armor of Destiny
Great One: Level 2 wizard, Dispel scroll:
Lore of Metal: Plague of Rust, Glittering Robe
22 Huscarls: Great Weapons, Light Armor, stubborn, shieldwall, flags
23 Shieldmaidens: Hand weapon, light armor, shield, shieldwall, full command
36 Fred’s Bondsmen: Spear, light armor, shield, full command
So named because I got them from by brother Fred
24 Mermaid Marauders: Great Weapon, full command
So named because they have a mermaid on their flag
15 Hunters: Bow, skirmishers, scouts
5 Beserkers: Hand weapon & shield
10 Einherjar: two hand weapons
Turn 1: Arthur’s Empire moves first
Not much happens as Arthur’s forces advance
The initial set-up: Pythonians on top, Norsca on bottom
Turn 2: Magic’s Flying Fickle Finger of Fate
Arthur’s forces continue to advance
Winds of Magic dice: 1&2
Tim the Enchanter conjures up a fireball and aims it at the Einherjar. He manages to kill four, but his irresistible force causes wounds to Galahad, The Wise Man & the Killer Rabbit.
The Einherjar regenerate one model.
Norsca Phase: neither shooting nor Magic cause damage; Einherjar regenerate 3 and are back to full strength
Turn 3: Arthur’s magic gets worse
Arthur’s forces advance to charge range – the knights on either flank come up slow, so as not to get too far ahead of the infantry.
Tim the Enchanter throws another fireball at the einherjar – causing 5 casualties.
Tim throws Piercing Bolt at the Huscarls, causing four casualties, but again is hit by irresistible force, this time costing Tim three magic levels – he only has Flame of Rhun left.
The Einherjar regenerate 2models
The Rabbit of Caerbanog fires at watchtower and misses
Norsca Pulse:
Ragnar’s holds his defensive position
Cast Plague of Rust on Black Knight Cult – dispelled by scroll
Cast Glittering Robe on Huscarls – dispelled
Archery ineffective
Einherjar regenerate three models and again are at full strength
Turn 4: Arthur’s forces charge in
Arthur & company charge in v. Fred’s Bondsmen, who fail their countercharge
The Swamp Legion charge Lagertha the Hot & her shieldmaidens defending a fence
The Black Knight Cult charges Ragnar and his Huscarls defending a fence
The Knights off Camelot charge the Mermaid Marauders, who fail their countercharge
Magic Phase (6/4)
Tim the Enchanter casts Soul Blight on Ragnar – dispelled by scroll
Tim casts Flaming Sword on the Swamp Legion
Sir Galahad prays Hammer of Sigmar – dispelled
Shooting Phase
Holy Hand Grenade kills six Einnherjar
Knights who say Ni cause one hit to watchtower
Rabbit misses watchtower again
Combat Phase:
Arthur & company eek* out a victory against Fred’s Bondmen. But it is just enough to get them to flee and be overrun.
* = Arthur killed 0, Lancelot killed 0 & Galahad killed 1.
Arthur will not kill many if he keeps this up:
Lagertha the Hot & her shieldmaidens defeat the Swamp Legion, but the latter hold their ground thanks to the steadying influence of the nearby Arthur.
The Black Knight Cult give out a drubbing to Ragnar & his Huscarls, but the latter just manages to hang on (rolling a DR3 for leadership is a good thing)
The Knights of Camelot sing their way in to an uphill charge and give a good pounding to the Mermaid Marauders, but they steadfastly hang on.
The Einherjar regenerate 3 models.
Norse Pulse:
A small squad of Beserkers charge the flank of the Knights of Camelot
The Einherjar charge the flank of the Black Knight Cult.
Norse Magic fizzles out again - as usual (snake eyes)
Combat:
Lagertha the Hot Almost single-handedly defeats the Swamp Legion (scoring 4 of 6 kills). The Legion routes and lives to fight again.
In the center – a vicious melee continues. The Cult of the Black Knight decides to forgo the easier kills against the Huscarls to concentrate on Ragnar and his skald. The ploy works in that both Ragnar and his skald fall to the repeated blows of the great weapons. However, Ragnar gives a good account of himself and takes five knights with him. But the threat of the Einherjar prevent the Knights from recovering Ragnar’s body. Is he dead? Or does he yet live? The Cult holds and the battle rages on.
The knights of Camelot decide discretion is the better part of valor and beat hasty a retreat before they can be overwhelmed by the Mermaids & Beserkers. They just manage to escape, but have lost half men. Not to mention their tenor section.
Turn 5: Arthur’s Vice Tightens
The Knights of Camelot & the Swamp Legion elect to not rally, in order to allow for a clear field of fire from the volley guns.
The Dead Collectors cast Soul Blight on the Einherjar, but it is dispelled.
Shooting:
With shouts of “Ni” the forest knights kill 6 Mermaid Marauders – the rest flee in panic.
Brother Maynard lobbeth his Holy Hand Grenade in the general direction of the shieldmaidens and sends seven of them to Valhalla.
The white rabbit missed the Watchtower yet again. One can’t help but wonder how it gained its reputation as a killer.
Combat
The fight in the center continues to swirl. The Cult of the Black Knight has the upper hand, as the Huscarls are now down to just a standard bearer and a musician, but they stubbornly defend the bodies of their king and his skald. The continued regeneration of the Einherjar is proving problematic. As they no longer have the numbers to operate in “horde” formation, the Black Knight reforms his men to put their full weight on the Einherjar.
Norse Pulse:
The Beserkers charge the still routing Knights of Camelot, but they sing and dance their way out of danger.
Lagertha and the shield maidens charge the fleeing swamp legion, but cannot quite catch them.
Magic
Plague of Rust is cast on the Black Knights, but is dispelled by Tim.
Glittering Robe is cats on the Einherjar.
Shooting
Arrow fire from the buildings continues to be ineffective.
Combat
The last man standing for the Huscarls finally flees. Thanks to the stubbornness of the Einherjar, they do manage to save their colors. The Black Knights are finally able to kill the Einherjar faster than they can regenerate – there are only three left.
Turn 6: Arthur Victorious
The Knights of Camelot and the remains of the Swamp Legion rally.
Magic
Tim the Enchanter fails his dispel attempt
Shooting:
Shouts of “NI!” are generally ineffective against the Watchtower, but do cause one wound.
Brother Maynard lobbeth another Holy Hand Grenade at the Shieldmaidens, and dispatches five more. However, they Loyally stand by Lagertha.
The Rabbit Hits! It wounds! The Tower is shaken!
Combat:
The Black Knights finally kill off all the Einherjar, but they have suffered 50% casualties. They have been saved multiple times by their plate armor. The Black Knights always triumph!
Epilogue:
The Black Knights report Ragnar was seen to fall and they have captured his personal standard, but they were unable to find Ragnar or his body. Apparently, he has been born away by the last remains of his faithful Huscarls. Is he dead? Gravely wounded? No one knows for sure. Either way, the raiders have been severely punished and it will be quite some time before this little band raids again.
Meanwhile, Arthur and company search the battlefield for anything useful. They are a long way from home and supplies are limited. One of Robin’s minstrels runs up to Arthur, so filled with excitement he is about to burst. He has recovered the fabled Kantele of the mighty Vãinämönen! The music of which is rumored to bestow upon all who hear it great courage and fortitude in the face of the most daunting enemies. The locals call it “Sisu.”
Unfortunately, before Arthur can fully comprehend the magnitude of this discovery, scouts report that the main Norscan fleet has cut Arthur’s lines of communication. His only choice is to make a dangerous trek across the mountains and head east for Kislev…
