Pythons v. Araby– 3000
Arthur & company are traveling southeast – through the trackless deserts of Araby
EMPIRE:
(Art) Arthur [Grand Master]: Runefang, Barded Warhorse (BW), plate & shield (P/S)
Lancelot [General]; Giant Blade, BW, P/S, Talisman of Endurance
Bedevere [Battle Standard]: Hand weapon, BW, P/S, Talisman of preservation
Galahad [warrior priest] : Sword of Might, heavy armor + enchanted shield, BW
6 x Knights of Inner Circle: Great Weapon, BWH, plate, full command
(
SK): 12 x Singing Knights of Camelot: Great Weapon, BWH, plate, full command
(BK): 40 x Cult of Black Knight: great weapon, plate, full command
(
SL): Swamp King’s Legion
18 x Halberdiers, light armor, full command
2 x 12 units of archers (detachment)
(
RF): 6 x Red fast cavalry: light crossbows
(
BF): 6 x Blue fast cavalry: light crossbows
(
CH) Cellestial Hurricanum (Sisters of Piety)
(
ST) Steam Tank (Killer Rabbit & the Black Beast of Arrrghh)
(Ni) Hellblaster Volley Gun (Knights who say Ni)
(BM) Hellblaster Volley Gun (Brother Maynard & Holy Hand Grenade
(TE) Tim the Enchanter: Level3 Fire Wizard;
ARABY:
(
HC): Sheik Salah ad-Din: Always strikes 1st, no armor saves; HA, Bwh
ABS: HA, Bwh, Talisman of Preservation
8 Mamelukes: Lance, HA, Bwh, banner, musician
(
MC): Calif w/ Holy Sword of Wrath; HA, shield
9 Mamelukes: Lance, HA, shield, full command
(
DD) Al Muktar & Desert Dogs (regiment of renown)
(
CR) 6 camel riders, spear & shield, no command
(DR) 9 Desert Riders: spear, shield, bow. No command
(Zu): 24 Zulus: spear, shield, no command
(
Bl, Bk, Rd): ea. = 12 spear & shield + 12 bow
(N) 6 Naffatun w/ firebombs
(E) 1 elephant w/ crew armed with bows & spears
(
SB) Sheik armed with magic bow, horse
(V) Vizier: Level 2 wizard on magic carpet
(G) Genie
Set-Up: Araby moves 1st
Terrain: a couple of hills & a sphynx
Magic Spells:
Tim (Lv 3 Fire): Fireball, Flaming Sword, Piercing bolt
Viz: (Lv 2 Desert): Sand storm, sand blast
Genie (Lv1 Heavens): Ice Blizzard
Turn 1: Araby
Mostly just advancing, no charges
Magic: Vizier casts Sandstorm with irresistible force immobilizing all war machines – this was critical. At least Genie is wounded
Shooting: Desert Riders kill 2 archers from Swamp Legion
Pythons:
Lancelot breaks formation to charge the powerful Geni;
Singing Knights fail to charge home on Medium Mamelukes (
MC)
Magic: Tim casts Flaming Sword, but is blocked by irresistible force
Tim fails to cast a fireball at the elephant
Tim is a dummy who didn’t think to dispel Sandstorm
Shooting: 2 Zulus killed, everyone else misses
Combat: Lancelot & Genie each score a hit; Lancelot wins, but Genie just hangs on.
Turn 2: Araby
Camels charge Blue Fast Horse; Muktar charges Red Fast Horse,
MC charges Singing Knights &
HC charge Arthur & company.
Magic: Genie casts Iceshard Blizzard with irresistible force – again cutting effectiveness of Imperial War Machines. Lancelot takes a wound (one left) and Genie is killed.
Vizier fails to cast Sand Blast on Lancelot
Shooting: Desert Riders kill off a couple more bowmen
Combat:
Camel Riders easily route and overrun the Blue Fast Cavalry.
Red Fast Cavalry tremble in fear at the approach of Muktar & his desert Dogs, but the horses stand firm and fight with honor. In spite of it all – the Reds stand fast (rolled a 3 on break test)
Thick armor prevented too many casualties (2 each) – they fight on
Disaster strikes! (or triumph depending on one’s point of view) – as Arthur is struck down by Salah ad-Din before he can retaliate. The Empire Knights route, but escape (I made a significant error here and forgot to roll “to wound” for Arthur. I was thinking Salah’s sword was auto kill – like a Runefang – rather than just no armor saves)
Python’s Turn 2:
Not wanting to get shot in back by a magic bow – Lancelot charges the bow armed sheik.
Galahad rallies the remnants of Arthur’s knights. The Black Knights continue their advance.
Magic: Nothing of significance. Again, made huge error by forgetting to dispel Ice Blizzard.
Shooting:
Swamp Legion detachments kill 2 more Zulus and a pair of Desert Riders
Knights who say Ni & Brother Maynard fire at the elephant – but luck of the desert (and the lingering Ice Blizzard) are with the beastie and he survives with 1 wound left.
Steam tank fires its steam cannon at the
HC and kills one. It fires its main gun at the elephant, but misses (apparently General Sedgewick was correct, they really couldn’t hit an elephant at this distance)
Combat:
Reds continue to fight hard against the ineffective Muktar (0 kills in 6 attacks over two combats) & equally ineffective Sheik Shufti (0/4 kills) and pass another break test with a 3.
The Singing Knights also fight stubbornly on in spite of losing this round 3 kills to 0.
Lancelot & Sheik of the bows ‘swing and missalot.’
Araby Turn 3:
HC charge Galahad and company; Elephant charges Knights who say Ni; Desert Riders charge Swamp Legion archery detachment, Zulus fail in their charge v. Legion halberdiers. Camel Riders turn to face enemy
Magic: Nothing important
Shooting: Blues, Blacks & Reds combine to kill 5 Black Knights with bow fire.
Combat:
Al Muktar finally destroys the Red Fast Cavalry
The
MC kill 2 to the Singing Knights 0, but the latter fights on
Lancelot & the Sheik continue to ‘swing & missalot.’
The elephant destroys The Knights who say Ni!”
Desert Riders route & overrun the archer detachment
Salah ad-Din kills Galahad, but Bedevere & Robin kill enough to fight on
Python’s Turn 3:
Black Knights charge two units: Blues & Reds; Steam tank joins the fight v
HC
Magic: Tim again fails his magic (in spite of being 1 level higher, he has been a dismal failure all game)
Shooting: Remaining Swamp Legion Archers turn and kill one desert Rider
In an epic tale of horrid luck; Brother Maynard fails to score a single wound on the elephant.
Combat:
MC & singing Knights continue their fight; the
MC have the upper hand, but the singing Knights stubbornly hang on.
HC & Arthur’s remaining knights, now lead by Bedevere and accompanied by a steam tank fight on inconclusively.
The Black Knights make quick work of the two Araby infantry units, they are routed: one is overrun while the other routes off the board.
The Swamp Legion halberdiers easily defeat the Zulus, but they escape.
Lancelot finally kills the sheik. He turns to face the
HC, hoping to intervene before it is too late.
Araby turn 4:
No charges. Muktar & the Camel Riders maneuver to get into charging position.
Zulus fail to rally and continue to flee.
Magic: Nothing significant
Shooting: None
Combat:
Singing Knights have dwindled down to 2 survivors, but still hang on.
Bedevere keeps his knights in the fight
Python’s turn 4:
Lancelot charges into the rear of
HC; the Sisters turn to face the threat from Muktar
Having broken contact due to excessive casualties – steam tanks turns in and flanks
HC
Magic: Tim’s medium fireball only takes out 1 of Muktar’s men.
Shooting: Archer detachment kills 3 of 6 remaining Desert Riders – they panic & flee.
Brother Maynard just manages to take out the elephant with a Holy Hand Grenade
Combat:
MC finally route the last surviving Singing Knight – they pursue into the Sisters.
HC & Bedevere fight on – but with few survivors on either side. After a hot start, Salah ad-Din has cooled off considerably.
Araby Turn 5:
Muktar charges sisters; Camel Riders charge Brother Maynard’s rear.
Zulus & Desert Raiders fil to rally and continue fleeing
Magic: Nothing significant
Shooting: Black Flags fail to score a kill on Black Knights
Lancelot’s Talisman of Endurance saves him from the attack of the Naffatun
Combat:
MC & Muktar destroy sisters. Camel riders cause 1 wound to Brother Maynard.
End:
Arthur’s forces have had enough and quit the field
Observations:
1) I don’t know how best to run a steam tank
2) Forgetting Rules is bad
Some photos
Arthur's Left flank - mid turn 2
Right flank
To hit an elephant
Scrum in the middle
Salah ad-Din presses Arthur's surviving knights
A rabbit & a black beast to the rescue
a rude way to treat the sisters
My home made magic card for Lore of the Dessert
