Kings of War - Vikings versus Kin

AAR Kin (Dark Elves) versus Vikings

The scenario is an encounter battle between the Vikings in allegiance with the Normans and Elves who have combined forces to stop the relentless advance of the Kin (Dark Elves) who are burning and looting all in their path.  We used the Kings of War 2nd Edition rules and each side had 2,770 points. The game was played on an  8’ long by 4’ wide table / battlefield that featured woods, hills,  fields, rocky ground and a swamp. We played the game on a Sunday afternoon on March 5, 2016 and it lasted for about 3 hours.

 

Climax: Battle of the giants

Viking Hero

The Rosters:

Kin (Dark Elf) forces:

1 Dark Lord on battle dragon (general)

1 High Priestess of the Abyss (sorceress)

1 Army standard bearer

1 Hoard of spearmen (40)

1 regiment of repeating crossbows

1 troop of repeating crossbows

1 regiment of Buccaneers

1 troops of shadows (scouts)

2 regiments of Reaper guard

1 regiment of Blade dancers (witch elves)

1 troop of gargoyles

1 regiment of dark knights

1 troop of heralds of woe light cavalry

1 regiment of dark scythed chariots

1 twilight bolt thrower

1 Dragons breathe flame thrower (Witch Elf cauldron of blood)

1 Hydra

Vikings and Allies

1 Thor in flying goat chariot (general)
2 Viking heroes on foot
1 Army standard bearer on foot
1 Wizard / Shaman
3 regiments of Viking foot guards (axmen, swordsmen)
5 regiments of Viking spearmen
1 regiment of trolls (3)
1 regiment of Viking Bondi bowmen
1 regiment of Norman crossbowmen
1 regiment of Norman knights
1 troop of mounted Wood Elf scouts
1 Viking Catapult
2 Fire Giants
1 regiment of Valkyries (3)



Viking hero and standard bearer



Deployment: 

The Dark Elves concentrated in the centre with the spear hoard anchoring their forces along with 2 reaper Guards regiments, witch elves (blade dancers), Corsairs (Buccaneers)  and crossbows.  On their right flank they deployed their chariots, hydra, Cold Ones cavalry and Harpies plus the bolt thrower on the hill with the Dragon Lord on his mount on a hill.  On their left flank they deployed the Shades (scouts), Heralds of Woe (mounted scouts) and Dragons breathe artillery.

Vikings foreground, Kin in the  background

Kin Army in the foreground, Vikings in the Background

The Vikings had 5 spear, 1 bow and 1 cross bow unit in the centre plus  a regiment of trolls, 2 fire giants all commanded by Thor in his goat drawn flying chariot.  On their right flank they had 2 more guard units and then on the far left flank a Norman knight’s, regiment, a catapult (on a hill), a scout cavalry troop, a spear regiment and a troops of Valkyrie. 

Part of  the Viking Army

Viking deployment on a hill

Allied Viking artillery and cavalry

Turn 1: 


The Kin move first and their chariot’s reckless advance results in it being charged by the Norman knights’ who destroy them and the Kin Dark Avenger mounted hero is likewise slain by the Valkyrie.



Kin troops, including artillery on the hill.



Turn 2: 


The Kin do much better this turn and in the centre destroy 3 Viking spear regiments and a  guard regiment  with the blade dancers (witch elves) being the most destructive. 


The Viking  troll regiment is  killed by the Hydra. But most devastating is the death of Thor at the hands of the Dark Elf Dragon Lord.  The Vikings strike back on their flank with their knights and Valkyrie destroying the Kin Dark Knights and gargoyles.

Thor battles the Dragon Lord on the right.

Battle in the centre dominated by the Kin Hoard

Battle in the Centre

Turn 3:


The Kin cause further damage to the Vikings killing another spear regiments and 2  guard regiment with a flank attack where the Blade dancers played a prominent roll.  The trolls are also slain by the Hydra and the Fire Giant is slain by the Dragon Lord. 


The Vikings hit back finally killing the blade dancers who were on their last legs and the Valkyrie kill the Hydra and the surviving giant kills the Kin bolt thrower.

Viking giant eliminated the Kin bolt thrower

Combat on the flank near the swamp,
Kin Buccaneers and Guard in the foreground

Viking hero faces the Kin guard on his own.

Viking heroes defeat the Kin Blade Dancers

Dragon Lord defeats the Viking Fire Giant

Conclusion of Game:   

At this point the sun set and fighting ended, the Kin were victorious  having lost 965 points but having killed 1,390 points worth of Viking and allied troops. This would count as a marginal victory.

Comments:  

While the Vikings did well on one flank the outcome of the game was largely due to the Kin having concentrated the bulk of their forces in the center, anchored by the hoard of spearmen.   The  Kin crossbowmen proved to be more effective than the Viking Bondi arches and Norman crossbowmen and this is reflective of the mythos of the superiority of the Elf archers who were elite as compared to their human counterparts who were drawn from levy troops.  


The game flowed well  and if not for a late start we would have gotten at least 2 more turns in.  We were dissatisfied with some aspects of KoW such as the lack of command and control as the loss of general (Thor) was meaningless other than the loss of points. Also rolling 50 dice for one flank attack was a ponderous way to resolve the combat.