SAGA AoM Multi player game

SAGA AoM Four player game, December 29, 2019:

Brother's in Arms Scenario

This was my first attempt at a SAGA Age of Magic (AoM) multi player game intended for 4 players, the scenario was called "Brother's in Arms"-  where two sides of two warbands face off against each other on a 4' x 6' playing area (my Frostgrave mat).  The objective is to get as many of your units on the other sides half of the board while taking as few loses as possible and inflicting as may loses as possible on the enemy.  

This was also the first time I got to use my new camera on my new cellphone, which produced much better pictures.

Overview of the Battlefield

The four Warbands consisted of:

The Forces of Good

Santa’s Warband 6 points (order)                                                       The Great Kingdom

1 Warlord Santa                                                                                       0 points

1 Sorceress Santa’s Lovely Assistant                                                      1 point

1 Paladin – Sgt. Renfrew on horse                                                          - 2 hearthguard

1 Creature unit 2 quadrupeds = 2 Reindeer                                            1 point

2 Hearthguard Units,  (8-2 = 6)  Elves with spears red-green livery          2 points

1 Monster Behemoth – Giant Santa                                                         1 points

1 Levy = 12 Rifles: Mary Claus, 5 Elves & 6 Mounties                      1 point

Total                                                                                                        6 points

Ice Warriors warband 6 points (chaotic)                                          Otherworld  

1 Warlord = Ice Warrior Lord                                                                     0 points

1 Sorcerer = Garron                                                                                  1 point

1 Creature units bipeds = 2  Yeti                                                               1 points

1 Creature unit bipeds = 2 Yeti                                                                  1 point

3 Hearthguard units = Ice Hearthguard 4 x 3 = 12 (2 units of 6?)              3 points

Total                                                                                                                    6 points

The Forces of Evil:

Land of the Giants Warband 6 points (chaotic)                   The Horde Island of Morrow

1 Alpha Monster – Behemoth – Giant Cyclops                                       1 point       

1 Monster – Behemoth - Frost Giant sword                                            1 point

1 Monster – Behemoth - Frost Giant axe                                                1 point

1 Monster – Behemoth - Marauder Giant by Citadel                              1 point

1 Monster – Behemoth – Everlasting Frost Giant Axe                            1 point

1 Monster – Scourge Green dragon                                                       1 point

Total                                                                                                        6 points

Jack Frost’s Warband  6 points (order)                                  Masters of the Underneath 

1 Warlord Jack Frost                                                                                0 points

1 Sorceress Winter Witch in blue                                                            1 point

1 Lieutenant – alchemist Evil Christmas tree                                          -2 Hearthguard      

1 Creatures unit 2 bipeds – Snow Beast & Wendigo                        1 point

Add 2 biped creatures = 2 large Snowmen to unit above                       - 8 warriors

2 Hearthguard Units, 8-2 = 6 Copplestone Evil Snowmen*                      2 points

2 Warrior unit 16-8= 8 WSD Snowmen with rifles or SMG                        2 points

Total                                                                                                        6 points


Unfortunately illness and other factors meant we had only three players and a late start.  As a result I ended up playing two of the warbands, plus acting as a GM and taking pictures. Inevitably I missed taking some pictures of key events, but I think I was able to record most of the story.

Players took turns deploying 8 terrain pieces, then each moved in from their table side 6" (M) away from the centre line  (green thread) trying to get forces over the centre line and kill as many enemy units as possible.

Initial set up

Reindeer, Sgt. Renfrew and Giant Santa
on the left flank

Deployment of Santa's warband
 and the Ice Warriors warband

Overview of the set up of both sides.

Turn 1

The Giants advance on the left flank and engage Santa's reindeer and Renfrew.

Hoard giants advance

Forces of Good advance in the centre and right

Initial fighting is on the left flank.

The Monster (Hoard) Warband flies it's dragon in to make an attack on the enemy Warlord - Santa, but the battle is indecisive and the dragon is forced to withdraw.

The Dragon tries to take a bite out of  Santa
but he is pushed back

Jack Frost's forces lead by the Wendigo, Snowbeast
and giant Snowmen creatures followed by the Evil 
Snowmen Hearthguard advance towards the enemy

 

Turn 2

This turn saw some heavy fighting in the centre and on the left flank.

Forces advance to contact in the centre and right

Ice Hearthguard battle Snow Beast 
and Wendigo Creatures

The dragon decides he will find easier pickings going after Santa's levy.

Dragon attacking Mounties and Elves

Ice Hearthguard inflict fatigue hits on the Jack Frost's 
Creatures before killing the Snow Beast and forcing
 the Wendigo to retreat.

Meanwhile the Giants take  on Renfrew,
it seems like an uneven contest

Renfrew is tougher than he looks

The Giant is sent packing with a bloody nose
when Renfrew rolls well.

A frost Giant then attacks Renfrew

The Winter Witch (Jack Frost's Sorceress)
casts a spell on the enemy Ice Hearthguard

Jack Frost's evil Snowmen Hearthaurd throw back
 the Ice Hearthguard with heavy casualties

Jack Frost's Snowmen warriors attack another group
of Ice Hearthguards

The victorious Ice Hearthguard push back the 
snowmen warriors inflicting heavy casualties

The Snowmen warriors open fire on the Ice 
Hearthguards then Jack Frost himself attacks them.

Jack Frosts inflicts 2 casualties on the Ice Hearguard 
but he also suffers 2 hits and must retreat

 

Turn 3

This would be the final turn, and both sides needed to press home their attacks.

Remaining Ice Hearthguard decide to attack
the snowmen again rather than sit and be shot at.

Overview battle in the Centre

The Hoard Giants are a powerful force but their movement is cumbersome and they find they have little room to maneuver in the tight confines in the narrow gap on the left flank

The Giants have pushed back Santa's forces
but have not destroyed any units

Dragon makes a breath attack against
the enemy levy but fails to hit

Frost Giant and Renfrew do battle

Both are killed

The Giant Santa slays the Hoard's
Giant Cyclops Monster

Overview of the battle at the end from the Good side

Overview of the battle at its end from the Evil side

If we had more time the game could have gone up to six turns but our time was up.  The Evil side had inflicted heavy casualties on the Good side and had opened up a hole on their left flank.  However the forces of good had opened up a hole in the enemies centre and advanced on toi the evil sides half of the board.   Victory points were calculated based on casualties inflicted and a -3 point penalty for all units on your own half of the board.  This resulted in a decisive 11 points  to -2 points victory for the forces of good (any margin of over 4 is considered a victory).

Conclusion

Despite the decisive point victory by the forces of Good, I suspect that if the battle continued it would have been a very close battle as the Evil forces were poised to break through on the left flank.

Everyone enjoyed the game and we look forward to a the next holiday themed game on January 5th 2020, hopefully with more players this time. Next time I may team the Ice Warriors and Giants together since they are both use chaotic war boards.