Tourmund Giantsbain Vs Baelor Blacktyde - Clash of Kings

Welcome back, I'd taken a break from writing weekly league round ups as I thought I'd start video-ing some of our games, but it turns out that's really hard, requires more effort than expected and the edit can't be done on my iPad in bed. So here I am back at the word processor under the duvet with a cuppa whilst Brooklyn 99 re-runs in the back ground on Netflix. #NineNine!

Joining me on the green table is Greg (@Greggers) in a Tourmund Giantsbain Vs Baelor Blacktyde match up (Stats link for lists and spoilers). Greg's free folk looks fierce, he's chasing down his badges on Stats and still needs a win with Tourmund, so has built his list around that plus his new toys, the Frozen Shore Bears.

It'll be the second time I've used Baelor Blacktyde, the first in a loss against Colin's Baratheons last week, following that I feel like now I know what he can sustain and where I can throw him. Stoked.

Planning.

My plan here is pretty simple, push Blacktdye up and use him to hold the center. Engage the Bears with Daarios Blacktyde Chosen before they get chance to charge, sit bowmen on the flank objectives and use Vic in Reavers to wander around and fuck stuff up. My NCU package is beautiful for Free Folk fighting, I've got Botley for blocking the horses, and Blind Beron for staying power on the Blacktyde Choosen, finally Wendygod, the shifting and healing Greyjoy legend. 

For the Free Folk, Greg plans on largely ignoring Silenced Men and Taking out Vic in Reavers before they get pillage, (that would leave him two up on activation's) then take out the bowmen. Or alternatively depending on the state of the game, use Thenns to do hits when the unit activated and Trappers to do hits when the unit moves - free hits without activation ;) He's brought Ygritte, Lady Val and Mance, as his NCU package so I'm worried about all the extra movement he'll get, along with the Counter Charge and Diversion Tactics.

Let's go! Greg vs Aden, Clash of Kings and we played the game mode of the same name.

Deployment.

I bunched up on the left ignoring the right objective, Greg can have that, holding the others is my aim knowing the Silence Men can holding my flank AND centre. Greg kept his deployment tight, keeping his options open with the bear and chariot movement.

Uncertain of the exact rules, Greg won the dice off and chose to take the objectives and chose the side of the board, letting me pick turn order. Worried about Endless Horde I went second, playing the odds that he didn't draw it initially. - Feel free to comment on how this should of worked.

Round 1

Greg grabbed the cards, I took the horses and moved my Silence Men up. We took turns moving units up and taking tactic zones until I decided to risk a four up charge with my Silence Men, hoping to double tap his trappers with swords on the next turn. However Greg used their order to knock my movement down 1, so now I needed a five. Bugger. Anyway, rolled a four didn't I, Salt. In. The. Wound. So Silence Men now sat exposed waiting to be spanked by Trappers, Tourmunds Thenns and the Chariot. I however, know they're an absolute monster and will just soak that all up.

Round 2

I'm up first so decided to take horses to block endless horde rather than charging with silenced men. Greg was hoping I'd take swords to shoot with my bowmen, allowing him to counter charge. Baiting swords he left them open and charged the chariot into the flank of the silence men. Vics Reavers where likely the original target but they've been influenced by Blind Ben. SM lost a rank rather quickly, I think having seen this tempted Greg to think about charging them with Tormund too.

Continuing to ignore the tactics board I thought I could flank charge and kill the Chariot with my Daario BTC (re-rolls vulnerable, crit blow, precision, on 3s etc.) then surge and block the bears from a charge so I went for the kill. Easy, one dead chariot. However counter assault prevented my carefully planned surge forth and bears smashed into my BTC, and then they activated reducing BTC to three wounds. FFS.

Tycho, I'm recent times I've been very dependent on Tycho, using him as a crutch to get me out of tight spots, this list doesn't contain Tycho, and I was feeling it now.

Wanting to keep Greg off the other token I charged my bowmen into Spearwives. Did one wound - Epic. Worked a treat though, blocked the token claim and tied them up. Planning for the next turn, Greg didn't attack, but retreated, a brilliant tactical move to let him help free up his bears next turn.

Tormund was next to try his hand at the SM, flanking them from the other side, dropping them down to one rank. Greg’s nice hits on activation and hits on movement plan could now play out. However SM now had two pillage so where -2 wounds on failed panic and where blocking three hits through Beron Blacktyde. Looking weak but staying strong.

Round 3. GJs start 2-0 up.

Greg's first up, but before he can take horses for horde I dropped Botley blocking the zone. Ha! He wasn't happy. This turn I needed to plough all my resource into holding what I have, as it was looking precarious. BTC low on ranks, SM low on Ranks, Vic doing nothing, and Bowmen made of wet paper bags.

Daarios BTC did manage to take a rank of the bears before Greg used his (wisely re-positioned) spearwives to charge them in the side. Ouch. And because I hadn't seen this coming his spearwives could not be seen by my bowmen. Blows where then exchanged across the rest of the board. Although Silenced Men continued not to die and infuriated Greg even when Tormund retreated (from Mance) specifically to re-charge. 

I'd now only one unit left to activate, Vic and reavers. And to be honest I just wanted the points so, used his order first to shimmy then activated, a little smile flashed across Greg's face as he said 'Are you activating them, after doing the order?' Yes I said. "Taunt." He said " Bollocks" I said.  As I duly failed the panic test and had to charge the flank of Tormund, whilst staring wistfully at the central objective now unoccupied.

Round 4. 3-0

Things really heated up here, I took the swords and BTC killed off the Bears, but then died from the flanking Spearwives, who surged to threaten the Bowmen. Silence Men hit Tourmund weakening them. Trappers hit back, but nothing got through. Retreating Vic I started to move his unit over to the objective on the far side. Trying to get out of reach of Tourmund, but Greg dropped Val and retreated Tormund towards Vic. Vic, now being more careful not to see Tormund, made the objective but was panic bombed en-route with there's too many taking some serious hits.

Round 5. 6-2 to the GJs

The round started with my bowmen staring down the face of Spearwives, SM locked in with trappers and Vic about to be side flanked my Tourmund. Despite the score being heavily in my favour Greg had a real chance to beat me to ten points, by killing Vic, the Bowmen and taking the objectives. I'd be on 9 and him on 10 come the end of R6. Bugger.

I took the bags and influenced Vic with Beron, but Greg countered by Crown zapping him which I failed, loosing all the bag wounds and more importantly Beron - I'm such a idiot. Anyway in fear of loosing Vic (and being stupid) I'd completely forgotten about horses and Horde at this point, which is exactly when Greg played it. Right behind the bowmen. Rush of aggression gave them the 6 charge and dropped the bowmen to one wound. They died shortly after and he took the objective. Bugger my beautiful plans!

Wanting to keep things locked in the middle Greg used Regroup and Reform to add more ranks to the trappers hoping I'd retreat to the token which he could then simply contest. So moved all but four wounds from Tourmund to them.

Greg now tried to finish the job and win the game by charged in with Tourmund and his objective card - highest attack dice - very expectedly Vic died off the attack, however, yes ladies and gentlemen my turn one first card drawn got played, What is Dead My Never Die, back in with three, nice, then easily passed the panic test using Blacktyde Conviction and to add to Gregs anguish I then threw Lash Out down on the table. Boom, and just like that I'd win the game.  Greg understandably was not a happy bunny, 4 wounds to a unit on a single rank, he'd even just used Regroup and Reform and could have left 5 wounds. But I don't suppose it would have mattered much as Vic still had his activation.

Silence men then went for the kill, Blacktyde Resentment made an appearance (was saving it for Tourmund but didn't now need it) and so did Krakens Wrath, rerolls precision, panicked, 6 dice on twos. Easy I thought, but they stayed around with one. So close. Round ended 8-3.

Round 6. 8-3 to the GJs

Now those in the know will be aware that Greg and I aren't the quickest players, so we theoretically played out the next round, because we wanted our beauty sleep and it was 22:45.

I'd take swords and kill the one wound trappers, moving back on the objective and heal up Vic would give me 4 points at the end of the round.

Greg unfortunately didn't have the movement to get to my SM so would only take one point.  12-4 we decided.

Summary.

Silence men with Baelor feel too good, it's nerve wracking having them on one or two wounds but even when hits are getting through, they aren't failing panics or when they do aren't taking wounds, and with Beron for extra blocking power, they're basically unkillable. No to mention I didn't even need to use their last stand ability. Baelors cards are nice too, I'd initially thought Dagmar might be the best Greyjoy commander, but having played both, Baelor is better especially in this 2021.S01 (catchy) update. The reduced commander points means a longer game which favours more staying power, but I'm still trying to run very aggressive Dagmar lists, mainly because he's so much fun! Running around smashing stuff is more fun the hunkering down to score points - hence my Daario BTCs. 

I was a bit disappointed with the Bears, but Greg's positional play and plans for his triggering them to free charge was brilliant I just didn't give him the chance (by fluke rather than cunning) to trigger it. Gregs positional play was really good and his use of the underrated Retreat was fantastic, I expect we'll see more retreats in 2021.S01.

Greg and I are closely matched on stats and have a tit-for-tat game record so it's always close and fun but we need to get quicker, this match took 3 hours! All that said, bloody boss 3 hours. Looking forward to the re-match!

Peace and love.

Aden.

Too many words? Not enough words? The wrong words? Let me know!