Orcs vs. Undead: The Harrowing of Gillingas (Hobgoblin rules)
Richard (G.) staged a great ‘rank and flank’ Fantasy wargame on Friday 16 May at the community centre. The Orcs had sacked Gillingas (Ealing – groan!) but the Undead arrived with an army to seize loot, specifically magic items unbeknown to the greenskins. 10 people were in attendance.
We used Hobgoblin rules by Mike Hutchinson: each unit could only take 5 hits by ranged fire out of 10-11 maximum, to encourage close combats. Meanwhile a unit’s courage value was compared to its hits (Doom) score – if the later exceeded Courage at the end of a turn, a unit was broken. So far so straightforward!
Terrain
Gillingas town walls with a few woods.
The Orcs
Paul S., Simon and Jonathan were the Orcs. They were tasked with protecting what loot they could (strewn in front of the walls)
The Undead
Rob, Doug, Richard P. and Patrick were the Undead. They had to capture 3 items of magic treasure pinpointed to them by Richard at the start of the game.
The Game
The two sides deployed under the town walls, close to each other – Orcs on the hill, Undead in the valley.
Turn 1: Mayhem!
The Undead began strongly. Doug’s 3 catapults hit a group of Trolls five times. Rob unleased his two carrion birds from the Undead right flank, as well as his spears/bows and the Acolytes.
Doug moved up the six units of Skeleton light infantry in the centre.
Richard P. moved the skeletal chariots and knights forward, while Patrick advanced the skeletal Giant and skeletal Trolls.
The Orcs responded with war engine fire on the Skeleton infantry (2 hits), and 5 more on another unit, and 2 more on the Undead catapults. The Undead unleashed a swarm of beetles on the Orcs’ left flank.
Orcs began to move forward. Paul S.’s boar-riders went in against Richard P.’s chariots. The Orc Trolls moved up too, approaching the skeletal knights. Richard P. dealt 19 hits to the boar-boys with his chariots, but took 11 hits in the process. Both units were wiped out, with adjacent Trolls taking a Doom Point!
Orc artillery opened up again: their trebuchet adding 3 hits to a unit of Skeletal light infantry in the centre. Simon fired his Orc crossbows against the mass of advancing skeleton infantry. By now 3 skeleton units had all but reached 5 points of long-range fire damage.
Rob and Doug however had damaged 5 Orc units on the greenskin left.
Turn 2: Havoc!
A big Orc push by the Black Orcs, Big Un’s and Trolls on the right by Paul S. and Simon was materialising.
Jonathan charged the Goblins led by a Shaman against the beetles swarming on the Orc left.
The Orc Wyvern flew to the Orc right. Harassing Goblin wolfriders appeared behind the Skeleton centre.
Doug moved up the Skeleton light infantry in the centre. Meanwhile, Rob’s two carrion birds swooped to attack the centre of the Orc battleline.
An Undead unit of Zombies was badly damaged by Jonathan’s Orc chariot in a melee, and soon destroyed. But the chariot was annihilated soon enough as was a unit of Goblins!
On the Orc right, a big melee began between the Trolls and the Undead heavy cavalry and the skeletal Giant. The trolls were wiped out!
Meanwhile, Jonathan crushed the beetles, but the rats unleashed earlier were approaching the Orc war machines further back.
Turn 3: Chaos!
The Zombies resurrected on the Orc left soon attacked the rear of Jonathan’s goblins, as the skeletal Trolls advanced on the the Black Orcs, who now faced a skeletal Giant on their flank!
Doug’s catapults continued to strike the Orc line: 5 hits being inflicted on some Orc Boyz. The Skeleton infantry in the centre were now all at maximum 5 points for received ranged fire, after Orc crossbow fire.
Rob’s Undead archers hit Jonathan’s catapults 7 times, and a chariot 8 times.
The game had reached its crunch point, with no less than 6 melees to be fought. The Orc Wyvern tore into one of the carrion birds, inflicting 12 hits and sustaining 3. An Orc win!
The skeletal cavalry hit the Goblin wolf-riders on their flank 8 times. An Undead win!
Simon slaughtered two skeleton light infantry units with a force of Orcs and a Goblin chariot. An Orc win!
The Undead however destroyed 2 Orc war machines. An Undead win. Another unit of goblins and one of Orcs (who had fought the Acolytes) also fell to the sword. An Undead win!
The Undead centre was frayed, but the Orc left was almost bare.
Turn 4: Pandemonium!
The last turn began with Rob’s Acolytes materializing Zombies behind some Trolls in the Orc centre. Simon’s goblin chariot in the centre was struck 5 times by Doug’s catapults.
Simon fought back. 3 trolls and some Orcs charged into skeleton light infantry in the centre.
Gobbo skirmishers advanced to support the beleaguered Black Orcs (facing skeletal heavy cavalry). The Wyvern also assaulted the second remaining carrion bird.
Another tranch of melees took place. The Giant and skeletal Ogres battered the Black Orcs with 21 hits. An Undead win!
The Goblin wolf-riders were wiped out by Patrick’s skeletal cavalry. An Undead win! Orc Big Un’s slayed a unit of skeleton infantry. An Orc win!
More skeleton infantry inflicted 10 shared hits on the Orc Boyz and Trolls, who destroyed the skellies (15 hits). An Orc win!
Wyvern vs. Carrion was indecisive. An Orc chariot was also lost however.
The Undead were within range of 2 of 3 treasures, at end of play. So an Undead victory was declared!
Conclusion
Thanks to Richard for a frenetic and colourful game, which brought back memories of classic Games Workshop miniatures and tabletop battles for many of us. The finely painted figures looked great and were largely Games Workshop, with some Ral Partha, Wargames Atlantic and Foundry. Richard’s homemade wall was impressive. A notable and appreciated game and a fun scenario. Will Hobgoblin now rival Midgard rules at the club? Let’s see!
