Nicon Saga AAR Day 2

After a good first day I looked forward to another good days gaming and after a good nights rest I was ready to go.

Game - 5
The first game of the day was vs Rob Sadler he was using Skrealings and we would be playing the mission called The escort.

One flank had two of my baggage I had to defend my Beserkers, Hirdmen, warlord and a squad of warriors would defend these.

The other flank had one baggage and one squad of warriors defending it. While the other squad was in the middle of my formation ready to go where needed.

This flank collapsed quite quickly for the loss of my warriors, Hirdmen, and beserkers I only killed about 8 stands of warriors in return.

My other baggage made a break for it just one move away from the edge of the table.

While my warriors held up what was chasing it. this one warrior fought off about 4 assaults before dying.

With one baggage dead the other was now attacked and the baggage in the center of the table never made it. It was killed by some thrown spears at long range I only had to make one of two saves to salvage a draw but failed both.

Well I did learn some good things from that game. I think the problem was that I tried to play the game like you would in flames of war free for all. Most of your army on one flank and just a little on the other to sneak through if the opportunity presents itself

Gmae - 6
The 6th game would be vs Andrew Stanton using Strathclyde and we would be playing a mission we both played 2 weeks before. God will recognize his was the mission where it had the endless war bands rule and points would be scored for kills in melee.

The first blood went to Andrew as his off table archers killed 3 of my beserkers and his hearthguard and my warriors clashed killing a couple each.

Both lots of warriors were soon wiped out but not before I took out the last of his Hearthguard.

Both sides bought on more troops and strait into another melee.

In the center of the table hit and run tactics where being used so a few casualties on each side.

My lines slowly advance pushing Andrew back towards his table edge.

Andrew brings on his hearthguard for the 3rd time. With me killing these alto it was keeping me in the game as I was losing a massive amount of warriors each turn. Lucky for endless war bands.

Both warlords steer each other down but never got to fight each other. After we tallied up the scores it was a draw as no one had got more then 4pts ahead of the other.

Game - 7
The final game of the weekend would be another Feast of crows the top 3 players would play each other on one table and the bottom 3 on the other. I would be facing both Rob and Mark this would be a 4pt game as well so I went with my warlord and 4pts of warriors.

My war band center Mark's to my left and Rob's to my right.

Everyone gets to the center mostly unscathed except Mark's battle board as Rob was canceling Mark's abilities.

I charged in with my squad of warriors and after several round got wiped out but not before doing some damage to both Mark and Rob.

One of Rob's abilities allow him to bring troops on behind the enemy. I had left a small squad of 4 warriors behind just to help with saga dice. Rob wanted to put an end to this.

After a few more turns time was up and Rob had the most points in the end and came away with the win. Even though I only had 5 models left on the table I was still generating 4 saga dice so was still able to cause the other two some problems.

So at the end of the weekend I came away learning a few things and had a great deal of fun. Well done to Rob on his first place and Mark for his second place. And some how I managed to snag third which I was very happy about and never expected it.

My next event will be Panzerschreck in Palmerston North in July 2000pts doubles event 1000pts per player I will be teaming up with my good friend Warren and we will be going the Germans again. Look out the Sauerkraut's are coming.

Nicon Saga AAR Day 1

With only having played 3 games of Saga prior to Nicon the 7 games I was to play would quadruple my experience in the game. I would be happy with one win out off the weekend. There was to be 8 Players for the event but with 2 having to drop out It would only be 6 people so we played each other once and had a 3 player feast of crows at the end of each day. So into Battle I went with my Vikings.

Game - 1
My first game would be vs Wayne Turner the mission would be Clash of warlords He was also using Vikings

The 2 War bands ready for combat

My Hirdmen and Beserkers are close by to protect my warlord

My Hirdmen and a group of warriors clash and wipe each other out after my warriors were pushed back from their assault.

The other flank our warriors readied them selves for the incoming melee.

My 6 warriors and my warlord charged Wayne's warlord and struck him down. our game was over in about 3 turn. And with Wayne's warlord dead the win went to me I was off to a good start.

Game - 2
My second game was vs Mark Stanton 2 of my 3 games prior to Nicon were vs Mark so we both knew what each other were using and how we where going to play them. Mark was using the Anglo-Danish and the Mission was called the Challenge. This Mission wouldn't suit Marks Warlord as he was using a Religious adviser who wasn't very good in combat.

The Warlords faced off in the center of the table and after the first combat Mark was down 4 wounds to 1 i think it was.

Mark's warlord quickly retreated back into the hut with some of his warriors. I stood out side taunting him lol

Mark's abilities to fatigue me was starting to build up on me. So I moved as many troops around my warlord as possible to protect him.

My Beserkers charged Mark's warriors and as expected they wiped each other out.

I moved in for another go at killing the Religious adviser only to be pushed back again but not before causing more wounds.

Mark had troops around me now looking to even the score but before he could the round time was up. With me scoring 9 wounds on Mark and Mark only scoring 1 wound on me. The win went to me even though I didn't get 10 wounds ahead. A good hard game though as I lost most of my war band in this battle so not to many Saga dice left to roll.

Game - 3
Game 3 was vs Alan ''Sorry I didn't get your last name'' and we would be playing Battle of the Ford This was a mission I had played so i know what to expect Alan was playing Norse Gaels a Viking sub faction. Who are all about challenging the opponent to take a penalty of some sort or if you fight it and win you stop it but if you lose the challenge it hurts.

I got the first turn and it was a mad dash across the river to force my way through.

I killed one squad of warriors and some levies for the cost of my berserkers and some warriors

With the warriors that where across the river being exhausted they soon feel but took some warriors with them.

The other end off the river was just a lot of failed assaults but i soon got through although Alan had troops moving to help.

Alan Charged his warlord across the river and killed mine but my warriors took exception to this and killed him then charged over the river.

After one final assault both side where exhausted and the game was over. And with me getting more across the river then Alan the win went to me. I couldn't believe my luck just going all out attack and so far not sacrificing any attack dice for defense dice was paying off.

Game - 4
Game 4 was called feast of crows which is a multi-player game for my then 2 players was drew random names from a hat to see what 3 people would be on each table. I would be facing Alan with his Norse Gaels and Mark with his Anglo-Danish. The objective was to get the most kill points.

We setup in a triangular fashion to be as even apart as possible.

As I split my forces I started to get picked off not a good start.

Alan's spearmen in the building where attacking my men in the open and no matter what i did I couldn't stop them.

Marks forces slowly wore me down also and I was soon eliminated from the game.

Mark was to go on to win this game with 25 kill points while Alan and myself where on 16 kill points.
So a great first day well above my expectations now after a good days gaming we where after some much needed rest as Mark, Andrew and my self had been up since 12am to travel up to Thames. Day 2 to follow in the next post.

Nicon 2015 Saga

Well this weekend Mark, Andrew and Myself will be heading to Thames to play at Nicon the North island war gaming convention. We will be playing Saga 8 games over two days 6 games will be 6pts and 2 games will be 4pts. Just thought I would do a quick post of what I would be using.

The Army

2pts of Warriors

2 more pts of Warriors

1pt of Hirdmen (Viking body guard)

1pt of Viking Beserkers (Psycho assault guys)

My warlord and his trusty hound

Horse and cart aka Baggage used for one of the missions. Still have to flock and snow base it.

My second piece of baggage. A Viking burial cart.

The Saga Begins

To day it finally arrived. No not the star wars trailer you see what I did there. My Saga figures finally arrived from Wayland games after a 2 and a half month wait. After a game with fellow blogger Mark Stanton I was hooked. There is quite a few different factions in Saga covering the dark ages.

- Vikings
- Anglo-Danish
- Normans
- Welsh
- Anglo-Saxons
- Bretons
- Jomsvikings (Viking sub-faction)
- Scots
- Irish 
- Norse-Gaels 
- Franks
- Strathclyde Welsh.
- Arabs (non-official faction)
- Byzantines
- Skraelings

liked the look of the Vikings so I decided on them they just look cool with their fur cloaks and all that facial hair ''hey it works for Chuck Norris why not for my Vikings''

Each force comes with a battle board with skills on it some offencive some defencive and some counter the opponents skills this is where yous saga dice come in. There is about 5 types of dice for example the Vikings, Jomsvikings and Norse-Gaels share the same dice symbols.

These Viking dice are used on you battle board

This is the battle board that you use for your orders some orders are easier to do then others.

Ragnar lothbrok my warlord.

Viking Hirdmen these are my elites.

Viking Berserker's These guys a psycho assault guys with little regard for their own lives.

Viking Bondi and Levies I got 8 sprues of these enough for my warriors and archers.

Well there is an event in Thames at the end of next month called NICON they are hoping to run a saga event if they get it up and running I will go hopefully with they guys in tow.