Stand and Deliver! A Talomir Tales Swordplay AAR

"It wasn't my fault, you know," General von Vonaway said.
"I don't want to hear it, now get some sleep," came the reply.

The coach came to an abrupt stop. The Captain exited the coach after insuring that Vonaway's shackles were secure. As he stepped into the night, a soldier apprised him of the situation. A tree had been blown down by the storm and blocked the road. Captain Hoffman set the guard and got the rest of the men to moving the tree. He'd be glad when they reached the port and he was no longer responsible for the prisoner.

**********************************************

**************************************************

Now there's a great example of a plan going to hell in a hurry. The plan was, stop the coach, win the In Sight and act first, cause a Man Down Test, and watch them runaway.

Except, I rolled zero successes on the In Sight.

This allowed the soldiers to grab their guns, but thankfully they couldn't fire, but would when charged.

Captain Hoffman fired but missed, my Star fired back and knocked him down, which proved very lucky as my Grunts didn't do well in melee. Two went Out of the Fight and one scraped up an Evenly Matched result.

After the In Sight, things looked bleak, but my side was still active. So I decided my Star would run over to the knocked down Captain and take a Challenge Test. Surrender or die!

Saved me from what was quickly becoming a very bad Encounter.

Assassination!

General Pereira shook his head. An assassin in his own camp? And the hero of the last battle, Shazaam the Mage as the target? Who's behind this? Pereira did a quick survey.
 A follower of the Demon that was beaten?
The new Level 2 Mage Kiana? Heck, it could even be the Royal Family from the capital.

"Take the body back into his quarters. Make it look like an accident, " Pereira said. "And find Kiana, I want to speak to her now!"

"My General?" came the female voice. Kiana had showed up recently in the camp, after the battle. She had been recruited by the Royal Family. Their shift towards favoring Black Magic over troops worried Pereira but he had to work with what he was given. Her and Shazaam didn't hit it off at all, but she acknowledged Shazaam's command.

"The wizard is dead," Pereira said. " No one is to know. If any ask, he died of an accident. We don't need morale problems, now that war with Treyine has been declared. Besides, it will look better for you."

Pereira watched for a reaction from Kiana but saw none. If she was behind it, it didn't matter. Only the war with Treyine did.

"As my General commands," Kiana replied with a slight bow." I am only here to serve. If you no longer need me, I will go. I want to be sure the transition is smooth and reassure my Mages."

As Kiana walked away, Pereira made note...."...my Mages."

**********************************************************

One of the perks of this campaign is the chance to tie other games into the campaign narrative. With the death of Shazaam, alleged to have blown himself up, I saw another chance. So I dug around for an old module from Bob Minadeo, author of WHAA, called "Are you an Assassin?". Here it is with a little tweaking and here's a Bat Rep.

Game wise the Assassin was Rep 6, Shazaam and all the guards Rep 4. Only 4 guards were rolled as being available and only one was on duty when the assassin struck. And he was struck down on the first turn. All in all it smells fishy to me.
Rules used were Swordplay.

Summer 996 - Campaign Update

Spring saw the first Altengardian defeat in years and it was a bad one. Northern Tropilium was finally conquered by Stygustan and the necromancer of The Abyss has had to flee to a retirement hotel for deposed dictators in Eskelin. A small number of nations have risen to dominate the stage of Talomir now and the end times cannot be far away.

Going to War
Treyine invades Altengard
Mirish invades Treyine
Stygustan invades Altengard
Tropilium invades Treyine

Treyine defend against Mirish with its whole army. Tropilium will gain the new territory without resistance and Altengard will be on the offensive against Treyine in the autumn turn.

Spring 996 - A statement from General Heinrich von Vonavay of Altengard

This is the last statement received from the General. He has not been seen since he was taken away in an unmarked black carriage late last night. The King has announced that Terncote Bakstabz, Vonavay’s assistant, will take temporary charge of the army until a replacement can be found.

Spring 996 - On the Plains of Death

Half a league, half a league,
Half a league onward,
Across the Plains of Death
Rode Altengard's knights.
"Forward, Altengard's army!
Charge the archers!" he cried
Across the Plains of Death
Rode Altengard's knights.

"Altengardians, Sir. Fahsands of 'em"

"Was there a man dismay'd?
Not tho' the knights knew
Someone had blunder'd.
Theirs not to make reply,
Theirs not to reason why,
Theirs but to do and die.
Across the Plains of Death
Rode Altengard's knights.

Altengardian light cavalry sees of the Hykari mercenaries while the Treyine reserve deploys to face the new threat. Sir Rumplz von Stiltsken sounds the Horn of Naz Goth, causing casualties among the nearest Treyine archers. In turn Altengardian knights charged the Treyine right wing and were promptly seen off.

Archers in front of them
Turn'd the sky dark
With bodkin and point.
Storm'd at with bow and spear,
Boldly they rode and well,
Across the Plains of Death
Into the mouth of Heck
Rode Altengard's knights.

The Altengardian left wing is seen off by mercenary knights and the infantry in the centre clash for the first time. Casualties are high but Treyine morale holds and it is the Altengardian troops that are driven back from the archers' stakes.

Spearing the archers there,
Charging an army,
While all the world wonder'd,
Plunged in the arrow storm
And broke on the line;
Altengardian heroes and knights
Reel'd from the sword stroke
Shatter'd and sunder'd.

Casualties mount on the Altengardian infantry as they are threatened from the flank by the newly regrouped knights. The Treyine archers have taken horrendous casualties but most are still holding because of support from their own side and being behind deployed stakes. The Treyine left flank surges forward to encircle the Altengardian flank.

Then they fled the field,
Altengardian knights.
Archers to the right of them,
Archers behind them.
Worn down by bodkin and point
While horse and hero fell,
They that had fought so well
Lay on the Plains of Death.

The moment that General Heinrich von Vonavay of Altengard realised all was lost and fled the field, taking the last of his army with him.

Few returned from the mouth of Heck,
The few that were left of them,
Left of Altengard's army.
O the wild charge they made!
Bravery unmatched
Noble Altengard knights.
Honor the charge they made,
Honor Altengard's men.

The battlefield was a completely flat plain. Treyine deployed with archers in the front rank and infantry behind. The archers deployed stakes at the start. The cavalry was deployed in a line behind the main body as a reserve to respond to whatever Altengard did. I was worried about the possible effect of the Altengard light cavalry on the integrity of my line so I wanted space to throw some cavalry at them. Steve deployed Altengard with a strong infantry centre and cavalry on each flank. As I had hoped, Steve charged immediately and my archers saw off his knights, although with some casualties. I was worried about the hero and the Horn of Naz-Goth, but Steve blew the horn a little too early, meaning that only four archer units suffered hits. He then charged the hero into my lines, causing casualties to the archer unit that he attacked, but the archers held and the hero, being mounted, had to retire. He could not do this because Steve had moved a unit up in support so the hero routed because he remained in contact with an enemy unit. This was probably Steve's biggest mistake. had the hero been able to charge again, I doubt that my infantry could have hurt him, because it takes two units fighting together to stand a chance of hurting an AC8 hero unit. It is quite difficult to manoeuvre to a position where you can do this.

In the pursuit, Altengard permanently lost 1 unit of archers, 5 units of infantry, 1 unit of arquebusiers and 1 unit of pikemen. However, both units passed 2 dice on the national morale test and the war will continue. The hero, despite routing, is happy to remain with Altengard for the time being.

Spring 996 - Stygustan vs N. Tropilium - Fugam Abolita

Since my flight yesterday was canceled I thought I'd get off the stick and play out my battle. This one went quick.

Northern Tropilium never really had a chance. They need to get up close and personal and that just doesn't work in the teeth of heavy bow fire. Add to that a Minor Demon and you've got real trouble. Surprisingly the army shrugged off the Leader Lost check after the generals unit evaporated, I didn't even bother to roll for Leader at Risk. If Priapus Harmonius had been on the other side things might have been different. Once the general was lost I didn't have enough War Rating to do much.

The Archers, both Auxiliaries and one Legion were lost in the pursuit. Not that it matters as I think North Tropilium has been completely conquered.

Let's see if I can make it on a plane today.