A year of Hordes - Further notes

Since I posted our results table, I have come across a few more diary entries:

20 November 2017

Honest Orcs

Dwarves

Dwarves win

So far the Dwarves remain unbeaten, but the Honest Orcs acquitted themselves well and the latest game was a darn close run thing!

15th January 2018

Ratmen

Savage Orcs

Savage Orcs win

Once again the Savage Orc Hordes outperformed all expectation, their Ballista unleashed Hell and their Trolls stomped across the battlefield causing mayhem.
The plucky Rats got mangled due to a series of lousy dice rolls. At least that's my story, and I'm sticking to it.

19th February 2018

Eastern Empire

Savage Orcs

Two games, one win each

We played two games of Hordes of the Things last night at Stronghold. Kev's Savage Orcs won the first battle when my Empire general rashly tried to tackle the trolls on his own. As that game finished rather quicker than expected we had a rematch.
The Empire re-organised and put their strong cavalry front and centre with the infantry (bows supported by spears) on either flank.
The Empire infantry managed to hold off the Orc's Trolls and Bats while the Empire cavalry rolled over the Orc Shooters in their centre.

23rd July 2018

Honest Orcs ?

Savage Orcs

Savage Orcs Win

Richard joined us, he borrowed Kev's Savage Orcs and trounced me and my army.

17th September

Steppe 'N Wolf goblins

Medieval

Draw ?

Kev's first outing with his new Medieval army. Hero General, Cleric, Artillery, Knights and Blades. They look superb.

A year of Hordes at The Stronghold

Kev and I started playing Hordes of the Things together at The Stronghold Games Club in November last year. We have managed to get a couple of games in each month since then. Best as I can recall results so far are as follows:

Date	Chris	Kevin	Comment
6 November 2017	Lizardmen	Dwarves	Dwarves win
4th December 2017	Ratmen	Steppe Goblins	Goblins win, just
11th December 2017	Eastern Empire	Savage Orcs	Orcs win
29th January 2018	Dwarves	Savage Orcs	Dwarves win
5th February 2018	Black Orcs	Savage Orcs	Not recorded
19th February 2018	Eastern Empire	Savage Orcs	Two games, one win each
12th March 2018	Ratmen	Savage Orcs	Ratmen win
14th May 2018	Ratmen	Dwarves	Close win for the Dwarves
9th April 2018	Army of the Basilisk	Dwarves	Dwarves win
23rd April 2018	Ratmen	Dwarves	Dwarves win, JC got frogged!
30th April 2018	New Reformed Dwarves	Savage Orcs	Draw due to time out.
4th June 2018	Ratmen	Savage Orcs	Ratmen win
11th June 2018	Honest Orcs	Savage Orcs	Savage Orcs win
18th June 2018	Steppe Goblins	Savage Orcs	Steppe Goblins win
9th July 2018	Eastern Empire	Savage Orcs	Draw
3rd September 2018	Eastern Empire	Savage Orcs	Savage Orcs win
10th September 2018	Steppe Goblins	Savage Orcs	Two games, Orcs win both. Richard won with the Orcs in the second match.
15th October 2018	Eastern Empire	Medieval	Empire win
22nd October 2018	Lizardmen	Savage Orcs	Lizardmen win

Results overall are fairly even, some of the battles were pretty close. I have not kept track of who was defending or attacking, but this does not usually make much difference to our tactics!
We had one game where Richard played Kev's army and won a good victory with a surprising flank move.

Hordes of the Things - Ratmen vs Dwarves, Round 2

Our latest Monday evening game of Hordes at The Stronghold Gaming Club was a rematch for my Ratmen Vs Kev's Dwarves. It was a darn close run thing as the Ratmen almost took down the Dwarves. At one point both armies were down to 14AP (12 AP and you lose).

Dwarves:
Hero General 4AP x1
Trolls - Behemoth 4AP x1
Ogres - Behemoth 4AP x1
Dwarven X Bows - Shooters 2AP x1
Dwarven Warriors - Blades 2AP x5

The Dwarves got to defend so had a Stronghold.

Ratmen:
Joolius Cheezer - Magician General 4AP x1
Spears 2AP x2
Shooters 2AP x2
Warbands 2AP x6

We dice for randomised terrain. This time we got a couple of patches of woodland and a couple of Hills.

Both armies advance towards each other in good order. Bad going on both flanks narrow the battlefield.

The Dwarves allied Ogres are lured into an ambush by plucky Ratmen snipers and cut to pieces in the woods!

Confusion abounds as the battle lines break up and it's every Rat or Dwarf for them self!

Both armies are disordered and down to half strength.
The Dwarves hero General stepped into the fray and saved the day for his army, organising a critical counter attack that broke the remaining Ratman army.
The Ratman general, Joolius Cheezer was mostly ineffective. His recent spell as an amphibian must have sapped his confidence!

The dead units pile up on both sides.

The Dwarves remain undefeated but this was a pyrrhic victory.

Armies from the Attic part 2 - Hordes of the Things

For a quick and easy fantasy wargame, Hordes of the Things is hard to beat. It's remarkably versatile and has been used for scores of different armies and settings. In the basic game each army adds up to 24 AP (Army Points). If you combine it with DBA you get even more unit types such as Light Cavalry, Pikes and Skirmishers.

Here are some of my instant armies made up from my 15mm figures.

Horde Orcs

A mix of figures from various makers including Tabletop Games, Jacobite, Tin Soldier and Warrior.

Warband General x1 @2 = 2AP;
Black Orc Hordes x4 @1 = 4AP;
Black Orc Bows x2 @2 = 4AP;
Hobgoblin Hordes x4 @1 = 4AP;
Rocktroll Behemoth x1 @4 = 4AP;
Wolf  Rider Cavalry x3 @2 = 6AP.

Hobgoblin Hordes, these are Citadel 25mm Snotlings re-based for 15mm.

Black Orcs

Warband General x1 @2 = 2AP;
Black Orc Spears x4 @2 = 8AP;
Black Orc Bows x2 @2 = 4AP;
Rocktroll Behemoth x1 @4 = 4AP;
Wolf  Rider Cavalry x3 @2 = 6AP.

The Rocktroll. This is a resin model that came as part of a set of elementals.

Steppe Goblins

Chariot General (Knight) x1 @2 = 2AP;
Wolf Chariots (Knights) x2 @2 = 4AP;
Wolf Riders Cavalry x6 @2 = 12AP;
Great Goblin Spears x2 @2 = 4AP;
Great Goblin warband x1 @2 = 2AP;

Goblin Wolf Chariots from Tin Soldier.

Wolf Riders. Mixed and matched from various sources.

Ratmen

I bought this little army ready painted and based. I think that they are Pendrakken 10mm figures.

They work mix nicely as 15mm.

Joolius Cheezer Hero (or Magician) General x1 @4 = 4AP;

Ratona Stick (Spears) x2 @2 = 4AP;

Ratus Ratus Warriors (Warband) x6 @2 = 12AP;

Mad Bombers (Shooters) x2 @2 = 4AP; or

Mad Bombers (Artillery) x1 @3 = 3AP; +

Rats Ass-Assassins (Lurkers) x1 @1 = 1AP.

Joolius Cheezer, Ratman Hero (or Magician) with his backing band, spears and mad bombers.

Orthodox Dwarves

This is a traditional Dwarven army of massed hand weapons, hammers, axes. I think that thee are Peter Pig figures, They were bought ready painted and based.

The Low King Hero General x1 @4 = 4AP;
Dwarf Warriors (Blades) x8 @2 = 16AP;
Crossbows (Shooters) x2 @2 = 4AP;

The Low King and bearded loons in chain mail undies.

New Reformed Dwarves

Much the same figures as above but a very different army.

Iron Master (Blades General) x1 @2 = 2AP;
Dwarf Warriors (Blades) x4 @2 = 8AP;
Dwarf Spears x2 @2 = 4AP;
Dwarf Crossbows (Shooters) x2 @2 = 4AP;
Engineer (Cleric) x1 @3 = 3AP;
War Engine (Artillery) x1 @3 = 3AP;

Eastern Empire

These are my Fantasy Byzantines, A heavy Cavalry biased army.

Knight General x1 @2 = 2AP;
Iron Dragons Cataphracts (Knights) x2 @2 = 4AP;
Red Griffons Heavy Cavalry (Riders) x3 @2 = 6AP;
Petcheneg Light Cavalry (Riders) x2 @2 = 4AP;
Empire Levy (Shooters) x4 @2 = 8AP;

Armies from the attic - Fantasy Rules!

Years ago when I last played tabletop wargames, one of my favourite systems was Chipco's Fantasy Rules. This is a very versatile rules set that allow players to create and customise their own armies from a range of different units and characters. I have three armies that got regular games, the Honest Orcs even got a couple of away matches and did pretty well in competition.
I got them out of the attic and set them up at the games club for a photo session. They seem to have survived fairly well but the bases could do with some refurbishment.

Here are the infamous Honest Orcs assembled en-masse.

Orc General with Taunt and Army Standard;
1x Wizard L2 in Heavy Chariot
6x Black Orc Spears with Bowfire;
4x Hobgoblin hand weapons;
2x Elite Ogre (Strong but Stupid) hand weapons;
6x Goblin Wolf-riders Light Cavalry;
2x Traps, deploy to impede movement;


Wizard Prang in his Heavy Chariot of DOOM;

Two traps: These were both made by Tom Pope.

Great Grey Green Greasy Limpopo Lizardman army.
This is a mob heavy army. FR! allows armies to mass some units into larger juggernauts. These move and fight as a single formation.
The Lizardmen have two 2x3 mob Juggernauts as their core formation giving them a very solid centre.

Lizard general with Army Standard;
Lizardman Hero;
Lizard Wizard Shaman (Druid L2);
Two 2x3 Mob Juggernauts;
4x Skirmishers (attached to the Juggernauts);
6x Lizardmen Handweapons;
2x Dinosaur Riders (Small Monsters);
4x Lizardmen Heavy Cavalry;

Mob Juggernauts + attached bows and characters:

The Eastern Empire.

This army has a heavy cavalry bias backed up by strong infantry, artillery and shooters.

General with army Standard;
Cleric with Holy Hand Grenade (one use only);
4x Iron Dragons Heavy Cataphract Lancers (Knights);
3x Red Griffons  Heavy Cavalry;
3x Petcheneg Light Cavalry;
4x Varangian Dwarves, Hand Weapons Heavy armour;
4x Skirmishers;
1x Heavy Artillery;


The Varangian Dwarven Guard + their mighty bolt lobber:

Light Cavalry and Skirmishers:

These figures are all based on 40mm frontage so I can use them for Hordes of the Things too.