The Looting of Oldsholme

Here's the first game in the Battle of the Black Crown mini campaign we played, for details of the campaign see here.

The battlefield was set up in advance, the tiny village of Oldsholme was in the centre of the field, slightly towards the Undead lines.  The various stacks of crates and barrels were merely for colour, they had no game effect, and were removed when they got in the way.

The orc skulks snuck forwards to lurk close to the windmill, but the rest of the orc force remained behind (Vanguard move).

The Undead took advantage of the Orcs’ hesitation, advancing into the remains of Oldsholme.  The werewolves managed to snatch one loot counter, and a troop of ghouls also bagged the middle objective.

In response, the gore riders charged the werewolves while the rest of the orcs advanced, the two heroes heading off towards the windmill to try and keep it’s loot from more packs of ghouls.  The skulks loosed a volley at the ghouls holding the loot.  Amazingly they did sufficient damage to wipe out the flesh-eaters, leaving the objective available once more.  The charging gore riders wiped out the werewolves, taking the loot for themselves.

The gore riders did very well against the werewolves...

Ignoring the dropped loot in the centre of the village, a troop of ghouls charged the skulks, perhaps to revenge their comrades.  The skulks didn’t last against the ghouls.

Another ghoul pack rushed up to take the loot near the windmill.  On the far flank, the ghouls that had followed the werewolves tuned away, desperate to avoid their fate on the blades of the gore riders. 

The gore riders could see the rear of the fleeing ghouls, so took full advantage, smashing them to a pulp before turning to face the undead flank.  In the village centre, the orc axes charged into the ghouls, still feasting off the remains of the skulks and were similarly brutal.  The krusher tried to stop the ghouls near the windmill from fleeing with their objective, but couldn't quite reach them.

...and just as well against the ghouls.

With the undead forces considerably thinned it was time for the zombies to shuffle in.  Ignoring the dropped loot, they charged the orc axes, but they did little damage and backed off.  The remaining ghouls moved closer to safely carrying their loot.

 

The krusher was ineffective against the fleeing ghouls so backed off and and called to his flagger to help.  The axes charged in and chopped down some of the zombies, but not quite enough to break the living dead (missed Nerve by 1). The gore riders, slowed by their loot, marched towards the undead flank.

The ghouls turned to face their home and started to run, whilst the zombies shuffled to the side to claim the remaining loot.

The krusher caught the ghouls, but was unable to hurt them and retreated while his flagger tried to catch up.  In the village, the orc axes and gore riders caught the zombies between them and destroyed them.

Realising that they were all that was left of the undead force, the ghouls desperately ran for safety, but ended up just short of the line.

Fortunately for them, the krusher and flagger were both just too far away to stop them slinking off in the following turn.

With nothing left to kill, the orcs examined their loot.  Curses!  The lone troop of ghouls had managed to escape with the Black Crown.  The krusher called on an orc krudger to lead a force into the undead lands to try and steal it back.

This was a great fun start to the campaign.  Although the orcs won by gaining two loot tokens and virtually wiping out the undead force, they let the Black Iron Crown slip away.