The Free Folk

I made some progresses in my Wildling army.. enough battles between knights and men at arms, time for something savage... Here my first units for a Free Folk-Mance Rayder- The Kind Beyond the Wall- army! Including two giants from the cold!

Do you recognize the origin of my "wildlings"?

The leader Rattleshirt in the front attack position

They are attacking some "Crows" from the night Watch..

Some characters/Leaders: Rattleshirt"Lord of Bones", Tormund Giantsbane and Ygritte the archer

I am mostly inspired by TV series, but art from the game cards themselves are quite beautiful and inspiring

The first assembled army, ready to be tested in an upcoming Battle test: 2 units of raiders, one of trappers, one of "cave dwellers" (I found finally a good use for the strange fur barbarians from Esci!!)

Charachters chosen: Tormund as general and Ygritte as support in the trappers unit

Giants still there..

Non Combat Units: Styr Magnar of the Thenn, and Mance Raider himself

Some scary power is approaching from the woods.. This raiding party must go for it to take direct knowledge of this threat

The army of the Dead!!!

What will happen?? Battle " Dead snow" narrated in my next post!

Wargaming Weekend (II) battle of Locus Gnotus-- Hail Caesar

"Senior tribune Marcus Cuniatus was looking to the plain in front of him...

It was a known place for him and his men, here in the middle of Britannia... The roman autorities used to have a good relationship with the local tribes, but now, just after  the Iceni rebellion started, every native was a suspect, and the roman troops had commited some big abuses on the civil population, even if allied like it was the case.. Tension had grown and the locals had also joined the rebellion

The tribune had previously developed a very close relationship with the local prince, Tripates. they used to meet together and even their chidlren had played together..  Now he was in the opposite side of the field, commanding the briton warriors- It is really a pity.. he is somehing similar to a brother to me.. thought the roman offcer . If only things were different.."

This plain was known as "Locus Gnotus" that means " Familiar place" , as near the main village, the native used this plain and his hill to take rest and amusement, often joined by the romans which were not in service,  but today it would be different.. friends became fierce enemies. 


"The junior tribune Aldaius , second in command,ordered to the optio in command of a legionary scorpio emplacements: move that weapons forward, I will need more supprt"
"No, -answered Cuniatus,- there they are fine" The barbarians will run to us soon... You will advance with the cavalry and the auxilieres to the hill to get some advantage there. Then shouted to centurios commandingh the infantry in the main force:- Let them advance! Then, at my signal, Fire and Rage" Fight for Rome! 


At that very moment, prince Tripates gave the order to his men to advance . He was not happy, living near the occuppers was not so bad at all, but they made horrible things recently. He was sorry for Cuniatus, but he had to defend his peple. he send a signal to his seocn chief in command Carnutas in the left flank to advance to the hill, and the shouted to his own force: Warriors, forwad by Lugh!!"


I had really a funny weekend of wargaming,

First I enjoyed a battle against myr Brother in Law who loves a lot about Ancient History and I convinced him to make a friendly play test of "Hail Caesar"

This is a very compact and nice  ruleset, even if extense, and it permits getting ig armies of a lot of figures with a very impressive look of the field,  wich an be used as single units or divisions with more or less easy movement-commands-attack-moral-destruction instructions (although you needti read them more than ince and practice, as we did) One funny thing is that you need t activate every unit by giving them direct and clear orders frm the commanders... AS in real world orders can fail and usually warriors dont move right

Rules are at some point open, but with a friendly player you can solve it easily and with common sense form both sides  (so, very good for battling friends but probably not so suitable for tournaments..) Anyway that is exactly what I like....

 The problem actually was that I have actually (and unforntunately)  not so many models paintedn and ready for historical battles, so I had to search in my old "archives..." again as in some previous ocassion

 I was able to make a good force of around 100  romans and 180 celts/britons , getting my old bad painted figs from airfix and revell, and taking also some used and bad painted figs that another cousin lent me (so it was all a familar issue as the name of ther battle :))

This is how both armies looked, after mounting a good playing table on my brother-in-law living room and taking some lego-parts from my nieces to represent the wood areas





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The Roman punish force deployed , as in the picture:

Battle line-

Secundary Divison  under Junior Tribune Aldaius
Auxiliary Cavalry Ala
Auxiliary infantry Century

Main divison under Tribune Cuniatus
Auxiliary small archer unit
Legionary Century II (blue shields)
legionaryArtillery-2 scorpios

Legionary Century I (red shields) kept in second line

The celts War party:

Also secondary division of chief Carnutas n the left:
1 warband
1 skirmishers small unit


Main division under Prince

3 warbands
Noble cavalry on the far right

The start of the battle

 Firtly there was enthusiastic celtic advance in the left (secondary division)

Go on By Lugh!!

The Main celtic force also advanced forward but more slowly (order dice were not very generous)


Romans preferred to wait and save energies, fring some  missile (with no much success..)

Only the Secondary division (auxiliary cavalry and auxiliary infantrymen) advanced on their right to take control of the hill, not so fast but steadily enough

The major celtic central division kept advancing very slow (dice for orders were quite bad) ... Maybe too much warm bier the night before the battle? Romans easily waited and shot several arrow and bolt volleys.. Some casualties started to be inflicted on the celts

The initial briton advance on the left became also slow when fot two turns the celts did not advance at all . Roman cavalry were faster but also stoped once on the top! Gallic skirmishers coudl also shoot some succesful arrows on them!

Following Carnutas order, The warband 1 tried to reach the roman cavalry but they couldn´t  ...In response Aldaius, the young tribune in command of the division joined the unit to use a FOLLOW ME order and so bravely led,  the cavalrymen charged and made several caslties on the barbarian warriors! But the britons attacked in turn and made also several wound on the romans...
Both commanders got involved trying to get the best of their troops and adding more attack dice to the fight... Fortune was in briton side and the roman riders were disbanded... Tribune Aldaius survived but was taken prisoner..

In the center the Legionary cohort II took suddenly initiative in the slow briton advance, as charged and broke the central celtic warband in one single stroke, with roman martial efficiency helped by their Pila and gladii..  Only 2 roman casualties taken in account of crushing the main celtic attack..

The auxiliry cohort who was supposed to support their cavalry comrades, could however not stand the chance of charging another celtic warband into the flank after getting encouraged by the previous legionary success .. However these celts were fresh and casualties by both sides.. Auxiliaries lost the combat and had to fall back...

Celts had received a hard punch on the very center of this line...  Prince Tripates made all infantry units of the major division to go back and recover a bit..
The noble celtic cavalrymen however advanced on their own trying to expoit the exposed roman left flank! They had to change to open order to get into the woods trying to surprise the romans in a wild charge!

This surprise attack from the woods was a little disordered, and at the beginning was a succes against poor unarmed scopios crew on their flank (totally killed and destroyed in one single charge), the celtic nobles still went forward to hit on the Leginary century II, hoping to have also an easy victory..
However their open order was a disadvantge against the formed romans, and the infantry just two casualties agianst one..
In turn, the romans counterstroke with also help formt he remianing Cohort II which entered in fight for the firts time, tooking the celts riders  in their right flank. A new strong rain of Pila fell on the britons

It was a carnage, and the cavalry was totallty destroyed

Both armies were quite exhausted after these previous violent engagements .. No side seemed to prevail


The britons made a soft movement forward just trying to harrash some romans with arrows and javelins and not risking again a frontal impact... Auxiliaries were already shaken after retiring and taking more caalties

Romans just kept their position. The auxiliaries on the right who were already "shaken"  had more acasusalties and had to maske a break tests.. They failed and the unit fled!

So the roman general saw his right quite weakaned and decided to retreat in good order to their camp.. Britons were prudent and not move towards the enemy.. The day was over, field remained in briton hands and one roman commander had been taken prisoner, but it was not a decisive victory at all..
The legionary units were still quite operative as well as their general and their archer support.. They could stand long waiting for reinforcements from imperial Governor

 Peace in the region  was still far away...

Battle of Littlewoods (kind of G. of Thrones Campaign)

Here I come with a new exciting battle report for "Song of Ice and Fire" (Game of Thrones) ..

I had a funny bier + sandwich + gaming evening together with my mate Gabi who became a fan of Wargames recently :)

This battle takes place during the "War of the Five Kings" which started after death ok King Robert Baratheon  I and execution of Lord Eddard Stark shortly after, ordered by succesor Jeoffrey I Baratheon-Lannister 

Eddard´s son , Robb, rebelled in the North against King Jeoffrey ("King in the Iron Throne" and was acclaimed as "King of the North".

At the meanwhile, Stannis and Renly Baratheon also claimed the  iron Throne as legitimate heirs from (King in the Narrow sea and King oin Highgarden respectively) Finnally also King Balon Greyjoy of the iron Isles rebelled also against the power of Iron Throne to become indoeendent of the  seven Kingdoms 

This time two raiding forces are meeting each other in some no-man´s  land between Riverlands and the Clegane terrirories of the Westernlands .. Its is a flat region with some disperese areas covered by trees, known as "Littlewoods" (that should be between red and blue area of the map) 

A small ruined woodfence marks the border between both realms .. It will be disputed by both armies

First force is a northener army lead by roose Bolton and his bastard Ramsay, still loyal to the King in the North , Robb Stark the Yung Wolf. It includes:

-1xFlayed Men- extra-heavy shock , armoured knights

-1x Bolton Black guards: Heavy armoured foot Men-At-Arms. Ramsay is there wirth his pet slave "Reek" (formerly known as Theon Greyjoy), brought also to battle as a toy.. 

-2x Bolton Cutthroatts: light armed peasant trained infantry militia

-1x Bolton "Bastard´s girls" : huge Hunting mastiff dogs, quite keen to attack and eat human victims.. Actually they are the "Spoiled children" of Ramsay the sadist.. They are handed by some human hunter masters, armed with bow and arrows, very accurate with them also by the way...



Lord Roose kept in rearguard deploying his diplomatic and inlfuence habilities..

Varys "The Spider" was also this time supporting this cause,,,Always for the good of the Realm, of course

The opposing force is a Field army of the House Lannister (Loyal obviusly to king Jeofrey) , made of:

-1x Casterly Rock heavy knights

-Ser Gregor Clegane: The Mountain that Rides as individual, shock- cavalry unit/model

-1 x Clegane Mountain´s men: mercenary men At Arms drafted by Ser Gregor. They would be at direct Command of the army general, Ser Jaime Lannister

-1 x crossbowmen: cheap, light, but valuable missile troops (+1 piercing enemy armours)

-1x Pyromancers: "experimental unit".. Armed with a secret chemical/magical weapon: The mythical green valyryan wildfire ready to be shot on pots!!!

As not combat/supporting charachters they had Queen Cersei and Tyrion Lannister " The imp"



Bolton deploy:

Major forces in center (Ramsay black Guards and a Cutthroat unit) for heavy center hit,  and on the right flank (second unit of Cuttrhoats and shock Falyed Men heavy cavalry) to make also strike from this side 

To cover the left flank, actually very close to the center,  the unit of Bastard´s girls was depolyed with thier dogs will be used.. Would they be useful there...?

Lannister deploy: Bet also for a heavy cavalry force on their right with missile support to strike , and keeping center-left guarded by Ser Gregor (mounted) and Ser Jaime with hard Mountians men, both units and leaders to be kept as anvil

5 objective  markers on field: one central on the fence, the other 4 very close to it... It was random!
Central fight would be hard... Each objective pont also had an special rule for the holder:  for instance doble score, moral bonus, fight bonus...

As the battle starts. Both sides move for the objective markers near the board center!

First action on the field: On the Lannister right flank, the Casterly Rock knights thougth they were too far behind the main battelline and their Aristocratic Pride made them  ride fast forward without any support (they were just to beat peasants and dogs, no chance!) and charged directly  with their lances to the front of first Cuttrhoat unit.. Big casualties for the infantry .. But the villains held on!












On the center, Ser Gregor Clegane, "The Mountain that Rides" advanced fast to claim the central objective on the top of an old wooden fence and to defende it so bravely as fiercely..

Ramsay and their infantry  force should do their best against him...


The Lannister crossbowmen were kept on second line to secure an objective marker with had double value! That would be the major advantage during the whole game for the Lannisters...





On the Lannister Left flank, Jaime and his men hold firmly to take the Charge of the Bolton heavies..

Big clash but the counter-actions of Jaime himself, and the strong Bolton armour on the other side,  made no casualties at all for any side!! This fight would last for long..

Second unit of Bolton cutthroats was also advancing in support of the knights, but they were not fast enough to be any help..

On Lannister right, the knights were now too exposed to  enemy flank attack.. The fast and versatile "Bastard´s Girls" War dogs team took advantage on this and fired some arrows , followed by a crude dog attack under horses´ unprotected legs! The knights took heavy casualties because of this unexpected violence!

Knights were destroyed after the addiotinal counterstrike of the remining infantry (who also recovered a part of the wounds) and the Dog unit had an extra impulse movement wich was used to hide in the near woods out of the sight of the  scary pyromancers with their valiryan greenfire ammo..

Situation after round 3: Lannister right flank is quite damaged and threatened without the knights, leaving pretty intact Bolton troops  remaining; the center is to discuss around the central fence objective, hold by Ser Gregor and attacked by Ramsay and second cutthroats, ,  and left side is in fierce combat between Jaime´s men and the Flayed Men with no advantage for any side

Anyway the crossbowmen  were not in fight pisition at all  but they were scoring "free" points for the Lannister from the rear and givig them the Point advantage ...

It was now time for the Lannister in the right  to try to  counterattack and revenge the fallen Knights.. The pyromances launched an arrow of Valyrian liquid Wildfire pots, which made a big green explosion and burnt many Cutthroats inmedately!

However this lucky unit survived once more.. And pyromancers remained again in Vulnerable position, as the dangeorus dogs were to outflank them too from the woods..

In the center,  Ramsay and the Bolton Black Guards charged succesfully against Ser Gregor, trying to get some advantage of their psichological tactics of spreading fear and showing poor Reek tortured,  but Ser gregor was hard enough to stand this and he defended himself, with help of the sneaky tactics of Cersei Lannister.. Attack was a disaster.. All the black guards died inlcuding Ramsay (we dont know what happened to Reek.. maybe he hided under some dead corpses and managed later to scape to the iron Isles!) Ser Gregor finished the fight also wounded, however...











As a consequence for this central break and risk , the Boltons reacted sending the "slow" second Cutthtoat unit to the exposed flank of Ser Gregor, who was already wounded.. it was the right decision as ser Gregor also could be stroyed after that, but that meant this infantry could not support the Flayed Men knights against Jaime..









Combat on the Lannister left went on for more rounds, both sides started to accumulate  casualties but the Knights had an important advantage on their armour and Jaime had slowly less and less tactic cards to use or support from cersei/Tyrion..











On the Lannister right/ Bolton left flank, thinng became worse as in turn the Bastard´s dog girls fell on the fragile fflank of the pyromancers, again arrows + dog fangs and paws.. No one  survived!





Only some Mountain´s  infantrymen resisted with Jaime, almost overwhelmed by superior odds of Flayed Mend cavalry but sill fightinhg bravely...

After finishing the poor pyromancers, the ferociius War dogs moved forward to outflaknk last intact lannister unit, a light Crossbowmen group.. odds were alñready 4 Bolton units  (2 of them almost intact,  2 very damaged) vs 2 (1 intact, 1 very damaged)

Jaime´s unit could not stand  any longer and was finally harrased by the heavy knights...

Poor chances for last crossbowmen, surrounded by dogs, knights and cuttrhoat survivors .. Anyway they also  fought hard fr their lives till last effort , even destroying with their last Bolt array one of the most damaged units of cutthroats, but finally facing a double attack from both flanks.. Total Butchery

The  very end of the whole Lannister army... Battle of Littlewoods was over..

Although the Lannister Army was totallt destroyed,  we had a draw game in victory points as Gabi was keeping the main Objective  (doble-score!) under those crossbowmen unit the whole game! 12 -12.. Some kind of strange strategical Draw, as we had to consume the whole 6 rounds,,,

That meant.. House Bolton made a significant victory on the Lannisters in order to show Robnb Stark the King in the North,, even taking Jaime as a prisoner, but at the same time giving time to Lord Tywyn Lannister , Cersei (and Tyrion?) to rearrange a new plan...


What is was sure, we had really a nice time! Looking for playing mor soon !