TSA Escalation League 2025: Round 2 - The Oldest of Enemies

 Time for the second round of the campaign, and my Marienburg army faced their oldest of enemies, the Orcs and Goblins Tribes.

As Patrick had lost his first game, this meant I had a very slight points bonus compared to the Greenskins, and my "mighty" force of 740 points now had been reinforced with a new general, commands for the rank and file units, and a crazed Doomseeker joining the fray.

Opposing me, the greenskins brought the following horde to the battle, and I had a 35 points bonus as my opponent Patrick had drawn on bonus objectives in the first round, so numbered only 705 points.  The green horde at the other side of the table contained a General on Boar and his righthand, a level 3 Goblin Shaman.  A big block of Night Goblins harbouring 3 Fanatics, a block of Orc Archers, 5 Boar Riders and 5 Black Orcs made up the ranks of the army.

 

 

The scenario was a Flank Attack, with the League secondary objective being Hold the Ground, for getting scoring units near the statue on the hill in the middle of the field.

 

  The Empire force deployed on one flank around a forest, with the Halberdiers and Doomseeker making use of the flanking deployment.  The Greenskins all remained together though...

 

 

The first casualties fell to some shooting in the first round, with two Black Orcs falling to crossbowbolts, while one handgunner was taken down by the Archers.

 

 

 But in the second turn the lines started to close, as I moved the Halberdiers near the objective in the hopes they would survive the initial charge and score a point for the secondary target.  

 

 

The Boars where hit by the Summon Elemental Spirit, taking two of the slavering beastriders down.

 

 

 But with the Doomseeker unable to charge due to a Hex, the remaining boars crashed into the Halberdier unit.  The Champion challenged the Boar rider champion, but fell to the savage warrior, but somehow the unit held on for dear life.

 

 

As the small Black Orc unit was shot down by the Empire missile troops, the Halberdiers went above and beyond, actually taking down two more boar riders.

 

 

 But then the fickle Spirit moved through the combat, thinning the ranks but also taking down the last boar rider, while wounding the Doomseeker who still was wandering around aimlessly.  

The general then crashed into the weakened Halberdiers unit, who somehow still managed to bravely remain, after the beast had ran first into the Doomseeker and taking her down.  Yeah, she was pretty useless...

But with the Halberdiers holding on, and the Greatswords and General getting near the objective, the secondary would certainly be mine this game, as he only had his general left as a scoring unit.   

The Night Goblins joined the melee, and now the Halberdiers where finally taken down, breaking from the fight and allowing the opponent to pursue.

 

 

 This left the general ready to charge the crossbows in my turn, and from within stand and shoot range, so this looked grim for the missile troops.

 

 

 As he crashed in, the somehow still surviving, but battered archers thundered into the flank of the Greatswords.  I totally fumbled almost all attacks, then fled a full 3 inch.  So exit the general and the elite warriors, as well as any possible chance of grabbing a victory, certainly after the three fanatics had crashed through the unit as well.

 

 

The crossbowmen held on though,  and after retreating the general decided to go for a squishier target with the Wizard.  Yet the old man somehow avoided injury, even though he couldn't take down the orc either.  

But the battle was fought, and the savage orcs stood victorious over the ranks of Marienburg.  The total end result was 685 versus 321, but I did obtain the bonus points for the secondary objective.  That means the force will see some expanding to 960 points for the next round, and the last one without my beloved cannons...

 

But the reality is, Marienburg is being invaded from all sides!