When Rivers Run Red, a 10mm game of Fantastic Battles

 It is just over a year since I got my copy of Fantastic Battles. So far I have played two solo games and a game a few weeks ago with Ian and Phil and I am really impressed. The rules are well written and produce a quick moving game. You can also design any fantasy army you wish as there is a clear set of guidelines/stat lines and an easy to follow points system. 

Chris is my main gaming buddy for fantasy battles so I was delighted when I was able to 'encourage' him to get a copy of the rules. Sadly as Chris lives over an hour away we don't get to game as often as we would like, He was supposed to be popping up for todays game but sadly personal reasons prevented him from coming and sampling the delights of a game of Fantastic Battles but hopefully we will manage this soon.  

 Ian and Phil came along though so it was going to be a 3 player game, a straightforward encounter battle between an Elf/Dwarf alliance and a Barbarian Horde . I always like to have some back story so here is today's story. 

When Rivers Run Red

 a Fantastic Battles 1,000 points per side encounter battle.

Recorded in the 'Red Book of Alsof' is the following passage...

“It was during that troubled time that the great dwarf hero Amflodi the Tall (so called because he was so tall his beard did not reach the floor) came down from the mountains with his warriors to aid the elves of Galgoen in the fight against the might of the barbarian hordes.

Here by the banks of the Greenspyke River did the force of elves and dwarves give battle to the barbarian host.”

It was randomly decided that I would take on the role of the Barbarians and Ian and Phil would be in control of the Elves and Dwarves. Having carefully deployed my troops in neat lines the 'mishaps' stage completely disrupted this and split my forces all over the place, certainly the worst mishap rolls I have ever seen. By contrast the elf/dwarf force only suffered the loss of a dwarf archer unit. 

Look at the neat barbarian lines on the right.

and now look how disrupted we have become. 

My right wing never fully recovered control of the troops on that side. 

Once the battle proper began the barbarians went for a rapid advance, the elf/dwarf troops were more defensive. Their shooting was certainly effective taking out the Barbarian war Mammoth with one round of shooting! (Look at that dice throw!). 

Once the two forces got into melee the elf/dwarf units managed to maintain the upper hand and the centre became blocked preventing my two main units of Barbarian Warriors from getting into the fray. The elf knights and the dwarf shieldwall units were very tough to fight and they gradually defeated my cavalry and ogre units over about 3 turns. The barbarian berserkers were not very effective and so my casualties mounted until my breaking point of 50% of companies defeated was reached. 

Even when my ogres managed to defeat the enemy treeman he fell on my troops injuring them! 

So  a well deserved victory to the elf and dwarf alliance. The river certainly ran red with blood, unfortunately it was from my troops. We all enjoyed the game, Fantastic Battles is a great set of rules which always give a good game. 

Here is a shot of the victorious elf and dwarf generals celebrating...

I am far to polite to post my response!