Ian and I met for our first game of the 2nd version of Dragon Rampant. We were using my old school dwarf and goblin armies where the vast bulk of the figures were produced pre the year 2,000. We opted to use the Ringbearer scenario and a quick dice throw decided that Ian was the goblins and myself the dwarves. Ian and the goblins were the ring-bearers and my dwarves had to find which enemy unit was transporting the ring about and try to steal it from them.
A hint as to how this battle may go came when we threw randomly for Leader Traits. Ian got a trait that was of no use in the game but my Dwarf Leader was deemed a 'Weakling'!
Deployment, dwarves to the left, goblins to the right.
Hinchliffe goblin riders advance. I had my suspicions that this fast moving unit was transporting the ring. (How wrong was I!).
The dwarf king and his bodyguard were hauling a barrel of beer around with them.
Dwarf Crossbow troops, figures from Conquest Miniatures.
Goblin wolf allies try to outflank the dwarves. (The smaller wolves are from Ghost miniatures, the larger wolf is a Reaper Bones model so not that old).
The wild wolves still getting round the dwarven flank.
Goblin Warchief takes shelter in the temple. (Nick Lund Chronicle Miniatures).
Dwarf Crossbow troops score the first kills, taking out 3 goblin warriors.
The two sides move ever closer.
The wolf pack came running over the rocks and charged the dwarf crossbow.
The dwarf crossbow suffer several casualties and are forced back, the two '6's were Ian's Courage test for the wolves, (high is good).
The wolf pack leader gloats over the fallen dwarves.
The goblin warlord charges into the dwarf leader and his unit.
Although both units were injured look at the dwarf throw for Courage; off they ran!
The Goblin leader looks happily at the dwarven beer barrel the dwarf leader left behind.
Elsewhere, the dwarves were whittled down to just one unit left and slowly the goblin force began to surround them as they prepared for a last stand on the hill.
Trying to get out of this tricky situation, the brave dwarves charged down the hill towards some goblins but they were caught by a couple of enemy units who first Battered them then broke them. Game over and a solid win for the goblins.
Savouring his victory Ian enjoyed telling me it was the wolf pack that was bearing the ring, Early on I had reduced them to just one model so came very close to snatching the ring.
This was a really fun game. The second edition of the game still plays like the game we all enjoy just with more depth. I avoided using Spellcasters for this first game but we will use them next time, Happily Ian was off home to look at his Orc army and how he could rebase it for Dragon Rampant so maybe I won after all?
Great fun, and I remember we had a lot of fun with 1E.
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