Fantasy Battle Rep: Night Goblins vs Chaos Dwarfs

During the visit from my regular gaming colleague, we got in a quick 1500 point game of Fantasy to test out the list of Chaos Dwarfs recently released by Forgeworld.

I have to state clearly in the beginning that this was a test game. Neither of us have a full Chaos Dwarf army finished up yet, and I lack any fantasy terrain, but we were too eager to test out the rules that we made due with what we had, didn't have, and what could be used as a very very very VERY poor substitute for some items missing.

You can see the look of our substitutions in the board layout here:

Yes those are 4 2x2 foot boards without sand/flock or anything on them, the bottle of wash was a Bane Stone, the Ork Dreadnought an Idol of Gork, the 40k Barricades as a ghost fence, a house from our Infinity terrain, the windows package representing a hill ( which I have to say is more useful than the software that resides inside said package ), and the papers. We unfortunately rolled up 10 pieces of terrain for this game, and 4 of them turned out to be forests, and a marsh on top of that. For forests, we just cut up paper into a shape that worked for us, wrote forest on it, and played.

AGAIN I APOLOGIZE FOR THE SEVERE LACK OF TERRAIN, BUT WE REALLY WANTED TO PLAY CHAOS DWARFS!!!!!

Ok, that part aside, this was going to be an interesting game. I played with my Night Goblins as I have the most experience with them, while my opponent took his turn with the new Chaos Dwarfs since he is normally a Dwarf player ( I know.. such a stretch for him to move out of his comfort zone here, but its still a second army for him so.. ).

Our forces were as such:
Night Goblins

• Night Goblin Shaman, lvl 2, Dispel Scroll
• Goblin Big Boss
• Night Goblin Big Boss BSB
• 43 Night Goblins with Nets, Spears, Full Command, 3 fanatics
• 40 Night Goblins with Nets, Spears, Full Command, 3 fanatics
• 6 Trolls
• 3 Wolf Chariots
• Arachnarok Spider

Chaos Dwarfs

• Priest Hero
• 2x25 Chaos Dwarfs, Hw/Shield, Full Command
• 6 Bull Centaurs with Champion
• 40 Hobgoblin Cutthroats
• Deathshrieker warmachine
• 5 Hobgoblin Wolf riders

So with our forces picked, table terrain set up, and armies placed, we got ourselves stuck in. With a mighty toss of the dice, the Night Goblins got first turn and began what they do best.. throw themselves into a nice set of animosity ruins, making both large blocks of NGs sit there instead of moving forward or casting magic.  The Arachnarok spider advanced on the right flank, while the 3 Chariots advanced slightly on the left to counter his Bull Centaurs. Trolls shambled up the front a bit, hopping over the ghost fence waiting for a fresh victim to come out of the forest to charge. And end of the NG turn. 

Chaos Dwarfs moved forward in a slow but steady rate. Wolf riders moving up to spring the Fanatics from one unit, only taking 2 riders from the open exposure, and baiting the larger of the 2 NG units to charge them and overrun into the Earthmere Marsh beyond. The Bull Centaurs marched forward, staying just within Reach of the Bane Stone to receive the +1 to wound, but keeping the chariots from gaining the bonus themselves if/when they hit. The priest of fire, casts off a fireball to the trolls, killing 3 of them outright. And in typical troll fashion, they failed the ld roll. Although using the Goblins ld of 8, and being able to re-roll thanks to the BSB, they still botched the rolls.. something that would become a reoccurring theme throughout the game. The flame cage spell also gets let loose upon the smaller of the 2 NG units, however the Shaman throws out a dispel scroll with a loud *Blat!* noise.. both for saying that the spell is failed, and for having to use the only dispel scroll so soon in the game :S For shooting, the Deathshrieker fires the single bolt at the Arachnarok, rolled a great hit, but failed to wound with a roll of 1. Only upside to that round for the Night Goblins. 

So with so many damage and such in the first round, we moved to the second. I was hoping that my *luck* was over now, and that I could continue on normally here on out. The chariots charge the Bull Centaurs, the Trolls Rally, the NGs pass their Animosity tests, the Arachnarok Spider continues his steady march forward. Both NG units move forward, and the Fanatics clean out the rest of the wolf riders, while only killing 2 NGs in the process. Seems things were looking up for the Night Goblins here. In the Magic phase we even get 11 power dice to cast our Bad Moon spell at large version.. only to roll a 23 when needing a 25 :S.. ending the magic phase prematurely.. Combat for the chariots was also dissappointing with the chariots getting 13 impact hits, but only wounding once, and that being saved by the Bull Centaurs. They then get beat to a pulp for their charge, being completely destroyed, and the Bull Centaurs trying to figure out why they were charged by such inferior contraptions. So ends another miserable round for the Night Goblins as they attempt to understand what is going so wrong for them, or if they pissed off Gork since the Chaos Dwarfs were defending his idol. 

Chaos dwarfs move a bit further up, setting themselves up for the Arachnarok charge to come next turn, with the Cutthroats ready for a flank charge. The second Chaos Dwarf unit sets up for a charge against the smaller of the 2 NG units, and the Bull Centaurs smack straight into their Flank. Losing 2 Bull Centaurs in the charge due to 3 fanatics hitting home. For Magic, the fireball hits the larger of the 2 NG units, but is dispelled by the shaman's rolling. Deathshrieker missle aims for the larger of the NG units, but scatters to miss the unit, and the fanatic sitting beside it. As per the rules, it then moves towards the closest unit with another artillery roll, but overshoots it also causing no damage. *Note: This was very surprising to us, and we realized only after the fact that it is not the template that needs to hit, but the center point on a unit for it to take advantage of the large blast. Against hordes and large blocks, this will be great, but against smaller units this could be difficult.* In combat the Bull Centaurs failed to do much damage, and the challenge showed both the NG and BC champ still standing in the end. In the end, the BCs lost combat due to not inflicting enough wounds, and the NGs having ranks and banner. They then reformed to be facing the BCs so that they could do more attacks next round. Small saving grace for the Night Goblins this turn, but still a better round for the Chaos Dwarfs. 

On to turn 3, whereby the Night Goblin Shaman is now facing off to Bull Centaurs. Not a pretty sight! The larger NG unit passes its animosity once more, and moves forward off the hill. The Arachnarok charges the Chaos Dwarfs, knowing that it will get counter charged by the Hobgoblin Cutthroats next turn. But considering how the game was going, and how the bad luck was, it was more of a desperate act to do something instead of just sitting around. The fanatics also moved around the board harmlessly. Not dying but not running into anything either. The trolls, who can pass a stupidity test, but cannot pass a panic test, moved back to the ghost fence. Although this time a bit leery as they are not sure if it was the fire or the moaning of Christmas past that caused them to run last time. For magic, the Shaman called upon Mork ( since Gork is obviously pissed that his Idol is still in Chaos Dwarf hands ) and asked for him to help cast the bad moon, though in its lesser form. Surprising his prayers were answered!!!! However, Gork must have heard him also, as it barely moved, it was against toughness, and the Chaos Dwarfs passed all their tests. The Bull Centaurs were also not too happy about this either, and smacked the Shaman back so hard he evaporated into mushroom dust. Upon seeing this, the rest of the NGs forgot how to fight, and did no wounds to the Bull Centaurs, and the Champion was ground into a Fungal paste ready for the post Chaos Dwarf victory dinner.   They then preceded to overrun into the flank of the Trolls who, as it happens, were in the way behind the Ghost Fence. The only upside, was the complete devastation that the Arachnarok laid upon the Chaos Dwarf unit. Killing a total of 3 models, although most were from the Forest Goblins as the Arachnarok was tired from its long hike through the woods to reach them. Thankfully he took no damage in return.

With a high of excitement and the taste of victory on their lips, the Chaos Dwarfs took their turn. Charging the Hobgoblin Cutthroats into the flank of the Arachnarok, and again positioning his other Chaos Dwarf unit ready to now go into the trolls since their original target of Night Goblins were now nothing more than a pale green stain upon the otherwise bland battlefield. Magic was of no importance this round, with little to nothing being cast or doing any real effect, and the shooting of the DeathShrieker again had no effect within the game. On wards to close combat where the Chaos Dwarf player picked the Bull Centaur vs Troll match up. Being 4 BCs to 3 Trolls, and hitting from their flank, the BC was looking to get this one over, before he had to deal with the pesky, but unreliable, Arachnarok combat. After a first round of forgetting that the BCs are on 50mm bases, and not 40mms, he rolled off for the Champion and his trusty sidekick. Hitting enough to ground the first Troll into a sludge of scales and bones.. however it seems that was not to be! The Troll was able to regenerate all the wounds, and smack the Bull Centaur Champion back for 2 wounds!!! What was this? The sting of retaliation fresh in the face of the Chaos Dwarfs as stupid Trolls could stand up to the thunderous attacks of the Centaurs!!! The Trolls still losing in the end due to the charge, and flank hit from the Bull Centaurs. The trolls were even able to survive the panic test, however not pass the battle reform test even with a re-roll.. such is the fickle fate of the dice! On the other combat, seeing the stubborness of the Trolls, the Aracknarok let out a mighty roar!!! Laying down his massive attack smack into the Champion, and not even denting the armor.... however the laughter of the Forest Goblins on his back for such a pathetic attack was enough to make his next 7 attacks all hit, and wound the Chaos Dwarfs, taking 5 of them with it. The Forest Goblins on the back of the Arachnarok decided this was a competition and stuck their spears through their distant cousins the Hobgoblins, killing 5 of them. The horror of losing so many from this monster was too much for the Chaos Dwarfs and Hobgoblins, though a lone hero spoke up on behalf of the missing Champion and struck a single wound against the beast. That one wound caused the Spider to squish 2 more Chaos Dwarfs. With so much Chaos Dwarfs dead, the Hobgoblins hightailed it out of the combat, leaving the Stubborn Chaos Dwarfs alone against the monster. The Hobgoblins would pay dearly for this betrayal to their masters later on!

Seeing their brethren run in fear to the ancient beast of the forests, the Night Goblins still alive charged forth into the side of the Chaos Dwarfs to assist the monstrous ally! Fanatics continued their flailing over the table, most deciding there was better prey off the table than on at this point. With everything else dead or otherwise in combat, and magic being forgotten due to the Mushroom cloud still floating in the air from the Bull Centaur fury, we moved straight into Combat. Starting with the Spider and NGs vs Chaos Dwarfs as this seemed to be more likely to be going my way. Although while in the fight, we also discovered that the forest that the Night Goblins charged through was a Blood Forest!!! Something tells us that this would not be a good thing for them later on. However for now, both units were so charged up, that they rained heavy death upon the Chaos Dwarfs reducing them to just 5 models, and taking little to no casualties in return. At such a sight, the Chaos Dwarfs ran off the table, through the Deathshrieker who spat at the cowardly warriors while going back to manning their cannon. Both units then turned in such a fashion to face the last Chaos Dwarf unit poised to tackle the Trolls. The Trolls however were still stuck in with the Bull Centaurs, whose fury was growing in great quantities at the insufferable Trolls for not dying!! Again they lashed out with all their might on the flank of the Trolls, but due to their hearty constitution, the Trolls laughed it off, and returned to do 1 more wounds back to the Bull Centaurs again. Losing yet again, the trolls pull off another great panic save, and this time even remember to turn to face the Centaurs, giving them their full attention for a change. 

The Chaos Dwarfs now are furious that those Trolls are continually sitting there, taking the hits from the Bull Centaurs and having the audacity to regenerate all the wounds being inflicted upon them. The Last unit charges into their now exposed flank to help put an end to this combat. The warmachine turns its attention to the monster in front of it, and the priest looks at the Night Goblins with a perverse grin on his face. Letting loose a mighty fireball upon the Night Goblins, powered up by the power of the Bane Stone, downs 9 of the pesky creatures. Which causes a chain reaction to the Blood Forest which goes into a frenzy of hungry, gobbling up 2 more of the small infectious goblins. However with the mighty Spider nearby, they easily pass their panic test, seeing that the Idol of Gork is freed from the Chaos Dwarf's hold, and gaining their deity's favor once more!!! The Bull Centaurs, now with their warrior reinforcements go to town on the Trolls, laying into them with all the force and ferocity bestowed upon them from their masters hatrad of all things that stand against them. For their troubles they are able to fell but 1 troll!!! In return the Trolls kill a Bull Centaur, and put 1 wound onto another! However at this point they are losing by 4, but still within the sight of their Goblin master. Rolling a perfect 4 to save the Trolls from running, the Chaos Dwarfs scream out in complete agony over what seems to be impenetrable Trolls!! The shaman off the side does a quick check in his arcane lore to see if he can find anything available to kill them before reinforcements arrive.. 

Unfortunately reinforcements are here before the Priest has a chance to even crack open the ancient tome! Fueled by the Trolls performance, the Night Goblins pass their animosity once more, and combined with the Arachnarok, they charge forth into the back of the Chaos Dwarf unit, providing much needed assistance to the Trolls who have stood against the brunt of the Chaos Dwarf forces at this time. Moving again, straight to combat, the Troll stand against the full brute force of the BCs and CDs once more, while the NGs and Spider clear out a rank of the CDs. *Note: It was here that we made a mistake and allowed the BCs and Trolls to do Stomp attacks against each other, with the BCs failing theirs, but the Trolls landing both of theirs and killing off the BCs completely.* With the tide of battle now in the favor to Night Goblins, and losing the combat, the Chaos Dwarfs failed their panic roll, and were subsequently wiped out! It was at this point that the Chaos Dwarfs surrendered and we went through an assessment of the game. 

The MVP for the Night Goblins had to be the Trolls. Although they lost half of their strength at the beginning of the game, their ability to regenerate wounds in close combat was just plain silly on so many levels!!! The cursing from my opponent on this fact was laughable however. The Arachnarok would come in as a close second due to surviving in the face of the sole warmachine, and then surviving 3 separate units in combat also. In all the games it has been played this has never happened, and I did not expect it to do as well as it had done here. 

For the Chaos Dwarfs it is the Priest with lore of Fire. Having dealt most of the wounds to random units, and killing the most models throughout the game with his magic. Even was even able to just stand in the open, knowing that there were no shooting that would be able to target him. 

Things we learned was that if there are Trolls on the table.. kill them with fire!!!! Else watch them regenerate everything in their wake, and keep coming for more. 

The Chaos Warrior troops are good, and hard to kill, but need to be combined with other troops to do any real damage when you take them with hand weapons and shields. Hobgoblins are not enough, and Bull Centaurs can be, but they need to be not against Trolls. Deathshrieker is a good warmachine, but needs to be worked more to see the full potential. It might be too useful in such a small game. Magma cannon would have been better in this game. Dwarfs with Magic though are a great thing to have. Really added a new element to the game, and made them play at all levels of the game for a change. 

Overall a good game though and one that we both learned from. Was very surprising to see the game swing so much and that the Chaos Dwarfs lost in the end as they seemed to have everything going for them. Might have to not take the Arachnarok next time, as it might be too hard to deal with at such low points, but then again.. the Chaos Dwarfs could have taken a K'Daai Destroyer.. so.. to each their own :D