A Song of Ice and Fire: Lannisters vs Free Folk, 29.12.2023

Another game of ASOIAF, as we got together for some other dealings as well. Expect to see some commission miniatures for this game to pop up next year!

Anyway, on to the game. I brought the same list as last time, having now understood some of the mechanics better (or, at all). Against me were set up a bunch of Free Folk infantry with one giant supporting, and raiders in reserves. 

No, I did not learn my lesson about my opponents preference for a refused flank. Yes, I wasted Jamie Lannister's halberdiers. Yes, I will try better next time.

Yes, any Total War general would give me a good smack on the head for placing the cavalry in the middle. That was my last drop, trying to mitigate the refused flank as much as I could when I realized what was going on.

So anyway, here's our first turn. I marched up the guardsmen, confident in their ability to do combat next to a corpse pile. Everything else went up the board as well, although no missiles were fired.

The Free Folk had 3 NCUs, so I was outmaneuvered on the side board for most of the game.

...However, the most important card plays happened in the first round. I Counterploy'd both Endless Horde cards played. No free units for you! Tyrion was absolutely worth this game.

Things quickly started going sour on the battlefield, though. The guardsmen were decimated with ranged attacks (sneaky shifts!), the crossbowmen walked into traps, and a unit of raiders showed up behind my lines at the start of the second round.

I had my guardsmen move back to block the raiders. They ate two charges and died, but panicked enough of the skinchanger's raider unit to neuter it.

Also: A Lannister pays his debts! on the knights.

With the Free Folk starting round 3, the outflanking raiders moved into my crossbowmen. Poor guys. Also, my knights failed their 3+ charge. I wanted to exterminate the skinchanger's raiders, but alas, they regenerated some fighters. The giant also closed in.

I started round 4, and I learned a valuable lesson about the giant. Not wanting to waste another round of the knights, I charged in. With all the damage mitigation available to the big guy, I did 5 out of 6 wounds.

The giant gets mad when hurt. His return swing did 8 wounds, killing two knights.

I forgot about Lannister supremacy, but a different morale play killed the giant, allowing my regenerated knights to reform, facing the Thenn warriors.

Apparently I got way too excited to take some photos. My free crossbowmen took a trick shot in between all the units and killed the diminished raiders. Then the Thenns charged in and took out the crossbowmen. Then the knights charged in and killed  the raiders.

Finally, Jaime got off his corpse pile after having scored 3 points for me, and moved into the Thenns, destroying them and finally ending the game.

Victory for the Lannisters!

Not much to say, all my points previously said about the game still stand. 

I played a lot better mechanics wise, even though I forgot about some things here and there. I used up Tyrion's and Cersei's abilities. Countering both Endless Horde cards was a big win (and a big sad for my opponent). I did deploy like a fool. I should have put both infantry units in front my opponent. The game would have been over a lot quicker, I think, had Jaime Lannister come in swinging earlier. The Lannister units are resilient, and I can trust them to hold the line.

The Free Folk are fragile, to say the least. My opponent put a lot into NCUs and attachments. I think just spamming combat units would have been more efficient.