KOW - Ratkin vs. Forces of Nature in "Kill" Mark #2

 So last evening Tane came over with his Forces of Nature. Again, given we are both quite rusty, we agreed to play "Kill".

Below are the two deployments. The house on the hill, the crypt and the rock were blocking terrain.

Tane has Centaurs, Shamblers and a Beast of Nature on his extreme right, Salamanders, Earth Elementals, Greater Fire Elemental and Fire Elementals in his centre, with Greater Earth elemental on his left. His character support were two druids and two unicorns (one with wings). 

Out on my right is a Mutant Rat Fiend, the centre is Shock Troops, Warriors, Wretches with more Shock Troops behind. On the left are the Daemonspawn and a second Fiend. In the centre, backing up the army are a Brood Mother, the Tangle and two Vermintide units.

Turn one and the Shamble begins.

Matched by a lurch from the Ratkin 😃. Both sides through some handbags but no meaningful damage done.

Into Turn Two and the advance continues. The Ratkin match the moves, effectively ceding first charges to the Forces of Nature. However, the Warriors and rightmost Shock Troops deploy Plague Pots meaning any combat will carry a disadvantage.

The top of Turn Three sees Nature commit to combat. In comes the Beast of Nature, contacting the Fiend. Fire Elementals ahoy in the centre while the Salamanders and Earth Elementals destroy the Wretches.

Apart from the Wretches, the rest of the Ratkin line holds. The Brood mother recharges the Shock Troops at the expense of the Vermintide while the Daemonspawn hits the flank of Beast, routing it.

The rightmost Fiend contacts the Greater Earth Elemental and the Tangle fires up Bane Chant on the Shock Troops.

And BOOMPH!!! The Fire Elementals disappear in a puff of smoke leaving a lovely hole in the Nature battleline. The Shock Troops decide to stay where they are after Tane alerted me to potential "surge shenanigans".

Turn Four and my Warriors are assailed from flank as well as front. The casualties mount and.....

Double One!!! The Salamanders are suddenly not feeling too good about life, nor is the Fire Elemental.

Into the flanks go both sets of Shock Troops

Yum....60 Crushing Strength(2) attacks and the Salmanders are gone. 

On the other flank, the same from Bane Chanted Shock Troops....and this time it is my turn to recoil in horror!!!!!

Action is heating up on the Ratkin left. The Daemonspawn is charged by the Forest Shamblers. Unfortunately the Centaurs couldn't get in. A high Rout roll for the Nerve Check and the Daemonspawn is Wavered.

The skittery Daemonspawn pulls back and is replaced by the Fiend. 

Spotting the flaw in that plan, in comes the Winged Unicorn with its three attacks....causes three wounds and Mr. Scared fails a Rout Test of "8", twice. Muppet.

In Ratkin Turn Five, the Shock Troops get into the flank of the Earth Elementals supported by the others in the front. The Brood Mother casts Drain Life on the Greater Fire Elemental causing a Nerve Check which it fails.

The aftermath looks like this - the Shock Troops having turned to face the rear of the Greater Earth Elemental.

Tane then launches a Unicorn rescue effort to stop my Shock Troops hitting juicy flanks/rear. Winged Unicorn goes into the red Shock Troops while Wingless goes into the other unit. My understanding was that if he inflicts a wound on the unit it can't disregard the Individual next turn. Both Unicorns wound.

In Ratkin Turn Six, the Greater Earth Elemental survives despite 13 wounds. However, Drain Life followed by the Shock Troops' attacks kills the first Unicorn.

The second Unicorn gets very unlucky on its Nerve Roll - rerollable 10 - and is Routed as well. This leaves the field looking thus.

We roll for a 7th Turn but it is not to be. When the points are totaled the Ratkin are 180 points in front......so another hard fought draw.

Another good fun game where both parties could curse some inopportune die rolls!!