We're Knights of the Round Table

With a new HOTT army on the gaming table, I found time this evening to have a couple of quick games using it. Opening up boxes, my Orcs were the first that came to hand - a mix of hordes, riders and beasts, led by a Nazgul knight and featuring some behemoth trolls.

The Knights of the Round Table consisted of: Hero general (Arthur), Hero (Lancelot), Magician (Merlin), 4 x Knights (Of The Round Table), 2 x Blades (Knights on foot).

In the first game they attacked (sorry about the dodgy pictures; I'm still getting to grips with my new phone camera).

The knights look spectacular. All that heraldry is why I stalled on the painting, but it was worth the effort.

The Orc hordes, looking very, very dark.

The knights pushed forward eagerly, towards the enemy wolf-riders.

Meanwhile the knights on foot engaged the allied wargs.

The two armies met in the centre.

Lancelot destroyed the trolls.

This left the Nazgul exposed, and he died in single combat with Arthur, thus defeating the Orc army.

This was rather a quick game. A win in their debut game, it's true, but a rather easy victory.

I set the armies up again. The Orcs defended once more, and went with one fewer wood and an extra hill.

Arthur's knights advanced cautiously.

The Nazgul ordered a small redeployment, putting himself in the front line with his wolf-riders in support.

One element of wolf-riders was set across the front of the army to the other flank. Arthur pushed his troops forward more quickly to trap it ...

... but ran out of PIPs, and caught caught isolated from the rest of the army.

Lancelot on the end of the line faced the trolls once more. But this time they were supported by wargs and Lancelot was killed.

Meanwhile the knights supporting Arthur forged forward into the main Orc army, leaving Arthur dangerously exposed.

Merlin to the rescue - he quickly drove off the trolls.

The knights pushed too far forward and were surrounded and destroyed.

On the other flank the remaining knights pushed forward against the Nazgul and wolf-riders, with mixed success.

Merlin found himself best by more wargs ...

... and killed.

Arthur withdrew to the safety of a hill, whilst the rest of his army pressed forward once more.

But more of his knights ended up surrounded, and were wiped out, breaking his army.

A win for the Orcs. As is often the case with HOTT, Arthur was caught short in terms of PIPs at the key moment, but the army's small size also counted against it, with the Orcs able to pin elements with hordes and then attack elsewhere.

Since this is a new army, I am able to count these games as one of my 6x6 Challenge entries.

6x6 - Game 1.5