Orc Hosting: Day of Wrath & Ruin - 1st Dragon Rampant Game

    A great hosting occurred during our 1st game of Dragon Rampant -- 8 players & armies clashing

The day had arrived -- our first game of Dragon Rampant, 2nd Edition. Four orc warbands were hosting, opposed by an alliance of Dwarves, Men, and strange creatures of the bogs. Eight players were gathered, of which six had brought their own armies. Keith and Mike S brought loaners, and the other two players were soon kitted out with an goblin or dwarven army to command. My downstairs table had been expanded from eight feet wide to twelve, allowing six armies to do battle. My old octagonal table was also levied into service for an additional, one-on-one match up.

    The trolls, goblins, and orcs of the Bonefish Band advance towards the enemy, ready for battle!

My Bonefish Band would be fighting their first battle on the octagonal table against Tom's bog creatures -- fishmen, lizard men, and various other beastmen, led by a Lizard Wizard. Over on the big table, Andy dusted off his Games Workshop orcs and goblins, opposed by Queen Freyja's Vikings. Jenny had cobbled together her Saga armies to create a Norse-themed DR! army. In the middle, a monumental hosting of goblins (list created by Keith, but captained by Joel) faced off against "Roman" Dwarves fielded by Mike S. When he had emailed to say that was what he was bringing, I wasn't sure what Roman Dwarves meant. The figures were exactly what he said -- dwarves painted in a very Roman legionary style. He was vastly outnumbered by Keith's micro-armor mentality of putting every goblin he owned onto the table. Joel's list had 123 models in 13 units, while the beleaguered dwarves had only half a dozen units. For himself, Keith fielded his "Mordor" army of orcs, goblins, and trolls against a more standard dwarven army controlled by Allen. Allen was supposed to dust off his Bretonian knight army from long ago (when we briefly played Warhammer), but inexplicably left it at home.

    Mike S brought 'Roman Dwarves' who faced off against Joel's uncountable horde of goblins

Enough players had said they wanted the big table to be a multiplayer game, so I set it up that way before everyone arrived. Terrain was kept to a minimum since it was our first game with the rules. We've played many other Rampant games, but this would be our intro to DR! Wisely, the players looked at all the 50 (not kidding -- I counted!) units on the tabletop, and quietly ran each matchup as a one-on-one game. No units strayed to the left or right to attack other enemies across the table. Also, this let them proceed at their own pace, which was probably a good thing considering everyone would have to wait for the ponderous 13 units of goblins to complete their moves before continuing on to the Dwarven Alliance's turn!

    Two orc/goblin war bosses with their hosts deployed for battle - Keith (front) brought 3 of 8 armies 

On my own table, the seven units of my Bonefish Band were finally making it to the tabletop. Well, okay...I'm lying. We used many of them when we played Sellswords & Spellslingers a few weeks back. This was their first time hosting together, though, as a warband. My towering Orc war boss deployed his warriors in two lines. In the front, two large masses of goblin archers (Light Missiles, Cowardly, Large Unit) flanked on either side of a unit of armored orcs (Bellicose Foot, Armored). In the second rank, my just clear-coated wolfpack (Lesser Warbeasts) held down the left flank. Next to them was my unit of massive trolls (Greater Warbeasts), squabbling with the wolves over the remains of the warband's breakfast. The warlord and his Elite Foot bodyguard were in the center, with another unit of armored orcs on the right.

    My opponent Tom surveys my approaching horde & ponders how best to respond to our advance

Opposite us were Tom's six units from his Lizard & Beastman army. The army general was near the center of his lines, a Spellcaster fielded as Light Foot. Two units of various types of beastmen -- fishmen, goatmen, and more guarded each flank (Light Foot, Offensive). Tom's own unit of Bellicost Foot, a mob of werewolves, were on his right, as well. In the center, and intended as his strike force, was a unit of Crested Lizards (Elite Foot), and Greater Serpents (Lesser Warbeasts, Venomous). There were small clumps of forest in the center and on each flank of the battlefield. The battle opened with my front line and the armored orcs from my second line moving out a full move towards the enemy. The rest of the second line stalled, as the army commander had to go over and sort out the disagreement between the wolves and trolls (i.e., all three units failed their movement rolls -- hopefully not a bad omen of the things to come!). 

    Andy & Jenny discuss a rules point during their clash between his GW-style orcs & her Norse

I was occasionally called over to the big table to answer rules questions. It was my mistake to not do a quick run-through on the rules. I figured that with six of the players owning or having read a copy of DR 2nd Edition, and everyone having played this series of rules multiple times, that they'd be good. However, as I noticed, there were some very basic rules that weren't being played correctly. I had given each of them a Quick Reference Sheet of my creation, but in our group's best tradition, it was likely not being used...ha, ha! I thought things were progressing smoothly, though, as I was called over less and less as the game went on, and I didn't overhear any back and forth questioning opponent's interpretations of the game mechanics.

    A look at Andy's boar riders and warg riders with green-skinned GW orcs & goblins mouted atop

Tom advanced somewhat tentatively. I would later learn that the werewolves and "Rainbow Coalition" -- as I called his inclusive collection of various beastmen -- were intended as a refused flank. That was good, because my wolfpack failed its roll of 6+ on 2d6 to move on three of the first four turns! However, both they and the trolls moved very fast. Eventually, they were underway to assault Tom's refused flank. In the center, Tom's unease with my large goblin archer units became apparent. Before his Crested Lizards and Greater Serpents moved into our range, his wizard cast "Dragon's Breath" on the nearest unit of archers, preventing them from firing on our next activation. As it turned out, that was one of the only two successful spells the Lizard Wizard cast the entire game. Tom's spell rolls were awful, failing at least three quarters of his rolls of 6+, 7+, or 8+ on 2d6. Afterwards, I told him the wizard was easily his army's "LVP" - Least Valuable Player!

    

    'SO MANY of them!' Mike's Roman Dwarves face off against a horde more than twice their size

Tom cleverly did a head fake on my center unit of armored orcs. They were lurking in the woods, waiting for the Elite Foot to come into my charge range (but outside of his). Tom suddenly shifted them to his left, exposing the much, much faster Greater Serpents. They charged in and caught my armored orcs flat-footed. Bellicose Foot hits on a 3+ on each roll of 12d6 when charging. However, when defending against an enemy charge, they hit only on a "6." What's more, Bellicose Foot can counter-charge only other foot -- not mounted, which is what warbeasts are. This should have been a nasty blow on my center unit, but the Dice Gods decreed otherwise. I rolled FOUR 6's, while Tom's rolls were under average, resulting in each unit suffering one casualty. The orcs passed their Courage test, as did the Serpents, so they had to back off. 

    My orcs on the right watch the approach of the enemy Beastmen through the trees

On the next turn, the emboldened orcs "wild charged" into the Serpents, catching them at a disadvantage. In DR!, certain units must test if within range of enemy, and if they pass, automatically charge home whether the player wants them to do so or not. Bellicose Foot (think "warbands" in ancient games) are one of those. The orcs killed a couple more serpents, knocking them down to half strength. Tom rolled well and passed their courage test, though, while my orcs failed theirs despite inflicting more damage. The orcs fled back to the woods to regroup. Throughout the game, Tom's courage tests tended to be above average, balanced out by his Lizard Wizard's abysmal rolling. My goblins plucked off a few shots, inflicting a few hits here and there, but his troops passed all of their resulting courage tests. On the left, my wolves and trolls were finally in motion, threatening his right. On the opposite flank, my other band of armored orcs had seized the woods, and were awaiting the approach of either his beastman Light Foot or elite Crested Lizards. 

    A lupine clash in the woods - my wolfpack of lesser warbeasts charges Tom's werewolf bellicose foot

With echoing howls, the wolfpack raced across the battlefield and into the woods where their werewolf cousins were sheltering from the arrows of the goblins. Since Tom's werewolves were Bellicose Foot and my wolves were considering mounted, I felt I had turned the tables on him, like he had with me in the center. However, I rolled abysmally for the wolves and he rolled well, sending the pack racing to the rear, missing half of its number. My orcs on the right also did their wild charge, slamming into the Crested Lizards. Once again, my chargers were defeated. The orcs retreated to the woods, where the Crested Lizards would pursue them next turn. My orc warboss was growing concerned. Fights we should be winning we were losing. Time for the trolls, he decided!

    Beating wolves is one thing, but facing down angry, mighty trolls was too tall an order for the Weres

The troll lumbered forward and crashed through the trees where the werewolves were panting after their victory over the wolfpack. Outsized and out-muscled by the huge beasts, the werewolves fell back out of the forest. Encouraged by that success, the orc warlord and his bodyguard began to relocate behind the goblins to the right, which was looking more fragile. The orcs had been pursued by the Crested Lizards, who drove them from the trees. Tom's nearby beastmen scented blood and closed in, smashing into the reeling orcs and causing them to retreat further towards the rear. The goblins continued to fire at the Crested Lizards and the Greater Serpents, whittling their numbers down, to the immense frustration of the Lizard Wizard who couldn't get off a spell to block their arrows.

    My battered unit of armored orcs on the right being worn down by fishmen, frogmen, & more

The battle hung in the balance at this point. My orcs on the right were a beaten force, slowly withdrawing. The center orcs had rallied, but had maybe one charge left in them. The wolves, down to half strength, had also rallied and were waiting for one more charge to redeem themselves. The trolls were unbeaten, though, and emerged from the trees bellowing into the cowering beastmen. The indomitable trolls slaughtered many and drove them back, suffering only one casualty themselves. Encouraged by their victory, the rallied orcs in the center charged into the Crested Lizards. Although the enemy were down to half strength, the orcs couldn't maintain the momentum, and fell back towards the goblins, who kept up their fire, and had finally eliminated the Greater Serpents. 

    While engrossed in my own clash, battles raged all across the room as hated enemies struggled

The enemy was reeling at this point, the orc war boss knew. A couple more successful charges and they'd break! With a roar, he led his bodyguard into the beastmen who were pursuing the orcs on the right. They shattered their ranks and drove them backwards. Goblin arrows continued to whittle down the Crested Lizards, to the point they were not an effective fighting force. On the far left, the trolls and even the wolfpack charged again. Both won their engagements, and the enemy began to slink from the field. It had been a mighty battle, with swings that went in favor of both sides. Victory went to the Bonefish Band, as the Lizard Wizard gathered his survivors behind a swamp mist, and the orcs, goblins, and trolls celebrated on the field.

    Charges and counter-charges rolled across the tabletop as the orcs wore down their foes

Tom and I both enjoyed the game, which was a close one. We agreed his wizard's repeated failures to cast spells handicapped his side. At 8 Army Points, he was equal in cost to his two beastman units. We both felt Light Foot (his beastmen) performed well for their cost. We also felt the same about our two units of Bellicose Foot (my armored orcs and his wolfmen). They are an effective striking force, but are very vulnerable to counter-attack, especially from mounted troops. He liked how my purchase of "Armored" made them just a bit more survivable, and said he may do the same next game. We also liked how our Lesser Warbeasts (wolves and serpents) performed. Their speed and ability to dart quickly through terrain make them a potent strike force. The trolls (Great Warbeasts) were true monsters on the tabletop. Although technically vulnerable to counter-attack, their armor of 4 and ability to fight in terrain (which can raise their armor to 5 if defending in there) gives them more staying power. All in all, we were both very pleased with our first game of Dragon Rampant!

    Forces of Mordor close in on stout-hearted dwarves who have sworn to hold back the orc tide

On the big table, the orcs had also won at least two of the three battles. The Mordor vs. Dwarves engagement seemed to have its outcome still in the air, but the "bad guys" were advancing and pressing on the dwarves. The huge goblin host had utterly destroyed the Roman Dwarves. Mike's units were fleeing the tabletop and Joel seemed to have a third of his army still unengaged. Mike blamed it on a crucial "snake eyes" on a Courage test after a melee, which saw one of his tougher units abruptly flee the field. I also think the odds were stacked against him. Thirteen units is too many for this size of a game. The goblins more than doubled Mike's numbers. In all of our games using the Rampant system, we play a variant where failing an activation does not result in your turn ending. Having so many units exploits that rule and makes them more powerful than they should be. There is likely no way a player could activate all 13 units without a turnover if we played the rules as written. I'm thinking in the future we need to put an upper limit on unit numbers. Several of the players had insisted we use 36-point armies, but I think maybe scale back to 30 points (as the rules recommend)? We'll talk it out online, but there were LOTS of units and figures on the tabletop!

    Dwarves wheel a cannon across the battlefield in hopes of putting large numbers of goblins to flight

The next biggest army, Andy's GW-style orcs and goblins, crushed Jenny's Norse. Jenny and Andy said his three units of missile troops were very effective, while Jenny's often failed to activate. Her impetuous berserkers and lesser warbeasts (vicious rabbits, Monty Python style) got overextended with their wild charges and cut down. So, it was an overwhelming victory for the orcs. Truly, it was an hour of wolves and shattered shields...a red day...a sword day! Everyone seemed enthusiastic about the DR! rules, though. After the battle, they were discussing which units they felt performed well, which special or fantasy upgrades seemed effective, and which seemed to cost too much for their effects. Expect to see us playing these rules again soon. Hopefully, NOT with an army of 123 figures on the table, though...ha, ha! 

    Would the alliance of dwarves, men, and bog-people hold off the orcs? Or would it come to ruin??

MINIATURES Acquired vs. Painted Tally for 2026

• Miniatures acquired in 2025: 6
  
• Miniatures painted in 2025: 6

TERRAIN Acquired vs. Painted Tally for 2026

• Terrain acquired in 2025: 0
  
• Terrain painted in 2025: 2

SCATTER Acquired vs. Painted Tally for 2026

• Scatter acquired in 2025: 0
  
• Scatter painted in 2025: 0 

    The free Norse of Queen Freyja advance in attempt to drive off the marauding hordes of orcs