29 abr 2013

Cretan Archers

Dos nuevas unidades. ¡Me encanta pintar hostigadores... es tan rápido!
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Two new units. I love painting skirmishers... it´s so fast!

 

Los arqueros cretenses eran mercenarios, así que una de estas unidades servirá en el ejército romano y la otra en el seléucida. Efectivamente, en la batalla de Magnesia ambos ejércitos desplegaron unidades de arqueros cretenses.
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Cretan archers were mercenaries, so one of these units will fight for the roman army and the other for seleucid army. That´s it, at Magnesia both armies deployed cretan archers units.



Nos vemos!

28 abr 2013

X-WING

Yo también he caído con este juego... Me regalaron la caja básica hace unos meses por mi cumpleaños y el otro día conseguí sacar tiempo para jugar un par de partidas. Además, para la ocasión, decidí comprarme el Halcón Milenario y estrenarlo también en duelo contra el Esclavo I de Eladio.
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I've fallen with this game too... I have the basic box as biirthday present a few months ago and the other day I managed to get some time to play a couple of games. In addition, and for the occasion, I decided to buy the Millennium Falcon and also fight a duel it against Eladio´s Slave I.



Este par de naves son unos bichos duros de pelar con la cantidad de escudos e impactos que tienen. Después de unos cuantos turnos nos habíamos quedado sin escudos, al Esclavo I sólo le quedaba un impacto y al Halcón dos. Lando disparaba primero a corto alcance y tenía el objetivo fijado sobre Boba Fett... pero no consigue ningún impacto! Boba en cambio consigue hacer un crítico. Cojo la carta y... Doble daño!

Fin de la partida.
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This pair of ships are hard nuts because of the amount of shields and impacts they have. After a few turns we were out of shields, the Slave I had only one impact left and the Falcon two. Lando shots first at close range and had the target lock on Boba Fett ... but gets no impact! Boba instead manages to make a critic. I take the card and... Double Damage!

End of the match!



Las figuras son espectaculares y el pintado más que aceptable. Creo que haré caso a Eladio y pintaré los motores, que es el único detalle que le falta a la figura.
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The figures are spectacular and painting is more than acceptable. I think I'll follow up Eladio´s idea and paint the engines, which is the only detail missing from the figure.



Decidimos jugar otra partida, esta vez con un par de naves pequeñas: X-Wing e Y-Wing contra Tie y Tie Avanzado.
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We decided to play another game, this time with a couple of small ships: X-Wing and Y-Wing against Tie and Advanced Tie.


A pesar de mi habilidad para estamparme con todos los asteroides y quedarme prácticamente sin escudos conseguí derribar a los cazas imperiales con el X-Wing. El Y-Wing no influyo mucho, a parte de atraer disparos. Aunque es una nave potente es demasiado poco maniobrable para mi gusto...
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Despite my ability to slam with all asteroids, that puts almost all my shields down, I managed to shot down the Imperial fighters with my X-Wing. The Y-Wing did not affect much, apart from attracting shots. Although it is a powerful ship is too little maneuverable for my liking...


Como ya comenta todo el mundo, es un juego muy divertido y rápido. Espero repetir pronto... y creo que necesito un tapete!
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As everyone said, is a very fun and fast game. I hope to repeat soon ... and I think I need a space mat!


Nos vemos!

26 abr 2013

Hastati

Unidad de hastati.
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Hastati unit.

 

El color blanco me ha dado bastante dolor de cabeza, sobre todo en los escudos, hasta que he conseguido el aspecto que quería (bueno, casi!).
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The white color caused me some head scratching, especially with the shields, until I got the look I wanted (well, almost).


He usado 18 figuras: 15 legionarios + 3 de grupo de mando. No he querido colocarlos en una formación demasiado ordenada, haciendo caso a las teorías de Lendon o Quesada, que apuestan por una formación menos rígida (excepto los triarios).
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I´ve used 18 figures: 15 legionnaires + 3 figures of command. I didn´t want to display them in a too tidy formation, attending to Lendon or Quesada theories, who bet for a less rigid formation (except on triarii).


Puede parecer que la peana (60x40mm) es demasiado grande, pero así cuando coloque todas las bases juntas se distinguirán bien las unidades y creará el efecto "tablero de ajedrez" característico de los ejércitos romanos.
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It may look that the base (60x40mm) would be too large, but when you put together all the bases, units will be perfectly distinguished and also will create the effect of "chess board" so characteristic of the Roman armies.




Y ahora, a por unos arqueros cretenses.
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And now for some cretan archers.


Nos vemos!

24 abr 2013

Somebody stop me! (too late)

Lo malo de no tener tiempo para pintar es que el único consuelo que me queda es planear proyectos... Con el hype de los 10mm al máximo se me han ocurrido un par de ideas:
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The downside of not having time to paint (besides NOT PAINT) is that the only consolation I have is to plan projects... With the hype of 10mm at maximum, I´ve had a couple of ideas:



Hombres bestia para warmaster / Warmaster Beastmen
Hacer una pequeña fuerza de hombres bestia que se alíe con mis condes vampiro y así poder jugar partidas grandes. Con 750 puntos bastaría, pero para llegar a 1000 puntos sólo tendría que añadir una unidad de ogros dragón.
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Make a small force of beastmen in order to ally with my vampire counts army. This way I´ll be able to play big games. 750 points would be enough, but I would only need a unit of dragon ogres more to reach 1000 points.

100 - 2 Beastherd
120 - 2 Herdkin
120 - 1 Minotaurs
80 - 1 Centigors
95 - 1 Tuskgor Chariots
110 - 1 Chaos Spawn
125 - 1 Beastlord
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750 - 8/4

Casi todas las figuras serían de Pendraken, que tiene un rango de hombres bestia bastante majo, con algunas conversiones (carros, centigors y engendro).
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Most figures would be Pendraken, which has a range of beastmen quite nice, with some conversions (Tuskgor chariots, Centigors and Spawn).

Hombres bestia / Beastmen

Minotauros / Minotaurs

El señor de los anillos 10mm / 10mm Lord of the Rings
Siempre me han gustado las figuras de ESDLA que tiene Copplestone Castings, y siempre me ha llamado la idea de hacer un ejército de la Ultima Alianza y enfrentarlo a las hordas de Sauron. Entre mis favoritas están las figuras de soldados de Gondor (ciy spearmen), aunque es una pena que no hayan sacado caballería.
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I've always liked the LOTR figures of Copplestone Castings, and have always liked too the idea of ​​a Last Alliance army facing the hordes of Sauron. Among my favorites are the figures of Gondor soldiers (city spearmen). It is a shame Copplestone has not produced cavalry.



Los elfos sería algo un poco más complicado de conseguir (al menos de Copplestone, ya que no los ha fabricado), pero creo que estas figuras de Pendraken podrían servir bastante bien:
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The elves would be something a little more complicated to get (at least from Copplestone), but I think these Pendraken figures could serve quite well:
 

Los orcos y trolls de Copplestone son también preciosos. Creo que están a la altura de las figuras de Warmaster, aunque a mitad de precio. No tengo muy claro que sistema de juego usaría... probablemente algo monobase, estilo Rally Round the King. Aunque este proyecto sería más por el gustazo de pintar las miniaturas.
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Copplestone orcs and trolls are also precious. I think they are up to Warmaster figures quality, but at half price. I´m not sure about which game system would use ... probably something with single bases, like Rally Round the King. But this project will be just for the pleasure of painting the minis.


Casualmente, el anterior fin de semana Coppleston hizo un 10% de descuento. A ver si adivináis...
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Coincidentally, last weekend Copplestone made a 10% discount on their products. Let see if you guess...


Nos vemos!


22 abr 2013

Pendraken Hastati & Command (review)

Unas fotos de las figuras antes de pintarlas. Referencia: Pendraken ARR2.
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Some pictures of the figures before painting. Reference: Pendraken ARR2.

 
Los hastati tienen dos modelos, uno parado y otro avanzando, ambos con pilum. El detalle a ambos lados de la figura está muy cuidado, probablemente más de lo que seré capaz de pintar...
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The hastati have two models, one stationary and one moving, both with pilum. The detail on both sides of the figure is very detailed, probably more than I'll be able to paint...


Las figuras me parecen históricamente correctas. Aunque al principio los escudos me parecían pequeños, en realidad no lo son. Sólo encuentro dos pegas a estas figuras. La primera es que no me gusta cuando las únicas poses son una avanzando y otra parada, luego resulta complicado mezclarlas en una unidad. La otra, aunque supongo que ha sido mala suerte, es que unas cuantas figuras tenían un fallo, como si los moldes se hubiesen desplazado, y ha sido muy complicado eliminar la línea de molde. En la foto se puede ver todavía en la tercera figura una línea de molde que no pude eliminar completamente.
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The figures seem historically accurate. Although at first shields looked small, actually are not. I´ve find only two drawbacks to these figures. The first one is that I do not like when the only poses are a moving one and a standing one, cause then will be difficult to mix them into one unit. The other, though I suppose it´s bad luck, is that some figures had a failure, as if the molds had displaced, and it was very hard to remove the mold line. You still can see a mold line on the third figure that I couldn´t remove completely in the picture.
 
 

Sobre las figuras de mando. En realidad en la referencia ARR1 sólo vienen el oficial y el estandarte. No sé por qué no han incluido el músico, pero yo he usado uno de la gama de romanos imperiales (AR1). Se nota bastante diferencia entre las nuevas figuras y las viejas.
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Now on the command figures. Actually, ARR1 reference only includes the officer and standard bearer. I do not know why they have not included the musician, but I've used one of the Imperial Roman range (AR1). It is quite noticeable the difference between the new and old figures.


Nos vemos!

12 abr 2013

Pendraken cretan archers (review)

Aprovecho que estoy montando las unidades de arqueros cretenses para hacer una foto y enseñaros las figuras sin pintar. la referencia es GRE3.
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As I´m preparing the Cretan archers units,I wish to take this opportunity to take a picture and show you the unpainted figures. The reference is GRE3.



Son unas figuras sencillas, que ya tienen unos cuantos años, pero que me encantan. Aunque la referencia indica simplemente "arqueros griegos", ese gorro característico hace que puedan representar fácilmente a los famosos arqueros cretenses, aunque les faltaría el pequeño escudo que algunos autores afirman que llevaban en el brazo izquierdo.
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These are some simple figures, who already have a few years, but that I love. While the reference indicates simply "Greek archers" their characteristic hat makes that can easily represent the famous Cretan archers, althought they lack the small shield that some authors claim that wore on his left arm.



Ya he pintado estas figuras con anterioridad y puedo decir que son fáciles y agradables. Voy a repintarlas con túnicas más oscuras, ya que se supone que los arqueros cretenses vestían de color negro (aunque algunos autores dicen que rojas).
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I've painted these figures before and I can say that they are easy and enjoyable. I will repaint them in darker robes, since it is assumed that the Cretan archers wore black robes (though some authors say red).



Podría decir que lo malo es que sólo hay una pose, pero el brazo con el arco es sumamente fácil de recolocar doblándolo, de forma que podemos conseguir suficientes poses como para dar variedad a la unidad.
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I could say that the only trouble is that there is just one pose, but the bow arm is extremely easy to reposition, bending it, so we can get enough poses to give variety to the unit.





Nos vemos!

10 abr 2013

Velites

Ya he terminado las dos primeras bases para el proyecto de Magnesia: dos unidades de vélites.
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I've finished the first two bases for Magnesia project: two velites units.



Aunque el color blanco me resulta difícil de pintar, es un color que siempre me ha gustado para una legión republicana, especialmente desde que vi una ilustración en un libro de Osprey. En Magnesia participaron cuatro legiones, dos consulares y dos de aliados. Yo pintaré las legiones consulares en blanco y las aliadas en... probablemente rojo.
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Although white a difficult to paint for me, is a color that I've always liked for a republican legion, especially since I saw a picture in an Osprey´s book. Four took legions took part at Magnesia, two consular and two allied. I´ll paint the consular legions in white and the allied ones... probably in red.





Esta vez le he dedicado un poco más de tiempo a la base, ya que son hostigadores y se va a ver mucho suelo.
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This ocasion I have spent a little more time with the base, because they are skirmishers and a lot of ground will be see.


La siguiente unidad en la línea de pintado será una peana de hastati, pero también voy a ir cambiando la base a unidades que ya están pintadas, empezando por los arqueros cretenses (pintaré unos poquitos más).
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 The next unit in paint line will be a stand of hastati, but I also will start changing bases of units that are already painted, starting with Cretan archers (and also paint a few more).


Nos vemos!

9 abr 2013

WM Blood Knights

Me ha costado mes y medio pintarlos desde que empezé, pero ya están terminados.
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It took me a month and a half to paint them since I started, but they are arleady finished.





En realidad esta unidad son caballeros tumularios, pero he decidido pintarla con armaduras rojas y que represente una unidad de caballeros sangrientos. Cuando les hice una foto antes de pintarlos las las figuras me gustaron mucho, pero a medida que las he ido pintando me iba dando cuenta de que la figura, especialmente los jinetes, no están muy definidas y que algunos detalles están muy desproporcionados. Este es uno de los motivos por el que he tardado tanto en pintarlos: si la figura no me gusta se me quitan las ganas.
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Actually this unit are Black Knights, but I decided to paint them in red armor to represent a unit of Blood Knights. When I took a picture, before painting the figures, I liked very much but as painting progress I came to realize that the figures, especially riders, are not well defined and that some details are very disproportionate. This is one reason why I have taken so long to paint them: the less I like the figure, the less desire I have to paint it.



Al final he optado por un pintado rápido y que quede bien sobre la mesa "a vista de pájaro". Es una pena, porque creo que la idea era muy buena, pero el acabado final de la figura deja mucho que desear. Soy fan de las figuras de 10mm que GW ha hecho para Warmaster (en mi opinión, lo mejor en 10mm que existe), pero esta unidad será la excepción que confirme la regla.
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In the end I opted for a quick painting so they look fine on the table "eagle-eye view".  It's a shame, because I think the idea was very good, but finishing is far from satisfactory. I'm a fan of GW 10mm figures for Warmaster (in my opinion, the best 10mm there), but this unit is the exception that proves the rule.


Como ya comenté, me he encontrado también con el problema de que mi blister sólo incluía uno de los modelos de tira para los caballeros. Para arreglarlo un poco, he separado las miniaturas individualmente y las he pegado de forma un poco más desordenada. Creo que el efecto es bueno, seguramente lo repita con los caballeros noveles.
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As I said, I've also found the problem that my blister only included one version of the kights strip. To fix it a bit, I have separated the models individually and display them in a little messy way. I think the effect is good, I´ll surely repeat it with knights errant.



Espero que os guste la unidad, a pesar de todo... Tras esta nueva unidad de 110 puntos, el ejército queda:
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I hope you like the unit, after all... With this new unit of 110 point, the army total is:

ARMY PROGRESS: 755 points
Characters: 2 (230 points)
Units: 10 (525 points)

Nos vemos!

4 abr 2013

Pendraken velites (review)


Voy a empezar a pintar las legiones romanas, así que estoy preparando las figuras y de paso aprovecho para hacer unas fotos y enseñaroslas. Cada legión incluirá 2 peanas de velites y una peana de hastati, princeps y triarii. Empiezo con los velites, que serán fáciles de pintar.
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I'll start painting the roman legions, so I'm preparing the figures and I´ll take the chance to make some pictures and show them. Each legion will include 2 stands of velites and and a stand of hastati, princeps and triarii. I´ll start with velites, they will be easy to paint.



La referencia es Pendraken AAR5. Hay 3 modelos diferentes, dos con casco y uno con la piel de lobo. El detalle está muy bien conseguido y sólo he encontrado un fallo en una figura (de 30) que tiene la punta de la jabalina rota. No debería quejarme, porque encontrar tres modelos diferentes en una referencia de 10mm es para alegrarse, pero (por sacar algún fallo), me hubiese gustado al menos una pose arrojando la jabalina y que llevasen también alguna jabalina en el brazo del escudo (como en la referencia de peltastas griegos). Lo dicho, unas figuras excelentes.
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The reference is Pendraken AAR5. There are three different models, two with helmet and one with wolf skin. The detail is very well done and I've just found a bug in a figure (from a total of 30) having the tip of the javelin broken. I should not complain, because finding three different models in a single 10mm reference is something to rejoice, but (just to say something bad), I would have liked at least a pose throwing the javelin and also that they hold a javelin with their shield hand (as in the greek peltasts reference). As said, excellent models.



Me temo que las fotos no son muy buenas...
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I´m afraid the pictures are not very good...




Las dos primeras peanas, listas para el pintado.
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First two bases, ready for painting.



Nos vemos!

1 abr 2013

Warmaster AAR (3)


In this game my Bretonnians faced Edmund´s High Elves. The game was at 1,000 points, but being a campaign games, point values change with the territories at our disposal.

Bretonnians. From left to right: Pegasus, 2x Knights of the Realm, General (Sword of Might), 3x Peasants (one unit with grail reliquae), Trebuchet, Archers, Sorceress, 2x Men at Arms, Archers, Hero (Sword of Destiny), 2x Squires. Total: 1165 points.



High Elf. From left to right: Guardians, 3x Silver helms, Mage, Archers, Bolt Thrower, Archers, General, Giant eagles, 3x Spearmen, Archers. Total: 1220 points.



TURN 1. High Elf.
I made a mistake deploying pegasus separate from cavalry, an error I paid with a nice eagles charge...



The remaining troops advance. No shots. The characters interchange positions: Commander will give orders to cavalry and sorcerer to infantry.



Due to a bad attack roll and a very good salvation one of pegasus, eagles do get only three hits despite of their 12 attacks. My pegasus riders however, manage to make 5 hits with only 6 attack dice. The eagles are killed in the pursuit and my deployment mistake, that could have cost me one of the two units of knights that I can lose before disbanding the army (and already in the first turn), is settled with the loss of a single base and the first enemy unit destroyed. Good!




TURN 1. Bretonnians.
The squires decide to reject the left flank (they have nothing to do against the Silver Helms charge). The remaining troops advanced. The trebuchet impacts on a unit of archers, eliminating a base and also disordering the unit.



TURN 2. High Elf.
Cavalry advanced on the flank, but the wizard fails to give orders to infantry. He goes ahead of the troops to cast a spell on bretonnian cavalry, but fails.



TURN 2. Bretonnia.
The infantry advance (though the sorceress is still not able to give an order to the archers). The squires move to fire at close range on the archers, but even get disorganize. General fails to give an order to the knights.

The sorceress moves foward in order to try to force the squires charge magically, but fails. The trebuchet and archers combined shots only get an impact on the Silvers helm, but their drive back movement disorganize the guardians.



TURN 3. High Elf.
The mage moved away too much and is not able to send his orders to the infantry. Luckily for the elves, a spearmen unit is able to charge by initiative a squire unit flank, while the other squire unit is riddled with missile fire (but a base survives). The spearmen get to remove a base, but could not pursue the cavalry so they reorganized with the archers.

The general gives an order to the Silver helms brigade: a unit charged the men at arms while other charged the archers. In a second order, the third Silver Helms unit charged peasants by flank. The commander moves back to command the infantry and the mage approaches the cavalry combat and casts Light of Battle, but the spell is dispersed by a scroll of bretonnian Sorceress (Cheat! I thought I had that scroll, but I did not put it in the final list...).



Men at arms are completely annihilated without offering the slightest resistance.It only survives a single base of archers (pure luck). The third Silver Helms unit eliminates the first unit of peasants without receiving a single impact (despite of their defense with 9 attacks).



In their advance they annihilate the second unit, but pilgrims fiercely defend the reliquae and eliminate a cavalry base.

Final appearance of the table at the end of the high elves phase. Where is the Bretonnian infantry?



It´s time to totting up points... I´ve almost lost six full units.



However, the elves...


The game doesn´t look good. Fortunately for Bretonnians, only knight units are counted towards Break Point. That gives me some scope... Time to charge!


TURN 3. Bretonnia.
The squires charged by initiative: one unit against the archers (and receive three impacts by shotting, ouch!) and the remaining base of the second unit charged the Silver helms... From the rear! The hero manages to convince farmers to charge (joining the combat) and further complicate the situation of elven knights.

The general ordered a total attack and so pegasus and knights charged the elves. The general joins a unit and also does the sorceress, who tries to cast a spell of protection, but fails.


The trebuchet eliminates a base of Silver helms. Peasants and squires are able to avenge their comrades killing the other unit of Silver helms.

I decide to continue the fight with the other squire unit. That was a mistake because, despite of killing two bases of archers, they were annihilated and that allows the remaining archers stand to advance and charge the flank of the Pegasus unit. Pegasus riders lose another base and only survive thanks to the infantry can not pursue them.



The knights crushed the archers first and then a unit of spearmen. General´s unit loses a base.


TURN 4. High Elf.
In desperation, a unit of spearmen charged the Bretonnian knights. They are destroyed, but get to kill another stand of commander´s unit (uff. ..). The other spearmen unit and archers stand charged the pegasus riders stand and kill them.


At this point, both armies are one unit left to reach Break Point, but it does not look good for the elves, because it's Bretonnian´s turn... However, point recount is fairly tight.



TURN 4. Bretonnia.
Two charges by initiative, both against archers (worth more points), and General joins the other unit of knights. The trebuchet eliminates another stand of Silver helms and reduce the unit to a single base (55 points, great!).

Once I kill a unit the game will be over, so I´ll start with the two bases one. Despite needing two rounds of combat, archers are annihilated.


It's a shame that the game ends immediately, having been able to complete the turn is likely to have gotten more points, advancing on the flank and rear of spearmen and bolt thrower units. The point totting up is as count is as tight as expected:

High Elves: 525 points
Bretonnian: 545 points

Bretonnian victory (a pyrrhic one) . However, since I used a magic item that had not actually buy we decided to leave it in a draw.

Great game, tension persisted till the end!


Nos vemos!