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After a long while, and a trip on horse, I arrived at Kyunden Hida only to be directed at the rear of a column on its way to Shiro Kuni. I admit I was already travel weary, but the scent of battle was in the air. "We are going to annex the lands of the Scorpion." Said Yakamo bluntly "And our first target is where we saw Satsume assume the mantle of emerald champion." "Heigan no Kaminari?" Sukune quizzically said. "How do you intend to do that? We would have to go around Shinomen forest and through the territory of the minor clans. I do not think they will let us pass in peace." "I plan to go through Shinomen Forest." "How?" "Let us just say... I have found 'scouts' familiar with a way through. We will be stretched thin through the forest, but surprise will be ours brother."
2000 Koku battle
3x parade ground practice, 3x know the terrain, 3x turtle shell, 3x focus, 3x kharmic strike, 3x beyond your mastery, 3x another time, 3x charge, 3x the unguarded moment, 3 grim determination. Crab Deck: 2x resist magic, 3x defensive position, 2x frenzy, 1x martyr, 3x Charge, 2x Parade ground practice, 3x Counter charge, 2x know the terrain, 1x grim determination, 2x focus, 2x beyond your mastery, 1x turtle shell, 2x nemesis, 2x Iajustu duel, 2x Test of might
Turn 1 of 12 Unicorn have the hand of fate
Special orders: Iuchi Takaai gives the Moto fanatics the Cavalry trait for the turn. Ranged attacks: Hiruma Archers shoot at long range at the Moto Fanatics, turtle shell played on the Moto Fanatics, 2 hits 9 dmg... no casualties... Moshi Wakiza casts fury of Osano wo on Moto fanatics... 2 hits 8 damage.. no casualties
We had only a few units on the field before the Unicorn closed the distance with inhuman speed, a unit by the ruins lept off of their steeds, getting in formation almost instantly... Such training. One of the Hiruma archer units began to let loose a swarm of arrows, while Moshi Wakiza summoned lightning from the sky. Not a single Moto fell, and they marched on with unheard of speed and determination. "Observe Kaiu" Yakamo said to me as we watched from the woodline, "My brother has abandoned all hope of advancing further, so now he takes the stance of the mountain... And when the time is right, he will spring forth like the tiger..." Turn 2 of 12 Crab has the hand of fate
Iuchi Takaai gives the Moto fanatics the cavalry trait for the rest of the turn. Ranged attacks: Hiruma Archers fire at long range at Moto fanatics, Turtle shell is played on them. 5 hits 27 damage. 2 Moto die. Moshi Wakiza casts fury of Osano Wo and scores 3 hits 25 damage. 2 more Moto perish. Reserve move: Otaku Battle Maidens move into range. Hiruma Archers fire a reactionary volley. 1 hit is scored for 9 damage, no casualties. The archers continued their volley, and Wakiza concentrated harder as a bolt of lighting struck down upon the Moto vaporizing two, as arrows shot into their ranks... And still they marched forward, a tribute to their heritage. The thunder of hoof beats pounded unseen at both sides, until from beside a woodline appeared the infamous Otaku battle maidens, A unit of Hiruma, suprised, fired off an ineffective volley, only angering the Otaku... Turn 3 of 12 Unicorn have the hand of fate
Ranged attacks: Moshi Wakiza casts fury of Osano Wo on the Otaku battle maidens hitting twice but only causing 9 damage. No casualties. One unit of Hiruma archers fires off a volley only to have Iuchi Takaai cast gust of wind, negating the attack, but becoming spent. The other unit of Archers fire hitting twice but only scoring 2 hits for 5 damage. No casualties
The Hiruma archers concentrate their fire on the Otaku but a wall of wind deflects many, and the few that make it fail to strike true. Wakiza knits her brow and another bolt of lightning strikes, but just on the tail of the swift Battle Maidens, doing nothing.... From here I can see the panic set into the Hiruma... Turn 4 of 12 Crab have the hand of fate Special Orders: Moshi Wakiza casts stagnant air in front of the Otaku Battle Maidens. Beyond your mastery is played destroying that scroll. Primary Movement: Shinjo house guard charge the Hida house guard. Sukune counter charges. Cavalry phase: Otaku battle Maidens are halted by the stagnant air. Ranged attacks: One unit of Hiruma archers hit 5 times for 19 damage. The other unit of archers hit 4 times for 18 damage. One Otaku dies. HtH phase: Shinjo house guard hit 4 times for 27 points of damage killing one Hida.
Moshi Wakiza flung open her fan, and as she waved it, a cloud of pestilent air formed in front of the advancing otaku, causing the horses to rear and the battle maidens gagged as the archers desperately shot arrows into their ranks, killing only one. On the other side of the field, the Shinjo shot into the Hida house guard like an arrow, as the Hida themselves crashed into the cavalry in a bloody melee...
Turn 5 of 12 Unicorn have the Hand of Fate Special Orders: Moshi Wakiza casts Ebb and flow of battle on the Beserkers and becomes spent. Primary Movement: Moto fanatics charge the Crab Heavy Elite, defensive position is played on the Crab heavy elite. Beserkers charge the striders, going berserk and frenzied due to O-Ushi. Otaku battle maidens charge a Hiruma Archer unit, they try to reactionary fire but fail the morale test, making them unable to strike back in HTH. The other Hiruma archer unit fires but attack is blocked by gust of wind by Iuchi Takaai spending him. HTH combat:
Hida Sukune spends 2 void to gain an additional attack die and sacrifices a wound to gain another strike. Hida House Guard get 10 hits causing 61 Damage, killing 3 Shinjo house guard. Shinjo Yasamura spends 2 void to gain an additional attack die scoring 7 hits for 52 points of damage 2 Hida House guard perish, and one is wounded. Moto fanatics score no hits. Hida Tampako spends 2 void to gain an additional attack die. Crab Heavy Elite hit 5 times for 48 damage. 4 Moto Fanatics die. Otaku Battle Maidens hit the Hiruma archers 6 times for 50 points of damage. 5 Hiruma die. As Sukune's unit slammed into the Unicorn, he became a man possessed, inflicting wounds that did not meet with his stature. In the center of the field, the Beserkers momentarily shot forward at a pace that only magic could produce, as they screamed into the fray, leaping upon the enemy with inhuman zeal and ferocity. In that melee we both heard a recognizable battle cry... "Is that O-Ushi sama my lord?" Yakamo rolled his eyes and sighed. "Hai, it is. I told her to stay in the rear, but she is too head strong for that." Hida Tampako, readied his unit, and invited the Moto to engage him... He would be the rock that the icy river would break itself against. The Moto lept upon them, but their Yari's where knocked aside as the Crab used the force of the Moto against them. The other side of the battle was far more bleak. The Otaku slammed into the Hiruma as they where attempting to fire, and a wall of air deflected the arrow from their fellow unit. Half of those Hiruma perished beneath the Hoofs of the Otaku.
Turn 6 of 12 Crab have hand of fate
HTH combat: Hida O-Ushi issues a challenge to the Strider Chui. The Chui Focuses, and O-Ushi Focuses, the Chui then plays Kharmic Strike and both models die. The Beserkers hit 5 times for 28 points of damage killing 2 striders, the striders hit twice for 3 points of damage for no casualties. The Striders become broken. Hida house guard score 3 hits for 28 dmg killing one Shinjo. Shinjo house guard strike 4 times for 15 damage causing one wound to a Heavy Elite. The Shinjo house guard break. Moto Fanatics hit four times for 12 points of damage wounding one heavy elite. Heavy elite hit ten times for 77 points of damage, crushing 7 Moto. Otaku Battle Maidens hit 10 times against the Hiruma archers, for 82 damage, slaughtering the Hiruma archers. Hiruma archers hit once for 5 damage, no casualties. The Archers adjacent become broken. The rest of the Archers where trampled by the Unicorn steeds as the other unit began to break formation. The Moto fanatics' bodies began to heap up in front of the heavy elite, as their blows knocked bodies aside. The Beserkers raged like the Oni's they have been trained to fight, hacking apart bodies even as they fell lifelessly to the ground... Yet in the center of the Conflict, O-Ushi goaded the Chui of the Striders into personal combat, the Chui, enraged at the loss of his unit charged headlong at O-Ushi with the resolve of the Beserkers he was fighting, in one moment O-Ushi made a mighty blow, crushing the Chui's chest. At the same time the Chui sliced his katana across O-Ushi's stomach, felling her. I bolted forward only to be yanked back by Yakamo-Sama. "She will live, and she will learn... When this engagement is over, you will personally take her back home, with Tampako and some of my guard, I doubt you could handle her, even when she is severely wounded Maatan san."
Turn 7 of 12 Unicorn has the Hand of Fate Primary Movement: Shinjo House Guard break away. Hida House guard take parting shots scoring 6 hits for 53 points of damage, killing 3 Shinjo. Striders Rout and Beserkers hit 6 times for 50 damage. Killing 5. Beserkers become spent. Otaku Battle Maidens charge the rear of the broken Hiruma Archers. HtH combat: Otaku Battle Maidens hit 3 times for 25 points, and 3 Hiruma die. Hiruma score no hits. Hiruma archers rout. Moto Fanatics score 1 hit for 4 damage. No casualties. Crab heavy elite score 7 hits for 78 points of damage. Destroying what is left of the Moto. The Shinjo turned and fled, but I doubt they would be quitting the field. The Striders completely broke formation and ran away from the Beserkers losing all semblance of formation they once had. The Beserkers stood in placed, blindly hacking at the wounded and even the dead, truly a horrible sight, even for the Crab. The Heavy Elite surged one final time upon the Moto, and slaughtered them to the last man. They stood their ground even as they where being overwhelmed. I have always respected the Moto, and now I revere them, they died like a Crab would. Perhaps one day they will stand with us on the wall. The Otaku slammed into the back of the fleeing Hiruma, crushing most of them. Turn 8 of 12 Crab have the hand of fate.
Hiruma Archers rout, and the battle maidens hit 4 times for 55 damage, killing 5 Hiruma. The Hiruma quit the field Cavalry Movement: Otaku Battle Maidens Charge Moshi Wakiza. Ranged attacks: Iuchi Takaai casts Fury of Osano Wo on the Heavy Elite. Heavy Elite plays resist magic and then beyond your mastery tactical cards.
Otaku hit once against Wakiza for 3 damage, not wounding. Moshi Wakiza hits once for 15 points of damage, wounding one Battle Maiden.
The Hiruma run towards me, to the safety of Shinomen forest, as most of their comrades are slaughtered. Two rush by me in the woodline, as I drew my Katana, but they veered off, heading toward the Heavy elite, who had just turned around and was marching towards the Otaku. In between them, however, stood Moshi Wakiza, fluttering her fan as if she was annoyed at a hot day. The Otaku charged into her, but amazingly enough, she lept back slashing with her Wakizashi across the Cheek of one of the Battle Maidens, before the horses obscured her from my view... Turn 9 of 12 Unicorn Have the hand of fate. Primary Movement: Shinjo House Guard Charge the Hida House Guard. Sukune Counter Charges and plays the tactical card Frenzy. HtH Combat: Otaku battle Maidens kill Moshi Wakiza. Shinjo house guard hit the heavy elite 5 times for 47 damage. Killing two Hida. Hida Sukune sacrifices a wound to gain an additional strike. 9 hits are scored for 113 damage, killing the rest of the Shinjo House Guard. Hida House Guard become spent.
Turn 10 of 12 Crab have hand of fate. Primary movement: Otaku Battle Maidens charge the Crab Heavy Elite. Crab Heavy Elite play defensive position. HtH Combat: Otaku Battle maidens hit 4 times causing 36 damage. 2 Heavy elite die. Heavy elite hit 4 times for 36 points of damage. 2 battle maidens die. Sukune obviously exhausted from his rage, began to cough harshly as his unit momentarily languished. The Beserkers however became aware there was no more enemy to hack apart, and began to move towards their next prey... The Otaku... Slammed into the Heavy Elite, I think Tampako broke a smile... Turn 11 of 12 Unicorn have hand of fate.
HtH Combat: Hida Tampako challenges Shinjo Tsuburo to a test of might. Tsuburo focuses once and then Kharmic strikes. Tsuburo takes 6 wounds and Tampako takes 5. Tsuburo dies. Otaku battle Maidens hit 3 times for 16 damage. One wound is inflicted. The Heavy Elite hit twice for 22 points of damage. Killing one Otaku.
Turn 12 of 12 Crab has hand of fate. Primary movement: Beserkers engage Otaku Battle Maidens from the flank and go berserk. In addition to becoming frenzy via the tactical card. HtH Combat: Otaku Battle Maidens score no hits. Crab Heavy elite hit once for 6 damage. No casualties Beserkers hit four times for 22 damage. Killing one Battle Maiden. To the battle Maidens horror, the Beserkers came charging into their flank, the Otaku where nearly surrounded now... and from there no escape existed...
AAR 28FEB99 This battle was fought using only the units provided in the Clan War basic set, no magic items, no new spells, so on and so forth. The Unicorn player felt it was not fair playing against an opponent who had the benefit of an expansion, and that was ok by me. Since I was playing the crab forces and since the store was closing, I did not have a lot of time to chart things out, and I omitted many of the finer details. By me doing this, the game was extended from about 2:30 to 8:00... 5 1/2 hours. The store was closing and I had to hurry up and chart down what my opponent had, I don't think I will be doing that again. There are probably a few errors in this report, and a lot of things I didn't even mention because I thought it wasn't too relevant to the bigger picture. Over all I had a good time, there where a lot of rolls that where either extremely lucky or unlucky, good luck... Moshi standing her ground and causing a wound with only one strike against a full unit of battle maidens... Yikes! And terrible luck, like the Shinjo house guard rolling a 1 to test if they would be broken when all they needed was a 3. My tactic in this game was based on the fact that I was sure I was going to be the one being charged, that is why I put Tampako in charge of the Crab Heavy Elite, putting that unit at the vaward of the army and staggering the rest to the left, putting the Beserkers in the middle, my only relatively weak spot was on my right flank, I was pretty sure that 20 archers and Moshi Wakiza casting fury of Osano Wo would be enough to halt an advance. Bad rolling and frequent gusts of wind, combined with the pace Unicorn cavalry travel, combined with the fact that the Otaku where taking full advantage of cover made my archers ineffective against them. However I positioned one unit so that it could still hit the Otaku when they came across the hill, and also have LOS to the advancing Moto, and all I wanted to do was thin them down so that they would be one on one when they hit the heavy elite. At that point, it was advantageous for them to charge me... I had defensive position in my hand, Tampako would give them a +1 to their TN bringing them to a TN of 9, and I wanted that bonus to offset his bonus with the Yaris'. The Beserkers I found either tend to do very well or completely suck... the last game I had them in they where torn apart without even causing a wound to the opposition. I was just upset about the whole situation with O-Ushi and the Kharmic strike, I ended up killing myself. Over all the battle was a good time. To those of you who had suggestions: I have considered the idea of using a camera, but right now I don't have a camera, and most of our stuff is unpainted (blush). That is my humble opinion. Back to
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After travelling
with Tsuko - sama, I traveled to the river Oboreshinu boekisho kawa, and boarded a boat to
the Crab lands, eager to show my report to the Crab generals. The trip was long and
peaceful, and gave me much time to contemplate what I had witnessed.
We marched
in a long, thin, slow line through the Forest... Until finally the vaward of the army
broke into the clearing... I grasped my Katana as I saw a form move swiftly toward
Yakamo and I. "Put that away... It is one of my scouts." Yakamo told
me, and out from the bushes peered a long snout with whiskers and beady eyes.
"Nezumi!?!" I said, shocked. "They know the forest better than
any of us." "Man - Man!" The ratling screeched. "Purple horse
men have camp here, see us, they chase... Be here soon!" Yakamo sneered...
"Damnit! Unicorn! What are they doing here!?!" The Nazumi
quickly scampered off as Yakamo-sama barked his orders. "Sukune! Get
Tampako and what units you can muster and form a battle line... We have
guests!"
Unicorn
deck:
Special orders:
Hida Sukune takes a wound to gain an additional
strike. Hida house guard hit 3 times for 30 damage. Killing one Shinjo and
wounding another.
Beserkers score 6 hits
for 86 points of damage, hacking
apart
8 Striders. Striders hit twice for 9 points of damage
not
killing a single berserker.
Primary movement:
HtH combat:
The Otaku advance
and from where she stood, Wakiza was no where to be found, except for the fan she once had
fluttered, I can only surmise what horrible fate she met under the Otaku battle steeds.
The Shinjo on the other side of the field turned around and charged back into the
Hida House Guard. Sukune obviously became enraged and went berserk as the Shinjo
slammed into them, and in that moment, the Unicorns precious steeds where knocked to the
ground and their riders slaughtered, Yasamura saw it was pointless and managed to
disengage as Sukune showered him with curses... "We will meet again little
Crab!" Yasamura said, as he sped off...
As Tsuburo lead his
unit into battle against the Claws of the Crab, Tampako charged up to him brandishing his
tetsubo. Tsuburo lept off of his steed and swiped at Tampako, making a horrible gash
across his chest, but that did not stop the determined crab as he lept up into the air and
struck down hard on Tsuburo, crumbling him to the ground...