Gobstyk's Gaming Club

To Insanity.... and beyond!

Did you get the copy of the rules I sent?

Gareth

To Insanity.... and beyond!

Two surprise late candidates for emperor have thrown the elector council into complete disarray! With both the Elector count of Middenheim and Wissenland announcing their intent on becoming emperor the votes were cast as follows

For the Honourable and Noble, if slightly eccentric, Count of Nordland went the votes of Nordland and Ostland

For the treacherous and devious Count of Middenland went the votes of Middenland and the High priest of Ulric.

For the slapper of Talabecland went the votes of Talabecland and Ostermark

For the slack-jawed popinjay Count of Stirland went the votes of Stirland and one of the Arch-lectors of Sigmar

For the stern, humourless (not to mention odorous) count of Reikland went the votes of Reikland and the Grand theoginist of Sigmar

For the simple-minded buffoon Count of Wissenland went the votes of Wissenland and Averland

The Elector count of Hochland and one of the Archlectors of Sigmar abstained from voting saying they would wait and see if one of the candidates should prove more worthy than the rest. The Elder of the Moot missed the vote because he just had to have second helping of dessert but promises he will be present next time!

With the council so divided it seems civil war is now unavoidable!

Gareth

Some observations on the campaign rules that may be useful.

With 8 votes being the winning line killing opposing Electors must be the main aim of all claimants to the throne. Besieging and taking a capital will be of no benefit at this stage as even with the 2 votes gained (temporarily) and the 3 floating votes you will still be 1 short of the winning post.

However once one elector count is eliminated everything changes! The Elector that gets the votes of the defeated count is now worth 4 votes to any who could defeat him or exile him (by taking the capital). These votes along with his own 2 and 2 of the floating votes will seem him through as Emperor.
Taking an early lead may not be such a good thing but at least you will have the support of the defeated army to help you fend of the wolves that will almost certainly be sniffing at your door.

Taking a capital is probably best left to the later stages of a campaign season (turns 4-6) as unless both the 1000 point defence armies have been destroyed you will be forced to stay there if you want to keep the votes for the end of season election.

Gareth

I think I will introduce spies into the campaign to help players seek out enemy armies and make it easier for them to engage them in combat.
The will work much like a game of battleships. at the start of your turn before you make your moves you can pick a hex for your spy. The GM will then tell you what armies are to be found in that hex and all 6 surrounding ones. You can then go off and fight them!

gareth

So, it takes an army twice the size to threaten mine does it?

Yet again we take to the field against superior number. Fortunately not against a superior force!

My army shall fall upon both of yours and crush them, then you shall know the folly that is standing in my way.

Yours,

Empress Dieter.

STOP PRESS
The "Army" of Middenheap suffered a crushing defeat at the hand's of the great Marquis of Bretonnia, Marcel D'Assault.
Boris "I've Squit Myself" Toddbringer, left the field of battle early, with a cry of "Err, I'm just going to get some help lads, hold them up for a bit will you!"
The Marquis currently has a number of priests, wizards and the odd captain sat in his dungeons, undergoing "re-education"
The Marquis sadly announced the demise of the lady Helene, who it is alleged, supped too often from her chalice
The Marquis is looking forwards to "re-educating" other Elector Counts.

The Marquis will learn the true meaning of re-education when I am made emperor. This un-provoked attack on my poor deluded and very misguided northern neighbour will be avenged.

My spies have informed me both the armies of Boris and the Slapper have been seen north of the village of Gruyden in hochland. My army at this very moment marches to meet them. The fate of the future Emperor may well be decided this very week in the lands of Hochland, and I for one will be there to make sure it is me!

JV

Be warned that I shall be taking to the field personally. (Now that a suitable model is painted!)

You shall fall to your knees and acknowledge me as Empress or die.

Dieter.

To Insanity.... and beyond!

The first major clash of the war proves indecisive. The forces of Talabecland, Middenland and Nordland meet in Hochland in a valley in the foot-hills of the Middle mountains.

The battle starts well for the Nordland army causing considerable damage to the Talabeclanders with their opening shooting barrage, but they hold fast loyal to their lady. The Middenlander army which the most advantaged position advanced onto the flanks of both the opposing armies.

For several hours the armies of Nordland and Talabecland exchange missile fire as the Middenland army advances. Finally a unit of white wolf knights breaks through he Nordland lines to threaten the artillery at the rear, however this leaves the elector count of Nordland and his personal guard space to advance onto the rear of the soldiers trying to hide the countess of Talabecland. Seeing this threat, rather than turning to face it, her nerve breaks and she makes a run for it, fleeing to the supposed sanctuary of a ruined church. Unfortunately for he a stray Middenlander cannon ball ploughs into her and she is assumed slain.

Finally late on the day the elector counts of Nordland and Middenland meet in battle, but it is Vandervalk of Nordland that prevails dragging The count of Middenland of his horse and mortally wounding him. The Middenlanders flee dragging the body of their count with them and it is then that a surprise attack from the forgotten remnants of the Talabecland army panics the count of Nordland and his bodyguard. Fortunately the swift feet of the Nordlanders allow them to escape and the legendary command of Vandervalk rallies them

As the sun sets it is the forces of Nordland that hold the field.

Of the countess, her fate is unknown as when the Nordlanders searched the ruined church no trace of her could be found. The Middenlanders took their leader to the healers who worked a miracle to save his life. So despite his victory Vandervalk had come no closer to the throne of the Empire.

Without delay The forces of Middenland immediately pursue the retreating Talabecland army, convinced that some devilish power has saved the life of the countess from a blow that would kill any normal man.

Fools!

Did you really think I had perished?

We have lured the armies of Nordland into a trap, now without their allies from Middenland they will have to fight the might of the Talabhiem Imperial Army alone.

I left the battlefield to pursue a new alliance, with some of noble birth, yet shunned by others and outcast. They shall have a home in the Empire under Empress Dieter. My new allies are expert scouts and spies, and may have already infiltrated your army.

Hockland has already armed my marksmen, who showed his superior skill on the field of battle. The White Wolf Knights are in disgrace having abandoned their flank. They shall not be needed.

Come to me Norlanders, and you shall know defeat.

Empress Dieter.

Over confidence has always been your weakness my lady. You need to get yourself some worthy lieutenants if you want any hope to defeat the experienced and well drilled troops of my army. The performance of your captain in your scouting force was abysmal even though he alone survived the encounter with my own vanguard. Thus it was I was able to turn the tables and your trap was played against you!
I must say I find your reliance on the suspect powers of wizards a little disturbing. It was not so long ago such individuals would have been burnt at the stake as deviants and heretics. I'm sure the devout counts of both Riekland and Middenland would be interested to hear the depths to which you have been drawn into the occult and daemon worship.
And yet all this pale into insignificance when compared to the mystery of how you survived my blade. I thrust my trust runefang through your heart and with my own eyes saw your lifeless body fall to the ground. Yet when I returned to the spot where you fell no trace of your body was to be found. I had the whole battlefield scoured for your body but still turned up nothing! What sort of devilry is this! What evil pact have you made to be able to cheat death so easily? I will slay you yet countess, even if it takes my very last breath to do so. The imperial throne will not be sullied by your evil and daemonic ways!

Johann

My scouting force will be disciplined, have no fear of that.

Once again, you fall on underhand strategy to win a narrow victory. Only by ambush or by outnumbering can you hope to defeat my superior forces.

We challenge you to meet us upon the field a week hence. In the province of Hockland shall our forces do battle, fair and unaided. Are you man enough to take up such a challenge?

The colleges of magic assured me of their continued loyalty, fear their power and quake. Over reliance on their powers was a mistake that I shall not repeat, I assure you of that.

As for my defeat. Foolish man. Strike my heart? Obviously your knowledge of anatomy is as poor as the whores of your province report. A mere flesh wound was all, a laceration that made me faint from a lack of blood, and luckily for you that it did for I had the measure of you.

Your forces do indeed seem well commanded, and you seem to be the only other worthy candidate for the throne. Let us settle this issue, and let the other pretenders quake at the coming of the victor.

Yours,

Empress Dieter.

To Insanity.... and beyond!

Rejoice throughout Talabhiem.

The evil countess has been overthrown. And now we can put our full might behind the true Emperor, Lord Von Vandervalk.

In a cunning move the Wizard Ludo Minge concealed from Odalys the true extent of his magical power, and left the battle field before as the first shots were fired in anger.

Let today be a public holiday in Talabhiem, we care not for the pitiful armies surrounding the city, for they shall fall to the combined might of Nordland and the magnificent armies of Talabhiem, now under the command of Ludo Minge, the fire mage.

Yours,

Ludo.

And so the challenge was met. The army of Nordland and the army of Talabecland faced each other over the Talabheim fields, located just a few miles west of the city of Talabheim. The fight was to be a fair fight, no tricks or ambushes and in a binding contract the loser of the battle agreed to relinquish their claim to the imperial throne and lend their support to the victor.
For several hours the battle raged, but once again countess Deiter was failed by her lieutenants. Her pegasus riding captain having performed so badly the previous month allowing the army of Nordland to ambush the Talabheim forces and thus escape the trap laid for them once again showed his failings as a soldier and leader of men. This time he paid for it with his life. The colleges of magic again sent but lowly apprentices who's abilities were easily contained by the single battle wizard of the Nordlanders. However the worst crime of all was the cowardness shown by the countess herself. Having foolishly lead her troops into a terribly bad position she fled the charge of the Nordland Swordsmen rather than try and fight her way out.
Thus it was that for the 3rd time in a row the army of Nordland triumphed over the army of Talabecland. The countess has fled (rumours say to Sylvania) and the ruling council of Talabecland has signed a peace treaty with Nordland agreeing to support the claim of Johann Van Der Valk to be crowned Emperor.
Is there now anyone who can stop this mighty alliance?

To Insanity.... and beyond!