Warmaster Solo Battle Chaos v. Empire 1000 pts

 I've been slowly tarting up and dusting off my Warmaster models from many moons ago (I think last played in around 2009). With no other game planed this week I decided it was time to put some forces down and play a solo game to remind myself of the rules.

I've been watching a lot of WM videos on YouTube so had a bunch of the new Warmaster Revolutions notions in my head - but  I didn't have them printed out, so used the points from the rulebook and mostly played the rulebook rules, but tweaked a couple of things (two rounds of combat mostly) to match what I remembered.

I only had my phone with me, so some of the pictures are a bit dodgy, but hey-ho.

I went with a 4x4 set up with some old scenery pieces I made back in 2004(?) for a WPS tournament at the old Harvey Hadden sports centre in Nottingham. They could do with some TLC.

The Empire had a brigade of knights and pistoliers

Some cannon and two infantry brigades

Chaos had a brigade of chariots and marauder horse

A big block of infantry and a brigade of hounds, knights and more marauder horse

The Empire army stumbled slowly forward - I kept failing commands (and didn't use the WMR half move thing - I should have)

The Chaos flank moved better and took the hill - the Sorcerers spells deserted him

But the bulk of the Chaos force stood still too (an 11 rolled!)

The cannon managed to get moving and took aim at the Marauder horse, but only pushed them a short way back

The knights again held their ground

The Empire again failed to get moving

Rather rashly the chariots hammered home

They took some pistoliers with them but rather suffered in return.

Finally the chaos forces got motoring

The knights dealt with the chariots then started on the marauder horse

But couldn't finish them

The dogs suddenly scampered across the field and attacked the cannon.

At this point I remembered why you should brigade some infantry with your artillery.

The Chaos horse got rolling too.

The happy hound munched the guns then hit the infantry brigade

But were repelled (with a few casualties on both sides)

Bravely the Empire infantry got stuck in to the Chaos horse

 

Driving them off and then hiding in the woods!

(I think I may have accidentally allowed the infantry to follow up the cavalry for one round here)

The knights finally caught up with the remaining Marauder horse

 More Empire infantry advanced on the knights

The knights, having dealt with the horse formed up to take on the infnatry

Again the Empire attacked the knights.

The Chaos foot turned and took the fight to the knights

The Chaos knights were driven back

But thumped back in

Massed infantry - especially super hard Chaos infantry, took their toll on the human knights.

The Empire tried desperately to surround the Chaos knight

While the human knights were driven off, battered.

Finally the Halbardiers cornered the Chaos knight against the impassable grounds

And with a successful drive back the Chaos force was broken!

It was good fun to get the toys out and i remembered why I love Warmaster so much, it plays very smoothly (even the old version) and cracks along. It looked great, like a proper battle, even with these small forces.

It did feel a bit more "gamey" than I remember - careful positioning of characters and methodical lining up of charges made it less "immersive" than a game of WFB - but then I suspect some people (Steve, probably) mentally play WFB that way too.

Very excited to paint up some more and then prevail on Martin or James or Scrivs to give me a game (Steve won't play because I'll beat him).