This is the second report in our new narrative campaign series, Campaign of Thrones. After each battle, the characters on the losing side will potentially be captured or killed. This will transform the story as we know it, inspiring new ‘What If?’ scenarios and battle reports. Join us on this alternative dice-driven version of the War of the Five Kings and battle at the Wall.
The Campaign continues with the Battle on the Green Fork. After agreeing to wed one of Lord Walder Frey's daughters, Robb Stark and the majority of his army raced west to liberate Riverrun. Meanwhile, between the Kingsroad and the Green Fork river, Roose Bolton was charged with meeting the bulk of the Lannister forces and delaying them. The Stark army marched throughout the night to take the lions by surprise, but the Lannisters were able to form their lines and meet the wolves head on.
The game size was standard at 40 Points per army. The lists were:
HOUSE LANNISTER:
Units (Attachments)
Lannister Halberdiers (Tywin Lannister, Commander)
Thenn Warriors aka 'Stone Crows' (Tyrion Lannister)
Mountain’s Men (Gregor Clegane)
Red Cloaks (Bronn)
Lannister Guardsmen
NCUs
Joffrey Baratheon
Cersei Lannister
HOUSE STARK:
Units (Attachments)
Bolton Blackguards (Roose Bolton, Commander)
Bolton Flayed Men
Stark Outriders
Stark Bowmen
Stark Sworn Swords
NCUs
Arya Stark
Walder Frey
DEPLOYMENT
The game mode for this custom scenario is A Dance with Dragons. The Lannisters placed the stakes in front of the right-flank and central objectives. On the left side of the battlefield, Tyrion and the Stone Crows and Gregor Clegane and the Mountain’s Men faced off against the Stark Sworn Swords and Stark Outriders.
In the center, the Red Cloaks with Bronn matched up against the Stark Bowmen.
Finally on the right side, Roose’s Blackguards and Bolton Flayed Men were pitted against Tywin’s Halberdiers and Lannister Guardsmen.
ROUND 1
The Lannisters began the game as first player. After trading spots on the tactics board (save for the late Walder Frey), the Blackguards made the first move on the battlefield by destroying the stakes that blocked them off from the right objective. The Stark Bowmen placed themselves behind the central stakes, ready to shoot any unit that claimed the center objective.
On the left side of the battlefield, Tyrion and the Stone Crows moved up so they could Taunt any Stark unit that claimed the left objective and potentially setup the Mountain’s Men for a deadly flank charge. The Sworn Swords moved up and claimed the token anyway, positioning themselves close enough to Tyrion that they would only need to roll a 2+ to charge the Stone Crows successfully.
Near the end of the round, the Stark player decided to take a huge chance with their Flayed Men to exploit a weakness on the Lannister right flank. With little firepower between the Guardsmen and Halberdiers, the Stark player attempted a risky charge to potentially get 3 unanswered attacks against the Lannister Guardsmen. To charge in successfully they would have to roll a 6… which they did! Winter’s Might was Counterplotted, and the Flayed Men were still weakened from earlier in the round. They dealt 2 wounds from the melee attack and 3 wounds from panic damage. The Guardsmen utilized Lannister Supremacy, but the Flayed Men passed the panic test. Walder Frey claimed the swords at the end of the round and the Guardsmen suffered 4 more wounds. This successful charge could be a huge turning point in the entire War of the Five Kings.
ROUND 2
Arya claimed the swords and the Flayed Men attacked the Guardsmen once more. The Guardsmen almost survived, but the +1 wound from Intimidating Presence finished them off. The score was 1 to 0 for House Stark. The Flayed Men surged forth into the rear of the Halberdiers, leaving Tywin in a very precarious spot. When the Flayed Men activated, the Lannister player used Subjugation of Power to remove their abilities. Yet the Flayed Men were still able to deal 8 wounds after attacking the Halberdiers in the rear. The Flayed Men passed their second Lannister Supremacy panic check, even after a panic token was expended. Things were looking rough for the Great Lion with the uncontested Flayed Men going ham in his backfield.
The Lannisters played Issue Commands so they could reuse Lannister Supremacy, healed the Halberdiers with the bags, and used Cersei’s ability to pick up both Subjugation of Power and Hear Me Roar. The Blackguards moved up and claimed the right-side objective token, leaving the Stark commander open to scoring 2 easy VPs each round. Despite the threat of the Blackguards in the rear, the Halberdiers turned to fight the Flayed Men and did 5 wounds to the Bolton heavy cav. The Outriders were in position to make a potential flank charge into the Red Cloaks, but after failing a Subjugation of Power morale check and losing their abilities, they decided to move back and cement the Starks strong defensive positioning.
The Lannister player maneuvered the Mountain’s Men so that when the Stone Crows Taunted the Sworn Swords they could be guaranteed to hit the Stark unit hard in the flank. The Lannister player was putting a lot of eggs into the Taunt basket. Someone should've told them that basket sucks. The Sworn Swords finally activated and got hit with Taunt. They rolled an 11 and the Lannister trap failed. The Sworn Swords moved back 2 inches, putting themselves in a good position with the Outriders and Bowmen nearby. Tyrion desperately charged into the Sworn Swords, but only caused 2 total wounds to the northern swordsmen. Walder claimed the crown zone and chose to become first player next round. Roose scored 2 VPs and the Sworn Swords 1 VP.
4 to 0 for the Starks.
ROUND 3
Roose surveyed the battlefield and saw an opening to finish off Lord Tywin and his Halberdiers, so the Blackguards activated and charged into their rear. They played Devastating Impact, but were successfully Counterplotted once again. They did 5 wounds to the Halberdiers, who were barely hanging on with only Tywin's model remaining. The Lannister player activated Tywin as they knew this was their last opportunity to get anything out of the unit. It did 2 wounds to the Flayed Men. The next turn, Arya claimed the swords and the Flayed Men destroyed the Lord of Casterly Rock. 5 to 0 for House Stark.
On the next turn, the Starks used Arya’s once per game ability and retreated the Sworn Swords from Tyrion’s Stone Crows. They rolled a 6, so they were able to get a good distance away and further protect themselves in the Stark Outriders/Stark Bowmen bubble.
The Red Cloaks began their hopeless march to battle Roose Bolton, but the Flayed Men smartly maneuvered behind them. The Red Cloaks were surrounded by the Flayed Men, Blackguards, and Bowmen. The round ended with Walder claiming the crown zone and declaring the Starks first player for Round 4. Roose scored another 2 VPs and the Sworn Swords another 1 VP.
8 to 0 for the Starks.
ROUND 4
The Starks played Assault Orders at the start of the round and the Flayed Men maimed the Red Cloaks, then next turn attacked once more and finished them off. With the score 9 to 0, a crushing victory was declared for House Stark against House Lannister.
WRAP-UP
Well, we don’t have to worry about the story following the same path as the books anymore. Rolling a 6 on that Flayed Men charge likely changed the course of the entire war. This shocking, overwhelming defeat is making things look very grim for Tywin and House Lannister. How grim? Let’s find out…
CODA
Tywin Lannister sat alone in Lord Bolton’s tent. His mind raced as he pieced together the disastrous events of the day. How could he have been so utterly defeated? Tyrion and his foolish savages. Tywin was able to speak to some Red Cloaks as he was being bound and delivered to the Stark camp. From what they witnessed, Tyrion grabbed onto a floating corpse and escaped down river. Cowardly imp. As for the Mountain, he was surrounded by Stark Sworn Swords, but cut his way through the throng and fled into a wooded area with other routed Lannister men.
Roose Bolton entered the tent. Tywin reluctantly stood to greet his captor. "Wise of the boy to let a more seasoned man lead his army."
Roose poured two glasses of spiced wine. He placed one cup in front of Tywin, then sipped from his own. "He is leading, elsewhere. In fact, I just received this from the young lord." Roose held up a rolled piece of parchment.
"If I am to be traded for Eddard Stark and his daughters, let us begin negotiations promptly."
"Pray tell," Roose thinly smiled, "why would the crown exchange Lord Eddard Stark for a dead man?"
"I am not dead," Tywin spoke defiantly, "and the man fool enough to kill Tywin Lannister will never have another peaceful sleep for the rest of his short life." He swallowed. "That said, I am much greater as friend than foe. I’m the wealthiest, most well-regarded man in the Seven Kingdoms, and I can raise any man up to whatever station he desires. Remember, Lord Bolton: a Lannister always pays his debts."
"So I've heard." Roose took a step towards the Lord of Casterly Rock. "Claws are no concern after the lion loses its head. Robb Stark sends his regards." Roose thrust his dagger through Lord Tywin’s heart and twisted.