This is the ninth report in our 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 Kidnapping of Margaery Tyrell commences the armed conflict between Stannis and Renly. When I came up the idea for this scenario, I knew I needed a carriage unit to represent Margaery on the battlefield. The Highgarden Wheelhouse was designed with narrative scenarios in mind.
The game size was 40 Points per army. The lists were:
HOUSE BARATHEON OF STORM'S END:
Units (Attachments)
Rose Knights (Loras Tyrell, Commander)
Thorn Watch (Thorn Watch Sentinel)
Riders of Highgarden
Riders of Highgarden
Highgarden Wheelhouse
NCUs
Olenna Tyrell
Cortnay Penrose
HOUSE BARATHEON OF DRAGONSTONE:
Units (Attachments)
King’s Men (Andrew Estermont, Commander)
R’hllor Faithful
R’hllor Lightbringers
Baratheon Sentinels
Dragonstone Noble
NCUs
Melisandre
Axell Florent
DEPLOYMENT
As stated on its unit card, the Wheelhouse is deployed in the center of the battlefield. The Wheelhouse cannot control objective tokens, so it does not claim the token when placed over top of it (though this possibly could be argued by the use of the word 'claims' versus 'controls' in the Dance with Dragons game mode, I don't believe that's the rules intention and I play it as if the unit cannot pick up or 'claim' the token at all if it is unable to control it).
For House Tyrell, the Thorn Watch and Riders of Highgarden #1 deployed on the left-side, while the Rose Knights with Loras and Riders of Highgarden #2 were deployed on the right. The Riders were both on the inside of the other units, closer to the Wheelhouse in the center of the table.
All the Stannis loyalty units deployed on the left-side in this order (beginning with the closest to the left-flank): Lightbringers, King’s Men with Andrew, Sentinels, Dragonstone Noble, and R’hllor Faithful.
ROUND 1
House Baratheon of Dragonstone wanted to get at Margaery right away. Melisandre claimed the crown zone and struck the Highgarden Wheelhouse with 2 consecutive panic checks. It passed both. House Tyrell was forced to use their first activation every round on the Wheelhouse. For Round 1, they spun the Wheelhouse around with the cavalry maneuver, then marched it toward their deployment zone.
All the Stannis loyalty units moved up, chasing the Wheelhouse as it scrambled to the Tyrell board edge. Cortnay Penrose claimed the swords and the Thorn Watch got 6 shots at the Lightbringers, doing 2 wounds total. This triggered the order Sentinel, which allowed the Baratheon Sentinels to get into the flank of the left-side Riders of Highgarden.
Andrew Estermont’s strategy started to come into focus: take advantage of the fact that the Highgarden Wheelhouse must activate first each round. They feigned as if they were going after the Wheelhouse, then turned their attention to the more powerful cavalry units that couldn’t move until after the Wheelhouse retreated further back.
The Riders on the right-side decided to make a desperate charge at the Sentinels flank. The charge was successful. They ended up dealing 6 wounds from the attack and 3 from panic, leaving the Sentinels with just 3 wounds remaining. This attacked triggered the Dragonstone Noble’s Sentinel order, which allowed the Noble to charge the Riders as well as claim the center Objective token. The Noble’s attack did 6 wounds to the Riders, taking them down to 1 remaining rank.
ROUND 2
The Wheelhouse began the round by driving into the left corner. Melisandre targeted the injured Riders of Highgarden. They failed the panic test, suffering 5 more wounds. Cortnay used 1 of his order tokens to block the swords and the bags (unless Andrew’s side wanted to let the Tyrells restore D3+2 wounds, which they did not). Mel instead claimed the crown zone. The Riders of Highgarden passed the test.
Olenna claimed the swords next, using her NCU ability to block Axell Florent’s ability. The nearly dead Riders were able to utilize this attack with the tactics card Ours is the Fury to destroy the Baratheon Sentinels. The score was 1 to 0 for House Tyrell.
The Dragonstone Noble sought revenge for their fallen comrades. The Noble activated and attacked the right-side Riders. 2 hits were enough to destroy the lightly armoured cavalry unit. The score was tied 1 to 1.
The Lightbringers shifted up and claimed the left-side token. They fired arrows at the Thorn Watch, dishing out 4 wounds. Oath of Duty was placed on the Thorn Watch in Round 1. It greatly helped their survivability as they admirably fought off the Lightbringers, King’s Men, and R’hllor Faithful. The remaining Riders of Highgarden charged into the Lightbringers, putting themselves in danger, but stealing the objective token from the fire archers (now on their last rank) before the end of the round. Loras claimed the objective token on the lonely right-side.
End of round scoring saw Loras and his Rose Knights score 2 victory points (this game was played when commanders still added +1 to objective scoring), the Riders of Highgarden score 1, and the Dragonstone Noble score 1. The score was 4 to 2 for the Tyrells.
ROUND 3
Melisandre once again went after Margaery’s Wheelhouse to no effect. She then claimed the swords, which allowed Cortnay to expend a token and heal up the Thorn Watch by 3. Melisandre took the 2 sacrificial wounds from the Dragonstone Noble, supercharging his next attack. The Faithful used the swords attack to powerful effect, destroying the Thorn Watch. The score was now 4 to 3 for Loras Tyrell.
The Wheelhouse was now fully in the left corner, at least 12” away from any enemy unit. Andrew and his King’s Men charged the remaining Riders of Highgarden, stealing back the objective token. Andrew scored 2, Dragonstone Noble scored 1, Loras scored 2, and the Wheelhouse scored 1 from the scoring rule on its unit card.
7 to 6 for Loras and House Tyrell.
ROUND 4
The Wheelhouse being the first activation became a huge liability. It activated and passed its turn, giving Andrew’s force the first crack at the tactics board. Despite Cortnay’s best efforts, the King’s Men destroyed the Riders after Melisandre claimed the swords. The game was tied 7 to 7.
The Stannis units closed in on the Wheelhouse as the round ended. 2 victory points for the Rose Knights with Loras, 1 victory point for the Wheelhouse, 2 victory points for the King’s Men with Andrew, and 1 victory point for the Noble.
10 to 10 tie.
ROUND 5
Andrew Estermont’s side decided not to attack the Rose Knights, ostensibly also taking the R’hllor Faithful and Dragonstone Noble out of the game. He moved in with the King’s Men and Lightbringers, putting all his faith in the destruction of the Wheelhouse. The round ended and the scoring was once again 2 for the Rose Knights with Loras, 1 for the Wheelhouse, 2 for the King’s Men with Andrew, and 1 for the Dragonstone Noble.
13 to 13 tie.
ROUND 6
After being damaged by the Lightbringers and charged by the King’s Men, the Wheelhouse was finally destroyed. Just as Stannis had planned, Andrew reached Margaery Tyrell and scored the final blow himself. With the Wheelhouse being worth 2 VPs, the game was called.
Final score: a 15 to 13 victory for House Baratheon of Dragonstone.
WRAP-UP
While the Wheelhouse was able to extend the game by scoring VPs by simply surviving, it was quite evident during Round 5 and 6 that it would be chased down and destroyed. The Loras player still did relatively well considering they played so aggressively. If they held back and forced the Stannis units to come across the entire length of the table, things could have ended up very differently.
CODA
The wheelhouse looked like a pin cushion. Fortunately, the R’hllor fanatics obeyed Andrew Estermont's orders and refrained from lighting their arrows when targeting the fleeing carriage.
One of the wheelhouse drivers screamed in agony. He had fallen and broken his leg about 30 yards back, just before the wheelhouse ground to a halt. Ser Andrew cautiously approached the cart, hammer in hand. The second driver was slouched over in his seat, dead, arrows in his throat and chest. The horses slumped awkwardly, both dead, unable to collapse to the ground due to the straps and buckles.
Andrew swung open the door. Queen Margaery smiled brightly at him, as though he were a chaperon escorting her to a royal feast. Her three handmaidens sat nervously, heads down and hands in their laps. "Good day, Ser," Margaery greeted him. "I presume you will be taking us to Dragonstone, to Lord Stannis."
"King," Andrew corrected.
"King Stannis, of course," Margaery amended. "Before we go, may I inquire about my brother, Loras?"
Andrew felt compelled to answer her. "The Knight of Flowers and his guard are unaccounted for."
Margaery beamed. "Let us depart." She reached her hand out to Ser Andrew and stepped out of the ruined carriage.
TWO MONTHS LATER
Stannis and his advisors huddled over the Painted Table, examining a large map of King’s Landing. "The towers could reach the walls by the Old Gate if we…"
The princess Shireen burst into the chamber room.
"What is the meaning of this?" demanded King Stannis.
"She shouldn’t be locked up in the dungeons," Shireen declared.
"A very nice dungeon," countered Davos Seaworth.
"Not fit for Lady Margaery," argued Shireen. "It's not right. She could stay with me."
"How is it that this girl has been locked away in my dungeons for two months and yet is somehow more beloved than me by my entire court?" Stannis asked.
"Even under the sea, roses smell sweet, I know, I know, oh, oh, oh," sang Patchface.
"How did he get in here? Get him out of here," Stannis ordered. The king addressed his daughter. "It seems as though you’ve been spending a great deal of time with the false queen. Be content that I’m not putting an immediate end to that."
Shireen was vexed. Melisandre smirked at the defiant young princess. When the sunlight caught priestess' red eyes, they looked as though they were aflame.
"She’s our enemy, Shireen. But not all enemies remain foes forever," said Davos.
Tears welled in the princess' eyes. Stannis gritted his teeth. "I will be glad to hear more from you on this matter… after the war."
"And when will that be?" Shireen asked.
Stannis looked at the map on the table, at the crude siege engine markers that surrounded the city walls. "Soon," he answered. "Soon."