Saga - getting some training (Vikings)

If you look back at my Saga games, I'm running a 1 and 12 record. Yep, I've won 1 big game since we started playing in December of 2013. I need to get better at it so I thought about it some and asked Spencer for some help. I told him what I thought my problems were and he also advised me on his opinions and we decided to have a night were we both played Viking factions and he'd be able to critique and advise me even better.

This is less about my ego and winning. I just want to be up to the challenge in my group and be a good player. It'll make us all better. Plus, we plan to enter some tournaments in the future and get rich and all the glory and stuff. It's hard to do that if you suck hahaha!

Friday came and we set up.

First game was a 4 point Viking vs. Viking, Clash of the Warlords rules, standard terrain. My Faction:
Warlord
Berserkers x4
Hirdmen x4
Warrior x8
Warrior x8

Spencer's Vikings:

Warlord

Hird x8

Warrior x8

Warrior x8

Spencer went first and maneuvered within striking distance. On my turn I went defensive and hoped for the best leaving some Saga dice on some Saga board abilities that would give me extra attack dice to use defensively. 

Spencer assesses his Saga dice roll and allocated them to his board.

He moves forward and I, cautiously counter one "activation" away and go defensive. 

I make a mistake and leave my Warlord open to attack.

 Spencer shifts his center of Hirdmen (8 of them) AND his Warlord to my Warriors on my right flank. He rolls something like 24 dice, he admits it's the most he's ever rolled, and kills my 8 warriors to the last man. This also hands out fatigue to my other nearby units.

Unfortunately he leaves his unit open and I counter with my infamous Val'Serkers! I was able to stack my Saga board with Ullr, an ability that allows one to re-roll all dice that missed in the attack.

My 4 Val'Serkers were going up against 7 of Spencer's Hirdmen. Numbers were in his favor but 'Serkers roll an incredible amount of dice. Frankly, this situation are exactly what Berserkers are designed for. The Ullr ability was a given. I saved another board ability to use for a second attack or defense in case the Val'Serkers failed. I also used up the 2 fatigue on his Hirdmen to lower his armor to 4 and raise mine to 4.

There the ladies are on the left, closing on the enemy Vikings that just killed all the Warriors on the right flank.

The total attack dice for my Val'Serkers was a base 16 but I played Ullr so I was able to re-roll my misses. Result was:

(roll 1) 7 hits

(roll 2) 4 more hits

for 11 total hits. 

Spencer's attack roll resulted in some hits and I was able to get away with only losing 2 Val'Serkers. He lost all his 7 Hirdmen leaving his Warlord all alone  on my extreme right flank. 

I activated my Warlord for free using "Determination" and charged his Warlord. My Warlord's 4 Hirdmen followed and they all attacked the enemy Warlord and killed him ending this game. I used another Saga ability to increase the attack dice.

We discussed what happened. Spencer did not expect me to open my turn with an attack from my Val'Serkers that would wipe out his very strong Hirdmen. Quite frankly I would not advise that either but I'm the one that loses almost all games. I also slowed down a bit and, slightly subconsciously, had planned a multi-waved attack that could quickly shift to a multi-waved defense in case things went wrong.

As a matter of fact Spencer noticed immediately, being his first time playing Vikings, that this is what Vikings needed most. Be able to shift a multi-pronged attack into a plan B or plan C even. On top of that  he noticed I'd never played Ullr (re-roll missed attacks) before. Ullr ability needs a common and uncommon dice to activate, not hard to get... no need for a rare "Sig" rune to activate. in  his opinion, and now mine, this should be on the board at all times. Re-rolling misses is KIND OF A BIG DEAL.

I don't know math very well but here is my "mathamatized" version of how important it is to be able to re-roll failed attack rolls:

You roll 16 die that "hit" on a 4, 5, or 6. That's like 50% chance or "8 hits".

This means 8 misses. You get to re-roll those 8 die that maybe get that same 50%... so 4 more hits.

All said and done 12 hits off 16 die.

I also kept my units tight around my Warlord. This did not come into play all the time but when it did come into play, as some abilities are dependent on distance from the Warlord, it was pretty dang handy. In hindsight Spencer should have attacked my Warlord directly when I left him open. Even if he did not kill my Warlord the collateral damage would have been good.

GAME 2!!

Pretty much the same faction builds as above except Spencer added some Berserkers.

Spencer's Vikings.

My Vikings.

Spencer started again and doubled moved his Vikings right up within one move from my gang. His Berserkers climbed the rocky hill in the middle of the field to make a dramatic entrance. And they did just that!

I pulled a classic Anglo-Dane move (without the off board support) and wheeled to my left to greet the screaming horde coming down upon us.

Spencer's Berserkers leapt off the rock hill, though delayed one activation by my use of his fatigue. They hit hard and fast but were destroyed by my warriors on my right (again) and 2 of my doughty shield-men survived. I had banked some bonus attack dice so was able to bring that to bear as well as some of the Berserker's fatigue.

The fighting began in earnest and was back and fourth for a bit until we realized that we were in the top of the last round and I was ahead in points by 1. I was down to my Warlord, 4 Hirdmen, and 4 Warriors while Spencer had his Warlord and 8 Warriors left. He attacked to get some points but it did not come through. I spent my last move in the bottom of the last round  doing what was utterly non-Viking... I backed off knowing I was still up by one point.

 

Again, Ullr was a serious player when it came to abilities to use. Spencer used it too. 

Though more of a training session than a game session, as we paused a few times to discuss tactics and plausibilities, I felt good in 2 "wins". Now to see if I can do it for real in my next game.

Coming down the pipe will be a Ragnar Lothbrok based unit as well as Harald Hardrada and 12 Varangians. THEN I get to figure out what is deemed one of the more difficult factions, The Normans.