Meeting Engagement – Munchkins vs. Gillikins (Wars of Ozz)

Last Saturday (January 14th) I was lucky to be able to have a game of Wars of Ozz with my friend Chris Comeau. We had each built brigades for the game – I had a Munchkin brigade of 27 points, and Chris had a Gillikin Brigade of 27 points. It was my first Ozz game outside of a convention, and it was Chris’ first ever. We decided to use the “Meeting Engagement” scenario on page 93 (section 6.1.4) with no terrain so that we could focus on playing the game and familiarizing ourselves with the rules. As I said, I have played several Ozz games with others who are more familiar with the rules, but I thought we could get more out of a simple set up. We had hoped to play in the new garage, but a nasty coating of ice on the stairs outside forced us into my cellar.

For scoring, each infantry or cavalry base lost would count as a point for the opposition, as would each artillery or individual figure taken out.

I will attempt here to provide a “cinematic” account of a pretty cool game – pictures do it best – though my cellar’s lighting was not optimal. Click on the pictures for a better view.

The Order of Battle

Chris’ Gillikin Brigade consisted of 5 units, 1 individual (Arella), and a Brigade Commander:

1. Arella the Witch (individual figure) – 3 points
2. Gillikin Brigade Commander (free)
3. Less-Well Trained Gillikin Infantry Regiment – 4 points
4. Less-Well Trained Gillikin Infantry Regiment – 4 points
5. Gillikin Medium Artillery Battery – 5 points
6. Gillikin Cavalry Riding Goats – 6 points
7. Skeleton Infantry Regiment – 5 points

Mark’s Munchkin Brigade consisted of 4 units, 1 individual (Zoraster), and a Brigade Commander (Munchkin Mayor):

1. Zoraster the Wizard – 3 points
2. Munchkin Brigade Commander (Munchkin Mayor) – free
3. Zoraster’s Guard Infantry Regiment – 8 points
4. Colonel Tik-Tok’s Infantry Regiment – 6 points
5. Munchkin Light Cavalry Regiment – 5 points
6. Munchkin Medium Artillery Battery – 5 points

The deployment instructions call for each side to roll a die for each unit and individual, with the Brigade Commanders being placed in any desired zone. These units and individuals are then deployed on each side of the tabletop in six 10-inch deployment zones. The zones are centered on the middle of the tabletop, and no more than two units can be deployed in each zone (if you roll a number a thirds time you re-roll). We elected to have all of my units deploy first, then Chris’, but we could have also alternated our units. The results are seen below.

Both of our cavalry units by chance ended up on the far end of the tabletop. Munchkins are great marksmen, but not so great in melee – and they move somewhat slowly (short legs!). So, I decided to try to organize my forces around my firepower, but realigning my troops took a few turns as my two infantry regiments were in line and next to each other. Of course, there was no defensible terrain.

Chris decided to close on my positions while I reorganized.

On the southern end of the tabletop, a cavalry battle ensued. Chris similarly moved up his cavalry, while I kept mine ready to screen and engage with their carbines. I was able to fire at his approaching goat-riders, and that disrupted that effort.

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Then, the Gillikins managed to reform their cavalry and with a good activation roll were able to charge my cavalry – my reaction test was to countercharge at reduced efficiency. The Gillikins lost another base, and damaged mine slightly, but as I was near the tabletop edge, I was in danger of having them eliminated. The Gillikins managed to hold it together, reform again on yet another activation, and hit my now-disorganized cavalry, routing them. They had one chance left to rally, but that would depend on the activation sequence of the dice. I had Zoraster nearby, and one of his spells was an automatic rally – I just needed him to act before the Gillikin goat riders hit the fleeing Munchkin cavalry…

That did not happen in time. The Gillikin cavalry hit the Munchkins, and my cavalry ran away and headed for greener and safer pastures. This left my right flank open to a weakened but still deployed Gillikin cavalry – that Chris kept at a safe distance from any of my remaining musketry for most of the rest of the game.

Seeing this, Chris reformed his infantry that had previously taken damage from my battery. Chris kept up his attacks with his medium battery – and despite being at long range, took out another two bases – leaving my battery nearly wiped out (2 out of 5 figures left). My medium battery gunners routed, abandoning the gun. The Gillikins sensed victory, and advanced, hoping to spike the gun and gain another victory point. They made it to the very front of the battery base.

This time luck went on my side. Zoraster successfully threw a rally spell and the gunners were able to reman the gun and fire at point-blank range at the Gillikin infantry, sending them skedaddling!

Then, unfortunately for me, the Gillikin Medium battery finished off my Medium battery with another hit.

I was down to two infantry regiments, plus a brigade commander and Zoraster. Zoraster successfully cast an “Uncanny Marksmanship” spell on Colonel Tik-Tok’s Infantry Regiment – which made their fire more effective against the advancing skeletons. Eventually, the skellies routed and disordered through the Gillikin Infantry Regiment following behind them.

Chris then moved Arella around and threw three fireballs at Zoraster’s Guard Infantry Regiment’s flank, finally inflicting two casualties on one base (the first two shots failed). Zoraster, with a “Heal” spell, then attempted to recover these losses.

On a D10, he needed a 7. He rolled a 10, which is a “catastrophic spell failure” 8 or 9 just fail). Then I needed to roll a D20 on the “Spell Failure” for the catastrophic failure (i.e. rolling a 10). I rolled a 14, with the result :

“The spell fails but a friendly unit of woodland creatures joins the player’s army at the beginning of the next turn”.

Page 109, Wars of Ozz Spell Failure table

I had no idea how to adjudicate this – and I phoned Chris Palmer – who also had no idea if it was a joke result or not. In any case, as I had no stats for any such unit, we treated the failure as benign.

But Huzzah! I got another activation, to try the same action again! Good!!

ARGH!!! I rolled ANOTHER 10!!! Catastrophic failure #2 in a row!!!

Rolling on the “Spell Failure Chart”, I rolled a 20…the worst possible result..which said:

“Catastrophic failure: The spell-caster’s head explodes into a cloud of straw, bran, pins, and needles, killing him or her instantly. Remove the model from play.”

Page 109, Wars of Ozz Spell Failure table

Well, THAT was unfortunate!

The remaining Gillikin Infantry then charged into Colonel Tik-Tok’s Infantry Regiment in melee. After a couple of rounds, the casualties mounted on both sides. However, the Munchkins ended up taking too many casualties (including the now-attached Brigade Commander) and were wiped out. This left me with just Zoraster’s Guard Infantry, which tried to turn and avenge Tik-Tok’s loss.

It was not to be. Arella successfully hit the last regiment with another fireball in its rear and the resting goat riders finally made their move and charged into the rear of the regiment. This wiped out my last unit.

Wow, what a game. It had more than a few twists and turns. In the end the score was 21-15, so the Gillikins were not unscathed. Still, it was a Gillikin victory over the Munchkins – nice job Chris! Hopefully we can throw down again soon and we can each get another brigade done too.

Postscript

After the game, I decided to take Dave Stone’s suggestion and add some blood to the wells of the artillery sabot bases for both the Munchkins (shown here in this game) as well as my Winkie Light Battery. The Citadel “Blood for the Blood God” paint did serve this purpose.

I hope you found this battle report fun!