Empire of the Dead First Battle Report

Second post of the day I played my first game of Empire of the Dead last night to try out the rules. I found it quite easy to pick up.

The scenario I played was 'Fracas' a chance meeting of two enemies results in open battle. First side to reduce the opposition to have 25%  of its total number removed wins or in the case of both in the same turn a draw. As both sides had 7 models each that's 2 removed from a site to win.

Deployment location was rolled for as per the rule book resulting in the two forces facing off diagonally across from each other. Rolled a dice to determine who deploys on which side.

Lycaon Force.
Beastlord
Pack Master
2 Wolves
3 Wolfskins, (Throwing weapons and knife, Bow and Knife, Crossbow and Knife)

152 Shillings.

Gentlemen Force.

President with Heavy Pistol and Sword.
Vice President Heavy Pistol and Brass Knuckles.
3 Member's with Light pistols and Swords.
2 Member's with Hunting Rifles and Knives.

 149 Shillings.

I'll let the pictures do the talking.

The Scene for the Fracas

152 Shillings worth of Lycaons

149 Shillings Worth of Gentlemen

Lycaons Deployment

Gentlemen's Deployment

 Turn 1. Lycaons win Initiative

The close combat orientated members of the Lycaons run towards the centre of the table, The missile armed Wolfskins seek firing positions.

Gentlemen Advance at a run.

 Turn 2. Lycaons win Initiative

Lycaon's advance more cautiously weary of the Gentlemen's guns, The Crossbow armed Wolfskin climbs onto the roof of a nearby building ready to open fire next turn.

The Gentlemen advance and take up firing postions.

A gentleman with a Hunting rifle takes aim and blows the Wolfskin off the roof removing him from play.

Turn 3. Gentlemen Win Initiative.

The Gentlemen ready there firearms and hold postion.

Both Hunting rifle armed gentlemen  take aim and open fire on the two wolves crossing there path hitting one but failing to wound.

The Packmaster advances seeing a member and charges him causing a wound resulting in the member becoming Discombobulated.

The rest of the Lycaon force advance in preparation to attack next turn. The Wolfskin with bow attempts a shot at a member with rifle but misses.

Turn 4 Gentlemen Win Initiative.

In the maintenace phase the member who is Discombobulated recovers and can act normally (I need to clarify this but the rules indicate he recovers)

The President (all in black) joins the combat. Wins but fails to wound the Packmaster, The member attacks the packmaster and winning but only causing a fleshwound which is ignored.

The gentlemen take aim with there pistols, alert for any sign of movement (overwatch).

The two Members with Hunting rifles take aim at the Wolves again in the hope of preventing them enter the combat with the Packmaster causing a fleshwound on one of the Wolves which it shrugs off.

The wolves charge into combat attacking a gentlemen each, The first wolf defeats the member and removes him from play.

The Second wolf in combat with the President is defeated and is taken 'down'.

The Pack master rains down blows on the President removing a wound.

Forgot to take a picture here but the Wolfskin with Bow advances to by the Beastlord and drawing fire from the 3 Gentlemen in over watch the Vice President hits fails to wound. The Wolfskin with Throwing Weapons then charges the Vice President casting a knife as he charges in but thanks to the cover he misses, fluffing his attack dice he is cut down and removed from play. Now reduced to 25% The Gentlemen have won, but can the Lycaon's scrape a draw?

The Beastlord charges the Vice President winning the combat taking the Vice President 'Down' (It was tied and If it wasn't for the Vice President's Brass Knuckles causing a -1 on the attack roll (Counts as an improvised weapon) he would of won the combat with the Beastlord). Not that it mattered the Gentlemen club won!! Huzzah!!

End Result: Gentlemen Win!!!

Enjoyed it immensely and it was quite easy to learn the rules. I need to make some hard cover (stone walls etc) as well as build some higher walls. The ranged weapons (rifles mainly) are quite lethal and thats not including repeater or gatling rifles!

Combat is a bit weird as the characters Combat skill is only used if the combat score rolled is a tie.

I Might change this have been discussing with my mate Drew about adding an extra attack to those characters with high Combat Skill see if it balances a little better.


Might have a play with a Darkfire Club (Evil Gentlemen Affiliation) as they can have access to some spells and stuff as well as get my Brotherhood painted up.