Warhammer – Tor Helethion campaign, game 9 - Retreat from Orris Watchtower

A chance to continue the on-going narrative-driven campaign with game 9...  basically, we see what happens in each game and decide how the story will progress, but we include stuff like character and unit experience, campaign losses (so if a named character is killed in game their is chance they were either lightly wounded, severely wounded or dead and removed altogether), and units can get better (and gradually lose numbers too). Really, its the antithesis of competitive/match play, each battle effects the next and the overall campaign development. It requires some work (but fun work), for the story and some special scenarios, but it is my preferred approach to wargaming. One-off games are all good fun, but battles with consequences are better.

In this special scenario, the High Elf garrison has evacuated from their watchtower at Orris to escape south, the last survivors of the garrisons on the northern coast. Led by Mage-Apprentice Leilath, they quickly marched away down the west coast of the island, but the Dark Elves decided to send a pursuit force, all mounted (or flying) after them (to have any chance of catching up). They also had a corsair ship's master and crew land behind the elves and try to cut them off. Rather than abandon the escapee's to a hopeless last stand, as outnumbered, the High Elves in turn sent a fast relief force to aid them, led by Dragon-Mage Faylas, with galloping Ellyrian Reavers and two giant eagles. This would be the battle. The evacuees (mage, sea guard and shadow warriors) turned to face the fast pursuing force along a coastal stream. Behind them would come the relief force. The pursuing Dark Elves would attack, with ambushing corsairs, led by their Master Zablor, arriving from, err, ambush. In all, it was 1,500 points per side.

Here are the army lists in detail:

HIGH ELF ESCAPEES
Mage-Apprentice Leilath - Level 2 - 155 pts
Lore of Illusion (Glittering Robes, Mind Razor) with a Flying Carpet (Cloud) (Fly8, Swiftstride), Earthing Rod (1 re-roll miscast)
Campaign Experience: +1 Leadership (now 9), +1 Magic Level (now 2)

Talia’s Coast Guard - 15 Sea Guard with full command, shields - 209 pts
Campaign Experience: + Stubborn

20 Lothern Sea Guard - 257 pts
with full command, shields

11 Shadow Warriors - 160 pts
with a shadow stalker
 

HIGH ELF RELIEF FORCE (roll for from Turn 2, each on 3+)

Dragon-Mage Faylas - Level 2 - 330 pts
Lore of Battle Magic (Hammerhand and Fireball) with Giant Blade (S+1, Armour Bane2, Magical Attacks, Multi-wound2) and Seeds of Rebirth (Regen 5+)
mounted on a Sun Dragon

14  Ellyrian Reavers - 260 pts
with harbinger and musician, short bows

2 Giant Eagles - 120 pts

Total: 1493 points

DARK ELF PURSUIT FORCE

Master Ullash, Commander of the Dark Riders - 147 pts
Master with heavy armour, lance, repeater crossbow, mounted on a dark steed.
with Dawnstone (re-roll armour saves of 1), Biting Blade (AP-2, Arm Bane1, Magic) 
Campaign Experience: + Stubborn
 

Sorceress Nalvimu - Level 2 - 169 pts
Lore of Daemonology (the Summoning, Daemonic Vigour) with Talisman of Protection (4+ Ward save), Power Scroll (+D6)
mount on Dark Steed

Corsair Master Zablor - 113 pts
Master with sea dragon cloak, additional hand weapon, Armour of Silvery Steel (3+)
Campaign Experience: + Ambusher

26 Black Arc Corsairs - 344 pts
with full command, additional hand weapons, and Banner of Slaughter (+D3 combat res charging)
Campaign Experience: + Ambusher

5 Dark Riders - 106 pts
with herald, repeater crossbows, fire and flee, scouts

10 Harpies - 110 pts

7 Cold One Knights - 259 pts
with champion and standard, full plate armour

Cold One Chariot - 125 pts

Cold One Chariot - 125 pts

Total: 1499 points 

The High Elves deployed back from the stream, mid-table, and knock their arrows. Dark Elves approach past the ancient elven ruins to ford the shallow stream.

Leilath's battle line, sea guard and shadow warriors watch the ford.

Strike force, cold one knights and chariots, with Ullash and Nalvimu just behind.

Lurking Harpies, in the ruins, ready to flap forwards and try to be useful.

The Dark Elves attacked into the arrow storm, and in all, didn't fare too badly, 2+ cold one knight full plate turning a lot of hits and the harpies lurking behind (cowardly), but out of range, to flap up in support behind. The High Elf relief force arrived to turns 2 and 3and sped up the table to join the battle lines. As the Dark Elves crossed the stream (the ford was open ground, the rest difficult), spells were cast, a fireball damaging a chariot, and Master Ullash was shot down by shadow warrior long bows. The cold ones now chosen their moment to be massively stupid, both chariots suffering, whilst the cold one knights made a long and risky charge through the stream, but just made to the sea guard. The fight was on. 

The cold ones broke the sea guard block and destroyed them in a long pursuit. Meanwhile, the dragon charged a chariot and easily smashed it, whilst the next sea guard block and an eagle destroyed the second chariot's charge (from 1", so no impact hits, thanks stupid cold ones!). It wasn't all one way though, the corsairs arrived, waded the stream and charged the Ellyrian reavers, breaking them, but not catching them. The Ellyrian reavers then rallied, turned and counter-charged, to win the combat (somehow, corsairs cannot roll to wound, I think it was 9 4+s, and they scored 1, which was saved! 0 wounds inflicted). They lost to the light cavalry by pure fluke, fled, and were in turn run down. That was it, the Dark Elf pursuit had been well routed. Only the cold ones knights (about 3 of them) and the sorceress were left.

Chariots ford the stream and go stupid... as the first eagle and dragon-mage arrive. Cold One Knights plunged through the water and into the sea guard.

Dark Riders try to pic off a few sea guard with crossbow bolts... and avoid a devastating response.

Cold Ones breakthrough, smashing the sea guard and pursuing them, but run miles. Behind them, the battle turns against the Druchii, before they can get back, after another bout of the stupids!

Air-to-air combat. Harpies charge eagle, eagle kills harpies, harpies do what they do, and flee... to be destroyed by the big bird. Oh, harpies... what use are you?

The second eagle pursues the dark riders after they also break and flee, but out run it.

But the ambushing corsairs have won against the reavers and chase them (good luck in that race). The reavers will rally and turn though. In a weird combat (on the odds), the reavers win and the corsairs roll 11 and break, to be run down... disaster, and game over!

Dragon-Mage has destroyed a chariot and blasts out another fireball, killing 2 cold one knights. Yep, even the little dragon (1 wound taken here) is unstoppable. The High Elves win, handily.

 

So, game 9 goes to the High Elves and the survivors can retreat in safety to rejoin the main army for game 10 onwards. Game 9 should be soon, back to the main forces, with the Dark Elves beginning to envelop the citadel. They may send the daemons for the next assault... 

The campaign map as it stands - 

High Elves consolidating around the main citadel, hanging on for reinforcements. Dark Elves now own the north of the island and have 4 of the 7 watchtowers. Where to attack next...?