The Messenger...
”The mud stained and black cloaked messenger knelt before the lord of Nar Zadun’s raised throne, head bowed in deference to the all-powerful ruler of the Dark Elf spired city. He would not speak until requested to. A mere twitch of the watching lord’s fingers would see this foreign messenger’s head swept from his shoulders by the alert guards that flanked the throne’s dias, gleaming halberds held at the ready. The eyes of the assembled court nobles were upon him, in quiet expectation.
“Speak”, instructed the lord from his raised seat.
“I bring word from mighty Naggathrond, sire. Our exalted majesty instructed me to inform Lord Veyshar of Nar Zadun that his personal emissary will be dispatched here in four day’s time. He wishes me to convey to the Lord that our exalted and immortal King expects the emissary to be met with all honours. He bears great news for the Lord and his city. The Dread King’s emissary must not be impeded in any way, upon pain of death.”
A murmur passed around the assembled nobles and ladies of the court. This was a rare visitation, the Dread King in Naggarond, the High Lord Malekith himself, had taken an interest in their distant city. His favour meant fresh wealth and power, wealth and power all would like their share of. Wealth and power that would flow, in turn, from their own lord, to his most favoured servants. But such honour was a two-edged blade.
“Then we are honoured” the Lord Veyshar replied. A hint of sarcasm perhaps, or just arrogance. The messenger stayed on one knee, not moving until ordered to do so.
“Then you are dismissed.”
The messenger, eyes down so as not to displease the city’s Lord, that perchance a look might challenge his absolute rule in his own throne room, remained bowed and retreated. Once well back from the throne, well out of range of any sudden leaping assassin’s strike with a concealed dagger, the messenger rose, bowed deeply again, and backed from the courtroom, his simple task complete. He would now return at speed, a fresh swift steed provided from the Lord’s stables, for his ride back to Naggarond. There, he would report in detail on Lord Veyshar’s response and all he had seen of the city, its nobles, its people, its slaves. Their master would want to know all. Despite his largess, the Dread King’s subject’s loyal was always under scrutiny.”
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The second game, another small one, but stepping up our familiarity with the rules. The High Elves have responded to the first corsair raids and gathered a small local force under their commander, Lord Elendaer (a noble). Offered battle, the Dark Elves have mustered their raiding forces together and marched to meet the High Elves, now under the command of the force’s 2-i-c, Master Vymen (as Ullas was badly injured by arrows in the border patrol so must miss a battle in the campaign rules), but he has a right-hand man to replace him though. This is an Open Battle at 1000 points, a first small engagement, both sides as yet unaware of the strength of the enemy and not willing to commit their main force. If the Dark Elves’ vanguard can establish a small bridgehead, then their following Black Arc can arrive safely and disgorge its entire army onto Tor Helethion en-masse, unmolested. The High Elves what to keep their forces close to the coast to intercept and oppose any larger landing, as well as destroy these raiders. The victory here will decide if the Dark Elves can land without a serious fight.
Here are the army lists:
Here is the battlefield, randomly generated. I’m not a fan of the new terrain placement rules, so just rolled on a table and placed pieces at random (rolling again), then scattered each 2D6 a random direction. It ended with 6 pieces: a small copse of trees, a large rock Tor (impassable), a small ruin, a deep tarn (impassable), rocky ground and a hill (close to the centre). The High Elves, winning the border patrol, got to chose table edges (so by the Tor) but even with their bonus, lost the roll-off for first turn. After deployment, the Dark Elves would begin.
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High Elves near edge, Dark Elves far... attacking from by the small ruin, over the central hill (barely visible under the cloth).
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They would attack, from behind the hill, coming over it with the spearmen and war hydra, whilst the crossbows and bolt thrower supported with fire. The left flank was the scouting dark riders to cover, along with Master Vymen leading them. The right flank was the corsairs, who faced a rush to get to grips with the irksome shadow warriors (again).
The High Elves were on the defensive, deployed in thin lines of archers across the centre with their bolt thrower. On their right were the Ellyrian Reavers, their far left, the Shadow Warriors, backed by the Giant Eagle, safe behind the tor to start with.
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Deployment.
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Dark Elf centre, to advance over the hill.
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The long, thin Sea Guard line, each 15 long, but they will be able to reform swiftly... maximizing fire power for now.
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First turn, the Dark Elves moved up at the march. The dark riders killed 2 reavers with crossbow fire and a couple of sea guard fell to long range repeater crossbow fire. Their only spell failed to cast… with both sides having one level 1 wizard, only 1 spell actually went off all game (note to self, more wizards next time).
The High Elf response was to shoot back. A hail of slender arrows killing 1 dark rider with the reaver’s return fire, 2 wounds plucked from the Hydra (we agreed the low hill obscured the large target Hydra for -1/+1). The shadow warrior’s longbows killed 3 corsairs (this is getting predictable), and the eagle flew wide, lining up the repeater bolt thrower for a charge, if it didn’t shoot it down with AA fire first!
The Dark Elf attack continued, cresting the hill, spear block and hydra together. The dark riders charged, the Reavers fired and fled, but not far enough, and dark riders rode them down… so fire and flee is an invitation to get your unit wiped out… maybe don’t do it verses swiftstriding pursuers… it was a bit unlucky, but still… rubbish light cavalry action, I wanted some to-and-fro!
The corsairs closed in for a charge and murderous vengeance, and the bolt thrower’s AA fire scored only a single wound on the eagle - not enough. It would be coming… sqwauk!
Next, the High Elf archery continued, scoring 2 more wounds on the hydra (1 left)… only thanks to its regenerate, and a few spearmen fell too. Their bolt thrower aimed a single bolt at the hydra for a deathblow shot, and missed! The eagle charged and killed 1 bolt thrower crewman with its sharp beak, 1 with its stomp… bolt thrower lost. The shadow warriors fell back, extended the charge range and loosing again into the corsairs, killed 3 more, whittling them away.
Turn 3, and the big charge phase, as is usual in WH… the hydra roared, 1 wound left, and plunged into the sea guard line, as did the dark riders and their boss. The sea guard couldn’t stand and shoot, but reformed into 2 lines for maximum spear attacks… and passed their Terror check against the mighty hydra – indomitable spirit from the marines. The corsairs also charged, and the stand and shoot cut 3 down, and they failed to make it as the shadow warrior’s fire and flee got them away by 1”. ‘Stand and fight, cowardly white skins!’. Yep, the corsairs (3 left) were doomed.
The first combat, and, well, the hydra rolled badly, but killed 2 elves, the dark riders added just 1 more. The sea guard fought well, spearing a dark rider and thus tying the combat, and had a musician… the Dark Elves were pushed back. The spear line had held.
The High Elves’ turn 3 saw a big swing, Noble Elendaer charged into the hydra’s flank, lance lowered, the eagle plunged down on the crossbows (no stand and shoot, too close again) and the shadow warriors shot down a two more corsairs, leaving the champion, who fled!
The combats saw the the High Elf general impale the hydra, but it survived on its regen… then ate two more High Elves before being speared down. The dark riders having lost again, fell back in good order, sea guard following up.
The giant eagle targeted the sorceress with the crossbows (re-rolling shooting to-hits had been good so far, killing 7-8 sea guard in the missile duel). The sorceress died to the eagle, and eagle died to the crossbowmen’s swords… and the only spell finally got cast, a crystal column blocking the spearmen’s charge for next turn… good defence.
Well, that was about it, the Dark Elf army was a mess, so time to flee the field… following the corsair’s example. We called it there, the High Elves having scored 589 VPs to the Dark Elves 264… solid win to the good guys, and we learnt a lot.
This means there is as yet no secure bridgehead for the Dark Elf landings… their Black Arc won’t be unloading just yet.
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Corsairs vs Shadow Warriors, round 2, same as round 1... shot to pieces.
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Dark Riders skirmishers meet open order Reavers, quick few shots and charge!
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Eagle Claw (and a bit of eagle's wing as well)... rely on it miss when needed...
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Dark Riders pursue and destroy the Reavers... early victory points...
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Corsair chase the evasive Shadow Warriors around the tor. Lethal archery...
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Angry giant eagle takes out the bolt thrower
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The Dark Elves close in on the thin blue line beyond the hill.
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The Sea Guard line reforms to 2 deep, and then fight the double charge to a standstill (but, I forgot hatred re-rolls (again) and the Hydra's stomp attacks... newbie mistakes... arghh!).
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Crossbows pivot around to face the giant eagle, and score just 1 more wound, even angrier eagle now...
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The only spell cast all game, a crystal column blocks the spearmen with impassable ground, a neat defence for the last few sea guard, already having taken heavy losses to long range crossbow shooting.
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Eagle pecks the sorceress to death, before be slashed to pieces, at least that's diner sorted then!
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So, a lesson learnt and a House Rule to trial.
I do not like long, thin lines of archers, it makes sense in the rules (which encourage it), so you can actually shoot, but looks terrible, is impractical in most games as it takes up so much width of the table. I have never understood the 'front rank only' rule... so – front two ranks all shoot. Archers can easily stagger their positions slightly to fire through a front rank, or it can kneel... so in future, 2 ranks will all shoot for missile troops. Volley shooting still applies, half the rest of the unit, although I might then limit this to long range only, as it's lob shooting... and helps cuts down the gains from 2 ranks (which does instantly double most unit's missile firepower, but shooting feels pretty weak anyway atm).
I'll try it next game and see how it plays, and then we won't have missile units deployed 10 or 15 long, 1 deep.
