Warhammer - Tor Helethion campiagn, game 7 – Across the Stream

Campaign map as it stands.

 

Game seven of the Tor Helethion campaign, it’s been a while, so a ‘so far…’  recap might help.

Phase one of the campaign was the pre-invasion efforts as Dark Elf scouts, corsairs and dark riders arrived on the island and cleared a way for the main force to land on the Isle of Tor Helethion, in a few smaller engagements and border patrols, mostly vs the High Elf patrols of scouts of shadow warriors and reaver cavalry. The dark elves were largely successful, and the shadow warrior captain was killed in battle, and the main force DE could then attempt to land.

The Dark Elves then managed to successfully land a large force on the northern coast of the isle in an amphibious assault, wading ashore across the beech. After landing, they were getting their forces all ashore and constructing their various war machines. As they did so, they sent out a raiding force east to capture a coastal watchtower, but the raid was defeat by its defenders, under High Elf Noble Elendaer, who is currently commanding the High Elf response, trying to delay the invaders and awaiting aid from the Tor Helethion citadel in south of the island.

Defeated at watchtower Ayrel, the Dark Elves tried again to the west, at watchtower Aldreas, but this time summoned their allies for the task, using the daemonic pact their high sorceress has forged with a daemon-prince of Khorne, now under her command. The Khornate daemons attacked the watchtower and overran its defenders, slaughtering them all.

This left the Dark Elf Dread Lord commander with a choice, to push their invasion inland either westwards (the long way round to their ultimate target, the citadel), or go east and ignore the garrison at watchtower Ayrel, which would then be behind them. He decided to send another raiding force west, to the next watchtower around the coast at Orris, and a vanguard force east (so a bit of both). That vanguard is moving down the coastal path on the east coast.

Coming north to meet them are the HE reinforcements from the citadel. They’ll meet in the next battle, but the garrison at Ayrel, with Noble Elendaer, could choose to either sit tight and await aid to reach them, or follow the Dark Elves southward. They chose to go south and try and aid in the battle to come, abandoning their watchtower to the Dark Elves rather than be besieged inside it.

Game 7 is the clash as the Dark Elf vanguard meet the High Elf reinforcements blocking the path south, but with Elendaer’s flanking force to aid them, arriving at some unknown point after Turn 1, it’s random.

The scenario is then set. 2,500 points aside, with the High Elves split between the blocking force and the flanking force. The Dark Elves have to breakthrough, cross the fast stream (open terrain at 3 fords but dangerous terrain everywhere else) and get into the High Elf deployment zone (for extra VPs, so they are encouraged to attack - but I don’t usually need much encouragement). We’d be using are unit-by-unit house-rule activation and action system (the green disks in the pics). 

The tabletop. High Elves deploying block the stream (right) and with flanking force arriving from top left. Dark Elves all deploy into bottom left corner (except ambushers). 6 terrain pieces: stream, old elven ruin, rocky ground, gorse thicket and 2 'tors' – impassable big rocks.

Here are the army lists:

HIGH-ELF BLOCKING FORCE
DRAGON-MAGE FAYLAS - Level 1 - 300 pts
Lore of Battle Magic (Pillar of Fire) with Giant Blade (S+1, Armour Bane2, Magical Attacks, Multi-wound2) and Seeds of Rebirth (Regen 5+), mounted on a Sun Dragon

24 SEA GUARD    305
with full command

24 SEA GUARD    305
with full command

8 SILVER HELMS    235
with full command, shields, war banner (+1 combat res)

11 SHADOW WARRIORS    165
ambushers

FLAME PHOENIX    170

2 REPEATER BOLT THROWERS    160

2 GIANT EAGLES    120

HIGH-ELF FLANKING FORCE
LORD ELENDAER - 100 pts
Noble with full plate armour, shield, lance, barded elven steed

ARCH MAGE ERALIS - Level 3 - 254 pts
Lore of Battle Magic (Arcane Urgency, Oakenshield, Hammerhand) with Loremaster’s Cloak (4+ Ward vs magic missiles), Sigils of Asuryan (Auto Dispell, 1 use), Obsidian Lodestone (Magic Resistance1), on Elf Steed

DOLDIR'S SHORE RIDERS     176
8 Ellyrian Reavers with Harbinger, short bows, skirmishers, scouts
Campaign Experience: +1 BS (now 5)

FAYNION'S COAST GUARD     209
16 Sea Guard with full command
Campaign Experience: +1 WS (now 5)

Total: 2,499 points

DARK ELF VANGUARD

HIGH BEASTMASTER ZELDETH OF HAG GRAEF - 271 pts
High Beastmaster mounted on Manticore, with heavy armour, shield, sea dragon cloak (5+ Ward vs missiles), cavalry spear
Spear of Might (+1S, -1 AP, magic attacks), Healing Potion (recover D3 wounds).
Campaign Experience: May include a Wild Manticore as independent monster with a beastmaster

SORCERESS NALVIMU - Level 2 - 149 pts
Lore of Daemonology (The Summoning, Daemonic Vigour), with Talisman of Protection (5+ Ward save), mount on Dark Steed

SORCERESS LLIVHIDA - Level 1 - 125 pts
Lore of Elementalism (Storm Call and Black Horror) with Tome of Furion (+1 spell), Lifetaker staff (R24”, S3, AP-1, MultishotD3+1, armour bane1, magical attacks, poison attacks)
Campaign Experience: Severely Wounded (-1 WS, BS and I)

HOTHSUR'S CROSSBOWS    115
10 Crossbows with champion
Campaign Experience: +1 BS (now 5)

BLACKHEART REGIMENT    195
20 Spearmen with full command
Campaign Experience: Eternal Hatred (High Elves)

20 SPEARMEN    195
with full command

10 CROSSBOWS    115
 with champion

10 CROSSBOWS    115
 with champion

24 WITCH ELVES    310
with full command, with Banner of Har Ganeth (all attacks AP-1)

8 DARK SHADES    150
with champion, light armour, additional hand weapons, ambushers

8  COLD ONE KNIGHTS    301
with full command, full plate armour

2 COLD ONES CHARIOTS    250

WILD MANTICORE        130
with 1 Beastmaster

REPEATER BOLT THROWER    80

Total: 2,501 points

The deployment, High Elf blocking force line up to face the Dark Elf vanguard.

 Ready for the off then. I won’t go into every move and dice roll, but here is the overview and highlights. It broke down into three fights or ‘hot points’ on the battlefield. The eastern crossing and ford where the witch elves, leading in suicidal fashion, charged straight ahead into a ‘kill zone’ of sea guard archery and repeater bolt thrower crossfire (someone has to go first!). Behind them, the second wave, came the Cold One Knights, hopefully benefiting from the witch elves dying (by not). Behind the enemy lines the shades would hopefully appear and try to take out a bolt thrower and aid with rear attacks. Facing this was a line of Sea Guard, both bolt throwers the and the Silver Helms.

The west ford was trickier, units in march column moving quickly, but the chariots led and a stupid lead chariot slows everybody down, oops! This was both chariots, a spearman block and a crossbow unit, with beastmaster Zeldeth and his manticore, and handy spare manticore, ready to flap to whenever they were needed most. Facing this was the ‘air force’ of both eagles, the phoenix, and the dragon-mage. Behind was a reserve block of sea guard, in march column, to quickly deploy either left or right if needed.

The last ‘hot-zone’, was where the flanking force arrived, which was screened by a crossbow unit and the Blackheart spear regiment of renown. They’d just hold-up or stop the flanking force getting behind me.

The Witch Elves’ assault was a slaughter, hit by missile fire and with 4 wild-women swept away crossing the stream (into the sea which was just off table to the Dark Elf right, I imagine the fast stream plunges over a waterfall into the sea, in fantasy-world style). Only 5 made the charge to the Sea Guard lines, and were duly butchered. But, the Cold One Knights were right behind and ready to follow-in, having lost just 1 to a big bolt en route. A hard charge should smash those Sea Guard. Meanwhile, the Silver Helms had turned around to intercept the Shades, arriving at the start of turn 2, so on time. But, on turn 3 when they charged the bolt thrower, needing to cover 7”, they rolled two 1s for the charge distance and only got 6”. A failed charge, which allowed the Silver Helms to come in, lances down, and massacre them. The survivors fled the field… utter rubbish from the Shades.

At the eastern ford, the chariots got through it, harassed by longbow shots from the shadow warriors that had arrived to aid here. Then the dragon-mage’s dragon lost it’s cool and was forced to charge the lead chariot. It did, and in a couple of rounds of combat, had smashed it up and eaten the crew. The other chariot though raced passed and got a long charge into the shadow warriors, squishing them and they fled the field too, so much for the ambusher units (note here, new house rule, half impact hits vs skirmishers, they can surely get out the way easier). The flaming phoenix was busy ‘fire bombing’ the spearmen and crossbows behind. One eagle was killed by a spell (the summoning) the other launched itself bravery into the wild manticore, which only had a coupe of wounds left after accurate reaver short bows hurt it. The big bird’s talon and beak finished it off. Meanwhile, the beastmaster and his mount turned to face the arriving the flanking force.

The flanking force arrived straight away, Elendaer on time on turn 2. The moved on, reavers flinging arrows into the manticore and sea guard trading fire with the crossbow line ahead of them. Noble Elendaer decided on a rash charge into the crossbow line, but the hail of bolts was too much and he fell as he charged in. Brave, but, well, foolhardy. The Blackheart spear regiment moved up a charged the Sea Guard in a battle of the spear blocks, which was so close, both sides winning it twice, by 1 each time and just pushing the line to-and-fro – stalemate there. High Beastmaster Zeldeth lost control of his manticore and it just rushed down into the reavers, pursued by an eagle, pecking its backside. The following melee saw the reavers break and flee the field, whilst the eagle was also killed, but not before the mighty Beastmaster had taken 4 wounds in return. No problemo, potion of healing and all was well(ish) again - umm yummy!.

To the finale… it was close so far. The Cold Knights smashed home and hammered the Sea Guard line, which broke and ran, to be destroyed. Job done, but the Silver Helms had reformed and were coming to stop them. Their fight would be the climax of the battle.

The dragon-mage, rampaged into another spearman bock and rolled terrible attacks, it looked like the DE would actually win, until the dragons stomps killed 6 (excellent tail lashing). The little dragon did it again next turn, and the next (3 x 6 stomps in the row!), crushing the spearmen block utterly.

The phoenix swooped over to face the Beastmaster and they charged and met in, what I imagine to be, a very cool aerial fight. Both then missed, failed to wound or made armour saves and zero damage was done. Not so dramatic.

The final melee was the Cold One Knights, charged by the Silver Helms… and in a disaster the Silver Helms won and the Knights then broke, fled and where run down - good grief! More rubbish dice! The Silver Helms had mopped up behind the lines very well.

So, we called it a day, and added up VPs. In all, 1,422 points of damage done by the High Elves. 1,304 done by the Dark Elves, very close. We’ll call it a draw… edged, maybe, by the High Elves.

Story-wise, the Dark Elf vanguard is halted and will retreat back north to the main force, thwarted. But the High Elves are also weak too and must also retreat south. Post-game, rolling for damage to units and characters, and to gain campaign experience, the High Elves gained a magic level for the dragon-mage, so now level 2 for next time. But Noble Elendaer was dead, not injured, just dead. The heroic noble that had led the resistance to the invasion so far was slain, skewered by many barbed bolts in his bold lone charge. No units gained any experience, but the DE crossbow regiment of renown ‘Hothsur’s Crossbows’ had met a flaming end this time – only 5 men remain for any future games.

Next, for game 8, we’ll deal with the Dark Elf raid on watchtower Orris, maybe by the daemons again. Or, thwarted here, the Dread Lord might summon the daemons in force to do the job his vanguard couldn’t. 

The Dark Elf vanguard about to get spread out from their corner deployment zone and cut their way across the stream.

The High Elf line, 'air force' on their right, dragon mage, 2 giant eagles and the phoenix.

Witch Elves rush to ford the stream, and loss 4 swept into the sea away in doing so. Pillar of Fire and Black Horror vortex are conjured up, not doing much.

Flap flap, the air force comes forward...

Dark Elf columns, led by both chariots, march up and cross the stream to their left, via a safe ford.

Last of the Witch Elves about to charge to Sea Guard, only 5 would make it through the stand and fire.

Sneaky, behind the High Elves lines the Shades appear, to try and jump on of the bolt throwers.

Flanking force moves on, Ellyrian Reavers first.

Led by Noble Elendaer, who lance down, charge alone at the repeater crossbows, through a hail of bolts and was shot down.

The Cold One Knights follow, where the Witch Elves failed, about to unleash hell, and dinosaurs, on the hated foe.

The sun dragon gets all impetuous and swoops down on the lead chariot (closest target).

Meanwhile, the Beastmaster and his angry manticore charge to Ellyrian reavers. Green gem is for their spell in effect, handy 5+ ward saves.

and a giant eagle swoops in behind to try to help - careful, that's the stingy end of a manticore.

Sea Guard vs Spears, a grind, too even for either side to win.

Cold One Knights break the Sea Guard block, but are out run in the pursuit. Slow cold ones today... but next charge finished them off.

Phoenix continues to swoop about, using its firey wake - incendiary bombing a crossbow unit to destruction. A flaming end, trapped between the phoenix and the pillar of fire.

The Silver Helms, having dealt with the Shades, have turned about and charged the Cold Ones.

Beastmaster and Phoenix clash... and cause 0 wounds each. Stalemate, and we call it a day...