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...?

WAR FOR TOR HELETHION - A NARRATIVE WARHAMMER CAMPAIGN, OVERVIEW

THE STORY SO FAR…

Under orders from Malekith, the Dark Elf Dread Lord Veyshar of Nar Zadun has mobilised his entire city to invade the northern Ulthuan island of Tor Helethion, as a steppingstone towards the Blighted Isle. Veyshar’s instructions are to destroy the garrison, capture the island and kill the resident star dragon, Amlargos the Blue, which helps guard it. To aid the Dread Lord his supreme sorceress, Naleemi, and her dark-coven, have used daemonology to summon and bind a Khornate daemonic host to her service, as expendable allies.


CAMPAIGN PHASE 1 -  Getting Ashore
This covers the initial Dark Elf scouts and vanguard landing (all light forces), clearing the ground for the full invasion arriving behind them.

Game 1 - First Clash (500 points, Border Patrol)
The first Dark Elf scouts have landed at night on the shores of the island and headed inland, to gather intel on the lay of the land and the High Elf garrison. Shadow-Captain Raelyn and his Shadow Warriors discover tracks of Dark Riders and follow them, heading towards one of the island’s magical monoliths. He summons the aid of local Ellyrian Reaver patrols in the area and here his Shadow Warriors and the light cavalry ambush the Dark Elf patrol at the monolith.  

The Dark Elf patrol is led by Ullash, the Master of the Dark Riders. During the ambush, he is wounded (so must miss Game 2).

High Elf win. They gain: choice of table edge in Game 2 and +1 to roll for first turn.

Game 2 - First Engagement (1000 points, Open Battle)
Informed of the raiders, Lord Elendaer musters his northern garrison and moves to support Raelyn's Shadow Warriors and Ellyrian riders. Dark Riders spy the small High Elf column and Master Vymen, Ullash’ 2-i-c, leads a force to attack them. If he can drive the High Elves away, the Black Ark now approaching will be able to securely disembark its full force. If not, then the High Elves remain close to the coast, and can still oppose a landing.

High Elf win. They gain: choice of table edge in Game 3. +1 to roll for first turn. 

Game 3 - Second Engagement (1000 points, Open Battle)
The Dark Elf Raiders make a last attempt to drive the High Elves away before the landings. Victory will reduce the High Elf forces points by 500 for the landings (game 4). A High Elf victory will allow their reserves to arrive earlier.

Dark Elf win: They can now begin landings. Shadow-Captain Raelyn is killed by Master Ullash. Dark Elf Sorceress Nyra is killed in a Pillar of Fire and both are removed from the campaign.

 

Game 4 - Amphibious Landing (1,500 points HEs vs 2,500 points DEs, Special Scenario)
Master Ullash’s screening force hold as ever more Dark Elves wade ashore across the beach. Meeting engagement, with both sides screened by light troops, and main units arriving behind them, from the march (in march columns).

Dark Elf win: Main forces and heavier troops etc. can now land at the beachhead. They start to construct an ad-hoc defensive camp at the beachhead.

CAMPAIGN PHASE 2 - War for the Northern Coast
The Dark Elves are now ashore in force and reinforcing. They begin to expand their beachhead by attacking and destroying the northern coastal watchtowers. The High Elves try to delay them as long as possible, time for the main garrison at the citadel (in the far south) to prepare and respond.

Game 5 - The Watchtower of Ayrel (1,500 points, Pitched Battle)
Orders are to attack and destroy the closest watchtower on the northern coast of the island. This will break the chain of watchtowers and beacons that guard the island and allow a surprise landing in force (later in the campaign). Lord Elendaer and Mage Eralis muster the defence of the watchtower.

High Elf major win: Dark Elves cannot yet march from their beachhead south. They must first attack another watchtower at Andreas. 

 

Game 6 - The Watchtower of Aldreas. (1,000 points, Pitched Battle)
Orders are to attack and destroy a second watchtower on the northern coast of the island, daemons are sent instead of elves. Again, this will break the chain of watchtowers and beacons that guard the island and allow a surprise landing in force. The daemons are unleashed upon it’s small garrison, led by Apprentice-Mage Lielath.

Dark Elf (Daemon) win: The Dark Elves can now send a force marching west around the island as well as south. 

 



Game 7 - Dark Elves move South. (2,500 points, Meeting Engagement)  
The Dark Elves send out their first vanguard south, sealing off the watchtower of Ayrel.
High Elf reinforcements from the south move up eastern coast, whilst Prince Elendaer chooses to abandon Aldreas watchtower and moves south to try and join them. He leads a flanking force for the battle, as the Dark Elves meet the main blocking force across a fast flowing stream that runs into the sea.

Draw: Both sides are badly damaged in the bloody stalemate at the stream. The Dark Elves withdraw, as do the High Elves. Noble Elendaer is killed in the battle and removed from the campaign roster.

 

Game 8 - Dark Elves second attempted to breakthrough (3,000 points, Pitched Battle)
The Dread Lord sends a strong force to again try and breakthrough along the eastern coast, a second attempt, which is awaited at the Maev watchtower by Prince Belhallas and his citadel garrison. A large pitched battle ensues.

Dark Elf win: Dark Elf attack at Maev watchtower and win, wounding Belhallas and Amlargos, but lose their Death Hag and the Altar of Khaine, destroyed by the dragon and removed from the campaign. The Druchii can now begin to approach and surround the main citadel. The High Elves summon more aid from Ulthuan and a fleet from Lothern quickly sets sail, bound for Tor Helethion with their reinforcements.  

 

 

Game 9 - Retreat from Orris Watchtower (1,500 points, Special Scenario)
The survivors under Mage Leilath abandon the last northern watchtower as hopeless and pullback, but with a faster Dark Elf pursuit force behind them, and landed Corsairs blocking their path ahead, they must turn and fight. A high speed High Elf rescue force is on the way to aid them in a desperate struggle.

High Elf win: Mages Leilath and Faylas fight a stubborn defence along a coastal stream, and although the Cold One Knights breakthrough the line, the rest of the Dark Elves are stopped and destroyed, Faylas and his dragon doing much of the damage. The survivors escape back to aid the defence of the citadel. 

It stands at 4 Dark Elf wins, 4 High Elf wins and 1 draw. Game 10 soon...