OKay... here's the report. It's pretty self-explanatory. I think it's really important to post reports on losses, so we can examine them and explore what other generals might have done differently.
2500 Points - Empire
AL on Waltar - Speculum, Dawn Armor, Shield
Lvl 4 Life - Rod of Power
Lvl 1 LIfe - Dispel Scroll (in IC Knights)
BSB - AoMI (in larger halberd unit)
2 x Captain - FP, Sh, Lance, Warhorse, Barding (in IC Knights)
WP HV, Sh (in smaller halberd unit)
WP Hv, Sh, Casket of Sorcery (in larger halberd unit)
58 Halberds, 5 FC detachment
49 Halberds, 5 FC detachment
30 Flagellants
5 IC Knights
3 Great Cannon
1 Mortar
Ogre Kingdoms - 2500 Points
Slauhgtermaster - Dispel Scroll, Fencers Blades, Armor of Destiny
Butcher - Lvl 2, Beasts, Hellheart, Ironfist
Bruiser - BSB, HA, Ironfist
11 Ironguts
10 Ogres, ironfist
8 Maneaters - Dragonhide Banner, scouts, swiftstride, 6x brace of pistols
2x Ironblaster
3xKitties!
DeploymentHis is a great army. By the time he's placed his 3 kitties and 2 Ironblasters, most of my major elements are on the board. He positions himself on my weaker flank. The kitties were pretty inconsequential, so I won't clog the board with them. Sometimes they are incredibly effective as blockers... but not this game.
Turn One - Ogres
Everything shuffles forward a bit. Both Ironblasters peek out from behind the building and draw a bead on my artillery. He gets a strong initial magic phase. I let him buff some of his troops a bit, block some of the better buffs, and save three dice. In the shooting phase, both his Ironblasters wipe out one cannon each. His maneaters kill one IC knight with 24" pistols.
Turn One - Empire
I rush my left flank forward. Position knights for a flank charge on his maneaters, if he charges my detachment, which i move directly in his way. Magic is potent. I roll boxcars. The butcher pulls out his hellheart, rolls a 4 for range (20") and causes a miscast on my level 4. I lose a level, and lose Dwellers. I get Timewarp on the Flagellants with six dice. My opponent blocks earthblood on the knights. Damn that hellheart. My one remaining cannon takes two wounds off of an Ogre in his right-flank. The mortar takes a wound off of his Maneaters.
Turn Two - Ogres 
One of his Ironblasters pivots and moves behind the house, to draw a bead on my last cannon. The rest of his line jostles forward, on his left trying to make sure he isn't open to a flank charge from the IC Knights. Magic is uneventful. Shooting sees him overshoot my flagellants but nail the last cannon. *sigh*
Turn Two - Empire
Propelled by Timewarp, the flagellants move 16" and the large block of halberds moves to maintain the line. The knights move further up the right flank, out of charge range from the Maneaters, and threatening his Ironblaster and Ironguts. The detachments place themselves in harm's way, as is their job. Magic is pathetic - 3 dice. I can't get a thing off. The mortar drops a shot behind the maneaters.
Turn Three - Ogres
Ever patient, and knowing he has me outshot, my opponent just shuffles his line a bit, reforms his Ironguts, so they can move into the gap in the center, and moves his Ironblasters on the flanks. Magic sees me stop all of his big stuff (4+ regen, +1S/T). Shooting... ah, shooting. It used to be MY favorite phase... He snipes my AL, killing the Lector but not the cart. He kills one halberd from the smaller unit with that shot as well. His other cannon misfires and cannot fire that turn. His Maneaters gun down my poor detachment, leaving them open to charge my halberds next turn. Nice move.
Turn Three - Empire
Flaggies fail their charge. Knights charge, he flees with his Ironblaster. They fail to catch. My lone detachment strikes home in the Ogre's front. Magic is low again! He lets me have Throne of vines, because I don't have enough dice to go for IF after getting it. He uses his dice to stop Flesh to Stone. He scrolls my attempt to get Light of Battle on the smaller Halberd unit. Mortar takes another wound off of an Ogre in the leftmost unit.
Turn Four - Ogres
His Maneaters charge. His Ogres back up and to the side a bit. His Ironguts move in line with the Ogres. His Ironblaster rallies. His other one moves up closer for a flank shot on the Flaggies. In the magic phase, I block his big stuff, but he manages to get off Stubborn on his Ogres unit with one die, and I can't stop him. Crap! His Ironblaster UNDERSHOOTS my flaggies. He rolled 2 2s on the bounce. Very nice. The Maneaters with Dragonhide banner level 4 impact hits, 32 attacks, hit with 28 (he hits on 3s and re-rolls 1s due to the banner) 26 wounds, and 4 stomps, he then breathes on the unit for another 3 kills - 37 halberdiers dead. They account for 3 Maneaters, since they go at the same time, but are routed and destroyed. Damn but those maneaters are good, and kitted out just right for that kind of slaughter.
Turn Four - Empire
At this point, this battle is NOT lost. I have a strong flank closing on his, and he has a lot of points concentrated in his two units. A few buffs, and the tide will turn. Flagellants charge home into his Ogres. The big halberd unit closes the line, ready to receive a charge from his Ironguts, or to hit his flank if he charges the flagellants. I move the altar forward, 'cause why not. He charges it with a kitty later. Nothing much happens. Knights charge the Ironblaster. I also unveil the casket but fail to roll above a 4 for the rest of the game. *sigh* Magic. Yes! I get 11 dice. With throne still up, I'm in great shape. I get Flesh to Stone on the Flagellants and Light of Battle on the Halberds. Shooting - the mortar misfires and misses this turn. Combat - The flaggies tear through his Ogres unit like a knife through hot butter. They successfully sacrifice the magical 2, and rack up 19 wounds. He saves 3. With the wounds from the mortar, he loses six Ogres, one of them his Butcher. He manages 3 T7 Flaggies in return. BUT he's stubborn!! Dammit! He sticks. This was the first of a few events that really didn't go my way. Breaking that unit would have changed the course of the battle, but he did really well in drawing out my dice and taking the chance on getting stubborn on that unit. Knights drive the Ironblaster off the board and FAIL to restrain their pursuit. Bah!
Turn Five - Ogres
His poxed Ironblaster successfully charges my halberds in the flank! Crap. His Ironguts charge home in the Flaggies flank - not unexpected. His Maneaters move towards my poor, exposed Lvl 4 (oops, lvl 3, damn you Hellheart!). He still isn't able to do much with magic. I let him get regen on his Ironguts. That's it. His Maneaters shoot the poor mage, and take off a wound. In combat, the flaggies start getting hurt by the S6 Ironguts, but are holding on. They claim another Ogre. The Ironblaster does five wounds alltogether. I move my WP and BSB into combat with it, but it's T6 and they only land one wound, which he saves. I lose combat, but stick and reform the unit. If I cannot kill or drive off the Ironblaster, this game is over!
Turn Five - Empire
I can't kill his damn Ironblaster. I still win combat by 2, but he's within 12" of his general and sticks. I concede. If I can't get that unit into his Ironguts, there's no real hope for victory. That Ironblaster was capable of holding us there for another turn, at least.
ConclusionOkay, so that's that. My second loss to this opponent since he took two Ironblasters in his army. I'd love to hear thoughts, comments, criticisms and suggestions.
cheers,
