(Turn 3)Waagh!Gabdugg’s cry of ‘Waagh!’ went well, for every orc and goblin regiment moved forwards as a consequence, with the War Boss and his Big Uns heading straight for the Phoenix Guard. The goblins, filled with the spirit of the Waagh, launched themselves at the White Lions’ exposed flank …
… and even managed to kill one of them, though their own greenskin champion was hewn into two (equally large) pieces and thus killed instantly. Yet even with the massed ranks of goblins pressing on their flank the White Lions proved stubborn and failed to give ground, and a small number of goblins began to wonder if they had actually bitten off more than they could chew.
The fleeing Boars rallied as it simultaneously dawned on each of the riders that if they fled they would miss the looting of the elves' shiny things. Their renewed vigour for battle was not however shared by the Big Uns, for even though they had only just surged forwards filled with thoughts of Waagh, the sight of the Phoenix Guard standing like statues, unflinching, fearless, their halberds held aloft ready to chop, made everyone of the huge orcs, including Gabdugg himself, suddenly stop. They were, believe it or not, momentarily too afraid to charge!
Elsewhere the Orc Boyz advanced towards the enemy archers, and the foreward Boar Chariot trundled up to where it might deliver a charge against the Swordmasters. (
Note: I kept forgetting that these tricksy elves could move 10” not 8”, so took this chariot closer than I should.)
The goblin shaman Mad Budger now ran forwards, leaving the Spear Chukka to join the same regiment of Arrer Boyz who were currently harbouring his orcen counterpart Plugroo. The two of them must have been distracted by their usual coarse greeting ritual (a variety of curse words and rude hand gestures) for their magical attacks were all brushed aside by the elven mages. Who can say what distracted the greenskin missile troops, but whatever did so every shot fell short or wide of the mark. Not one elf was harmed by the volley of arrow, spear and crazy goblin with crude leather wings!
Whether or not the elves noticed how lucky they had been, it was now that they began to launch their charges (
Note: I realised earlier that it really makes no difference whether you get a charge in against High Elves or not, they strike first anyway. The trick is to have the combats take place where you want them too - and it’s the only trick you can really aim for!The Swordmasters charged the chariot ahead of them, forced to wheel a little to avoid the Boyz, but still able to aim for the chariot. The orcen charioteers, entirely unwilling to receive a charge, fled away. In the process they crashed through the chariot behind them, the Arrer Boyz and the Goblin Spear chukka, surprisingly killing only one orc and one crew-goblin. (
Note: Exception to last comment: Chariots still need to get the charge in for the impact hits. My guess was that I would hurt myself, points-wise, less by fleeing than by receiving the charge.)
Thus the Swordmasters failed their charge and so they now found themselves facing a charge by the chariot behind the one they had just chased away! At least Their flank was being guarded by the remaining white archers, who moved right up to the Orc Boyz but did not engage them.
It was all the Dragon Princes could do to turn around and move a little towards the main battle once more …
… while on the other side of the field the White Lion’s champion and Captain Tirnifar moved to put themselves in the fighting rank against the goblins. Of course their fighting skills completely outshone the goblins, and two goblins were killed easily. Yet so many goblins are not so easily scared off, and the mass pushing from behind, ignorant of what was happening at the front, and to be honest caring not one jot, meant that despite the deaths of their comrades it was still the goblins who had the upper hand and were applying all the pressure.
This time the Elven mages’ curses of arrow attraction did not bite, but Vaul’s Unmaking did destroy the magical power of Nogg’s Banner of Butchery (held by the Big Uns). When the missiles were released, the Orc Boyz learned why the elven archers had held off from charging them - for all three bolt throwers threw a torrent of quarrels into them, while the archers right before them loosed close range arrows into their midst. Altogether ten Orc Boyz fell to this attack, but the lads had not marched all this way to flee in fright from the sight of blood and simply readied themselves for an act of vengeance.
Gabdugg and his Big Uns were also busy with their choppas, but they were shocked to discover that the elves were not only faster than the orcs could ever have imagined, they were also protected by cunning magics. Despite the brutal blows rained down upon the elves, not one fell. (
Note: That 4+ward save, combined with ASF, is amazing!) With no such magical protection, two Orcs fell, and the two best units on either side found themselves deadlocked in a bloody fight. Orc blood that is!
Once again the greenskins’ naturally uncontrollable urges took a hold of the Orc Boyz and sent them charging furiously into both the Swordmasters and the elven Archers ahead of them. The Boar Chariot seemed caught up in the same angry mood and smashed into the Swordmasters too.
The Chariot’s impact was terrible to behold, for seven Swordmasters fell to the scythed wheels and trampling hooves of the Boars! (
Note: 7 impact hits and 7 unsaved wounds, woop de doo!) The entire front rank of Elven warriors had been wiped out. Another Elf was gored by the boars’ sharp tusks, while off to the side three elven archers fell to the ground lifeless. Only two Orc warriors died in this fight. This all proved too much for the Swordmasters, who had never expected so many of their life-long friends to fall in so short a space of time. Thus it was they fled away to be mown down horribly by the Chariot which bounced over their broken bodies and smashed into the green archers behind.
This left the Boyz facing the last surviving white Archers, who refused to flee as had their brethren. Although reduced to half strength, the brute Orcs knew full well that their enemy had not a chance and each bore an evil, sharp-toothed grin upon his ugly face!
The Giant made his way around the White Wolves, choosing to ignore the White Lions battling with the goblins. Perhaps he thought the ‘little fellers’ should have their fun? (
Note: In reality I wondered whether sending the giant in would actually swing things in the Elves’ favour!)
Upon the far side of the field, the three surviving Boar Riders simply shifted their position as they considered what they might be able to do, and by their side the Arrer Boyz formed themselves up into a fighting formation - they were concerned that they might be charged by the Dragon Princes and thought to adopt a posture that might serve them well in defence.
Plugroo and Mad Budger now got on with the business of magic and although their first three spells were thwarted by the Elves’ own magic users, the Foot of Gork made it through. One big stomp later and two Dragon Princes were dead. Mad Budger started giggling manically, and the Arrer Boyz around him were hard pressed not to kick him or wring his neck. And they might have done, were it not for the fact that they knew why he was giggling, and thought maybe he might turn such vicious magic against them if they annoyed him.
Mad Budger would have laughed some more had he seen what happened over on the far right of the field. Although the noble Captain Tirnifar and the White Lions’ champion killed four goblins between them, the sheer weight of goblin numbers (
Note: ranks, outnumber, flank and standard) meant the diminutive greenskins still pushed hard at the elves, and something snapped as a consequence - the elves’ very resolve. Their courage sapped away from as they realised that the goblins were proving strangely hard to beat, and might yet swamp them with brute force. So it was that the White Lions fled away (
Note: Failing their stubborn Ld) and, fatally, ran into the giant behind. Before long, they were all dead or dying; and if the latter, then crawling in shame from the field, their tears mixing with their blood.
Gabdugg and his Big Uns fought on, the orcen Boss managing to slay the Phoenix Guard champion, while Gabdugg somehow got though the elven magical shield and laid low three more elves. But 3 orcs had died too, and as the corpses began to pile, the Elves had to steal themselves to fight on. And they did!
Now came the battered Dragon Princes’ first chance to strike at the foe - they charged the Boar chariot before them in the hope of saving the poor green Archers it had crashed into …
… but they arrived just a moment too late to save their comrades. Four archers were crushed to death by the chariot’s impact. Saddened, but no less willing to fight, the Dragon Princes damaged the chariot as best they could, then chased it off until they caused it to flip over and break to pieces. They left the stunned handful of surviving green archers behind them.
Although precious elven blood was being spilled, the Mages still conjured what harm they could upon the foe. The Fury of Khaine (successfully cast first as a spell, and then again from the Ring of Fury) was dissipated by the thick hides and armour of the Boar Riders (
Note: 8 wounds altogether, all saved on 4+) All their other incantations fizzled, spluttered and failed to enter the real world. But the Orc Boar Riders troubles were not yet over, for just as they wondered what strange magic had rained upon them a bolt skewered one of them. The remaining pair were so shocked they forgot to run away this time, but simply looked at the strangely compelling sight of (dead) orc and (enraged and severely wounded) boar made into one by the bolt joining them.
Gabdugg and his lads did their best yet again, slaying three Phoenix Guard to the loss of but two of their own number. Yet the Elves would not yield and fought on, seeming somehow more vital, and ever faster with their halberds as the fight went on.
How could Gabdugg defeat such a foe?
Turns 5 and 6 to follow.