The Battle, Part One (Turns 1 & 2)
Lord Sternbrow realised immediately what the Ogres intended to do and ordered his musician to signal Thane Ilvar to lead the Longbeards to the head of the smaller valley and prepare to make a stand. He himself turned his Ironbreakers and readied them for an advance up and over the hill to join the Longbeards in the fight. Agrabog, being in the smaller valley, could not see what the Ironbreakers and the Dwarf Lord were up to (Game Note: Translate this as I didn’t really notice their turning move.)
(http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i49/padrissimus/UmmenbachPass5.jpg)
Nothing else moved in the Dwarves’ line, but the artillery made themselves busy. One cannon scored a hit upon the Scraplauncher, but nothing more than a glancing blow off one of the Rhinox’s horns. The dumb beast did not even notice! The second cannon overshot the Bulls ahead of it and brought down two gnoblars. Needless to say the crew thought the shot a waste of good powder. Quarrelers and Thunderers alike poured their shots at the same three Bulls, and did manage to bloody them somewhat. Then the Bolt Throwers let loose, one wounding the Slavegiant, the other felling one of the three Bulls already shot at by just about everyone else. The remaining pair were unnerved by this disheartening turn of events, especially with so far yet to go before they reached the enemy line, and they turned and fled. Unusually, the Gnoblar regiment they hurtled straight through seemed to think the flight was part of the plan and chose not to join them! Embarrassed by the little ‘uns lack of concern, the two Ogre Bulls bucked their ideas up and rallied in the rear, just in time to watch two of the Gnoblar regiments march forwards ahead of them, joined by the Leabelchers and followed closely by thr Scraplauncher. The advance on the Ogres’ right had begun - with only the two Bulls and one of the Gnoblar regiments letting the side down.
(http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i49/padrissimus/UmmenbachPass8.jpg)
Meanwhile on the left Agrabog led his Ironguts along the valley, the size of his own unit forcing the two regiments of Bulls, the Maneaters and even the Giant to trail behind in a ragged column. (Game Note: I wish I had remembered it was no good ‘hiding’ a giant, what with him being a large target, because then I would have had him much further forward to start off with - maybe even on the right.)
(http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i49/padrissimus/UmmenbachPass6.jpg)
And out on the far left, in the even smaller valley to the west of the one Agrabog occupied, the Hunter led his brute hounds forwards, with the fourth regiment of Bulls keeping up behind him.
(http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i49/padrissimus/UmmenbachPass7.jpg)
All the Butchers’ magic was dispelled or broken by the dwarfs, while the Scraplauncher’s shot fell just short of the Warriors. Still, the Ogres were getting closer.
Now the Longbeards turned themselves to face the valley, while the elite Ironbreakers marched boldly onto the hill - much surprising Agrabog with their sudden threatening appearance. Further to the left the massive regiment of Warriors began an advance of its own towards the massed regiments of Gnoblars, not one dwarf thinking such goblin warriors could be of any worth.
(http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i49/padrissimus/UmmenbachPass9.jpg)
The two cannons fired a second time, and once again one of them hit the Scraplauncher. This was no glancing blow, for the iron ball buried itself deep in the Rhinox’s flesh and brought the beast down, the superstructure of wood and metal upon its back smashing to pieces in the fall and what few Gnoblars that survived buried in the tangle mess created.
The two leadbelchers in the centre found themselves approaching the massive, and surely impossible to miss, regiment of Warriors. Both chuckled at the thought of what their pieces could do to such a foe.
(http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i49/padrissimus/UmmenbachPass10.jpg)
What they had failed to notice, however, was the organ gun looking down from the hill behind the warriors. This now gave forth a thunderous blast, and its hail of swan-shot and sangranel tore the two Ogre to pieces, leaving them as lifeless, steaming mounds of bloodied flesh. Perhaps hoping to be as lucky both Bolt Throwers now shot at the Slavegiant, but only one hit, which was not enough to fell such a monster.
Now Agrabog launched his charge up the hill, him and his Ironguts smashing into the Ironbreakers. He knew that if his warriors were to break out of the valley then he had to push the Dwarfen Lord and his Bodyguard aside. While he did so, the rest of his left wing did what they could to advance and the Butchers attempted to bolster their Lord’s fighting ability with magic. They failed, for once again the Dwarven ability to quell magic proved unbeatable.
(http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i49/padrissimus/UmmenbachPass11.jpg)
The dwarves were not so good at resisting bullets, however, and six Thunderers were killed when the surviving pair of Leadbelchers gave fire. Whilst they did so, the Gnoblars to the right of them continued their foolhardy advance and the previously shamed Bulls tried to catch up from the rear.
(http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i49/padrissimus/UmmenbachPass12.jpg)
The real battle was going on upon the hill between the two valleys. Agrabog and his Ironguts crushed one Ironbreaker with the force of their charge alone, but Agrabog could not (5 Str 7 Attacks) wound Lord Strumbrow, such was the strength of his mundane and magical protection. Even the Ironguts (10 attacks) could only slay one dwarf. Lord Sturmbrow proved to be a mighty warrior indeed and laid into Agrabog with such skill and strength that the Tyrant felt more than stung as a result (3 wounds). Nevertheless, even though they had been outmatched in the charge and the challenge, the Ironguts stood their ground. They were (almost) certain that they would punch through soon, just not as quickly as they had thought they might.
Part two to follow soon. But here I have to say two things:
* Thanks for all the thanks.
* Anyone want to change their guess at this stage?
The Battle, Part Two (turns 3 & 4)[/b]
In the little valley, Lord Sternbrow and the bloodied Tyrant Agrabog hacked and slashed at each other. On the Ironbreaker’s left the Longbeards were faced with a pair of Maneaters, followed closely by several ranks of Ogre Bulls.
(http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i49/padrissimus/UmmenbachPass13.jpg)
Not wanting to receive a charge, the Longbeards charged in themselves. On the hill behind them the Thunderers reformed, readying themselves to attempt to put a stop to whatever it was the Hunter loping up on the far right flank hoped to do.
(http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i49/padrissimus/UmmenbachPass14.jpg)
In the centre of the field, as is their wont, the Dwarven warriors continued their slow but steady march forwards, while the cannons behind them sent two balls ploughing into the massed Gnoblars (admittedly not their intended targets) bringing down six of the greenskins between them,
(http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i49/padrissimus/UmmenbachPass15.jpg)
When the Quarrelers and the Thunderers joined in the shooting, however, they proved more capable of upsetting the foe’s advance, for they laid low one of the two Leadbelchers who had just fired at them and sent the other running in panic. The Organ gun opened up immediately after them and tore eight Gnoblars apart. Unsurprisingly they proved no less shaken by the experience than their larger comrades and they too fled as fast as their legs could take them, pouring right through the two bewildered Ogre Bulls behind them.
(http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i49/padrissimus/UmmenbachPass16.jpg)
As all this was unfolding in the centre, off to the dwarfs’ right the two Bolt Throwers could not fell the giant now looming over their Lord. Thane Ilvar Flatnose and the Longbeards were a little luckier, managing to slay one of the Maneaters they had charged, but they could not break the other, who proved stubborn before them even though he surely had no chance against them and could not harm them back at all. Flatnose’s luck was as nothing compared to Lord Sternbrow’s, for he and his Ironbreakers proved to be very devils in battle, Sternbrow slaying the Tyrant Agrabog, then his warriors sending two Ironguts lifelessly rolling down the hill to join his corpse. The remaining Ironguts stumbled back in confusion and despair only to be butchered a moment later.
The death of their Lord and his Bodyguard proved too much for the Butchers and Ogre Bulls - both regiments beneath the hill turned and fled, while the addled Slave Giant suddenly found himself the target of Lord Sternbrow’s attentions.
(http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i49/padrissimus/UmmenbachPass17.jpg)
The Ogres’ situation was now becoming desperate. Boondak the Hunter released his brutish hounds at the Thunderers with a cry of “Sic ‘em, boys” …
(http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i49/padrissimus/UmmenbachPass18.jpg)
… but both were riddled with bullets before they got close. The only Bulls left on the field that were not bloodied or wounded then followed the same route as the deceased dogs to get closer to the Thunderers, while Boondak himself made his way off to the right in an attempt to aid the Maneater fighting an entire regiment on his own.
(http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i49/padrissimus/UmmenbachPass19.jpg)
Of the two fleeing units of Bulls, only those led by the Butcher Fumpem rallied, the others wanting to put a lot more distance between themselves and a Dwarfen Lord who could dispatch the likes of Agrabog the Mighty! Bodo the Giant had not even lifted his club before he too was hacked down by Lord Sternbrow’s magical blade. Out on the Ogres’ right, every unit attempted to move forwards, but all (starting to wonder why Agrabog had not yet broken out of the little valley) had a feeling that something was going wrong.
(http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i49/padrissimus/UmmenbachPass20.jpg)
The massive regiment of Dwarfs now launched their charge at the Gnoblars before them. The greenskins had no chance against such warriors and after umpteen were slain the rest broke and fled as such pathetic fighters always do!
(http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i49/padrissimus/UmmenbachPass22.jpg)
While Boondak wondered whether there really was any point in sacrificing himself in the service of a dead Tyrant …
(http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i49/padrissimus/UmmenbachPass21.jpg)
… the Dwarven artillery and missile troops fired once more. Several more Bulls tumbled to the ground, and the lone survivor on the far left turned and fled as had so many Bulls done already.
Lord Sternbrow stood on the brow of a hill, looking stern (Author’s note: Sorry, couldn’t help it!).
(http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i49/padrissimus/UmmenbachPass23.jpg)
The Ogres were beat, and everyone on the field knew it. What few Bulls and Gnoblars survived had sense enough to quit the field, and hastily.
Agrabog the Mighty was dead, and thanks to the Dwarfs of Khazid Hafak none of his Ogres would be entering Wissenland.
Result: Obvious massacre, and only half way through turn 4!
Congratulations to all those who guessed right. You get cookies or whatever it is you fancy with my permission. Go on treat yourself, and if anyone complains, send them my way. Commiserations to those who assumed the underdog would win. No, like usual, he lost, and lost badly.
Game Notes:
What can I say? I set up the terrain in an attempt to make it look pretty and so that Uryens would not think it unfair, thus creating what turned out to be a natural fortress for the dwarfs, with raised platforms for all his artillery giving lovely fields of fire throughout the battle. I also made the big mistake of assuming that Agrabog could defeat Lord Sternbrow and his Ironbreakers straight on. I was ridiculously unlucky in the rolls, even Uryens agrees on that, but it was my folly to base a battle plan around a toss of a coin situation like that. If Agrabog had won that combat oh boy(!) would things have been different! I think.
What say you?