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Author Topic: 'All that Glistens' - A Story/Bat Rep Project  (Read 64247 times)

Offline Padre

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Re: Story/Battle Report Project
« Reply #50 on: August 12, 2009, 09:59:15 PM »
Vespero is part of the package - special choice regiment of renown. But I shall have to come up with a new character for him as the figures are Southlanders. Whatever abilities Vespero's lot can do, these guys have their own style of getting the same results (throwing knives, fearless etc).

Now not so sure about the whole Uryens game (in two weeks) 'cos I've got a game arranged before then, maybe even tomorrow, for this army against a different foe (Greenskin nomads). I need to do really well if this army is to survive. Maybe I should play the Greenskins and play deliberately badly so that the arabs win hands down and still have a full army? Or just come up with a story reason for the reinforcements that are there when I play Uryens?
« Last Edit: August 12, 2009, 10:02:25 PM by Padre »
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Offline Inarticulate

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Re: Story/Battle Report Project
« Reply #51 on: August 12, 2009, 10:12:23 PM »
Ah right, I was just wondering, since you didn't name the Tribal leader. But yeah its a very cool unit.
I for one welcome our new flying cat overlords.

Offline Von Kurst

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Re: Story/Battle Report Project
« Reply #52 on: August 12, 2009, 10:18:25 PM »

You'll find the answer here: http://www.marienburgcampaign.com/forum/index.php?topic=414.0
Ah!  Good times.  I remember looking through that thread last year to spot the different miniature companies.

Greenskin nomads--no problem.  The elephant will scare the greenies off!  (Otherwise more tribes are drawn to the Princes banner.)
“Why is the rum always gone?” -Captain Jack Sparrow
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Offline Padre

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Re: Story/Battle Report Project
« Reply #53 on: August 13, 2009, 09:37:01 AM »
Scenario rules for Nomadic Greenskin attack on the arab column

The Arabs have 2739 pts compared with the Greenskins 2041 pts, thus there is an approx. 700 point advantage to the Arabs. For fairness a scenario is needed. Well, the Greenskins are raiders and robbers by 'trade' thus I've come up with ...

Scenario  Get them supplies!

Duration 6 turns

Terrain Hills, a valley

Deployment
Arabs deploy as a column (see rules below) perpendicular to enemy. Can put 1/2 to 2/3 of units onto table, remainder count as off table (i.e. to one side). Remainder deploy second turn, arriving on the near half of whichever table side the column rules (below) dictate. Characters deploy at same time as baggage though some can stay off field if the are with the units that arrive on turn 2.

Column rules
  • Artillery are limbered and take one turn to unlimber and deploy. If remain limbered then move like 4” moving chariot (slightly faster than normal), but no charges.
  • Baggage has to be deployed on the table, and must be either in the middle or at the rear of the column (baggage is never at the front of an advancing army). Thus if baggage is at the front of the part of the column on the table, then the unplaced units are off the table to the front; if the column is in the middle or at the rear then of the part of the column on the field, then the unplaced units are off table to either side, player deciding at the point he puts the baggage down.
  • The arab column deploys in their deployment zone, straight across or diagonal, and must look like an army on the march along a route, the units being arranged in a single file line (not the men, the units.)

Victory Points
Looting - Any individual Greenskin unit that (a) contacts the arabs' baggage and (b) has any members alive (even fleeing) at the end of the game gets 150 VP. They are carrying loot! If the arabs destroy the greenskins’ baggage, they gain 100 VP. The greenskins’ current loot is rubbish.
Greenskin flight - Greenskin units that flee or move off the table do not count towards the arabs’ VP total. They are in their own realm and can easily escape to reform somewhere else. They always intended to rob then flee so they are doing what they expected to do.
Arab VP - As normal (apart from not gaining VP from enemy who moved off the table for any reason or are fleeing at the end of the game). They need to kill as many greenskins as possible so that they are not harassed during the rest of their journey through this realm.

Battle in 30 minutes. Woo Hoo.
« Last Edit: August 13, 2009, 08:04:34 PM by Padre »
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Offline Uryens de Crux

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Re: Story/Battle Report Project
« Reply #54 on: August 13, 2009, 09:53:30 AM »
I never read army lists on here, dont worry. Though when I was asked not to read further I found it difficult to not glance down to see why not  :icon_lol: but then immediately realised why I shouldnt and stopped  :engel:

Quite looking forward to our battle, big dilemmas in what to pick for my army...
We go to gain a little patch of ground that hath in it no profit but the name.
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Offline Timbor

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Re: Story/Battle Report Project
« Reply #55 on: August 13, 2009, 01:38:30 PM »
This is really great work so far!  I am looking forward to the future installments!  :eusa_clap:

Tim
If trees could scream, would we be so cavalier about cutting them down? We might, if they screamed all the time, for no good reason. - J.H.

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Offline Inarticulate

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Re: Story/Battle Report Project
« Reply #56 on: August 13, 2009, 10:00:05 PM »
Can't wait to see that hefalump stampede through some gobbos!
I for one welcome our new flying cat overlords.

Offline Padre

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Re: Story/Battle Report Project
« Reply #57 on: August 14, 2009, 08:07:56 AM »
The enemy list:

Bonemawler's Greenskin Nomad Army (2041 pts)

Warboss BoneMawler (General) on Wyvern
Porko's Pigstikka, Enchanted Shield, Horn of Urgok
Big Boss Erbad (Army Standard Bearer) in Orc Boar Chariot
Gork's Waaagh! Banner
Big Boss Dufdig in Orc Boar Chariot
Ulags Akk'rit Axe, Nibbla's 'Itty Ring
Big Boss Clubcra in Orc Boar Chariot
Shaga's Screamin' Sword

7 Goblin Wolf Riders (Full Command) with Bows
6 Goblin Wolf Riders (Full Command) with Bows
7 Goblin Wolf Riders (Full Command) with Spears & Shields 

9 Boar Boyz Mob (Full Command) with Nogg's Banner of Butchery
8 Boar Boyz Mob (Full Command)

1 Goblin Wolf Chariot
1 Goblin Wolf Chariot

Baggage

Report/story to follow
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Offline Fandir Nightshade

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Re: Story/Battle Report Project
« Reply #58 on: August 14, 2009, 08:40:04 AM »
Now this looks like a proper reaver force!

Offline Padre

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Re: Story/Battle Report Project
« Reply #59 on: August 14, 2009, 09:54:02 AM »
Battle of the Southern Valley Part One

Note: See army lists and scenario rules above

Prince Sadrin’s Army of Amon had been marching now for just over three weeks. Consisting mostly of desert raised arabs and the rest of hardened veteran soldiers of the standing army, this meant they had covered a considerable distance and had already moved from the rocky deserts into the slightly greener foothills of the World’s Edge Mountains. Each day the column would inevitably become more stretched out then when it set off at dawn, but the Prince compensated by making sure that the crucial baggage train, carrying the victuals of the army without which it could not possibly be expected to fight, was not at the rear and that the regiments behind it were ordered not to move ahead of it. Nor were the artillery pieces allowed to tarry at the rear. This way the slowest elements of the column - heavily laden camels and slaves, and horse teams lugging huge guns - could not become stranded and vulnerable to raiders.
      Nevertheless whatever orders were given regarding positions in the column, the events of a day’s march and the varying nature of the troops did mean that during daylight hours the army’s formation could alter. Not that the Prince worried about this, for why concern oneself with things that were impossible to change? Always pragmatic, he simply made sure that he himself rode with his lance armed camel cavalry in the rearguard, thus ensuring he could not miss any troubles that the units in front suffered. Behind him there was only the Elephant and the recently raised handgunners, the latter armed in a fashion that made them perfect for signalling (loudly) if any threat presented from the rear.
     There had been reports of wolf-riding goblins for the last four days, and although some scaremongers built such sightings up into tales of armies lying in wait in the hills, most of the warriors of Amon thought they were merely members of the scattered and weak bands of marauders who preyed on caravans throughout the region but would surely not be strong enough to attempt an attack upon an army such as theirs. That said, there was still a distinct air of caution as the army marched, and several small companies of light horse had been ordered to act as outriders, to scour the land upon all sides of the column and race back with reports of any potential danger.
      The column was approaching a wide valley, where the going would surely be easier for a little while. What the Prince did not know was that he would be fighting a full scale battle within the hour. The hills upon either side where rocky in places, and patches of soggy mire sat between some of them, but the ground along the middle of the valley was dry enough - whatever river had carved the valley out (if that’s what it was) was long gone. Little water reached the desert from these hills.


Unusually, the limbered mortar led the column, it’s crew having set off with the Swordsmen first that morning. Perhaps they had thought that this way, as the army overtook them later, they would still be somewhere in the middle of the coloumn by the end of the day? The Palace Guard Spear regiment and its crossbow detachment came next, followed by the large body of slave archers. Both cannons were being hauled together behind those archers, followed by the only unit of Light Horse remaining with the column and not out attempting to scout. A third large Foot regiment, the Desert Spears, marched next, ahead of the baggage, then came Gamouzo’s skirmishing tribal warriors.


Behind all of this, yet even to enter the valley, rode Prince Sadrin and his camel cavalry, followed by the war elephant and the handgunners. The mortar was crewed by city soldiers, men who had recently returned from Marienburg with the Prince, having acquired their artillery piece from that northern realm.


The slave archers in the centre of the column might be thought to be poor soldiers - but not so. Each knew that if they did good service upon this campaign then they would be granted full freedom, and even a chance then to enlist in the Prince’s standing army. In the meantime, they had the same rations as all the other foot soldiers, and they knew that their native skill in archery was sufficient to see them through a battle.


The two cannons were mighty pieces indeed, both also from the northern old world, one with a bronze barrel and the other cast iron. Desert warriors formed the crew of these, having been hastily trained in the art of gunnery before this expedition by the master gunner from one of Amon’s warships.


The baggage train was large, not just because the army was large too, but also because of the long distance the Prince intended to travel. Even so, Prince Sadrin knew full well that his men would have to forage and plunder once they reached the jungles. This did not over-concern him, however, because he knew the lush jungle to be fruitful as well as abundant in flesh, fish and fowl. The Wizard Zadra, travelling with Gamouzo looked down upon the baggage in front of him and took its measure. Not that he cared what it was carrying now, rather it was what it could carry back from the city of gold than interested him.


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Offline Padre

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Re: Story/Battle Report Project
« Reply #60 on: August 14, 2009, 03:53:17 PM »
Part Two (Turn 1)

Suddenly a force of Greenskin raiders, much larger than any had thought could possibly muster under one leader in such a barren and sparsely populated place, almost a full Waagh!, came thundering over the hills upon the other side of the valley - threatening the left flank of almost the entire column. 
     On the Greenskins’ far right flank was a huge and monstrous creature, a wyvern, upon which the leader of the raiding force was mounted, Warboss BoneMawler. By his left side was the first of three wolfrider companies, and then came his three lieutenants (or Big Bosses as the greenskins liked to call them): Dufdig, Erbad and Clubcra. All three were mounted in huge Boar chariots which made a sound like thunder as the trundled along. Two companies of Boar Riders came next in the line, the second being the biggest, meanest orcs in the army. These Big Uns were preceded by the second of the wolfrider companies, and flanked to their left by two wolf-drawn chariots, much lighter than the Big Bosses’ boar chariots. Last (and indeed least) came the third company of Wolfriders, out on the far left flank of the army.


They took the army of Amon entirely by surprise. Without doubt, they must have overwhelmed and destroyed any scouts who had come close to them, for no report of their presence in the vicinity of the column had been brought to the Prince. They probably chose the spot carefully, knowing the land well for it was their land, and thus it was they had managed to get so close and appear ‘out of the blue’ (quite literally) on the horizon of the valley side. Yet some of their surprise was lost by the need to descend down the hill and into the valley, and the arabs of Amon used that time well. (Game note: the arabs got first turn, and so could manoeuvre their column into better positions before the Greenskins were on them! )
      The Army of Amon now sounded drum and trumpet not in alarm but in order to transmit all the signals needed to wheel and reform and create some sort of battle line to meet the enemy. Gamouzo brought his warriors down from the hill to bring them towards the baggage train, hoping to provide some defence for the vital supplies. The train itself reformed and slunk back into the dip between two hills, trying to present as small a front as possible to the advancing Greenskins. The Desert Spears and their crossbow detachment turned to face the foe, one reforming, the other wheeling so as to bring their numbers to bear. Within the ranks of the Desert spear stood the second arab wizard, Mukri al-Hajib, as well as the Agha Qilij ad-Din an-Nasawa, who was the army standard bearer.


The two cannons in the centre hurriedly unlimbered and prepare themselves to fire …


… while the skirmishing archers turned to move towards the enemy, but not so far that they could not employ their bows also. The Palace Spearmen ended up in front of their detachment of Crossbows, due to their haste to get to the foe. Off even further out than them, the Swordsmen wheeled about and the mortar also unlimbered like the other artillery pieces.


The Light Horse, being the fastest and most flexible troops in the line, moved right out towards the enemy, hoping that by doing so they could intercept or at least slow the foe’s advance down. The rest of the army watched in a spirit of awe as these brave riders galloped out far ahead ready to make a lonely stand just to buy the rest of the army time.


But the riders had not gone so far that they could not attempt to shoot with their bows. When they did so they caused the first casualties of the day, bringing down two goblin wolfriders. On many occasions this would have been enough to send such cowardly warriors scarpering off in flight, but these goblins thought differently. Perhaps they had spotted the rich prize and that emboldened them to stay a little bit longer even in a place where their comrades had just died? Apart from these two deaths, the arabs with their magic and shooting could do no further harm to the Greenskins in this opening phase of the battle.

Apart from the goblin wolf riders on the far right, none of other Greenskins fell to squabbling just yet and all made their way forwards. BoneMawler cursed to himself, however, for he knew that there were more arab soldiers off to the right and he had intended to use the squabbling goblins as a distraction to slow them down. Nevertheless, he himself landed his wyvern in the far right - if the goblins could not counter the enemy's inevitable flanking move, then he and his monstrous mount would have to try.
    The wolf, boar and chariot mounted warriors moved up, each unit starting to wheel so that they aimed straight at the baggage. Every Greenskin there wanted that loot, and they could think of little else!


The Greenskins could do nothing with arrows or magic (they had no shamans with them, just a magical item or two), but this did not worry them. Like I said, they had loot on their mind and being creatures of little wit, that greedy thought filled what mind they had almost entirely.
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Offline Inarticulate

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Re: Story/Battle Report Project
« Reply #61 on: August 14, 2009, 05:53:20 PM »
Great stuff!
I for one welcome our new flying cat overlords.

Offline Padre

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Re: 'All that Glistens' - A Story/Bat Rep Project
« Reply #62 on: August 15, 2009, 09:12:43 AM »
Part 3 (Turn 2)

The three Big Bosses in their hulking chariots trundled forwards, their drivers’ long whips cracking at the tough hides of the boars. The lashes did not cause much pain to the boars, but registered enough to at least steer them, and the line of the three chariots was unusually neat (and, like the rest of the army, headed directly for the pack camels and mules).


With a huge roar accompanied by the fast beating of kettledrums, the rear of the Arabyan column entered the field of battle.


The handgunners scrambled up the hill and formed into a double line so that they could fire salvos employing every piece down at the foe. The war elephant, closest to the huge wvyern but entirely unafraid of it, perhaps helped by the fact that it towered over the winged serpent, turned to block the War Boss’s path. The crew had not thought what they would do if the wyvern simply flew over them, as it so obviously intended to do! Prince Sadrin and his elite regiment of camel riders took up position on the elephant’s right flank, planning to charge at any foe approaching Gamouzo and his tribal warriors who had now bravely moved in front of the baggage.


The light horse in the very centre of the battlefield speedily reformed so that they could launch a cloud of arrows at the wolf riders attempting to run right by them. These arrows were joined by twenty more coming from the slave archers, which all added up to kill all but two of the goblins. This last pair fled away, and much to the Big Un’s annoyance, their flight put them right in the way of the boar riders’ intended charge into the exposed flank of the light horse. (Game Note: There ought to be a army book rule about this sort of thing - would these orcs have halted a charge because a couple of gobbo’s might have been hurt? I mean really? Then again, as you’ll see soon, they didn’t get in the way in the end!! )


Out on the far right of the newly formed Arabyan line the swords and spears did what they could to approach the side of the field where the fighting was to happen. The two wizards now attempted to employ what magic they could, but although they managed first to gift Gamouzo with the strength and ferocity of a lion (Note: Bear’s Anger) Zadra then fumbled over the words of his next spell and the resultant wild magic struck him bloodily and collapsed the spell on Gamouzo!
     The artillery proved a lot more effective than the wizards. Not the mortar, for it misfired (its crew having been over hasty in unlimbering and preparing to fire and somehow botching the procedure). It was the cannons who came good. Both sent their iron balls right into the wyvern and in that one dual blast tore through its chest and passed through its heart (amongst other major organs). War Boss BoneMawler  now found himself lying on the ground beside his dead mount. As he got to his feet he silently cursed, and vowed vengeance on the Arabs for what they had done.
     As ever with Greenskins, even in the midst of battle, arguments have a tendency of breaking out, as one goblin annoys another or one orc takes offence at another’s face. Thus it was now, even in sight of the foe and the rich haul of baggage, that the lesser of the two boar riders’ units, and the wolf riders out on the farthest left, chsoe to squabble amongst themselves instead of advancing. If the wolf riders had not been so distracted, they might have driven the skirmishing archers away, and the board riders may even have reached Gamouzo. One unit, however, the Big Uns, chose this moment to close on their foe with renewed vigour, and pushed right through the pair of fleeing goblins before them to close right up to the horse. (Game note: We decided that in a compulsory move like this, two goblins would not force a big unit of Big Un’s to go around them and so we just pushed the two goblins out to the side)


When the Big Un’s launched their inevitable charge the light horse chose to flee but they could not outrun the enraged boars and were slaughtered in flight to a man. The Big Un boar riders trampled bloodily over their broken bodies, their momentum barely lessened, and smashed right into the huge block of Desert Spears.


Already the Greenskins were reaching the foe. Perhaps even with a wyvern lying dead on the field they could salvage success from this? BoneMawler moved himself over to to the elephant’s flank, not wanting to face a charge from such a monster, while the three Big Boss Chariots advanced once more. The wolf riders on the right flank advanced, perhaps thinking about attempting to aid their War Boss (but being goblins, probably having no such loyal action on their mind.)


The Big Un’s on boars hit the Desert Spears very hard, their Boss challenging and fighting the wizard, the rest slaying the Amon army standard bearer Agha Qilij (Game note: That Griffon Standard, if still there, would have saved them from running!) and killing the entire front rank. Although the Arabyan second rank thrust their spears forwards at the orcs, they could not harm them. This was a brutal blow the men of the desert could not withstand, and they broke and fled and were cut down just like the horsemen.
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Offline GamesPoet

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Re: 'All that Glistens' - A Story/Bat Rep Project
« Reply #63 on: August 15, 2009, 11:14:42 AM »
Woah.  The Wyvern attacked the elephant?  Looks like from the picture the warboss is still alive, but it doesn't seem to be looking good for the orcs.

I'm up early making breakfast (eggs, pork roll, coffee flavored with chocolate, raspberry lemonade, banana) and doing some catch up reading on this thread.  Very enjoyable way to spend an early Saturday morning.  Thanks Padre!  Your efforts inspire me to build more armies, paint more models, and eventually tell some stories like these. :icon_cool: :::cheers::: :eusa_clap:
"Not all who wander are lost ... " Tolkien

"... my old suggestion is forget it, take two aspirins and go paint" steveb

"The beauty of curiosity and creativity is so much more useful than the passion of fear." me

"Until death it is all life." Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra

Offline Inarticulate

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Re: 'All that Glistens' - A Story/Bat Rep Project
« Reply #64 on: August 15, 2009, 01:22:57 PM »
Woah.  The Wyvern attacked the elephant?  Looks like from the picture the warboss is still alive, but it doesn't seem to be looking good for the orcs.

I'm up early making breakfast (eggs, pork roll, coffee flavored with chocolate, raspberry lemonade, banana) and doing some catch up reading on this thread.  Very enjoyable way to spend an early Saturday morning.  Thanks Padre!  Your efforts inspire me to build more armies, paint more models, and eventually tell some stories like these. :icon_cool: :::cheers::: :eusa_clap:

Likewise!

Though those boar chariots are looking a little nasty. I'd bet on them ploughing through many a brave Arabyan!
I for one welcome our new flying cat overlords.

Offline Von Kurst

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Re: 'All that Glistens' - A Story/Bat Rep Project
« Reply #65 on: August 15, 2009, 02:05:57 PM »
The Prince had better look to his baggage or all is lost!  As it is he's going to need reinforcing even if he wins.

Of course the Orc Warlord may not live to see a victory...

Have a pint on me for the tale!
“Why is the rum always gone?” -Captain Jack Sparrow
"It is, it is a glorious thing To be a Pirate King."
 -Gilbert, Sir W(illiam) S(chwenck)

Offline Padre

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Re: 'All that Glistens' - A Story/Bat Rep Project
« Reply #66 on: August 15, 2009, 06:56:49 PM »
Thanks guys

@ GP: The wyvern was killed by two arab cannon balls in turn 2. I'm sure I put that bit in .... wait I'll check ... yup it's there. I would have liked to see what happened re: elephant versus wyvern, but it was not to be in this battle!

I'll get the rest up ASAP, for the mo, I've been drinking too much beer and thus really should not be trying to post!!

Just saw Uryens at a BBQ. It was great fun. He's still there now 'cos he doesn't have a baby to put to bed, as do I! In fact ... got to go ...
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Offline Kriegspiel

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Re: 'All that Glistens' - A Story/Bat Rep Project
« Reply #67 on: August 15, 2009, 08:02:48 PM »
 :::cheers:::

Looking forwar to seeing more .

Offline GamesPoet

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Re: 'All that Glistens' - A Story/Bat Rep Project
« Reply #68 on: August 15, 2009, 09:21:34 PM »
Thanks guys

@ GP: The wyvern was killed by two arab cannon balls in turn 2. I'm sure I put that bit in .... wait I'll check ... yup it's there. I would have liked to see what happened re: elephant versus wyvern, but it was not to be in this battle!
Ah ... not sure how I missed that, but I went back and reread.  Maybe I misplaced where I had left off in between reading here and making breakfast. :icon_rolleyes: :icon_lol:

Quote
I'll get the rest up ASAP, for the mo, I've been drinking too much beer and thus really should not be trying to post!!

Just saw Uryens at a BBQ. It was great fun. He's still there now 'cos he doesn't have a baby to put to bed, as do I! In fact ... got to go ...
Sounds like Uryens has been eating heartily today. :icon_wink:

As for beer, I've been sipping leftover wine from last night dinner, and its much better today, so I went out and bought two more bottles for cellaring.  Having lamb, rice, and wax beans tonight.  And more wine. :icon_wink:

(GP, this is Padre's story thread! :icon_eek: :icon_mad:)

Ooops. :icon_redface:
"Not all who wander are lost ... " Tolkien

"... my old suggestion is forget it, take two aspirins and go paint" steveb

"The beauty of curiosity and creativity is so much more useful than the passion of fear." me

"Until death it is all life." Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra

Offline Inarticulate

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Re: 'All that Glistens' - A Story/Bat Rep Project
« Reply #69 on: August 15, 2009, 10:29:19 PM »
You are giving us a good insight into your culinary habits today, GP! :D

:::cheers:::

Looking forwar to seeing more .

Seconded.

Oh and every Yorkshireman eats and drinks heartily, its what they're famous for! They all also have hearty laughs and say 'aye-up'.
I for one welcome our new flying cat overlords.

Offline GamesPoet

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Re: 'All that Glistens' - A Story/Bat Rep Project
« Reply #70 on: August 15, 2009, 11:28:55 PM »
You are giving us a good insight into your culinary habits today, GP! :D
For some, my liking of wine isn't new. :icon_wink: :icon_cool:
"Not all who wander are lost ... " Tolkien

"... my old suggestion is forget it, take two aspirins and go paint" steveb

"The beauty of curiosity and creativity is so much more useful than the passion of fear." me

"Until death it is all life." Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra

Offline Uryens de Crux

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Re: 'All that Glistens' - A Story/Bat Rep Project
« Reply #71 on: August 15, 2009, 11:30:41 PM »
Aye up

 :icon_lol: :::cheers:::
We go to gain a little patch of ground that hath in it no profit but the name.
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The Barony of Wusterburg

Offline Padre

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Re: 'All that Glistens' - A Story/Bat Rep Project
« Reply #72 on: August 16, 2009, 12:59:15 PM »
Part 4 (Turns 3 & 4)

With a roar that could be heard by the swordsmen upon the far side of the field, the war elephant now charged towards Big Boss Erbad’s chariot, a sight so terrifying that Erbad immediately turned and ran. War Boss Bonemawler thanked the orcen gods Gork and Mork that the beast and its crew had ignored him - his own legs would not have carried him to safety like the boars pulling the chariot had done for Erbad!


Frustratingly for Prince Sadrin, he and his heavy camel cavalry could not get through the gap ahead of them, so they could not join in the elephant’s charge. Elsewhere, however, other Arabyans did manage a charge - the Palace Spearmen chasing off a unit of wolfriders. Neither of these Arabyan charges reached the foe. These Greenskins were proving top be not only mobile but slippery too!

As the Arabyan wizards’ magic fizzled and failed, a variety of artillery pieces gave fire. The mortar proved very effective now that it did not misfire, killing three of the orc boar riders who had been squabbling - a turn of events which first snapped them out of their quarrel and then dismayed them so much that they turned and fled! At the same time, one of the canons misfired, but the other tore one of the boar chariots apart, leaving Big Boss Dufdig to continue the battle on foot, just like his master Bonemawler. Dufdig hefted his magical axe and eyed the elephant off to his right. He needed time to work out exactly what he might do next, not that he was dazed by the sudden destruction of his chariot, rather that his orcen brain was not exactly built for speedy thinking!


The goblin wolfriders on the far right realised that they could hit the elephant in its flank. Steeling themselves to overcome their fear of its huge size, and experiencing a rare surge of boldness they began to move towards it. Then, holding their spears tips high to aim at the beasts heavy cloth covered flank, they charged.


The unusually brave goblins did manage to drag one crewman out of the howdah and pierce him with spears as he lay on the ground, but while they did so three of their own number were trampled to death. Belatedly realising the utter foolishness of attempting to attack such a massive monster, the survivors now did what goblins do best and ran away.
     
Their bravery in charging in the first place had not gone unnoticed. Not wanting to be outdone by a bunch of pathetic goblins several orcs also charged the foe. Bonemawler, still a little unbalanced by the death of his wyvern, threw himself alone into the camel riders and challenged the prince himself to fight. Big Boss Clubcra, having decided that although there was something frightening about Gamouzo he would not let it stop him, charged headlong into the tribal warriors blocking the way to the baggage.



This proved utterly overhwelming for the southlander skirmishers: the heavy chariot tore four of them down from the impact alone, and more still were gored by the boars. Clubcra smashed Gamouzo’s head in with his Screamin’ Sword, then hacked it completely off for good measure. The last surviving tribal warriors fled along with Zadra the wizard, and were ridden down brutally by the chariot. (Zadra lay unconscious but not quite dead amongst their broken bodies.) Clubcra thus found himself in amongst the baggage he and the rest of BoneMawler’s raiders had lusted after for days. His sword was bloody, his boars enraged and he was surrounded by loot. He was in Greenskin heaven!
   
Still more charges were being delivered, not least the two goblin chariots who now launched themselves at the Arabyans’ cannons. They might not be as heavy as the orc boar chariots, but this had proved a boon so far, for the foe had failed to notice them and thus had not put a stop to them. One was studded with arrows, yes, but it still had momentum enough to crash into the cannon crew. Between them, these two chariots killed every gunner and crewman there. The Arabyans would not be using their guns any more this battle.


To the rear of the Greenskin’s line Big Boss Erbad figured it was safe to stop running and turn about to see what was happening. One of the goblin wolf rider units did the same. The orc boar riders and the pair of wolfriders in the very centre of the field, however, decided that they would go a little further before turning back around, just to make sure no one could reach them.
     
The Big Un boar riders busied themselves reforming on the rocky ground were they had dispersed the Desert Spears, to face towards the hill that was between them and their real goal - the baggage. Off on the other side of that baggage BoneMawler and the Prince of Amon were locked in combat, both drawing blood, but Bonemawler’s rage held and he fought on. The two of them now began a drawn-out combat that would see them busy thrusting, hacking and parrying for some time.


The skirmishing slave archers chose this moment to see if they could chase off the wolf chariots, as they had previously failed to finish them off with their bows. Both chariots fled (the archers charge would have allowed them to reach both), and both were actually happy about this, for their voluntary flight took them towards the Arabyan baggage! The crossbows on the hill managed to rally and reform to face the slowly advancing boar riders, though in truth their hearts were not really set upon facing a charge by a unit of Big Uns that had just chased down an entire regiment of twenty five and two of their nobles.
     
As the war elephant wheeled to try and get itself to a position where it might launch a telling charge, the handgunners on the hill took pot shots at Dufdig (who was running around below them on his own). The Greenskin gods must have favoured him, for all the bullets all missed. While Dufdig pranced about his fellow Big Boss, Clubcra, easily dispatched the few arab slaves willing to try and defend the baggage, and thus rolled his chariot right into the heart of the loot. (Game note: The baggage was counted as a kind of mobile terrain feature, with four models who could be used like a cannon crew to defend it. Now that Clubcra had properly contacted it, then as long as he was alive at the end of the game then he would get the +150 VP bonus for having grabbed some loot.)


For some reason known only to themselves, the spear armed wolf riders now decided they would move towards the Palace Spearmen, as if to threaten them (Animosity @ 6), but then they came to their senses and moved directly away again as far as they could - it was far enough that the Spearmen could not possibly reach them in a charge.

(This pic is from just before the wolfriders’ bizarrely bold turn toward the foe. )

Big Boss Erbad, however, felt a little more reckless and attempted to charge the elephant’s exposed flank with his chariot. He failed, as the beast was just too far away for his lumbering war machine to reach it. The Big Un boar riders at the bottom of the hill looked up at the crossbowmen above them …


… and decided to stop faffing about trying to reform and get on with the business of battle. They charged them, slowed a little by the rocky ground, admittedly, they would still have been able to reach them if the arabs had not chosen to flee away (which they did). Still, the board riders could now see the baggage down below them and some of them were literally salivating at the thought of what they could take.
     
Behind them one of the wolf chariots slowed its flight as the crew chose to stick around. The other one turned to its left to get away as quickly as possible from the archers behind. This proved a very bad decision for it passed over the rear of the rocky ground just vacated by the boar riders and jolted itself to pieces, tossing it's crew down to dash them against the rocks. Far away, next to the Greenskin’s own baggage which was behind a hill on the far side of the valley, the other boar riders finally stopped their running and turned to see if anyone was following them. As they stood there, with their own baggage closer to the foe than themselves, they wondered what BoneMawler might have to say to them later about their lack of contribution to the fighting. What they didn’t know was that BoneMawler was trying to fight an entire regiment of heavy cavalry and a heroic Arabyan prince to boot - a state of affairs that made it rather unlikely they would have to listen to his complaints that evening.


Not that BoneMawler was dead yet - he remained locked in combat with the Prince and once again drew royal blood! His fury held a bit longer and he fought on, refusing to accept that against so many his fight must surely prove ultimately futile.

While he fought, Clubcra was rolling his loot-laden chariot through the baggage, and Dufdig was still trying to get away from the war elephant. All in all the Greenskins were not having too bad a day!


Photobucket has now re-destroyed my pictures, so the first half of my collected works thread is no longer working again. To see my website version of the campaign thread, with fully functioning pictures, please go to https://bigsmallworlds.com/

Offline Von Kurst

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Re: 'All that Glistens' - A Story/Bat Rep Project
« Reply #73 on: August 16, 2009, 02:15:21 PM »
A nail biter and no mistake!  Have a pint and tell on!
“Why is the rum always gone?” -Captain Jack Sparrow
"It is, it is a glorious thing To be a Pirate King."
 -Gilbert, Sir W(illiam) S(chwenck)

Offline jan_boruta

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  • Nordland Navy in for the kill!
Re: 'All that Glistens' - A Story/Bat Rep Project
« Reply #74 on: August 16, 2009, 06:14:25 PM »
Cliff-hanging story, keep it coming as it's easily one of the best reports one can read!
sheer poofy-sleeved bad-assery

I am a modeller
And I file, and I file
I file through ten tons of mold lines
Till the stars come out of the sky!