Thane Gudnam felt a sense of pride as with practised ease the dwarf battle line formed up. Warriors made final checks on their equipment and officers shouted commands. Staring out at the enemy Gudnam saw they had started to advance as if compelled by some silent order. A hush descended on the dwarfs as Gudnam stepped forward and opened the book of grudges that he carried. As he read aloud from the ancient book he could see the effect it had on the dwarf's around him they gripped thier weapons tightly, stood that bit taller and seemed to grow in confidence. Gomil leader of the hammerers shouted "incoming!" seconds later with a hideous scream a skull flew over the dwarven army and exploded behind them in a shower of razor sharp bone fragments. Turning to the nearby cannon crew Gudnam shouted "show these abyss born scum what a really war machine looks like" moments later a sound like thunder echoed off the mountains flanking Durin's gap the battle had began.
Jean D'Noir gave the silent order for her army to advance. With low moans and the creaking of ancient armour they set of at a shuffle towards the dwarf line. On her right the ghoul pack loped forward eager to taste dwarf flesh. Closing her eyes Jean started to chant softly she opened her mage sight and saw the winds of magic blowing across the skies above her. multi coloured clouds of pure energy. With her mage sight Jean could see the thin strands of dark magic that connected her to each undead warrior in her army. Jean continued to chant drawing the black coiling energy of dark magic down into her body and then sending it back out towards her undead charges as she watched the the strands of dark energy grew visible thicker. Her spell complete jean was jolted back to her senses by a loud noise like rolling thunder. As she watched an iron ball slammed into a regiment of skeletons smashing aging bone and rusted armour into dust scything down several skeletons before burying itself in the ground.
Turn 1 kicked off with the undead advancing as fast as they could towards the dwarf line. While the dwarfs chose to whittle down the living dead with their superior firepower. The dwarf cannon took out several skeletons while the undead catapult overshot by some distance. Jean cast a spell to increase the range of her control over her undead from 12" to 24". while Gudnam used his magic book to enthuse the dwarf warriors unit giving them +1 LD. in the reserve phase they undead continued to move toward the dwarf line.
Turn 2Engineer Sargent Kila Rockheart watched as the ghouls ran towards his regiment of thunderers. Calmly he gave his orders in a loud clear voice "Take aim!, Mark you targets!, "Fire!" There was a satisfying roar of black powder weapons being unleashed. Through the flashes and smoke of discharging weapons Kila saw several of the loathsome undead plucked of their feet by lead bullets.
With a big grin he turned to his regiment"well done la..........". Several of his charges stood looking sheepish their faces blackened, beards smoking and horribly mangled arquebuses in their hands. Kila shook his head "How many times? Don't use so much bloody powder!"
Jean watched as the dwarfs cannon fired again blasting more of her army to dust. Turning to the nearby catapult she shouted "Silence that infernal machine!". As the catapult crew worked to fire their machine Jean pulled a handful of human teeth from a pouch on her belt "I think some reinforcements might be in order" she said. Chanting softly she sucked in a mouthful of dark energy and blew it softly over the teeth in her palm before throwing them onto the ground. As her spell finished she mouthed one word "Arise". All around her skeleton warriors burst from the ground.
Jean watched as the dwarfs cannon fired again blasting more of her army to dust. Turning to the nearby catapult she shouted "Silence that infernal machine!". As the catapult crew worked to fire their machine Jean pulled a handful of human teeth from a pouch on her belt "I think some reinforcements might be in order" she said. Chanting softly she sucked in a mouthful of dark energy and blew it softly over the teeth in her palm before throwing them onto the ground. As her spell finished she mouthed one word "Arise". All around her skeleton warriors burst from the ground.
Turn 2 saw the undead continue to advance at all speed towards the dwarf lines. More undead fell to crossbows, handguns (although three dwarfs managed to misfire) and cannon fire(removing 6 zombies). Jean cast a spell to raise seven new skeletons. The undead catapult managed to land a shot on the dwarf cannon killing a crewman.
Turn 3The ghouls were on the thunderers in seconds and a vicious melee broke out Killa swung his aquebus two handed like a club as he attempted to hold two slavering ghouls at bay. Distracted as he was Killa didn't noticed the ghoul behind him until it's venomous teeth sank into his arm.
Turn 4
Kurt Ricter slashed his evil glowing rune sword across the back of another dwarf. Centuries of hate and frustration gave strength to his blow. Unlike the zombies he led, Kurt was self aware. In life he'd been a hero to his people in death he was a slave to a wizard aware of his undead life yet with no control of it Kurt took his anger out on the fleeing dwarfs around him.
Jean allowed here self a smile of satisfaction as the ghoul pack on her right flank swarmed all over the dwarven regiment. Using their numbers the ghouls pulled down the dwarf warriors clawing and biting them as they bore them to the ground. The dwarfs broke throwing down their weapons and fleeing the ghouls following close behind hacking at the fleeing dwarfs. Jean watched with a mix of fascination and revulsion as some of the ghouls fell on the dead bodies of the dwarfs and began to feed.
Turn 3 saw things really hot up. The undead started to close to within charge range. The ghouls charged the thunderers and beat them in combat forcing the dwarfs to rout (ghouls cause fear so the dwarfs broke automatically) several ghouls failed to follow up the dwarfs but stayed to feed on the dead (nice) while the rest gave chase to the routing dwarfs. Seeing the thunders rout the dwarf cannon crew panicked and fled too.
Turn 3 saw things really hot up. The undead started to close to within charge range. The ghouls charged the thunderers and beat them in combat forcing the dwarfs to rout (ghouls cause fear so the dwarfs broke automatically) several ghouls failed to follow up the dwarfs but stayed to feed on the dead (nice) while the rest gave chase to the routing dwarfs. Seeing the thunders rout the dwarf cannon crew panicked and fled too.
The undead artillery failed to land on target again. Jean cast a second summon skeletons spell adding three more skeletons to the seven from last turn, leaving her with only a couple of magic points left.
The dwarfs passed their fear checks and the dwarf warriors charged the zombies and the Hammerers led by Thane Gudnam charged the skeleton regiment. The dwarf warriors in an abject display of combat ability failed to kill any zombies while losing two of their number resulting in another auto break result. The Hammerers showed the rest of the army how to do it smashing up four skeletons and watching more crumble as instability took hold.
Turn 4Thane Gudnam swung his hammer two handed in a wide arc smashing another skeleton into dust. All around him the hammerers were pushing forward over piles of rusted armour and broken bones that had been skeleton warriors. As the fight swung in the favour of the dwarfs the magic binding the skeletons started to unravel and skeletons collapsed into heaps. "Destroy them! destroy them all " shouted Gudnam sensing victory.
Kurt Ricter slashed his evil glowing rune sword across the back of another dwarf. Centuries of hate and frustration gave strength to his blow. Unlike the zombies he led, Kurt was self aware. In life he'd been a hero to his people in death he was a slave to a wizard aware of his undead life yet with no control of it Kurt took his anger out on the fleeing dwarfs around him.
Turn 4 saw the ghouls reforming having chased the thunderers of the table. The dwarf crossbows attempted to charge the zombies in the flank as the chased the fleeing dwarf warriors however fear got the better of them and they failed to charge. The hammerers destroyed the skeleton regiment. Heni Trollsbane the dwarf slayer charged the ghouls feasting on the dead thunderers and dispatched them all in a single round of combat.
Turn 5Olaf Gunnison quarreller Sargent of a crossbow regiment stared across the battlefield. With the dust, smoke and noise it was hard to tell what was going on. His gut told him things weren't going well and his gut was rarely wrong. As he wondered what orders to give his regiment the wind seemed to clear the dust and smoke for an instant. There stood some distance away was a female manling dressed in red and carrying a staff. Olaf quickly decided on his new orders "Shoot the witch!"
Jean cursed it was hard to tell what was going on as the battle descended into chaos. Out of the dust and smoke a fierce looking dwarf wielding two vicious axes appeared heading towards her as fast as his stubby looking legs could carry him. Jean didn't need to think twice, drained of energy she was powerless to stop the evil looking dwarf, she turned on her heels and ran. Quickly outpacing her purser Jean started to relax and then she screamed as a crossbow bolt buried it's self in her thigh.
Turn five saw the magically summoned skeletons charge the hammerers in an attempt to stop them. The undead catapult continued to lob skulls randomly around failing to hit anything at all. the zombies continued to cut down fleeing dwarfs. The ghouls headed towards the rear of the hammerers hoping to set up a charge next turn. Jean headed away from the dwarf troll slayer putting her in front of the dwarf crossbow regiment.
The hammerers smashed the skeletons to pieces. While Heni Trollsbane headed towards Jean. The crossbows shot jean taking two of her three wounds.
Turn 6Thane Gudnam and the hammerers gave a great cheer of victory as the last of the skeletons facing them collapsed. "victory!" shouted Gudnam instead of a roar of dwarven approval he was expecting his cry was meet with animalistic howls and shouts of panicked dwarven voices coming from the rear of his regiment. Suddenly panic reigned all around Gudnam. Gomil the hammerer leader fell forward a vicious creature in dirty rags raking his back with filthy razor sharp talons. "Hold HOLD!" shouted Gudnam even as the dwarfs broke in flight.
Jean D'Mort cried with pain she was hurt bad and she knew it. In front of her dwarf warriors were re-loading their deadly crossbows. Behind her the evil looking dwarf with the axes was closing in fast. Summoning every last ounce of power Jean started to chant the words of a spell of flight to allow her to escape her predicament. The spell was simple but in her panicked state and with pain flaring through her leg she fumbled the words. She heard the twang of crossbows being fired looking up she just had time to say "Oh sh........." Jean D'Mort was dead.
Turn 6 saw the battle come to a bloody end. The ghouls charged into the rear of the Hammerers regiment cutting down dwarfs and forcing them to rout. The zombies chased the dwarf warriors of the table. Jean tried to cast a flight spell but failed an intelligence test so was shot dead by the dwarf crossbows instead.
Jean D'Mort cried with pain she was hurt bad and she knew it. In front of her dwarf warriors were re-loading their deadly crossbows. Behind her the evil looking dwarf with the axes was closing in fast. Summoning every last ounce of power Jean started to chant the words of a spell of flight to allow her to escape her predicament. The spell was simple but in her panicked state and with pain flaring through her leg she fumbled the words. She heard the twang of crossbows being fired looking up she just had time to say "Oh sh........." Jean D'Mort was dead.
Turn 6 saw the battle come to a bloody end. The ghouls charged into the rear of the Hammerers regiment cutting down dwarfs and forcing them to rout. The zombies chased the dwarf warriors of the table. Jean tried to cast a flight spell but failed an intelligence test so was shot dead by the dwarf crossbows instead.
AftermarthOlaf Gunnison peered into the dawning light of morning from behind the improvised barricade that surrounded the baggage train. It had been several hours since the last undead attack on the survivors of the dwarf army and in the improving light it seemed the undead were gone.
The dwarfs losses in battle had been so heavy that Olaf a mere Sargent was the most senior officer left alive. He and his crossbows had retreated to the baggage train as darkness fell organising the camp followers Olaf and the survivors had fought of several undead attacks over night as wounded and lost dwarfs had emerged out of the darkness to seek the safety of the baggage train.
As Olaf rubbed his tired eyes he see saw two figures emerge out of the morning gloom "Stand to!" shouted Olaf. All around him weary dwarfs manned the baricades clutching weapons. A voice called out in dwarvish " Stop pointing those ruddy crossbows at me or I'll shove me axe up your jacksee lad" Olaf quickly reconisged Heni the troll slayer covered in ichor and bone dust and supporting a heavily wounded dwarf."I think the Thane might need a bit'o help" shouted Heni.
Result a draw
Result a draw
Great after action battle write up :O)
ReplyDeleteI like your roads by the way...scratchbuilt but out of what?