Once again, the Skaven were lurking around, performing some advance scouting on the Elves and Dwarfs as they prepared to clash.
Deployment in this battle was a major factor. The Dwarfs made some very poor deployment that would haunt them the entire game. The Elves deployed wisely and enacted a sound plan based on this deployment.
First three turns mainly saw a slow advance by dwarfs. Dwarf cannon and crossbow fire concentrated on large block of elf spearmen, taking out 2-5 per turn. Magic generally ineffective.
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| Blast 'em! |
After losing two Reavers, the unit again used their Fast Cavalry ability to move quickly, arriving behind the dwarf line and threatening the rear of the dwarf cannon. Recognizing the mortal threat, the cannon crew spun the creaking cannon around and fired a grapeshot, killing two more Reavers and forcing the remaining knight to flee off the board.
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| grapeshot! |
In returning fire, the High Elf Repeater Bolt Thrower unlooses a single shot and takes out the gyrocopter.
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| Line 'em up... |
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| ...and knock 'em down |
And now we get to the critical turns of the game: Turn 3 and 4. The Swordmasters of Hoeth charged Dwarf clansmen. We get them into contact and we're ready to start combat when we remembered that the Elf prince was wearing a magic Cloak of Beards making the clansmen both Fear and Hate the prince. This has direct effect on the game: the Clansmen should have needed to pass a leadership check to withstand the charge. In our haste to correct our mistake, we compounded it. We decided to make the dwarfs take their fear test: they failed, then with the Battle Standard Bearer (BSB) in the unit they get a re-roll. Failed the BSB reroll! So, because we had already moved them into contact we mistakenly thought it was an existing combat we that they would flee. They turn tail and roll a 12 for flee (-1 because their Dwarfs, so 11), heading towards table edge. At this point, we thought the elves were allowed to pursue, which they did, directly into what was left of the dwarf spearmen who were still in a column march formation resulting in a flank charge. We then resolved that combat immediately, the spearmen champion survives, almost kills the prince with the cloak, but doesn't. He breaks, gets caught, and the Swordmasters pursue right into the block of fleeing clansmen, running them down. They, and the BSB, are now dead. This was bad for the dwarfs.
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| the Dwarf dead pile |
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| now what? |
With a huge hole in center of dwarf line, decision is to take the fight to the enemy and charge the dwarf Hammerers unit into the elf spearmen who have been methodically reduced to half their original strength from constant cannonballs and crossbows. Even knowing that the Elves would get three ranks AND strike first because of the Hammerers were wielding double-handed weapons, the dwarfs charge anyway. In close combat, dwarfs win but elves barely hold. Dwarfs lap around bringing many more to the fight. Next round, dwarfs win combat and break the spearmen.
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| lap around, lads! |
In the final two turns, some additional movement occurs to try and secure or deny table quarters for victory points, but the battle was essentially over.
After adding up the victory points on both sides, and then re-calculating because of a mistake, the Elves won a close, but Solid Victory over the Dwarfs. It was a great battle; lots of fun.
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| High Elves for the Win! |
Postscript:
The reason that Turns 3 & 4 were critical was because we forgot about the Cloak of Beards when the Swordmasters charged the Clansmen. What should have happened was, before the Swordmasters moved, they declare the charge, and the Clansmen take their Fear test - if they pass then they fight as normal. If they fail, they would need 6's to hit in the first round of combat (Swordmasters unit strength was not greater than the clansmen). After this is determined, THEN the Swordmasters should be moved into combat. We didn't do the Fear test until after the Swordmasters had moved, and then because of that we somehow screwed up thought a combat had actually occurred causing the Dwarfs to automatically flee a feared enemy allowing the daisy-chain flee-pursue-charge-flee-pursue-charge situation that all occurred in one turn. That's not supposed to happen. Oh well.
But it sure made for an exciting and dramatic game!
