I pushed my men hard, anxious to reach the fighting. We had not reached the spot which has become known as Skull Hill (site of a massacre in which a combined Dwarf/Empire Army was routed by a Beastmen and Wood Elf force) when the scouts came back pale and trembling. A new foe stood in our way- the walking dead.
1000 points Empire vs Necromancers (well, Vampire Counts with no Vampires).
Empire army
Volker the
Mad Fiddler- General, Empire Captain, White Cloak, Full Plate, Shield
Albrecht Schaar-
Battle Wizard- Bright Order, 2nd Circle, Dispel Scroll, Doomfire Ring
10 Archers
10 Crossbows
25 Free Company
25 Halberdiers
2 detachments
of 8 Free Company
5 Huntsmen
Great Cannon
Halfling Hot
Pot- Colonel and Master Chef Saunders
Undead
2 Bases of
Spirit host (terrible, and very powerful in low point games)
2 Big Units
of Skellies
1 Unit of
Grave Guard
1 Unit of
Ghouls
2 Necromancers
(both Lvl 2)
On our side of the field, we had a small hill on the right and another, larger one of the left. This second hill was not that useful a firing position as a large part of it was occupied by some ruins. This hill sent a little spur out just in front of our deployment zone to about the midpoint of the table. I deployed the melee regiments behind this spur, with the Huntsmen in front of them (hampered as they were by the lack of terrain to hide in). With not much choice, the missile support was forced onto the larger hill and could see the centre of the field, but not the left flank. The larger hill extended all the way to the Undead lines, and Spirit host was deployed on it. The middle of the Undead deployment zone was sheltered by a group of stones, and another small hill was on their left (my right). One group of the skellies deployed on the right (my left) of the stone, while the other skellies, Grave Guard, and Ghouls deployed on the hill.
We
moved quickly and I ordered the men to take up the high ground on the spur.
The cannon crew packed a bit too much powder and overshot the skellies.
Saunders got picky about his spices and didn’t bother firing. The Archers
and Crossbows killed 2 Skellies. Albrecht, saddled with spells of dubious
value (Wall of Fire, and Fiery Sword [exchanged for Fireball]) cast nothing.
The
undead surged forward. A wave of magic, which Albrecht would later confirm
as being irresistible swept over the Grave Guard and carried them into
my Halberds. Around me, the men tightened their grips on their weapons
and prepare to meet their foe, but the hearts of the Free Companies (both
units) failed them and they refused to counter-charge (damn!). Albrecht
seized some power from the distracted necros (miscast), and hurled a fireball
into the spirit hosts returning some to the rightful sleep. The battle
in the middle was close, but our numbers and the advantage of higher ground
carried the day, and one of the Undead Warriors crumbled to dust, though
no blade had touched him.
Seeing
that men can really die twice, one of the groups of Free Companies finds
the heart to charge the flank of the Grave Guard. The Huntsmen rush forward
and end up on the flank of both skellie units. Other units hold. The cannon
again packs in too much powder (10” on the first artillery dice) and its
shot shatters only a single skeleton at the back of a unit. Saunders decides
his chicken fat is ready and 3 skeletons are melted in the broth. In a
combat, the foulest of stenches arose and none of my men, myself included,
save Heimlich, the unit champion, hits anything. Fortunately, Heimlich
wins his challenge. 3 Halberds and one militia man fall to the abominations,
but our numbers again carry the day, and 3 more of the monsters crumble.
The
archers are forced to flee from the spirit host, and the ghouls charge
the Free Company detachment. Then, to my horror, Albrecht uses his scroll
to stop one sorcerous assault, but fails to dispel a second more dire one
(a big mistake on my part), and a unit of zombies (13) claws to surface
behind my halberdiers. In combat, I moved out to challenge the misshapen
being that led the ghouls. The thing’s quickness surprised me, and its
dirty claws found a gap in my defenses before I disemboweled it. Three
of the militia fell to its foul minions. A single Halberd, and a single
Grave Guard are cut down. The militia flee the battle (later they would
claim it was a tactical retreat to confront the new arrived zombies), but
my Halberds hold firm.
The
archers manage to rally, but before they do so, they panic the crossbows
and the cannon crew. Albrecht manages to bungle his spells, forgetting
the correct words and instead mumbling, “Klaatu barada nnhh-hmmmm, polite
cough, sputter, etc.”. The Hot Pot is accurate and few zombies collapse,
but too many (9 or 10) remain. The Free Company rally and turn to face
the zombies. The other detachment charges the Grave Guard’s other flank,
while the militia unit charge the front and the Huntsmen hit the rear of
one of the skellie units. The Grave Guard finally crumble under the repeated
attacks, and the Free Company continue their charge into the slightly surprised
ghouls. One necromancer sees his bodyguard thinned to a mere 5 skeletons,
as the militia surround the unit.
My
halberds are stuck and exhausted from fighting, yet they stand defiantly
as the second unit of skellies charges the front of their unit and the
zombies charge their rear. Again, the are betrayed by their comrades who
refuse to counter-charge the zombies flank, but instead stand rooted in
fear. Albrecht manages to continue mumbling incoherently, and 7 skeletons
previously though dead, rise again to join the fight against the Free Company.
The disconcerts the militia, and they manage to destroy one a single skeleton
(14 attacks, 1 unsaved wound, pitiful), but still manage to win combat,
and as the magic weakens, 5 skeletons crumbled. Things don’t so well elsewhere.
The Free Company fails to hurt the ghouls and flee. I killed only a single
skeleton, and the Halberdiers could do no better. Those at the back hacked
apart two zombies, but one of the them (Darius of Bernburg, I will avenge
you) was dragged down. Our foes were too many, and even the bravest hearts
gave into their fear. I was carried along in the rush and my men were scattered
beyond recovery (though after the battle, those that survived returned
in ones and twos. When we again meet those that never returned, we shall
grant them there rest in the hall of Sigmar).
The
cannon crew and x-bows rally, and no one panics. Albrecht manages to raise
a Wall of Fire which consumes 4 Zombies in its flames. But, he can do nothing
else. The Free Company and Huntsmen finally destroy the necromancer and
his bodyguard.
The
ghouls charge the unit of Free Company, who are still strong in number.
Saunders and his assistants flee from the Spirit Host. Albrecht manages
to stop the remaining necros magic. Reports from my men are spotty at best,
but somehow, the ghouls manage to defeat and break the militia, but fail
to run them down.
From
reports, it does not seem to me that the battle was yet lost, but the militia
must have believed differently as they continued to flee and left the battlefield.
Albrecht seconds their opinion as he and his archers also panicked and
fled. This well and truly ended the battle, though the Undead’s possession
of the field was a much narrower thing, than the end result would seem
to indicate.
The battle
though was not a total loss. An effective way must be found to counter
the spirit hosts who seem immune to almost all attacks, and Albrecht needs
to review his lessons about defensive, and counter magic. Perhaps a Bright
Wizard, so focused on destruction, is not the best choice to protect my
army. I hope to find a Priest of Taal, perhaps a Guardian of Knowledge,
or, at worst, a Grey Shadow to watch over my men (Life Mage, Light Mage,
or Shadow Mage).
Fortunately,
the Undead force we faced was simply an advance party of a larger force.
The esteemed general Brennen von Glock arrived, and our combined forces
faced this larger Undead force. Together, thanks in large part to the success
of our artillery, especially von Glock's Volley Gun, we had the battle
well in hand (a unit of ghouls had been routed, a unit of zombies obliterated,
and second unit of zombies severely mauled, while my Halberds were postioned
to flank charge the unit of skeletons protecting the Vampire who lead the
army) when a strange magic storm [the store was closing]
came up and seperated the forces.