Edge of the Abyss

The game was played as part of the International Campaign Day, the scenario was a modified invade with a good side defending a Godstone token placed in the exact center of the defender's side, the back of the token touching the table edge. The aim of the attacking player was to get his units at least partly within 14" from the token. The defender had also a privilege of relocating two pieces of terrain which my opponent used to move one hill into a center of his deployment zone (to place his archers there) and removed a blocking terrain (putting it into the far corner of my deployment zone) that obscured a view from a forest in his deployment where he apparently wanted to place his catapults.

My opponent was Merri, an Undead player who used the new Ophidian character Jarvis, so his force played for the good side. For this game we fielded armies for 1500 points plus a special living legend created using up to 3 magic items for a total cost of up to 200 points. My hero was a high priestess Khalida with surge (10) and heal (4) and magic items providing heal(+2), rallying(1) and Myrddin’s Amulet of the Fire-heart (2 spells in one round). The ophidian undead were led by a famous flying pharaoh, who besides the wings took an item providing the Brutal ability. We both also increased the defense of our heroes to 5+ and 6+, respectively.

Empire of Dust deployment, from top/left to the right: horde of revenants placed into a forest, behind them the restless souls of Raia, my chief priest Khalida and bone giant, then the second group was formed from a regiment of chariots, bone giant behind them, revenant champion and a mounted priest hiding behind a horde of worm riders in front of which I placed a regiment of scavengers.

Ophidian undead deployment, from top/left to the right: catapult placed into a difficult terrain, horde of ghouls with a troop of their kin in front of them, horde of archers on a hill, behind them Jarvis and a troop of ghouls, horde of zombies, third ghouls troop, flying pharaoh, the last troop of ghouls (proxied by the blueish wraiths) with the second catapult in front of them (partly in a forest) and two hordes of zombie trolls.

Ophidian Undead
I won the roll and decided to let the undead start the game. I think only the pharaoh repositioned slightly into the forest, the archers moved to be in range and then the shooting came. The chariots were hit by the catapult in forest, suffered 8 damage but were not routed. The archers managed to put some wounds on the revenants and the second catapult also hit them, so they were on 6-7 wounds.

Empire of Dust
Both battle groups advanced with the mounted priest healing 1 wound on the chariots and Khalida healing the revenants. The scavengers flied to block the movement of the trolls.

Ophidian Undead
Trolls charged the poor brave scavengers and put them to death. The forest catapult missed but the undead archers scored enough wounds on the chariots, so they also disappeared. The second catapult could see a side of the restless souls and scored 6 damage on the pirates.

Empire of Dust
The central battle group advanced and Khalida managed to heal all 6 wounds from the pirates (a lucky roll of all dice scoring 4+). O the flank the worm riders smashed into the trolls attempting to avenge the scavengers. They scored 8 wounds on them but the trolls held their nerve. Bone giant advanced with a little help of surge as well while the priest and revenant champion kept hiding from the pharaoh behind the worms.

Ophidian Undead
The top left troop of ghouls charged the revenants that were already in their range. The catapult aimed at the bone giants but failed (finally!). The archers shot at the pirates succeeding in putting some damage on them while the ghouls scored a few wounds on the revenants. If I remember correctly, Jarvis wounded the bone giant with a lightning.

After these pictures were taken the troop of ghouls (proxied by wraiths) moved ahead but stayed within the forest. Then the trolls returned a punch to the worms, but the opponent was not able to fit there the second trolls horde, so the worm riders survived despite taking a good portion of wounds.

Empire of Dust
A combined charge of the worm riders and bone giant killed the front horde of trolls. Then the worm riders overrun and stopped 1" off the other trolls. The worm riders were also healed by the priest but he managed to heal just 1 wound. After the trolls were attacked the revenant champion got a view on the catapult and charged it. With some luck the catapult was killed and the champion reformed to face the zombies and prevent their charge on the bone giant. In the center, the revenants combined with the bone giant and finished the ghouls, both units over-running for 4". Khalida healed the wounded pirates.

Ophidian Undead
The troop of ghouls standing in front of zombies charged into the bone giant blocking an advance of the revenants as well. At the same time the horde of ghouls and the proxied ghouls prepared for a front and flank charges on them in the next round. At the same time the catapult, Jarvis and the archers put some heavy damage on the revenants (about 10 wounds in total). On the flank the remaining trolls went after the worm riders but they barely survived. The zombies turned and were surged on the revenant champion who survived the assault taking just 2 wounds.

Empire of Dust
I realized the situation was bad in the center as it would be difficult to reform if I multiple-charged the central troup of ghouls. So, it got just counter-charged by the giant and killed with the giant overrunning ahead. On the flank I was not sure I could kill the unwounded trolls with a direct assault, so I moved the giant ahead and turn him for an 1" surge into the trolls flank. Unfortunately, I did not score enough wounds, so the trolls survived. I also used an option to cast the second spell and healed a bit the worm riders.

I think we must have lost a track of the rounds somehow as I remember only one round remaining. Alternatively, I have something wrong in the report missing one round but it seems unlikely. Anyway, here is what happened next.

Ophidian Undead
The revenants in the board center were double charged by the ghouls (horde in the front, troop into the flank) and disappeared, thanks also to a bane chant that Jarvis cast on the horde. The horde of ghouls stepped 2" back. The trolls charged into the worm riders and routed them, then reformed to face the bone giant. The mounted priest on the flank was charged by the flying pharaoh but survived.

Empire of Dust
I was still trying to get within the 14" of the godstone token but knew already that I could not get enough units there. At the flank the bone giant executed the trolls and reformed to face the zombies that were still fighting with the revenant champion (one round the champion did not move, so the zombies stayed hindered). In the center the giant assaulted the ghouls troup standing aside the horde of their kin but managed only to waver it. The restless souls decided to be heroes and threw themselves at the so far undamaged horde of ghouls, first shooting at them, then surged into combat. I was lucky with my rolls and the horde was killed. In the overrun the pirates stopped 1" off the archers horde and within 14" of the token. However, as they were the only unit to manage the feat the Ophidian Undead celebrated winning the scenario.

At the end of the game I was winning on attrition points after killing 900 points against the 650 I lost. However, the scenario was won by the opponent who smartly made the advance of my center group difficult by feeding it the troops of ghouls. The early loss of my chariots to opponent's shooting did not help. I found the scenario quite imbalanced, especially because the defender could relocate two pieces of terrain that helped him a lot. With a normal terrain setting (a hill around a center and a blocking terrain in front of the forest where the catapult was placed) I could have advanced more freely, most likely not loosing the chariots so early. Anyway, the game was fun despite a strong feeling that I am on a mission impossible.