Edge of the Abyss

My opponent and I write/create these battle reports together, and as such the linked battle will be identical to this one. If you enjoy this report and want to rate it, please consider rating the linked game as well :)

For this game we rolled up "Ransack" and the epic dwarf map no.1. We ended up with 2 objectives worth 1 point, 1 worth 2 points and 2 worth 3 points. The overview image above shows the placement of the objectives.

League of Rhordia won the roll for first turn, and chose to take it. Movement was cautious, with the League mainly focused on positioning for later advances on the left flank, and only the halfling scouts pushing up at the double. The musket and crossbow units in the centre moved up to the obstacle, while those further down the flank moved at the double to guarantee shooting next turn. Ratkin were similarly hesitant, planning movement around maintaining formations as they advanced through terrain. One vermintide regiment went onto the hill in front of the knights, looking to tempt a charge. Combined lightning from the warlocks was able to destroy the volley gun, and the boomstick carrying swarm-crier wavered the crossbows that had moved up double.

With the halfling scouts now sitting on the objective, the city militia continued to advance behind them. Halfling braves pushed up, looking to threaten the objective on the pond. Over on the flank, the knights elected not to take the bait, and the iron beast instead attempted to use its breath weapon to clear the vermintide from the hill. It scored 3 damage, but rolled too poorly on the nerve to scatter the rats. Despite stealthy and being in cover, the combined league shooting manage to put a healthy 6 damage on the blight horde.

The blight charged out of the woods into the scouts. The inspiring/rallying sources pushed up with them, staying in formation. The vemintide charged off the hill into the iron beast. Ratkin shooting was mostly ineffectual this turn, with the exception of the death engine which scored a good hit on the hammer-wielding knights, starting to build damage on them. The blight routed the halfling scouts, while the vermintide dealt no damage to the iron beast.

The league responded by multi-charging knights and city militia into the blight. Further left, the vermintide were multi-charged by the iron beast and the hammer-knights. The halfling braves in the centre moved onto the objective in the pond. In shooting, the howitzer finally scored a hit on the death engine, which it had been targeting all game, and putting 6 damage on it. Over on the other side of the field, the previously-wavered crossbow troop, who had taken no damage last turn, opened up on a weapon team that had emerged from cover, wavering it.

In the combats, the iron beast+knights easily crushed the vermintide. Despite hindered and ensnare dropping their attack rolls by -2, the combined city militia and knight attack put 10 damage on the blight, bringing them to 16 total. Thanks to inspiring, however, the blight remained steady.

For what was likely to be their last act in the battle, the blight chose to counter charge the knights, activating the blood of the old king as they did so. The lute carrying swarm-crier further boosted them with a bane chant. The spear warriors claimed the objective, while shock troops moved up in support. Shooting on this side was focused on the hammer-knights, and managed to waver them. On the other side of the field, the crossbow troop was the target of the artillery and the boomstick, but was totally ineffectual once again, and the crossbows would get another round of shooting.

In the combat the blight went to town on the knights, driving them from the field with a vengeance. They turned to face the city militia.

The city militia charged the blight, hoping to finish them off, while the iron beast charged the spear warrior horde. The master engineer shot one of the warlocks, but was unable to kill him. The crossbow troop once again shot the weapon team, and once again got a waver. In the combat the iron beast put the hurt on the spear warriors, but their high nerve with rallying made a rout impossible. The blight, however, met their end on the pole arms of the city militia.

The shock troops charged through the gap left by the dead/fleeing blight and took on the city militia. Ratkin shooting found its mark this turn, destroying both crossbow troops as well as the hammer-knights. Despite being bane chanted, the spear warriors only managed 2 damage on the iron beast. The shock troops' charge was blunted somewhat by being hindered, but they still managed 10 damage on the city militia.

In response to the shock troops' assault, the duke himself entered the fray. In the centre of the League line, the musket block regiment decided to cross the obstacle so as to threaten the ratkin warrior horde. The howitzer scored its second hit of the game on the death engine, putting on another 6 damage and destroying it. The iron beast wavered the spear warriors, as did the duke and city militia to the shock troops, thanks to an 11 on the nerve roll just catching them! The Ratkin were suddenly looking very fragile on that flank.

With things not looking so good for the shock troops/spear warriors, the warrior horde in the centre charged across the pond at the halfling braves, looking to secure the objective. Shooting focused on the iron beast, putting 4 damage on it to no effect. The warriors put 2 damage on the braves, but looked set to win the grind in the end.

Having caught them on the back foot, the league attempt to secure the flank. The halfling braves counter charged the warrior horde. The city militia, even accepting that they were hindered, rolled horribly - in the end they did 2 damage, and the duke a further 2. It wasn't enough, and the shock troops readied their counter attack. The iron beast however finally convinced the spear warriors to head for the hills. The halfling braves fought well, dealing 5 damage, but it was nowhere near enough.

In what would prove to be the last turn, the ratkin looked to secure the victory. The brutes, which had spent the game playing chicken with a house guard regiment over a hill, moved up to claim it. The warriors and shock troops both counter charged. Shooting focused almost entirely on the iron beast, and with the help of the amulet of fireheart and bloodboil it was finally destroyed. In the combats the warriors did particularly well and routed the braves, while the shock troops gave a beating to the city militia, who were also routed. The shock troops overran onto the objective. In the end the Ratkin held 7 objective points to the league's 0.

Kill points for Ratkin: 1235
Kill points for League of Rhordia: 735