Edge of the Abyss

The Goblins began their march toward Jarvis and his noble Undead. Their Spitters and Sharpstick Throwers took potshots at the Undead ranks, while packs of Mawbeasts, Trolls, and a Giant rushed forward on the flanks. To counter, the Undead Skeleton Spearmen shambled forward, while Jarvis Surged the massive Zombie horde ahead.

On the Undead's right flank, The Wraiths moved to meet the Mawbeasts, while Jarvis's Barrow Wights lurked behind a large hill, waiting for an opportunity to strike. The Revenant Cavalry met the first regiment of Mawbeasts on the hill, and were unable to break them. The Mawbeasts' counter-charge only did two wounds, but the Revenant Cavalry fled the field (rolling double sixes on their Nerve check).

The Werewolves charged forward, destroying a pack of Mawbeasts. However, they were soon overrun by the Trolls and another pack of Mawbeasts. On the other flank, the Wights were unable to stop a pack of Mawbeasts, and were eventually smashed to pieces by the Giant, who turned to meet the Barrow Wights waiting behind the hill.

In the middle of the battlefield, the Zombie horde surged into the Goblin Sharpsticks, and the Skeleton Spearmen clashed with Grogger’s Goons. The Zombies tore away at the enemy, while the Green Lady’s Iron Resolve and the Undead Lifeleech made it difficult for the Goblins to do any lasting damage on the horde. The Barrow Wights eventually defeated the Giant, next turning their attention to yet another pack of Mawbeasts, who somehow managed to survive 18 wounds with an exceptional morale result (double ones on their Nerve check). The Barrow Wights—weakened from their struggle with the Giant—were unable to survive the following counter-charge. With that, Grogger’s rampaging Mawbeasts—one regiment on the Goblins’ right and two on the left—had taken control of both flanks.

In the middle of the battlefield, the Zombie horde eventually destroyed the legion of Sharpsticks, and the Skeleton Spearmen broke Grogger’s Goons. The single pack of Mawbeasts on the Undead’s left flank tore a Balefire Catapult to pieces, and turned to the center of the battlefield to charge the enemy from the rear. The Trolls were temporarily wavered by the Necromancer’s desperation Lightning, which gave the Zombie Legion the chance to turn and prepare to charge. On the Undead’s right flank, the remaining Balefire Catapult managed to destroy one pack of Mawbeasts, before being overrun by the next.

The Skeletons continued marching toward a horde of Goblin Spitters lurking in the trees. The Zombie Legion destroyed the Trolls, and turned to meet the Mawbeasts. The Zombies—reeling from previous damage—fell to the Mawbeasts, whose Viciousness allowed them to finally destroy the Undead horde. In the center of the battlefield, the Undead and Goblin heroes launched spells and bow fire at each other, as the Goblin Wiz moved to halt the Skeleton Spearmen’s advance, keeping them from reaching the Spitters in the trees. As the battle drew to a close, Jarvis, a lone Necromancer, and his Skeleton Spearmen found themselves surrounded and overrun by the Goblin tide.

FINAL THOUGHTS: The battle hinged on the Mawbeats’ ability to control both flanks. On the Undead’s left flank, the Revenant Cavalry’s surprising collapse—after being dealt only two wounds—essentially forced the Werewolves into a disadvantageous charge that led to wolves’ demise. Had this flank held, the Zombies could have continued their march into the center of the Goblin line, rather than desperately turning to deal with the incoming Trolls and Mawbeasts. Of course, a trailing Mawbeast pack dealt the fatal blow to the Zombie horde that eventually doomed the Undead to defeat.

Meanwhile, on the Undead’s other flank, the Barrow Wights were stunned when a pack of Mawbeasts showed one thing a Goblin opponent rarely expects—resilience. Had the Mawbeasts routed after the Undead’s 18-wound-onslaught (instead of rolling double ones on their Nerve check), the Goblins would have been unable to tear behind the Undead line, smashing war machines to bits along the way.