Edge of the Abyss

The Undead arrived to defend the Empire of Dust and their new Navy, but the League or Rhordia met them on the battle field in the hopes that with a victory for the forces of good, the Trident Realm will gain enough power to wipe out the fleet before they set sail.

The encounter was a tactical dance with the early rounds jostling for position before either army began to strike with force.

The Undead placed their werewolves to their far right flank with the Soul Reaver Cavalry, Wight King on Undead Worm, Wraiths and the Cursed Pharaoh with the Wings of the Honeymaze centre right.
The Centre was held by two Regiments of Skellies, Bale Fire Catapult, a Liche Queen, Necromancer and a Regiment of Mummies. The Undead Left was left open because of the threat the League of Rhordia posed on that flank.

The League had their hard hitting horde of Honour Guard (Lancers on Demi-Gryphs), House Cavalry (Hussars), Iron Beast, Mounted Wizard (Gandalf on Shadowfax) and the Duke on Ancient Wings Arelaz (Wellington on Griffin).

The Centre was held by a horde of Hobbit Spears, A horde of Hobbit Archers, A Battle Shrine, Volley Gun, a regiment of Hobbit Braves, Regiment of Muskets with the Jar of the Four Winds (Sharpe’s 95th) and a Hobbit wizard.

The far left of the Rhordian deployment was the Hobbit Scouts on Goats.

Turn 1
The fast moving right flank of League pressed forward, the centre held while the Hobbit goat riders moved forward enough to be in range to shoot the Wight King on Worm and managed 1 wound.
The volley gun and 95th were in range to shoot a regiment of skellies and did a total of 5 wounds. All undead forces passed the resulting nerve tests.
The undead right pressed forward to flank the League’s Centre and sent the Werewolves to challenge the Hobbit Goat Riders.

The centre retreated back and right away from the oncoming cavalry.

The Balefire failed to hit anything as usual.

Turn 2
Another advance on the League’s right, but due to the blistering sun and the retreat of the undead centre, charges were still not within reach.
The centre pivoted slightly to receive the oncoming undead advance on the left.
The Volley gun, 95th and the Battle Shrine focussed their combined shooting and magic on the Soul Reaver Cavalry, inflicting 8 wounds before the Hobbit Wizard windblasted them back 7 inches, making a charge impossible in the Undead turn.

The Undead positioned the centre to receive the inevitable Cavalry charge while the right flank pressed forward, just short of any viable charges.
The Balefire Catapult failed to hit again and the Wight King healed the Reaver Cavalry 4 wounds.

Turn 3
The Hussars finally made the first charge into a Regiment of Skellies, combined with the Soul Drain cast by Gandalf enough wounds were inflicted to remove the Regiment from the battle. The other units on the Leagues Right pressed forward to position themselves for a charge in the next turn.
Concentrated fire on the Reavers caused them to waiver, while wind blast was cast on the Wraiths, which put them just outside of a charge range.
The Iron Beast caused 1 wound on the Mummies with the fire breath attack.

The Undead moved their Cursed Pharaoh forward in range to cast Soul Drain on the Hobbit Spears and to heal the Reavers for 4.
The Wraiths positioned themselves to the right flank of the Hobbit Braves to do 3 wounds with the Diadem of Dragonkind.
The second Regiment of Skellies charged the Hussars, causing 2 wounds with Soul Drain causing another 2.
The Mummies regenerated their wound. While the Werewolves were still chasing the Hobbit Goat Riders, which were threatening the Bale Fire Catapult.

Turn 4
The Hussars counter charged the Skellies dealing a total of 9 wounds with Gandalf’s Soul Drain and regaining 3 wounds back for the Hussars.
The Iron Beast and Wellington double charged the Mummies, inflicting a total of 10 wounds, but failing to remove them from battle.
The shooting focussed on the Reavers once more and this time successfully removed them from battle.
The Hobbit Goat Riders charged the Bale Fire Catapult but only managed 4 wounds even with treble attacks. A Double 6 was rolled on the nerve, but another roll was required due to the inspiring presence of the Liche Queen, but another double 6 was rolled and the Bale Fire Catapult was gone.

The Werewolves had finally caught the Hobbit Goat Riders and their attacks were so brutal, the Hobbits were beaten in just one round.
The Mummies regenerated 4 wounds, and soul drain on Wellington from the Liche queen recovered a further 4 wounds, inflicting the same on Wellington.
The Skellies charged back into the Hussars, but managed no wounds; however the necromancer inflicted 4 and healed the same to the Skellies with Soul Drain.
The Mummies charged into Wellington and inflicted two wounds.
The Wraiths did 3 damage to the Regiment of Hobbit Braves with the Diadem, while the Wight King moved out of the Hobbit Spears line of sight, but close enough to cast soul drain for 3 wounds and healing himself.

Turn 5
The Hussars charged the Skellies, the Iron Beast and Wellington Double Charged the Mummies, while the centre pivoted to ensure there would be no flank charges against them.
The combined shooting of the Volley gun and Archers caused 5 wound on the Wraiths but failed to remove them from battle. The 95th turned to face the Wight King.
The Mummies and Skellies lived to fight into the 6th round and counter charged Wellington and Hussars respectively. The mummies regenerated 3 wounds.
The Werewolves turned to face Wellington.
The Wight King flew over the League’s centre and behind the 95th to soul drain them for 5.
The Wraiths and Cursed Pharaoh used the Diadem and Soul Drain on the Hobbit Spears, causing 7 wounds and recovering 4 wounds on the Wraiths.
Turn 6
It was the same charges made by the League as in the previous turn and the Lancers on Demi-Gryphs, who had been kept away from charging due to the good use of terrain by the undead and positioning of their troops, turned face, to threaten the Wraiths.
Lightning Bolt and the Archers inflicted 4 wounds only on the Wraiths and windblast pushed them closer to the Lancers on Demi-Gryphs.

The Wraiths and Cursed Pharaoh double charged the Hobbit Braves and removed them from battle. The Wraiths turned to face the Lancers should there be another turn.
The Wight King charged the 95th Rifles and utterly defeated them.
The Mummies and Werewolves double charged Wellington and combined with the Soul Drain of the Liche Queen saw Wellington defeated.
The Skellies only managed 1 wound on the Hussars and their position was looking very precarious.
For now the battle was even.

A 5 was rolled for a final turn:

Turn 7
The Hussars and Gandalf finally destroyed the Skellies and the Iron Beast charged the Mummies, who held firm in their nerve test.
The Lancers finally rode their Demi-Gryphs into battle to destroy the Wraiths and gained valuable victory points.

The Undead realising that they desperately needed 200 points to salvage the game charged the Cursed Pharaoh and Wight King into the Iron beast, front and rear and the Mummies charged into the Iron Beast supported by the soul drain of both the Liche Queen and Necromancer.
It was not a good turn for the Undead as only 6 wounds were inflicted on the Battle Shrine and 8 on the Iron Beast. Both targets passed their nerve test for the battle to end with a narrow victory for the League.

Strategy, use of terrain and smart manoeuvring made this a very enjoyable battle if not a very bloody one. First blood was not inflicted until turn 3 and then very little until the last turn and extra turn.

Well played Mortan, who’s undead, gave me all sorts of trouble, but a hard fought victory for Rhordia and another win for Team Good!