Narrative first - photos at end (few close-ups this time, as most of the Dwarfs are not completely painted)
Python's Empire v. Dwarfs – 2800
Dagfin Stone-Heart (so called not because his heart was cold or hard like a stone, but rather because his heart was set on the precious stones of the earth) had heard that Arthur was in possession of a relic of unsurpassed beauty of a priceless sort. Dagfin decided he must have it, no matter the cost…
The letters in parenthesis are the map Identifiers
EMPIRE:
(Art) Arthur [Grand Master]: Runefang, Barded Warhorse (BW), plate & shield (P/S)
Lancelot [General]; Giant Blade, BW, P/S, Talisman of Endurance
Bedevere [Battle Standard]: Hand weapon, BW, P/S, Talisman of preservation
7 x Knights of Inner Circle: Great Weapon, BWH, plate, champion, flag
(
SK): Singing Knights of Camelot: Great Weapon, BWH, plate, champion, flag
(BK): 40 x Cult of Black Knight: great weapon, plate, full command
(
SL): Swamp King’s Legion
18 x Halberdiers, light armor, full command
2 x 12 units of archers (detachment)
(
RF): Red fast cavalry: light crossbows
(
BF): Blue fast cavalry: light crossbows
(
CH) Cellestial Hurricanum (Sisters of Piety)
(
ST) Steam Tank (Brother Maynard & entourage)
(VG) Hellblaster Volley Gun (Knights who say Ni) + engineer
(TE) Tim the Enchanter: Level3 Fire Wizard; on magic carpet (simulates his ability to teleport)
DWARFS:
Lord Dagfin: Great weapon; Runes of Stone & Fortitutde (2)
Rune Lord: Anvil of Doom; Great Weapon; Runes of Iron & Spellbreaking (2)
Battle Standard: Hand Weapon; Runes of sanctuary & warding (2)
(LB) 24 x Longbeards: hand-weapon & shield, full command
(
HR) 20 x Hammerers: great weapon, full command [red armor]
(
HB) 20 x Hammerers: great weapon, full command [blue armor]
(
IB) 20 x Iron Breakers, hand weapon & shield, full command
(Q) 10 x Quarrelers: Dwarven crossbow
(T1) 10 x Thunderers: Dwarven handgun
(T2) 10 x Thunderers: Dwarven handgun
(
FC) Flame cannon
(OG) Organ gun
Set Up:
Terrain: Haunted House, swamp, Alter of Khaine, couple of hills, forest, magic circle. I use a random generator & placement; most of terrain ended up out of the way.
The scenario set up comes from War & Conquest, as I thought it would be fun to try something different. Pythons move first. Dwarfs rolled up “hate everyone.”
Tim the Enchanter rolls up: Fireball, Flaming Sword & Piercing Bolts
TURN #1:
Pythons advance & fan out - the main effort will be made in the center and on their left flank; no magic, shooting or combat
Dwarfs decide they are content to hold and make use of their firepower. The chopper does move off to the left.
Quarrelers kill one singing knight; Thunderers #2 kill 3 archers; organ gun kills 4 black knights; flame cannon kills 2 singing knights.
TURN #2:
Pythons continue their advance in order to make sure they have best chance of successful charges next turn.
Tim casts Piercing Bolt on the Organ Gun, but because of irresistible forces causes more harm to himself (1 wound) than to the enemy (0).
The knights who say Ni likewise fail to cause any wounds to the organ gun.
The Dwarfs continue to bide their time as they decide to rely on firepower to soften up the enemy.
[T1] kills 2 black knights; [T2] kills 2 archers; [OG] kills 2 more black knights in spite of a misfire; [
FC] kills 3 Singing Knights; Gyro chopper kills 5 archers
TURN #3:
Singing Knights charge [Q] - they flee and find protection behind the Iron Breakers. The momentum of the charge carries the knights into the Iron Breakers and the supporting Anvil of Doom.
The Black Knights charge [T1] – stand & shoot kills 3 knights
Brother Maynard (steam tank) rolls up a powerful move, but because they other troops hadn’t made room and weren’t quite ready yet – does the only thing he can do – heads for the Dwarf volley gun – and collides with a vengeance, destroying the gun.
Magic: Tim the Enchanter casts Piercing Bolt on the Gyrochopper – which s protected by Rune of Spellbreaking. He then casts a maximum fireball, which rocks the chopper for two wounds.
Shooting: An archer detachment & a unit of fast cavalry shoot without effect.
Combat
The Black Knights easily destroy both [T1] & the Flame Cannon – losing just one knight; their pursuit carries them into both supporting units of Hammerers.
The Iron Breakers get the better of the Singing Knights (3-1), but the latter stays to fight on – now with only 3 survivors.
Dwarfs: No charges; The Gyro chopper, now barely able to stay airborne, decides to sacrifice itself in an attempt to extinguish Tim the fire wizard and take out some Swamp Legion halberdiers while he is at it.
Shooting:
[T2] kills 3 more archers – starting a route – they dissipate.
Gyrocopter fails to wound Tim (Look Out!) – but does kill 2 halberdiers
Combat:
The Iron Breakers defeat what is left of the Singing Knights – but the pursuit falls just short of contacting Arthur & Company.
A very bloody struggle between the Black Knights and both units of Hammerers. The Knights get the worst of it (13-11) but stubbornly hang on even though they are now down to about 38% of their original strength (they only managed to stand thanks to stubborn and the ABS reroll)
Turn #4
Arthur charges the Iron Breakers. The Blue fast cavalry maneuver around the Dwarf left; the Red fast cavalry form up around the Alter of Khaine. Tim teleports (uses magic carpet) and heads to the far left.
Magic:
Tim casts Sword of Rhuin on Arthur and company.
Shooting
Knights who say Ni down the Gyrochopper; The bowmen of the Swamp Legion are ineffective, yet again. Brother Maynard & company (steam tank) take out a couple of Longbeards.
Combat
The Dwarf Lord, his ABS & the two units of Hammerers destroy the Black Knights – no survivors.
Arthur & company defeat the remaining Iron Breakers, but they escape; the pursuit crashes into the Anvil of Doom.
Dwarfs: The Blue Hammerers charge Brother Maynard (steam tank); the Red Hammerers charge the Sisters of Purity (Celestial Hurricanum) – who flee. The Iron Breakers rally.
Magic:
Rune Lord casts Rune of Oath & Steel on self.
Shooting
T2 shoots at one of the archer detachments – no survivors
Combat
Arthur & company exchange hits with the Rune Lord & his Anvil of Doom. The Blue Hammerers cause aa wound to Brother Maynard.
Turn #5
The halberdiers of the Swamp Legion charge T2; they flee (enemy too close to stand & shoot) and the halberdiers charge carries them in to the Longbeards. Sisters fail to rally.
Magic
Tim casts Flaming Sword on Swamp Legion;
Tim casts maximum strength Fireball on Red Hammerers – killing three
Piercing Bolt fails
Shooting
Empire shooting as ineffective as ever
Combat
Longbeards route & overrun the Swamp Legion halberdiers;
Brother Maynard & Blue Hammerers exchange hits
Arthur & Lancelot dispatch the Rune Lord.
Dwarfs: The Longbeards advance on the Knights who say Ni; Red Hammerers position themselves to charge into the flank of Brother Maynard next turn. T2 fails to rally.
Shooting
Quarrelers shoot & Arthur & company but fail to wound
Combat
Brother Maynard & Blue Hammerers exchange blows
Turn #6:
The Iron Breakers & quarrelers have formed into a “V” so that Arthur exposes a flank to one when he charges the other – Arthur elects to charge the Iron Breakers. The Blue fast cavalry charge the routing T2 – who flee off the board. Sisters again fail to rally.
Magic
Tim fails to cast maximum strength Fireball
Shooting
More poor shooting from surviving archer attachment; The Knights who say Ni shout a devastating “Ni!” at the Longbeards – incapacitating 15.
Combat:
Arthur & company easily defeat the few remaining Iron Breakers. They are overrun.
Dwarfs:
The Red Hammerers flank Brother Maynard. Longbeards charge Knights who say Ni!
Shooting:
Quarrelers fire a volley into the flank of Red fast cavalry – killing 2.
Combat:
Brother Maynard & both units of Hammerers exchange blows; the Blue unit is barely hanging on – but no morale tests as they are winning the combats.
The Longbeards destroy the Knights who say Ni! They turn to face the Sisters.
Turn #7:
No charges. Arthur & company maneuver to get in charge range of the Hammerers. The Sisters finally rally
Magic:
Tim fails to cast any spells
Shooting:
Python’s ineffective shooting continues
Combat:
The Blue & Red Hammerers finally destroy Brother Maynard. They turn about to face Arthur & company
Dwarfs:
Both Hammerers charge Arthur & company
Combat:
Lord Dagfin bellows a challenge that is answered by Arthur. Arthur whiffs with Excalibur (Runesword) & only causes one wound. Dagfin does not – Arthur falls. The Dwarfs win the combat but the Pythons fight on.
Turn #8:
The Sisters charge the remaining Longbeards.
Magic:
Tim casts maximum fireball on Quarrelers – but only kills 2.
Tim casts Flaming Sword on Lancelot
Shooting
I forgot to write down who shot at what – doesn’t matter, missed anyway.
Combat
Sisters cause a couple of impact hits – but the Dwarfs hold
Dwarfs:
No one left to charge
Shooting:
Quarrelers fail to wound anyone
Combat:
Lancelot elects to go after the ASB to deny
CR points. In so doing he & Bedevere accomplish what Arthur could not, Dagfin and his men are defeated, routed and overrun.
Lancelot to Dagfin: Why did you attack us?!
Dagfin: We heard you had an item of inestimable value…
Lancelot: What are you talking about? We don’t have anything special…
Dagfin: Some call it, “The Grail.”
Lancelot: We don’t have it! We’re looking for it!
Dagfin. Oh, well… um… that’s awkward…
The setup - Dwarfs on top. An unusual scenario set up taken from War & Conquest rules
[img]https://www.dakkadakka.com/gallery/1114932-.html?m=2[img]
Middle of turn one - the Pythons advance - the Dwarfs stand fast hoping for some good luck with their firepower
Turn two: The Pythons close the gap
An ancient dwarf flame cannon fires on the Singing Knights of Camelot
The Dwarf 'chopper flanks some archers
Turn 3 Acton - view from Pythons - 1st left flank - than right: The charge of the Singing Knights (left) and the Cult of the Black Knights (center)
Turn #4: The Iron breakers have defeated the Singing Knights and advance on Arthur. The Black Knights are locked in with the Hammerers
The Knights who say Ni! bag a chopper
Turn #5: Arthur has defeated the Ironbreakers and is engaging the Rune Lord; In the center the Black Knights have been eliminated and the Hammerers have engaged the steam tank (Brother Maynard & co. I wasn't happy with then representing a steam tank & probably won't do it again)
Right flank
Turn #6
Longbeards face the wrath of Knights who say Ni - but press on
Turn #7
The last charge:
The End
The Sisters of Piety (Castle Anthrax) take on the surviving Longbeards
Lancelot finishes what Arthur could not
Where dice belong
[img]https://images.dakkadakka.com/gallery/2021/8/19/1114950-.jpg
