Map - Year 3, Turn 4

Macdanalus, scrivener to the King. The Third Year and Fourth Campaign Month of the Great War.

Warriors of Chaos

And so it was that the warlord of chaos accepted the wise council of his cabal of advisors and overruled his marauders. He took his men to the west and away from the ancient city of the dead (H16) and on to Averland (G15). Meanwhile the southern fleet continued its recon south and past the Walls of Azul (F13) through the coast off Bilbali (G12) while the army holed up in the Ice Plains (C16) spent a fruitless month hunting down ancient treasures. But the months of peace and boredom could not possibly last. The Osthof (F12) army roared south to spill blood for their dark gods and rampaged through Hergig (F11). Though they crushed all resistance they lost 150 troops in the effort. 

Bretonnia

The Kurgan tribulations continued with Bretonnian forces converging on the Dark Forest (E10) from the Forest of Eyes (D11) and by sea from Beastheart (E9). The combined armies thrashed the forest dwellers as a lesson to other resistors and lost but 50 troops. Smoke palls could be seen as far away as the Black Deeps. The third Bretonnian army on the Isle of Mists marched south to the Forest of Eyes (D11). The Black Deeps prepared their defences for the coming storm. The bored troops in Quenelles (D6) mutinied against their young lord. The troops are paralysed by momentary unrest and the force is unable to scout or move this month or the next. Finally, the force in the Blood Grounds (B9) sends out explorers to chart the ruined land but they report nothing of great interest.

Dwarf

The time had come to reclaim the ancient Dwarven lands on Asur’s Rest. With this in mind the fleet in Barak Varr (G5) sailed east to Karak Kadrin (G6). The Dwarf commandos went ashore and reclaimed the province from its undead masters. In the far south the Dwarf forces continued their long trek through the Burning Isle – the troops passed from the Scalded coast (K4) to the Scorpion wastes (J4) while the fleet journeyed from the Bubbling Pits (J5) to the Monoliths (K6) – only to be jeered from the shore by the belligerent goblin denizens. Finally the last Dwarf army retreated back west from Kazad Thrund (H5) to Silverspear (H4).

Dark Elf

While the Dwarfs were staking their claim from the west the Dark Elf fleets to the east were exerting their control over the high seas. The northern fleet raced west from Grimmenhagen (F10) to Mist Gorge (F8) making landfall with the army. The army in Bloodpeak (H10) also went ashore – honouring its alliance with the Ogres – before the fleet rushed north to Grimmenhagen (F10). Meanwhile the army in Cothique (I12) went ashore to claim rulership of that province while the fleet pushed north to Silver River (G11). Finally, the garrison on Kinsblood Isle (J13) pushed east to Karond Kar (J14).

Ogre Kingdom

The southern force in Shattered Stone Bay (H8) used the fleet to cross the channel while one of the other armies in the province were ordered west to garrison the ruined villages of the Twins (G7) – they would face off the Dwarf troops massing to the north west. The rest of the Ogre forces held their position.

Vampire counts

The ghost fleets continued their slow drift east along the northern coast of Asur’s Rest – by month’s end there were eerie fleets anchored off Parravon (E6) and Aquitaine (D7). On Norslatch the dark horde in Castle Drakenhof (C3) moved silently up and along the river to the Iron Hills (C4).

With the rains finally easing the Lord of Undeath ordered one of his three banners in the Glowing Crater (F9) north to Mist Gorge (F8). The Druchii raiders and the grim dead stumbled upon each other amongst the heathers and fens of Mist Gorge. The war for Asur’s Rest had begun:

The Battle of Mist Gorge

650pts of Dark Elves versus 1500pts of Vampire Counts

Result

Out of the mists they came. The corsairs and dark riders were assailed from all sides by strange loping creatures. Crackling sparks of lightnng fly back and forth. Neither side could gain an advantage as the vastly outnumbered and exhausted hold their own for hours against their tireless foe.The end came quickly as the left side of the dark elf line collapsed under the weight of a host of zombies and a raging varghulf. The black knights gave chase as the druchii fled to their ships..., a druchii trap! The undead warriors are crushed as the steep valley sides leading to the sea are collapsed down upon them.

A dark elf defeat as they are forced to retreat to the fleet offshore. Vampires hold mist gorge but suffer heavy casualties from a small dark elf rearguard.

Vc lose 300 troops
De lose 250 troops
Vc hold mist gorge
De retreat to the fleet offshore

Terrotorial Changes

Warriors of Chaos take Hergig (F11) from the Kurgan - village

Bretonnians take the Dark Forest (E10) from the Kurgan – village

Dwarfs take Karak Kadrin (G6) from the Vampire Counts – village

Dark Elves take Cothique (I12) from the Sea Elves - barren

Bodycount

Warriors lose 150 troops

Brets lose 50 troops

Map - Year 3, Turn 3

Macdanalus, scrivener to the King. The Third Year and Third Campaign Month of the Great War

Warriors of Chaos
In the Black Fire Coast (H16) the Norse searchers find the tomb of a long dead hero. The hero’s war
gear includes a magical weapon worth 100 points and magical armour worth 40 points. The General
seizes these treasures for his own use. His advisors counsel him to call off further searches and leave
the area as the omens are increasingly grim. The northern army marched south from the freezing
wastes (B16) with the intent of exploring the ice coast (C16). On the Isle of Mist the Norse armies
pulled back from their border with the Bretonnians – moving back from Beast Rock (C12) to Bjornling (B13) and from the Herding Plain (E12) to Uzkulak (D13). Meanwhile the Norse fleet in Osthof (F12) moved east off the Walls of Azul (F13).

Bretonnia
The Bretonnian fleet and army at the Vile Cliffs (E8) continued down to Beastheart (E9) but without
disembarking. Meanwhile scouts were sent out from the Forest of Eyes (D11) to assess the strength
of likely Kurgan resistance in the Black Deeps (E11) – The yeomen outriders report around 1200
worth of troops defending the area. The scouts return to the forest to consider this news. Back
on the Plain of Ruin (C11) the remaining forces strip the province of its unnatural boon – ending
the spell – but grabbing 3 extra baggage trains. Meanwhile the banner in Quenelles (D6) sent out
explorers to search the area – but came back empty handed, while the cavalry force in Bastonne (B7)
galloped east to the Blood Grounds (B9)

Kurgan
Celebrate their hard won freedom from oppression...

Dwarfs
The loyal army of Barak Varr (G5) boarded the ships docked in the harbour to await further
instructions while the veterans in Direbogs (I6) marched west and north to Kazad Thrund (H5). The
troops in the Scalded Coast (K4) engaged in a wasted search of the area – while the fleet sailed east
to the coast of the Bubbling Pits (J5). An expedition moving south from the Hissing Coast (J6) reveals an independent and hostile fortress in the Monoliths (K6) occupied by 800 points worth of foul Goblinoids – his troops urge attack while the Thane ponders his move.

Dwarf Lord – attack the fortress or retreat? (The dwarves choose to back off, for now...)

Dark Elves
The troops in Arnheim (K14) moved west to Tiranoc (J13) – but it was the sheer speed of the Druchiifleets that would define this month.

The fleet in Cothique (I12) sailed south to the Fortress of the Dawn (J12) to collect the army before
moving north again to Cothique (I12). The troops in Lothern (I11) boarded the fleet which then sped
north to Bloodpeak (H10) before setting anchor just off the Ogre coast. Finally, the troops in G12
boarded their fleet and set sail along the southern coast of the Isle of Mists – scouts going ashore for
water at Grimmenhagen (F10) reveal the province to be empty and barren. The fleet then rests off
the coast of Grimmenhagen.

Vampires
The Lord of Undeath made the call to split his horde at the Glowing Crater (F9) with one of the three
armies ordered north to Mist Gorge – however the army’s scouts are ambushed by bandits and
fail to return – the army is stuck at the Glowing Crater (F9). Meanwhile his forces on Norslatch all
advanced east – the army in Red River (D2) marching to Castle Drakenhof (C3) while the two armies
in Mousillon (D3) shambled to Castle Templehof (D4). Meanwhile the ghost fleet off Carcasonne (D5) sailed east to the independent fortress of Parravon (E6).

Ogres
The Ogres continued to organise their counterforce with the three armies in Shambletown (G9),
Shattered Stone Bay (H8) (both north of the channel) and Gash Kardak (H9) (south of the channel in
H8 – as max 1 army per fleet per turn) all gathered in a show of might in the province of Shattered
Stone Bay (H8.)

Storm of Magic
The howling storm of magic surged east and north before settling over the high and mysterious
mountains surrounding the Lost City of the Old Ones (G8)


Territorial Changes
The Monoliths (K6) becomes an independent Goblinoid fortress.
Grimmenhagen (F10) becomes an independent barren province aligned to the Kurgan confederation.
Yawn...

Bodycount
None! – Unless the Dwarfs get in a rumble...
And Warriors gain 140pts of magic items
Yawn...

Battle Report 2 - Beasts vs Bretonnians

John verses Noel in the battle for the bits of The Isle of Mists that Paul does not control.

The Bretonnian fielded a force of 9 grail knights, 4 Pegasus knights, one unit of 9 knights of the realm and another unit of the same with 6 knights, battle standard bearer and level 2 damsel. The ranged part of the army was 2 trebuchets and 30 peasant bowmen.

The Beastmen went with 2 chariots, a jabberslythe, a large-ish unit of gors with a level 4 shaman and a unit of bigger gors with their general and battle standard bearer. 

The terrain had no real bearing on the game. Nor did magic, luckily for me.

Noel goes first and just barely comes out of his deployment zone with everything but the jabberslythe. That monster stopped just in front of my slightly cloistered battle line. It used it's special ability to make me roll against my leadership on both KotR units and the P. knight unit. The grail knights were immune to its power as they are ItP. The p.knights took one wound and i think the jabberslythe took a kotr withs its tongue attack. The magic phase was short. 4 power dice for Noel with me getting 2 dispel dice. Noel successly chanels and decides to try to summon another jabberscythe which forces me to dispel scroll it. This was the thing of note that happened in any magic phase in the game.

My first turn, I charge his unit of I think bestigors with both the grail knights and the unit with my general in it. I needed 8+ on both charge rolls with three dice. I made both much to Noels disgust. (This is the second battle in a row against Noel where i got lucky with my charging rolls. He hates me for it.) I position the other unit of kotr to charge the jabberslythe next turn. I totally forgot to move my p. knights. I need that app Craig.  My magic phase, I roll 4 power dice with Noel getting 3 dispel dice. I fail to cast some spell so on to the shooting phase. The 30 bowmen take out a chariot. One trebuchet kills a gor and the other miss fires taking it out for next turn. This was my best shooting phase of the game. I rolled above average for the bowmen to kill the chariot with a few wounds to spare. I was pleased to find that the peasants have longbows. The combat with the bestigors went well for me also. I screwed up at the start by issuing a challenge with the grail knights instead of my tooled up general. Forgot about the rule of only one challenge per combat. Hows that app coming Craig? With the bestigors great weapons allowing my to get all my attacks off first i managed to inflict double digit casualties while only losing 3 kotr in reply. I made lots of armour saves and a few ward saves to boot. Noel was not happy. His general ran but i could not catch him with my grail knights. Another rules based fuck up by me here. Noels unit was below 25% of its starting size so could not rally. There was no point in trying to run it down. I should have reformed with the grail knights instead. I also forgot to make his other units take a panic test for them fleeing combat within 6 inches of them. The generals unit withheld pursuit and reformed to face his unit of gors, leaving its flank open to being charged by the remaining chariot. 

On Noel's turn, he went on the defensive a bit to much imo. He charged with his chariot but not with his remaining unit of gors. His reasoning was that as they lacked great weapons they would be unable to do much damage to my knights with their 2+ armour save. That is a fair point but i was very worried about them charging. The extra bonus a ranked unit would have given him to CR had me sweating it. I probably would have held against the charge, with me general taking the +1ld bonus and the unit he is with having stubborn and the battle standard bearer as well making any break test on a 10 or less rerollable. The knights and the jabberslythe both did some damaged to each other but the knights managed to win on CR and broke the beast. They failed to run it down tho, with it stopping just in front of my archers. The magic phases was a wash again. As was the chariot attack with the knights killing it out right before CR. 

My turn was pretty uneventful. I forgot my magic phase entirely (app please) but remembered to move my p knights this time. They went flying behind the unit of gors. I reformed the grail knights so that the gors could not charge my generals unit next time with out hit the grail knights first. In the shooting phase, the bowmen killed one gor and my working trebuchet killed 2 p knights. With three of my knight units surrounded his unit of gors Noel was surprised that I took the shot. It was overaggressive to be sure, but this was the first time i had used them and i wanted them to have done something. Some people can't be told i guess. Anyway I charged and kill his jabberslythe, just so I would not have to type that word any more.

In his go, Noel was of the opinion that it is better to charge then to be charged. He went for my grail knights, who it turn out can actually take a charge. They routed the gors who fled into the p knights and died. Game over.

A Dwarf's Tale, Ch 3: Miners

[As occurred in Year 3 Turn 2.]

The army were marching south when Gadrin Tunnelsguid stopped. His fellow miners could sense from his stance that something was afoot.

"Stop! Listen!", hissed Gadrin, "you smell that?".

The other miners spread out, moving with a slow and steady pace. Some lifted their noses to the wind and started sniffing. One miner picked up a stone from the ground and licked it carefully. Another had moved to a nearby stream and was slowly studying the contents of the its bed. Yet another bent to one knee and scooped some earth. He tasted it. He tasted it again and without changing his stance brought his shovel to bear on the soft topsoil beneath his feet. In a quick yet deliberate and measured pace Gadrin continually dug until a pick was required. Other miners had joined him and widened the hole. 

Not a single sound had been made since the first exclamation. Only the hiss-thunk of digging echoed around the camp. Later some Dwarves would swear they hear a fevered giggling coming from the direction of the miners.

Word had reached the armies general fast. He ordered them to make camp and let the miners do their work. The rest of the Dwarves gave the hole a wide berth. Everyone knew it was bad luck to disturb the birthing of a mine.

Some hours later night had fallen. Dorin had drawn the short straw, and reluctantly crept towards the hole. He leaned slowly over the edge. He couldn't see anything except the darkest dark of the very deep. He strained his ears...

"...oh mah gawd oh mah gawd oh mah gawd. SO. MANY. PRETTY. THINGS. mwah ha HA HA HA HA!".

"Get yoor han's aff that, it's mine! Wait. What? Up there? Yoo shure?"

"Hoi!  YOO AUP THERE! AYE YOO! W' MAY HA' HIT A SLIGHT SNAG (SNAG Snag)".

The echoes continued, making it difficult for Dorin to decipher what they were saying.

"Littl' Johnny Nae-Lahdders here forgawt oor exit stratehgy (stratehgy stratehgy) again. We'd try diggin oor way oot (oot oot), but we ken hoe that turned out last time (time time). Behsides, we've some gud news (news news). Wur' awl gonnae be rich laddie. RICH! (RICH Rich)".

The voice had descended into it's maniacal echoing giggling. Dorin leaned back and turned. He found himself looking at hundreds of Dwarves, standing in a perfect fifteen metre circle centred around him. He raised his fist to the night sky. A wall of sound hit him as a mighty cheer erupted from the throng.

Effect:
The dwarf miners and sappers report even better news from the scalded coast. A rich vein of precious metals such as diamonds, amethysts, sapphires and similar precious stones is found. The treasure generates d6 gold crowns each winter.

Map - Year 3, Turn 2

Macdanalus, scrivener to the King. The Third Year and Second Campaign Month of the Great War.

And so the Beast Lord was laid low and the Kingdom of the Beasts came to an end. The Isle of Mists
would now come to be divided between the Kurgan, the Bretonni and the Norse.

Bretonnia
The two armies in the Plain of Ruin (C11) split from each other in the wake of the great battle.
The smaller force moved south and seized the Forest of Eyes (D11) unchallenged. The larger force
marched in to seize the Place of Dark Rain (D10) from the independent Kurgan nomads. A series
of fast paced and bloody skirmishes ensued with neither side able to secure a decisive victory. The
Bretonnian army retreated back to the Plain of Ruin (C11) to consider its options – they had lost 200
troops. Meanwhile on Norslatch the King ordered the cavalry army in Montfort (B5) to march at a
fast gallop south to Quenelles (D6) and await further orders. The army in Aquitaine (D7) boarded
the fleet which then sailed to the Vile Cliffs (E8) – dropping anchor just off the coast to assess the
situation. Finally, the army in Bastonne (B7) send out trackers – excitement builds as word comes
back that old mine workings have been discovered

Warriors of Chaos
The debased hordes moved en masse to fill the void caused by the collapse of the Beast Empire. The
armies in Hellcoast (B12) and Manbane (D12) moved south to occupy and seize Beast Rock (C12) and the Herding Plain (E12) respectively while a third army sailed along the coast before storming and then crushing and occupying Osthof (F12) – though it cost them 150 troops. The army in the Freezing Wastes (B16) again failed to find anything of note while the trackers along the Black Fire Coast (H16) reported sighting an entrance to a city hidden underground – a city of the dead

Kurgan upstarts
The men of the Vile cliffs (E8), Hergig (F11), Black deeps (E10) and Dark Forest (E11) all swore pacts of friendship and became part of the greater Kurgan peoples.

Dark Elves
The northern army based at the Silver River (G11) and accompanied by one of the two northern
fleets continued their conquest of Smith’s Isle after taking Bilbali (G12) by force – albeit at the cost
of 150 troops. The other fleet based on the Silver River sailed south to Cothique (I12). The last
fleet sailed north from Eataine (K10 )to Lothern (I11). Likewise the army in Avelorn (J10) marched
to Lothern (I11) while the army in Nagarythe (I13) moved west to the Fortress of the Dawn (J12).
Finally, the banner in Karond Kar (J14) moved south to explore Arnheim (K14) but found only empty wilderness when they arrived.

Vampires
The silent ghost ship sailed unnoticed along the coast from Castle Templehof (D4) to Carcasonne
(D5) while trackers sent out on Norslatch Isle proved fruitless in their searches. The order was sent
down and the host of Undead - three whole armies – marched south – they had expected to meet
resistance at the great keep beside the Glowing Crater (F9). But there was nothing there. The keep
was empty. The crater on the other hand...

There would be no fight just yet

Ogres
The Ogres resisted the impulse to march north. Orders were orders. They would wait in
Shambletown (G9) for the storm to break. Reinforcements poured north. The army and fleet in
Rockguts (H7) advanced towards Shattered Stone Bay (H8) while the army in Slave-Slaughter (I9)
marched north to Gash Kardak (H9). War against the Deadites was coming. War for Asur’s Rest

Dwarfs
The Dwarfs moved to end the unpleasantness and ‘misunderstanding’ in Barak Varr (G5) by moving
in troops from Silverspear (H4) to join the fleet stationed off the coast of the port city. The noble line
was replaced by an altogether more reliable sort – and cast out as slayers. Meanwhile the Dwarfs
moved to consolidate power on the Burning Isle. The army and fleet in the Burning Wastes (J3)
moved east to claim the empty wilderness known as the Scalded Coast (K4) while trackers exploring
along the Hissing coast (J6) discovered the entrance to an ancient mine...

Territorial Changes
Bretonnians take Forest of Eyes (D11) from Beasts – Village

Warriors take Beast Rock (C12) from Beasts – Village
Warriors take Herding Plain (E12) from Beasts – Village
Warriors take Osthof (F12) from Estalia – Village

Kurgan take Vile Cliffs (E8) from Beasts – village
Kurgan take Black Deeps (E11) from Beasts – city
Kurgan take the Dark Forest (E10) from Beasts – village
Kurgan take Hergig (F1) from Estalia - village

Dark Elves take Bilbali (G12) from Estalia - village
Dark Elves take Arnheim (K14) - barren

Vampires take the Glowing crater (F9) – fortress

Dwarfs take Barak Varr (G5) from Vampires - city

Bodycount
200 Bretonnian troops destroyed
150 Warriors troops destroyed
150 Dark Elf troops destroyed

Empires, the power struggle in depth

Scribes are generally a weaker skinnier Dwarf.
Their oversized brains clearly being too much a drain on 
the rest of their bodies for them to be good at much else.

Or: "Lies, damned lies, and statistics."

Somewhere in the depths of the Rusty Plains lay a building. A very small, nondescript building.

If you were to gain entrance to that building (which in itself is most unlikely), you might be surprised at how occupied it is. How well defended. And especially surprised at just how deep below ground it goes. And at the guards on each level.

The Dwarven Spymasters had been efficient. Their super secret headquarters had been collating data non-stop for weeks. Several scribes had collapsed and had to be taken away to be cared for in recovery.

At last, the reports were finished, and sent to the High King.

You may wish to go here for interactive graphs, where you can check the values of data points - as opposed to images of the graphs below.

Territory per Empire:  the number of hexes under each empires control.

Territory per Empire

Territory itself means nothing, without considering the value that territory can provide.
Economic Power per Empire:  the income generated per Empire

Economic power per Empire

Sea Power:  Fleets per Empire

Fleets per Empire

Military Might: the total points value of each Empire

Military might per Empire

Each piece of data for each empire for each turn was painstakingly counted using the maps that have been posted to this blog. All are reliable bar the military might, I only have actual banner values at the start of each year - not per turn.

A Second Alliance

"M'Lord".... "M'Lord" said the creature.  "Wait" whispered Harakj.  This time the creature waited.  Harakj knew what had occurred.  The alliance of Elf and Ogre.  So, the wind changes course and blows West.

Interesting times.

State of the Nations

Empires of the Sundered Isles.

And lo, a census was conducted. Every being of every land was counted and accounted for.

Two years and a month have passed. A total of 13 turns of movement.
Three players have been wiped out, six remain.

Nine <men | dark elves | high elves | vampires | beastmen | french fops | dwarves | ogres | norsemen > enter,
(possibly only) one <dark elf | vampire | french fop | dwarf | norseman | ogre> leaves.

Another Druchii Alliance

Sangrin Hopetaker sat impassively behind the desk surrounded by his trappings of office, the ogre emissary’s stomach rumbled on the other side of the massive desk, dwarfed now by the emissary (quite civilised for their race he understood). His translator chattered, relaying the message much flowered by words about the great maw, a 1000 years and so on. Come on COME ON get to the f**king point he thought to himself I’m uncomfortable with this big smiling b**tard’s leer. He heard the words “Dwarf”, he hadn’t needed the translator at all but he wasn’t going to make it easy on them, nor had the lengthy delay been necessary when the emissary had arrived where the ogre had been offered no food and given an uncomfortable bench to wait on. So that was it the Dwarfs had attacked him from the west and his king was worried about us attacking from the east. If only he knew how stretched my armies were and how big an operation it was to subjugate the remaining High Elves he wouldn’t have sent this mission. He regarded the treaty once more then with a flourish and a perfect smile signed then handed it back. The ogre exploded into another tirade about the great maw before walking out backwards flanked by his translators and staff. Sangrin rose and bid him farewell before relaxing into his chair. A second later Hashin landed softly on the ground beside him his face still wrapped in a black veil. “Have your people follow him, I trust him as far as I can throw him, but he needs us and we need him so for now we have an alliance”. Hashin inclined his head once then softly padded out of the room. Sangrin swung around in his chair and regarded the map. He glanced out the window remembering standing there not two months past watching the sea of high elves appear at his gates. Things were getting very interesting. It would take time to consolidate his control of the island, this alliance couldn’t have come to at a better time.

The Long Road to Ruin

For a few seconds of half-sleep before waking, Chael thought he was back in his beloved Bretonnia. The noisy battle preparations quickly reminded him that this was not the case. Not that it dampen his mood any. They had wintered well this past year. The damage to the former beastman capital was not as extensive as first feared. Diplomatic envoys had brought good news and our agents had uncovered no plots worth mentioning. Only those traitors on Asur's Rest had stopped the armistice from being a total success. They would be put down in due course. Other matters were more pressing.

Still, on a morning like this it was hard not to think of home. The damsels said The Lady had chosen to bless us after our bravery of months past. The removal of the taint of monstrosities surely helped too. Standing here in these verdant fields, it was the first time Delacroix was struck with the notion of making this new world his home. Home.

His calm was broken, as always, by his squire Herve. "M'lord, ser, you have a visitor, your Grace." His lack of etiquette was matched only by his general incompetence at everything. The commander waited. Silence. Chael tilted his head slightly. Herve nodded back. Chael extended his hand and waited. Herve caught his hand in his tunic and yelped. "WHOM is outside?!" The commander thundered. " Oh, er, Ambassador Ironhart, my Liege, ser" "Best send him to my quarters, tend to his needs and inform the Ambassador that I will be with him soon." With that Herve was gone. The first bad news of the day. And everything was going so well until then.

The reinforcements had arrived as scheduled. Scouting reports on their foe had brought welcome news about the lack of Minotaurs in the opposing force. Rank and file gors and ungors would be the bulk of opposition. The enemies lack of missile fire had also pleased him. The terrain, an open field with little to obstruct or hinder their cavalry, favored them slightly. Add in the numerical superiority of our troops and the better armor and training and things were looking good for Delacroix. But now the Ambassador.

" Rantaine, find Captain Bondurant, tell him to hoist the standard and muster the men. We ride within the hour." The snap to the order betrayed his growing unease. The commander was a soldier born , not a man for talking when a sword would do. Talking was for those who could not ride, those who could not fight. Old men and courtesans. He was slowly learning that not to be the case.

He found the Dwarf in his study, turning his nose up at the wine he had been offered. "Weak swill for weaker stomachs" He had not changed one bit from the boorish fustilarian who had been haranguing all and sundry about all the areas in which the Bretonnians where deficient compared to the stout and hearty folk of his kin. " So Ambassador, to what do I owe the pleasure of your company to, on this eve of glorious battle? Come to lead our vanguard?"
" What? And rob one of your men of that honor?" He made no attempt to hide the distaste in his voice. "No, I have come to advise you to retreat from Kislev. Well, to tell you to pull back. Return your forces to your capital."
" May I ask why?" Delacroix kept his voice as still as possible. These suggestions/orders were really becoming tiresome at this point. " I don't have time to explain the intricacies of diplomacy to you, boy. Do as you are bid. That is all I ask of you." "Well if that is all you want i will take its into consideration. Now I must be off. I have a foe to vanquish and people to free." With that Delacroix rose to leave. Ironhart rose and made to follow. The commander quicken his stride. He heard the dwarf once again demand he move his forces but choose to ignore the wretch this time. " Worry not Ambassador, I had Herve pack your provision for your trip back home. I am sure you will be well looked after. By the way, next time Moribus wants to contact me, get him to send a less odious toady."

Bondurant had been up to the task and the men were ready to go as he approached. With one fluid movement, bore out of thousands of hours of practice, he mounted his steed. Pulling his sword from its scabbard, he held it over his head and boomed, "TODAY THE EYES OF THIS NEW LAND ARE UPON US. WE WILL ANNIHILATE THESE FREAKS BEFORE US. MAKE THEM AN EXAMPLE TO THOSE WHO OPPOSE US. WE WILL SHOW THE WORLD WHAT BRETONNIAN STEEL IS MADE OF. FOR THE LADY!!! FOR DUTY!!! FOR BRETONNIA!!

(Posted for JK)

Map - Year 3, Turn 1 continued

The beastmen are driven to annihilation by the knights of Bretonnia, thier bodies burned in huge pyres as the land began to heal with the attentions of the damsels...

The third realm falls.

The Once Mighty Fall

"M'Lord.... M'Lord..." said the creature as it slithered into what once was a throne room, but now resembled a lair.  Bones crunched under its slim encrusted feet.   "How I hate these creatures" thought the beast that is Harakj.  "Wait" Harakj quietly said.  "But M'Lord... there's.."  "Wait" Harakj repeated even more quietly.  "But Master.. ther..." With a flick of Harakj's mighty wing he separated the messengers head from its three shoulders, it flew across the hall and squelched against the roof, slithering down the wall to rest in a corner.  "Wait" Harakj whispered as he finished dissecting the wraith emissary.  "Fascinating creatures these once dead, you may tell your master I decline."

From the far corner the slithering noise increased.  Harakj looked up with disgust, how he hated Lord Nurgles minions, think you've killed them and they just slither back together.

"What is your message, filth?"

"M'Lord" came the mumbled reply.  "There is a messenger from the front... with important news!"

"Well pull yourself together and bring him in, filth!"

The two parts slithered together, Harakj noticed it now had three legs instead of two.  The messenger came in quickly with a few flaps of its bat like wings.  "Master, I have news.  I did as you ordered, I observed the battle of men and beast from the air." Harakj waited. "Man has defeated the beast, they were overrun, mown down by the metal encased men."

"Leave me" Harakj said, and flicked his tail.  The hall emptied, all his minions leaving.

A vibration in the fabric of space.  A purple and blue void appears on the gable wall.  Harakj falls to one knee.  "My Lord, its as you said."  "YES HARAKJ, LISTEN WELL FOR MY TIME IS FAST APPROACHING."

Harakj listened as purple blood poured from his eyes and ears.

A Dwarf's Tale, Ch 2: Dire Maneuvers

[As occurred in Year 3 Turn 1.] Thunk..slap..thunk..slap..thunk..slap. As the reassuring gait of the admiral approached, the general furore in Fleet HQ quieted. Admiral Storrisson entered carrying the reports. Gyrocopters had returned from their various scouting sorties, and the news was not good. "Gah! Jus' hau did those cretinus ovargroan Ogurs cawble tahgethar anough material fur too separah' fleets oh this SIZE?", he grumbled. "Dammit. We mus' dehfend Direbogs, if tha Ogurkin land armies, all oor eff'rt last year twill be for nowt." With that amount at their disposal, the Ogre's would surely land large armies on the shores of the Burning Isle again within the year. Not good. A year was definitely not enough time to construct adequate land defences and entrench in Direbogs. In addition, gyrocopter scouts had encountered difficulty to the north in the Kazad Thrund region. Garbled reports of a giant lightning storm, twisters and clouds of indescribable colours shaped like the gaping maw of a giant beast.

'Ye keep lookin' at me like that laddie, an' I'll show yeh mah bahd eye.' - Admiral Storrisson.

Three out of four in gyro flight group Karnak had been lost when attempting to pass through the storm, the remaining gyro had been forced back south. The north eastern peninsulas of the Burning Isle would be impassable to the other Dwarven fleets in the north. There would be no reinforcements coming. Storrisson's fleet was on it's own. He sat back and lit a pipe as the various ships captain's argued amongst themselves.  As he saw it there were only two options. Stay and fight the Ogre's in their greater numbers when they arrive, or attack early and catch an ogre fleet on it's own. Even the odds.

'Smoke me a kipper, I'll be back for breakfast!' - Ace Rimmersson, Dwarf Gyro-pilot.

The fleet captains might not like it, but they knew their duty to kin and hold. Storrisson smiled. Dying in defence of his clan. He would finally find his honourable doom.

THUUUUUUMCRACK.

What the...?
"We're under attack. They launched early. We're outnumbered...", adrenaline fed thoughts flew through Storrisson's head.

He rushed to the bridge shouting orders as he went:
Thunk-slap-
"Ironclads fire at will!"
Thunk-slap-
"Gyro the gyrocopters!"
Thunk-slap-
"Submerse the submersibles!"

He smiled. Just because his doom had found him, didn't mean he'd die easy.

Awakening

Awake, movement. Asleep, time passes.  Awake, growth.  Asleep, the moons change and change back again.  Awake, recognition, remembering. Harakj but not as before. He stretches, arms, legs, back, neck, wings... It has wings, can it fly? A beat, two and he soars!

Map - Year 3, Turn 1

 On the day after the Spring equinox the invasion of the Isle of Mists began.

Beasts

The fleet stationed off the Plain of Ruin (C11) moved south west along the coast of the Kurgan controlled Place of Dark Rain (D10). The last remaining Beast Army moved north from the Forest of Eyes (D11) to intercept the Bretonnian crusaders at the Plain of Ruin (C11).

Bretonnia

Armed with the Blessing of the Lady of the Lake two Bretonnian Errantry Banners swept across the narrow channel between Norslatch Isle and the Isle of Mists.  The all cavalry force garrisoned in the Old Dark Tower (B10) and the force from Brayherd (C10) met up and planted the Fleur de Lys on the newly abundant Plain of Ruin (C11) claiming it for the Crown. The armies would clash on the flat plain.

The Plain of Ruin

Battle - 2000 pts Bretonnia versus 1400 pts Beastmen

There are 2 Bretonnian armies – 1500pts and 500pts – the 500pt force is all cavalry

      GM - Gentlemen – tabletop or GM roll – as it could be the last stand of the Beasts a tabletop battle would be cooler – Brets would a have +1 advantage on a GM dice roll. Province is effected by Abundance spell – mighty forest, flowers and other flora are abundant everywhere– Battlefield effect – all terrain rolls are forests or marshes – decide alternately.

Meanwhile the remaining Bretonnian Fleet based in Quenelles (D6) and the army based at the Challenge Stone (E7) gathered in Aquitaine (D7) while the army in Kislev (B4) moved south east to Montfort (B5) and the army in Couronne marched north west to Bastonne (B7).

Warriors of Chaos

Armed with the Blessings of much Darker Gods the Norscan forces moved to invade from the east. The force in Bjornling B13 took Hellcoast (B12) while the siege army in Uzkulak (D13) occupied and seized Manbane (D12). Yet more forces were set to buttress the invaders as the Army in Nordland (E13) took ship to the Herding Plain (E12) where they remain off the coast.

On Smith’s Isle the all cavalry force in Talabheim (G14) moved to occupy and seize the barren Black Fire Coast (H16) while the all cavalry force in the Cauldron (C15) moved on a secret mission to the Freezing Wastes (B16).

Vampire Counts

The massive Undead horde of three banners imposingly shambled east from the Giant’s Bed Mountains (F7) to occupy and seize Mist Gorge (F8) from the Ogres. Meanwhile the Ghost fleet departed from Swartzhafen (F4) and entered the coast off the Eerie Downs (E5) while the army in Castle Drakenhof (C3) were sent out on a mission to the Red River (D2).

Dwarfs and Ogres

The jockeying for power in the south continued with the two Ogres fleets in the channel between the Burning Isle and Kanesdue Isle intending to engage the Dwarf fleet off Direbogs (I6). The Dwarf fleet itself tried to isolate the fleet in Rockguts (H7) to improve its odds of victory.

GM - NB: This is the first time the simultaneous movement issue has really mattered – to resolve I decided to roll initiative for both Kingdoms (it doesn’t work otherwise unfortunately).

A long and torrid game of cat and mouse ensued with the Dwarf fleet under immense pressure in the straits off Direbogs. The Dwarf Admiral on Grungni’s Pride fought with great skill and courage and the cannons of the Dwarf dreadnoughts and Ironclads wrought terrible damage on the Ogre fleet. The torpedoes of the Dwarf submarines struck repeatedly from all sides. But the sheer Ogre numbers eventually overwhelmed the Dwarfs. Although an entire Ogre fleet was destroyed the remaining Ogres lead by their Admiral on the Red Ogretober crushed the Dwarfs in bloody hand to hand with the two Admirals finally clashing in person in the bowels’s of Grungni’s Pride. Victory for the Ogre

The single surviving Ogre fleet limped back to the coast off the Great Hall (H7).

Meanwhile the Ogre banner stationed in the Glowing Crater F9 marched south to Shambletown G9 while the banner in the Tusk (I8) marched south west to Slave Slaughter (I9).

As for the Dwarfs...the banner in Karaz-a-Karak (H3) marched north east to Silverspear (H4) while the banner in the occupied Halfling territories (I5) moved east to buttress the coastal defences of the Burning Isle along the snake ridden Hissing Coast (J6). The continued Dwarvish pacification of the Burning Isle continued with the banner and fleet in Pigbarter (K2) occupying and seizing the nominally Ogre held Burning Wastes (J3) to the east. 

Dark Elves

The Witch King continued his campaign for total control of Kinsblood Isle. The army in Lothern (I11) attacked and destroyed the rebels in Avelorn (J10) - although at the cost of 100 troops - while the force in the Fortress of the dawn (J12) occupied and seized Nagarythe (I13). The army in Naggarond (I15) moved west to Karond Kar (J14). The Witch King also sent out his feared navy. The fleet in Saphery (K12) sailed west to the coast off Eataine (K10) while the two fleets in Lothern (I11) sailed north as far as the mouth of the Silver River (G11). Meanwhile the army in the Bastion Hills (H12) moved west to the Silver River province (G11) where the local villagers immediately swore fealty to the Witch King.   

Territorial Changes

Warriors take Hellcoast (B12) from Beasts – Village

Warriors take Manbane (B12) from Beasts – Village

Warriors take Black Fire Coast (H16) – Barren

Vampires take Mist Gorge from Ogres (F8) – Barren

Dwarfs take Burning Waste from Ogres (J3) – Barren

Dark Elves take Avelorn from independents (J10) – village

Dark Elves take Nagarythe from independents (I13) – barren

Dark Elves take Silver River (G11) - village

Bodycount

1 Ogre Fleet destroyed

1 Dwarf fleet destroyed

100 Dark Elf troops destroyed

Map - Year 3, Turn 0

 With two pretenders already dead just seven would be emperors remained. As the armies marched out to take position for the coming wars the wizards and sorcerers prepared their spells. With their eyes set on conquest of the isle of mists the bretonnian damsels and norse sorcerer lords showed their idiosyncratic styles. The bretonni set their path to glory by casting 'abundance' on the plain of ruin (c11). The brave knights would not be defeated by starvation in their errantry war as the formerly desolate plain was transformed with life. Just to the south in the forest of eyes (d11) the norse magi used their dark lore to cast 'portents of terror' causing all living creatures to suffer nightmares of terrifying intensity.

Far to the west there were dark rumblings. Rumors abounded of a 'summoned host' being successfully gathered and deployed by the necromancers of Moussillon (d3). The undead also cast a decaying 'rot' over the province of rockguts (h7) which destroys all baggage in the tile.

Other spell attempts by the druchii of Naggarond failed.

In the burning south west of the sundered isles the dwarf runesmiths gathered information about their ogre enemies. They learned the scale and composition of the ogre forces in the great hall (i7). The ogres however had bigger plans. They brought the powers of raw magic into a deadly coalescence, creating a great maw shaped vortex over the coast of claws (h6)... 'chaos void'.

Campaign spell markers - 
c11 = abundance
d11= portents of terror
h6 = chaos void
h7 = rot

Note - dwarfs have a great wall on the edge of i3 which faces j4.