Map - Year 7, Turn 5

History of the Sundered Isles – The Forty Fourth Year of the Second Age. Macdanalus, Scrivener to the King. The Seventh Year and Fifth Campaign Month of the Great War. 

The Undead manoeuvring continued apace as their armies seized Avelorn (J10) and Har Ganeth (J15) on Kinsblood Isle. Far to the north the lone army of Undeath crossed the bridge into Norslatch and grabbed the razed villages of Brayherd (C10). They were now within sight of the old Beastman throne (B11) and the Heart of the Dark. Over on Smith’s Isle the Liche Lord (G16) cautiously moved his troops into the lair of the Necromancer (H16). The Averland army moved north to Ostland (F15) while the southern fleet moved up to the Black Pillar (H14)

The Bretonnian King pondered his next move from within the castle of Western Elswood (C14). It was clear the savage horde of monsters, madmen and mutants outside the walls intended to starve them out. So far they were holding out amidst the deprivation and hardship. So far! But how long could they remain loyal to the Lady. In his dreams he could hear the laughter of dark gods.

Communication was restored and the Bretonni forces went back on the march. The garrison on Asur’s Rest rode out of the Lost City to seize the mysterious Glowing Crater and its fortress (F9) from the Undead. Meanwhile, with their victory celebrations complete, the Bretonnian armies moved out of Mousillon to garrison at Castle Drakenhof (C3) and Castle Templehof (D4).
Their Dwarf allies continued to mop up on Norslatch.

Dwarf troops marched south from the Lost City to capture Shambletown (G9) and Shattered Stone Bay (H8) and west to capture Horrok’s Gap (F6) after a long forced march – sadly 40 brave Dwarfs died on the march. The Dwarf army entering Shattered Stone Bay was greeted by the sight of a raging sea battle as the two Dwarf fleets moored in the straits were attacked by a ghost fleet arriving from the west. The Dwarfs suffered badly in the early exchanges and fully half their grand fleet was destroyed. In the end it was pure Dwarf belligerence and attrition that won the day. Admiral Grungni Ironjaw himself boarded the lead ghost ship in a dramatic final conflict and cast the Vampire captain into the briny deeps. The Dwarfs hold Shattered Stone Bay.

The Dwarf expedition to Norslatch was not yet at an end. The victors of the battle for Red River moved north to conquer the Rock of Blood (C2). Meanwhile the army at Wolf Crag (E2) boarded ship east to Mousillon (D3) while the second fleet waited in port. The army on Dolmen Isle continued its march south into Southern Morswald (G3).

The Slayer army in Direbogs (I6) force marched south to attack the Goblin stronghold at the Monoliths (K6).  The surprised Goblins were unprepared for the sheer ferocity of the Slayer assault and the entire garrison was wiped out following a quick siege. Only 50 Slayers survived the crazy assault. Every goblin was killed - they didn’t think it too many. No, they didn’t think it enough!

Finally, the Dwarfs marched singing out of the Tusk toward the ancient Great Hall (I7) of the Ogres. They had fought many grim battles for the Ogre’s throne in the last few years. Now it was the Undead that controlled its power. It would be a legendary conflict with the fate of a continent in the balance.

Conflict at the Great Hall
Dwarfs are attempting to storm the city walls and take the Ogre throne from the Undead.

Attacker: 1,200 Dwarfs
Defender: 1,250 Vampire Counts

Siege Rules

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Casualties

• Dwarfs lose 300 Slayers assaulting the goblin stronghold of the Monoliths (K6)
• Dwarfs lose 40 troops on a forced march to Horrok’s Gap
• Dwarfs lose their 2nd fleet in a naval engagement with the Undead at Shattered Stone Bay
• Undead lose their 1st fleet in a naval engagement with the Dwarfs at Shattered Stone Bay

Conquest

• Undead seize Avelorn (J10) from the Dwarfs – village
• Undead seize Har Ganeth (J15) from the Warriors of Chaos – razed village
• Undead seize Brayherd (C10) from the Bretonnians – razed village
• Undead seize Black Fire Coast (H16) from the Warriors of Chaos - necropolis
• Bretonnians seize the Glowing Crater (F9) from the Undead – fortress
• Dwarfs seize Shambletown (G9) from the Undead - village
• Dwarfs seize Shattered Stone Bay (H8) from the Undead - village
• Dwarfs seize Horrok’s Gap (F6) from the Undead - fortress
• Dwarfs seize the Rock of Blood (C2) from the Undead – fortress
• Dwarfs seize the Monoliths (K6) from the Goblins – fortress

Victory Condition = 5 thrones


Leaderboard:

• Vampire Counts have 4 thrones; 
• Bretonnians have 3 thrones; 
• Dwarfs have 2 thrones; 
• Warriors of Chaos have 1 throne

Map - Year 7, Turn 4

History of the Sundered Isles – The Forty Fourth Year of the Second Age. Macdanalus, Scrivener to the King. The Seventh Year and Fourth Campaign Month of the Great War.

Communications had broken down and some dark fugue had come over the Bretonnian forces. The forces on Norslatch and Asur’s Rest held close to their basecamps. Meanwhile the errantry force holed up in the fortress of Western Elswood held its breath as the forces of the primordial annihilator marched up to the walls. The screaming Norscan horde settled in to starve out the grim defenders.

The Siege of Western Elswood (C14)
Besieged: 2,380 Bretonnian troops led by their King
Besieging force: 3,964 Norse troops led by their King

There was no respite for the Undead on Norslatch. The Undead 6th army and the Dwarf 4th army clashed on the plains to the east of the Red River. The Dwarfs barrelled their way relentlessly through the Ghoul defenders and all the way to the mouth of the River. Not a single Undead survived the onslaught. It was a massacre. The other Dwarf banner in Mousillon (D3) marched in to occupy Wolf Crag (E2) where it was joined by the Dwarfs two northern fleets.

Elsewhere the Dwarfs moved to reorganise. The banner on Dolmen’s Island moved south to North Morswald (F3) while the Slayers moved south to Direbogs (I6) and the site of the old Ogre massacre.

The banner on Asur’s Rest (G8) split into three smaller banners while the combined southern fleet steamed east to control the strait (H8) between Asur’s Rest and Kanesdue Isle. In response the Undead fleet sailed south to Rockguts (H7).

Things went less well for the Dwarfs at The Tusk (I8). A communications breakdown prevented the Dwarfs from redeploying and this allowed the nearby Undead army to march unimpeded into the old Ogre capital (I7). On Smith’s Isle the banner in Ostermark (G16) was delayed by torrential rain although the army in Talabheim (G14) marched east to take Averland (G15)

The time had arrived and the Liche made his move. In one fell swoop the Undead forces moved in to occupy the old High Elf capital of Lothern (I11) and the old Dark Elf capital of Naggarond (I15).

…and far to the north a lone Undead banner marched north into the desolate Plain of Ruin (C11)

Casualties300 Undead destroyed by Dwarfs at the Red River (D2)
50 Dwarfs destroyed by Undead at the Red River (D2) 

Conquest
Dwarfs take the Red River from the Undead (D2) – barren
Dwarfs take Wolf Crag from the Undead (E2) – village

Undead take the Great Hall from the Dwarfs ((I7) – Ogre capital and throne
Undead take Lothern from the Dwarfs ((I11) – razed High Elf capital and throne
Undead take Naggarond from the Warriors of Chaos (I15) – razed Dark Elf capital and throne
Undead take the Plain of Ruin (C11) from the Bretonnians – barren
Undead take Averland from the Warriors of Chaos (G15) razed village

Map - Year 7, Turn 3 continued

 Dwarf and Bretonnian kingdoms are officially allied.

The Bretonnian garrison at the Lost City (G8) have ceded control of that capital to the Dwarf army.

Meanwhile, the combined Dwarf and Bretonnian armies have crushed the Undead defenders of Mousillon and gained control of the Undead capital. A Bretonnian flag has been planted upon the top of the tallest tower.

The Undead lost 300 troops in the initial battle and then a further 150 troops were picked off as stragglers in isolated groups as the undead retreat in disarray. The remaining 300 undead troops regroup at the Red River (D2).

50 Dwarfs and 50 Bretonnians are rumoured to have died in the attack.

Word from The Tusk.

The Dwarfs have been defeated by the armies of undeath. Though initially going well the Dwarfs fighters found themselves outmanoeuvred by a flanking attack from flying Vargheists and Terrorgheists. Despite the defeat it was an even battle and a horde of Ghouls was destroyed by the Dwarfs rear guard action.

Dwarfs lose 300 troops and retreat behind the walls of the Tusk (banner has 1,200 troops left)

Vampire Counts lose 250 troops (1,250 left)

Another entry is made in the Book of Grudges.

The Bretonnian Errantry force has been smashed from the Cauldron of the Norse. The Slaves to Darkness blackened the ground with their sheer numbers as they swept down from the mountains. Heroic indeed was the defiance of the Bretonni but not even the greatest of heroes can stand forever against the tide.

And so it was that after four hours of constant battle the King sounded the call to retreat.

The surviving Bretonnian forces retreated into Western Elswood (C14) to nurse their wounds behind the walls of the forest castle.

The Norse have retaken the Cauldron.

Warriors lose 200 troops, Bretonnians lose 300 troops.