Today, it was just me and my long term opponent Lawrence in our game, so Oathmark it was!
We were doing a 2000 pt game (using my new points system - available on the Facebook Players page, or direct from me at richardbradley5@gmail.com), and my spell lists with a ? more balanced Casting number!
We diced a River Crossing, and I had the bad luck to be the attacker! - Apparently my General Grishnot after his previous defeat (Link) has been given another chance to redeem himself! The Elves facing him were bereft of their Dwarvish Allies and his Goblins were absent, probably keeping the Dwarves occupied?!
The terrain, with the Orcs to the left and the Elves to the right.
I had 2 Level 2 Spellcasters, 4 blocks of Orc Soldiers, 1 of Spearmen and 1 of Archers. 5 Goblin Wolfriders completed my force.
The Elves had Rangers on the right, Archers and Spearmen next to them, I noted Lawrence had his troops in 3 ranks rather than his usual 2.
His left was more Archers and Spearmen, with 2 Level 1 (!) spellcasters.
At the Bridge, a unit of Elven Spears completed his force.
They started slightly back as the River was more on his side, so as not to ride high on the ridge where the tables underneath lay!
Basically, in the first turn I put a smokescreen over the bridge, to keep my General safe from any Magic, or arrows!
My army had advanced, aiming to attempt crossings at the bridge, and both fords.
As ever, we wondered how long that smoke would last!
The Elves had moved forward, apart from a Spellcaster who cast 'Earthlines' on himself. (They both had rings of Spellcasting so it wasn't the only spell they had!)
The Elvish Rangers, being Nimble, kept up with the Elves in the centre.
My Spellcaster managed to conjure...
...A Fireball, but it only fried one of the Elven Archers.
They passed their morale (no surprise!) and shot back.
One of my Advance Orc units took 3 casualties...but were ok.
The Elven Rangers shot across the river...
...Another 3 casualties, this time on my Spears.
A regular Elf unit also shot at them.
Another 3 casualties!
My units were spreading out to the various crossing points.
I had got most of my Activations, so that helped!
The Elf Spearmen o their right headed toward the ford there.
Another Spear unit went towards the other ford.
The Dancing Elf Spellcaster cast 'Trueflight' on the nearby Archers.
Their newly found bowskill killed 4 Orcs this time!- amazingly I passed my Morale!
My Apprentice Spellcaster twisted the head of another rodent and...
...A Fireball killed 2 of the Elven Archers!
The Orc Archers did even better!
My Orcs were all looking a bit shot up.
...except in the centre, behind the smoke.
My Spears were eventually stopped, Disorganised by massed Elven Arrow storms.
My Wolfriders had moved through the wood and now moved to the ford.
I lost Initiative again (!) and my Wolfriders paid the price.
Those pesky Archers!
I charged the Wolves into the Elven Spears, but failed to cause a single casualty!
My Orc Archers plied their trade...
...all but 2 of those Archers fell!
The Apprentice shot a Fireball again...
...more than enough!
The other Elven bow unit hammered my right wing Orcs
At turn end my left wing units were shot!
In the centre my General was charged by the Elven Spears but they drew with 1 casualty each, and bounced.
My right wing unit had charged and beaten the Elves at the ford, but THEY became disordered, the Elves were fine!
New turn, another lost Orc initiative, and the Elves charged my Disordered soldiers, who beat the Elves!!!
The Elves retreated, but awful dice destroyed my victorious Orcs!
On the other flank, the Elven Spears charged my 2 Wolves, and lost too!
The Goblins drove the Spears back but more Elven Arrows killed one of them!
My Orc archers were now in arc...
...and killed more Spearmen.
My backup Orcs now moved to renew the attack on my right.
My General failed his Activation!
I was trying to get the soldiers by the river to support the Wolves and Spears at the ford.
The Orc archers had Disordered those Elf Spears.
The Elf Spears charged my Orcs at the ford, and lost!
Their supporting Archers did rather better!
Yikes!
My Orc Archers shot all but one of the Elven Spearmen in the wood, and he ran away!
The Rangers were still active...
And spoiled my last full unit of Orcs!
My General was disordered, so the Spellcaster had a go at the Archers.
He only caught one in his Fireball, but every little helps.
Another turn end. My attacks were petering out!
I had too few Orcs left to force the ford.
My Wolf and 6 Spears were across the river...
The Elves at the bridge were shot up by my Orc Archers.
But they charged across and Routed Grishnot's unit!...
...leaving a big hole in my centre!
The Elves were confident enough on my right to move their supporting Archers to the other wing, behind the smoke.
I had about faced my big unit and charged the Elves on the bridge in flank, but I was disordered and fell back.
My Spears and Wolf were trying to get the Rangers.
The Elves were still great shots! I got Disordered here too!
Those Elf Archers now arrived and filled my Apprentice with arrows!
My Orc Archers did the same to the Elves on the bridge.
My right wing attack failed as I failed to Activate.
My reserve unit got their mo-jo back and moved to the bridge.
My Spears turned to face the Elvish Spellcasters who were attacking!
But that was the end of Turn 8.
An Elvish victory, obviously, but I wonder how they would have fared had they been the attacker?
Will Grishnot be able to keep his command? (and Head?!)
We will see!
