Elves and Medievals vs Barbarians and Dwarves
Justin and Trevor vs Thane and Mike, 16000 points per side
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This was the largest game I had played in, with 4 armies of 8000 points each involved; High Elves and Medievals vs. Dwarves and Goblins. It was played on a 6X8 table, featuring a large forest on the near side and a village surrounding a hill on the other. We set up 24" apart, meaning each of us had 2' deep deployment area. We each picked 4 unit and 4 terrain objectives, with 2 more common objective in the village hill and forest hill. We had to take 6 of the 10 to win.
Armies were made using the elite unit rules, whereby any troop type that cost 45 points or more had its value come out of the 40% character/monster/war machine section. I'll get the army lists up here later.
Setup
The dwarves seemed to have a simple battle plan - use the goblins early, and mop up what was left. They deployed with the bulk of the dwarven infantry in the center of the board, in front of a hill with 2 mortars on it. On the far flank, the goblins deployed a 50 man unit, a wolfrider scout unit, and the pike unit. They were thoroughly outclassed on the far flank by the bulk of the medieval and elf cavalry, 6 units backed up by a medieval pike unit and light infantry unit.
In the center of the elf line was a hill which was filled with longbow units of both races. These were covered by 4 water elementals and 3 treemen, which would prevent enemy archers from targeting the bows. The net effect of this setup was to turn the center of the battlefield into a no-mans land, as the mortars on one side and the longbows on the other made any advance across the center sure suicide. There was a forested hill that blocked LOS from either side, so there was the potential for one side or the other to advance to a new firing position.
The elf near flank was filled with infantry, with a single longbow and horse archer unit covering them. They deployed only 2 units in the forest, both pikeman units. Facing them were 3 units of goblins, with a troll spear unit backing them up. The Dwarven bear heavy cavalry held the far end of the flank with goblin dervishes (who had dressed up as humans for the battle), and a wolfrider unit followed up behind them (the only really sensible goblin unit).
Both sides took significant air forces, plainly valuing their mobility on such a large battlefield. They were mostly placed in the center, where they could strike out to either side, or possibly fly over to assault the enemy missile troops that held the center.
The elf infantry held the near flank, with a dragon supporting them from the center. On their far flank was a heavy concentration of cavalry, backed up with 2 spear units.
The Dwarves strongly held the center, with the goblins on the flanks.
Turn 1
On the far flank, the elf/medieval cavalry threaded their way towards the village, while the goblins set up a defense on the other side. The goblin wyverns fly to help against the overpowered elf cavalry units. The dwarven pike units advance up the center, even more slowly than normal out of respect of the archer concentration on the far side. They still take some casualties, but they are nothing compared to the medieval heavy cavalry unit which wanders into the range of the mortars, and loses over half of their number.
Both sides send small forays towards the forested hill, unicorns on one side facing off against pegasus riders and giant eagles on the other. The oriental dragon recruited by the dwarves also maintains striking range to the hill.
On the near flank, the goblins advance up over the cleared hills . The dwarven gunners inflict light casualties on the high elf cavalry, while the fire dragon crisps a few elf swordsmen.
Turn 2
In the center, the unicorns swiftly strike around the forest on the hill, catching the pegasus riders who had been hiding from the mortars. They decimate the pegasus cavalry, and briefly take control of the center hill. The oriental dragons square off warily, and both side cast protections on their dragons to defend them. The elf eagles fly over the dwarven battle line, but are badly cut down by a volley of musket fire from dwarven gunners.
On the near flank, the elves have trouble holding a battle line while advancing between the forests, but the goblin and dwarf battle lines solidify with the bear cavalry facing off against the elven cavalry struggling through a forest. The wolfriders advance deep down the elven flank outside of the large forest, which began to turn the pikeman units out of a cohesive battleline. The dragon again toasts a few more elf spearmen.
Turn 3
On the far flank, the goblins begin to advance on the village hill, while the medievals still try to organize. They pay for their slowness, as the goblin shaman controlling the lesser wyverns casts a devastating chaos vortex on a light cavalry unit, decimating their ranks and killing a wizard. The 50 goblin unit is enchanted heavily with berserk and fire shield, and they rush towards the horse archers on the hill. However, an air wizard casts a lightning storm on the lesser wyverns - this spell will eventually wipe the unit out. In the center, the surviving unicorns move behind the houses of the village, threatening the cavalry advance. The returning heavy cavalry unit moves to guard against the unicorns.
In the center, the giant eagle swoops to attack the mortar crew, but the dwarven wizard petrifies him, preventing the mortars shot from bring disrupted. They fire ineffectually at the light spear unit on the village hill. Meanwhile, the oriental dragons engage while dodging bowfire from the goblins, with neither side inflicting serious injury.
On the near flank, battle is seriously engaged. The bears charge the high elf cavalry in the woods, while a goblin unit engaged the first elf swordsmen, with assistance from the air elementals. The bears do significant damage, but the elves stand strong. Above, a fire and frost dragon engage, barely wounding each other. The dwarven gunners fire into a medieval horse archer unit.
The scrum begins on the near flank, but both sides stand strong. On the far side, the battlefield is strongly affected by magic.
Turn 4
The battle is finally joined on the far flank. An elven elite cavalry unit charges into the berserk goblins, killing many. Unfortunately, the chaos vortex drifts back into the fray, killing an elven cavalryman and a half dozen goblins. Meanwhile, a paladin unit and light cavalry unit charge the goblin wolfrider, who miraculously withstand the assault. They are quickly supported by the goblin spears and wyverns, though the wyverns again lose a member from the thunderhead hovering over them. The paladins are crushed by this concentration of forces.
In the center, the oriental dragons continue their fight. A dwarven mage dispels the enchanted armor of the elf dragon, and commands his gunners to fire into the engaged dragons, inflicting wounds on both creatures. the goblin dragon breaks
On the near flank, the battle gets ugly. 2 goblin units move up to engage one of the pike units emerging from the forest, while an elf mage on a giant eagle flies overhead. This mage initiates a mage battle by trying to heal the ice dragon, which he succeeds at but suffers wounds in the process from the goblin air shaman with the trolls. The other elf pike unit turns to fully face the wolf riders, but is now being threatened by the goblin dervishes. The elf sunblades move up through the forest, desperately hoping to protect the flank of the their brethren. Meanwhile, the bears break the elf cavalry, and goblins and air elementals break the first sword unit. A medieval heavy infantry unit struggles forward to protect the rear of the elven line.
On the near flank, the fighting is fierce. The goblin numbers begin to wear on the elven line, destroying the elf cavalry and breaking the first sword unit.
The medieval paladins, supported by a light cavalry unit, boldly charge into the goblin wolfriders, but are surrounded and destroyed. Meanwhile, the goblin chaos vortex comes back to haunt them, as the elf elite cavalry is assisted with the berserked goblin warriors.
Aftermath of Turn 4
Aftermath of Turn 4 on the near flank
Turn 5
On the far flank, the wyverns turn on the light cavalry unit still engaged with the wolfriders. Together, they break the light cavalry unit, though the lightning storm again kills a lesser wyvern. The berserked goblins are decimated by the elite cavalry, but the goblin pikes turn to back them up. The Unicorns engage the heavy cavalry, while the medieval light pikes advance over the hillside, narrowly avoiding the drifting chaos vortex.
In the center, the elf oriental dragon chases down the dwarf dragon, but takes musket and arrow wounds in the process. The elf longbows move off of the hill, trying to find a target, while the human longbows continue to hold the hill. The medieval water elementals move to support the decaying far flank. A dwarven pike unit likewise moves to bolster the goblin attack.
On the near flank, the goblin wolfriders engage the pike unit, with some assistance from the dervishes who end up flanking both pike units. The sunblades are able to give slight assistance to their embattled brothers. The second elf sword unit defends the retreat of the first, but is then engaged by the bears on the flank and rear. The medieval heavy infantry moves to engage, but their heavy armor prevents them from reaching the combat this turn. The goblin water elementals move to threaten them, also keeping the horsearcher unit at bay. The remain pegasus rider boldly engage both the goblins and the fire dragon, but the fire dragon manages to kill the frost dragon anyway, though with some help from the dwarven gunners. Meanwhile, the weight of goblins breaks the first elf pike unit.
In the air above the forest, the elf mage on the eagle is attacked by air elementals, but survives their attack.
That's a LOT of combat.
Though the berserkers are wiped out without killing a single cavalryman, they did delay the elite cavalry long enough to let the pikes swing around to face their foes.
Turn 6
In the center, the oriental dragon takes a chance trying to get back in the battle, daring the goblin bowmen by flying right over them. Their aim is true, bringing the dragon down before it can save the crumbling near flank of the elves.
The goblin water elementals tie up the heavy infantry before they can engage the skirmished bears. Meanwhile, the victorious goblins chase down the fleeing pikes, breaking a small unit of acolytes that had been sneaking through the woods. They are engaged by returning elf cavalry, but survive their counter attack. The sunblades fall on the flank of the wolfriders, but the goblin dervishes envelope the rear of the other pike unit, and break them. The dragon tears apart the pegasus attacking it, and with 2 wounds left is ready for more action.
The Battle's End
