Today, before at least one week off due to family visits! - Lawrence asked to do another Oathmark game, this time using a scenario from the original book.
We rolled me to be the attacker and a 'Chance Encounter' being the type of battle.
After beating off the Orc and Human invasion, last game, the Allied Elves and Dwarves returned to fighting amongst themselves...
We decided as I was Invading the Elvish kingdom, Lawrence would choose all the terrain pieces we could choose from, and we would deploy 3 each alternately.
The terrain ended up like this, I diced to attack from this side of the table. As per the scenario I needed to have 4+ units of at least 5 figure strength within 12" of Lawrence's edge of the table by the end of turn 10.
At the end of turn 1, I had both Spellcasters and a block of Archers just on table, 3 units of Spears had been on table at game start, the central unit of these didn't activate so got rather left behind!
Lawrence had some Rangers, Spears and Archers on table at game start, and brought...
...the rest of his Archers on.
The left hand Archer unit headed for the clump of terrain I had avoided!
My Mage tried to get magical protection for the left hand spears, but he fumbled the spell!
By the end of turn 2, the Apprentice had got some smoke in front of the Elven Archers, usefully.
Lawrence brought a Ballista in front of my Left most Spearmen.
Those Archers seemed set on conquering the difficult terrain!
My Smoke dissipated and the Elven Rangers galloped forward!
One of my Spearmen didn't react with his shield soon enough!
At the end of Turn 3, the Apprentice had put more Smoke out, the Elves were advancing menacingly. My Mage finally got 'Gathering of Crows' on my left wing Spears!
Lawrence detached some Archers to enfilade my advancing Spearmen.
An Elf Spellcaster managed to cast 'Earthlines' on himself, he had a Ring of Spellcasting too, he would require watching!!!
The Pathguard decided to join the main battle after all!!!
The Mounted Rangers got a good volley into my Spears, I lost another two!
I decided to help with my Mage...
...A Fireball incinerated one of the Archers.
The Archers were trailing through the woods. We had forgotten to put the trees on till now! The Elves made them sprout apparently!!!
Despite their magical shield I lost a Spearman.
Those pesky Archers on their flank!
Another turn end, I got my last Militia unit on table!
My weakened Spearmen failed to charge the Rangers!...they seemed to prefer being practice targets...
My left Spearmen trudged on alone, that Ballista was now in place to cause damage too!
The Elf Mage was trying to give his second Ballista special abilities, fortunately he failed, for now.
The Pathguard were slowly advancing, probably wondering why they were in the open rather the Archers?
The second Elvish mage...
...Dispelled my Spearmen's Magical shield!
My Mage pivoted and ran back, casting as he ran...
...Shield reestablished!
Lawrence was having a bad die day (Oh, I know them well!) here, a volley of Elvish arrows missed my Soldiers. Needless to say I shed no tears!
The Ballista shot!
The Elven Spearmen charged through the smoke against my Axemen, and came a cropper!
For once their Morale failed and they became shaken.
As the Elves fell back Disordered, a second Elf Spear unit charged, these did better, and losses were even.
However, my Dwarves became shaken, would they survive?
At turn end, we both had shaken (Disordered) units, but my numbers were beginning to tell....at least my Apprentice had got another smoke blocking the Elves Archers!
My Spearmen again failed to charge that Ballista!!!
The Elf Mage gave the other Ballista 'True Sight' enabling it to shoot over his own unit
Those Elven Archers who had come through the woods had a clear shot, as my Apprentice failed, for once, to block them with another Smoke spell. My Dwarves took 2 losses and were Disordered.
The ensorcelled Ballista shot over his Archers into the flank of my becalmed Spearmen! The Elf Mage had cancelled their 'Gathering of Crows' defence again and my Dwarves paid with their lives!
The survivors were, of course, Disordered.
At least the enfilading Archers were suffering worse...
...I had got my Archers forward!
The Ballista shot through my Dwarves, but they didn't Break.
My small Spear unit, despite being outnumbered, charged the Mounted Rangers, we lost naturally!
The shot up Elven Archers shot back at mine...
...I lost two, but we were ok.
To protect my Disordered Spears, my other unit wheeled and charged the Elves, very effectively.
Another turn end, one of my Militia units trying to protect my vulnerable flank.
I was ready to begin my big breakthrough as the Elves were looking a bit thin on the ground.
My Spears, no longer strong enough to count as a winning unit, refused to die.
Rather than get outflanked by the Pathguard, my Axemen charged an Elven Spear unit and won decisively.
The Elf Ballista now shot my Spearmen in the flank.
The Elf Archers on the hill peppered my Militia, with 6 lost they became disordered...
The Pathguard charged them losing one of their own, but killing 3 of mine.
That morale die roll was nothing like enough and they Routed! - at least the surrounding Dwarven units were undisturbed!
My Hammer-men charged that blasted Elf Spear unit, in a hard fight the Elves were wiped out.
My Spears who had outflanked them were now free to wheel and charge the Mounted Rangers, who were beaten badly.
In a last Hurrah the elf Archers shot my Axemen, but only killed one.
At this point Lawrence conceded, as I had broken though at the end of turn 6.
Poor Lawrence! It seems the poor Elves are a poor match for the substantially cheaper Dwarven army!
I think we need to consider using the mixed race armies the rule writer (Jo McCulloch) suggests are best.
We will see!
