Anxious to test the tactics he had developed in the great libraries of Altdorf, Volker led his forces south

Anxious to test the tactics he had developed in the great libraries of Altdorf, Volker led his forces south. With him were

1 * General (Volker) - Halberd; Longbow; Shield

Runefang [30]

Crimson Armor of Dargan [25]

Golden Crown of Atrazar [50]

(Very expensive general for me)

10 Reiksguard - Standard Bearer; Musician; Heavy Armor; Shield

1 Champion

1 * Hero - Halberd; Longbow; Heavy Armor

Parrying Blade [20]

Charmed Shield [5]

22 Halberdiers - Standard Bearer; Musician; Halberd

1 Champion

5 Archers Detach.

8 Crossbowmen Detach.

1 Wizard Champion - Pistol

Rod of Power [25]

Dispel Magic Scroll [25]

1 Hero- Halberd; Longbow

Jade Amulet [5]

Armor of Fortune [15]

18 Spearmen- Standard Bearer; Musician; Spear; Light Armor; Shield

1 Champion

5 Archers Detach.

8 Crossbowmen Detach.

1 Wizard Champion- Pistol

Dispel Magic Scroll [25]

Skull Staff [35]

6 Halflings

2 Great Cannons

1 Halfling Hot Pot

13 Flagellants

As the army proceeded into the deserts, they were met by a force of undead consisting of a Tomb King, a Lvl 2 Liche and a unit of skellie spears, a lvl 1 liche and a unit of skellie archers, 4 chariots, 10 skellie horse, 3 carrion, and a skull chucker. The armies were separated by a line of dunes, the ruins of eons old dwellings. As the armies deployed, Volker's confidence grew, though he did notice that without any hills, his army was hard pressed to allow everyone clear lanes of fire. The undead were to the south split into two groups. The skellie horse were on the eastern flank with the chariots beside them almost in the middle of the line of dunes. Behind them were the carrion. Slightly to the west and south of the chariots was the skullchucker. On the western flank were the skellie archers with the skellie spears slightly more towards the centre of the field and the tomb king behind both units. The dunes formed a rough line halfway between the two armies such that one was directly in front of the skellie archers, while another smaller dune was placed just in front of them, the second major dune was between the spears and the Chucker, a lone cacti grew in the centre of the field, a third dune lay just to the east of the chariots, and the final dune just west of the horse. From east to west Volker deployed his forces- halflings, crossbows, archers (with the spearmen just behind them), cannon, flagellants (with the Reiksguard just to their rear), hot pot, 1/2lings (with the archers just to their rear and the halbreds just behind the archers), crossbows, cannon, 1/2lings. Volker's confidence began to wan slightly when the first of his wizards announced that because of the speed with which the army had marched, he had been unable to prepare any spell other than the Fear and the Bless which he had used to frighten away the goblins they had encountered in the lands of the Border Princes. This wizard accompanied the halbreds and the other positioned himself between the spears and the Reiksguard so his spells (Net and Hold Fast) could be directed to either flank. The sheer size of Volker's army meant that the undead were already on the move by the time his army had deployed. Before the battle had even begun, a tattered standard in the undead army drew into itself a small amount of magical power (2 cards), however this magic, though small, would prove very difficult to counter (TP). Though Volker did not know it, it was to be another ONE OF THOSE DAYS.

The carrion flew high and everyone save the Chucker advanced, with the skellie bows swinging around the dune in front of them and aligning themselves toward the centre of the field. The chariots swung to the east instead of approaching the flagellants, and advanced between the third and fourth dune, while the skellie horse swung to the outside of the fourth dune. The Skullchucker then began to fire and though their initial estimates would have far overshot their target, a voice whispered from a eagle above corrected them. (In an incident which would have to won me a sportsmanship award, I not only allowed the opponent to change his guess, but actually told him that his first guess was way too far). The new target point was just in front of the Reiksguard, but again the eagle spoke and the winds changed the course of the projectile so that landed atop the lone wizard destroying him utterly. (What awful luck. The deviation put the template directly above my wizard with the decent spells. What happened to nice guys having good luck?) The shrapnel also killed one of the cannon crew. The liches then called the winds of magic to the field. Van hels allowed the archers to re-form, but the act of casting proved difficult and could not be repeated. When the lvl 2 liche attempted to Raise the Dead, my remaining wizard drew him into an interstellar game of tic tac toe and left the liche there trying to decide if the game could ever be won. The liche eventually returned but was much weakened by the experience. The Staff of Damnation allowed the skellie spears to march toward my lines. This staff would prove very well made as such staffs go and even at the end of the battle, it power had not been exhausted. Finally, using the a command of the winds that was Total, the liche summoned and undead horde of 14 skellies who clawed their way up through the sand just behind my halbrediers.

Despite losing the offensive half of my magic arsenal and having the rear of my right flank threatened, I was not yet worried. The flagellants moved to the east to deal with the chariots and horse (in retrospect this may have been a mistake). The Reiksguard moved forward and to the west to intercept the skellie spears while the halbreds turn to face the skellies behind them. The eastern archers advance to one of the dunes, out of the charge arc of the chariots with spearmen following behind. The eastern cannon takes careful aim and squashes 3 skellie horse (despite actually hitting 4). The western cannon's crew though are overcome by fear and pack too much powder into the weapon, overshooting their target by the smallest of margins. The Hot Pot draws a bead on the liches head in the unit of skellie spearmen, but when the cook tastes the soup, he decides that it is not yet hot enough. (Perfect guess, roll a hit on the scatter dice and a misfire on the other, aaarrrrgggghhhhh!!!!!!). Seeing the big unit of skellie spears in front of them, the halflings and crossbowmen open fire. Only four skeletons drop. (12 halflings, short range, hit on 3s, I rolled 3 hits, luckily all three wounded. 8 crossbows hitting on 4s, roll 3 hits, wounding on 3s, roll 1 wound. These were the best dice I rolled all game). After the use of Total Power, the winds of magic around the field are very weak (4 cards).

With a screech, the carrion dive on and slaughter the western cannon crew. The raised skellies charge the halbreds (second sportsmanship points as I reminded him to charge as it was obvious that what he wanted to do, but forgot the unit since it was on my end of the table). The skellie archers fire at the crossbows and kill 3. The crossbows decide that this is too much and turn to flee (10 on the panic test). The Skull chucker hits the Reiksguard. Two of the foot knights fall and seeing the grisly ammunition, the remainder turn and flee (12 on the panic test) leaving the right flank in a shambles. The 5 raised skellies manage to inflict 3 wounds (damn his moon blessed dice- true story. He has had great luck since he went home and his mother blessed his dice with moonlight), but my characters (a hero, wizard champ, and champion manage to kill 2 skeletons, impressive eh?) respond and with standard and an extra rank, we win combat by one.

Van Hels then allows the spears to charge on unit of halfling archers, while a second Van Hels allows the archers to shoot down 5 of the 6 halflings in the second unit, though the plucky little guy stands his ground. Raise the Dead is dispelled, and the use of Power Scroll to cast Summon Undead Horde, is countered with my own dispel scroll.

Things are looking grim. The surviving cannon crew panics, and the crossbows fail to rally, though the Reiksguard do manage to. The archers position themselves directly in front to the undead chariots prepared to meet their makers so that the spearmen can charge next and destroy these abominations. The flagellants begin to turn back to help strengthen the crumbling flank, hoping that missile fire can take care of the skellie horse. The other archers bravely try to turn the tide on the right flank by charging the flank of the skellie spears. The Hot Pot fires at the skull chucker (here was his sportsmanship as he pointed out that I could fire at the 舛hucker when I thought I had no LOS to anything) and manages to score a hit covering all of the crew. However the spices in the stew are not enough and only one returns to the grave carrying a large pot where his chest had been. In the east, the 1/2lings are unable to harm the skellie horse, but the crossbowmen manage to drop 4 in a show of inspired shooting. The Halbreds manage to kill all the raised skellies. The lone remaining halfling archer hides behind a dune and behind the skellie archers. In a show of contempt he fire from about 2 feet (real distance, an inch on the table and manages to kill a skeleton. In combat the archers and halflings are unable to kill any skeletons and flee from their FEARsome opponents. The Skellie spears pursue into the rear of the halbreds. With Total Power, my remaining mage manages to bless the halbreds in an attempt to hold the right flank.

The skellie archers shoot the fleeing archers and kill the last of them. The tomb king advances. The chariots do not charge and instead sit and shoot at the archers. The skellie horse charge the halfling archers who stand and shoot to no effect. The Halfling lose combat, break and flee off the table, they are pursued by the horse who also end up off the battlefield. The carrion slaughter the crew of halfling hot pot. In the most important battle, despite the bless, the halbreds are unable to beat the skellies and flee (an 11 on the break test insured this) from the battle. In response to my last wizard fleeing, the winds of magic roar over of the battlefield (10). Here my studies finally proved of some use as I was able to dispel his Staff, though he was able to raise a unit just behind my Reiksguard.

The Reiksguard turned to face the new threat, not yet admitting defeat. The flagellants continued to circle back and were in position to charge into the Reiksguard skellie combat which was to come. The crossbows turn to face the area where the skellie horse will re-appear. The archers maneuver to leave enough room for the spears to charge through soon, but not enough for the chariots to reach the spearmen.

The setting sun saw more maneuvering from the skellie archers and the tomb king as they continue to try to corner the last annoying halfling. The raised skellies charge the Reiksguard and the skellie horse re-appear on the field. The chariots again decline to charge. The raised skellies lose combat, but not by enough to destroy the unit. The winds of magic have not lost any intensity and still roar over the field. Van hels allows the skellie spears to charge the flank charge of the Reiksguard. All else is dispelled (great now that I can't win, my dice rolling gets good).

The time of reckoning was at hand. If we could rack up enough kills, perhaps the battle could be salvaged as most of our forces had fled rather than been killed. The crossbows manage to score four wounds on the last 3 skellie horse (yes some points), who then proceed to perfectly place their shields (4 6s to save, nnnnooooo!!!!!) and emerge unscathed. The flagellants charge into the raised skellies, Reiksguard, skellie spears combat, negating the skellies flank bonus, as Volker calls out a challenge. This is answered by the mummy champion who is promptly cut down by the runefang. The one flagellant who actually reached the combat slaughtered two skeletons and the Empire won combat by enough to destroy the remnants of the raised unit, but not by enough to destroy the skellie spears. In the last hope, the spearmen charge the chariots, but are unable to inflict enough wounds to destroy the unit. With this, the Empire forces turned and fled through the corridor they still held. The undead declined to pursue and when they had reunited with those units who had fled the battle, the smaller but mostly intact army returned to the Empire, where Volker had to face an irate Karl Franz. As they marched, a eagle circled high above them and laughed.

Back in the Empire, Karl gave Volker his last chance. He had to oust the rebellious Lord Krieghelm from his keep on the borders of civilization, then rebuild its defenses and hone his skills in the wilderness. If he was successful, Karl would welcome him back. If not, he would die and the Emperor would actually admit a mistake.

Humm, what can I say. I don't think the plan was so bad, but my main units rolling 11 and 12 for their leadership tests kinda screwed things up. Not to mention my extreme good luck which started with the deviation of the first skull Chucker shot and just got better.