The Slaughtered Lamb was almost empty when a young man, dressed still
in the uniform of the guard, approached Volker.
        "No songs for us tonight?" he asked.
        "I am sorry, but no. All songs of the battle crumbled to dust in my
mind when Heimler and the wizards were run down. When somehow those
hounds of Chaos stood and fought instead of running with their tails
between their legs." Volker turned back to his drink.
        "But, they did not attack the town, and the scouts say they turned back
to the wastes."
        "Aye, that is true. We did not lose, but neither did we win, and
closeness of the victory only makes the result that much more bitter."
        "Will you tell me?"
        "Aye, I will, if you want to hear."
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OOC- 3000 points, no magic items over 50 points. Game would go 4 turns.
My army was The Ravens of the North
General- Blade of Ensorcelled Iron, Armor of Fortune, Amber Amulet,
Lance, Shield, Bow, Warhorse            -168 points
Hero- Parrying Blade, Charmed Shield, Lance, Bow, Warhorse, Heavy Armor
- 100 points
9 Winged Lancers  (with Std- Banner of Might)
plus Champion - 338 points

Hero (Volker the Mad Fiddler)- Runefang,  Armor of Endurance, Shield,
Warhorse - 104 points
Hero- AoMI, Dawnstone, Warhorse, Lance  -120 points
9 Winged Lancers (with Std -War Banner) plus Champion - 313 points

Wizard Master- Book of Ashur, Skull Staff, Destroy Scroll, Lance,
Pistol, Warhorse - 331 points
Hero- Speculum, Jade Amulet, Heavy Armor, Warhorse, Lance, additional
hand weapon bow - 114 points
11 Winged Lancers (with Std- Banner of Sorcery)
plus Champion- 363
points
Wizard Champion- Rod of Power, Dispel Scroll, Lance, Pistol, Warhorse, -
175 points

8 Pistoliers (with Std.) plus Champion(PoS)    - 250 points
8 Kislev Horse Archers (with Std and Musician) plus champion (Sword of
Might)   - 232 points
Plus a Hero- warhorse, shield, bow, lance,     - 78 points

5 Horse Archers - 80 points

5 Horse Archers - 80 points

4 Outriders plus Champion - 147 points

His army was a
Mage Lord (Tzeentch) on a disk
2 blocks of Warriors (10 and 12)
Mage Champ (Tzeentch) in a chariot with Banner of Sorcery
Knights (led by BSB) with Blasted Standard
15 marauder horse
5 Chaos hounds
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        “The battle began well. Though we did not catch them in Cunrig's
Pass, we did meet them just as they left it. They had impassable cliffs
on each of their flanks and our line as we approached was broken into
three groups by small clumps of trees. It seemed that the wizards�E#060;/tt>
groups would advance on the west along with a small screen on horse
archers and the bigger group of those steppe riders coming swinging
around from behind them to encircle the foe. They would face a group of
Devil Dogs and some of the Dark Warriors. The Pistoliers and the
general’s troop, would take the middle, covered by a screen of horse
archers and the fire from the Outriders. Facing them were the second
group of Dark Warriors, some Fallen Knights, a chariot and a Mage on a
strange flying plate. That left us the east flank and the Marauders.
However, they were around the corner first and their steeds were as fast
as ours, so we turned back and decided to drive a wedge through the
middle of the foes. We were now behind the Outriders who were forced to
draw out the enemies charges as the horse archers were consumed by the
magic of the Fallen Knights standard. All was going to plan, except the
Outriders. I have no use for those guns. They make more noise than
listening to a march with a hangover but are good for nothing else. For
all the racket and smoke they spewed, they failed to do anything to the
chariot. (OOC- My outriders are being disbanded. In 3 games against
Dwarves they managed to kill 2 slayers on about 7 hits, and this game,
in two rounds they scored 13 hits on the chariot and did 0 wounds). Had
they killed even one steed, the battle was ours. (Instead of being able
to charge his held fast Mage Lord, my pistoliers had to flee the charge
of the chariot). But, as it was the chariot charged the pistoliers and
the knights charged the Outriders, both fled so that we could
counter-charge. My unit hit the knights and Old Ironsides challenged the
Standard Bearer. His lance managed managed only to the stun the foe (1
wound) but his warhorse, well trained beast that it is, took that moment
to kick in the enemy’s skull (yes, my warhorse kills a Chaos BSB).
Two more of the knights fall, one split by a lance, the other slashed by
my Runefang. They turn and run, but their horses, burdened by all the
armour are not fast enough. Meanwhile the general manages to skewer the
wizard and one the steed of the chariot and the rest of the unit swarm
around and hack the machine into tiny pieces.
        On the other flank, things did not go as well. Why, I will never know,
but the wizards advanced too close to the hounds, allowing themselves to
be charged (I thought they moved 5 inches, not 6). This cost Maygar (the
unit champion) his life. The unit beat the dogs, but some force kept the
normally timid hounds in battle (beat him by 3- 2 ranks and a standard,
he then rolled a 3 for his break test, aaarrrrggggghhhh.) The horse
archers charged in then from behind the dogs and slaughtered the rest of
the hounds, but that left the way open for the Dark Warriors to charge
(here another mistake, instead of powering up my Net spell, I decide to
save a few power to cast Destruction and ended up having both
dispelled). Many men died in that charge and the leaders, appalled at the
slaughter, were ineffective. The entire units broke and ran only to trip
on the bodies of their comrades and be slaughtered by the Dark Ones.
        Meanwhile, the Marauders charged the recently rallied Outriders. The
guns from the Outriders again blazed smoke and flames, but only 3
horsemen fell (arrrgggghhhh, 1 more for a panic test) and the rest
slaughtered the Outriders. At this point, both sides withdrew (even
though it was the end of the 3rd turn) as there would be no more battle
before the sun set.

        Final score was a tie (about 100 points difference), but that wizard
unit was much bigger than I thought (900 points). Until that point, I
had a very convincing win. Despite that though, I did make a number of
mistakes.
1. Deployment- My big unit of horse archers should have been on one of
the far flanks rather than behind a screen.
2. The Chaos hounds charge (see above).
3. Not pumping the Net spell up to a 6 to dispel.
4. This one may or may not have been a mistake- Not fleeing the charge
of the Chaos Warriors. They had no ranks, I had three, but they killed
like 6 or 7 lancers. I couldn’t believe it.
5. Spending too much time trying to kill the Mage Lord. When I rallied
the pistoliers, I should have faced the the Outriders and Marauders that
way after the Outriders had died, I could have charged and hopefully
broken the Marauders. (Would have been close, 3 ranks to 2 in my favor,
Champion with PoS vs his leader with a Flail, etc.)
 

    After the battle, Volker composed a short epic (seems like an oxymoron doesn't
it). If you would like to read it contact the Fiddler himself. (Since I am still
trying to get this published in a print magazine, I cannot just post it here.)