The fight at the ford. Undead vs Hugh/High Elves.

[Duke Speedy of Leighton]

Dave the Necromancer looked at the ford and beyond the river line. A light mist floated up from the banks.
"So, we, the undead, are defending a water source?"
"Looks like it, Dave." Bob the Necromancer answered, "All six of us who are alive do need that water."
The mist curled round their feet as the two sullen necromancers looked on at the approaching High Elves, it was definitely getting thicker in patches, and forming shapes.
"High Elves, quite a lot of them too."
"Ve will crush zem," the mist condensed into the form of a tall, pale vampire lord.
"GAH!"
"SSHHHHIIII..."
"WIll you STOP doing that boss!" Bob the Necromancer shook his head.

Mort popped over for a game today (I had the day orft), he really enjoyed our last game and wanted another. This time he chose High Elves. The next army down the shelf was my Undead, so that was an easy choice made.
My list:
D6+1 Vampire Lord
D6 Necromancer
2 x Skeleton warriors
1 x zombie
1 x skeleton riders
1 x undead catapult

High Elves
D6+1 Lord
D6+1 Mage
2 x archers
2 x knights
2 x warriors
1 x unicorns
1 x scouts

Rolling for initiative, I was defending, so with a river costing 5 terrain points, not many terrain points were left, so a settlement overlooked by ruins was my choice. Mort had to have a road, then picked some fields, which ended up the the village, and a hill that did not stick around. Pretty empty table then!
Zombies, skeletons and the catapult guarded the left. On the road, my riders eyed up the ford. Backing them up was a skeleton archer unit, a warrior and the vampire lord and necromancer.
Mort had his general and mounted wing out on the left, his mage, warriors, archers and scouts held the centre.


In an attempt to seize the ford, Mort's scouts scampered forwards, only to pause, look up and utter "Why has it gone dark?" before being hit by many large boulders from the artillery. They were then charged down by the undead riders, who broke them and pursuing on, securing the ford, and turning to threaten Elven warriors. Skeleton and elven archers swap arrows over the river banks.


Skeleton warriors secure the ford


After three turns of complete inactivity (the spirit of Sir Perivale the Inert haunts all High Elf commanders), the Elven C-in-C finally gets his act together and crosses the river with his wall of cavalry. They were bravely held up by the single stand of zombies, almost supported by skeletons who had been wandetring forwards to help towards the ford.


The cream of elven chivalry crashes in, to absolutely no effect. The zombies are too bewildered to notice, I suspect!


Having turned to face, the catapults cannot fire this turn (defensive rule), but at least they weren't giving away a flank charge! The zombies stand firm, while the skeletons try to work out how to turn around.


At and beyond the ford, a shooting barrage sees elves shooting at the skeleton warriors at the ford with no great effects (we think the elves were accurate, just their arrows went through the gaps in the ribs). Elven warriors on the right also take many hits from the undead archers. The elven mage spent the rest of the game casting his shielding spell to keep the warriors and archers fighting. The skeltons, with only one dice to save, kept being really lucky and successful.


And the elven warriors break, with their leader away across the river, they would not be rallied and skulk off.


To the left of the ford, the necromancer and Vampire lord reposition themselves. The necromancers casting a combat boost spell that allows an extra dice vs a unit of rampaging unicorns. It's a slow grind, but the catapults are loosing two points a go to the unicorn's one. The skeletons had turned round.


The zombies still holding strong, seeing what is coming to help.


Eventually, things fall apart for the Elves. The unicorns and catapults both score two hits, but there is not enough room for the unicorns to retire, so they fall back with two exta hits, taking them down to 1 morale left. The catapults have one left too and survive. The zombies and skeltons had teamed up to envelop and break one of the elven knights. The second knight had been charged by the vampire lord (all boosted by the necromancers spells for an extra attack dice at powerful) and had torn apart the knights unit assunder. The elven general had charged the necromancers, stopping their magical assistance. yet again, neither could scratch the others


Back at the ford, the elves and skeletons engaged in a duel of shooting. The rest of the fights were not effective, with elven shielding, resolute, and lucky skeleton rolls keeping everyone locked in melee.


With the demise of the second knight unit, the elves have reached 50% losses and break off.


The undead held the ford, the elven incurion was over.
Another game will happen soon I am sure, as we are both really enjoying Warband.

[Techno 3]

Nice one, Will.

[sunjester]

A good looking game, sounds like you both had fun!

[fred.]

Looks good

Too long since I played Warband and can't recall all the rules - but why did the elves tie up 4 units attacking 1 unit of skeletons?

Also kind of surprised the unicorns didn't easily kill the catapults in melee

[Duke Speedy of Leighton]

Catapult was magically boosted.
The four were block moving, the zombies acted as a speed bump to the knights  they then split off to do other things (unsuccessfully).

[Daldnoa]

Great report! Fun to read 

I really like Warband rules and its simplicity. Easy to learn or teach.