Asrael ran, his heart pounding, but his strides were lithe and fluid. This was a retreat, make no mistake, but it was not a panicked affair. His kin, their bows slung across their backs, flowed alongside him, streaming effortlessly through the forest. At times the forest reshaped itself to ease their progress, whilst also creating barriers in their wake to frustrate their pursuers.
He recalled the battle. They had bated the humans with ease. His attack on their ‘shrine’ and the felling of their leader had incensed the interlopers. They formed a large party, pursuing his team deeper into Laurelorn, abandoning all caution in their fury. The ambush was primed and the humans surged right into it, right into the tempest formed by Wild Riders and Dakath Oakenlock astride the Forest Dragon Ireig. His primary role completed, Asrael had joined Gladeguard and began raining arrows into that maelstrom.
A wicked fight between Ireig and a taloned, winged beast ridden by the human leader ensued. Humans with loud black powder weapons, Wild Riders and Dryads all swirled around this combat. The humans severely wounded Ireig, but in an act of animal defiance it surrounded the human general and his mount in a gout of flame, felling them. The bleeding Ireig quit the battle, taking much of the fighting strength of the Eonir with it.
The loss of their general shook the human army, but they recovered quickly and their numerous, inexorable advance continued. More of his fellow warriors were overcome by the human advance. The fickle nature of Laurelorn did not seem with them, only few of the forest spirits fighting with them. Asrael took a horn from a fellow Glaudguard and sounded the retreat. The Eonir would need to seek vengeance, but it would have to wait. Survival was the first thing they needed to secure.
Asrael snapped out of his reverie and again noticed the forest shifting and reshaping around him as he moved. He ruefully wondered where it had been during the battle. Nature was untameable. Laurelorn was not theirs to master, merely theirs to serve. The humans, if they lingered, would learn how harsh it can be.
Stiúbhart and I play a 40 points game of Dragon Rampant using Scenario C, which represented the Middenheim troops, incensed following the defilement of their shrine, lashing out into the forest to exact revenge on the Eonir. The Wood Elves were ready, having lured the Empire troops into a trap.
Game 3
The Empire are arrayed along a short edge of the battlefield with the Wood Elves formed up to catch them in a pincer.
A fierce combat between the Dragon and the Griffon occurs on the Empire’s right flank.
The Griffon was killed and the Dragon fled the field. The Wood Elves still had some aggressive units, but when called upon they struggled with Courage tests.
The humans began to move steadily and in the end the remaining Wood Elves were forced to retreat.
Big thanks to Stiúbhart for joining on Zoom to play this game. This ends our mini three game campaign. We agreed that the humans will form a perimeter around the shrine, but probably aren’t willing to incur the expense of garrisoning it long term. Once the bulk of the Empire force returns to Middenheim, the Eonir are probably willing to suffer the small number of humans who are rebuilding their roadside shrine… provided they don’t stray too far into Laurelorn that is.
We’ll kick off another mini-campaign soon, most likely driven by the imminent need to transport the grievously wounded Gunther back to Middenheim for more specialist attention. His deteriorating state and the tightening shroud of death surrounding him may attract some unwanted attention…
Until next time,
Owen