This scenario was set up as what might be called ‘a classic’ fantasy and hopefully a fun, entertaining game of the forces of light (High Elves), and dark (Dark Elves). Each army had one wizard and 4 generals and a total points cost of 250 points.
Using our now traditional dice-off method the Dark Elf army was allocated to Tony and Chris and Tim and I the High Elves. Initial deployments saw the Dark Elves put their strongest units on either wing of the army with the spear and crossbow units positioned in the centre. Our High Elves were deployed in a deeper formation with the High Elf cavalry deployed back behind the centre to act as a powerful mobile reserve. First moves saw the Dark Elves push forward on both flanks with Tony using his 3 units of cavalry and unit of raptors to threaten Tim’s spears on his right. Chris advanced his giants and spears against my High Elf spears on the left.
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In response, Tim and I decided to engage the Dark Elf centre with our very effective bow units to hopefully engage in, and win, the anticipated shooting match with the Dark Elf crossbows. To protect the shooters flank I moved my spear units and the wizard onto a 3 hex hill. This move unfortunately acted as a magnet to Chris’s Dark Elf spears and 2 units of giants which who were given the task of capturing the aforementioned hill.
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The shooting battle in the centre saw the Dark Elves hold their own against the High Elf bows inflicting push-backs and losses of stands. This set-back was compounded by Tony’s cavalry and raptors defeating the High Elf spear units on Tim’s right and Chris pushing my units back from the 3 hex hill on my wing. Tim and I were forced into committing our High Elf cavalry reserve, splitting it in two, sending 2 units to support both each wing. Our single but powerful unit of treemen was sent to aid Tim’s battle with Tony’s all conquering Dark Elf cavalry. Tony saw the danger, and in response, his well positioned wizard successfully evoked a fire elemental instantly destroying the unit of treemen.
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I think it would be fare to say that at this point the game was quickly slipping away from Tim and I and in our next tactical move we decided to commit every unit available into hand-to-hand combat along with all 3 of our generals and our wizard. It was a ‘do or die’ gamble for our struggling High Elves, but we had no options left! The combat results did halt the Dark Elf onslaught, however, more significantly, our wizard was freed from hand-to-hand combat and successfully evoked a fire elemental. This stopped and diverted Chris’s giants and Dark Elf spears and bought Tim and I enough time to re-organise our units and launch our first real advance of the game.
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The sustained attrition in the centre had given our High Elves a local superiority in numbers and as a result we were finally able to push forward. Luckily, we also finally won the air battle between our eagles and the Dark Elf vultures. With the bulk of the remaining Dark Elf units located on opposite wings the High Elf control of the centre increased the isolation of both wings. As the high losses on both sides reduced and spread-out and thinned both armies, our High Elf units were in a better position to support each other. As a result we finally gained the upper-hand and Tony and Chris studied the situation and conceded the game to our High Elves.
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Game Analysis
To say this game was close would be an understatement. Our High Eves were very lucky to survive the middle section of the game as a viable force. Only the high level of attrition eventually favoured our more central deployment which eventually isolated both wings of the Dark Elves. Win or lose the game did provide a good evenings entertainment.
