The Dark Ritual

[Galadrin]

Played a game of Warhammer Fantasy Battle with the kids this afternoon and I thought I'd share the story here. The game was roughly 1,200 pts per side and we used 5th Edition with a handful of house rules: 1) I threw out the army composition rules and just set up two sides that seemed like they would be interesting for the scenario, 2) we did a magic item draw (one card per character) instead of purchasing magic items, 3) we allowed missile troops to fire in two ranks if they did not move and 4) we used all of the supplements (rulebooks, magic boxes etc.) from 4th Edition so that only the base game was technically the 5th Edition rules.

The scenario was set in the Grey Mountains between Bretonnia and the Forest of Loren. The evil Master Necromancer Grimmag had collected a motley company of foul creatures, promising them riches, power and domination over the peaceful lands that lay down below their evil lairs in the towering mountain peaks. Grimmag just needed time, a chance to conduct a baleful ritual at the depthless Slough of Despair. It was rumoured that this churning morass, hidden in a high mountain dell, was formed of the faint zephyrs of the Winds of Magic, gales of sorcerous energies that blew from the Realm of Chaos far to the north and became trapped amidst the crooked peaks of the Grey Mountains. If he could draw from the magical condensate hidden deep within the Slough, Grimmag was confident that his ritual of power would raise a mighty host of Undead with which he could rampage the sleepy lands below.

Fortunately for the peoples of those lands, word of Grimmag's misdeeds somehow reached the civilized areas beneath the Grey Mountains. First as hushed whispers, and then as worried chattering, the ominous reports of shadowy forces and strange lights in the mountainside spread to every tavern and hearthside until men resolved to act against the wicked conspiracy in the Grey Mountains. Estranged neighbors found common cause and together, a disparate troop marched into the mountains to find their fate and that of their communities.

Set-Up
The battlefield was set up as a high mountain vale, with a rocky prominence in the center under which lay the Slough of Despair, a morass of sticky, verdant ichor. The forces of darkness arrayed around the rocky mound included a Giant, an Ogre, nine Skeletons with spears led by a Wight, three Minotaurs, 13 Black Orcs led by a Boss, a Chaos Gorgon and another ten Skeletons with bows. Standing atop the outcrop was Grimmag himself, a Master Necromancer. The good forces came from all sides and included a group of 14 Dwarfs led by a Champion, 14 Wood Elf Glade Guard led by a Champion, four Empire Knights Panther led by a Champion, eight Dryads and a Great Eagle. The leader of the good contingent was Pinion, the Wood Elf Mage Champion astride her Elven Steed, positioned next to the regiment of Glade Guard. (Please click on the image to get a larger version.)



The battle would last between 4 and 6 rounds (to be rolled at the end of the 4th round). The objective of the good forces was to slay Grimmag and thus end his ritual. The evil side simply had to keep Grimmag alive. Further, Grimmag could not leave the rocky mount or his ritual would be ruined (if he then survived the battle, this would amount to a draw).




Next, we drew magic items.



The good side drew four magic items since it has four characters. The results were somewhat underwhelming but the Book of Ashur was a very good draw. I gave that (along with the Boots of Flight) to Pinion as I came up with my strategy. Pinion already had a fast mount, but I basically had to give her the Boots of Flight since all the other characters were champions (who couldn't leave their units). The Star Lance only made sense for the Empire Knights Panther Champion and thus the meager Blade of Leaping Copper went to the Dwarf Champion.



The evil side drew only three magic items as they only had three characters. The Shield of Ptolos had to be discarded and redrawn as the good side did not actually have any missiles. This was replaced by the Spelleater Shield, which was given to the Wight (sorry, I forgot to photograph this card!). The Black Orc Boss was gifted the covetous Blade of Leaping Gold as he faced down a fearsome swarm of Dryads. The Magic Mirror finally went to Grimmag.



Finally, we drew spells. Pinion decided to use her Book of Ashur (which had elevated her to a Level 3 Master Mage) to take spells entirely from High Magic. This was a somewhat risky choice... the Book of Ashur spells could not be discarded and redrawn (which is normally allowed for regular spells), but the decision paid off as the Wood Elf Master Mage drew the spell she was hoping for—Assault of Stone. There are many powerful High Magic spells, but this one in particular could be devastating, allowing an early way to kill off Grimmag and cause serious damage to his host. The other High Magic spells that were drawn—Drain Magic and Deadlock—looked like they might also be useful for controlling the powerful Necromancer.



Grimmag for his part drew a useful array of Necromantic Magic. Summon Skeletons would help bolster the regiments of undead fencing the rocky outcrop, while Hand of Dust and Gaze of Nagash would punish any enemies that strayed too closely to the ritual site.

Ok, stay tuned for Turn 1!

 

[Eric]

Looking forward to this. Lovely battlefield setup and scenario, really takes me back (did the majority of my WHF games in 4th/5th ed), although I'm not sure we ever did manage a game with fully painted miniatures on a fully finished table like this!

Is that the old Citadel/GW gaming mat?

 

[Galadrin]

Looking forward to this. Lovely battlefield setup and scenario, really takes me back (did the majority of my WHF games in 4th/5th ed), although I'm not sure we ever did manage a game with fully painted miniatures on a fully finished table like this!

Is that the old Citadel/GW gaming mat?

Yep, although I'm not sure how old it is... I am pretty sure I picked it up in the last few years or so?

 

[Galadrin]

Wood Elf Turn 1



The good side won the roll off and got the opportunity to act first (the shadowy forests surrounding the glen having covered their approach). The Great Eagle declared a charge directly on Grimmag himself; it was a long shot, but a lucky combat result could end this battle early and at worst, the Great Eagle would sacrifice itself to put wounds on the Master Necromancer that could prove vital in the end. Nearby, the Dryads howled in rage and charged the Black Orcs. Both regiments were formidable foes, tough and stalwart, but if the Black Orcs could be broken then the Dryads could continue up the rocky outcrop to finish the evil Grimmag themselves. Eager for glory, the Knights Panther also declared a charge against the Minotaur, passing their fear check. The Glade Guard charged the Skeletons with spears, also passing their fear test. They hoped to finish off these undead before the nearby ogre could charge into their flank. Only the Dwarfs and Pinion herself chose to make normal moves. Pinion galloped atop a low hilltop at the far edge of the mountain valley, trying to get into a good vantage point for the magic phase. The Dwarf regiment from Karak Norn was well out of charge range, so the doughty Dwarfs marched forward, undaunted by the Skeleton bowmen and Giant ahead of them.



With all of the charges brought home (the Dryads just barely making the distance between themselves and the Black Orcs), the forces of evil looked to be surrounded. Any breakthrough this early in the game would spell doom for Grimmag's plans... his dark allies would need to hold on all fronts!



Anxious to see if the gamble with the Great Eagle would work, the combat turned to the rocky summit first. The Great Eagle released a piercing cry and fell upon the Master Necromancer, slashing his withered body with talons and beak. Grimmag struck back with his sword, fixing the enormous raptor with a cold and defiant glare. The end result was a wound for each combatant, a tied combat! No matter, a few more turns and the Great Eagle could really soften up the foul sorcerer and perhaps even end his threat for good.



Elsewhere, the Dryads killed off three Black Orcs with their Birch Aspect (+1A), suffering only one wound in return (I accidentally removed an entire model and corrected the mistake in the next turn... Dryads have two wounds each!). Due to the Black Orc ranks and standard, the result was a tied combat. The Knights Panther, for all their boasting of mighty feats, managed to miss ever attack they made, including the champion with the Star Lance! Only one of the steeds managed to injure a Minotaur, dealing a single point of damage. The Minotaurs in turn smashed two of the Knights Panther, winning the combat. Fortunately, the Knights made their break test roll and stayed in the combat, despite of how grim things looked to them now. Nearby, the Glade Guards smashed into the Skeletons with spears but only brought down one of the undead. The Skeletons and Wight in turn delivered a few telling blows back to the Wood Elves, but likewise all but one brave Glade Guard made their armour saving throws. The Wood Elves eked out a narrow victory, causing another Skeleton to crumble before them.

In the magic phase, the Winds of Magic waned and only six cards were drawn. Pinion had a poor hand and so she decided to play Drain Magic as the first action in order to avoid any trouble from the Master Necromancer.

 

[Galadrin]

Undead Turn 1



In the Undead Turn 1, the Giant howled a jeering remark and stumbled towards the diminutive Dwarf spearmen. The Ogre and Chaos Gorgon near the hill also repositioned to rescue their master from the screeching Great Eagle.



In the shooting phase, the malevolent Chaos Gorgon spun about and fixed her gaze on the Great Eagle that was threatening Grimmag. One die roll of 6 later, and the Great Eagle was instantly turned to solid stone! The petrified beast crashed from the air onto the rocky outcrop, splitting into several large chunks. What a loss for the forces of good! Behind the Giant, the rows of Skeleton bowmen ineffectually fired shots into the melee. Amazingly, the bowmen did not strike the clumsy oaf, but also failed to wound a Dwarf. Skeleton bowmen... they're just Skeletons with bows!



Now everything rested on the allies surrounding the rocky cliff. Could they make a breakthrough? Who would gain the honour of beheading the foul Grimmag?



Unfortunately, the woes of the good side continued into the close combat phase. The Dryads switched to Willow Aspect to reduce the attacks from the Black Orcs and killed one of the enemies for good measure, but the greenskins still managed to kill the wounded Dryad and wound another, thanks in large part to their additional hand weapons (and the mighty Blade of Leaping Gold wielded by the Black Orc champion). With their standard and an additional wound inflicted, the Black Orcs won the combat by two and the Dryads were routed! Thankfully, the miserable fleeing roll of 5" was matched by an even more miserable 3" pursuit by the Black Orcs!



Elsewhere, the Knights Panther and Glade Guard had more luck, but neither managed to make a breakthrough to the rocky summit. The Knights Panther inflicted a further wound on the Minotaurs and saved all three of the wounds the Minotaurs returned (with three 6's!), but the Minotaurs held their ground. The Glade Guard used their spears to good effect, slaying a Skeleton and avoiding damage themselves. The Wood Elves won the combat by three from ranks and kills, causing a further three Skeletons to crumble to dust.



Unfortunately, more sorrow was yet to come for the allies, as the Giant gleefully jumped up and down on the Dwarf spearmen. I had to look it up and remind myself that Giants are only penalized for jumping on a forest of spear tips in 3rd Edition, not 5th! Only the Dwarf champion had the chance to strike back with his Blade of Leaping Copper, causing a single wound to the Giant with his flashing sword. But it was to no avail... the Giant won the combat handily and the Dwarfs were put to rout and easily caught by their long-legged foe.

In the magic phase, Grimmag summoned four more Skeletons to assist the beleaguered undead spearmen that were holding back the Wood Elves at the foot of the rocky outcrop. Pinion again had a bad draw... the time was not yet right, the future was still unclear. She decided to cast the Drain Magic High Magic spell and end the magic phase before more treachery could come from her powerful foe.

 

[Galadrin]

Turn 2

I quickly became consumed with finding templates, shuffling cards, rolling dice, looking up rules and generally running the game, so unfortunately I forgot to take as many pictures as I had managed in the first turn. Turn 2 was particularly bad, with only a single photo taken, so I will fold the remaining turns into one post each (covering both good and bad sides). Turn 2 was mostly uneventful, with one exception. The Dryads rallied at the foothill and stared down the Black Orcs. The Knights Panther remained locked in combat with the Minotaurs, managing to save all of their wounds but failing to inflict any damage in turn. The Glade Guard and the Skeletons both managed to save any damage that the enemy inflicted. The Wood Elf magic phase was uneventful, with a meek Winds of Magic and both players passing.

In the Wood Elf magic phase, the Winds of Magic provided four cards to each side and Pinion finally launched her devastating attack. First, she played Assault of Stone with Total Power. The rocky outcrop lifted up into the air and hurled itself towards the Minotaurs. Grimmag clung to a large boulder and managed to avoid injury, but the Ogre was nearly crushed, as were all of the Skeletons (save the Wight champion) and every last one of the Minotaurs! Pinion was hoping to bury the Master Necromancer on his precious hill, but this was still a fairly good result! Grimmag in turn had drawn poorly and simply used his spells to replace the lost Skeleton spearmen. The ancient warlock was beginning to realize how tenuous his control of the situation was becoming. With no other move to play, Pinion cast Drain Magic again with her final three power cards.



In the Undead phase, the Black Orcs charged the Dryads and the Giant began to stomp his way back from the far hill (but still quite out of range of the rest of the battle). The undead bowmen spun about, ready to fire over the rocky outcrop at any approaching enemy. The combat with the Black Orcs and Dryads resulted in a tie and the Glade Guard destroying more of the newly raised Skeletons. The magic phase was ineffectual with each side dispelling the meager magics of the other.

 

[Galadrin]

Turn 3



At the top of Turn 3, the Knights Panther, recently freed from combat with the crushed Minotaurs, attempted to charge up the rocky outcrop. Unfortuantely, the difficult terrain of the summit stymied the Empire Warhorses and the charge failed, leaving the three brave knights at the foot of the foul sorcerer. In the combat phase, the Glade Guard finally finished off the Wight champion and his host of Skeletons... now they too had a clear path to the Master Necromancer, if only they could get through that Ogre! In the Wood Elf magic phase, each side only drew three cards. Pinion attempted to enter a mental duel with Grimmag, but this resulted in a draw. A wicked smile creased Grimmag's weathered face and with a blinding flash of his eyes (Gaze of Nagash), he turned the three brave Empire knights to soot! Things were turning back in the favour of the forces of evil!



In the Undead phase, the Ogre turned to block the path of the Glade Guard and the Undead bowmen also fired upon the Glade Guard to no effect. Elsewhere, the Chaos Gorgon shambled down to the stalled combat with the Black Orcs and Dryads. Fixing her gaze on a Dryad, a moment later (and another unlucky roll!), a Dryad was turned to petrified wood!



This woeful event presaged the miserable combat, which saw three wounds caused by each side. Two Dryads fell and the Dryads lost due to the Black Orc standard, but still the forest host held.



The magic phase was uneventful, with a Drain Magic being played.

 

[Galadrin]

Turn 4



The forces of good were growing thin and the remaining allies knew that this might be their last chance to stop Grimmag. The Glade Guard charged up the rocky outcrop at the ogre, slaying the wounded brute outright before he could strike back. Unfortunately, this exposed them to the foul sorcerer, who would blast four of their number with Gaze of Nagash in the first magic phase. Pinion moved into position in case she had to finish the job with cold steel instead of sorcery.



Elsewhere, the Black Orcs and Dryads both stubbornly held their ground, with three Black Orcs falling to one Dryad (and a tied combat as a result). In the second combat phase, each side would be reduced to three models but still they would remain locked in bitter combat.



In the Undead phase, the Giant finally came around the Slough of Despair and within reach of the rocky outcrop. The Chaos Gorgon attempted to turn Pinion to stone but failed (for the first time!) as Pinion averted her eyes from the terrible beast. Grimmag then turned his horrible gaze again to the approaching Glade Guard, slaying all but three of the brave Wood Elves (who stubbornly made their panic check). Pinion attempted to cast one last Assault of Stone, but the cruel Master Necromancer scattered the spell to the winds with a wave of his clawed hand. To add insult to injury, Grimmag summoned a new line of Skeletons between him and the remaining Glade Guard, cackling madly from his summit.



At the end of Turn 4, we rolled to see how many turns were remaining and got a "2", which meant that this had been the last turn! To be honest, the writing was on the wall. The good forces only had three Glade Guard (who were now blocked by a new unit of five Skeletons) and the three Dryads (who were perpetually locked in combat with the stalwart Black Orcs). Pinion was powerful, but not nearly as powerful as Grimmag, who was a fearsome combatant in his own right. With the looming Giant and Chaos Gorgon, the forces of good were so close yet so far away. Sounding the horn, the heroes retreated back into the black peaks of the Grey Mountains, hounded by stray arrows and the blood curdling celebrations of the evil forces. With any luck, the surviving heroes could make it back to their peoples in time to warn them and give them a chance to prepare defenses against the coming darkness.