Nevershall Pass

Part I

After losing the last game, I was determined to make better use of my army by looking more carefully for problems and opportunities. The eastern edge of the table was very constrained by cliffs and woods, which would make it difficult for cavalry brigades to maneuver.

The north was hilly, but essentially open, so I hoped to use the cover in the south to protect my left flank while making a cavalry charge down the north edge of the table. I won the last two-on-one battle by concentrating my attacks on one enemy, (which triggers the quarter-force breakpoint of a two-army force), so I hoped to do that again.

Turn 1

I won the die roll for first move. When the blinds came down, all of the Empire cavalry was in the north also, so I decided to move cautiously. Empire-Chaos began their rumble forwards.

Turn 2

I moved my southern infantry into the forest, hoping that the wizard and archers could harass the Chaos troops on the tall hill. (As it happens, they got into the woods, but then didn't move for the rest of the game.) I then tried an eagles "slingshot" to take out the Empire cannons in the centre of his line, but a 10cm home back followed by a failed order left them uselessly behind a hill. I pushed the bolt throwers forward to cover the middle of the table, and formed my cavalry into a curve, in case the Empire Knights made it through.

Empire-Chaos cavalry immediately went on the offensive, with Chaos Knights, Mounted Marauders, and Chaos Chariots racing to the top of the tall hill. In the north, the Empire general risked everything on a three-order charge down the northern corridor. Disaster! He failed the third order, leaving the core of his army outnumbered two to one.

Turn 3

This turn went badly for me, order-wise - nothing moved except by initiative. Fortunately, the desperately overextended Empire Knights were in initiative charge range of everything in my army with hooves. You can only bring in so much, however, before line of sight is obscured, and I didn't think to bring in a wizard for Light of Battle, which left the fight a lot more evenly matched than I could have made it. Thus began a bloodbath that consumed nearly everything that fought.

I won the first round of combat, but when casualties split the engagement into two, I made a foolish decision about which to resolve first, choosing an even fight before an easy victory. Had I done it the other way around, my advancing Reavers would have been available for the second fight.

In the end, my cavalry came out on top, but with terrible losses. The Empire Knights were in similar shape. In their turn, they charged back in on initiative, piling in two heroes to top it off. My battered brigade was extremely lucky with armour saves, broke their charge, and ran them down in pursuit. Of the four units I started with, only three stands and a hero remained. The Empire had lost four units of Knights and two accompaning heroes.

Elsewhere on the table things continued slowly. The leading Chaos units had a hard time getting started, with four units of cavalry stuck on the hilltop, allowing the rest of the army to catch up. The Empire cannons opened fire at my hilltop infantry brigade, confusing two units.

So far, so good. I had lost my heavy cavalry, but the Empire army was in tatters, with their best units routed, and only one unit away from withdrawal. Better still, the northern corridor was now open!