Nevershall Pass

Part II

Turn 4

A series of successful orders made this a very good turn for me. My Reavers dashed across the northern corridor, ready to roll up the enemy flank. My Bolt Throwers rumbled up the hill, giving them a clear view across the woods to the foot of the tall hill, and their accompanying block of infantry marched into the woods to dislodge the Empire renmants. A two-order hop sent my Eagles screaming into the Cannons (with their Harpy/Flagellant escort).

Being so used to fairly flat boards, artillery on hills continues to surprise me. Last game, it was me squirming to wriggle out from under Cannon fire, but this time Empire was in for the surprise - the Bolt Throwers launched their twelve dice over the forest into the exposed rear stands of the Halberdiers, forcing them out of the woods.

The Eagles did better than expected, butchering the Cannons and Harpies in the first round of combat, and after a few more, the Flagellants had fallen too. Five stands of Eagles were dead, but the Empire had now crossed its breakpoint, and withdrew.

Chaos was as unlucky as I had been the previous turn, and didn't get a single order off. To make matters worse, the Chaos Chariots' initiative charge into my remaining stand of Eagles resulted in a very unlikely 2-hit tie!

Turn 5

I regrouped my hilltop infantry, pulling them back and around the back of the cliff just in case the Chaos cavalry finally got moving. My Reavers continued their forward action, now turning south. They're useful in numbers with their missile fire, but they're also very vulnerable to charges, so I didn't push them too far.

Doomed Chaos Infantry Both moves turned out to be a good idea. Chaos began its attack immediately. The Chaos general finally dislodged his Chaos Knights and their Mounted Marauder escorts from the hilltop, sending them through a very narrow pass (8cm) to charge into my block of spearmen, who were partly protected by the forest. The 2002 Annual prevents infantry from supporting when only fighting to the side, so they quickly fell. Not wanting to make a bad situation worse, I refused to make way, absorbing the Knights' advance move with a second unit of Spearmen. Concerned about a possible counter-charge from my three remaining heavy cavalry stands, the Chaos Knights fell back into the open, in the middle of my units.

In the west, Chaos pulled the same stunt that had gone so badly for the Empire, making a three-order charge against cavalry, but this time with infantry and across open ground. They, too, failed their third order, and stopped just short of my line.

Turn 6

When my turn came, I sent three units of Reavers into the infantry on initative, one of them on the flank.

Mid-table, I was lucky enough to pull off two separate two-order charges. Last turn, Chaos had sent two units through a narrow pass between a cliff and a forest, and they had become separated. My blue Wizard ordered the surviving two units of infantry to surround the Mounted Marauders, attacking simultaneously in the front and rear, and routing them.

I then used my general (and a good bit of luck, since the penalties were -3 and -4) to move my battered heavy cavalry around the back of the Chaos Knights for a charge from the rear, adding a dragon.

My blue Wizard climbed to the top of a hill in between the two fights, and used his Ring of Magic to cast Light of Battle, which sealed the matter. Chaos crossed its breakpoint, and withdrew.

On to the conclusion..