Azirtiro vs. Ethlain

Story Part 1.
2537 Imperial calender - a dawn during fall.

The wind was red. He stretched out his hand to touch it but it eluded him. His face showed annoyance and his lips quivered with anger. The tint of fresh blood swept on past him and through the naked hills behind him. Azirtiro turned around. A group of small deformed men pressed close together, and a sickly sweet musk spread on the ground surrounding them. It had been some years since he had slain the one he hated most, but still her scent kept returning. Now it flowed upon the waters, her people sailing their glittering host up the river. The tiny ratlike men squeeked to each other in silent voices. Their battery of lightning cannons silent and hidden on the hills behind them. This time she would not elude him. This time she would be made dead for good. With the help of the hired skaven, he would make sure that nothing but ashes and cinder would reach the shores.

At the stern of the ship an elf stands on the bow. Though young, for his race, he has been entrusted with an important task. Several Holy Relics of Asuryan is to be deliered to Caradryan. To help him on this quest the young elf, Ethlain as he is named, has recieved command over some of the Lothern Seaguard and a squadron of the noble silverhelms. Also in attendance is some Phoenix guardsmen, who brought with them a phoenix, though he does not hold command over either the guard or the noble beast. Ethlain smells the air and wrinkles his nose. The air smells unnaturally purgent even for the tainted Old World. He turns to ask his men to keep closer guard, as the smell must be a bad omen.

A loud noice tears the sky apart and crackling green thunder shoots from the shore. The heat from the shot is so intense the sails from the closest ship bursts into flames as the shot hits home on deck. The ship bursts in violent green tinged flames, throwing elves and horses in the water. It seems even the water has problems quenching the magical warp flames. Another lightning strike burns through the water near Ethlain's ship, but  the elven ship manouvers fast and gets clear of the tainted water. A hail of bullets from one of the hills nearby ripped through the crew of the sinking ship. The screams of dying elves fills the air and soon the cheers of the skaven can be heard from shore. Suddenly they are transformed to screams as another crackle of energy sends a dozen fried skaven tumbling down the hillside. Azirtiro turns his head away from the burning elf ship and sees one of the skaven weapons bursting into green flames. He steps back, the fire only a couple of inches from his face, one of his hands gently holding the fire away. His gauntlet turns hot and as he looks at the glowing gauntlet in wonder, he starts to move down the hill and away from the elves. He'll leave the skaven lord Squiqqit Bigbreaker to this fight and return to his fortress construction to oversee the work. It seems safer than standing next to the skaven doom devices.

Game Mechanics and rules:
2000 pts High Elves, vs 1500 pts Skaven

Characters: Ethlain vs. Squiqqit Bigbreaker and Sniki Paw

Special rules:
Surprise Lightning: A randomly selected High Elf unit takes two artillery die hits, with an artillery die strength, that ignore armour before the battle starts. These shots represent a warplightning cannon hitting one of the High Elf ships.

Warplightning Malfunction: Roll a misfire for one of the warplightning cannons after deployment, the result on the table is at +1.

Skaven only
Treachery: Sniki Paw is attempting to rid the world of the warlord Squiqqit Bigbreaker, and should a warplightning cannon "misfire", any roll on 3-5 on the misfire chart will not shoot in a random direction. Instead it will resolve a normal shot against Squiqqit Bigbreaker (place the cannon ball 10" away from Squiqqit on the straight line between the warplightning cannon and the warlord. If the shot cannot be placed between the warlord and the cannon, it will just attempt a shot 1" forward against him). If this shot misfires, treat it as a normal misfire. The warlord has noticed something fishy going on however and has a 3+ "Look Out Sir!" against these shots.

High Elf only
Beach Landing: To represent the elven ships trying to get to shore while being under fire from the skaven army, all elf forces start the game in reserve. All units with flying or water strider enter the battle on first turn, as these units can just abandon ship and swim/swoop to shore. Every remaining unit held in reserve will enter the battle on 3+, rolling in the remaining moves phase of first turn and every turn afterwards. The units that arrive also arrive in a random location on the High Elf's long table edge, as the ships are forced to turn and dodge lightning cannon shots: roll another die for those who enter (not flyvers and waterstriders, as they are free to choose where they enter)

1: within 18" of the High Elf's right flank,

2: within 18" of the High Elf's left flank,

3-5: Anywhere more than 18" away from both flanks.

6: Anywhere on the long table edge.

Borrowed Soldiers: To represent the Phoenix Guard not being under Ethlain's direct control, any units of Phoenix Guard must pass a leadership before taking the charge, reform, combat reform, move or march action. If they fail they are simply not allowed that action for that turn. This can be a total of three leaderships as they attempt to charge, march and move. If a move or reform check is failed, they simply cannot take any actions this turn. They will fight in combat as normal. They also cannot use the leadership of any characters in the army (Anointed of Asuryan not included), the BSB's Hold Your Ground! or Ethlain's Inspiring Presence.

Swimming for Artifacts: Ethlain only joins the battle on a 5-6 instead of 3+

Deployment:
Who Gets the First Turn?

Skaven:
Azirtiro's mercenaries 1500pts

Warlord Squiqqit Bigbreaker of clan Mortis, on rat ogre Bonebreaker, warpstone armour, dawnstone, shield.

Warlock Sniki Paw of clan Skyre, lvl. 2, dispel scroll.

Chieftain Fliff of clan Mortis, BSB and halberd

The Mortis Clan's 13th regiment of storm vermin: 30 Storm Vermin with full command.

The Mortis Clan's 189th regiment of clanrats: 34 clanrats w. spears, shields and full command.

3xSlave regiment: 40 slaves in each

Deadslingers of clan Eshin: 10 gutter runners, with poison and slings.

Sniki's Finest & One Shot, of clan Skyre: 2 Warplightning Cannons.

High Elves:
Ethlain's Army 2000pts

Ethlain The Young, Prince 260 - obsidian blade - talisman of preservation - enchanted shield - Dragon armour

Hannah Evergrace, Mage 145 - level 2 - Dispell Scroll

Efirean, Flamespyre Phoenix 225

The Watch of the Rising Flame: 32 Phoenix Guard w. champ (Learan the Scorched) and musician 500

Crewmen of the Fellar's Legacy: 24 Lothern seaguard w. Shield w. full command. 318

Defenders of Grace: 22 Lothern Seaguard w. Shield w. full command. 294

The Dawnstrider Company: 14 Silverhelms w. Shields w. full command. 353

Skaven casulties:
Sniki Paw (survives, no injury)

Fliff (survives, no injury)

100 Skaven slaves (two whole companies and half of the last)

34 clanrats (entire company)

30 stormvermin (entire company)

2 Gutter Runners

Warplightning cannon (One Shot)

High Elf casulties:
45 Seaguard. (21 fra Defenders of Grace, 24 from Fellar's Legacy)

12 Silverhelms.

17 Phoenixguard.

Story part 2.
2537 Imperial Calender - the evening following the battle.

As the few rats that remained scurried away and the warlord of rat ogre lost control of his mount, the elves watched them run. It was not because they did not want to slay the rest of the evil beasts, but most of the troops that had reached shore were dead or dying. The Silverhelms were thrown of their horses or being carried away, the phoenix guard were moving to secure the artifacts and Ethlain still soaked from his dive in the ocean. Not a single elf felt like following the vile ratmen, and the Phoenix

Game Mechanics and rules:
3000 pts High Elf vs. 2000 pts Vampire

Vampire:
 Azirtiro, The Master, vampire lord 455

 - Red Fury, quick blood, Fear Incarnate

 - sword of bloodshed, armour of fortune, dragonbane gem

 - lvl. 2

 Three Fallen Kings:

 King Vollkos the Broken, Wight King 114

 - barded skeletal steed, lance, shield

 King Garat the Burdened, Wight King 139

 - barded skeletal steed, lance, shield, BSB

 King Forloss the Burned, Wight King 114

 - barded skeletal steed, lance, shield

 Marienburg 4th regiment: 59 skeletons  w. spears FC 325

 Men-at-arms of Mousilion: 59 skeletons w. spears FC 325

 The Hellpit that should have killed The Master, corpsecart 90

 Sudden Darkness, 3x2 bat swarms 70(x3)=210

 Ash Phoenixes,1 Spirit Host 45

<p class="MsoNormal"> Death Howl, Varghulf 175

High Elves:
Ethlain's Army 3000pts

Ethlain The Young, Prince 260 - obsidian blade - talisman of preservation - enchanted shield - Dragon armour

Hannah Evergrace, Mage 145 - level 2 - Dispell Scroll

Efirean, Flamespyre Phoenix 225

The Watch of the Rising Flame: 28 Phoenix Guard w. champ (Learan the Scorched) and musician 500

Crewmen of the Fellar's Legacy: 7 Lothern seaguard w. Shield w. full command. 318

Defenders of Grace: 0 Lothern Seaguard w. Shield w. full command. 294 - DESTROYED

The Dawnstrider Company: 8 Silverhelms w. Shields w. full command. 353

Khalis, Lothern Sea Helm (freebie) - Shield, Light armour, bow, spear

The Unbroken Oath: 24 Lothern seaguards w. Shields, banner and musician 308

Swordsmaster of Hoeth 24 stk. w. FC (344)

Swordsmaster of Hoeth 24 stk. w. FC (344)

Special Rules:
Night Assault: - limited vision and ambusher special rules -

Vampire and skaven only:
The Newly Dead! After deployment the vampire can cast 6x raise dead anywhere on the battlefield for no dice, two of these will have the Dead Friends rule below. The other 4 won't, but will roll an additional d6 to determine the amount of zombies. Any further castings of Raise Dead will also have the Dead Friends or additional d6 zombies, determined by rolling a d6: 1-3 Dead Friends special rule, 4-6 an additional d6 zombies are raised.

Dead Friends: -1 leadership against fear test caused by these zombies

High Elf only:
Casulties: The Defenders of Grace are removed, and replaced with an elf noble (their champion) with shield, spear and longbow. Roll a dice for every guy that died from the other units, on a 1 and 2 a soldier is lost NOTE that the cost is not refunded. They cannot buy new soldiers to make up for the lost.

The Dawnstriders lose 6 guys, the Watch of the Rising Flames loses 4, the Fellar's Legacy lose 17 from their ship being ruined.

Interrupted: All elves must be deployed 12" away from another elf unit, on one half of the table (by the beach).

Bodyguard: The former champion of Defenders of Grace,, has risen to become Hannah Grace's only bodyguard and protector when the rest were killed. He must take any challenges, must be in group with Hannah Evergrace and can allocate a single wound she takes to himself each phase as he puts down his life for her.

Caught Unaware: The High Elf can't move the Dawnstriders or other cavalry the first turn as they hurry to their horses.

Deployment: the High Elves deploy first, all units must be 12" away from others. The undead have a 12" deployment from opposite table edge. Then the undead summon the dead Who Gets the First Turn: Rolloff.

Losses (from our play of the battle):
Vampire casulties:

Everything but the three kings and the corpsecart died, as Azirtiro stumbled off wounded.

High Elves casulties:

Ethlain the Young: (Dead)

Lothern Sea Guard: 3 died (2 from Fellar's Legacy, 1 from Unbroken Oath)

Swordmasters of Hoeth: 19 died (11 from one group, 8 from the other)

Silverhelms: 2 died

Phoenix Guards: 7 died

High elves:
Ethlain The Young, Prince 260 (Dead) - obsidian blade - talisman of preservation - enchanted shield - Dragon armour

Hannah Evergrace, Mage 145 - level 2 - Dispell Scroll

Efirean, Flamespyre Phoenix 225

The Watch of the Rising Flame: 21 Phoenix Guard w. champ (Learan the Scorched) and musician 500

Crewmen of the Fellar's Legacy: 5 Lothern seaguard w. Shield w. full command. 318

Defenders of Grace: 0 Lothern Seaguard w. Shield w. full command. 294 - DESTROYED

The Dawnstrider Company: 6 Silverhelms w. Shields w. full command. 353

Khalis, Lothern Sea Helm (freebie) - Shield, Light armour, bow, spear

The Unbroken Oath: 23 Lothern seaguards w. Shields, banner and musician 308

Swordsmaster of Hoeth 13 stk. w. FC (344)

Swordsmaster of Hoeth 16 stk. w. FC (344)