Elfin Commander : Fenth Gallinir 

Undead/Dwarven Alliance 

Undead Commander : Utu Ekong the Deathmaster 

Dwarven Commander : Thorban 

The following battle report describes a fierce battle held in Newark, New Jersey at the Dreamation convention. The battle pitted Will Nesbit, the author of Battlestorm, against Mark Whittaker of New Jersey. Mark had first seen Battlestorm (and met Will) and 2 days prior to the showdown, but Will had already lost a demo game to Mark and he was loathe to lose again. This game was a good-natured grudge match with the winner walking away with an entire wheelbarrow full of bragging rights.  

Will says with a smile: "Mark had played two whole games in his Battlestorm career and having won both, he was getting a bit too arrogant for my tastes. I was ready to slap him silly." 

Background 

Utu Ekong had already won two stinging victories against the Elves arrayed before him, but not without cost. His formidable army was half its original size and he hadn't the time to summon up more troops. No doubt the two previous Elfin commanders would perform excellently since their recent conversion to wraith-form, yet still the Elfin defense had been more than he had counted upon. Worse yet, Fenth Gallinir seemed to have called every elf in the woods to do battle this time. He didn't doubt he would prevail, but still... 

Gallinir strode back and forth encouraging his men and women to fight to the last and drive the wrested Deathmaster back into his grave. There would be no doubt as to the outcome of this battle. Every troop at his disposal was arrayed against the undead horde, easily outnumbering them two-to-one across the battlefield. Yes, Utu Ekong's bloody raids would end here and now. 

Thorban read his orders with disgust. Again the Mokk felt it necessary to ally with the contemptible Living Dead. Yet, orders were orders, and he set to making ready. Just as the other armies were beginning to array, the Dwarves arrived upon the scene. Thorban immediately took command of the deployment and prepared for the jump against the elves. 

Thorban couldn't help but smell a trap here. Utu had marched his forces into a small village. The Elves had hastily erected a steep, earthen wall across the frontline, centered by a tall guard tower. Atop the earthen wall and tower stood ranks of archers, all with easy view of the No-man's land between the wall and the village. The Dwarves and Undead conferred and agreed that a direct assault on the wall would never succeed. The archers needed to be flanked. 

Mark's Plan for the undead/dwarf alliance 

Having played the first couple of games as the undead I knew what they were capable of. I could only hope the dwarves would live up to their reputations. I was looking at three basic "armies". The first army would flank the left side to get in amongst the archers there. The second army would form an oblique line defense of the center. The third army, would crush the right flank. As I wasn't sure what would be on the flanks, I began deployment by placing the most heavily armored troops I could find along the front. This got me through the placement of the archers, who ended up about where I expected them. Then I placed my reserves and artillery, now it was becoming fairly clear as to where the elves would be deploying. Unfortunately it looked like the elves had chosen a similar strategy. So I would have to overload one flank to make sure that I got through on the flank and the elves didn't. This meant I'd have to yield one flank and add it to the line across the center. The "big guns" the hydra, dragon, giant skeleton, and one of the wraiths all went to one flank, while the stouttroopers and skeleton mob went to opposite flank. My strategy took on more of a hammer and anvil approach. The right flank being the hammer and the left forming the hard anvil. Now to execute. 

Will's Plan for the Elves 

My disadvantage lay in the fact that I had not selected this army. (I always like to grab a blue dragon when playing elves.) On the other hand, I had lots of cavalry (my favorite troop type) and I fully intended to skewer Mark's best troops. My advantage lie in the fact that I had thoroughly squashed the army I was now playing early in the day, so I knew this army's strengths. 

There are certain words which come to mind when describing elves: intelligent, nimble, accurate, even deadly but one word that does not come to mind: courageous. Elves have a different way of thinking, and I had to take this into account when forming my battle strategy. Many of the elfin troops are superior to their enemy counterparts, but they have a tendency to start to fall apart, rout and break when the going gets tough. I meant to take full advantage of my superior knowledge of the rules through the use of formations and bluffing declarations to increase the battlefield longevity of my elves.  

Deployment 

Thorban’s stouttrooper bodyguard deployed on the left flank with one of the wraiths and a large mob of skeletons. Arrayed against them were a small spear battalion and a mix of mounted archers and heavy cavalry. The right flank was to be demolished by Utu's pet hydra, a wraith, a giant skeleton and Craxidim the dragon. A unit of halberds and a similar mix of light and heavy cavalry had been deployed by the elves to present a defense here. Across the front Thorban and Utu deployed the majority of their forces to distract the elves from the flanking maneuvers.  

Mark said, "So long as the center holds, all will go according to plan." 

Will, on the other hand, spied the forest that anchored one of Mark's flank. Normally this would be a good idea but the elves ignore all terrain penalties through the forest. Like Jackson in the Wilderness, Will has intent on strike Mark's back, all the while threatening the center. 

The elves answered in kind, deploying row after row of elfin spearmen in the center. The elfin fence looked threatening, but they were never intended to be used offensively. Their only duty was to defend the hill so the archers could fire unharried. A pair of units and Gallinir was set in the rear to fill the inevitable gaps.  

Ram riders and undead cavalry made up the dark force's reserve. Utu expected them to move swiftly to fill any gaps that made themselves known. All was ready and Thorban gave the order to get stuck in. 

Turn 1  

The arquebusiers launched their first volley, long and high, completely misjudging the range to the elfin archers. Instead the shots fell amongst the reserves. There were many startled cries, but no casualties.  

"Elfin dexterity!" Will smiled. 

The elves responded by firing volley after volley into the dwarves and undead with far greater accuracy. The Folksmakt arquebusiers were caught in the fire and retreated further into the woods. The skeleton giant absorbed a hail of arrows and stood wobbling at the front. The Deathmaster himself became a target and began to reconsider prancing about unprotected. An entire unit of Dwarven hammerers was caught in a volley. Not one survived.  

"So far, so good," Will explained. "Now, I proceed to declare attacks against Mark's front line halberdiers. I did not want to fight them! I could kill a lot of them, but sooner or later, I would run. I was much more content to sit on the hill and keep firing away. I threatened to attack him and he backed up and braced for my charge. Instead, I backed away from him and formed into phalanxes to bolster my courage. Additionally, he was now pinned in place and highly susceptible to my charges." 
 
In the center the lines threatened to clash together. Thorban himself charged in against a unit of Elfin spears. Behind the barn, the stouts and a mob skeletons marched boldly forward almost unmolested. The elves were saving their shots for more important targets. When a wraith struck out to attack a unit of elfin irregulars with polearms, the withering fire of the elfin archers struck him down. On the right the elves with polearms withstood the terrifying charge of the second wraith and delivered grievous wounds to the hydra. But the seven-headed beast struck back, slaughtering every elf that did not run. A cannon blast crushed one elfin knight, but two more hurled themselves into a charge attempting to strike down Utu. The charge blasted through a rank of dwarven swordsmen and into the undead halberdiers, but there it was halted. Because the halberdiers had not attacked the elfin fence of spears they were ready for the charge. 

The elfin cavaliers were spitted on rusted skeleton polearms. Meanwhile elves charged through the forest to the undead rear. The first unit was turned away and routed by the ram riders, but the cavaliers had diverted important back-up from the front line.  

The dragon bellowed forth a great ball of fire at the creatures before him. Unfortunately for the dwarves the dragon's eyesight was not so impressive as the ball of fire.  

"Aaaagh," Mark anguish as he realized his scatter die had sent the dragon fireball onto several of his front line units. 

Most of the dwarven swordsman melted away in the ball of fire and the few survivors broke formation and ran in terror. Both sides had taken grievous wounds, and the battle was just beginning. 
 
Turn 2 

Most of the undead were mindless, without will or function if the Deathmaster was lost in combat. For this reason the elves continued to blast him with arrows. The Deathmaster had very good armor, but he was tiring. The dwarven leader Thorban urged his allies forward, but the Deathmaster was rapidly growing tired of serving as a pincushion for the elves. He hollered out orders to his troops on the flanks and headed for the protection of his halberdier bodyguard. All across the front the dwarves and undead charged. The mob of undead swordsmen on the left flank chopped away at the unit of elfin spearmen whose resolve was bolstered by the elfin second in command.  

The stouttroopers charged at the elfin irregulars with halberds, while undead cavalry on the left flank moved to cut off Gallinir's mounted bowmen before they could get into the rear. These bowmen managed to release one final volley before turning to flee. The cannon crew never saw the volley coming and after taking a casualty, they ran from their exposed position. The Mokk's army arquebusiers fired again, this time their aim much more accurate. Half the elfin archers on the left side of the battlefield were dead or put to flight.  

In the center the battle raged on as the Elves continued to push at Utu, knowing that with the demise of the undead general all of his troops would cease to be a threat. A unit of ram riders reinforced besieged Deathmaster, while skeleton cavalry began to harry the elfin archers on the right flank. The remaining wraith and Craxidim the dragon swooped in to engage the elfin commander.  

The Elfin rear-guard faltered, but Galinir's inspirational words held them fast against the onslaught. On the right flank the remaining Horse archers became a hasty meal for the Hydra as their bows failed to fell the beast. Things had begun to look bleak for the Elves, but they were not through yet. If Utu fell, the battle could still be won handily. 

"My fence was collapsing. There were breaches in all my perimeters, but I had a lot of arrows and fight left in me," Will said. 
 
Turn 3 

Mark summed up his position: "The elfin flanks were collapsing, the dragon was in the enemy's rear. All was going according to plan. Except Utu looked like he might to make a run for it in this the moment of victory." The Deathmaster has a Courage of 5 (out of 30), if things go badly he will flee and not stop running. The Deathmaster had taken refuge in a unit of armored skeletons with halberds. Unfortunately for the dwarves, if that unit was obliterated, the Deathmaster would surely flee.  

Thorban ordered his second ram rider detachment into the fray around Utu. Under no circumstances was the Deathmaster to be allowed to die. On the left flank the resistance slowly crumbled before the onslaught of the huge mob of skeletons. The undead lancers wheeled around behind to catch any stragglers trying to flee.  

"Here's where I made a critical error," reports Will. "Gallinir and his bodyguard were in a closed formation attacking the dragon. I ordered them to mob the dragon to get in extra attacks. Unfortunately, mobs are not as brave as closed formation." 

In the elf rear the dragon routed Fenth Galinir's bodyguard and drove them from the field. The arquebusiers turned to their rear and hammered the remaining elfin cavalry. That sent them fleeing from the field as well. 

That's when Thorban unveiled his secret weapon. Hogar the halfling leapt into the elfin flanks. Caught totally unaware the elfin morale was shattered and the right flank fell to Thorban's bodyguard. The undead cavalry ran down the few remaining elfin archers along the earthen wall. Thorban bellowed out for Fenth Gallinir to yield. 

"Boy that hurt. My leader's bodyguard was broken. My archers were surrounded. Suddenly everything seemed to go wrong, " Will said. "I almost conceded right there." 

In the center, the reinforcements encouraged the Deathmaster to hold once again, though his bodyguard was sagging heavily under the Elfin onslaught.  

"To hell with surrender! I'm going to take out the Deathmaster and that should even this battle out quite a bit!" 

The Elfin noble would have none of it. Utu Ekong would be defeated or every elf on the field would die trying. 
 
Turn 4 

Fenth Gallinir hurled himself at the charging dragon, now peppered with arrows from the tower archers. With one mighty stroke the dragon's head was removed. The hydra's gnashing teeth snapped all around him, but Gallinir was unscathed.  

Will cried out, "You're going down, Deathmaster!" 

But Mark answered the challenge. This was to be a bitter grudge match fought to the last man. 

The elves did not fare so well as their leader. The flanking skeletal horsemen ran down the remaining archers not in the relative safety of the tower. All that remained was the struggle for the Deathmaster's safety in the center. The elves were ferocious in the assault and blow after blow landed first on the undead bodyguards and then on the Deathmaster itself.  

Thorban ordered his ram riders to kill the Elves and disregard the Deathmaster. He himself made for the tower to force out the remaining archers.  

Mark reports, "Utu tried to flee, but between the press of the elves assaulting him and the dwarves trying to get to the elves he was crushed to death." 

"Dwarves my pointed-eared butt! We tenaciously chop chop chopped away until he was dead where he stood," Will exclaims. 

An eerie silence fell across the battlefield. The hydra, finally feeling the weight of its wounds lumbered from the battlefield. Utu's undead minions fell to pieces to join the bones of those whom moments ago they had struck down. Gallinir saw perhaps the elves had one last gasp at victory. The undead host was shattered. But Thorban methodically headed for the tower and last bastion of elven archers. 

Gallinir broke the silence and called out that the battle was over. He would yield. Thorban's Folksmakt hurled the remaining elfin archers from the top of the tower in response.  

"Now, it is over," declared the Hero of the Mokk. 
 
  

Will's Hindsight 

"This was definitely one of the most enjoyable and best fought battles I've tasted. Even though he was a Battlestorm rookie, Mark didn't play like a rookie. I can't think of a single error he committed except perhaps fireballing his own troops (which could be blamed on the scatter die). On the other hand I made two costly errors. I had carefully posted lancers on each side of the battlefield, but my irregulars with polearms inadvertantly protected Mark's left flank. This cut out one of my deadly charges. Lastly, I should NOT have mobbed that dragon. I just got greedy and it cost me the entire unit. My hat is off to Mark he did a good job." 

Mark's Hindsight 

"I'll tell you why I love this game. Lots of dead elves! No seriously. Things actually went according to plan. The first couple of turns were very risky though. In order to get the troops on both flanks where I wanted them Utu was left exposed. By the time everything was rolling along the Deathmaster was left riddled down to 3 fate. Not good. Those elfin archers are dynamite. Once he got tucked away, the middle settled into the quagmire I had hoped it would. Fortunately for me, and unfortunately for the elves, the left flank polearm irregulars never got to do much more than block up the alley way so that the lancers on that side couldn't charge through. As it turned out those lancers never got engaged with much of anything (and there was much rejoicing...yay!). The Hydra almost met its match against the elfin irregulars with polearms and that would have been crushing. I wish I could have seen the look on my face when Will announced that a single halberdier had dished out 37 damage. You try and absorb that one...bleah. With the middle of the battle bogged down, I had to make the rest of the plan work. I would have to say the turning point in the game came on Turn Three when the reserve spears, led by Fenth Gallinir, abandoned their closed formation to mob the dragon. A bite here, a swipe of the claw there and the Elves bolted. The Elfin deities looked kindly upon Fenth Gallinir this day however, and he survived the blunder. I can bet it's a mistake he never makes again." 

After writing this Mark wrote, "Ya know, my blood boils all over again just reading the thing...What's that I smell in the air? Could it be. . .a rematch?"