Battle Report: Wood Elves vs Empire

This week, we played two off-schedule WoffBoot battles (an OffBoot?), with myself taking my Empire army against Generals East and Kasfunatu respectively.

Bear with me on these Battle Chronicler maps - it's the first time I've used them.

Deployment

Deployment

Wood Elves - General East

10 x Glade Guard (musician)
 - including Spellweaver (Lv3 Lore of Life, Hail of Doom arrow)
10 x Glade Guard (musician)
8 x Dryads
8 x Dryads
4 x Treekin
1 x Great Eagle
 - 1000 points

Empire - General Stylus

28 x Spearmen (full command)
 - including Warrior Priest (Charmed Shield) and Battle Standard (Luckstone, Standard of Discipline)
14 x Halberdiers (detachment)
10 Free Company (detachment)
10 x Knights (full command)
5 x Pistoliers (musician)
1 x Wizard (Lv 2 Lore of Death, barded warhorse, Dispel Scroll)
 - 1000 points

Turn 1

Empire - Turn 1

Empire go first and the Pistoliers vanguard straight ahead (I then forget to make their normal move, so they are left stranded in the middle of the field in perfect bow range). The Knights cautiously walk over the stone wall, and all the infantry walk up towards the woods. The Wizard casts Caress of Laniph and takes a few wounds off the Treekin.

Wood Elves - Turn 1

The Wood Elves advance. Naturally enough, the Dryads seek the cover of the forests (which prove to be Normal and Fungus - although Stupidity has no effect on them), the Treekin and Great Eagle move up along along the flank, and both Glade Guard reposition themselves to fire.

Amazingly, the Pistoliers survive volleys from both Glade Guard regiments for only one loss, the Life spell Regrowth recovers the Treekin's wounds, the Spellweaver then casts Throne of Vines and fails to cast Dwellers Below on the Spearmen unit.

Turn 2

Empire - Turn 2

The Empire infantry move cautiously forward, while the Pistoliers swing behind the Great Eagle. Winds of magic rolled low, so nothing was achieved by the Wizards and the Pistoliers' shots failed to harm the Great Eagle.

Wood Elves - Turn 2

The Treekin march past the Knights (keeping the watchtower between them), the Great Eagle manoeuvres around their flank, the Dryads creep ever-closer to the Empire regiments.

There is considerably more progress in this turn's shooting, as the Glade Guard wipe out the Pistoliers (as expected). Slightly less expected was the resultant panic test for my Knights, which they fail and promptly flee (these brave peers of the realm have a measly Ld7!).

A quick check of the rules confirms that, in these circumstances, they must flee away from the nearest enemy unit - which happens to be the Great Eagle on their flank. And since they were sneaking up the side of the table, that means they canter right off the board. One third of my army and my entire left flank (unless you count the now-lone Wizard) has just disappeared!

Turn 3

Empire - Turn 3

At a loss for anything better to do (and this was where I made a bad situation worse), the Spearmen and Halberdiers declare charges against the two units of Dryads. The forest spirits elect to flee and leave the Empire troops to take a couple of casualties from the dangerous terrain.

Rolling high for the winds of magic, and also feeling a little reckless, the Wizard decides to cast the augmented Purple Sun of Xereus. Needing 25+ and rolling 6 dice, she manages to cast it with Irresistible Force (taking a wound in the process, but avoiding getting sucking into the chaos dimension). The big template rockets across the board, going through both units of Glade Guard, who must pass an Initiative test (i.e. rolling a 6 - pesky Wood Elves) or be slain outright.

Both units lose three archers, which is a little better than expected. And then the Spellweaver/General rolls a 6 - which is a LOT better than expected. Both Glade Guard fail their panic tests and flee. General East ain't too happy either.

Wood Elves - Turn 3

The Wood Elves spend most of the turn gnashing their teeth, then rally one unit of Glade Guard and both units of Dryads. The Treekin reform to face the flank of the Free Company and the Eagle circles around the Wizard.

Turn 4

Empire - Turn 4

The Free Company reforms to face the Treekin, the Spearmen and Halberdiers walk forwards through the forest. The Wizard continues the cat-and-mouse (horse-and-eagle?) chase, and fails to cast any spell that would equal her last effort.

Wood Elves - Turn 4

The second Glade Guard rally. The Treekin charge the Free Company, who flee and are promptly overrun and destroyed. The Dryads edge towards the Empire infantry without engaging.

Turn 5

Empire - Turn 5

The Halberdiers charge into one unit of Dryads. The Spearmen reform so their front faces both Treekin and the second unit of Dryads. The Wizard casts the smaller Purple Sun of Xereus, but it doesn't travel far enough to get the Treekin.

(Question: can the Purple Sun, or any vortex spell, pass through buildings? We disagreed, but couldn't find a clear ruling).

In the close combat phase, I reacquaint myself with how good Dryads are, as they all-but wipe out the Halberdiers. They were also just outside the 3" from their Regimental Unit, and therefore unable to benefit from Hatred, but not enough of them survived to make much difference anyway. They flee and the Dryads pursue into the flank of the Spearmen. I am left in the familiar position of having my main unit surrounded on all sides by Wood Elves.

Wood Elves - Turn 5

The Treekin and other Dryads pile into the Spearmen, doing a whopping amount of damage for no return. Having to make an insane courage roll, the Battle Standard Bearer uses his 'Hold The Line!' ability and gets the double 1! This is very good for me, as it means I get to suffer a whole turn more of this hell.

Turn 6

Empire - Turn 6

The Wizard charges the Great Eagle (I was hoping everyone would miss and I'd get combat resolution, a la Goblin Shaman vs Pistoliers). In combat the Wizard gets squished (so much for that idea) and the surviving Spearmen get battered so hard that no leadership test can keep them from fleeing and getting destroyed.

1225 : 350 - Crushing Victory  to the Wood Elves.

Yep ... that's 3 defeats in a row to General East.