The Battle of de Bouganne Farm
A Warhammer Fantasy battle report from the annals of HGC.
Drew (Bretonnians) vs Sam (Lizardmen), 2250pts
Gilles de Bouganne tightened his grip on his long knife, and crept deeper into the pitch black interior of the crumbling stone temple. The square of light which represented his only exit receded. Back there, out in the real world, Duke De Bouvier's grand army was merrily laying waste to the ancient Lustrian city of Tsilifroxi. Gilles had decided to take time off for a spot of personal looting. The flickering torch he held gave out barely enough light to see by, but everyone knew Lustrian temples were full of loot, right? There was some sort of stone chest up ahead. Gilles propped his torch against it, and levered the lid off. It fell to the floor and shattered. Inside was a curious and very crumbly bag made of woven reeds. Gilles prodded the bag, and was only slightly surprised when it disgorged a ruby the size of his fist. He'd hit the motherlode here! Now all he had to do was get it back to Brettonia without anyone else pinching it.
News of the fall of Tsilifroxi reached the great Slann mage-priest Teci Hopxi two days later. An unprecedented delay in the affairs of Lizard men. But then again, Tsilifroxi had been a small outpost, a training and breeding ground for Saurus and Kroxigor. It had no mage-priest. Teci Hopxi was dismayed by the news. In a being more active than a Slann, the news would have produced apoplexy. Teci Hopxi had neither the time nor the energy for apoplexy. He immediately dispatched his most trusted Skink aides, Clokaquilla and Ticu-Ticu, accompanied by a war host of Saurus warriors to investigate. Their report came to him telepathically the next day - as he had feared, the Shinxi stones had been taken. Now they only had fifteen years to get them back before the conjunction of Tepocu Ququ. Teci Hopxi allowed himself the luxury of grinding his teeth in rage for a full five minutes before he issued his orders.
Gilles de Bouganne returned to Brettonia with his mighty treasure intact, but his health in tatters. He buried the treasure beneath his family hovel, but before he could do anything about it, the Red Plague struck Brettonia. He died within days of the first infections, and his family followed soon after. His hovel was said to be cursed, and no other peasant would ever live there. And so the treasure lay undisturbed for 11 years...
Drew's Bretonnians:
Duke Artois (Lance of Artois, Armour of Agliulf, Virtue of the Joust)
Paladin Battle Standard Bearer (Banner of the Lady)
Damsel (warhorse, Dispel Scroll, Chalice of Malfleur)
Damsel (warhorse, Dispel Scroll)
8 Knights of the Realm (full command, War Banner)
8 Knights of the Realm (full command, Conqueror's Tapestry)
6 Knights of the Realm
6 Knights of the Realm
6 Knights of the Realm
6 Knights of the Realm
12 Archers (full command)
12 Archers (full command)
4 Pegasus Knights (full command)
Sam's Lizardmen
Saurus Oldblood (great weapon, Aura of Quetzl, Venom of the Firefly Frog)
Saurus Scar-Veteran Rag-Ike (great weapon, Charm of the Jaguar Warrior, Enchanted Shield)
Skink Priest Clokaquilla (Dispel Scroll x2)
Skink Priest Ticu-Ticu (Diadem of Power)
19 Saurus Warriors (full command)
19 Saurus Warriors (full command)
10 Skink Scouts
10 Skink Scouts
10 Skink Scouts
3 Kroxigor
3 Kroxigor
3 Terradons
2 Salamanders
Stegadon
DEPLOYMENT
Clokaquilla smiled a reptilian smile. The Shinxi stones were here, he could sense their presence. His advance scouts in the partially ruined human building signalled to him - they had located the stones. now all that was needed was to recover them before those accursed human horsemen caught up with them again. The search for the Shinxi stones had devoured eleven years of Clokaquilla's life, the last three spent in scouting around this foolishly cold and wet human land, harried by those cursed horsemen. Now it was just a question of getting the stones back to Teci Hopxi. A new sound interrupted his thoughts - a loud call from the brazen throat of a hunting horn. Clokaquilla looked up and let out the reptile equivalent of a groan. The horsemen had caught up again. Rapidly, he issued his orders.
Duke Artois also heard the trumpet call. He spurred his horse forwards towards the sound. He found Sir Peugeot and his men in a valley between two low hills. Peugeot pointed wordlessly towards the ruins of a deserted peasant cottage. Distinctive blue shapes could be seen flitting around it. Artois gave vent to a colourfully spiteful curse - he had found those cursed reptiles once more. He signalled Peugeot's trumpeter who sounded a complicated call on his horn. The army of Artois formed up to bring battle to these cold blooded vermin.
TURN 1
The Skink scouts moved out from their hiding places to harry the flanks of the cursed horse-men, as the heavier units of Saurus and Kroxigor began to slowly advance. The Terradon riders coaxed their cantankerous mounts towards the wooded hill, behind which they knew more horsemen to be massing. Other Skinks used their long goads to prod a pair of enraged Salamanders towards the farm, which the advance scouts had just deserted. Ticu-Ticu called upon the powers of the Old Ones to bring the army good fortune, but something in the incantation went horribly wrong, and he was left severely weakend and with a shocking headache. Coakaquilla tried his hand at the same incantation, but the foolish women the horsemen had with them prevented him. The mighty bow on the Stegadon's back twanged, but the shaft went wide of it's intended target - the large block of horsemen lead by the war banner-bearer of these human fools.
The knights of Peugeot and Renault shuffled into a better position on the wooded hill, readying themselves for the mighty charge which was to come. Sir Dassault spurred his Pegasi over to join them. Sir Citreon, over by the commoners lead his knights forward towards the diminutive reptile vermin which had emerged from the woods. Behind him the archers repositioned to get as many shots as they could. Duke Artois's personal knights, accompanied by the other large lances in the valley moved up to flank the farm. The damsel's magic proved ineffective, the reptiles easily dispelling it's powers. The archers let fly at the saurus advancing upon them, but failed to hit any of the lumbering hulks.
TURN 2
The Kroxigor on the flank moved up to the hill, confident that they could take a charge from the small Bretonnian lances on top of it, while the revered Scar-Veteran Rag-Ike moved towards them. On the other flank the Saurus moved towards the human archers. In the centre, the skirmish screen of Skinks spread out to cover the Oldblood's unit. The Salamanders were prodded through the farm and unleashed a volley of flaming spittle upon the Knights near the archers. Combined with a salvo of blowdarts from the Skinks skulking in the woods, this was more than their nerve could take and they shamefully fled back towards the peasant archers. The Saurus on the flank kept advancing through a rain of arrows towards the bowmen.
The Knights on the hill spurred their steeds forward, seeing the Kroxigor as an opportunity to gain glory, renown and some impressive trophies. Duke Artois led his household Knights forward, flanked by yet more horsemen, while the Pegasus Knights moved to intercept the Terradon riders slinking around behind the Bretonnian lines. One of the damsels succeeded in invoking the Lady's wrath on the dishonourable spitting lizard-daemons polluting the ruined farm, wounding one and crushing a Skink handler beneath a pile of rubble. The earth-shaking downhill charge of the Knights proved too much for the Kroxigor to endure, and despite smashing one Knight to a pulp they broke and were run down.
TURN 3
The Scar-Veteran Rag-Ike moved shockingly fast as he charged into one of the Knight units that had slaughtered the Kroxigor, roaring with bloodlust. The Terradons bravely charged straight into the Pegasus Knights, while the Lizardman centre shuffled backwards slightly, the Oldblood ordering the Skink screen into position in preparation for the charge of the warm-blooded horse-riders. The giant bow mounted on the Stegadon's howdah found it's mark, skewering a pair of the Duke's compainions, though the Salamander herders didn't fare quite as well - one sprayed burning slobber all over the Duke's Lance but failed to kill anybody, while the other got sick of being poked and ate some Skinks. Rag-Ike hacked two Knights from their saddles, but their brethren resolved to hold. The Terradons managed to bring down one of the Pegasus Knights, but were roundly beaten in return and fled from the battlefield.
Duke Artois sneered at the the cowardly skittering lizards ahead of him while advancing into a position to strike. The Pegasus riders, seeing their ground-bound comrades being savaged by a lone cold-blooded killer, flew in to assist. The Knights near the archers tried to regain some honour by charging the Skinks skulking in the woods, but were driven off by yet another volley of poisoned darts. One of the priestesses of the Lady responded by crushing most of the diminutive reptiles with the power of the Master of the Wood. The Knights in combat with the Scar-Veteran pounded the lizard-beast with sword and lance, but Rag-Ike shrugged off the blows, chopped down two Pegasus riders and refused to give ground.
TURN 4
Seeing some prey within reach, the Salamanders and the remaining Kroxigor charged the smaller Knight unit near the Duke's Lance. The Oldblood signalled the advance, and accompanied by trhe huge Stegadon the Saurus strode towards the massive columns of Knights. The other Saurus unit turned and started back the way they had come, apparently deciding that the bowmen weren't worth their time after all. Aided by the magic of one of the Skink Priests, the Kroxigor and Salamanders mauled the Knights they were fighting, forcing them to flee with the Kroxigor in pursuit. Rag-Ike once again proved too much for the Knights to cope with as he reduced the remaining Pegasus Knight to a cloud of bloody feathers. Deciding discretion was the better part of valour, the other Knights and the Lance nearby both fled.
With his support units evaporating faster than spit on a Salamander, the Duke was happy to finally engage something. His Lance charged the unit of cold-blooded infantry led by the lizard general, while the neighbouring unit charged the Skinks shielding the Stegadon. While the archers managed to land another arrow in the retreating backs of the Saurus moving away from them, the Bretonnian charge hit home. Duke Artois engaged the Saurus champion in single combat, slaying the scaly fiend, while his opposite number hacked a Knight down. Though Knights accompanying the Duke slew another two Saurus, neither side gained the advantage. The other Lance ploughed straight through the Skinks and into the Stegadon, sending stunted Lizardman bodies flying.
TURN 5
Attempting to sow panic in the ranks of the Duke's unit, the Skink skirmishers charged the rear of his Lance. Rag-Ike spun on his heel and accelerated back towards the main lines, charging into the flank of the Bretonnian battle standard bearer's Knights. The Kroxigor jumped on the remnants of the Knight unit they'd savaged earlier, tearing them to shreds. The Skinks failed to rattle the Duke's nerve or hurt any of his men, and three of their number were despatched by the hooves and swords of the Knights and their steeds. Duke Artois and the Oldblood faced off, with both taking a wound after the initial clash. Another three Knights fell before Rag-Ike's berserk charge, while the Bretonnian lances plucked a pair of Skinks off the Stegadon's howdah in an impressive display of horsemanship. The humans had the advantage in both combats, but the cold-blooded lizards merely glared and brandished their weapons.
The peasant bowmen skewered a few Skinks, but the outcome of the battle was to be decided in the melee in the centre of the field. Rag-Ike's frenzied rampage was finally stopped by the battle standard bearer, who coolly slipped under the lizard's guard and cut him down with two well-aimed sword strokes! No Skinks died as they shrewdly hid inside the howdah, while the Stegadon devoured the Knight's Gallant and stood firm. The Duke failed to penetrate the tough hide of the Oldblood and, much to the dismay of his companions, fell victim to the potent venom coating the reptile's blade. The scuttling skinks in the rear managed to stab the now-exposed Damsel, though the incensed Knights exterminated a further three for their audacity. Despite losing their leader, the Knights held.
TURN 6
The Salamanders loped forwards and incinerated all but one of a peasant unit, while the few remaining Skink skirmishers failed to kill any more. The Knights cut a swathe through the Skinks attempting to assassinate the Damsel, while the Oldblood reduced yet more Knights to mangled ruins. Although the Knights seemed to have resolved to die where they stood in defence of the lady, their nerve was finally broken by the gruesome spectacle of the holy Banner of the Lady (and its bearer) being eaten by the Stegadon. Both units fled, with the victorious lizard-beasts in close pursuit.
The few remaining Knights escorting the wounded Damsel rallied, saving some face, but the marauding Lizardmen had won the day. The Shinxi stones would be restored to their rightful place, and the warm-bloods now know not to meddle in the affairs of the Old Ones...
Result: Massacre
VPs: Drew 630, Sam 2390
Lizard of the match: Rag-Ike the Scar-Veteran - 574 points of Knights shredded single-handedly. Needs to avoid Strength 4 battle standard bearers, though.