A crisp spring morning dawned over the valley. The sunlight was bright, but the chill of the desert night was still bitter in the air.
Prince Caeladan stood in his stirrups, surveying the enemy troops moving into position. In the previous season, the dwarvish invaders had captured a position on his frontier and wintered in an old fortress. He had vowed to chase them out of this land, but the dwarfs had proven to be formidable marchers, and had been able to outmanoeuvre the elf army.
“Steep sides, my Lord” cautioned Harlan, the young captain of Caeladan’s knights. The elf general knew that this battlefield was a risk. The steep scree slopes on each side meant that there were no real avenues of retreat – an army could only go forward through the enemy position, or backwards in rout. Any battle here was likely to be decisive – death or glory. Caeladan had offered this ground in the hope that the dwarfs would take the odds and so far, it looked like they had.
“That means they won’t be able to get away when they run!” replied Caeladan with a flourish, the way he always did when reassuring subordinates. Long ago he’d been taught that a confident officer inspires confident soldiers, and that advice had got him through more battles than he could remember. “Take the cavalry to the right flank and form up, I’ll join you soon.” he ordered.
The valley floor was mostly flat, with just a small, rocky knoll on the left side of his line. On the opposite side of the field was a grove of palm trees, the only real cover the dwarfs could use. That was good thought Caeladan, the open desert terrain would give his cavalry an advantage, although it would also expose his troops to artillery fire.
Caeladan rode to the foot of the knoll where infantry units were marshalling. He had ordered most of his artillery to take up position on top of the hill, and his engineers were busy setting up the machines. He spotted Captain Kolvaer’s white cloak and rode over to issue orders. Kolvaer was Caeladan’s trusted infantry commander and had proven himself a reliable and capable officer for years now.
“The enemy is setting up a strong artillery position on a rise opposite our right flank. I’ll take the cavalry in a frontal attack, and then sweep around to the left and come in behind their centre. I need you to hold this flank at all costs. You’ll have the artillery here, and the mages to support you.” Kolvaer nodded in understanding, “We’ll hold here my Lord.”
Caeladan rode back to the cavalry on the right flank, and joined Harlan with his retinue. “Enemy troops starting to move, my Lord” advised the knight, as Caeladan saw the dwarfs advancing. “Good!” declared the elf general, turning to an aide. “Have the Caledoreans and the chariots charge immediately. Have the light units advance up the far flank and cut around behind. We need to take those guns as soon as possible.” The aide nodded, and rode away to issue the orders.
Caeladan looked ahead at the advancing troops as the sun broke above the hills. The battle had begun.
The High Elf army |
The Dwarf army |
Opening moves. Heavy fire from the High Elves drives back the Dwarf Lord and his bodyguard. |
The Dwarf Lord falls back under heavy fire from the elves. |
The Dwarf Lord falls back under heavy fire from the elves. |
On the Dwarf left flank, the Slayers are compelled by the Anvil of Doom to smash through a chariot and engage the Swordmasters. The Dragon princes come under heavy fire from Dwarf artillery. |
Dwarf flyers move up the flank and attack the enemy infantry. |
A giant eagle swoops down from the valley walls to attack the Dwarf flame cannon. |
Left alone to hold the centre of the battlefield, the Ironbreakers find themselves attacked my multiple regiments of elves. |
A battle of flyers! The eagle and Dwarf copter are locked in combat. |
The Anvil of Doom brings the Dwarf Lord back into the battle to relieve the Ironbreakers. |
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Meanwhile, another Gyrocopter attacks the elf missile units. |
Heavy elf knights from Caledor advanced up the valley. A dwarf flying machine turned and flew back to the enemy lines as the elf cavalry and chariots sped across the dusty ground. They were followed by elf swordsmen from the White Tower whose task was to engage any dwarf troops counter-attacking against the cavalry charge.
In the centre of the line, the dwarf lord and his retinue advanced up the field, but came under heavy fire from elvish artillery and magic. Caeladan watched as the dwarf lord’s bodyguard slowed, and then began to retreat. The elf general turned to his knights, shouting “Advance!” as he spurred his horse forward.
Suddenly there was a crash of artillery fire, and great gouts of black smoke burst from the hill on the dwarf line. Elf knights fell from their horses, but none broke ranks as they rode on. A mob of dwarf trollslayers appeared from behind the wood ahead of Caeladan’s troop and smashed one of the elf chariots to pieces. Charging ahead, they engaged the elf Swordmasters in a flurry of clashing steel as the elf cavalry division advanced up the valley.
Prince Caeladan led his knights through a stand of palm trees. A band of elf rangers were scouting ahead through the trees, working their way forward to outflank the dwarf missile troops holding the hill. Pointing to the dwarf artillery position, Caeladan told his men “That hill is our objective! We go forward, and we don’t stop until we’re on top!”
A blast from the elf war horns sounded their advance, and was answered by volleys of dwarf artillery fire. Thunderous blasts deafened the elves as they advanced into the blinding smoke, horses falling into the dust as the knights charged on. Finally they reached the hapless dwarfs and the elves exacted their revenge, the missile troops falling beneath the knights lances and trampled under the hooves of their steeds.
Finally the elves stood atop the hill, soldiers and horses alike catching their breath, nursing wounds and looking back at the battlefield below. But the battle was far from over, and Caeladan ordered his knights back toward to elf lines to relieve the infantry holding the left flank. Only half the knights were still with him, but it would have to do.
Dwarf artillery takes its toll on the elf knights, but the cavalry division weathers the hail of bullets to attack the missile troops. |
The Swordmasters slowly wear down the Slayers, but the Dwarfs don’t make it easy for the elf soldiers. |
Disaster! The elf infantry on the left flank break from combat, but the Pegasus stops the Dwarfs from pursuing the retreating troops, allowing the elves to rally. |
Ahead of the Silver Helms Prince Caeladan could see the Dwarf Lord’s unit advancing toward the elf position. The situation looked desperate; the elves were falling back in the face of repeated dwarf attacks. But some of the elf regiments were still in good order and Caeladan trusted that Kolvaer would be directing counter-attacks against the dwarf advance. Raising his runesword, he shouted to his knights “This is our victory! Follow me!”
The knights lowered their lances as their horses began to gallop. A regiment of elf infantry saw the cavalrymen charging home, and inspired by their leader’s return also charged against the dwarf guard. Steel rang against steel, blades clashed against armour, dwarfs and elves fell although neither side gave ground.
But the elves had greater numbers and as more elf cavalry joined in the combat, the surrounded dwarfs struggled to keep the enemy at bay. The Dwarf Lord himself was the last to fall as the exhausted elves surveyed the carnage of the battlefield.
Having silenced the Dwarf guns, Prince Caeladan brings his knights back to the left flank and attacks the Dwarf Lord’s retinue. |
With the Longbeards in retreat, the elvish troops on this flank pile into the Ironbreakers defending their oath stone… |
… and the combined attack is too much for the Ironbreakers who run away, and are cut down by the elf light cavalry. |
The remaining elf chariot and eagle destroy one of the remaining gyrocopters, while the elves defeat the last of the Hammerers falls to the overwhelming numbers of elf soldiers. |
The elf infantry rally, but the last remaining Slayer proves too formidable for the White Lions, who retreat and are chased off the board. |
Surrounded by elves the Dwarf Lord is defeated and taken prisoner by the elves who hold the centre of the battlefield. |
The end of a bloody battle, with a victory for the elves. |