Elves and Irish Again

Last Friday The kids and I had another bash at Hordes of the Things while Amanda was out at Hot Yoga…

The boy seemed anxious for a rematch between the Elves and the Irish – Determined was he to acquire that Elvish gold! (I think it was the leprechauns that convinced him they had lots…).

SITUATION

This time it was an even lesser known warlord named Bearach, who also happened to have land on the border of faerieland and was also jealous of the Sídhe (Elves) that lived within – certain that they possessed much gold and would not share it (or so the Leprechauns he caught one night told him; “Oh, Aye, sure I’ve got a pot o’gold, but it’s a wee small pot – if it’s gold ye want I suggest yeh go ask them Sídhe across the river in fairieland – they’re loaded with theh stoof!”). So he too gathered up his followers, hired some Norse mercenaries and even brought along some recently arrives Christian missionarires, and marched off toward faerieland determined to invade and take that entire horde for himself.

SCENARIO

The Irish under Bearach attacking The Sidhe (Elves) of Faerieland.

FORCES

The Irish
1x Warband General (Bearach)
2x Blade (Norse Mercenaries)
6x Warband (Irish Warriors)
1x Beasts (Irish wolfhounds)
1x Cleric (Christian Missionaries)
1x Lurkers (Leprechauns)

The Sídhe
1x Magician General (Elf Queen)
2x Magicians (Elf Wizards)
2x Blade (Elves with axes)
2x Shooters (Elf Archers)
2x Riders (Centaurs)

THE GAME


(Remember: click on the pictures for a bigger version)


Bearach and his Irish mob approach the river that mark the border to Faerieland…. The Elves seem forewarned and ready for him…


Finnegan is not so sure about this river business…

Honestly, I had quite forgotten how long and drawn out a river crossing scenario can be… oi…


The opposing generals eye each other suspiciously…


Rolling only one PIP on his first go – Bearach sent the wolfhounds rushing out from the woods!


While the Irish were plagued by bad PIP rolls the first couple turns, the Elves had an abundance… the were defending their side of the river bank before the main force of the Irish even began to advance…


The Centaurs peel off the left of the line to go deal with the wolfhounds attempting to cross over on the left.


I’m not sure Finnegan quite anticipated how quickly riders can go!! While he’s used them – I’m not sure he’s actually faced any armies with fast-moving mounted troops!


As some of the Irish warriors attempted a crossing back on the left of the Elvish line, the Centaurs split up – one squadron of them galloping back to deal with the new crossing, while the other carried on teo deal with the wolfhounds on their own.


The centaurs caught the wolfhounds as they dashed out of the river….


…and obliterated them – scattering the remains of the pack (or perhaps giving them tasty doggie-biscuits and taming the friendly fellows and freeing them to roam and frolic in the faerieland woods as they pleased…).


The Irish make an effective crossing with three warband.


Finnegan hasn’t quite grasped the “roll-up-the-line” concept and had his eyes firmly on the gold in the Elvish stronghold.

I think it’s because I’d told him about how Rick had won three games in a row in our HOTT Campaign a couple years back by flanking around the enemy and taking the stronghold… he seems to have forgotten that Rick did this with a HERO and two riders… (fast-moving, hard-hitting).


Three Irish warband moving though bad going… not-so-fast-moving, not-so-hard-hitting…


Another band tried to cross but never made it across.


The other centaurs came galloping back across to deal with the Irish invaders in the swamp.


On they pressed, however!


The centaurs did catch one band at the edge of the swamp…


…and miraculously destroyed them (mounted fighting against opponents in bad-going are -2, which made the total factors +1 for the riders, +3 for the warband… I think it was the recoiling into friendlies that got them… because with those odds the riders couldn’t have possibly doubled them… hmmmm…).


Another band of Irish turned to face the centaurs – hoping to distract them while the other warband made a break for the GOLD!


Another band of Irish shot down in the middle of the river by the Elves…


Oh so close…


The gold is nearly theirs!!!

Of course a solitary Warband (+3) versus a Stronghold (+6) isn’t normally going to work out in the warbands favour…


They were recoiled and the centaurs caught up with them… They battle back and forth for a number of turns…


Meanwhile… back and the river… more Irish had made a crossing and the Christian missionaries were keen to show they were in control of the situation. I think the bishop may have, in his fervor of preaching of hellfire and damnation, may have made some unfortunate statement such as; “and that is why the Elves and their evil kin must be cleansed from this earth, may God strike me dead…”

BZOT!


Well… someone struck him dead…


Most of the rest of the Irish were forced back into the river as well, perhaps recoiling from the smell of crispy Christians…


…but charged back up the bank s when the smoke cleared…


And beat down some of the Elf wizards themselves!


Looking less good for the Elves suddenly…


The Centaurs and Irish warriors had battled back and forth a few times nearly pushing ech other off the edge or back into friendly troops a couple of times… All the while another stand of Irish warband were sneaking their way through the woods to have a go at the Elvish stronghold.


Finally the second squadron (herd?) of centaurs got in there…


…and it was all over for the irish warriors… and the Irish in general – the loss of that last warband shattered the armies morale and they withdrew back to their own lands…

Afterwards, Finnegan swore he’d never play the Irish again…

Coming soon on Tim’s Miniature Wargaming Blog:

The Welsh!