While this battle resulted in defeat, I consider it a successful encounter.
This was a 3-way 1,000 point per side fight between my Bretonnians, my son's Empire, and my fiancee's Wood Elves. The objective was to take and hold an ancient magical ruin, found in the region where the 3 factions meet. The objective was to move at least one model into the ruins and keep it there for one full round, with no enemy models in the ruins at the same time at the end of the round.
Bretonnian Force:
6 Knights of the Realm including Standard Bearer and Musician
16 Men at Arms with full command
2 level 2 Damsels, one mounted, one on foot Each part of a unit
Army Standard Bearer and General, both Paladins and joined with the KotR unit
Wood Elf Force:
1 Mounted Level 2 Spellsinger in a unit with 10 Glade Guard
5 Glade Guard Skirmishers deployed forward in a wood
5 Glade Riders plus 1 Standard Bearer and General mounted on a stag
Empire Force:
Hellblaster Gun
16 Handgunners with full command
11 Knights
8 Knights of the inner Circle
Mounted General
2 Battle Wizards, 1 on foot level 1 and 1 mounted level 2
In
the first round, the 3 armies simply converged toward the ruin, using
double time pace and casting a few spells,all of which were dispelled.
Second
round, the glade riders made a pass by the Men at Arms, killing 2 of
them. The Battle Wizard for the Empire than cast Conflagration of Doom
on the Glade Guard unit, anhilating it, including the Spellsinger.
Bretonnia moved into position to charge, then the mounted Damsel cast
The Wolf Hunts on her unit of knights, hoping to surprise the Imperial
knights. The spell failed.
Third round, it becomes clear that
the Empire will surely win the day unless the Wood Elves and
Bretonnians co-operate, so the Glade Riders wheeled and moved to
harass the Imperial Knights. The Imperial knights carged the
Bretonnian KotR head on, and the Knights of the Inner Circle wheeled
and struck the KotR on the right flank.
At this point, let me
say that I was sure the valiant Knights of Bretonnia would surely
fall. My failed surprise charge left them vulnerable, and my mistake
should have cost me the unit. The truth is that my REAL mistake was to
underestimate the glorious Knights of Bretonnia!
The Empire won the first round of combat, but each side only lost one knight.
In
the fourth round of the battle, the Men At Arms positioned themselves
to charge the Knights of the Order on their flank. The Bretonnian KotR
fought another round, killing three enemy knights and causing BOTH
enemy units to flee! I chose not to restrain the brave knights and
allowed them ro run down the fleeing Knights of the Inner Circle.
That, as it turned out, was the mistake that cost the game. The KotR
were right beside the ruins during close combat, and had they stayed,
they could have moved into the ruins to secure them. Instead, by
running down the fleeing enemy they got too far away and could not
return in time to avoid the Empire's occupying handguners to claim the
victory on their next turn.
The Wood Elf skirmishers attempted to move into the ruins but were cut down by handgunners mercilessly.
So, the battle was a defeat, but I was still very proud of the
peformance of my knights, and was pleased by the effectiveness of the
unit.
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