The 98: Wexforc Aflame!

We left off with rocks having been thrown at Giggers and Trumpeter Thersonorc Behineyoo. 

At this point I rolled a dice for each side, high score would get the first turn. The rebels won the toss and as all three groups of bog orcs advanced around the henge, Moyfee the Druid cast Hail of Stones at dear Giggers. Fortunately the spell fizzled and Giggers was untouched.

At this, Giggers called upon the section of dragoons behind him to charge the bog orcs on the left. This they did! 

Meanwhile Giggers had Behineyoo sound the alarm to call up the two reserve sections of dragoons and putting spurs to his mount charged the druid. The druid declined single combat and Giggers and his coverorc slew two of Moyfee's guards.

The dragoons charge was particularly bloody with 5 bog orcs and 3 dragoons falling.

The bog orcs passed their rout test and were pushed back. Moyfee and crew failed theirs and fled through the henge pursued closely by Giggers. 

Startled by the flight of their religious leader, the center company of bog orcs paused in disarray losing a turn.

Giggers and Behineyoo reigned in their mounts in the center of the henge, while the first section of dragoons remained locked in combat with the left hand bog orcs.

The right hand bog orcs began to close in on the henge. Unfortunately in avoiding single combat, Moyfee had reduced his leadership to 1 and was therefore unable to rally. The holyorc and his two remaining guards and off into the wood.

Could Giggers hold out until relief arrived?

The first section of dragoons and the bog orcs continued to trade blows, 2 bog orcs and one dragoon fell. I should have voluntarily routed the remaining two dragoons. However I was hoping they could hold out until the reserves arrived.

In the next round another dragoon and bog orc fell. This was the first round the dragoons didn't win, and the loss of the "follow up" bonus, not to mention the four to one odds, would prove a problem.

Help finally arrived in the clearing!

Giggers joined the second section and the sole survivor of first section voluntarily routed. The bog orcs could not hope to keep up and the brave dragoon got away.

This is how the table looked as there was a slight lull in the fighting.

Now I made a second mistake. Second section charged the right hand bog orcs, but I should have waited until I could get Giggers integrated into the front line. The combat was drawn.

Third section covered the withdrawal of first section and took up position facing the bog orc left flank.

Then the unthinkable happened. Second section lost a combat and routed taking Giggers with it!

Fortunately the bog orcs were unable to pursue and in such disarray they could not fall on the now exposed flank of 3rd section.

Third section made haste to withdraw and protect the flight of 2nd section.

Giggers was unable to rally 2nd section before they carried him off the table.

The final result was a rebel victory with the loss of 14 bog orcs down, and two more with Moyfee having fled.

In exchange six dragoons fell, and six more including Giggers and Thersonorc Behineyoo routed off the table.

In the end the result was not unlike that of the encounter upon which this game was based.

And so Wexforc is aflame and strange sails have been seen off Banter Bay in county Korc...

Some notes on figures and terrain:

The dragoons are all from Alternative Armies, painted by their fabulous in house painters. Minor conversions to Giggers are my fault.

The bog orcs are all Games Workshop orcs from a long time ago painted by yours truly.

The henge is from ESLO terrain. The village and road from Miniature World Works. The stone ridges are from Battlefront. The mat is from The Terrain Guy, as are some of the trees. Other trees and the sky backdrop are from Lemax. Finally any of the trees from neither of the previous two sources are model railroad trees from the 70's at least : )

Thanks for stopping by and have a very Merry Christmas all!