ME campaign - Turn 7 - Dark elves vs Empire

Dark elves deployment

Wow, some serious tactical experimenting going on by the look of this. A small screen of corsairs is protecting a block of witch elves. In the center is a unit of executioners with some harpies behind them. On the far right is a lonely reaper bolt thrower.

Another corsair screen and some black guard. The corsairs are supposedly just speed bumps while the elite units in the back are going to do the killing.

Empire deployment

Five pistoliers are preparing to run into plain view of the bolt thrower on the other side. A steam tank and some knights will bring the pain.

In the center of the deployment zone is a hill with lots of shooters on it. Two additional units of knights start off on the other side of the hill. The plan here is probably to just rush forwards and stomp everything.

Turn 1

The harpies have landed in the middle of the battlefieldand are getting under fire from the hill. They panic but don't manage to get into safety. Other than that, the dark elves stay back. The knights and tank advance while the pistoliers move up to threaten the bolt thrower to the right.

Turn 2

The harpies manage to rally, but the rest of the dark elves are happy with their placement and don't move at all. The empire knight units decide it's a good idea to begin the stomping. The knights on the right flank charge the corsair screen, which flees. Probably a good idea, since the witch elves will then be able to countercharge the knights. However, they roll very badly for their fleeing distance, and the knights manage to run through them AND into the witch elves, thanks to their Steel banner. The knights on the left flank charge the other corsair screen which also flees but rolls just as badly and gets destroyed. This time the plan worked somewhat, however, and the knights are now in danger of getting massacred by both the executioners and black guard.

The witch elves recieve a serious spanking and break, which panics the executioners and both units flee. At this point the black guard just sigh and go home, and the empire wins a very quick victory.

The dark elves' strategy was sound and would probably had won them the day under normal circumstances. But maybe they shouldn't have sacrificed lady Fortuna and boiled her in the cauldron of BLÖD the other day...