ME campaign - Turn 9 - Empire vs Dwarfs

Deployment - Empire

The empire's right flank consists of two small units of knights, a big block of religious fanatics and 30 spearmen led by a warrior priest and the BSB. There is also a big block of 30 swordsmen just to the right of the spearmen. That unit is led by the army general and another warrior priest. Two cannons have taken position on the hill.

A block of greatswords (their swords, as we all know, are actually smaller than the speartips on the new skeleton models, so what's so great about them is anyone's guess) are marching alongside the swordsmen in the center. Five outriders are hiding behind the forest, mostly recruited to protect the rear of the army from gyrocopters and miners. Then we have 20 halberdiers and another small knight unit on the far left flank.

Deployment - Dwarfs

The dwarven right flank is solidly anchored with two units of thunderers, making anyone think twice before going that way. A gyrocopter is there as well. Closer to the centre is a a small unit of iron breakers and two big blocks of iron breakers and longbeards. The hill is thick with organ cannons, protected by a unit of 10 quarrelers. An anvil of doom is placed by the foot of the hill, covered by 10 slayers. There is also a bolt thrower back there.

Dwarf turn 1

The gyrocopter takes off towards the enemy lines while the slayers and other infantry blocks advance more slowly, according to the dwarven way. A knight or two fall in the shooting phase, but not much else is going on. Oh yeah, the greatswords get targeted by the Anvil's rune of stand still and take damage, so they won't get very far this turn.

Empire turn 1

Everything dash forwards, eager to pull some beards. One of the knight units takes a "shortcut" through a small swamp, but they should be able to reach the slayers nonetheless. The greatswords are dazed and don't move at all. The Gyrocopter, we can see in this picture, is in position to marchblock the poor sods as well, so they won't see any action anytime soon.

Dwarf turn 2

Hey ho, hey ho! Yes yes, we are quite used to this song by now. Why don't you try "Lali ho" next time?

As we all know, the outriders can kill just about anything within 360 degrees except directly to the sides. Guess where the gyrocopter lands? None of them dies to the steam spray, though. The copter still marchblocks the greatswords.

The anvil of doom gives the slayer unit a turbo boost, making them charge the knights in the swamp. Probably a good time to leg it. Or hoove it, I suppose. Neither the spearmen or the outriders panic due to this, though, and now the slayers will get outflanked by knights or flagellants.

Empire turn 2

The left flank will probably get badly hurt by the dwarven gunline if they carry on. The knights prepare to move through the woods to roll up the dwarven flank without getting shot. The halberdiers are on cannon fodder duty today, and are ordered to move on to keep the dwarfs busy for a round or two.

The infantry in the center march on, while the flagellants charge the slayers. That might take a while... The knight unit on the right flank ignore the redbeards and ride around them.

Empire turn 3

Sorry, no pics of the dwarf turn 3. But as you can see, the general's swordsmen unit has eaten a bullet or two while the halberdiers are actually unscratched this far. There are now four infantry blocks marching into the dwarven half of the table.

The knights that fled from the slayer's charge have now rallied and are engaged with the miners in the back of the empire deployment zone. The imperial artillery on this side was wiped out by those buggers in a previous turn.

Dwarf turn 4

The halberdiers get severly decimated by the thunderers in the corner and five-ish spearmen die from other shooting. Other than that, not much going on. One unit of iron breakers move up to protect the flank on the bigger blocks from the oh-so-intimidating halberdiers.

Empire turn 4

The knights on the right flank has made it through the woods and get busy chasing the thunderers away. The infantry blocks close in on the dwarfs. The other guys have sacrificed some speed to let the greatswords make up.

The knights have destroyed the miners, while most of the slayers have been stomped into the ground by the flagellants. Probably not a good idea to charge those knights in the swamp earlier.

The rest

The greatswords charge the big unit of iron breakers while the knights (having wiped out the thunderers on the flank) get ready to charge in as well to seal the deal. The spearmen manage to run the longbeards down and continue on into the quarrelers. The halberdiers are too pussyficated to charge the other iron breaker unit.

The slayers are wiped out, and the knights charge the flank of the iron breakers. Many greatswords have fallen to some nasty dwarf character in the unit, but they have held and allowed the knights to flank the 'breakers. The swordsmen haven't been able to charge anything at all, but being so decimated, that was probably a good thing. Even the spearmen have done well, killing the quarrelers.

Lots of dwarfs dead, but most empire units were severly beat up as well. All in all a solid win for the empire.