The Battle of The Plain of Crows

With a heavy heart, Lord Asgard ordered his troops into formation...

 

Mouse, the Wizard Grendir Bagotrix is about a half inch from the forest edge with the unit of crossbow.

All the other units are one and a half inch from one another, and 12 inches from the table edge to the front of the first rank's bases.

Lord Asgard is in with the first unit beside the Speardwarves (which is beside the crossbows). 

Thane Dundeldir (the unarmoured hero with the extra hand weapon) is in with the last unit of hand weapon and shield guys.  (The unit with no standard. (Well, they do have Standards, they just choose not to carry one.))

 

Hey, everybody, this is the start of an internet/no-border/two table/two country game of Third Edition Warhammer Fantasy Battles, played with Mouse of the great  Tales From the Big Board. 

Stay tuned...

Just Outside The Plain Of Crows...

Just outside The Plain of Crows, Lord Asgard addresses his band of followers...

"...Friends, Friends, do you know that there are those that would call me mad?"

A collective gasp from the rapt audience.  Followed by sounds of disbelief and many, "No! No! A thousand times No!"

"Yes, yes, believe it or not my friends, this is what I've heard," continues Asgard, "Mad they call me.  But perhaps I am mad...No, no, great Friends, hear me out.  If it is madness to turn One's life away from Greed and the folly of glittering stones, then I am Mad.   If it is madness to remember the Glories of our once Mighty Empire, then I am Mad.  If it is madness to love my Dwarven Brethren with all of my heart, then I am surely, truly Mad.  Yes.  Yes, if it is madness to believe that all Dwarves can stand together, and to BELIEVE that all Dwarves SHOULD stand together again...stand together Proud, stand together Strong...Stand Together as The Shining Example of All That Is Noble and Good in this Beautiful World of Ours...well, then, by Grungni, I am Mad!   Yes, I am Asgard The Mad!!"

Thunderous, thunderous applause.

Lord Asgard raises his hands to quiet his audience.  It takes several minutes before the applause begins to die away.  "Friends", says Asgard, "we have an Envoy from the great clan of Thunder Mountain...yes, send in the Envoy...

"Brother Envoy, please tell your lords that we come in peace.  That we come in solidarity with your Cause.  Please tell your respected lords that we desire not bloodshed, but brotherhood.  We want Unity, not illwill.  Dear Brother Envoy, tell your honoured lords to Surrender to their better judgement...To Submit to the Truth that beats in their Noble hearts.  Brother Envoy, ask them to join us in Friendship...May we march together, not march at each other...But Brother Envoy, tell your lords that if they deny all reason and desire a fight...that we will give them one.  And, that We Will Win!!"

"HUZZAAHHHH!!!!" 

The roar of the crowd just outside the Plain of Crows is deafening...


(Hey Mouse, here is my version of table.)

A Dwarf Starts His Tale of Times Gone Past

Snorri Hornhelm couldn't believe what he was hearing.

"These Dwarves", he thought, "these silly, weak-willed Bretonnian Dwarves.  These Brewarves.   I just gotta say something here..."

"Lads, lads.  Look at you!   Drinking, lollygagging, cutting your beards, and droning on about your defeat.  Sure it was shameful.  A bunch of Elves.  And Wood Elves at that.  But Lads, pull yourselves together!  Remember your Ancestors!  Remember when Dwarves were Dwarves!  Remember a time when a Dwarf could stand on his own.  No slottas for our ol' fellas!  Yes, that was a time.  And think a moment of Lord Asgard.  Yes, Lord Asgard.  What a fighter!

A Hero!

A Lover!

Even a Dragon Slayer!

But remember that he was also the mighty Uniter!  Yes Lads, it was he who brought the various clans together after the great sundering of our First Empire.  It was he who brought Clan Grenadier back into the fold.

Yes, it was he who brought our Citadel Grandfathers together again.

And do think he ever dwelt on defeat?  Do you dare think that he ever allowed an Elf to get him down?  No, he had more important things to deal with.  Like Destiny.  Like facing the greatest adversary a Dwarf can face - he had to battle Dwarves...!!!!"

(Hey Mouse, this force works out to 1407 points.  Oops.  But I really want to use it.  Do you mind 1400 points?)

It's True, It's True!

King Charles III, the decadent, irresponsible king of Bretonnia, has been dabbling in Chaos!

Poor Bretonnia is in chaos. 

And Chaos is in Bretonnia!

A chaotic host waits for the day's announcement.

A Champion of Nurgle presents a message from Tzeentch:

"Here-ye, here-ye, today's Chaotic Attribute is...that everyone will be named... 'Jimmy'"

A little later on, two mighty Exalted Heros of Chaos approach one another.  The air cackles with excited anticipation.

"Good Morning, Jimmy."

"And a very good morning to you dear Jimmy."

"Any word from our beloved general?..."

The Ogres Cross Into Bretonnia

It's not all song and dance being a mercenary.  Just ask Hrothyogg The Great.

He'll tell you that a good mercenary is always on the lookout for the next gig.   Luckily, Hrothyogg is very good at getting gigs.  Truth is, he's got great ears.  When he heard about what was going on in Bretonnia, he got his lads a-movin'. 

"Oi", says Skragg, "it sure is bright in Bretonnia".

A Blurry Day In Battered Bretonnia

 Bernard D'Bernard and the wizard What's-His-Name enter yet one more destroyed village.  But wait, this one has some survivors!

"Sisters", says What's-His-Name, "We mean you no harm."

"Who has done this to you", cries Bernard D'Bernard.

No answer.

"My ladies", asks Bernard, "Was it Elves?"

Still no answer.

"Orcs?"

Silence.

Until...

"My lord... twas your fellows."

"My fellows?"

"Beg your pardon, mi lord, but your fellows, The Grail Knights, The Knights of The Realm, The Chevaliers D'Honneur, The Noblesse D'Epee, The Chevaliers De Notre Dame De Bataille, oh, they're all the same."

"My dear lady, those fellows are no fellows of mine!!!!..."

The Battle of Page 11 (Sort of)

Another one of my favourite photos in the 3rd Edition rulebook is the top one on page 11.   I just want to walk into that room and hang out.  "Hey Rick, hey Bry, fancy a game?"  Instead,  Prof. Elf came over and we went to Northern Bretonnia.

It seems that after the massacre of the "Elven Elites Protect Their General", the remaining 3rd edition Elves were screaming for vengence!  An Elven Jihad was declared.  No one would be spared!!  A great Elven array is mustered, and then marched off in the direction of the Chaos Wastes.  Unfortunately, Bretonnia is between Loren and the Chaos Wastes. 

The lookouts on the southern turret were the first to see the Elven army forming in the field across from them. 

They immediately reported this to the Knights of Keep.   Within moments, all of the Knights were in a complete panic.  Grail Knights were seen discarding their armour and donning women's clothing.   Many were trampled in the mad rush to escape.  Soon there wasn't a Knight left in the castle, or even the whole town.  It was up to the People of Bretonnia to set things right.  Again.

Fortunately, a large Dwarf population also lived in the town.  And they were not about to let any pouncy Elves ruin their day.

Unfortunately, the Elves did.

A fantastic and fun game.  It was nice to be playing with the Prof. again.  And I thank him for indulging me in this game instead of continuing on to the next match of our long-delayed Empire/Lizard series. 

Elves!