Whatever happened to the Red Duke? A Warmaster 3,500 point-a-side Battle Report - part 1

 

The vampire known as the Red Duke terrorised the good peoples of Bretonnia again in 1932 before he was vanquished near the Forest of Chalons. It was long assumed that the vampire perished in that battle, however its body was never found amongst the dead at the battles end. Generations of Questing Knights have ventured into the Forest of Chalons to seek out this vile creature, if it still lives, and destroy it forever. However no evidence of the vampire has ever been found.

Peasant talk and the idle chatter heard in the inns of Chalons recount this famous battle. They also speak of rumours that the Red Duke escaped into the Forest of Chalons at the battles end, never to be heard of again. Peasant folk then usually lower their voice to a whisper and tell the odd tale or two of travellers on the roads near the Forests disappearing or of villagers hearing screams in the night coming from the Forests eves. Those who live near the eves of the forests know to avoid it and their thoughts, when they look to the Forests, are ever on what became of the Red Duke.

The battlefield

Background
The Red Duke, seeing that all was lost, and that the flower of Bretonnia was closing in for the kill, fled into the Forest of Chalons. The forests is known for its many denizens, not least of which are Orcs and Beastmen. However, within the forest are powerful sites where arcane energies can be harnessed. The Beastmen guard these sites and hold them sacred as the Winds of Magic howl through them. If the Red Duke is ever to exact its revenge on Bretonnia, its must control these sites and build its strength once again. Fortunely for the Red Duke, the battle it lost has provided the raw materials it needs to build a strong enough force to see off the Beastmen and take control of these sites.

Points
Each side has 3,500 points to spend (this Battle report has each side at around 3,200 points due to running out of painted miniatures) :(

The scenery on the field

Battlefield
A large clearing in the Forest of Chalon

Scenery on the battle-table includes:

• Forest down one long edge of the table
• Two small woods within 20cm of either side of the centre of the table
• One standing stone Monolith in the centre of the table
• One Summoning Circle standing stones within 20cm of the forest edge
• Other scattered hills as mutually agreed upon by the players

Special Rules

i) The Monolith standing stone permits spell casters located between its base to add +1 to all rolls when casting spells. It also permits the spell caster to attempt to dispel any spell cast in their opponents Shooting Phase as though the spell caster had a Scroll of Dispelling. Each spell caster can only use the dispel feature of the Monolith once per game. Any number of spell casters can be located under the Monolith at the same time.

The Monolith

ii) The Summoning Circle can be used by Beastmen spell casters to attempt to call a Cygor, Ghorgon or Jabberslythe as an ally to the Beastmen army. The Beastmen player must pay for this creature as part of the 3,500 points allotted to his army. The caster must entre the Summoning Circle on during the end of the Command Phase of the Beastmen players turn (when characters move). The creature being summoned will then appear at the start of the Command Phase of next turn. The creature therefore takes one full turn to arrive and the Spell caster must remain within the Summoning Circle for that entire turn, or the ritual to summon the creature will fail. If the creature is not summoned during the game, its cost does not count towards the victory points awarded to the other side.

Units inside the Summoning Circle gain Defended status.

The Summoning Circle on the edge of the forest

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The Red Dukes forces arrayed for battle

The Red Duke's surviving forces
* indicates house rules developed units

• 8 units of Skeletons (240 points)
• 7 units of Zombies (245 points)
• 5 units of Grave Guard (300 points)
• 4 units of Ghostly Legion (220 points) - infantry *
• 2 units of Crypt Horrors (220 points) - infantry *
• 4 units of Skeleton Cavalry (240 points) - cavalry *
• 2 units of Black Knights (220 points) - cavalry *
• 2 units of Ghostly Riders (200 points) - cavalry *
• 4 units Dire Wolves (160 points)
• 1 unit of Dire Wargs (100 points) - cavalry *
• 3 units Bat Swarms (120 points) - monster *
• 1x Terrorgheist (300 points) - monster *
• 1x Mortis Engine (300 points) - chariot *
• 2x Mounted Wight King (160 points) - hero
• 2x Lich (160 points) - wizard
• The Red Duke (150 points) - general

Total = 3335 points

Malagor's minions draw up to defend their sacred sites

Malagor - The Dark Omen's army
* indicates house rules developed units

• 4 units of Ungors (200 points) - infantry * (these lads can ambush)
• 1 unit of Ungor Raiders (40 points) - infantry * (these lads can ambush)
• 5 units of Gors (250 points)
• 1 unit of Bestigors (75 points)
• 2 units of Minotaurs (240 points)
• 3 units of Centigors (240 points)
• 3 units of Chaos Hounds (90 points)
• 1 unit of Razorgors (100 points) - cavalry *
• 4 units of Harpies (260 points)
• 1x Chaos Spawn (110 points)
• 1 unit of Gor Dragon Ogres (250 points)
• 1x Shaggoth (175 points) - monster *
• 1x Chaos Giant (150 points) - monster *
• 1x Jabberslythe (300 points) - monster *
• 1x Beastlord (125 points) - general
• Malagor (150 points... and the real general!)
• 1x Wargor (80 points)
• 1x Centigor Hero (80 points)
• 1x Doombull Hero (85 points)
• 2x Bray-Shaman (160 points) - wizard *
• 1x Tuskgor Chariot mount for the Beastlord (+10 points)

Total = 3170 points

Two units of Ungors placed in ambush are next to the Jabberslythe awaiting to be summoned forth to battle

Stay tuned for the opening shots in the next blog entry....