Conclusion To The First Battle Of Hex 70: Fezians Claim Victory

 This post is the continuation of the earlier one on this battle. First, I'll make a list of the forces involved and the survivors:

BEERSTEIN                                                 Survivors including returned wounded

Commander Prince Rupert                              1

Hero in heavy armor: Adermus Hobbes          1   Lost two wounds. Unconscious but in Beersteiner hands

Sorceress: Sylvia the Serpent                          1

 1 Lobsters                    12                               0

1 Heavy cavalry           12                                8   Fled the field and will return from reserve from South

1 Heavy Pike                24                                0

1 Musketeers                24                                24

1 Musketeers                21                                24                                                                                          longbow                       24                                 24

1 Hillmen                      24                                 8
1 Hillmen 2 handed ax  24                                 0

8 wagons with supplies                                      intact

Total dead or irrecoverables: 80

FEZIA                                                              Survivors including returned wounded

Commander Epheba                                           1 ( lost one life, unconscious under Fezian care)

Commander Safon                                              1

Sorceress Ilurine (spellings vary)                       1

1 Light infantry                               24               23

1 Light infantry                               24               15

1 Light Infantry spearmen               24               16

1 Chainmail spearmen                     24                0
1 Plate Infantry                                24                0

I Light short bows                            24               24

1 Light short bows                            24              24

1 light short bows                             24               24

1 Mounted Light bow                       14                 0
1 Mounted Light bow                       14                 0

wagons with supplies                                            intact

Total dead or irrecoverables: 98

                          Sylvia, the Dragon and the remaining Hillmen protect the cannons as musketmen take position on the other side of the river.

             Beersteiner long bowmen start to take pot shots at the Fezian bowmen in the castle but only shoot off one of their turbans.

                                     The unconscious Beersteiner uber hero, Ardermus Hobbes

                                                           The unconscious Epheba

               Illurine casts so many spells her hair turns white and her clothes change color.

                                                        The Fezian castle is well protected

       Fezians marshal their remaining forces at the close of battle; these are only the ones that were outside the castle.

                                         Beersteiners are in a strong position behind the river.

  Prince Rupert thanks the remaining Hillmen for their efforts. They helped to slow the enemy advance and suffered terribly. Although they retreated after suffering huge losses they rallied and remained to guard the cannon.

                Sylvia the Serpent, also known by some other terms and titles, Amora and Amnora, the least insulting. Some call her 'Devils' Spawn'. She says she comes from the unknown land of Catharsis. Rumors state that her mother was a Dark Elf wych. Because of her battle effectiveness and even the fear she instills, King James instructed his inquisitors to stay their hands. Tension has always existed with use of necromancers but the needs of warfare win out. King James does try to keep his crusaders away from his wizards.

 It may also be said that Sylvia's has beguiled many a man. Her unseemly attire and serpent tattoos mark her contempt for the deeply religious.

              Here she can be seen in an intermediate form as she changes into or back from a dragon.

                                   Slimy gunk drips from her cheek and wing as she metamorphizes.

CONCLUSIONS ON THE BATTLE

  Prince Rupert knew immediately, on arrival, at the field of battle, that he did not have the forces to storm the castle. He is a cautious commander and also not a stupid one. he interpreted his orders to attack the castle, broadly. 

  Firstly he wanted his missile troops, cannons and supplies untouchable by the enemy. He therefore ordered them across the bridge to the far side of the river. The nerve racking wait for the wagons and cannons to arrive put him on edge. To ensure it could happen he ordered his cavalry to attack the rapidly advancing enemy mounted light archers. The enemy force was temporarily pushed back. The Sell word Hillmen fortunately remained true to their salt but they were outnumbered, especially when the second Fezian army advanced from the Northern side of the castle. Their plate cavalry were, fortunately, shot to pieces but the plate infantry made it past the Beersteiner archers and muskets.

  The clincher to stopping the Fezians was Sylvia the dragon. She even knocked unconscious one of the enemy commanders so he now has one life remaining. The dragon could have gone on to try to kill the other Fezian commander in the castle but it would have taken a few moves and, meantime the Beerstiner cannons might have been captured. Instead she contented herself in frying Fezian advancing infantry. She also, accidentally, badly singed the unconsious Hobbes, taking another of his three lives so he now has only one left.

  One fearful event was Illurine calling upon the Casandra Comet to strike the concentrated Beersteiner forces behind the river. The musketeers, bowmen and wagons managed to anticipate the threat and to move out of its deadly range.

  So who won? Mat and I don't always have a points based condition for victory but discuss it at the end of the battle. These games are part of a broader campaign, and the impact of each battle influences the future ones. In this case no-one was driven from the field, the Beersteiners inflicted somewhat more casualties but the castle was untouched. We agreed it was a narrow victory for Fezia but that both our sides wounded were mostly in no-man's land and so we each got back only a quarter of our casualties.

  Both sides now have fewer close combat troops and few cavalry with the Fezians having none.

 The choices for my Beerstein forces are to stay put and bombard the castle, or any attacking troops, leave the field altogether or to go on the offensive (unlikely). The Fezians can stay on the defensive, in or behind their castle or go on the offensive. It is likely that the only way to do so would be to move their archers in range and to try to cross the bridge but Beerstein weapons outrange the Fezians.

 If there is another battle here next map move my hero and Mat's superior commander will be too injured to take part. Mat had been able to make me reroll successful dice rolls for who set up first and moved first as his commander had superior battlefield intelligence to mine. Consequently I set up first and went second. Next battle this will be reversed as his other commander is inferior to mine.

  Also, my sorceress will have probably reverted to form there is a very small chance she won't have). She may try to change into a dragon (or other creature)  or not.

EUIPPMENT

Unlike the Fezians most of my Beersteiners had flags and musicians. However, the advantages of these were largely negated by the size of the enemy onslaught.

RULES

The magic rules are taken from Warhammer. Other rules have elements of Warhammer. Warhammer distances, when used, are doubled for the bigger scale we use.