Flight of The Bat Into Hex 29, map Move 9 & Beyond & the Subsequent Map Moves

 Esmeraya has fled into H 29 but there is a tower with two cannons to contend with. Also, General Armstrong has pursued her with the same army which earlier had narrowly defeated her.

  Two battles for the tower have occurred here. This next encounter may pass as a battle or it might simply be a continuation of the flight. however, even with so few Undead Esmeraya can still do great damage through the Lore of Vampires or her close combat skills.

BEERSTEIN

2 Tower cannons and crew

General Achim Metternich

General Amsberg (in the tower with two cannonsL.

Wizard Adolf

Archbishop

Hero Kleist

Hero magical sword

Hero Ferdinand Sourkrout magical sword

24 Flintlock

17 Flintlock

24 Matchlock Militia

2 Cannons and crews

Wagon supplies

NECROLIA

Esmeraya (Vampire)

4 Grave Guard

2 Black Coaches

This game was another chase, where fugitives or small forces are chased by larger forces. We decided to use the initiative roll for every move.

  Mat's Vampire and three grave guard arrived from the Southeast and the pursuing force under General Amstead arrived from the Southwest. Mat lost the rolls for setting up first and getting first move. He also lost the second initiative roll. This meant he was now in range of my Wizard, Adolf and also an infantry regiment which had moved into position.

  Adolf sent a magic missile crashing into the nearest Black Coach, 'killing' an Undead horse, destroying the coach and dispatching one of the Grave Guard. The skeleton driver and the two remaining grave Guard remained lurking behind the coach but one of the Guard was just in view and was shot down by the infantry.

  Esmeraya urged her driver to greater coach speed and drove past the tower. Inside the tower one cannon crew, facing East, did not have time to react. The North facing cannon crew angled their cannon ready to get a shot in.

  The lurking two Grave Guard and driver suddenly emerged from behind the broken coach and charged the nearest infantry in their flank. They caused one casualty (who recovered after the battle). However, the two heroes in plate armor charged the Undead and used their magical, strike multiplying, swords. The Necrolians did not stand a chance.

  However, Esmeraya survived to fight another day. But without her Black Coach she had to return, quickly, to her grave to replenish her strength.

  Esmeraya's coach sped towards the shelter of the open forest. It was now out of range of everything except the cannon on the tower. One shot had missed but the failure of Mat's initiative gave the artillerymen another shot. The coach was blown up, the driver and a horse killed but Esmeraya escaped into the depths of the forest and prepared to return to Necrolian territory.

  BELOW:

 To the right can be seen the first destroyed coach.

                                             Esmeraya before the destruction of her transport

                                                               The Grave Guard

                                                         Firing on the fleeing coaches

                                                              Militia with matchlocks

                                            The priest offers the gunners moral encouragement.

                                                              Lurking Undead

                                                               Adolf casts his spells.

                                                                     Flank attack!

General Amstead

                                                The heroes repel the Undead flank attack.

                                                        Adolf uses the Lore of Beasts.

                                     The archbishop attempts, unsuccessfully, to Crumble Undead.

Esmeraya's magic was ineffectual - no zombie allies were generated.  The disadvantage for Beerstein was the lack of cavalry; pursuit was limited. However, she had escaped to join other forces of darkness.

  That was the end of Map Move 9, which had included only one battle. Mat and I are about to do our secret map moves to see what our next battles will be. I am expecting a large battle in Aztecia for Map Move 10. I suspect that Mat is preparing to attack my main Aztec force with both Bogavanian and Fezian forces.

  STOP PRESS

Map Move 10 and 11. New battles approach. In map Move 10 the Aztec Army moved from Hex A2 to A1. There a force of 3 Fezian cavalry were encountered. In the face of a large Aztec army the cavalry withdrew to H 204. Then in Move 11 the Aztec army moved into the temple hex of A6. The intention was to protect the capital. It seems it may have been the right move because the majority of the combined Fezian and Bogavanian forces converged on the same hex.

This map does not have Hex numbers for Aztecia, The coming battle is to the upper right of the lowest crown hex. I'll upload a better map in a future post.

  Below is a map showing Northern Beerstein and Necrolia. This map is blurred but Esmeraya has fled through the forest of 29 and to the Necrolian village of N7 where the army has pursued her. (The Necrolian capital is at N24 and the Beersteiner capital is cut off at the left side at Hex 44, Thee is a road, not shown on the map, running between H44 and The Hound capital at H 50. The tower in H29 is not shown).