Beerstein Amphibious Action Against The Undead Makes Progress Part 1

 Below shows the whole table but the battle was concentrated on the far away end. Most of the rocks were brought home from camping trips. The casualties are mounting up as they are placed at the nearest end of the table. mat took over the organization of the third party Undead. he will return to leading his Bogavanians and Fezians at a future date.

After an initial bombardment from the several beersteiners' ships' cannons the first units disembark on the beach. Some musketry was directed at the skeleton warriors and zombies. Three ships' cannons misfired, blowing up and killing a number of crew. Fortunately, the ship itself sustained only minor damage. The archbishop is seen here with his shepherd's crook. Despite his own fears for his personal safety he was expected to accompany the landing party. His power of prayer foiled three magic attacks from the vampire, Drakos. 

(Drakos and his family were once human but all three had been bitten and transformed by another vampire to join the illustrious ranks of blood drinkers. Drakos came to accept his vampire nature but he rejected his subordinate position in vampire society. He plotted displacing of the vampire lord. The plot was detected and Drakos and his family were condemned to sun exposure and reduction to dust. Insteadthey fled and ended up in this relatively remote island. Castaways, ship wrecked sailors and others from this New World of islands, all ended up as zombies. The vampires even lured ships to smash on rocks. As an aside, Drakos discovered magic which protects him from the sun and he is not the first to do so. In modern terms we would call it Sunblock 1000 but the ingredients of the cream would pass no health and safety standards that I know of.

  The tomb of the vampire, with large colored head is dedicated to the vampire's son, Crisson.  Another tomb is for his wife, Beatrice. They were both killed (completely) by a lost expedition of Aztecs. Their priest knew how to kill them with wooden stakes  and the appropriate chants.  However, not one of the Aztecs survived the vampire's wrath. All were turned into zombies. They were all once human until bitten by another vampire and transformed. A 'disagreement' among the vampires led to this island.)

           These zombies, in the foreground, were created in the last few days.

  Zombies with cloudy eyes and appetite for fresh flesh, linger in the Warped Forest and watch the newcomers and awaiting the psychic command from the vampire.

  This zombie unit is much degraded from Beersteiner cannon and musket fire. However, the vampire is in the first rank and the Black Coach added to the power. The empty movement board was previously occupied by charging heavy cavalry Despite initial success the powers of the vampire and the coach sealed their terminal doom - they were wiped out.

This unit of infantry was attacked in the flank by the forest zombies, However, the zombies proved largely ineffectual against discipline and bayonets. They were destroyed.

At the end of battle (13 moves) the Undead were reduced from six units of zombies and one skeleton regiment to two zombie units, the Black Coach and the vampire. The Wight king and his skeleton 'spearmen' had been shot to death by combined musketry and also the attack from the Beersteiner wizard. The Black Coach had sustained damage. The last however, had the spell also backfire, removing his magic abilities for this battle.

  The Beersteiners had lost their cavalry unit, three ships' cannons and a few infantry. Their priest (as opposed to archbishop) was 'killed' but as he has two lives he can reappear two map moves from now, I hasten to add not as Undead. 

   The Undead now withdraw to the adjoining hex and both sides must rest a map move to recover. The Undead got a quarter casualties back for surviving units. The Beersteiners, as the victors, got half of their casualties back, except for the cavalry as the unit was completely wiped out.

  Next battle will probably be Mat's expeditionary forces against whoever he encounters in his island objective. (I'll then take over running the army, if any, he encounters).