This week i've been up to something a little different, breaking out my 10mm armies and putting on a bit of a Hordes of the Things bash. An Imperial Army of humans have assembled to prevent an orc army coming down out the mountains to raid and despoil the Imperial lands. The broad Black Pass out of the highlands is a natural defile where seemingly every year the humans have to defend themselves from the marauding goblin-men.
This battle used the excellent Hordes of the Things (2nd Ed.) rules (we had three 'armies' per side, using basic 'big battle' addenda), and a couple of my fantasy armies built using mainly Pendraken 10mm figures.
The Imperial forces lined up to the north of the Pass, leveling their cannons in the center and presenting a thin line of halberdiers and archers. To the east their powerful knights assembled at the foot of the slopes of the Pass, and ahead of a deep marsh.
The orc line separated into three warbands to pass by the impassable rocky outcrops that hindered their advance. On the western flank the orcs led the way followed by a powerful force of trolls.
In the centre, led by the fearsome giant Guurmsh, a powerful line of orc blades cantered forwards double time.
To the east, the orc wolf riders led the charge and it was here that hostilities would be opened.
The orcs were met in the open ground by a clattering, galloping, neighing wall of heavily armoured knights.
As the lines clashed, the knights prevailed, steadily driving the orc riders back in a flurry of stabbing lances.
The bitter fighting went the way of the humans and the orc line buckled and broke!
The survivors fled back into the mountains.
And so with the Imperial forces now in charge, the action turned to the centre as Guurmsh and his orcs lumbered up the hill towards the Imperial line.
Archery, artillery and skillful polearm work from the slopes saw the humans fight off the vicious orcs.
Guurmsh himself batted away the brutal cannon balls that slammed into his dreadful belly but this hail of iron couldn't stop him. Although he smashed the cannons to splinters and fought his way to within a club-swing of the Imperial general, his orcs fared much worse.
The Imperial forces lined up to the north of the Pass, leveling their cannons in the center and presenting a thin line of halberdiers and archers. To the east their powerful knights assembled at the foot of the slopes of the Pass, and ahead of a deep marsh.
The orc line separated into three warbands to pass by the impassable rocky outcrops that hindered their advance. On the western flank the orcs led the way followed by a powerful force of trolls.
In the centre, led by the fearsome giant Guurmsh, a powerful line of orc blades cantered forwards double time.
The orcs were met in the open ground by a clattering, galloping, neighing wall of heavily armoured knights.
As the lines clashed, the knights prevailed, steadily driving the orc riders back in a flurry of stabbing lances.
The bitter fighting went the way of the humans and the orc line buckled and broke!
The survivors fled back into the mountains.
And so with the Imperial forces now in charge, the action turned to the centre as Guurmsh and his orcs lumbered up the hill towards the Imperial line.
Archery, artillery and skillful polearm work from the slopes saw the humans fight off the vicious orcs.
Guurmsh himself batted away the brutal cannon balls that slammed into his dreadful belly but this hail of iron couldn't stop him. Although he smashed the cannons to splinters and fought his way to within a club-swing of the Imperial general, his orcs fared much worse.
As the orc centre command broke and fled, the army broke too and the Empire was safe for another year.
All told an excellent, fun battle with a very enjoyable set of rules.
All told an excellent, fun battle with a very enjoyable set of rules.
A brilliantly told saga.
ReplyDeleteExcellent stuff Steve.
ReplyDeleteGreat Battle report.
ReplyDeletegreaat battle report and fine looking figures
ReplyDelete