Battle of the Mill (1vs1 1000pts each)
After a long time of developing the region in a time of peace, battle was imminent again. A small force led by Major Martin Belten had been sent to the southern part of New England to assist in the repairs of a grain mill. With a bit of luck Captain Murberry came with him together with Flammerion and a few members of the Royal Aerial Corps to let them have some grounds to roam. A camp waāās set up near the mill and the forces started their work.
A day later one of the dragon scouts reported an Elven force heading to the mill. Although they did not resemble the slavers the 39th had fought before it was clear they had no peacefull intentions.
The early warning gave the 39th a rare chance to take the initiative. The new expiremental rockets were used to quickly assemble the army and deploy.
The terrain
āThe battleground consisted of the mill, the miller's house and a the small regimental tent camp to the south and a forest to the north. One of the tree lines consisted of poisonous flowers (Poison forest).
The deployment
Major Belten deployed the forces within clear military doctrine. The 35th foot was deployed in the middle with Flammerion to it's side. The flanks were covered by the 5th Royal Hussars, joined by Father O'Leary to the west and the Royal Aerial Corps to the east. Lastly a new experimental set of rockets was placed behind
The opposing forces kept in cover of the forest. The Poisonous forest housed a group of scouts and behind it a group of Eternal Guards, the other forest seemed more alive than ever with a Treeman in it.
First Round
Amazingly the 39th had taken the initiative and immediately moved forward. The cavalry, both the Hussars and the Scouts, moved into a possible charge position and Captain Murberry moved up Flammerion so the small fire drake could be unleashed on the lumbering Treeman. Although the drake awoke from his slumber a magical force kept him asleep (Dispel Scroll). The rocket engineers let of a small barrage targeting the scouts but the winds changed it and they fell behind the group of eternal guard, killing one.
The Wood elves took a defensive stance and the Eternal Guard moved into the woods with the Treeman moving up a bit. The shadowdancer in the Eternal Guard used a dark spell on the Hussars, weakening their abilities (Melkothās Mystifying Miasma).
To the suprise of the Hussars the Treeman targeted them with many wooden pellets and two hussars fell. A waywatcher in the scouts used his keen eyes and targeted Father O'Leary from within the Hussars, wounding him with a well shot arrow. Lastly the scouts targeted the Aerial Corps but their scales protected them from any harm.
Second Round
The Aerial Corps saw their chance and charged the Eternal Guard. With the rest of 39th taking positions supporting the infantry as they would most likely be charged by the Treeman.
With a large roar Flammerion awoke (Total Power) and unleashed a torrent of fire on the Treeman, wounding him heavily. The rockets were only able to amuse the wood elves with both of them scattering harmlessly.
The combat between the Corps and the Eternal Guard started with a challenge bellowed by the Shadowdancer. The lieutenant leading the group quickly answered and while the Shadowdancer was able to wound the lieutenant and his proud beast, they were unable to do any damage due to a mysterious dance that allowed the shadowdancer to seem almost impervious. The Corps took only one wound from the rest of the Eternal Guard and after unleashing their beast, killing eight, the Eternal Guard, even with their stubborn mentality, fled. The Aerial Corp quickly pursued and slammed into the scouts and their waywatcher leader.
The Wood Elves Eternal Guard quickly rallied from the shame of fleeing. The Treeman as expected charged into the 35th Foot who held their ground. The Shadowdancer hoping to protect the scouts targeted the Aerial Corps with his draining spell, yet this would soon prove to be not enough. The combat was quick, with three scouts dying and no wounds taken by the Aerial Corps. This win allowed them to line up better on the scouts, allowing all beasts to be in combat.
The foot were unable to do any damage to the thick bark of the Treeman and in return recieved seven losses. Yet the strong words of major Belten kept the infantry in line as they knew support would soon come.
Third Round
The support came as promised with the Hussars together with Father O'Leary charging into the Treeman. Captain Murberry took up position behind the Eternal Guard to support the Aerial Corps, yet was unable to awaken the fire drake after it's powerfull attack earlier. The little drake clearly needed rest.
A small explosion suprised the rocketeers and they needed time to stop the fire and protect the precious rockets.
The Hussars delivered, wounding and killing the Treeman. A great Huzzah was shouted by the Infantry as the Treeman toppled. In the forest the Aerial Corps took one wound from the poisionous swords from the scouts but in return killed all the scouts. The Waywatcher stood bravely hoping support from
the Eternal Guard would come.
And it came, the Eternal Guard charged the Aerial Corps hoping to undo the shame from their earlier failure. The dark clouds gathered again over the Shadowdancer yet Father O'Leary with the power of the Lord was able to stop it from having any dangerous effects. His spell failing broke the will to fight of the Shadowdancer and he ordered his forces to retreat.
With the mill defended and repaired, grain supplies for the men and women continued flowing into Fort New England.
Battle Honours
Distinguished Service Order: Major Martin Belten
For winning a total victory over the attackers at the Battle of the Mill.
