Scenery Rules:
- The steep sides of the stepped hill can’t be climbed on.
- Can fly over hill on level +10 and rocks and woods on level +20.
- The rocks and the barreled defense count as hard cover and the fences are soft cover.
- The woods except for the road within the woods and the rocks are difficult terrain.
- Extra victory points can be gained by occupying the hill and zones.
- The terrain is divided in four equally sized square zones.
- Controlling the Dwarven encampment counts as a baggage trophy.
- Needless to say, having Gaymar’s head on a stick serves as the Dwarven trophy (slain general).
Also, Ellendee and Spar Gettyand Sors (the wizard and the spectre) would only deploy in the following Wood Elf turn, as they had been delayed by the binding.
So, this is how the table looked after deployment:
***
“Stop the chariot,” Gaymer said. He clambered down and waited for his patrol to form up. He had noted with dismay the number of dwarves as he had come down into the valley. There were hundreds of them. Well, forty, give or take. He squinted in concentration – had the report said fourteen or forty?
Daddy would be furious.
Anyway, the only way out was through, now. He faced his men, hands on his hips.
“Today, we stand on the great of brinkness!” he stated.
Elves looked at each other in confusion.
“Er…that is, the stand of greatness!”
Danak raised an eyebrow. One of the chariot crew leaned down and whispered something to Gaymer.
“The brink of greatness!” Gaymer yelled in triumph. He glared at those assembled. “Today, we are on the very brink of greatness! For too long now, those Dwarves hav-“
Gaymer’s soliloquy was cut short by distant pops, followed by an almighty bang and a long and pronounced hiss.
Gayestin stepped forward. “Your Lordship – I think that is one of those unusual war machines the dwarves seem so fond of making. I presume they must have spotted the chariot coming into the valley.” He pointed at a panting wardancer. “Gimpmaersk here has just popped back from the forest border there and says they are lining up for an engagement. I suspect our moment of greatness has already begun.”
“Right!” Gaymar drew his sword and jogged to the front of the column. The chariot crew stepped aside to make space for their leader.
“No thanks, chaps – I lead from the front! Follow me!”
Gayestin looked at Danak, who shrugged. Gayestin inclined his head. Go on, then. You first.
***
Gaymar strikes a manly pose:
The orders for the Movement phase:
Unlike later editions of Warhammer, there are no march moves in Warhammer 3. Instead, there are 2 movement phases - the typical one we all know and love, and a second Reserves phase towards the end of the turn.
Also, reforming, wheeling and other manoeuvring* require discipline, training and leadership tests. In this case, the Steelaxes needed to pass two leadership tests in order to complete three simple manoeuvres. This is one of the places where, although it looks like it makes WFB3 more complicated, it is actually simple to process and adds extra depth to the game - rewarding highly disciplined and expensive troops more than in later editions.
***
“As you can see, “Morgrim gestured towards the pass, “there are around thirty or so elves coming our way. Intelligence tells us they are armed and determined, so I don’t think this is a diplomatic visit. I’m going to form up here with the Firehammers. I want the Ironaxes there, the Arrowheads there and the Steelaxes there. You all got that?”
“Sir, yes Sir!” thirty nine dwarves chanted in unison. “Sir…er, chief…” muttered one.
“Torin. You’ll be …airborne.” Morgrim seemed to struggle to say the word. “That means you’ll be able to see aver that hill. So far, they’ve not done anything to conceal their approach, but they will surely take cover there. I want you to relay instructions to Earthquaker and get them flushed out of there as soon as possible. Okay?”
Torin nodded. Torin glanced meaningfully at the stone thrower’s crew. “You boys remember the signals, yeah?”
They nodded. One offered two thumbs up.
“Right, lads. To your positions!” Morgrim shouted.
***
Vass Saleen's Household Guard moves into position:
Dwarf Shooting Phase:
Dreamfish's intention was to hit the DeLorien with a rock. Although the chariot is hidden behind the hill, we allowed the stonethrower crew to take direction from the gyrocopter. Of course, many players will only have seen indirect fire as a 'new' feature of Warhammer 8, but it was already there in the 80's.
***
Steeplechase looked up as the gyrocopter belched its way over them. It’s bizarre collection of clanks, pops, bangs and hissing combined into a raucous cacophony which left speaking impossible.
“He’s a complete nutter!” he yelled to Pipsqueak, who had just finished winding Earthquaker.
Pipsqueak frowned at him and shrugged. “No,” he mouthed. “I don’t have any butter.” Why the hell would he want butter now?
“No – nutter!” Steeplechase tried again.
Pipsqueak stood up. At 4'6", he was one of the largest dwarves in the clan. A lifetime of working stone throwers had created powerful muscles and a short temper. “Calling me a nutter? You just-“
Dumpling elbowed Pipsqueak and pointed up at the gyrocopter. “He’s signalling,” he yelled.
The crew squinted up at Torin, trying to make sense of the signals.
“Hang on…hang…on, I got this one,” Steeplechase frowned. “Okay, it’s a play. First word. First syllable. Sounds …like… fir?” He looked at the other two.
They shrugged and nodded.
"Second syllable...is...tea? Fir tea?"
“Thirty degrees elevation,” Dumpling yelled.
“That’s already set, we can shoot-”
“Righto!” Dumpling said. He pulled the lever.
"-after we...reduce the tension." Pipsqueak watched as the rock sail into the heavens.
Dumpling grinned sheepishly. "Ah...after we reduce the tension. Yes. Got a bit carried away there..."
The trio looked up at the gyrocopter pilot. His angry gesticulations caused the gyrocopter to sway uncertainly.
"Doesn't look to happy about that one," Pipsqueak mumbled.
***
Torin shows off his ride to the Arrowheads:
Orders for the Reserves phase:
So the reserves phase is the 2nd stage of movement. Not everyone can move - much the same as later editions where not everyone can march.
Morgrim leads the defence:
The game turn actually went quite quickly - it only took about 24 hours to process the whole thing by email. It took longer to get the thing posted because of crazy rainfall and flooding and roads being shut screwing up my schedules. On to turn 2!
*Manoeuvre, Manoeuver, Manuever - you pick the one you like the most and substitute it wherever you see the English (well, French) one.
***
Battle Navigation
Turn 1
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