4000 Greasus vs. Caradryan

It's now ready to read.


The local tourny continues...

Inspired by AlwaysOgresOClock, I have decided to put some story behind my battle, so my brother and I had a more themed fight with a story.  I don't fancy myself a writer, but I hope that it turns into a fun, yet still understandable, battle report. 

THIS IS PRETTY LONG, SO PLEASE BE AWARE OF THAT.  That being said I would love it if you would read my story.  I would hate to write a story and have nobody read it.

My list

Greasus Goldtooth
SM - fencers, greedy fist, scroll
FB - HH
Bruiser - HA, IF, CoC, Sword of Striking

19 Ironguts - full command, DHB
80 Gnoblars - full command, trappers

8 Leadbelchers
8 Maneaters - HA, 4xGW

Ironblaster
Ironblaster
Scraplauncher
Thundertusk


His list

Caradryan on Ashatari
Prince - sword of Bloodshed, potion of strength
Lvl 2 - D-scroll, ring of fury
Lvl 2 - power stone
Noble BSB

20 Archers
20 Archers
20 Archers
15 Silver Helms

12 Dragon Princes
Sky-cutter
Lion Chariot
40 White Lions
28 Phoenix Guard

Flamespire Phoenix
Great Eagle
Great Eagle

There are typos, so please bare with me.

Along the borders of the empire in a keep just outside of the mountains of mourn, Captain Elliot stood atop the parapets breathing in the cold air.  The morning sun was creeping over the mountains, and the fog was still thick from the morning dew and the humid forest. 

Only a week before Captain Elliot had retaken this keep from the tyrannical rule of Hogath Eight-Finger.  He had personally driven a lance through the brute's heart and set his head atop a spear.  He was shortly thereafter relieved of most of his battallion, as they were needed to keep the greenskins at bay... They were short handed and could not hold under heavy pressure.  This became a horrifying thought as Captain Elliot learned that the ogre he had slain was the brother of Greasus, Overtyrant of the Ogre Kingdoms.  Captain Elliot had sent for help and asked for reinforcements to come and aid for the imminent fight ahead or permission to retreat, but he was answered only with a simple sentence.  The letter said,

"Stand your ground, be brave, and fight for The Emporer!"

The few words meant that no help would come, and retreat would not be accepted.  Knowing that his little band would not be able to stand up to a few ogres let alone an army, Captain Elliot prayed for help from whatever gods might be listening. 

His stupor of thought was disrupted by the sound of rumbling feet off in the distance.  The fog was still thick and it blocked his vision, but Captain Elliot knew what was coming.  The rumbling continued to grow louder and louder until finally the banners and heads of ogres could be seen trudging through the fog.  There was nothing he could do.  The host of ogres before him was so vast that it would take a grand army to defeat them.  A tear fell down his cheek as he looked at the men beside him, helpless to do anything.

Captain Elliot turned again to face the men behind him and prepared to give orders to his small band.  If they were to die, it would be on their feet with weapons in their hands.  Just as he was about to yell, he noticed something out of the corner of his eye.  A lone elf walking out of the edge of the fog as if walking out of a dream.  He looked, mesmerized as a legion of elves, clothed in silver and white, began making their way out of the fog and to the tower.  They drew battle lines and prepared to engage the ogres.

Captain Elliot was awestruck and baffled to see this happen before him.  He had not sent for help from anyone but the empire, and surely they would not have sent an envoy to the elves to defend an outpost.  He rushed to the bottom of the keep and ran out to meet them.  He stumbled around looking for the leader and asking where the general was.  He was pointed to an ugly, scarred elf that stood a noticeable amount above the others. 

He introduced himself as Cathul Anar, son of Alith Anar.  He was the Prince of Nagarythe, the heir of Shadow King.  With him rode Caradryan, Captain of the Phoenix Guard, atop Ashatari the Frostheart Phoenix.

Captain Elliot, having finally come to terms with what had happened, and after regaining his senses muttered, "W-w-why have you come?  I sent no message to the elves..."

Cathul Anar responded in a harsh tone, "We have eyes in Ulthuan that see all parts of the world.  We knew of this impending battle and we have come to end the expansion of the ogre tribes.  They threaten not only The Empire, but Ulthuan as well.  For once they have had their fill with this land, they will likely turn to the sees and encroach upon us."

Captain Elliot was about to speak when a yell that shook his very frame echoed through the glade.  Cathul Anar yelled, "Get in your tower, your small band can only hinder us in this fight.  If the situation is dire, flee, do not fight."

Captain Elliot did as he was told and ordered his men into the tower.  They ran to the top of the keep and looked on as the slaughter was about to commence.








The elves moved first, hoping that the ogres were not set.  Archers opened fire as the mist began to clear.  Their arrows found their marks among the ranks of the Gnoblars, but they were so numerous it seemed almost useless.  The elvish battle line advanced on all fronts attempted to gain a good foothold against the ogres.  As they did this, the elf mages could feel the air around them becoming drenched with magic.  They began to cast bolts of fire into the ogres and scorched the leadbelchers as they loaded their cannons.  The elves worked swiftly and gracefully to prepare for the initial counter from the ogres.







Greasus was tired of these thinlings pestering him.  He had come for the head of the Empire Captain, but if these elves desired a fight, Greasus was more than happy to oblige them.  He thrust his scepter forward and his gnoblar throne began to creep towards the wall in front.  His entourage followed close behind him.  The gnoblars leaped forward with surprising dexterity and began to sprinkle traps all over the center of the battle field.  The Slaughtermaster also began to feel magic flowing through him.  His eyes lit with a white fire and he gorged a rotten piece of flesh.  After having swallowed it he gave an irresistible scream through the forest at the dragon princes beyond.  The effect of the howl was stomach turning.  Several of the knights began to feel their very bones break.  Their lungs collapsed and their organs were shredded by the jagged points of their own skeleton.  They crumpled and groaned a final time.  The slaughtermaster felt sick from the effect, but was not seriously harmed.  He then ate one more unrecognizable hunk, and as he did so, the ogres around him felt their skin become hard like stone. 

Greasus then ordered that all weapons should fire.  Leadbelcher cannons echoed and blasts of shrapnel flew into the ranks of the Phoenix Guard, but only a single elf fell because of the divine protection from Azure that they possessed. 

The Lion Chariot was not so lucky, however, because as it paced towards its foe, a cannonball the size of a boulder crashed on top of the chariot and killed all of the crew in a single blow.








The elves were quick to respond and sent the Silver Helms Crashing into the ranks of the Maneaters.  They were hoping to receive support from the chariot, but only got help from a lone eagle.  The skycutter tried to engage the ironblaster, but the eagle had other things in mind an only flew a small distance while the elves tried to regain control.  The archers continued to shoot their arrows, but the horde of Gnoblars was endless... 

The fire bird of the elves flew over Greasus' position and attempted to burn the ogres beneath, but to little avail as their skin repelled the flame from the bird's wings.  Elves on the far side began to cross the river and hoped to turn the flank of the large body of ogres.  The wizards tried to help their brothers, but to no avail, the Slaughtermaster was able to overpower their magical energies.   The white lions, however, were eager to engage the ogres.  They knew that no ogre could stand up to their charge.  In the center of the field, the Phoenix Guard trudged forward.  They had taken a magical vow of silence in exchange for the ability to see the future.  They knew how this battle would end, and for better or worse they would follow their orders, whether they be to glory or death, it mattered not.  Caradryan flew over his fellow Guardsmen and looked at the host of ogres.  He also knew what the future held, but like all the others, was unable to utter a word, or hint a suggestion.  He watched as an eagle and half of the Silver Helms were cut down just after thy had so skillfully dispatched several Maneaters.  Their combat continued and Caradryan stared, cold faced, at the battle







Greasus was patient.  He saw a trap forming around him and did not charge from behind his wall.  He bellowed orders to his troops around him and they yelled in reply.  The Leadbelchers continued to thin out the Phoenix Guard, but not as quickly as the overtyrant would have liked.  Azure kept protecting them from the ogres attacks.  The slaughtermaster felt very little in his bones and was not able to do more than maintain the stone skin on his tribe.  The gnoblars laughed and giggled as the bottles and broken blades they threw seriously hurt the bird in front of them. 

The maneaters killed the remaining knights and turned to face the battle.  Caradryan looked ahead of him.  He stared as he saw his fate.  A light flash and a boulder were the last he saw.  Azure had decided not to protect him and he accepted his fate.  His phoenix, Ashatari, was not struck, though.  It screeched in pain as saw the rider on top get obliterated by an ogre cannon.  It looked at the cannon and shrieked for vengence.  The other ogre weapons were not so effective, though.  They had tried to fire, but had difficulty doing so.  The Thunder Tusk had not seen any blood yet, and the ogres riders, after having seen the fire bird fly past them, turned to face it.







The elves began to turn their misfortunes into successes, though.  Because both Phoenixes were able to charge the ogre cannons and scare them away from the the battle.  This brought them courage, because they also were able to get a skycutter behind Greasus with White Lions in front and Dragon Princes to the side.  This would be the end of the Overtyrant! 

In the Center of the battle, the Pheonix Guard continued to trudge toward the cannon wielding ogres.  And with a phoenix to assist, it looked as though the leadbelchers were doomed.  The archers and eagle did not have as much to hope for, though.  They had both tried to charge the Gnoblars, but the eagle was slain as was a goodly number of archers, and all they did was kill lowly goblins.  But the archers were resolved to stay and fight.  They had seen their brothers fight and would not retreat.  They held on to what can only be deemed as insane courage and continued to fight for control of the center!







Greasus, though in a bad position, was not out of options.  He ordered the Thunder Tusk to charge.  And to his delight, it caused the fire bird to flee away from the battle in a scared frenzy.  He held his position and hoped to find a way to stay safe and get better position. 

In the center, the last of the archers were cut down in battle by goblins and they turned to face the elves.  The leadbelchers fired one more desperate volley, nothing would make these elves flinch.  Even as they died, they made no sound.  Hot metal tore through them, and they made no sound.  The leadbelchers were unnerved but were still resolved to win.   

On the far side, the Maneaters began to make their way towards the center of the battle.

Captain Elliot looked from the heights of the keep.  He was filled with horror as he beheld the carnage in front of him.  He could not believe how good at killing both sides were.  But he hoped that the flank on the Overtyrant would end the battle.







The order was given to charge, but the White Lions were unable to make it as soon as their fellows.  The archers sprinted headlong into the wall and lept into the ranks of ogres.  The chariot behind flew into the flank of the formation.  The Dragon Princes were confused by various horns, though, and likewise failed to reach the combat.

In the center, the last of the archers abandoned the tower and ran to help the remaining elves.  The Phoenix Guard tore the Leadbelchers to bits.  A small bit of satisfaction filled them to have killed the brutes that had shot them on their march.  They turned to face the goblin horde and continued to march.

In a selfless attempt to help the archers.  One of the wizards created a cataclysmic explosion by forcing magic through his body.  He barely survived the incident and took two ogres in the attempt.  But the archers at the wall were slaughtered.  Without the help from the White Lions or Dragon Princes, it wasn't even a match.  There were killed to the last man in moments.  The chariot was also pulverized in moments, having done almost nothing to hurt the ogre formation.  The White Lions screamed in rage as they saw their brothers fall to the clubs and blades of ogres.







Now was the time!!!  Greasus knew that the moment had come.  He yelled the words that every ogre loves to hear.  Like the sound of an earthquake Greasus bellowed, "BULL CHARGE", and with that every warrior on both sides knew what was about to happen.  With dexterity never before matched by an ogre, Greasus lept from his gnoblar throne and ran towards the White Lions.  His unit was almost unable to keep up with his pace, such was the speed of the overtyrant.  As they charged, the Dragon Hide Banner began to give an other worldly glow as if to give its approval for what was about to come.  When they met the elvish ax-bearers, they had built up such momentum that it seemed as if the Mountains of Mourn themselves had hit the White Lions.  The carnage that ensued was horrifying as both sides began to tear each other apart.

In the center, the Gnoblars threw more garbage and laid more traps.  The Maneaters behind them began to run towards the archers in the open.  The scraplauncher turned to shoot, but to no avail, and the Thundertusk turned to prepare for a Phoenix battle.

In the midst of the carnage between the Ironguts and the White Lions, Greasus stood tall and yelled, "Who is the best?  I fight him!"  Cathul Anar withdrew his blade from the neck of an ogre, and looked at Greasus.  "I believe I am the man you seek, monster."  He pulled a potion from his belt and drank.  His body was filled with strength and rage as he did it.  He charged the overtyrant and began to swing madly but with inhuman precision.  Several hits were deflected, but three made their marks.  To his dismay though, Cathul Anar saw that a magical protection had deflected two of his blows.  Greasus, bleeding and angry from the stroke that did penetrate, roared and raised his club.  Cathul Anar tried to dodge but was struck twice.  The force of the blows destroyed his armor and, sadly, he was left a bloody clump at the feet of Greasus.  After seeing the victory of their lord, the rest of the ogres began to fight like the dragon whose hide they raised.  After the dust settled, not a single White Lion stood to wield an ax.  Greasus laughed and howled at the victory, but not for too long.  He turned his unit to face the knights that were coming his way.







The Dragon Princes knew that they would not be enough to kill Greasus and his unit, but they hoped that they would do enough to give the Phoenix Guard a chance.  They charged in, and after a very brief combat, they had all left the mortal realm. 

The Phoenix flew to engage the Thunder Tusk just as the Phoenix Guard charged the goblins.  It was surprising to Captain Elliot that the Gnoblars were able to kill so many of the Phoenix Guard, but Azure could only do so much.  The little goblins had thrown so many weapons and laid so many traps, that some were bound to kill.  But he didn't expect the outcome to be so devastating. 

Once in combat, the tides turned for the Phoenix Guard.  They tore through the ranks of Gnoblars, but it was not enough.  The goblins held and kept attacking.

The archers shot into the woods, trying to kill what they knew was coming at them, but it did not stop the maneaters.







The Thunder Tusk charged the Phoenix, but after all was said and done, it lost courage, and began to run, but because of its wounds it ran only a short distance and was overtaken by the bird.

Greasus killed the pesky exploding mage.

The Maneaters charged the Archers and promptly killed them.  But the Pheonix Guard, after taking even more losses, were finally able to break the goblins.  They persued but could not overtake them.  They looked around and saw that all of their brothers were dead and a large body of ogres was coming their way.  They had known long beforehand how this fight would end, and now they were living it.  Silent and steadfast, they marched forward.







The Phoenix Guard and the Frostheart charged into Greasus' horde, but it was not enough.  They were all killed in a few moments. 

Greasus smiled, he turned to the tower and looked Captain Elliot in the eye.

Captain Elliot stared back.  He ordered his men to prepare to defend the keep.  It wouldn't take long for the ogres to overrun the keep and kill them all, but he would make them earn every kill...






Results:  Ogre Kingdoms Victory




Ogres:  1963
High Elves:    0


Thanks for reading...  it probably took you a really long time.

Please comment below

Have a gnoblar for a fantastic story!

That is one scary looking ogre at the bottom!

Thanks.  My main worry is that it won't be easy to understand what is happening game-wise, not story-wise (that should be pretty easy to follow).  Could you tell pretty easily what was happening in gaming terms?

The first time I read it, I was captivated by your writing style! You really created a fantastic picture of how "might makes right" and what fear should really mean!

The pictures complimented the story very very well and gives the reader a very good idea what happened... HE annihilation!

Thanks once again for a fantastic read.

That was fantastic.  Thank you very much for the write up and it's good to see someone else playing with the Fat Man!

Hi there. A decent read and sounds like an enjoyable game. But I'm confused how the score could be:

Ogres:  1963
High Elves:    0

When his Phoenix ran down your Thundertusk and your Ironblasters fled the field?

Aside from the confusing scoring, the battle sounds fantastic! A very captivating style of story-telling made this an absolute pleasure to read!

JJ

About the scoring

Greasus - 565
SM - 385
BSB - 188
Firebelly - 170

~20 Gnoblars - 100
~5 Ironguts - 260

4 Maneaters - 270

Scraplauncher - 130

This was a rough point breakdown.  I can't remember what was the exact model count, but I remember that I totaled it up and it came to 1963.  You can see though, that most of the points were in Lords and Heroes.  I also subtacted partial points for wounds.

I hope that this helps.

About the scoring

Greasus - 565
SM - 385
BSB - 188
Firebelly - 170

~20 Gnoblars - 100
~5 Ironguts - 260

4 Maneaters - 270

Scraplauncher - 130

This was a rough point breakdown.  I can't remember what was the exact model count, but I remember that I totaled it up and it came to 1963.  You can see though, that most of the points were in Lords and Heroes.  I also subtacted partial points for wounds.

I hope that this helps.

Ah so it is simply a score of what you had left?

That makes more sense. I had expected it to be a VP count.

Wow, what a great and an equally good write up as well.  Thanks for putting the time into that.

A few observations.  The Thundertusk charging into the Flamespyre Phoenix, did he flee?  They both cause Terror so no tests would have been required.  If he fled then that’s not a clever move as if you killed him in combat there is a tiny chance of him being re-born in subsequent turns.

That report was worthy of a pet gnoblar, well done!

Very well written and engaging battle report. I especially like that fact that it was from a third party perspective of a human, definitely a concept you don't see that often at all...on any forum.

Job well done and enjoy your new pet gnoblar! 

-GL

Wow, what a great and an equally good write up as well.  Thanks for putting the time into that.

A few observations.  The Thundertusk charging into the Flamespyre Phoenix, did he flee?  They both cause Terror so no tests would have been required.  If he fled then that’s not a clever move as if you killed him in combat there is a tiny chance of him being re-born in subsequent turns.

That report was worthy of a pet gnoblar, well done!

I charged, won combat, and he fled.

Thanks again to everyone for reading and commenting.

Nice. 

Best battle report ive read on this forum yet. Inspiering and well written. Gj!

'Like the sound of an earthquake Greasus bellowed, "BULL CHARGE", and with that every warrior on both sides knew what was about to happen.'

Definitely my favorite part!! Wonderful story and great battle for the Ogres!!

Thanks for all the replies and support.  I'd like to get another good bat rep done, but my fantasy pool has diminished no just me...  I have been playing more 40k, but nobody there that has a fantasy army is willing to play it.  Anyway, that's off topic.  Thanks for reading, I hop to have more for you all.