Dwarfs vs Skaven 750 pts

Warhammer Fantasy Battle Report summary:-

a small battle, focusing mainly on the Dwarf forces.
(nice narrative intro and good overview plans)

source :stumpyheaven.blogspot

credit : john

26-Oct-2008

Border Skirimish 750 pts - Dwarves (Angrim Gadrinsson) vs. Skaven

With the death of Lord Kurgin Hadrinsson and so many of his Thanes at Ambush at the Brettonian Crossroads the Runesmiths of Karak Thorinkin were becoming ever more responsible for leading patrols along the holds borders. Word of Kurgin's defeat at the hands of Archeon had spread quickly, as had news of Archeon's deadly march through the Southern Empire and into Eastern Bretonnia. Severely weakened the hold was under increasing threat from the less favoured races - Ogres, Lizardmen and Orcs. Now Northern outposts were reporting Skaven incursions, small raiding parties of the vermin pillaging weakly defended settlements on the border with the Empire. The raids were usually quick, the beasts appearing rapidly from underground, burning and killing before disappearing before a border patrol could arrive... but not always...

"The farmers have been moved to safety my Lord, and our forces have been deployed as you ordered we should give the vermin a nasty surprise."

"By Grimnir you are right Ulfar and the surprise will be sprung soon look the vermin approach."

Following Lord Angrim Gadrinsson's outstreched arm Ulfar scanned the horizon seeking a sign of the approaching Skaven patrol. Angrim had led their small force out from Karak Thorinkin some 6 days prior trying to draw out the Skaven raiding parties that were attacking the Hold's outlying settlements. Now a stroke of luck had enabled them to place themselves directly in the path of one such raiding party spoiling its attack on the village Ulfar and his Dwarves had just evactuated.

"I see them my Lord, although their smell does precede their bodies by some distance. As we expected their gun line is being deployed in the centre, but I see no sign of the tunnelling units we heard reports of."

"They will be there Ulfar or at least somewhere underneath us - return to your Dwarves I will join the leading Quarrellers. It is time to return these vermin to the ground permanently."

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The Battlefield

Played on a 1/2 sized table 2" x 4" with minimal terrain including a large wood in the Skaven deployment zone at the top of the board (top of picture as well), a small hill in the bottom corner perfect for Dwarven artillery and a single house representing the village on the right.



The names of the Skaven units escape me, but after watching them play against Chaos and Ogres I knew their shooting could be reasonably effective. Initial deployment followed the basic refused flank set up - Warriors on one side and missle units in the centre. Only minor change was stationing of Slayers to the rear to counter any tunnelling units.



Deployment & Turn 1

Dwarves deployed first and with more units finished last as well giving the Skaven +1 on the first turn dice roll. After 2 drawn rolls, Angrim Gadrinsson achieved the initiative and was able to order his missle units to open fire on the Skaven artillery to his front.



While one Quarreller unit proved to be slightly out of range the other unit and the Bolt Throwers took a deadly toll on the Skaven artillery. The single model with the flame or acid gun in the Skaven centre was killed before it had a turn to fire, and a single bolt went through 4 ranks of Skaven infantry on the right. Skaven return fire managed to kill 2 or 3 of the forward unit of Quarrellers.

Turn 2

The tunnellers were beginning to worry me here as the chosen emerging point was right in front of my left flank. So the Quarrellers there moved forward to allow the Slayers to come up behind them and charge anything that emerged. Meanwhile the remaining missle units continued to poor fire into the Skaven artillery scoring more hits.



Skaven infantry now advanced through the village, and the first waves of magic crackled over the battlefield - however the Skaven wizards had not forseen the presence of a Runesmith and each spell failed.

Turns 3 - 4

More missle fire and magic this round, and the damn tunnellers emerged but to the right of where they were expected, charging into the central unit of Quarrellers. Tragically for the Slayers they now came under a magical attack which was not dispelled and lost 6 of their number to Warp Lightning. On the right the Skaven infantry charged the Warriors on the right flank, while the accompanying Skaven wizard left them to better aim his spells at the non-engaged Dwarven units.



More Skaven magic destroyed the Bolt Thrower on the Dwarven left, but not before it managed to decimate the ranks of the mages unit killing 2/3 models in the unit. Disaster in the centre though as the Quarrellers and Lord Angrim were broken and forced to flee from the howling vermin horde that suddenly emerged from under their feet. Cut down as he tried to rally his Dwarves Angrim could only watch as the Skaven charged forward over their corpses. The Quarrellers on the left put up a stronger fight though, down to 30% of their original strength they stubbornly refused to budge.

Turn 5

Dwarven success this turn as the Skaven infantry is scattered and destroyed and their leading mage is killed after failing to cast yet another round of Warp Lightning. However, behind Ulfar and his victorious warriors the battlefield was fast becoming a Dwarven graveyard. The Skaven tunnellers returning to overrun the last remaining Bolt Thrower before turning to meet the charge of the advancing Slayers.



Turns 5 - 6

Curses the Slayers charge is a catastrophic failure as the 8 dice come up with five 1's and two 3's, no faced with whirling Skaven death the Slayers are cut down where they stand as is the sole remaining Quarreller, leaving only Ulfar and his Warriors alive and safe in the village.



Final Result

The really really horrible dice rolls with the Slayers were costly, as was their failure to dispel the Skaven Warp Lightning attack that killed 6 of their number in Turn 4/5. Yet the battle was quite close with the final points tally coming to 650 v. 500 in the Skaven's favour giving them a solid, but close, victory. Mind you having their mage blow himself up did help a great deal.