Halpi's Rift: Dominate

 The next battle in the Halpi's Rift campaign saw both armies take to the field in an attempt to access the portal to a new plane. We played out the Dominate scenario which is won by having the most Unit Strength within 12" of the table centre at the end of the game. For this scenario I added a portal (impassable terrain) to the centre of the table. The artefact's captured in the first scenario also gave the unit carrying them +1 Unit Strength in addition to their magical bonuses.

Lady Mhorgana's forces comprised of:

1 * Zombie Legion

1 * Revenant Inf Regiment

2 * Wraith Troop

1 * Soul Reaver Inf Regiment

1 * Zombie Troll Horde

1 * Revenant Cav Regiment

2 * Revenant Cav Troop

1 * Goreblight

2 * Revenant King

1 * Liche Queen

1 * Necromancer

14 Units - 21 Unit Strength

The Kingdoms of Men fielded:

1 * Pole-Arms Horde

1 * Foot Guard Regiment

1 * Bowmen Troop

3 * Knight Regiment

1 * Mounted Scout Regiment

2 * Mounted Scout Troop

2 * General on Winged Beast

2 * Wizard on Horse

1 * The Captain

14 Units - 23 Unit Strength

The KoM took the first turn and both sides moved forwards with the Men being more aggressive on the flanks and the Undead advancing further in the centre. The Men's shooting was entirely ineffective in the first turn with no casualties being caused whilst Lady Mhorgana (who comprises the only offensive ranged attacks for the Undead) managed a good roll with her Blizzard and took off a Mounted Scout Troop.

The Men had left their left flank without a source of inspiring so one decent nerve roll was enough to take off the Scouts. On their right flank both of the Generals pushed forwards and the Scout Regiment pushed through the woods they had deployed behind.

Turn 2 seems to have seen a change in camera brightness that I didn't spot and also KoM moved forwards again on their right flank and straightened up the line in the centre. The KoM firing was a little better this turn but not enough to trouble any of the Undead.

The Undead again pushed forwards in the centre and got into charge range on their right whilst staying out of charge range on their left by pulling back a little.

I seem to have missed taking photos for turns 3 & 4 but on the Undead right one Knight Regiment was forced into a charge against a Revenant Cav Troop and then taken off by the combined charge of the Zombie Trolls and Revenant Cav Regiment, the other Knight Regiment charged and took off a Wraith Troop which had managed to one shot a Mounted Scout Troop. This left the Knight behind a building with no clear path to the centre.

In the centre the Soul Reavers charged and took off the KoM Foot Guard Regiment and a chain surge saw the Zombie Legion crash into the Pole-Arms Horde and cause a few casualties. In response the Pole-Arms charged back and the Bowmen Troop charged into the Legion's flank. The Pole-Arms managed enough wounds to take the nerve test down to 11's but then the Bowmen managed an amazing 6 wounds (16 attacks hitting on 6's due to be hindered) taking it down to only 5's, which they managed to role. This meant the Pole-Arms Horde now had the regen armour and the elite giving sword artefacts.

On the Undead left they kept giving some ground whilst the KoM pushed around the wood with their cavalry  and down the table edge with the Generals on Winged Beast. 

During Turn 5 on the Undead right they moved the Troll Horde back towards the centre and it managed to be chain surged into the Pole-Arm Horde which had already been charged by the Soul Reavers.

The Revenant Cav Regiment also moved backwards to come within scoring range.

On the left the Wraith Troop was holding up the Mounted Scouts who they managed to route in melee that turn and the double charge by the Generals had taken out the other Revenant Cav Troop.

In the centre despite doing a total of 35 wounds the Pole-Arm Horde held firm when I rolled double 1's on the nerve test, this left them devastated but still on the field of battle.

The Goreblight and attendant Revenant King charged into the two Generals and managed to cause at least one wound each meaning they could not fly in turn 6.

In the final turn the Pole-Arm Horde failed to take off the Soul Reavers who in turn counter-charged and took them off. This left the Undead with a clear Unit Strength advantage and also in possession of all three artefacts for the next big battle.

I think one big issue for the KoM was the flanking forces never made it into the battle with around 800 points of troops on the flanks that never really saw combat it was easier for the Undead to concentrate in the centre and ensure a victory.

Next game in the campaign will see the forces on the Abyssal Plane attempting to capture a Chroneas.