Armada/Icy Waters/ 250 points/ Abyssal Dwarf win
The Dwarves were jubilant. The Elves were reeling with a bloody nose from Sycorax’s punch and now they had the chance to place their iron heeled boots squarely on the neck of the craven pirates.
The mean hovels of the port were visible to the anonymous admiral, such a place was of little value even to those wretched scum whose livelihood depended on the water lapping at the shores. Until now. With the Elves seemingly in disarray the Squat Menace could compound their misery by slowly throttling them from the sea too…..The Twilight Kin - no fools - were only too aware of the danger and would look to thwart Sycorax’s strategem and damn the hubristic Ironcaster once and for all. He was getting too big for his ridiculously heeled ‘clogs’ - if that were even possible for one so improbably short!
They were far north and the icy wind stabbed the lungs with every arrested intake of short breath, as if a Snow-Troll were ramming a nailed club down the throat…..This would be far from literal Plain Sailing the admiral smiled to himself, quite proud of his little quip. These waters appeared relatively still with little swell but were dogged by icebergs which seemingly materialised out of nowhere to rip open the hull of any unsuspecting vessel and doom its crew to frigid oblivion.
The dwarven fleet approached from the south-east - the tried and tested Decimator, Angkor, Arbiter of Pain, Infernox and Katuschan. The Elves were on an axis West-North-West, a Butcher, Soulbane, Butcher, Impaler and a Goredrake to buzz the Dwarven ships from the metallic-blue skies.
As is often the way of things the Decimator led the Dwarven line heading for the Butcher at the North-West end of the Elven line despite the Soulbane bearing down on her. The Dragon-Fire crew clearly fancied their chances against the vaunted ships of the elven fleet. This foolhardy zeal was bordering on recklessness……However Ariagful’s liquid fire shot forth from the Dragon’s mouth and the Butcher was aflame! The Decimator had scored a substantial hit as the Butcher was manoeuvring to try and ensnare the plucky Dwarf vessel.
This would be her last and only action as the Butcher grappled her, a cruel punishment would be meted out for this insolence. To make certain that Ariagful’s fire would be extinguished for good the Soulbane grappled the hapless Decimator on her port side - they would crush this upstart into matchsticks. The Decimator’s crew fought valiantly but were overwhelmed by the sheer numbers brought to bear by the behemoths of the Elven fleet. The Decimator was to have the final laugh, albeit from beyond the Watery Grave. Having despatched the crew of the floating dwarven flame thrower the Butcher was casting about for her next victim however her crew expended so much effort putting the dwarves to the cutlass they had not seen the fire creeping towards the main magazine before it was too late and the illustrious Butcher was rent asunder as if Halpi’s Rift itself had opened beneath her, The Soulbane,still grappled to the vanquished Decimator, was blasted with debris and deadly detritus and while it was severely battered it was not destroyed and continued to pose a lethal threat to the dwarven line.
Meanwhile the Infernox and Arbiter of Pain bore down on the second Butcher. As she closed the Arbiter of Pain let loose a volley from her prow guns and though damage was not serious the Butcher too found herself ablaze. This did not deter the Raptor-like vessel harnessing herself to the doughty yet less robust Infernox and an epic struggle ensued. The strength of the Butcher overcame the crew of the Infernox but not before much slaughter and damage was meted out to both sides. The Arbiter of Pain sought to skewer the victorious Butcher with ram to her port side which though hit home she was unable to follow up and grapple the fired hulk and found herself passing by the stern of the vessel. She too used her port side arsenal to good effect combining with the Angkor to whittle away at the Soulbane who was now left alone having witnessed the destruction of the Butcher and Decimator.
The dark pirates were having greater success out to the West. The Goredrake, with complete control of the skies, swooped and dived first against the Katuschan and combing expertly with the Impaler soon made short work of the irritating flee of a ship at the end of the dwarven line. He then turned his attention to the Infernox and gave much needed support to the Butcher to see off a more sturdy challenger. The skies were indubitably under the control of the elves; the seas…..well less so.
The Butcher was not to remain victorious for long and the Arbiter of Pain put her out of her lingering agony as she and the Angkor expertly navigated the by now numerous icebergs which were seemingly multiplying on the approaches to the harbour. The dwarves were able to make for the harbour and secure the all important port while the remainder of the elvish fleet was rueing grievous misfortune and seeking a sheltered cove to regroup & repair.
Next time : KoW/1500 points/ Push
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