Thursday, 26 December 2024

Ill Tides: Prize Salvage

Armada/ 250 points/ Prize Salvage/ Draw

Rich!  This is it.  To cut free from the unyielding patronage of that bully Ironjawz at last.  

The rumours must be true mused the Admiral as he squinted into the distance.  The mist hung like a veil across the dawn’s mournful face however from the east arthritic tentacles of light battled to pierce this seeming wall of grey….and momentarily the Admiral caught sight of a hulking great edifice upon the black water.  True it is - a fortune awaits those with courage enough to reach out and grab it.  The order went up…onwards to Wealth & Fortune!

Unbeknownst at this time to the greedy little Admiral The Dark Elves were making haste for the same prize, their rapacity knowing no limit.

Too late the shout was heard from the Angkor on his far right and the Katsuchan on the left, the Pirates had been sighted and were going to steal the Admiral’s prize - and his future - from right beneath his crooked beak.  An impressive flotilla on this occasion, after he had dispatched the last pathetic fleet sent against him.  It was clear the Twilight Kin fancied making themselves kings one and all.


As they closed the Admiral could see the Corsairs, their sails billowing furiously, thrusting for the prize, HIS prize he smarted.  From the east, arrayed against him were an Impaler, Butcher, Heart Seeker, Soulbane and way out on the western flank an Assassin.

He knew speed was key and here his Hell-Forged fleet were no match for the Elves but perhaps their swiftness could be used against them.  

The Assassin thundered into the dwarven line to disrupt and slow the fighting Infernox.  Then the Soulbane hulked her way past the treasure ship to block his Hellfane from boarding and claiming the loot.  To make the situation dire the Heartseeker pulled alongside the treasure ship on the far side, shielded from any dwarven attack and the Butcher secured herself to the treasure ship at its prow.  They swarmed like overbloated flies gorging on a dismembered Goredrake - vile scum the Admiral raged, but he knew he’d been beaten to it.



The Infernox and Assassin traded shots as they passed.  His own Hellfane manoeuvred perfectly to rake the

hubristic Soulbane and the plucky Decimator glided between Soulbane and Impaler pouring forth Dragon Fire

into both at hellish close quarters.  These concerted blows crippled both vessels, soon to be surrendered or

sunk - had the voracious Dark Elves overplayed their deformed claw hands?  The treasure however was safely

aboard their leviathan of the Butcher which had taken minor prow damage from the Hellfane.



To the east the minnow Katsuchan had been crippled by the Impaler who, the Admiral thought, too far away now

to impose herself.  The Katsuchan had done well!


The Infernox, Angkor and Decimator now sought to round the treasure hulk and annihilate the Heart Seeker

which had now disengaged, while the Hellfane grappled the Butcher to wrest the Admiral’s rightful treasure. 

This would be an epic contest, Leviathan against Behemoth, a titanic struggle the Old Gods would savour with

blood-lusting glee.



The Infernox did for the Heart Seeker although her mighty efforts saw her crippled in the process while Butcher

and Hellfane were locked in a pitiless contest which ended in exhausted triumph for the Hellfane, the Butcher

dispatched and the treasure aboard the Admiral’s ship.  Disaster though was to come as the toil taken on his ship

and crew was so immense the Might of the fleet was stricken and unable to move.  



The Impaler, clearly disconcerted by the systematic destruction of her kin, crashed into the surrendered Soulbane. 

Crippled she was stranded until the Decimator breathed deadly Dragon Fire to send her blazing to the ocean

depths.






The Admiral had one last chance to salvage the Prize.  The Decimator and Angkor were still relatively unharmed

and nearby.  Expert seamanship would enable the Hellfane to unload her precious treasure to her kin and

the Admiral’s plans realised.  Try as they might though the debris of broken ships and increasing swell of the

capricious mocking ocean meant the treasure was all but lost…….. 




Next time: KoW/1500 points/ Smoke & Mirrors






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