This was a battle between Ogres and Empire. Great story depicting the battle as Shawn wrote so here goes.
Johann's Lament
General Johann Swartz, swore under his breath as he neared his destination. For 3 weeks he and his small combined army of Averland State Troops, Nuln handgunners, and Osterland Mercenaries struggled to reach the Wizard's Tower near the World's Edge Mountians. So how, some way a Army of Orges had crossed over the mountains of Mourn, over the Howling Waste, and through the World Edge Mountains. To make matter worse, they were occupying the Tower and were read for battle.
Swartz swore another profane oath as he could see what was arrange before him. From left to right arranged before him were a group of Orges using cannon like they were handguns, a huge manmoth looking creature with rider, a body of warriors led by some kind of user of Magic, another mob of warriors with clearly another magic user how seemed exhale fire as he breathed. On a hill to the right were another band of orges with what only could be some kind of Champion armed and equiped much better than the warband he was with. On the right flank were three strange but deadly looking creatures ridden by Ogres. And then there was the tower. Heavy armored warriors, with a brute of a fellow alternating between laughing at Swartz's plight and shouting orders at the Ogre Army. Clearly he must be this rabbles General!
The good new was the ground before him. While the Ogres may have beat him to the tower (and apparently ate the wizard and it's defenders), fields before him held a long ridge, with woods to both flanks. Seeijng a opportunity. Johann set up his army accordingly. To the right he order his only Knights, The BlackFire Templars. They were the best of thier order, being members of the inner circle, thier leader the unit preceptor. To support them and hopefully to either flank or draw away the enemy to thier front, was a jaunty bunch of Cavaliers, armed with pistol, and led by a outrider named Von Hilgard. Satisfied with thier position, he then placed his Volley Gun near the Tower, if any Ogres got around his Cavalry, it would be up to the men arming Bertha to stop them dead in thier tracks. The bulk of his Army were would place to the left of the Tower. Below the ridge on the extreme left would be the 2nd Regiment of Averland, Dieter's Demons. They were some of best swordsmen in Averland and to make sure they would do some damage, they had both a detachment of swordsmen, along with the Warrior Priest of Sigmar, Father Larrs. On thier right Johann placed the mercenary spearmen from Osterland, it was a surly bunch who brought with them 2 detachments, one of swordsmen, and the other of handgunners. Behind this force from left to right on the ridge were the Great Cannons of Averland, Hilde, and Greta. Directing thier placement was Claus Jaeger prancing back and forth on his warhorse. To thier right, a unit of crack shot hangunners from Nuln. Finally near the Tower supported by the Volley Gun, Johan dismounted and along with the Winter warrior Mann, a priest of Ulric, and his friend and Army standard bearer Captain, Felix Beckleburg, walk among the members of the 5th Regiment of Averland, Rippener's Killers. When the moment was right, it would be up to them to storm the Tower. Satisifed with thier placement General Swartz order his men forward.
With the sun already past midday, Swartz knew his only chance was to take the battle to the Ogres, either cripply or destroy the main force, then storm the Tower. His Pistoliers quickly moved to pinn the Ogre Cavalry on the right into place whle the knights moved forward positioning themselves for any opportunity the presented itself. The 2nd Regiment, along with the Mercenaries all marched forward, with the cannoneer check thier ranges. The woods on the left were masking the Orges there so they decided to fire upon the Tower. Both missed thier attended targets, and even with the Engineer swearing the air blue, they failed. The Hellblater also was non-effective. However, the Pistolers unloaded on the Ogres and wounded some of them. While no Orges died, it did enrage them, and they lumbered after the horsemen only to see the Cavaliers ride away and reform. Seeing the Knights, they tried charge them, but failed. This led to a opportunity the Templars were waiting for. CHARGE!!!! With lances lowered and spurs to flanks, they struck the Ogre mounted in the flank breaking them in combat with the loss of one Knight and riding them down. With perfect training the then wheeled in place and were beyond the Ogre Unit that had the Champion in it. All the Ogres could do was reface itself and prepare to be attacked.
Meanwhile the Unit of Ogres near the tower, advanced on the hellblaster and Rippener's Killers with Johan and his heroes in it. The Hellblast was still ineffective, and the Fire Breather grunted some kind of spell and let loose walls of flame. 5 men were overcome as fire licked around the unit. Even the prayers of the Winter Warrior was not enought to cool the heat of this magical attack. Seeing that standing by would only mean more loss of life Felix lifted high the Army Standard and the Regiment and General Swartz prepared to charge.
The Ogres on the left were still advancing and spattering fire from the Empire line did little to stop them. The Demons on the left attempted a charge but failed against the Leadbelchers. The Ogres had gotten the range and let loose with thier guns. Showers of grapeshot passed through the ranks of Dieter's Demons. Seven of their number died and it would have been worse if not for Father Larrs's hymn of the Shield of Faith.
The Ogres with the guns, had entered the mysterious forest, finding it filled with magical mushrooms. Thier leader however kept them in line and they were not effected. After the punishment the 2nd took, Deiter along with Father Larrs raised thier weapons and the Demons Charged. This time spurred on by Father Larrs and the shame of failing thier 1st charge, the Demon's pressed home, while thier detachment flanked the Ogres. After a hard fight that left a few more of the 2nd dead, the Ogres broke and were slaughtered. The Ogre magic user along with the mob he was with thundered into the Mercenary Spears, who's handgunner detachment stood and fired, while thier sword detachment countercharged. The impact of the Ogres were a terrible thing to behold, and 15 spearmen were either tramped or hacked to death. In return the Spearmen wound one Orge and killed another. It was too much for the Spearmen. Breaking they outran thier enemies and stopped at the bottom of the Ridge. Things looked grim in the center of the Empires embattled line.
On the Right General Johann and the 5th Regiment Charged fighting a huge melee with the Ogre firebreather and his warband. Seeking out the giant, Johanns called out a challenge. The Wizard knew his days would end if he fought the human leader, so withdrew behind his brutes. The 5th made short work of the Ogres, losing only one man, while dealing death to the mob. The Ogres broke, and the Empires finest slaughter them including the wizard. One the Right the Preceptor raised himself in the saddle and called a Charge. The Pistoliers decided to not let him have all the glory and also charge into the fray. The Ogre Hero bellowed out a Challenge, knowing his time was at a end, thinking only of his men, Alexander Von Hildgard of the Black Fire Templars gave his enemy a salute and prepared for his death. The combat was short. Alexander stabbed deep wounding the monster, but both horse and rider were cleaved in twain. Von Hildgard gambit payed off, his men seeing his death shouted vengeance! Again spurs to flanks they ran down the Ogres and with the light horse finishing them off. Thier champions death was not in vain.
Back at the centre a miracle took place. Clearly the intervention of Sigmar was at hand. The retreating spearmen rallied. The handgunners combined with the Cannons opened up a deadly fire of ball and shot. The Engineer made sure of it, watching closely the gunners fire, and making a correction when it was needed most. When it was all over the brutes were slain and thier magic user was in retreat. The Gunner's later fired again and killed the Wizard adding injury to insult.
The sun was setting low, and time was running out. Johann knew he had made a few mistakes. One was not pounding the Tower occupants more with his cannons. The really only got one good round into the ogres wounding one and killing another. The other was forgetting to use the prayers of the Warrior Priest to his advantage. It would be up to Johann and the 5th to finish this once and for all and time was against them. Twice the General along with the Winter Warrior, the Hero Beckleburg, and the men of the 5th attacked the tower, each time felling Ogres but loosing men in return and being pushed out. The third time would be the final, the sky was red as the sun began to set over the World Edge Mountains. Into the Breach with the brave men of the Empire. When it was over, the Ogre Warlord, still held the tower, wounded all over by multiple injuries that would have killed a man, the beast heaved and spit blood as he laughed deeply. The tower was his, his wounds would heal, and once he explored all the tower had to offer, he would go back home, and gather a new army.. next time he would eat that human with the big feathered hat......
Summary. This was a very close game. It came down to the final turn, but the Empire could not get that Ogre out of the tower. That said, if I could have fired those cannons more often at the tower, and remember the rerolls using the prayer Hammer of Sigmar, I would have cleaned out that tower. As it was I gained a moral victory at least. The Ogres were no threat to my province being entirely destroyed with only thier Dag gone warlord left in that tower. I lost a couple hundred plus in state troops along with 3 knights, but all my units remained on the table in good order. I call that a good day.
Johann, looked to his army. Even though the tower was not taken, he was proud of his men. They had met and defeated the Ogre forces and kept his entire army intact, but bloodied. Let the twrice damned abomination have the tower. It was of no use now. Tomorrow he would raze the place to the ground, since the wizard that kept it was long dead, and the place was too defiled to be of any use to him. Better to build a new tower at a better site that is easier to reach instead of out in this Sigmar forsaken lands......
