High Elves in the Age of Magic Part V - Final Judgement

Some weeks ago, we continued our series of linked battles, as a High Elf expedition skirmished with a band of ghouls and other undead in a foggy uplands area using the SAGA - Age of Magic rules.

Setting Up The Battle

SAGA is a really impressive and fun game on so many levels. There is a random battle-generation system, along with themed terrain generation (representing the commanders' choice of battlefield). This can be done by rolling on a table in the Book of Battles, but another way is by drawing cards for different categories.

I think there are usually five categories of cards.

Confrontation At The Ancient Monument

Both sides raced to reach the Ancient Monument, each for their own purposes.

My opponent's ghoul band.

My High Elves (Citadel Miniatures)

The Ghoulish Leaders Scheme Up A Plan

The Ghoul Sorceror-Judge (my opponent's painted miniature).

The Ghoul King and his musician and standard bearer (hearthguard).

The Warbands Clash

The ghouls reached the monument first, with the Elves holding their line.

Judge Ghoul cursed the Elven archers, a spearman is withered, and a pair of horrifying ghoul-hounds race forwards to maul the Elves. On the other side: the Elven Lord and Reavers charge the Ogre Ghouls and a nearby group of smaller ones.

Combats on the Left Flank

A great deal of effort went into attacking this one unit of ghouls: volleys of arrows, magic, and an attack by the Elven lord. The Reavers moved up to shield their exhausted lord.

Combats on the Right Flank

More ghouls fall to Elven arrow and spear, but will it be enough?

A Surprise Attack

The Elves were hard-pressed, and not performing particularly well in combat against their enemy: they were killing ghouls, but it was taking an inordinate amount of effort, and their own casualties were mounting. The Elves were also losing the clash of magic: Judge Ghoul was clearly more careful or powerful than the Ghoul King's previous magic-user (who was destroyed by his own spell).

The Ghoul King had an idea too. Suddenly and unexpectedly, the ghoul-hounds changed focus and ran over to attack the weakened Elven centre, slaughtering the Elven Lord, tearing into a unit of archers, and then finally the fatigued Elven sorcerer.

The ghoul-hounds attack, while the last surviving ghoul of their right-flank group flees.

The terrifying attack.

The End

The High Elves were defeated, with heavy losses, including the loss of both their heroes. They had killed plenty of ghouls, including the ogre-ghouls. However, they notably failed to wipe out the units of ordinary ghouls, and seemingly could do nothing to stop the ghoul-hounds, which were terrifyingly quick, able to shed fatigue rapidly, and were used to maximal efficiency by my opponent. A good, fun game as always.