Empire vs. Vampire Counts 500 point Battle

Report submitted by devilfluff

Empire List:
Captain w/ full plate, shield and Sword of Might on a barded warhorse
20 Spearmen w/ full command
5 Handgunners
5 Handgunners
5 Knights w/ lance & shield
Mortar
Total 499pts.

Vampire Counts List:
Mannfred the Acolyte
20 Skeletons w/ full command
10 Ghouls w/ ghast
6 Dire Wolves

I got choice of sides, he got first move.

I chose the side w/ a 2 tiered corner hill on my left flank. There was a boulder field(difficult terrain) approx 24" from the hill, ranging from the left edge across to almost the center of the board. He had a 2 tiered hill on his left flank.

I placed the mortar on the top off the hill, and the gunners side by side on the lower tier. The spearmen were just in front of the hill, and the knights w/ my general made my right flank at just slightly past the center of the board.

He deployed his dire wolves in a 2 wide column on his far left flank between the hill & the board edge. He deployed the skeletons in approximately the center, the ghouls to the right, and between the two he placed Mannfred to force march his troops.

Vampire Counts - Turn 1

All advanced full speed. 8" march for ghouls & skeletons, 6" move between for Mannfred, and 9" move for the wolves. In his magic phase, he failed to cast Wind of Death, and I failed to dispel his invocation of Nehek. The spell added 4 units to his skeletons.

Empire - Turn 1

I moved the knights out toward my right flank to head off the wolves. I adjusted the spearmen slightly so they would be centered between the onrushing skeletons and ghouls. I declared my mortar shot against the skeletons, nailed my range guess, rolled the artillery dice... Hit!!! And... Misfire!!! NOOO!!!! Roll for misfire, the dice gods chuckled as I rolled a 1 and watched my Mortar go up in a puff of smoke. Ahhhh!!! The handgunners declared shots against the ghouls and sniped off 3.

Vampire Counts - Turn 2

Again- All ahead full. No charges, though. In his magic phase, he gets off Wind of Death, and causes a casualty in each of my gunner detachments. He places the 2 wound spirit host in front of my spearmen (approx 3" away).

Empire - Turn 2

Knights passed their fear test and charged the dire wolves. Handgunners pick of 1 more ghoul in the shooting phase. The knights cause 4 casualties and a destroy the remainder of the wolves through combat res wounds. They don't overrun, as it would have taken them further from the action and likely off the side of the board.

Vampire Counts - Turn 3

Spirit Host charges spearmen. The skeletons advance. The ghouls try to charge in, but are not quite in charge range.(he failed a roll off) His magic is ineffectual. The spirit host causes no wounds and is destroyed by static combat resolution wounds.

Empire - Turn 3

The spearmen pass their fear test and charge the skeletons. The knights turn 180 degrees, and wheel into position for a flank charge next turn. The gunners shot down 2 more ghouls. The skeletons win the combat by 1, but the spearmen pass their break test and hold.

Vampire Counts - Turn 4

The ghouls flank charge the spearmen, and Mannfred charges their front. Magic is again ineffectual. The combined ghouls, skeleton & vampire devastate the spearmen, winning combat by 14!!! The spearmen, despite being at half strength, are gripped by insane courage as they hold the line.

Empire Turn 4

The knights again pass their fear test and charge into the skeletons flank. During the combat, the spearmen wound Mannfred, inflict 1 wound to the skeletons & inflict 2 wounds to the ghouls. The knights inflict several wounds on the skeletons. The Vamps take down another 6 spearmen though. Combat resolution is a 1 pt Empire victory. 1 wound to each VC unit in the melee means Mannfred falls to the spears of the Empire!!

Turn 5 was just rolling mop up duty...