Warmaster Revolution Empire v Dark Elves

I bullied persuaded Martin in to giving me a game of Warmaster - I'm going to a WM Event in Worcester on Saturday so need a bit of practice.

I'm taking Empire (back in ye olden days I mostly played Chaos) which is not the easisets army to use. Martin has bought some Dark Elf miniatures of his own, but as they're WiP he used my collection. I can only stretch to 1800 points of them so that's what we played (though I'll be using 2K at the event).

We played a straight stand up fight to the break point.

I had a brigade ready to occupy the woods.

Anther brigade and the knights to my right.

Led by a hero on a Griffon and some crossbows aiming to occupy the ruins (or die trying).

Artillery and more missile troops anchored my left flank

With pistoliers tasked with being annoying on the far left.

The Dark Elf forces deployed in a more compact fashion toward my right.

Bolt throwers and infantry on their right. With a hydra and some more infantry. And their Cold One strike force over on the left.

An advance began - though the DE were somewhat stymied by command rolls (and only having a sorceress near their Cold Ones)

The harpies in particular proved reluctant to get flapping.

But the centre pushed up cautiously.

The Empire Wizard ended up out front, exhorting his fellows on. 

But most of the state troops hugged the treeline (wisely)

Hapmered by some Empire magic the Dark riders too struggled to get going.

While the Empire shook themselves out into a gunline.

 

The Empire right pushed on - the infantry claimed the ruins whilst the cavalry faced down the Cold Ones.

Slowly the Dark Elf infantry crept on.

The lines were closing.

Flagellants shielded the Empire infantry from the worst of the missile fire.

Finally Empire Knights crashed home. They almost misjudged this - fighting crossbowmen uphill proved a bit harder than expected.

The other knights caught the harpies who continued to flap about uselessly.

White Wolves in full effect!

Some of the Empire knights got mauled by the Cold Ones and a face off developed.

The Knights of Sigmar's Blood meanwhile prepared to take on more spearmen.

Still the centres held off.

The Cold Ones finally rampaged into the White Wolves

As the Manticore hero led the Witch Elves home.

Empire artillery and missile troops continued to hold off the Dark Elf centre (helped by some poor Elf Command (the general was down to Ld 7 by this point)

It went about as well as expected for the White Wolves on the right (and their hero)

But the other cavalry were fairing better.

The Witch Elves massacred the crossbows, but took heavy casualties in return.

Finally battle was joined in the centre.

And the Knights of Sigmar's Blood faced the Cold Ones.

The death of more Dark Elf infantry saw break point reached .

And the raiders turned back to their ships leaving the Empire free of their taint.

A good fun game. Martin had some struggles with command, but my experience with the game also gave me a big advantage. I was again reminded of some of the "gamier" elements of Warmaster but it all looks so splendid and played in the right spirit with the right folks it's a great game.