With the Foul Sea at Our Backs

Corinne the Young sniffed the stale, clammy humours of the Sea of Despair, that curled around her feet and those of her army, the 32nd Legion de Sang.  The sea at her back was the limit past which none of them could run.

Baking in the sun, foul cultists, inhuman knights and ravenous ogres hurled insults and curses at the massed men and horses... spitefully waiting to wear down the puny men beneath the burning rays.

Corinne wiped sweat from her sunburnt brow and braced herself against the Celestial Hurricanum.  She drew in the hot air of the plain and called out a blessing in the name of Sigmar.  Her men responded with a weary fatalistic cheer, tinged with hysteria but also something like relief.  This would be the decisive battle, at last.

The pistoliers darted forward, racing around the crown of the hill, with terrible Dragon Ogres stalking them on the flank.

"Knights of Reiksguard, manoeuvre!!" yelled Corinne.  "Seal the flank!"  Faithfully Calogero wheeled his unit and stared down the immense beasts.  Meanwhile Willie muttered angrily in the words of his Order, and a preserving magic enveloped the knights.

The Dragon Ogres, disconcerted that their meal has darted down the slope, find themselves receiving a mighty charge!  Meanwhile the pistoliers obliterate a unit of foul Chaos Hounds - and are themselves inexorably crushed by terrible Chaos Knights in reply!

With an earth-shattering roar, the Chaos army surges forward.  Corinne focuses the energies of the Hurricanum to spin and bewilder the centre unit of Dragon Ogres.  Winds of magic push back the enemy, for the moment; while gunpowder cracks and lead makes fun of armour and the air fills with acrid smoke.  An enemy sorceror is felled by the fanatical Witch Hunter's gun... the Hunter cackles inappropriately.

As the mighty Chaos Knights sweep down the line, threatening to roll the Legion up, Corinne shouts commands, encouragement, insults... anything to hold, hold, hold!  Captain Gailor and his shredded unit of Outriders mount a defense against the now reorientated Dragon Ogres - for just long enough!

The Knights pursue the broken Dragon Ogres on the flank through a wood and many noble sons perish to sticks and stones.  They blow down the hill on the Chaos side of the board to menace the Nurgle cultists from the rear - they can only delay the numerically superior foe...

Now the die is cast.  The massed units crash together like killing waves in a tempest.  The prayers of the battle priests cut through the cacophony, heartening the men to redouble their blows, shielding them from foul blades, horns and magicks...

On the left, the Chaos infantry breaks!  Corinne, stunned, quickly orders her troops forward to take precious ground!  The Chaos knights gallop to intercept the now moving Empire line.

One bloody combat to the outcome.  The enraged Chaos knight champion, his unit worn down, duels with Priest Blackwolf, who is undaunted with the fortifying energies of the Hurricanum!  Bitter blows traded, the knight finally falls to his holy hammer!

Sensing the end, Corinne drives herself furiously into the heart of the fighting, mustering what blows she can against the bulging beasts.  Her last wound is taken by a Dragon Ogre; and she closes her eyes with the horn of victory sounding in her ears, and thanks to Sigmar on her lips.

This may be my favourite game I have played with the Empire.  A solid victory for the Men, with a little cruelty by the dice gods on both sides.  My thanks to my gracious host and opponent Ric.  A most pretty game.  Thanks for reading!