Fae Tautha vs Sparkerei
In this battle for Glory a 130 Point Sparkerei/Cleo army faces off against 160 Points
of Fae Tautha. Will the Aryidannan be able to hold off the powerful spirits?
The Fae Tautha Army
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Unit 1 |
1 x Naiad |
20 Points |
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Unit 2 |
1 x Swift Fae |
20 Points |
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Unit 3 |
1 x Swift Fae |
20 Points |
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Unit 4 |
3 x Manifest Fae |
45 Points |
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Unit 5 |
3 x Manifest Fae |
45 Points
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Special |
1 x Dryad |
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150 Points
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The Sparkerei / Cleo Army
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Unit 1 |
1 x Chariot |
20 Points |
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Unit 2 |
2 x Hoplite 1st Class |
30 Points |
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Unit 3 |
2 x Hoplite 1st Class |
30 Points |
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Unit 4 |
4 x Cleo Peltae |
40 Points |
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Unit 5 |
2 x Cleo Psiloi - sling |
10 Points
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130 Points
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The Meadow of Glamour
A large hill covered tree dominates the meadow. On either side is open ground except
for a small clump of rocks.
The Fae win the Set Up roll (6 to 1!) and choose the bottom edge near the rocks so
they can deny that small feature to the enemy. There is no weather (a roll of 3) so
the battle will be fought beneath clear skies. Both armies mark down where they
deply and this time the Fae loose the roll so the Sparkerei get to move first.
Turn 1
Seeing that both Maniest Fae Units are looking like heading for the hill, the Hoplites
and Psiloi move ahead to get to the high ground first. They don't move as fast as
the Fae but the hill is closer. The rest of the army moves forward cautiously in the
face of the fastest Fae spirits.
True to their nature, the Fae all advance as far forward as they can, seeing that
their enemies don't have any missiles. The Naiad can't see the Psiloi behind the trees
and so heads straight for the middle of the Sparkerei battle line in the open.
Turn 2
The Hoplites move up onto the hill and the Psiloi enter the trees, slowing them down.
The other Hoplites break away from the main line and head towards the hill. Seeing
the two Swift Fae Stands getting near the Chariot stays back - the young driver suddenly
afraid of the blood red spirits and their shrieking riders.
All the Manifest Fae continue up the hill while the Naiaid heads towards the Peltae.
The Swift Fae form into line and also angle on the Peltae ready for their charge.
Turn 3
The Hoplites on the hill move only a little forward. The path in the trees starts
to turn and they don't want to have their backs to the woods. The Psiloi continue
forward into the trees when the luring sight of a Dryad and her sweet calls beckon
the juvenile girls. But none are snared by the fair spirit (rolling a 2 and 4)
and it retreats back into its trees. The Peltae angle towards the Swift Fae and the
second Unit of Hoplite damsels move towards the Naiad.
Close enough that they become the monsters target and it charges into contact! In
fact fighting errupts all along the meadow as the Swift Fae surge forward screaming
and brandishing their shining blades. One Unit of Manifest Fae attack the Hoplites
on the hill while the other swerves around the trees to support the Naiaid but not
getting close enough to fight.
On the hill the first three Fae lack out at the Hoplites and score 3 hits (6,6,6,1,2,3)
but suffer 5 in return from the double ranked Hoplites (6,5,5,4,3,2). The Fae are
pushed back twice and the Hoplites manage to follow up once (3,4), causing 3 Hits
and kill one of the Stands. First blood to the Sparkerei!
The Naiad attacks and also hits 3 times, but takes 4. The Hoplites seeing a horde
of pale Fae rushing at them decide not to try and follow up.
Against the Peltae the first Swift Fae crashes to a halt despite having A8 to A6 (+2
for mounted moving more than 5" but less than 10"), both sides inflicting the same
number of hits on each other (5) and staying locked in contact, spears jabbing at
the spirit beasts and their golden-haired riders.
The other Swift Fae however blasts through the Peltae causing 6 hits and only taking
3 in return. It succeeds in following up all 3 hits (getting +2 on its roll because
of its Rush ability and mounted moving more than 5"). The Peltae suffer 6 hits then
and that kills one Stand. The supporting Stand falls back out of contact but with
the Fae still far too close for comfot.
The Psiloi sling their rocks through the foliage and manage to push some Fae back
once.
Turn 4
The frightened Peltae rush to join their friends leaving the victorious Swift Fae
to be charged in the flank by the Chariot - but the Chariot was too close and can't
build up enough speed to get any attack bonus. The Hoplites move into contact on the
hill and spread out against the bigger threat in the open. The Psiloi support both
Units of maidens.
Fae and the Naiad chrge the thin Hoplite line. The Swift Fae continue their battles
and on the hill even the Psiloi find themselves fighting for their lives instead of
slinging stones.
On the hill the Hoplites and Fae trade blows but neither side is pushed back. The
Psiloi flee the hill completely as the Fae proove too powerful for them, rather being
skittish than dead.
The other Hoplites are also stuck in combat against Fae and the Naiaid, neither side
budging from their position.
The Peltae loose by 2 but the Swift Fae only manage to follow up once and so
get to live another die.
In the last battle the Chariot and Fae hit each other once as well.
Turn 5
Most of the Sparkerei army remains where it is - locked in mortal combat. The Psiloi
move towards the heaviest fighting getting ready to act as supports rather than getting
directly involved themselves. Four brave Peltae move to help the Chariot and make
the Swift Fae fight on both sides. On the hill the Hoplites form a defensive line
to stop being flanked, but thinning out the line as a result.
The Fae simply move back into battle, not at all concerned.
The battle on the hill continues to be a struggle. The Fae are pushed back once on
both occaisions, the second into their own friends causing an extra hit but the Hoplites
fail to follow up - a mistake that cost them killing a Stand.
The Naiad is pushed back but has so many Hits that the Hoplites facing it have no
chance of killing it and remain where they are.
The Chariot is pressed back as the Swift Fae, despite being flanked, grinds its way
forward. Both sides are still locked in combat with neither side looking like it has
the advantage.
Turn 6
The Chariot hits the Fae in the flank again and the Psiloi move into support of some
Hoplites.
Again the Fae fight everywhere they can and some slip around the Hoplites flank through
the trees.
The Naiad reels back as spears and slings tear into its hide, sending it into a frenzy
but failing to kill it, causing 4 Hits and failing one of the follow up rolls to finish
the creature off.
The Sparkerei have worse things to worry about as their flanked Damsels are slaughtered
by the Fae dance of destruction (7 hits against 2). The Fae didn't even have to worry
about following up. But the remaining Hoplites are tough veterans and the loss of
their friends only increases their determiination to fight on and kill their foes.
Both the Petlae and the Swift Fae strike many hits on each other but the Peltae are
still forced back slowly under the weight of stomping hooves and slashing steel.
Turn 7
The weakened Hoplites fall back as far as they can and are immediately set upon by
the Fae and Naiad. The other Units for both sides stay locked together.
Slowing the Hoplites on the hill are pushed back, but those nex to it get their revenge
and cut down a Stand of Fae. The Psiloi flee in the face of more Fae, spliting the
Unit dangerously. Both Manifest Fae Units now only need to loose one more Stand and
they will Rout.
One of the Swift Fae is pushed back once.
Turn 8
The Hoplites see if they can kill the Naiad while the Psiloi try to reform and protect
the flank of the Peltae and in turn are charged.
The fury of the Fae prooves too much. One Stand of Hoplites on the hill is killed
and the other retreats down the path as a result. Again the Psiloi flee rather than
be impaled.
And more woe as the Peltae fall to the Swift Fae, losing a second Stand and so half
their strength. Dismayed and seeing terrifying spirits all around they break and flee
the battle. Now it looks like the Sparkerei are in deep trouble and unless they can
make a desperate fight back they will be defeated.
Turn 9
Both remaining Hoplite Stands are surrounded. The Chariot futily tries to ease the
pressure by charging the Swift Fae again. In battle all the Hoplites manage to stick
their ground, showing just how tough they are. The Psiloi however flee the battle
(forced off) meaning the next Sparkerei loss will bring defeat. But they managed to
survive this turn despite the situation looking hopeless.
Turn 10
Surrounded on all sides the last standing Sparkerei are cut down or captured by the
triumphant Fae. Its wheels broken and crew slain, the horses of the Chariot stand
idly and chew grass while the Fae collect trophies from the dead to take back to their
Groves, increasing its power.
The Result
The battle ended a clear Fae Tautha victory with four Sparkerei Units Routed and the
last Stand of Hoplites hopelessly outnumbered (an extra 20 points helped). But the
tide didn't turn until the eight turn (out of ten) which shows that the battle accurately
reflected typical battles of ancient kind: both sides struggle and loose few casualties
until one side manages to get an upper hand. In this case flank attacks that thined
out the Sparkerei line so they couldn't get supports and the additional attacks to
cause hits on the lighter armoured Fae. Once this happens the other side will quickly
suffer losses unless really lucky. In real battles most casualties occured from the
rout.
The Swift Fae didn't do as much initial damage as would be expected from mounted troops
charging with bonus. When stuck with the Peltae it was their higher D rating that
stopped them from being destroyed. The Chariot also had the same problem, by not moving
far or at all it only had A3 and so only added an extra hit or two, not enough to
cause a kill when combats were usually even of with one side victorious by only one
hit.
The Hoplites 1st Class proved that they were tough and well worth the 15 points. Being
Elite lets them fight in only Units of two Stands (both have to be killed for the
Unit to Rout).
The Naiad did nothing spectacular, and almost died once. Its real use is its Ambush
ability in water (Heroine Rules). There was no water on this Meadow...
While the end result was one sided, it was the Fae who suffered the first losses and
both their Manifest Fae Units only needed to loose another and they would have Routed.
And as they took casualties earlier there was a good chance of that happening but
the Sparkerei couldn't get any combat advantages as the Fae spread them out.
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