The ancient parchment crackled as
rough Orcish hands rolled up the map and
returned it to its case. "Be careful Gulgrof!.
The chief will have our vitals if that map is
damaged," growled Bullbait, who was trying
vainly to pry one more gold tooth out of his
latest victim.
"Shut up you sons of Elven dogs! We're still deep in Law country and this don't look like no school picnic," growled the Captain.
The rest of the Orcs grinned with glee -not only had they captured the map Bradgliff Swordspawn, a Knight of Chaos, wanted, but they had also managed to totally wipe out the twenty soldiers of Law escorting the messenger. Their wolves were already enjoying the fresh meat for dinner. Now all they had to do was get back to Bradgliff with the map.
Spirits were high as the Orcs prepared to move out-Bradgliff was generous when pleased with a soldier's services. Generous with punishment too, when you failed, which made this success even sweeter. This map was a coup for Chaos if any of the places shown still existed. It was a map of 11safehouses" used in ancient times by the members of the Guild of the Seven Flames to hide themselves, their magic items, and their books. According to several old letters written by a Dark Elf wizard, one Dragonneth Aeliel, the map showed places used specifically by the wizard Olerion and several of his journeyman students. Dragonneth was one of those students, so Bradgliff felt the map should be most useful. Afterall, only packrats were worse than magic users when it came to hoarding things.
Meanwhile, life in the camps of Law bordered on total boredom. The fighting had come to a standstill, the forces of Chaos had been pretty badly broken up in this area and the Knights of Law were shut up in some peasant hut pouring over some musty old scrolls that some equally musty old archivist had unearthed. The troops waited, growing more restless-and careless-by the day. The old timers knew how to pass the time, but the new recruits just chafed at the bit. They wanted to fight. mostly they fought among themselves or got drunk.
It was worse for the sentries. They had to be quiet, hidden, and alone. Mostly they whittled or fell asleep. Fortunately for the Law camp, old One Ear, an over-aged Elven scout who didn't have enough sense to retire from the army, had not dozed off. He could smell Orcs coming a mile away, or so he said. He wasted no time, sounding the alarm when he spotted the shadows moving near the woods' edge.
"Ride for your life! and curse that overzealous sentry." The Orcish captain would have given his full year's pay to have One Ear in his claws right now. He wouldn't even leave any bones for the wolves to gnaw on. One Ear would have been most amused.
The Orcs had one chance-to reach the Standing Stones before the Law troops reached them. At least there they could defend themselves until help could be summoned. if only one of them could get out and reach their main camp.
Terrain Features:
Most of the ground is open, grassy plains. Near the center on each side of the table are heavy woods, usable by infantry or nonhuman cavalry but impassable by Human cavalry. There are two small hills and one larger elongated hill which is one elevation higher than the other two hills. The two most notable features are the small stone ruins and the Standing Stones. The stone ruins appear to have been a small chapel and roadhouse for travelers with a barn and stock pen as well. The Standing Stones date back beyond any history of Law or Chaos. They form a circle of 13 stones with smaller stones within the circle scattered about. The inner stones may have been seats or altars or just later additions with no purpose at all.
Troops and Entry Sequences:
Turn 1 -Entry Point 1: Wood Elves, 2
regiments (28 soldiers) Equipment: elf
bows, knives, no armor
Led by Zarva. Oaksfriend, these elves
are seasoned veterans. Zarva has seen battle
so often that he is actually enjoying the lull in
the fighting.
Turn 2-Entry Point 2 Wood Elves, 1
regiment (14 soldiers) Equipment: elf
bows, knives, no armor
These young elves are all new recruits
and haven't seen a battle. Their leader, Sir
Dagor Fandarel, is the second son of an Elven
knight and is out to prove he can do
something besides preside at holiday balls
and fetes. His zealousness often irritates his
men but the oldtimers see some promise in
him.
Turn 2-Entry Point 3 Wood Elf cavalry,
2 regiments (16 soldiers) Equipment: mail
armor, sword, and shield
Darian Elliriel recruited and leads these
men, most of them have good reason to want
to eliminate as many soldiers of Chaos as
possible-especially his sergeant, one Ear.
They are the only survivors from a small
Elven village that Chaos decided was "in its
way." Darian's men seldom check morale in
battle.
Turn 2-Entry Point 3 Human Men at
Arms, 2 regiments (40 soldiers) Equipment:
chain mail, sword, and shield
Angus the Bold is noted for two
things, his way with both men and blades.
Angus keeps his troops and his swords
honed to a fine edge, ready to fight. However,
Angus and his boys also enjoy a fine keg of
ale now and again. This latest action has kept
Angus and his boys out of the local taverns
far too long as far as Angus is concerned.
Turn 2-Entry Point 5 Human Infantry,
1 regiment (22 soldiers)
The men following Beltron Gorsk
often wish terrible fates on the old man but
the Knights of Law humor him and overlook
the multitude of complaints from his men as
much as possible. Beltron is a master
tactician. He is also a "by the book" nit-
picking, mean-tempered captain who is never
satisfied with anything.
Turn 4 -Entry Point 4 Orcish Infantry, 2
regiments (40 soldiers) Equipment: mixed
chain and/or leather and swords
Led by Oxnose Spinebender, these
orcs are well on their way to becoming one of
Bradgliff Swordspawn's front line regiments.
The ability of Oxnose to lead them in and out
of seemingly hopeless situations gives him
considerable status among members of his
tribe.
Orcish Wolf Riders, 2 regiments (20
soldiers) Equipment: leather armor, swords,
and short bows
Torgon Elvesbane won his captaincy
in a card game and Lady Luck seems to have
continued to follow him benevolently. His
men consider him their own personal good
luck charm.
Turn 6-Entry Point 4 Human Cavalry, 4
regiments (48 soldiers) Equipment: mail
armor, swords, and shields
Tandrak Fairhelm's troops are among
the best in the army, but the men have never
heard Tandrak utter a single command, nor
have they ever seen him without armor or
helm. Tandrak's orderly issues all commands
and no one ever questions them. If they ever
find out that Tandrak is actually Tandara and
the fiancee of Sir Linveer Von Searl all sorts
of problems could arise. Most surprised of
all would probably be Sir Linveer himself,
whose genteel fiancee is so sensitive that
even discussing a battle in her presence
makes her faint.
Turn 12-Entry Point 6 Knights of Law,
3 regiments (30 soldiers) Equipment: mail
armor, lance, and sword
Sir Linveer Von Searl leads these
Knights. His lands and castle are not far from
here. He was chosen by his fellow Knights to
lead this time because of his knowledge of the
surrounding area.
Special Notes:
The woods areas are impassable to Human cavalry.
Victory Conditions:
1) Chaos must leave the board at
entry point #1.
2) Law must destroy Chaos
completely.
Note: Law will have the advantage of position against the cavalry of Chaos, just as the English longbowmen had the advantage of position against the flower of French nobility at the battle of Agincourt.
Orders of Battle
| Fighting and Personal Characteristics | WOOD ELVES | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zarva Oaksfriend | Seasoned Veteran Regiments |
Dagor Fandarel | New Recruit Regiment | Darian Elliriel | Cavalry | |
| Movement Allowance | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 8 | 8 |
| Weapon Skill | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 4 |
| Bow Skill | 5 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 4 |
| Strength | 4 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 3 |
| Toughness | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| Wounds | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Initiative | 7 | 6 | 7 | 6 | 7 | 6 |
| Attacks | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Leadership | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 |
| Intelligence | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 |
| Cool | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 |
| Will Power | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 |
| Fighting and Personal Characteristics | HUMANS | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Angus The Bold | Men At Arms | Beltron Gorsk | Infantry | Tandralk Fairhelm | Cavalry | Sir Linveer Von Searl | Knights of Law | |
| Movement Allowance | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 |
| Weapon Skill | 5 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 6 | 6 |
| Bow Skill | 5 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 6 | 6 |
| Strength | 4 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 4 |
| Toughness | 4 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 4 |
| Wounds | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 3 |
| Initiative | 5 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 6 | 6 |
| Attacks | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 3 |
| Leadership | 8 | 7 | 8 | 7 | 8 | 7 | 9 | 9 |
| Intelligence | 8 | 7 | 8 | 7 | 8 | 7 | 9 | 9 |
| Cool | 8 | 7 | 8 | 7 | 8 | 7 | 9 | 9 |
| Will Power | 8 | 7 | 8 | 7 | 8 | 7 | 9 | 9 |
| Fighting and Personal Characteristics | ORCS | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oxnose Spinebender | Infantry | Torgon Elvesbane | Wolf Riders | Wolves | |
| Movement Allowance | 4 | 4 | 9 | 9 | 9 |
| Weapon Skill | 4 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 3 |
| Bow Skill | 4 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 0 |
| Strength | 4 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 2 |
| Toughness | 4 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 2 |
| Wounds | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| Initiative | 3 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 3 |
| Attacks | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| Leadership | 7 | 7 | 8 | 7 | 3 |
| Intelligence | 5 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 3 |
| Cool | 7 | 7 | 8 | 7 | 4 |
| Will Power | 7 | 7 | 8 | 7 | 4 |
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© Copyright 1986 by Dana Lombardy.
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