Delvos, TrentYou send off yet another man to get another Regiment of soldiers, but this time you also buy some Cannons.
Together with Trents 8 Regiments you two have 11 Regiments in all. Hopefully enough for the Infected Hordes. As you approach the Xeno Stronghold [6] you nnotice that they in fact somehow managed to burn a whole horde of them. So numbers are evened out. Sadly your former comrades seem to have been infected. At least they seem to be your former comrades, the virus has done things to them, which hurt the eye and stole all resemblance to a human being.
Halting on a nearby Knoll you emplace your artillery and let the Infantry form a Defensive Line.
Bloodbrothers,Trent's Army1 Regiment Bloodriders (Veterans,Ordinary,Muskets,Krieg-Pattern-Armour,Cavalry,Survivors,Bloodbrothers) +2 Strength, +2 Morale, +2 Tactics [6/6HP]
1 Regiment New Bloods (Militia(1b), Ordinary,Cannons,Leather Armour) -1 Strength, -3 Morale, -1 Tactics 1/1HP
1 Regiment New Bloods (Green,Ordinary,Cannons,Leather Armour) -2 Strength ,-4 Morale, -2 Tactics 1/1HP
7 Regiments Church Levies (Militia, Ordinary, Muskets, Leather Armour) -1 Strength, -3 Morale, -1 Tactics 1/1HP
1 Mirrodan Mercenaries (Bloodied, Desertborn,Imperial Weaponry, Flak Armour, Merc) +3 Strength, -2 Morale, +3 Tactics 1/1HP
Total: 0 TacticsXenos Infected8 Regiments Infected Xenos (Regular,Xeno,Claws and Teeth,Hide,F4H-Virus,Hivemind) 0 Strength, -2 Tactics 6/6HP
2 Regiments Monstrosities (Regular,Xeno,Mutated Bodies (Acidic Bile and Scythe-Arms),Hide,F4H-Virus,Mutation,Hivemind) +5 Strength, -2 Tactics 8/8HP
1 Regiment Monstrosities (Regular,Ordinary,Mutated Bodies (Acidic Bile and Scythe-Arms),Hide,F4H-Virus,Mutation,Hivemind) +3 Strength, 0 Tactics 6/6 HP
Total: -2 Tactics Round 1Bloodbrothers: Hold the Line!
Infected: BRAINZZZ
[1] The Moment you have taken positions on the Hill, the wind changes and your smell gets carried over to the Infected, which react lightning fast. The Next Moment a massive horde is charging at you.
(No Surprise Fire)[5 vs. 2-2] The Infected need 3 Turns to reach the Bloodbrothers. (6 turns of extra fire for the Cannons)The Artillery has meanwhile been loaded and now takes aim. "Targets, 12 O'Clock, 600 meters. FIRE!"
Artillery Fire: 5,6 = 2 Hits! 1 Regiment Infected Xenos 4/6HP Screeching sounds as the cannonballs fly through the air, followed by dull disgusting sounds of the balls rip through the Infected ranks to explode amidst them. Meanwhile the weather gets worse. It had been a grey day already but no the first drops of water begin to fall.
"Targets, 12 O'Clock, 500 meters. FIRE!"
Artillery Fire: 5,1= 1 Hit! 1 Regiment Infected Xenos 3/6HPdull explosions to the far left of the charging horde, more explosions amidst the advancing horde...sadly far too few.
"Enemy, 12 O'clock, 400 Meters. FIRE!"
Artillery Fire: 4,5= 2 Hits! 1 Regiment Infected Xenos 1/6HPHe entire frontline of the Advancing horde is almost ripped apart by impacting explosive shells. Otherworldly screeches from the beasts but still they advance.
"Infantry! MAKE READY! FIRE!"
Free Fire: 11 Rolls = 7Hits! 2 Regiments Infected Xenos Annihilated!The rain now begins to pour, mixing with the blackpowder smoke and the smell of ozone from the laser rifles. The Advancing Horde is hit by a wall of bullets,cannonballs and laser bolts and thousands of the beasts topple over hit dozens of times, thier comrades just trampling them underfoot in their unholy frenzy.
"AIM FOR THE EYES! READY, FIRE!"
Free Fire: 11 Rolls = 5 Hits! 1 Regiment Infected Xenos [1/6HP] 100 Meters and still the mad Horde advances, the Cavalry spurring into a frenzied Counter Charge...
Free Fire: 11 Rolls = 7 Hits! 2 Regiments Infected Xenos annihilated!As the Point-Blank Volley rips the first rows nearly apart, the Cavalry hits the Xenos in the flanks, as the rain turns the formerly hard-packed ground into a muddy slippery death-trap, as Delvos's Horse dies from a swing of the scythe-like arms of a Monstrosity and he himself jumps sword tip first onto the back of the beast, as Trent slowly leaves the Frontline claiming to have a look at the munition-cache, the last male rodaran eagle (a large reptiloid Aviator, only living on Nova Babaricum), Sole Male Member of his species surviving the Chemical and Biological Bombardement, gets hit by a lightning, sealing the fate of his species...a detail that goes unnoticed as the two Armies hit in a roaring Clash.
Melee: [4+2 vs. 1], [2-1 vs. 6], [1-1 vs. 5],[3-1 vs. 5],[2-1 vs. 2+5],[6-1 vs. 3+5],[1-1 vs. 2+3],[6-1 vs. 2],[4+3 vs. 2] 6 Hits! 6 Church Levies annihilated, 3 Hits! Xeno Infected Regiment [3/6HP] The Melee is brutal. The Miliatiamen are not trained for battles with painless,crazed berserkers and just get torn apart by the hundreds. While the Bloodriders and the Mirrodanians somehow manage to carefully avoid being slaughtered the table turns in a mere minute.
[?] The Next moment you hear loud roars as the Xenos Regulars charge the Infected (which are distracted and/or more interested in tasty humans), coming to your support.
Round 25 Regiments Xenos Infantry (Regular, Xenos, Medieval Weaponry,Leather Armour,Babarian) +1 Strength, -2 Morale, -4 Tactics [3/3HP] join the Bloodbrothers
Bloodbrothers: Artillery Canister Shots,Infantry Retreat on hill, Cavalry Mongolian Circle (if succeed Infantry and Artillery get 1 Free Fire Round)
Infected: BRAINS
Xenos: WAAAGH! (on succeed distracts the Infected)
[1+2 vs. 4-2] = Mongolian Circle Suceeds!
Infantry Free Fire: 2,5 = 1 Hit! Xenos Infected [2/6HP]
Artillery Canister Shot: [5-1 vs. 4-2],[3-2 vs. 1-2] 2 Canister Shots Succeed! 14 Rolls, 9Hits! =1 Xenos Infected Regiment annihilated, 1 Human Monstrosity Annihilated,1 Xenos Infected Regiment [5/6HP]Valiantly the Bloodriders manage to distract the Horde long enough for the Infantry to disengage and the Artillery to prepare Canister Shots. The sound as the cannonnade hits the Xenos is undescribable. The next Moment the Xenos Defenders engage the Horde.
[6-4 vs. 3-2] Distraction Maneuver Suceeds!
Melee: [4+1 vs. 3],[4+1 vs. 6],[6+1 vs.2],[4+1 vs. 2+5],[6+1 vs. 2+5] 3Hits! Xenos Infected [2/6HP], 1Hit! Xenos Infantry[2/3HP]
Free Fire Bloodbrothers!: [4,1,1,2,4] = 2 Hits! 1 Xenos Infected Annihilated!
The Horde now turns on them, having to take a heavy beating as the Xenos, who are seemingly better suited to fighting the Infected, use heavy Axes and Hammers, ripping into the Horde. Meanwhile Delvos men have regrouped and take potshots at the enemy taking down a significant Number of the Horde.
Round 3Delvos: Infantry: FIRE! Artillery: Canister Shot!
Xenos: Distract!
Zeds: BRAINS!
Distraction Maneuver: [3-4 vs. 6-2] Distraction Maneuver Fails!The Horde as if a command rushes through their heads, suddenly turns around as one...in jerking movements, apparently against their own will. And charge Delvos Army again!
Infantry Free Fire: 1,1 No hits
Artillery Canister Shot: [6-1 vs. 6-2],[2-2 vs. 6-2] 1 Canister Shot Succeeds! [5,4,3,2], 2Hits! = 1 Monstrosity [6/8HP]
Melee:Xenos,Dragor Normal Numerical Advantage: +2 Bonus [2+5 vs. 1+5],[4+4 vs. 6+5],[3+3 vs. 5+5],[5+3 vs. 1+5] 2Hits! 1 Monstrosity[4/8HP]; 2Hits! 1 Church Levy annihilated,1 Regiment New Bloods annihilated
Screeching they charge again for your lines, this time even reaching the Artillery. While the Mirrodanians in their cool professionality hold the line and prevent the Monstrosities from reaching 1 of the Artillery Emplacements, the other gets overrun by Infected as the Levies break, only to be ripped apart by the Other group fo Mutated Beasts.
Round 4Xenos: Distract!
Delvos:KILL!
Zombies: BRAINS!
[3-2 vs. 6-4, 2-2 vs. 4-4, 5-2 vs 2-4,4-2 vs 6-4] = 3 Infected Regiments Distracted
Melee:Xenos,Dragor Normal numeric Advantage: +2 [3+3 vs. 5+5],[2+3 vs. 1+5],[1+3 vs. 3],[2+5 vs. 5] 2 Hits! 1 Xenos Infantry annihilated!; 2 Hits! 1 Xenos Infected [4/6HP]In the ever closing circle around the Infected Horde, your troops slowly but surely whittle their numbers down. Although the Casualities are devastating, it seems like the Infected Resistance is slowly fading out.
Melee: Xenos,Dragor Normal numeric Advantage: +2 [1+5 vs. 3],[1+3 vs. 4+5],[2+3 vs. 1],[1+3 vs. 6+5] 2 Hits! 1 Xenos Infantry [1/3HP]; 2 Hits! 1 Xenos Infected [2/6HP] The melee degenerates into one big mosh pit as the two sides only push back and forth, no side seemingly winning. The Sky's weeping finally turned the mud so slick that every warrior is knee-deep in mud, impending the movement and making the fight all the more messier.
Round 5Delvos: Mirrodans and other troops disengage, Cannons use free firing line, Cavalry charge in afterwards.
Xenos: Mosh
Infected: Keep it nice and cozy
Mirrodans disengage: Opposed Tactics vs. Strength. [4+3 vs. 5] = Disengage Suceeds!At your orders the other Mercs quickly disengage opening a firing line for your remaining artillery.
Artillery Canister Shot: [6-1 vs. 1-2 vs. 5] Canister Shot Suceeds! [4,2,4,5] 4 Hits! 1 Xenos Infected Annihilated! 1 Monstrosity [4/8HP]Your New Bloods Prove to be Real Professionals at the Artillery and expertly guide the Canister Shot into the mass of seethign bodies without hitting too many of your own.
Then Delvos Cavalry charges in.
Breakthrough: 4+2 vs. 1+3 = Breakthrough Suceeds!Your men charge through the Opening and directly into the center of the Enemy Hulk, directly behind them the Mirrodanians.
Melee: Xenos,Dragor Normal numeric Advantage: +2 [5+3 vs. 6+5],[5+4 vs. 6+5],[3+5 vs. 2] 2 Hits! 1 Xenos Infantry annihilated, Bloodriders [5/6 HP]; 1 Hit! 1 Xenos Infected [5/6HP] The Charge is not as good as expected in fact it end with massive losses on your side. This time however something is different in a last mmobilization of Powers you and your Xeno Alies throw themselves at the Infected.
Melee: Xenos,Dragor Normal Numeric Advantage +2, Opposed Army Strengths: [5+3 vs. 1+3], [3+3 vs. 4+3], [5+3 vs. 2+3],[6+3 vs. 1+3] = 21 Hits! Infected Army annihilated, 3 Hits! 1 Xenos Infantry Annihilated. In a horrible massacre you manage to bring down the enemy, a massacre which will be known as the first major victory of your Mercenary Company. A fight so inhumane, so cruel in its execution that it shapes the Bloodbrothers forever. This Battle had seen no winner today, just survivors. Your men have bled...alot.
the Remaining Xenos are in no better shape, the two remaining Regiments face your few men warily. They seem not interested in a fight at the moment. [6] One approaches you, he is bleeding profusely from his chest were one of the Monstrosities scythe-like arms just pierced right through. Seems like the Xenos have redundant organs, because pink froth is erupting from it, but while he is certainly hunched over and looking not exactly good it doesn't seem to be lethal.
" You have fought valiantly man-thing.*wheeze* We appreciate that.*wheeze* If you promise our families freedom and safe homes,*wheeze* we will follow you.*wheeze*" His words are rattled through a high wheezing sound coming from his chest with every breath he takes.
Delvos,Trent,Xenos Costly Victory
8 Regiments Infected Xenos annihilated
2 Regiments Monstrosities annihilated
1 Regiment Human Monstrosities annihilated
7 Regiments Church Levies lost.
1 Regiment New Bloods Lost
3 Regiments Xenos Infantry Lost
Bloodbrothers Perk got a Bonus: Blood to lose (+1HP)
Bloodbrothers get 3 Renown
1 Regiment Bloodriders (Legendary,Ordinary,Muskets,Krieg-Pattern-Armour,Cavalry,Survivors,Be Quick or be Dead,Bloodbrothers) [6/7HP]
1 Regiment New Bloods (Bloodied, Ordinary,Cannons,Leather Armour)
1 Regiment Mirrodan Mercenaries (Bloodied(1b), Desertborn,Imperial Weaponry, Flak Armour, Merc)
6 Creds
3 Reknown(6 Regiments allowed,Recruits are of Green Experience)
Bloodbrothers(Blood to lose(+1HP))
1 Regiment Delvos's Bloodriders (Legendary,Ordinary,Muskets,Krieg-Pattern-Armour,Cavalry,Survivors,Be Quick or be Dead,Bloodbrothers) [6/7HP]
1 Regiment Sworn Brother Artillery (Bloodied, Ordinary,Cannons,Leather Armour,Bloodbrothers)