(TFT) The Lost Orb - The Battle!

[Sgt Hulka <hulkasgt@yahoo.com>]

Seeing that the skeletal gaurdians of the orb would not move from their place, and that they were immune to the archers' arrows, Aetius ordered his troops to advance, which they did with admirable discipline.

The Danish pagans, on the other hand, let out a great roar before charging forward.

The pagans charge could not match the speed of Arthur's greatest knights. Percival and Bors charged in formation straight up the hill, while Galahad pealed off to destroy a skeleton on his flank. The Knights gave far worse than they gave despite the set spears and high ground of their enemies. Only Bors' horse took damage -- a deep wound on its flank (5 points damage).

End of Turn 1:
http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/ff112/hulkasgt/The%20Lost%20Orb/LostOrb015.jpg?t=1222105157
(I was using the orc as a skeleton with two-handed spear. The knocked-over skeletons are dead -- I don't have enough dead-body counters so I didn't want to waste them on skeletons. Note that all the horses have moved theri maximum 14 hexes and so at the end of this turn are unengaged)

After visiting such devestation in their first charge, the Knights seized the initiative and wheeled their horses away, preparing for another course. By now both the Romans and the Danes arrived, and the Danes found themselves the worse for it. Not only did their champion Beowulf find himself gutted by a skeleton's spear (x3 crit damage on set polearm -- ouch!), the Pagans found themselves fighting on two fronts as a Legionary charged Tharn Helmsunder from the flank. Thor summoned a thundercloud and road it into the sky.

End of Turn 2:
http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/ff112/hulkasgt/The%20Lost%20Orb/LostOrb016.jpg?t=1222105209
(Beowulf is knocked down to the right, but Sigurd the Saxon subsequently killed the skeleton that caused the critical hit. Tharn killed the skeleton he charged with his Viking halberd, and was missed badly by the charging roman in the upper part of the picture. But the Roman archers started to fill Tharn's chest with arrows...even with his leather armor those four shots/turn arrows were starting to take a toll. You can also see the 5 damage marker on Flavius Aetius, who spent the turn arming himself with a fencing sword.)

The Knights charge forward for a second course! Galahad and Bors knock Sigurd the Saxon off his feet while Percival tries to trample John Longshanks, but the spearman dances out of his horse's way. Beowulf climbs to his feet and raises his huge sword threateningly toward Percival's warhorse. Thor strikes Bors' warhorse with lightning, knocking it to the ground and Bors from the saddle. Meanwhile, Tharn Helmsunder cracks his Roman opponent in the ribs with a mighty blow from his viking halberd.

End of Turn 3:
http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/ff112/hulkasgt/The%20Lost%20Orb/LostOrb017.jpg?t=1222105260
(Although all three knights have charged at high velocity, only Galahad is currently unengaged, since Bors was knocked down and Percival is adjacent to both John Longshanks and Beowulf)

Aetius and his bodyguard rush forward to surround Tharn Helmsunder and cut him down. The archers rush up to take a strategic position on the hill. Sigurd the Saxon climbs to his feet while another Roman Legionary charges Galahad's horse and knocks it down with his spear, throwing Galahad from the saddle. Sir Bors and his horse climb to their feet. Percival's horse kicks at John Longshanks while Percival stabs at him, hoping to cut him down and free himself from melee.

End of Turn 4:
http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/ff112/hulkasgt/The%20Lost%20Orb/LostOrb019.jpg?t=1222105313

The skeleton that had been battling Ragnar the Impetuous finally cuts him down. Sigurd finds himself on the receiving end of Bors' warhorse's kicks. Sir Bors draws his bastard sword. Galahad and his horse struggle to their feet. The archers take some futile shots at the flying Norse God. Percival and his horse cut down John Longshanks.

End of Turn 5:
http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/ff112/hulkasgt/The%20Lost%20Orb/LostOrb020.jpg?t=1222105464

Percival disengages from Beowulf, freeing himself from melee. Galahad leaps back atop his steed, which tramples the Roman threatening them. Sir Bors rushes forward to cut down Sigurd, while Flavius Aetius cuts down Beowulf from behind. Both archers shoot Galahad's horse, hurting it but failing to knock it down. Thor strikes Galahad with lightning, killing him in a single shot.

End of Turn 6:
http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/ff112/hulkasgt/The%20Lost%20Orb/LostOrb021.jpg?t=1222105536
(Galahad's horse is now riderless despite the model showing Galahad on it. The same goes for Bors' horse...you can see Bors himself next to it.)

Out of magical energies, Thor lands. Sir Bors squares off against Flavius Aetius while Percival rides off to prepare for another charge. The archers fire mercilessly at Bors' unarmored horse.

End of Turn 7:
http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/ff112/hulkasgt/The%20Lost%20Orb/LostOrb022.jpg?t=1222105602

Sir Percival comes charging back to kill the archers while Bors duels Aetius and Thor takes on two Romans at once.

End of Turn 8:
http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/ff112/hulkasgt/The%20Lost%20Orb/LostOrb023.jpg?t=1222105647

Sir Bors and Aetius continue their fencing match while Thor trades blows with the Legionaries and Percival hunts down the last archer.

End of Turn 9:
http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/ff112/hulkasgt/The%20Lost%20Orb/LostOrb024.jpg?t=1222105722

I don't have photos for Turns 10 and 11, but Sir Bors killed Aetius and Percival killed the last archer. That left Sir Bors and a still-mounted Percival against two Legionaries and Thor. The writing was on the wall. Thor summoned a wind with his waning strength and flew away while the Romans surrendered.

In retrospect, when the Romans had a slight advantage of numbers, in turn 6 or so, one of the archers should have grabbed the orb and seen what happened.

Victory: Seekers of the Grail!
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