After taking advice from the more experience denizens of Lustria, I took on High Elves last night. All views/comments are based on my view point, left to right: Terrain: Hill not quite against table edge, in front and to the right of that an impassable piece on the half way line. A piece of dangerous terrain anout half way on half way line. Middle was quite clear, on the the right, marsh close to half way line, a wood towards his base line and a hill on the base line. My set up: Wary of the enemy’s bolt throwers, the general gave his instructions: Left flank: Deploy behind the hill if possible. Skirmishers to cover the main force with a fire breather to protect their right flank. Remaining units, take advantage of the forests natural protection and the benefits the marsh gives to some of our forces. 2 units of 10 skirmishers, behind them and covered by the hill, 25 saurus and TG/Slann bunker, next to skirmishers was a sallie plus snack. I left middle of table without troops and deployed a steg over towards the right,taking advantage of the wood blocking Line of Sight. Next to that was a Skrox unit (16+2) behind the marsh, and then the last sallie & snack, also behind the marsh. His set up: 10 archers, an eagle, then a gap due to the impassable terrain, another 10 archers. 24 swordmasters (?), c20 White Lions this included his BSB and a Lvl 4 mage of High Magic, behind them a frost phoenix, on the hill at the back, another 10 archers and 2 bolt throwers. Lastly another eagle. There was also a unit of 30 Spearmen (core) plus a Lvl 2 Mage (Light) who had an item allowing them to ambush. High Elves won first turn: Turn 1 The General concentrates, he can feel the enemy mage, powerful, but not good enough. He summons the Winds of Magic to show his enemy to true meaning of magical power! What were the warm bloods doing? Just standing there. Their arrows hardly darken the sun. Time to move the main blocks forward. But be cautious on the right flank. The General looks to the Heavens seeking inspiration from the distant Old Ones, and they seem to answer! The Winds are strong. Four successfully cast spells, although one was dispelled, but then he hears a buzzing sound close by, it breaks his concentration, but the spell goes off with more power than he intended. Suddenly a vortex appears above him, 20 of his loyal bodyguard are sucked into another dimension. He only just manages to recover and not be drawn into it as well. After the vortex dissipates, he has only a handful of loyal bodyguards left. A moment of doubt creeps in, is the plan unravelling already? The doubt is momentary. He passes instructions by thought alone. Shoot the eagle, shoot some infantry in front of me – I need time to redraw the battle line. He watches as one eagle is obviously hurt, but doesn’t die. A lone infantry man falls to skink shooting, but where are the flames? He looks over and sees a small group of skinks desperately trying to control a young salamander. They succeed but not before losing two of their number. He always thought this beast was too young for the battlefield. He’d wanted razordons, but they weren’t available. HE1 Archers stayed put, two blocks of infantry and flying stuff all moved forward. Winds of Magic favoured the Lizards: 3 + 1. I channelled 2 dice, him none, so I had 5 dice to his 4! I dispelled HofG on Frostie, but WBW got through. In shooting, I lost 2 skinks to bolt throwers and a sallie took a wound. Lizards1 Skirmishers, Saurus, TG and sallie all moved forward even though the TG would now be visible to bolt throwers. On other side of the table I moved to be outside change range/angle and put units close so flyers could not get behind. WofM again favoured the Lizards - 6 + 4 and another 2 channels - 12 to 4! Iceshard on Frostie, Harmonic on steg (dispelled), Arcane Unforging on BSB - One wound but no magic items! Cast Apotheosis on Sallie with 3 dice - Irresistable Force! Then managed to roll 3 on the Miscast - From a block of 25 TG, I was left with 5! The Slann also survived. Oh Winds of Magic you are a fickle mistress! In shooting the skinks took 2 wounds off the left most eagle, while another unit took out one Swordmaster. The first sallie was obviously peckish after having regain its wound and ate two handlers. The second sallie missed. At this point I was thinking why didn't I go with Razordons.....I like Razordons. Turn 2 The General watches, and contemplates. What are those warm bloods doing. A little movement further forward by their infantry and their flyers move, but then he feels it, another mage , behind him, but this one is just like a skink in abilities. He thinks to himself “Since they are not pressing from the front, I will see off these…these “ambushers” is what I think they are called. Saurus, turn around and face the rear!” Now he orders the other units “Get rid of those damn birds, but beware the phoenix charge”. He tries to gather the Winds of Magic but gets only a small breeze, perhaps his earlier efforts have left him weak. He watches with a mix of pleasure and sadness as two great birds fall from the sky. Still his skinks will be happy with all those feathers to adorne themselves with. He again watches in horror as a salamander goes crazy and eats the last of its handlers. But then it just stands there, rather dazed. “Oh well” thinks the General, “I’ll just have to tell it what to do. Razordons would not be this rash” HE2 Not much movement, no charges, Frostie flew a bit closer, eagles similarly. The one on the right was working its way round the flank. The ambushing spearmen arrived behind the saurus. After his earlier mishap, the Winds of Magic seem drained over the battle field Nothing happened in magic, poor WoM and I dispelled. A couple more skinks were killed in shooting. Lizards2 Saurus turn around to face spearmen (Thank you close BSB!) I move the 2 skirmisher units to face the eagle with one wound The right sallie turns to face the eagle as does the skrox unit. I moved the steg and one cowboy closer to the wood to either try a flank charge on the White lions, or get them to break their lines. WofM were nothing more than a gentle breeze this turn. Not much in my magic either! The skirmishers shot the eagle from the sky (nice feathered headdresses all round) while the skrox and salle combined to toast the other. However the sallie which had already eaten 2 handlers, decided it was time for seconds and now munched on the other two. Why oh why didn't I take Razordons....??? Turn 3 Having turned to face the phoenix, the Generals fear becomes reality, he and his very depleted unit are charged by the frost phoenix. The Winds of Magic again fail him somewhat. Although he dispels one spell, the less experienced enemy mage successfully casts against the Saurus, If a cold blood could feel shame, he felt it now. Beaten by a lower experienced mage! Then the senior mage cast the spell that the liked to use himself, Fiery Convocation. He had been waiting for this and had his answer ready – With barely a flicker of thought, the skink priest complied and read the words on the scroll. The fire that was already starting to burn was immediately extinguished. Something was troubling the General, the Winds had failed him, but he had saved a unit from a powerful spell. Then he saw it, flying in to hit him and his remaining body guard – A Frost Phoenix. He concentrated with all his might and whether it was due to this or not, when the phoenix attacked, it was strangely subdued and only one guard fell. “Now” he thought, “now my loyal guardians, smite this beast with all your might!”. Despite the coldness of the bird making them feel weaker, the Slann’s guardians hit hard and accurately, forcing the bird to flee, following up they caught it before it could get away! Having seen off the phoenix, the General orders the stegadon and the Stegadon Helmeted Scarvet to charge the White Lions. Having see their mighty bird die, their resolve will be shattered. Watching with interest as they hit the steadfast block of elven infantry, he couldn’t help but respect them as they never faltered once. “Almost cold blooded in their resolve” – It was the highest compliment he could give. The impact was something of an anti-climax, but still, a number of the enemy died. Then he couldn’t quite believe his eyes. An elite unit just seemed to hit fresh air. When a hit was scored, it seemed to bounce off. Then his monsters went to town, the White Lions were being decimated, but still they held. He also couldn’t help but notice that behind him, the Saurus were holding their own, the elves had not yet fled. He orders a unit of skinks to charge them in the flank as he wants to finish them quickly. Despite this they still held. Had he under estimated elvish resolve? HE3 Spearmen charge saurus. Frostie charges what left of the TG and slann Swordmasters charge skinks who flee, and end up beyond the TG looking at the flank of the HE spearmen. The White Lions turn to face the steg and cowboy. Net of Amyntok cast on Saurus. He then tried for Fiery Convocation, which he got, but not irresistibly - I bottled it and used a scroll! Bolt throwers take a couple of wounds off a sallie and 2 more skinks are lost to archers. In combat, the spearmen kill 7 saurus, but the saurus repay the compliment also killing 7. Ends up a hold as I have an extra rank while he charged. We both have banners. Then the combat I was dreading the Frostie against the Slann and 5 TG. The dice Gods then played their part - Frostie hit once and killed one TG. In my attacks back I hit four or five times and wounded three times. Frostie lost combat, and then failed its leadership, so fled. Rolled 10. TG had to follow up, could my lumbering dinos catch the Frostie? Obviously wanting to avenge their fallen comrade, the TG also rolled 10 to run down the Phoenix! Lizards 3 Not sure if I was caught up with the death of the phoenix, but I charged the steg and cowboy (with steg helm) into the White lions. Only 4 impact hits between them, but that was four dead. In combat I was incredibly lucky, not many hits and no wounds got through! The cowboy and steg then kill another 8. But as they are stubborn, they stick. I also charged the skinks that had fled previously into the flank of the HE Spears. In magic I did use WBW to move the Skrox closer to the white lions combat to provide support if it went against me. I won spearmen / saurus combat, by a lot, but even with a reduced leadership of 4, he passed! Turn 4 The General now had to be self reliant on magic protection having used the scroll previously. The enemy mage called down the Winds but he was almost equal to the task. After a couple of dispel’s however the enemy mage healed the Standard Bearer. After a moment, the General again gazes to the Heavens hoping for inspiration. He tries a small spell, but this is again sent with more power than intended. This time his powers are reduced, maybe permanently. His magical prowess is diminished and he has forgotten something but he’s not sure what… With all troops in combat or behind cover, the Generals plan to avoid missile fire is working so far. Having seen his favourites smash the White Lions, the General now watches in something close to disbelief as the Stegadon and Scar Veteran both fall beneath the blows of their axes. It was a grievous loss, but they had done their job and would be remembered with honour. Their deaths though had to be avenged. Decisions, decision…remembering the effect of the death of the Frost Phoenix on the White Lions, he felt the opposite could happen following them killing the Stegadon and Scarvet. He orders the skink/Kroxigor unit and the remaining scarvet to hold. Meanwhile the salamanders have been moved into almost perfect position… And now the lone salamander breaths fire, along with its fellow monster. In front of his eyes the two blocks of elvish infantry are deal cruel blows, with the White Lions succumbing completely – The Stegadon and veteran had been avenged! HE4 No charges. In magic he gets a wound back on his BSB with Apotheosis. I dispelled everything else. In combat the white lions get their mojo back and kill both the scarvet and the steg. The spearmen lose combat again and this time they break, but neither the saurus nor the more nimble skinks can catch them. Lizards 4 I charged the saurus into the fleeing spearmen who fled off board, along with their level 2 mage. Sallie moves up to face swordmasters at an oblique angle. The other sallies moves to the flank of the White Lions. Skrox unit remains in front of White Lions. I decided not to charge the skrox and scarvet into last of the white lions - I felt I had been lucky once, I wasn't going to push my luck. With the sallies in perfect position, would they show me their worth? In magic I know I tried a small spell with 2 dice but can’t remember which one. I rolled double 6 and on the resultant miscast rolled 10. Dropped 2 levels and lost 3 spells – Geez! Not much shooting. As the sallie without handlers was close to the BSB, he makes his leadership test and shoots at the swordmasters. He drops 8 The other sallie flames the remaining White Lions and kills the last few, leaving only a Lvl 4 mage and his BSB - To paraphrase Star Wars: "Now I see the power of this fully operational battle salamander". We called it at this point, but ended up a good lizardman victory, 810 pts to 399