I can't be as regular a part of this long-running 'Mighty Empires' saga as I'd like, so what follows isn't so much a battle report as an overview of a mini-campaign within a campaign. I was guesting as the cannon-fodder. An enjoyable experience nonetheless, as I don't so much play to win as to take part. The first battle – http://gaminginthename.blogspot.co.uk/2012/06/battle-of-two-jetties – saw the Dwarfs prevail by ignoring the objectives and moving the entirety of their Expeditionary Force past the Lizardmen to safety, thereby winning them the right to bring up their reinforcements for the final assault. The second battle – http://gaminginthename.blogspot.co.uk/2012/06/temple-run.html – suited the fast-moving troops chosen for his Scouting Force by the Dark Elf commander, winning them the opportunity to join the final assault under the Flanking Rules in the Warhammer 8th Edition rulebook. He and the Vampire Counts commander each considered himself to have located sufficient treasure to justify their forays to the Isle of the Lizard. The third battle – http://gaminginthename.blogspot.co.uk/2012/06/assault-on-chimala-itza-1.html – saw the Blood Knights of the Crimson Hoard charge full tilt up the steps of the Great Shield of Obsidian and rout the Temple Guard of the newly-awoken Itzcoatl, ‘The Snake of Obsidian’. Still in the throes of their Blood Frenzy, however, the Blood Knights overran the peak of the pyramid, thus affording their opponents the opportunity to attain the heights of the major objective. A canny disposition of his forces allowed the Dark Elf commander to bring a) his Dark Pegasus, b) his Hydra and c) his general, Hellebron, to briefly command the objective during the second part of the third battle – http://gaminginthename.blogspot.co.uk/2012/07/assault-on-chimala-itza-2.html. Somewhat to the surprise of all, however, a small force of Dwarfs executed a last-ditch charge up the east side of the Great Temple of Chimala-Itza, routing both the Dark Pegasus and the Hydra. The damage the Vampire Counts had done the defending forces of the Lizardmen had won them a partial victory – but the Dwarves had run them close. It was decided unanimously that the only fair recourse would to be take the war further into the ruined Temple-City of Chimala-Itza and fight a third and final part of the assault – http://gaminginthename.blogspot.co.uk/2012/07/assault-on-chimala-itza-3.html. Given that the commander of the Vampire Counts had seen both his magic-users fry their brains with miscasts in previous battles, it was agreed that he’d remain at the Temple of Chimala-Itza to cook up dire and profane magicks from the half-eaten bones of Izcoatl. (Think of it as a kind of scaly broth. Mmm… delicious.) The Dwarfs, meanwhile, climbed the tumbled-down battlements of the deserted Temple-City, while the Dark Elves used previously come by knowledge of the local jungles to mount an attack from one of the flanks. In the end, notwithstanding a charge and feint at the gates of the Temple-City by the Blood Knights and a headlong assault on the pyramid by Hellebron and her remaining Witch Elves, Dwarven numbers prevailed. Lord Ubarn Grimbeard was named Satrap of the Isle in the name of King Agrod Ironhand and awarded a snakeskin man-bag in honour of his victory. Hail him. Rumours persist, however, of the remains of the forces of Dark Elves in the hidden crannies of the Isle, of visits from Corsairs in the dark of the night and of dire pacts made with the undying Captain of the Crimson Hoard. Will Lord Ubarn hold the Isle for King Agrod? Or will the Forces of Destruction rise up to fight dem back?