The Battle of Long Ridge- Orcs versus High Elves
Posted: Thu Dec 15, 2016 12:11 am
With the victorious orc army seizing Holden Pass (See the Battle of Holden Pass battle report), the settlements and resources of the Long Ridge lay open to them. They swept along the high ground, looting and pillaging.
Their speedy advance saw them eventually entering the territory of the High Elves. The border of these lands were marked by a waterfall- the Yoke Falls. This watercourse spills off the ridgeline and flows away to the south. The course, if followed, eventually leads near to the settlement of Caerfen, the site of a great elven victory over the orcs. It was perhaps this goal that the orcs were eventually intending to head towards, but first there was the problem of overcoming the local elf nobles and their army- an army which had assembled swiftly after news of the Battle of Holden Pass spread. The two forces met on Long Ridge, with the Yoke falls between them. Would the elves halt the orcish war machine from surging across their borders, or would the orcs smash aside this latest obstacle and continue their march to Caerfen? The scene was set. The Orc Horde (Commanded by myself)
6 horde units (arranged into 4 blocks of 6 stands)
6 units of mountain orc heavy infantry
4 orc archer units
2 units of ballistae
2 units of orc flyers
2 units of giants
4 wolf rider units
3 units of heavy chariots
Ably led by 5 orc generals and 1 hero general
Total: 360 points. Totalling 115 stands- breakpoint of 58
The orcs deployed on the western edge of the board. I placed all of my cavalry on the left flank, with the heavy chariots gathering on the road, ready to surge forward to form the front rank due to their better armour protection from the dreaded elf arrows. The massed cavalry were to drive forward, take the flank and then attempt to encircle the elven force and attack them from the rear- well that was the plan anyway. I placed a unit of flyers to support them. The centre was on top of Long Ridge. A unit of ballistae, with 2 archer units to protect it, was placed here to move forward as far as possible and then establish a position to dissuade any elven attackers advancing through the centre. A formation such as this had wreaked havoc amongst the barbarian hordes during the Battle of Holden Pass, and I hoped to replicate this success, although against the elves I was not so sure they would be as effective. Heavy infantry, hordes, a unit of flyers and giants were massed here also, along with 2 generals and the hero general. This powerful force would push up along the ridge and support the cavalry advance on the left, capturing the scattered farmsteads as they went and using them to anchor the line during the attack.
Their speedy advance saw them eventually entering the territory of the High Elves. The border of these lands were marked by a waterfall- the Yoke Falls. This watercourse spills off the ridgeline and flows away to the south. The course, if followed, eventually leads near to the settlement of Caerfen, the site of a great elven victory over the orcs. It was perhaps this goal that the orcs were eventually intending to head towards, but first there was the problem of overcoming the local elf nobles and their army- an army which had assembled swiftly after news of the Battle of Holden Pass spread. The two forces met on Long Ridge, with the Yoke falls between them. Would the elves halt the orcish war machine from surging across their borders, or would the orcs smash aside this latest obstacle and continue their march to Caerfen? The scene was set. The Orc Horde (Commanded by myself)
6 horde units (arranged into 4 blocks of 6 stands)
6 units of mountain orc heavy infantry
4 orc archer units
2 units of ballistae
2 units of orc flyers
2 units of giants
4 wolf rider units
3 units of heavy chariots
Ably led by 5 orc generals and 1 hero general
Total: 360 points. Totalling 115 stands- breakpoint of 58
The orcs deployed on the western edge of the board. I placed all of my cavalry on the left flank, with the heavy chariots gathering on the road, ready to surge forward to form the front rank due to their better armour protection from the dreaded elf arrows. The massed cavalry were to drive forward, take the flank and then attempt to encircle the elven force and attack them from the rear- well that was the plan anyway. I placed a unit of flyers to support them. The centre was on top of Long Ridge. A unit of ballistae, with 2 archer units to protect it, was placed here to move forward as far as possible and then establish a position to dissuade any elven attackers advancing through the centre. A formation such as this had wreaked havoc amongst the barbarian hordes during the Battle of Holden Pass, and I hoped to replicate this success, although against the elves I was not so sure they would be as effective. Heavy infantry, hordes, a unit of flyers and giants were massed here also, along with 2 generals and the hero general. This powerful force would push up along the ridge and support the cavalry advance on the left, capturing the scattered farmsteads as they went and using them to anchor the line during the attack.