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Lessons from Estalia

Battille el Casco Grande (Battle of the Big Helmet)

The rocky shores of Estalia used to be home to fair High Elf colonies before they abandoned the Old World. This year an expeditionary force from Ulthuan lands there once more in the hope of finding the natives friendly.

Even the legendary High Elf negotiating skills prove futile however when dealing with the slightly unbalanced King Fedinand the Boastful of all Estalia (and Lustria and The Empire etc., etc., etc.).

The legendary Conquistadors of History have been a favourite theme of mine, for their style as much as their fighting ability. A hard-bitten professional force of Imperial and Dogs of war men, off to conquer and gather gold in the name of the Estalian Empire. Olé!

My core force are the classic Conquistadors - Pikes, swords, guns, knights but most of all helmets and baggy pantaloons, especially helmets. This gives me a nice balanced all- round army to which I can add more metal. A great cannon to frighten the natives, a steam tank to frighten anyone else and some pistoleros for some flash and hey presto!

The leadership is drawn mainly from the Holy Inquisition, these guys really think they're on a crusade to conquer the world. Arch Lector Cortez and Inquisitior Torquemada are to protect their men with holy prayers; holy hatred to give re-rolls to hit will be useful too. A friendly Amazon priestess to roast the opposition and the hard-bitten mercenary Pirazzo to lead the Pikes will complete the team. Why do I continue to put a giant in my army when he dies in every game ? Because he has the biggest helmet of course ...

Flags, sails and Estalian helmet plumes waved in the stiff sea breeze as state officials lined the quayside. From the setting sun emerged the graceful lines of the Ulthuan trireme. The timorous wail of trumpets signalled the oars to snap upward and inward as the vessel glided up to the dockside. Cortez shivered against the chill sea wind and groaned inwardly. What would be the excuse for his radiant majesty Ferdinand to start a war this time?

All eyes were on the diminutive monarch and his guest as the Ulthuan ambassador delicately alighted on the red carpet. Ferdinand was visible to all as he always ensured he stood on a large, magnificent dias and wore the biggest plumed hat in the kingdom. But right now, Ferdinand had his eyes wide open and his mouth agape. Blasphemy! The fat pink finger pointed at the High elf, Blasphemy! Cortez fixed his eyes on the ambassador's magnificent jewelled headgear and realised months of negotiation and a lucrative trade deal was up in smoke. The ambassador's hat was taller than the king's ...

Turn 1: Welcome back, High Elves

The doughty Conquistadors dug in an impressively long gun line across the open plain where the enraged High Elves had chosen to land. The only welcome they received back in Estalia was a hail of crossbow bolts that slew the Eagle Claw's crew and several bowmen. Pirazzo inched his pike block up the right flank, facing off against the Dragon Princes, daring them to charge ... Inquistor Torquemada edged his knights on the left flank slowly toward the towering star dragon opposite. He had wisely ensured the steam tank was clanking along next to him.

All eyes were on the Dragon as it flew hissing great gusts of rage toward the knights. Their caution was justified as it stopped inches short. Their nerve held (just) and they refused to run off in turn 2 in terror.

Turn 2: So that's what steam tanks do

The steam tank hissed even louder than the ancient serpent as its engineer opened all the valves and it hurtled forward at maximum ramming speed! The dice were not kind to the dragon and it took 14 impact hits. The Elven general found his horizon suddenly lowered by 10 feet as his hapless mount was taken out from under him, taking a wound in the process. Not much else happened that turn except the armies edged closer and a small band of Amazons slipped into the woods on the right flank. Crossbow fire managed to down 1 Dragon Prince as they manouvred into place.

Turn 3: Charge of the Dragon Brigade

Probably shocked into action, Lee ordered his Dragon Princes into a full-on charge at Pirazzo. They survived the crossbows and crashed into the front rank killing everything except the mercenary leader who slew one in return. The pikes drew the combat thanks to ranks, etc., but the battle for the right flank was on. In the centre, the sword masters marched on under fire, but their supporting Lion chariot was 'cannon-balled'.

Turns 4-5: The giant does it again (dies that is)

Empire Turn 4 saw the Pirazzo-Prince combat drag on to a draw but the Princes broke and were run down in their turn, sending Pirazzo crashing into the Lion Guard behind them. This may have been too much for the reduced pikes but fortunately they held due to poor dice from the Elves.

Help was at hand in turn 5 as the War Altar crashed into the guards killing 5 with impact hits. The Lions broke and were also run down. Massacre ahoy! With few units to hide behind, the 2 Elven mages were exposed and were duly 'mopped up' with crossbow bolts and Amazonian arrows.

Manuel, the Giant, decided he was not going to be left out of the action and charged the approaching sword masters and of course, died (again).

Turn 6: Burn the aliens!

The Heavens opened on the poor remaining Elves as they were left magically defenceless. The Amazonian priestess put the conflagration of doom on the Elven spears who obviously were doomed as they lost 14 men before the fire went out! More nasty missile fire and a cleansing flare fire saw the end of the victorious sword masters, it was all over.

So whose got the fanciest hats now then?

The game leaves the Conquistadors free to embark for Lustria where there is news of another gold-laden Lizardman city to be relieved of its wealth ...

So whose got the fanciest hats now then ?

A good run out for my regular tournament army and a hard re-introduction to warhammer after a while out for Lee. Basically all my special units like the tank and war altar worked splendidly but a more experienced general would find ways to counter them quite easily (like more nasty war machines). Lee played in a good spirit, put up with us both having some 'edition 6 moments' and learned a lot about steam tanks. Thanks for game, mate!

My unit of the game, beside that tank, would probably be the Amazons who carefully infiltrated enemy lines before taking out a mage with arrows and then 14 spearmen with the conflag. Can anyone top 14 in 1 turn ?

Lee's unit of the game, i.e. the one that killed something, would be the Swordmasters who gleefully hacked down a giant in 1 turn. Timber!

The game leaves the Conquistadors free to embark for Lustria where there is news of another gold-laden Lizardman city to be relieved of its wealth. Can't wait for the game in Feb!

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