Middenheim, the City of the White Wolf, home to the Cult of Ulric and the greatest city-state of the north has suffered terribly in recent years. Harvests have been meagre and the insatiable attentions of Chaos have been a constant threat, culminating in an unsuccessful 15-day siege by the fiendish Warlord Archaon. Travel in and out of Middenheim has since been hampered by marauding bands of Beastmen and this fortified city still seems to be besieged.

Ar-Ulric recognises the importance of hope in these desperate times and has decreed that a lesser observed stricture of the Cult, that of keeping the sacred flames of Ulric always burning in his holy places, is to receive renewed attention. With that in mind, despite pursuing fleeing forces, he has ordered small groups of his Templars, the Knights of the White Wolf, to travel to all of the temples in Middenland and surrounding provinces bringing the Flame of Ulric with them. Graf Boris Todbringer fully supports this mission and has dispatched contingents of Middenheim troops to aid in this missionary work.

Gunther Reizberg, a venerable warrior priest of Ulric, leads a small force northwards through the Drakwald and into Nordland. The forest is a dangerous place, especially so where it becomes known as Laurelorn, the home of the Eonir, a reclusive community of Elves who abhor outsiders. Gunther’s destination is the long abandoned Shrine of the Ranging Wolf located deep in the realm of the Elves…

Stiúbhart and I play a 30 points game of Dragon Rampant using Scenario B, which represents the Middenheim and Ulric force bringing the flame of Ulric to an abandoned Shrine on the edge of the Laurelorn. The Elves are usually tolerant of travellers making their way along the road from Middenheim to Kislev, but a large force of humans with obvious military and occupation intentions will not be tolerated. The Wood Elves force is made up of tree spirits, led by a Treeman called CrannMór.

Game 1

The game opens with both forces making cautious approaches towards each other. Each force is trying to maintain cohesion, i.e. not letting any elements stray too far ahead.

They close to very close range before the tree spirits are the first to blink!

The opening combats seen the White Wolves badly mauled and forced to retreat. Crann Mór also seizes the flame, but this initial success is short lived.

The General mounted on the Griffon retrieves the flame and Gunther steadies himself to face down six Wild Riders. Between the General and the Swordsmen, they destroy the Treeman. The combined fusillade of the Pistoliers and Handgunners fell some charging Dryads, causing the rest to rout.

Gunther charges the Wild Riders, forcing them to retreat and then rout. The remaining Dryads are severely mauled by the General and Griffon leading to the tree spirit forces fading back into the forest of Laurelorn.

Gunther steadied his mount. The fighting was over, but the animal was still agitated. His battle brothers lay around him, the White Wolves having been destroyed by the sudden aggression from the living forest. He would pray for them later, but for now he needed to ensure the safekeeping of the flame. The troops who had marched with him were still in good order and were beginning to secure the immediate area. They were near the Shrine of the Ranging Wolf now, but their trials were just beginning. Gunther knew the forest would not leave them be. He hoped that Ulric would grace them with his protection, but he didn’t expect He would. Ulric’s followers needed to look to themselves and their own strength of arms. This is something else to pray for later. If they could not hold back the forest and its myriad denizens he feared this mission into the realm of the Eonir could be short-lived… literally.

Big thanks to Stiúbhart for joining on Zoom to play this game. We plan to play an Open Combat scenario next to represent some close in fighting around the shrine.

Until next time,

Owen