Arise you sons of Sigmar!!

General Custoras peered into the Lustrian mists. Despite the chill of the dawn, Custoras was bathed in sweat. Surely it it just the humidity Custoras thought to himself . . . . .surely!

Despite his bravado Dogstein knew the boy better then he knew himself and could hear the apprehension is his General's voice as he extolled the fighting virtue of his men and the numerous foes they had overcome during their time in Lustria!

The truth was Custoras had never recovered from their decimation at the hands of the lizards when they first arrived on these shores.

Despite his best efforts, the Lizard men had forced his hand and drawn him into combat. Despite his victories and learnt experiences, was he ready? 

With the sun rising to their back Custoras had done all he could to set the field. With one final bellow of defiance towards the Lizard men line he ordered the bugler to sound the advance.

"Sigmar is with us" he bellowed into the mists . . . . . surely?

In keeping with my resolution to play more 8th edition this year Lano and I set out 1000 points of Warhammer goodness to lock horns at the 'Essex Legion' last Sunday.

The game itself got quite a lot of attention from our fellow gamers during the battle. Some of it was surely down to the gorgeous standard Lano had painted his army, but I am sure that part of it was the novelty of actually seeing a game of Warhammer Fantasy in action!

We got a bit of a ribbing from some of the younger players who said the photos should look like this. . . .

At least they did not call it 'Oldhammer'!

Anyway onto the battle.

First turn sees both forces surge forward and the magic turns being neutralised by each other.

Second turn sees me crash into the exposed Skinks. I figure they have been offered up for a reason but cannot figure out why! My hope is to boil through the Skinks and into the 'Rippers' behind.

My Gryphs fail to make the impact I hope and even with a one up save I still manage to fail two armour rolls!

As planned the Skinks flee and I over run into the 'Rippers'. It is only as Lano lets out a loud expletive that I realise I have dodged a bullet and by maximising my contact I am outside the charge arc of the large unit of Stompy Lizard men to their left!

Another half inch would have seen them charge into my flank and wreck bloody havoc on my Gryphs!

Lano really is a sneaky sod.

This forces Lano to wheel his Lizards to try to get the charge in next turn. This grants me another turn to rip the 'Rippers' to shreads.

I see off the 'Rippers' and charge down the  hill into the Lizards. Lano's Skink Priest manages to leave himself on one wound when a spell back fires and my Outriders then gun him down in a hail of lead!

'Rags' my Wizard finally gets into his stride and hits the Dino with a strength 10 magic missle.

Just to add salt to the wounds my Knights charge into the second unit of Spear armed Lizard men with an unstoppable wall of armoured might. Eleven hits from the charging Knights and my General actually hitting something for once sees the Lizards fail their moral roll and rout towards the back table edge.

(Photo porn!)

My money shot!

"Run you scaly Bastards. . . . RUN!!!!!!

Lano tries to pull this one out of the bag and charges his Skinks into the flank of my Gryphs to force the moral check.

Thankfully the Skinks just bounce off and are massacred to a man (?).

I still manage to fail four, one up armour saves and lose a Gryph!

With only one wound left I do not see my Champion seeing out the turn but a dismal attack roll by Lano sees my Champion sailing through to another round.

I decide to run down the fleeing Lizards with my General rather they try to reform. 

This allows me to run down the routing Lizards but leaves me open to a charge in the rear from the Stonking great Dinosaur!

More porn shots!

I wince as Lano announces his Dinosaur has a power 10 tail attack and envisage  my General flying through the air as he is struck from his saddle by a giant scaly tail and then my Knights fleeing in terror off the back table edge!!!

I know I sound like a pessimist but I have NEVER beaten Lano at WHF in THREE YEARS!!!!!!!!

Despite the state of the battle field a little voice in the back of my head keeps whispering 'it's all going to go wrong any second'!

Thankfully Lano fails miserably with his attack roll!

With nothing left to shoot at I charge my Outriders into the flank on the last unit of Lizards.

Thankfully I decide to hex the Lizards with both 'Miasma' and 'Enfeebling foe'. This sees the remaining Lizards are hitting at -1 WS and -2 Strength.

Back on my Left my Knights turn to face the threat at their rear but fail to take the Dinosaur down due to needing to roll sixes to wound.

Thanks to the hexs the Outriders and Gryph boil through the Lizard men and run down the fleeing survivors!!

With only the Dinosaur left Lano declares!!!!!!!!!

THREE DUCKING YEARS AND I FINALLY HAVE A VICTORY OVER LANO IN WHF!!!!!!!!!!

What a way to start 2016!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

and unlike the victory over him during our Mordheim campaign this has not broken the back of my army. 

Got to be honest I was not the most gracious of winners and might have danced a little jig before running a lap of honour round the 'Legion' hall, while giggling my tits off!

Give me a break I have been waiting three years for this victory!

Epilogue

Custorias reined in his steed and surveyed the field of carnage surrounding him. Surely this would rank up there with the annals of Sigmar himself!!!!

Dogstein rode up on his jet black, steed and whooped in delight. "Permission to pursue the stragglers Lord?" he asked.

"Ride the scaly scum down 'Dog', their heads will be fine decoration for 'New Havens' ramparts!" Custoras replied.

As Dogstein sped off after the hightailing Lizards, Custoras looked down at the trampled body of the Lizard General beneath him.

"What a fine pair of boots this one will make" he thought as he jumped off his saddle to tie its broken form to his steed to drag it back to 'New Haven'.