Once again my friends and I played a game of The Old World pitting my Nurgle Daemons against my friends High Elves. We had two players per side and just split units amongst ourselves. My buddy decided to bring his Dragon out of retirement so lets check out his list!

High Elves

214 – Archmage, Pure of Heart, Elven Steed, Wizard Level 4, High Magic, Silvery Wand

285 – Noble, Battle Standard Bearer, Pure of Heart, Griffon, Full Plate Armour, Seed of Rebirth, Talisman Of Protection, Great Weapon

501 – Prince, Shield, General, Pure of Heart, Star Dragon, Light Armour, Armour of Caledor, Seed of Rebirth, Opal Amulet, Great Weapon

109 – 5 Ellyrian Reavers, Cavalry Spear, Shortbow, Harbinger, Musician, Skirmishers

237 – 20 Lothern Sea Guard, Sea Master, Standard Bearer, Musician

181 – 6 Silver Helms, High Helm, Standard Bearer, War Banner, Musician

205 – Frostheart Phoenix

60 – Great Eagle

202 – 11 Sisters of Avelorn, High Sister, Ruby Ring of Ruin

Daemons of Nurgle

445 – Great Unclean One, General, Wizard Level 4, Battle Magic, Plagueflail

235 – Herald of Nurgle, Daemonic Locus, Trappings Of Nurgle, Totem Of Eternal War, Palanquin Of Nurgle

60 – 5 Chaos Furies

226 – 16 Plaguebearers Of Nurgle, Plagueridden, Standard Bearer, Musician

226 – 16 Plaguebearers Of Nurgle, Plagueridden, Standard Bearer, Musician

186 – 3 Beasts Of Nurgle

135 – 3 Nurglings

189 – 3 Plague Drones Of Nurgle

295 – Soul Grinder, Daemon of Nurgle, Warp gaze

There wasn’t much in the way of trickery during set up, both armies deployed in a line ready to face their enemies!

The High Elves advanced and were able to put a wound on the Great Unclean One from their Sisters of Averlorn! Not to be outdone the Nurgle Daemons advanced and the Soul Grinder was able to put two wounds on the Frostheart Phoenix with its Warp Gaze! The Great Unclean One cast a pillar of fire near the center of the elven lines where it was sure to cause some trouble next turn!

Sure enough the Pillar of Fire was able to roll just high enough to clip the Sisters of Averlorn and roll through the Ellyrian Reavers killing two of each! The High Elf Lord and his Dragon decided to get the jump on the Great Unclean One and charged into combat while the Frostheart Phoenix charged a unit of Plaguebearers. Meanwhile the Battle Standard Bearer and his Griffon flew off to threaten the Plague Drones. The Elves turned what shooting they could bring to bear on the Soul Grinder causing two wounds on the beast! Close combat saw the Lord put two wounds on the Great Unclean One and only took one in return. The Great Unclean One must not have been studying his close combat skills as he only hit with one of his five attacks, and while that one slipped past the Lords saves it didn’t multiply up and only caused one wound! Meanwhile the Frostheart Phoenix killed three Plaguebearers but was pushed back due to combat resolution.

In the Nurgle Daemon turn the Nurglings decided to charge the Great Eagle so the Plague Bearers could reform and help the Great Unclean One out in the next turn. The Plague Drones and the Furies skirted away from the Griffon while the Soul Grinder was ineffective in it’s shooting against the High Elves. The Nurglings were able to beat the Eagle in close combat and due to a very poor roll on the Eagles part they were even able to break it and chase it down! The Frostheart Phoenix was able to push the Plaguebearers back and as it was the High Elves turn next opted to not follow up. The Dragon put another two wounds on the Great Unclean One for none in return as once again the inept Great Unclean One only caused one hit which was promptly saved.

The Griffon moved towards the flank of the Plaguebearers which were threatening the Dragon. The High Elf mage was able to put out a spell that would slow the Nurgle Daemons ability to charge, the archers put two wounds on the Nurglings and the Dragon put another wound on the Great Unclean One, who once again only hit the Dragon once in return.

The Soul Grinder charged the Silver Helms who promptly fled while both units of Plaguebearers charged the dragon and the Nurglings charged the Griffon. The Nurglings lost a base to the Griffons attacks and a few wounds to Daemonic Instability. The Griffon attempted to hold from charging the Nurglings but failed his leadership and had to follow up! The Dragon chomped down a Plaguebearer champion and lost combat due to resolution but stuck around due to it’s leadership. The Great Unclean One opted to not follow up thinking it could help dispel some of the High Elven magic if he wasn’t in combat and there was still a Plaguebearer champion to take the challenge. Don’t worry, as it turns out he couldn’t stop anything and the High Elves continued to cast their magic with impunity!

The High Elf army maneuvered for future charges, the Griffon dropped the Nurglings down to one stand and managed to restrain it’s bloodlust and the Dragon overkilled a champion but lost the combat due to static resolution. He managed to pass his break test though and with the Battle Standard Bearer so close the slight opportunity to get a lucky break really began to fade for the forces of Nurgle.

The Great Unclean One was of no help in stopping the Elven magic so he charged back into combat hoping to cause a few wounds selling his life dearly to the Lord on Dragon. The Soul Grinder opened fire on the Reavers hoping to roll high enough to kill the unit and mage off, however, due to extremely poor rolling it only managed to kill two riders, including a hit with it’s Warp Gaze! The forces of Nurgle could have scored some victory points if the unit panicked but it was not to be and they stood firm! In combat the Lord cut down the Great Unclean One before he could swing back. Somehow the Elven Lord caused more hits on the Great Unclean One despite his high toughness and saves, easily causing one wound a combat without the dragon. In the Elven turn the Griffon and Frostheart Phoenix charged the remaining Plague Bearers, the Sea Guard charged the Furies, and the Silver Helms charged the Herald on his palanquin. Meanwhile, the Elven mage and his single Reaver escort hid behind some trees. The archers put some more wounds on the Soul Grinder but he stayed up with one wound remaining. The Plague Bearers survived the onslaught from the flying beasts due to some poor rolls by the Elven players and some good rolls from the Daemon player. The Furies somehow survived the static combat resolution from the Sea Guard, and the Herald killed two Silver Helms and pushed them back.

In what would be the final turn of the game the Plague Flies tried getting in position to get the Mage and the Soul Grinder charged the Sisters of Averlorn. The Soul Grinder wiped out with Sisters of Averlorn, while the Herald finished off the Silver Helms. With the shop closing up we decided to pass on rolling for the units of Plague Bearers figuring they would quickly be eliminated.

While we didn’t get to turn 6 the game ended in favor of the High Elves by about 500 Victory Points. Had we time to play the last turn that lead would have almost certainly extended depending on the High Elves charges rolls, however, it is likely it would have still been about the same point differential. Either way the High Elves got their much deserved win and we all had a good time!

-Wachtmeister