The Peasants' Last Stand

It was dusk and the clouds were awash in a rich orange colour cast by the setting sun. The folk of the small harbour town of Warden Harbour were going about their business as usual. Gideon was lazily leaning against a tree, he had drawn the short straw and had to act as watchman for tonight, "Never mind" thought Gideon, he was expecting a quiet night and was going to enjoy it.

Grubhammer and his ladz were peering over the crest of the hill they had been hiding behind for the better part of three hours. "We've been waitin' long enough, don't cha think boss, letz get some humies, pleeez boss?" pleaded Slobba, the ladz were getting grumpy because of the wait, but, luckily for them, Slobba was right, it was time to show the humies the power of Green...

Gideon saw the big, green figures moving on the hill almost immediately. He needed to sound the alarm on the horn he had been given! Gideon looked around but could not remember were exactly he had left it, and it took too many nerve-wracking moments to find it, by the time he sounded the alarm the Orcs were almost upon them. In fact, the Orcs arrived the same time the reinforcments did!

This was a game of Warhammer Skirmish, it was a 60 point Bretonnian Peasant Force(me) against a 120 Orc force(my Father). I automatically got the town board edge but had to take half as many points. The game would last 6 turns, at which time either the defenders would flee and the town would be ransacked (if the Orcs win) or the Orcs would break off the attack (if the Bretonnians win).

Here are the forces:

The Defending Peasantry:
- 11 Peasants with Hand Weapons(23 points)
- 6 Peasants with Hand Weapons and Shields (18 points)
- 1 Militia Champion with Hand Weapon and Shield (15 points)

Grubhammer's Ladz:
- 6 Orc Boyz with Choppas and Light Armour (30 points)
- 4 Orc Arrer Boyz with Bows, Light Armour and Choppas (32 points)
- 5 Orc Boyz with Choppas, Additional Choppas and Light Armour (35 points)
- 1 Orc Boss with Choppa, Additional Choppa and Light Armour (20 points)

THE BOARD:
The board was set up with a forest area along the south-east and south-western table edges and a large town with stone walls and defendable positions that my Peasants could make use of.

DEPLOYMENT:
I set up my men within the town, with small amounts of men defending the side way into the town (through a ruined building) and most of my men guarding the front area and taking cover behind the walls and buildings.

The Orcs set up on the southern board edge. My father's Orcs won the roll off for who goes first.

ORCS TURN 1:

The Orcish force split into two, a group of six Boyz heading for the side entrance (the ruined building) and a group of 5 Boyz and the Boss heading for the main way into the town.

Four arrows were fired from the Arrer Boyz's bows, one hit and Knocked Down one poor Peasant, because it clipped his shoulder.

BRETONNIA TURN 1:

The injured Peasant clambers to his feet, blood slowly leaking from the gash on his shoulder.

My other Peasants began to get into postion to throw back the Orcish assualt. My Champion fell back out of Arrer Boy range, fearing the spiked death they would rain down upon his forces.

ORCS TURN 2:

The Orcs roar and run closer to my line, they are only 2" away now!!! My men look at the hulking warriors charging towards them and rethink the wisdom of resisting the power of the Greenskin horde.

The four Arrer boyz move closer and shoot their bows, three hit, one wounds and a Peasant is killed! The arrow pierced his heart killing the poor chap instantly!

BRETONNIA TURN 2:

Hmm, what to do when twelve fully armed Orcs are bearing down on you, I know, CHARGE!!! Four Peasants charged two Orcs, hoping to bring the brutes down in combat.

An Orc perishes in combat against my Peasants, pulled down by a flurry of attacks, but the other Orc shrugs off the blows.

ORCS TURN 3:

The Orcish force charges! Gulp!

All Orcish arrows miss! The Orc's horrible marksmanship finally returns to them.

A Peasant is behead by swinging Choppas and falls lifeless to the ground, the rest of the Peasants try to fight back but cannot get through the Greenskin's tough hide.

BRETTONIA TURN 3:

My Peasantry and Militia Champion charge into the masses of Orcs, hoping against hope to slay the big creatures in combat.

2 Peasants are slain in the raging melee, one Peasant and one Orc are Stunned, and another Peasant is Knocked Down, the Greenskin forces are prevailing!

ORCS TURN 4:

The Orcs at the side way in break through and attack the other defenders in that area in the rear. Two double choppa Orcs charge my Champion and the Boss takes on two Peasants. The Stunned Orc goes from Stunned to Knocked Down.

Two Orcs are Stunned and my Champion dies a quick but bloody from four Choppa swings! I have suffered 5 deaths, which is more then a quarter of my force! Oh dear, I will have to make Rout tests with Leadership 6!

BRETONNIA TURN 4:

I pass the Rout test on a 6! My men climb to their feet and get ready for battle, grim determination set on their faces.

The remaining Peasants fell back into a small group, ready to sell their lives dearly to protect their homes. The battle was all but lost but they would take some of the brutes with them.

Another Peasant falls beneath the Orcish choppas and his corpse collapses onto the ground as the Orc roars in victory. A few Orcs are wounded but just Stunned or Knocked Down.

ORCS TURN 5:

The Orcs, fresh from the butchery of my other men, charge into the remaining Peasants. Outnumbered, outclassed and with almost no hope of victory the Peasants think about fleeing for their lives.

Yet again a Peasant falls beneath the deadly choppas of the Orc Boyz. I'm getting tired of saying that particular sentence.

BRETONNIAS TURN 5:

I roll a 4 and my doomed townsfolk stay again! A whopping 3 of my Peasants die, hacked down by Orcish weapons, to add more wounds to the total, 1 man is Knocked Down. A handful of wounds are caused on the Orc Boyz but they just amount to a lot of Stunned and Knocked Down Orcs. Gore and blood coats the town gates and with each passing moment more is added, it is a grim and highly disturbing scene.

ORCS TURN 6:

The side entrance is taken by Greenskins and the Orcs who burst through that area come rushing towards the flanks of my beleaguered defenders.

The battle is now truly and certainly lost for the citizens of Bretonnia, with two more of their number dying under axe and cleaver. The Bretonnians strike out one last time however, killing the Orc Boss!!!

BRETONNIA TURN 6:

I roll a 7 and my brave but beaten Peasants flee from the board, the town has fallen!!!

END OF THE BATTLE:

Orc Victory Points: 49
Bretonnian Victory Points: 27
Orc Survivors: 14
Bretonnian Survivors: 4
Orc Deaths: 2
Bretonnian Deaths: 15

I learned one thing from this battle: Peasants are horrible on their own!!! I am going to have a rematch against these Orcish brigands later and I bring them down! BRING THEM DOWN! HA HA HARR!!! (Dem humies was no match for da choppas! - Orc Warboss)

Gideon was wounded, he had been taken down in the raging melee and knocked out, he had just awoke to a horrible seen. Fires set by Orcish hands were consuming the buildings of Warden Harbour, screams ripped the air as innocent citizens were butchered in the streets by the rampaging Orcs.

Gideon's head was bleeding heavily, he was horrified by the carnage the Greenskins had caused with such ease. He had to get out of town quickly. It was as this thought crossed Gideon's mind that a heavy, Orcish voice came from behind him. "Humie will go squish now" said the voice, Gideon turned around and looked for a weapon, he had lost his sword when he was knocked out. The Orc was too quick for the wounded man though and grabbed Gideon by the throat and lifted him from his feet, within seconds a sickening crack eminated from Gideon, his neck was broken and he was killed instantly...

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