Army lists updated

The Tereken army list has been updated on the New Army Lists page. I realised suddenly that I had made some egregious errors with the version posted, largely due to poor copy editing. The new version reflects the Later Anglo-Saxon army better, in my opinion, and also provides a slightly different army from the Mirholmen army that it would otherwise resemble.

Talomir Tales will return shortly

Attention, all units. Talomir Tales will resume shortly. Hopefully next week.

In the meantime, I have been fiddling with Campaign Cartographer and here is the map I came up with. It still needs fettling, but it shows the maximum extent of our campaign in terms of nations and the current political situation. Personally, I think that it is a vast improvement over the old map! Click on the map for a larger image or you can open it in a new tab to see it full size.

Autumn 990 - Campaign Update

Autumn is usually a time of harvest festivals and peaceful feasting. This year it seems to be a last opportunity for nations to take what they can from their neighbours. At the end of Summer the only war had finished with a Mirish victory over Hykar. Now there are five wars starting. Mirholme and Tereken are suffering from wars of unification. Treyine is being invaded by Seniira and Zog-Rot, while Lothgolin is attacking Mirish. Interesting times lie ahead. Who will be the victors in the upcoming struggles? Only the gods of war know.

(Click the map for a larger image)

Summer 990 - Battle at Ford's Crossing

The Hykar army had deployed in two wings. Light cavalry were on the left flank across the river, ready to sweep around the Mirish flank and cause chaos and confusion in the Mirish ranks. Hardecg Legbiter was on the right flank with the other half of the light cavalry. Their job was to crack the Mirish nut. They would cross at the bridge and use their superior mobility to fall on the Mirish flank and rear while they were distracted by the left flank. The Mirish deployed with light infantry on their right flank and light cavalry on their left flank. Their heavy cavalry was right of centre while their elephants and ogres were left of centre.

The initial manoeuvres went well. The Hykari ponygirls were able to draw off the enemy skirmish infantry, surround them and drive them from the field at little cost to themselves. The enemy light cavalry was also drawn quickly to the right flank.
(Hykari movements marked by blue arrows and Mirish by red. For reference, the Mirish also have lighter bases. Click the pics for larger versions)


Although the enemy light cavalry was destroyed they astoundingly managed to rout a larger number of Hykari ponygirls.


With most of the Mirish light infantry destroyed and the rest about to be destroyed, the Hykari ponygirls set about harassing the Mirish Clibanarii, although enemy cataphracts managed to catch and drive from the field a unit of Hykari.
(Mirish Cataphracts are the top two stands in this photo)


With the enemy light cavalry destroyed, Hardecg Legbiter rallied her troops to her and took up position behind a hedge. The enemy sent in Ogres and Elephants at her and she drove off the first unit of elephants, who stampeded over the enemy levy infantry and destroyed them.

As the action on the Hykari right flank became more desperate, the war artist was unable to capture the images of it. In the swirling melee between the Ogres, remaining Elephants and the brave Hykari girls, Hardecg was knocked from her horse and badly wounded. Despite this, her troops fought on, but were overwhelmed without her leadership.

Meanwhile, on the left flank, two units of ponygirls remained. They had given the Mirish Clibanarii a pasting (The dice show hits. Those Clibanarii were not going to be a serious part of the fighting now with so many hits on them). The Cataphracts, who were fresh, were a different matter. Their horse rumbled slowly across the ground towards the heroic ponygirls, who decided that discretion was the better part of valour.


The result was a close-fought Mirish victory with no permanent casualties on either side. As long as the Hykar light cavalry were able to retain formation they were a serious threat to the Mirish and could have fought on. Unfortunately the loss of their leader to a freak OOF result left them scuppered. With her war rating they could have retained formation, regrouped and taken the fight to the enemy. Without her the Mirish were able to focus on smaller groups of Hykari and destroy them piecemeal. Steve's comment about the light cavalry was one of amazement at the brutality of their attacks in the early game. Clearly we are learning to use them properly now.

The National Elf Service

The Elves of Lothgolin, or Silver Elves as they are colloquially known, once rules the whole world. Nowadays they are confined to a single province and beset on all sides by humanity, Orcs, Goblins and evil Elves. Yet, they have found a way to survive. Some say that they are in possession of a magical potion that gives each of them the strength of thirty men. Others say that they have great magics that cannot be defeated. Whatever the truth is, the Silver Elves have chosen now to emerge onto the world stage. One can only wonder what threat is so great that they should have to do so.

In Lothgolin it is the case that all adult Elves must serve in the army when they are young and that they are liable to be called back into the army when their land is threatened. This is the National Elf Service.

The bulk of the Elves in the army are archers, the feared Red Arrows, who are so called because of the colour of the fletching on their arrows.


The main melee force in the army are the Spearelves, here shown with their main commander, Kylee Lochalsh:


To support these two arms, a regiment of Elves was formed whose front rank deploys with spears while the rear rank fires arrows from behind the shields of the former. These marines, as they are known for no readily apparent reason, are few in numbers but of fearsome effectiveness.


The Unicorn Guard are the personal bodyguard of the Elven king. It is often unkindly commented by the rank and file that they are the Unicorn Guard because, when it comes to fighting, they are rare as Unicorn shit. Here we see the Guard deployed with their commander-in-chief and king, Elvish III:


Elves are magical people and they can usually call on the services of powerful magi to provide support for their armies. Here we see an Elven Druid, dressed in his ragged finery of animal skin and skull with horns. Elven Druids can have great power and are rumoured to be able to send entire forests on the rampage through the homes of those that have annoyed them.


The Elves will be joining the campaign next season. All figures are Baccus 6mm.

Summer 990 - Dear Barbax ...

Dear Barbax,

I’m sorry to hear of your recent losses. I too find myself basically homeless. It will be difficult to return even to Harbottle, my home of many years.

Life is not too bad as a guest of the Treyine. Brother Superior, the former head of the Brethren has recently taken up residence nearby and we have discussed the future. Following these discussions I have decided to set up an academy for training in the martial skills. This will be at the Brethren preceptory in Harbottle. They have given me command of it. This will mean I can still protect the people of the Border from attack by Orcs and Goblins. It will also mean that the Brethren can live on in this form and train young people in the ways of the Brethren.

As the old saying goes ‘every dark cloud has a silver lining’. I find myself short of riding and archery instructors. I would therefore like to invite yourself and some of your clan to come to Harbottle and help with the school. Not quite sure how this will fit in with the Brethren philosophy, but Brother Superior seems to think it is a wonderful idea. As we are going to have young boarders staying at the school it may be good to have a ‘mother’ figure as well as a father figure.

I must admit I miss your company as well. It would also be good for your daughter to be raised in a good family atmosphere, unless, of course, her father is finally stepping forward and looking after her and doing the decent thing toward you. I find his behaviour totally bemusing and if you would let me have his name I shall go and knock some sense into him.

Yours Faithfully,
Brother Cedric

Summer 990 - Dear Cedric ...

Dear Brother Cedric,

It is with heavy, but also glad, heart that I write you this letter. Many is the time we have talked of our future, but alas it is not to be. I have met my true love in the form of a Treyine nobleman, Sir Terence Bounder of Bounderingham and Caddington.

We could not help this. Our eyes met across my floury baps and we fell deeply in love. He is such a wonderful man and I’m sure you will like him, when you meet him. In fact he has arranged for you to be able to attend the wedding, so I hope you’ll come. Terrypoos says it would be a wonderful symbol of the Brethren acceptance of their friends from Treyine. I just think it would be nice.

Our wedding will be held in the Cathedral of Saint Martha the Submissive in Caddington. It’s what used to be the Cathedral of Saint Wilhelm the Vanquisher before its name was changed and it was re-consecrated.

Hope this letter finds you well,
Griselda