SCENARIO II: THE BATTLE OF SHADOWS

Time and time again, the plans of the Witch King had been foiled because of the Shadow Warriors who tirelessly patrol the plains and hills of Nagarythe. But this time the Dark Elves were led by a general who knew all their secrets, including the locations of their hidden camps. Kaldor knew that he had to eliminate the Shadow Warriors' main camp, or else his supply lines would be continually harassed and his main force would never be safe from ambushes. In addition, these troublesome meddlers could warn his accursed brother of his approach too early, robbing him of the element of surprise.

Kaldor sent Caldath the Black, the master assassin of Karond Kar, to deal with the Shadow Warriors. He bid the master of the Poison Sword to rid him of all the Shadow Warriors or die trying. Caldath readily agreed. He had long wanted to test his mettle against the vaunted skills of the Shadow Warriors. Now he had his chance. Caldath gathered his flock of Assassins, Shades and Dark Riders, and under the shadows of the night he marched to the hills of Adran.

Kaldor's plan might have easily succeeded had not the Dark Elf force been observed by the Great Eagles that still soared over the Shadowlands watching for intruders. One of them, Khaltar, the Wind Lord, surveyed the black-cloaked Dark Elves and immediately sped to warn the Shadow Warrior camp.

The warning came at the very last minute. The camp was almost completely surrounded, and the enemy was fast bearing down upon them. But the Shadow Warriors always slept with their armour on, using their shields as pillows and keeping their weapons to hand, knowing that such a surprise attack was always possible no matter how much they sought to conceal their camp. As soon as the warning cry of Khaltar woke them the camp was on its feet, ready to break out of the trap.

The Dark Elves, sensing their prey had been alerted to their presence, rushed in to slaughter the High Elves while they were still disorganised. They had numerical superiority and had almost completely surrounded the Shadow Warriors. In the dim light of the morning Caldath scanned the hastily grouping Elves, eager to test his skills against the legendary Shadow Warrior, Alatar. Caldath did not have to wait long. A tall Elf, giving reassuring orders to his troops, stood in the middle of the camp. On his brow, was a circlet of silver set with a single starstone. It was Alatar, the Prince of Shadows.

Alatar and his Shadow Warriors had met the Dark Elves with a deadly hatred that matched their own. These were the Elves of the northern High Elf kingdoms who had lost everything in the wars against the Naggarothi. In the cold morning steel gleamed as the both groups of warriors drew their swords. A grim battle was about to commence.

The Battle of Shadows is the second in a series of clashes between the Dark Elves and High Elves that will eventually climax in a huge final battle. Each of these encounters will influence that battle in some important way. The outcome of this battle decides whether Kaldor's forces manage to destroy the main Shadow Warrior camp and thus secure the route over the plains of Nagarythe.

The setting for this battle is the camp of the Shadow Warriors high in the hills of the Shadowlands. Surrounding the camp are trees that hide the camp from the view of curious onlookers, and a large campfire around which the Shadow Warriors rest.

Set up the battlefield as shown below. Alternatively, you could generate the scenery randomly using the Terrain Generator Chart, or agree with your opponent on a variation to suit the scenery you have available.

The Armies
Each player should refer to the Battle Scroll for his army in order to choose his forces for the battle. The Battle Scroll also describes any special rules which apply, as well as the victory conditions needed to win the battle, the gains victory will bring and useful tactical hints.

Deploying for Battle
The High Elves were resting when the attack came, so the Dark Elves have the element of surprise. This means that the High Elf army is deployed first, and the Dark Elf army is deployed afterwards. Note that troops with special deployment rules (such as Shadow Warriors or Dark Elf Shades) are deployed normally in this battle.

Who has the first Turn?
The first turn of the game goes to the Dark Elf player. The Dark Elves surprised the camp and had almost completely encircled it before the alarm was sounded.

How long does the battle last?
The battle between the two forces lasted from the earliest hour of the morning to the end of dawn. The game therefore lasts for five turns, each game turn representing about an hour in the original battle. Each player will complete five turns, unless the battle ends earlier in a sudden death victory.

Escape Route
Any unbroken High Elf units can escape off the battlefield from the eastern table edge. Any escaping Shadow Warrior units can ambush the main Dark Elf force as explained on the High Elf Battle Scroll for this battle.

Victory Points
The battle continues for five turns, unless either side is completely wiped out during the fighting. Decide who has won by counting up victory points. The High Elves gain 1 victory point for each regiment that exits via the eastern table edge. In the event that both sides have the same number of victory points, this is counted as a Dark Elf victory as they are moving in so fast the High Elves cannot escape and will be wiped out. There is also a special bonus for the High Elf player: the more Shadow Warriors that manage to escape during the battle, the greater an advantage the High Elf player will have in the final battle.