 "BROTHERS IN BLOOD" The armies that took part in the actual Tears of Isha campaign are described, albeit in a cursory fashion, in the annals and chronicles of both the High Elves and the Dark Elves. The following accounts are based on 'Brothers in Arms' by the Dark Elf minstrel Furion, The historical comments are by Belannaer the Wise, of Hoeth. The High Elves had thrown a defensive ring around the tower in order to protect it from attack. This, however had been stretched thin around the Beacon, and to take advantage of this Mortharor concentrated all his troops on the centre of the High Elf line. If he could break through, he would stand a good chance of destroying the Beacon itself. The battle begun with an early success for the High Elves. Their missile-armed troops and cavalry managed to wipe out one of the Crossbow regiments, and Kelendar himself led his Silver Helms in a wide out-flanking movement. The Dark Elves concentrated their attacks against the High Elf centre held by the Spearmen, and tied up any other units with their auxiliary troops. Everywhere the cold hatred the Dark Elves felt for their uncorrupted kin gave them an edge in battle, and regiment after regiment of High Elf troops were broken. Only the large regiment of Spearmen stood between the Dark Elves and the Beacon. Under the awful pressure, the High Elf shield wall gave in. The Corsairs pursued the Spearmen and trampled them to the ground. The War Hydra followed close behind. Now the route to the Beacon was left unguarded. All the High Elf regiments on the flanks were engaged and powerless to intervene. Smiling gleefully Mortharor charged the Beacon. The Corsairs struck the Beacon with astounding fury, and within moments they were joined by the massive War Hydra. The creature's foul flames split the foundations of the Beacon apart, and its massive talons cracked the stonework as if it was made of glass. Under the crushing bulk of the War Hydra, the structure of the High Elf Beacon shattered and huge blocks of stone were sent crashing to the ground, crushing to death many of its valiant defenders. Now there would be no aid for Calaidan from other Elven kingdoms. House Coraith stood alone against Kaldor's army. The High Elf defenders fought with distinction. They identified the main Dark Elf threat and dealt with it immediately. The Dark Elves concentrated their forces on a very narrow frontage, which allowed them to break through the High Elf lines. It was a risky tactic, for if they bad slowed down, then the dark spawn of Naggaroth might have been outflanked by the swiftly moving High Elf cavalry. Of all the regiments in the battle, the Corsairs did the most damage to the High Elves. The Dark Elf War Hydra was almost unstoppable, but in the end it was the Corsairs who proved victorious. If the High Elves had concentrated their, defence instead of spreading it out thinly, they might have been able to halt the Dark Elf attack and turn the battle in their favour. As it happened their desperately stretched battle lines could not stop such a concentrated attack. The opposing armies that fought in The Blooded Shores are described here. Kelendar Unit of 26 High Elf Spearmen 10 Archers 5 Silver Helms 10 Shadow Warriors 20 Archers 5 Ellyrian Reavers The Dark Elves have 250 points of reinforcements for this battle. Mortharor 22 Black Ark Corsairs 20 Dark Elf Warriors 6 Cold One Knights 10 Dark Elf Shades 6 Dark Riders The Shadow Warriors rushed east towards safety, while the rest of the High Elf troops held their ground, fully prepared to sacrifice their lives in order to gain their comrades more time. The Prince of Shadows led the delaying troops personally. His bow ended many Dark Elf lives, and for a while it seemed that the Dark Elves would suffer too many casualties to give proper pursuit. But then the Witch Elf regiment coming from the north crushed the archers standing in their way, spreading panic and death. Soon all was chaos as the Dark Elves surged through the Shadow Warriors' camp. A small group of Shadow Warriors managed to escape the battle, and headed east, spreading the word of the approaching Dark Elves, gathering their kinsman for the coming struggle. Meanwhile everywhere they could the Dark Elves were slaughtering the High Elves in a series of bitter hand-to-hand combats. The Assassins cut swathes through the High Elf ranks, and the cackling Witch Elves bathed in the blood of the fallen. Alatar, shaking his fist, left the hopeless battle. Swearing his revenge, he disappeared into the shadows of the night. So the battle ended in a Dark Elf victory, but the escaping Shadow Warriors reformed later that day and began mounting lightning raids on Dark Elf supply lines and marching columns. All was not lost yet. The plans of Kaldor had been spoiled, even though victory was his. The Assassins of caldath attacked with total determination and utter ruthlessness. They had brought an overwhelming force and were prepared to do anything to wipe out the Shadow Warriors. Because the High Elf force was split into many small units the Dark Elves, who had brought a much more traditional force, found it hard to wipe out the High Elves altogether. Considering the advantages that the Dark Elves enjoyed in this battle, it is surprising that any of the High Elves escaped at all. The High Elves were wise not to drawn into unnecessary battles, and the Great Eagles supported them magnificently. With a little more luck, there was a chance that by sheer heroism of the High Elves, the Dark Elves could have actually lost the battle. The opposing armies that fought in The Battle of Shadows are described here. Alatar 12 Shadow Warriors 6 Shadow Warriors 6 Shadow Warriors 6 Shadow Warriors 10 Archers 6 Ellyrian Reavers The Dark Elves used 250 points of reinforcements in this battle. Caldath Mandrak, Dark Elf Assassin Asurun, Dark Elf Assassin 10 Dark Elf Shades 10 Dark Elf Shades 10 Dark Elf Warriors 16 Witch Elves 16 Harpies The legend of the defence of Eagle Pass has survived, because one of the defenders, Tiacan of Cothique, lived through that terrible battle. He was knocked unconscious and buried under a mound of bodies. The Dark Elves, in their haste, failed to behead all of the corpses (as is their way after battle) but marched immediately against Calaidan. Thus the heroic deeds of Imrallion and his men live on in the memories of their kinsmen. Under the steady eyes of Imrallion, the High Elves formed a classic battle line with alternating units of Archers and Spearmen. When the Dark Elves surged into the narrow pass, the High Elves showered them with steel-edged death, and concentrating their fire on the lightly armoured Witch Elves, they managed to cause significant casualties. But the Dark Elf host was too numerous to be stopped by archery alone. The Dark Elves pressed onwards, without pausing to fire any of their own barbed bolts in response. Imrallion stood at the first rank of his fellow warriors who had served under him in the Lothern Sea Guard. Their ranks of spears deterred the first Dark Elf attack but then his regiment was engaged by the Witch Elves. A desperate and merciless battle raged as Malida personally challenged Imrallion to single combat. Around them the maniac Witch Elves fought against the disciplined ranks of the Sea Guard. Even though many Witch Elves died, the pressure of numbers soon turned the battle against the valiant High Elves. On Imrallion's left and right, the Dark Elves pressed their attack home. Many High Elves died, but not before dozens of Dark Elves had joined them. Inevitably, the Dark Elves began to gain the upper hand. Finally only Imrallion stood against the might of the dark spawn. With a cry of desperation, he struck Malida and the evil Hag Queen, intoxicated by the battle, gave no thought for defence, and suddenly found herself on her knees, blood pouring from a mortal wound. Imrallion turned to face thc rest of the Witch Elves, and four more died before he was finally struck from behind,. Thus the battle ended, for no other High Elves opposed thc Naggarothi anymore. It was a wise decision to send the maximum number of reinforcements to this battle, for the narrow pass prevented the Dark Elves from using their superior numbers to the full. The Witch Elves might be some of the most potent fighters of the known world, but they lacked the armour to stop the High Elf spears and arrows and died in droves. Imrallion's will and determination kept the defence going even when it was evident that all was lost. This battle would be remembered in the songs of the High Elf minstrels for a long time to come. The defenders might all be dead, but they would live forever in the memories of their kinsmen. Note that the High Elves used 500 points of reinforcements in this battle. Imrallion
19 Lothern Sea Guard 20 Spearmen 16 Spearmen 10 Archers 10 Archers 2 Repeater bolt throwers Malida Witch Elf Harridan 23 Witch Elves 10 Dark Elf Warriors 10 Dark Elf Warriors 10 Cold One Knights 6 Dark Riders 1 Cauldron of Blood Because of the dogged resistance of the defenders of Eagle Pass the High Elf army was fully prepared by the time the black-clad host of Karond Kar surged into the plains surrounding the High Elf mansion. The High Elves had formed a long battle line with the Sword Masters and White Lions in the centre, supported by archers and cavalry on the extreme flanks. The Dark Elves had split into a concentrated force poised to shatter the core of any High Elf resistance. The massed High Elf archers sent volley after volley of arrows raining down on the Dark Elves, but the evil ones suffered only light casualties. Harpies swept down from above and tore into the bolt thrower batteries. The Sword Masters of Hoeth advanced to meet the threat of the Witch Elves, but in the ensuing battle the Brides of Khaine proved to be the superior troops overwhelming the disciples of the White Tower and cutting them down to the last Elf. The High Elf cavalry tried a bold outflanking manoeuvre, but were caught by the Dark Elf Cold Ones and driven off in short order. The Black Ark Corsairs reached the High Elf battleline and soon had slain almost all of the High Elf archers. The White Lions fought valiantly against the Black Guard, but their flanks were soon threatened by the Witch Elves. Calaidan could see his army crumbling all around him. His archers were dead, the repeater bolt throwers destroyed and his cavalry were fleeing. It would be a matter of moments before his centre would break and the Dark Elves could claim indisputable victory. In his desperation, Calaidan strode straight towards the centre of enemy lines, and challenged his traitorous brother to single combat. Smiling cruelly Kaldor accepted. This was the moment he'd been waiting for. The two brothers struggled for an hour, but Kaldor was overconfident and despised his brother as a weakling. Feigning that he was growing tired, Calaidan let his defenses down, Kaldor attacked sword held high and died by the deadly riposte of his brother's sword. Calaidan raised both swords above his head as a sign of victory. Seeing that their leader was dead, a cry rose from the Dark Elf ranks. "All is lost!". A wave of panic ran through the Dark Elf army and many regiments turned to flee. Calaidan cut a swathe through the Dark Elves that dared to resist him, and with his terrible twin swords there was no defence against such fury, The Dark Elves retreated before the invincible warrior the best they could, and fled back to Eagle Pass. Having lost their will to fight they regrouped and headed back to the shore. Hounded by the Shadow Warriors, only a very small group of Dark Elves managed to return to the Harbinger of Pain and set sail back to Naggaroth. The survivors knew that this was only a temporary respite, for now they would have to face the wrath of Malekith, the Witch King. They trembled with fear, for the ruler of the Land of Chill was not known for the virtues of compassion and mercy. Meanwhile Calaidan built a great funeral pyre for his brother, and his weary and wounded men gathered around him. It was a sad sight: more than three quarters of the brave warriors of House Coraith had perished, and their bodies now littered the battlefield all around them. For many years to come House Coraith was too weak to consolidate its hold on the Shadowlands. But for now, victory was theirs. It would be a long time before the sails of the Dark Elf Black Arks would be sighted again on the coast of the Shadowlands. Years later the Elven minstrels of Lothern wrote the Lay of Calaidan, also known as the War of Brothers, where the deeds of these dark days were recorded. In the song it is said that Isha wept new tears for the slaughter of her children and marring of her land, and these tears were made into new jewels that would be the beginning of many new legends. The Dark Elves came to battle equipped mainly for close combat, while the High Elves were prepared to fight a missile duel. Unfortunately for the High Elves, their bows had little effect on the dark spawn of Naggaroth, and soon the High Elves were engaged in a series of hopeless melees across the battlefield. The individually superior battle skills of the Dark Elves soon started to tell and the whole High Elf army teetered on the brink of destruction. It is a good lesson for aspiring generals not to rely too heavily on missile troops. The Dark Elf Harpies and Scouts soon silenced the dreaded Repeater Bolt Throwers, and once the Dark Elf regiments got stuck in there was little the lightly armoured Archers could do. In the end it was the personal valor and prowess of Calaidan that saved the day which would have otherwise ended in a catastrophic defeat. The battle between Kaldor and Calaidan was truly legendary, and it shall be remembered in the songs of the Elven minstrels. It also shows that no matter how desperate the situation, there is always a chance of victory! Calaidan Alatar 6 Ellyrian Reavers 5 Silver Helms 20 Spearmen 10 Shadow Warriors 20 Archers 20 Archers 10 Archers 15 Sword Masters of Hoeth 20 White Lions of Chrace 2 Repeater Bolt Throwers Kaldor Witch Elf Harridan Caldath Dark Elf Assassin 22 Witch Elves 22 Black Ark Corsairs 6 Cold One Knights 10 Dark Elf Scouts 10 Executioners 6 Dark Riders 16 Harpies 20 Black Guard of Naggaroth 2 Reaper Bolt Throwers |
