Having landed in the Brettonian marches with a handful of riders from his tribe, Surtha Lenk, warrior of Slaanesh, champion of Tzeentch and sworn enemy of Sigvald the Magnificent, advanced across the marches and the mountains into the pleasant land of Brettonia. As he moved beastmen gathered around him and aided him as he overwhelmed small Brettonian outposts and garrissons. Reports reached the lords of Brettonia, but they could only speculate about why he had come, while every attempt to catch or stop him was foiled as his followers melted away into the forests and mountains. Finally they slipped into the great forest of Arden and dissapeared altogether.
Perhaps Lenk sought a grail relic, something of power which he could use against Sigvald, but what this object might be, or even if there was any object, was not known even by the men who followed him.
Forces
Bretonnian Knight's of Gisoreux
Earl Richard and household knights....mounted men at arms
Knight's of the realm....mounted men at arms
Richard's brother Raymond and Questing knights....dismounted men at arms
Earls men at arms....foot sarjeants
Town levy....bidowers
The Chaos Horde of Surtha Lenk
Surtha Lenk and centigors....mounted sarjeants
Centigors....mounted sarjeants
Marauder horsemen....mounted sarjeants
Centigors....mounted yeomen
Marauder horsemen....mounted yeomen
Gor herd...fierce foot
On the out-skirts of the huge forest of Arden, a lone watch man hurridly lit the beacon on top of the small watch-tower he was charged with defending, as a huge horde of beastmen began to emerge from the forest in the early morning mist. The knights of Gisoreux, had seen the beacon and were riding out to bring to battle the chaos hordes on the plains of Gisoreux, and if possible kill their leader and stamp out his attacks once and for all.
The beastmen hugely outnumbered the bretonnian knights, although Surtha Lenk had great trouble getting his disordered force to move out of the woods. The bretonnians quickly sent men to either flank and the centre.
The beastmen at last managed to begin their advance. The peasant bowmen, who had taken up position in the watch tower, started to send hails of arrows at the horsemen to keep them at bay, killing one of the riders.
Then with sudden swiftness the bestmen launched their attack.
A group of centigors charged at the band of questing knights, catching them off guard, they cornered, and killed two of the knights, before they had one of their own troop killed.
The questing knights, badly disordered, retired before the centigors who they had so badly underestimated. In the centre the men at arms formed a wall of shields and bills and held strong, hoping that the knights behind them would attack soon.
It was then that the beastmen felt the awe striking charge of the Bretonnian knights. Earl Richard seeing the Gors rushing up the the flank of the shield wall, turned to his knights and crying "For Bretonnia and the Lady!", couched his lance and charged. The rest of the Questing knights followed suit.
Earl Richard's household knights cut down four of the screaming Gors making them rush back not even killing one of the knights. The Questing knights of the other hand, though they had brought the centigors down to half their number, again lost two men and had to fall back.
The bowmen that had held back two troops of horsemen fell back from the tower under a hail of javelins from the enemy. The men at arms in the centre were under pressure, and an attack seemed immanent. But the knights of the realm behind them refused to see any further then their lances, and made no move to aid them.
Earl Richard continued his charge with full impetuousness, and slew all but four of the Gors, who ran before their knightly valour!
Then Surtha lenk called his men to him, and in a warrior's fashion he went to kill the bretonnian lord himself. Charging into the Earl, but never one to sit and wait for the fight to come, to him, Richard counter charged!
But alas the centigors, lacking chivalry and any honour, charged them in the rear! Well what can you expect from beastmen!
Although out numbered and fighting from all sides the knight's charge knew no bounds and not only did they defend themselves adequately, but so ferocious were they that they sent Surtha's best running to the woods!
The Questing knights continued the fight with the centigors. Meanwhile The Earl pushed forward into the retiring Surtha lenk.
Killing all but the leader himself.
The knights, having over run their charge, were hit in the rear by the nigh unstoppable centigors.
All but the wounded Earl were killed, but having charged though five combats, they had done well.
The Earl and Surtha Lenk now stood looking at each other near the edge of the forest. No word passed between them they charged at each other! Crashing together in a furious battle, the mounted knight forsaking his lance in favour of his two handed mace, and the huge axe welding chaos leader. Surtha was beaten off by the Earl, who almost unconscious with blood loss was ridden into the forest by his horse.
The three troops of chaos riders still menaced the left, fearing the ridged wall of pole arms, they thought it better to hurl javelins at them instead.
Then when all seem lost for the Bretonnians, did Raymond, brother of the Earl, lead his only questing knight forward in the charge, calling the men at arms to him as he charged into the centigor troops that had formed up in front of him.
The momentum of their charge was unstoppable, both units were sent flying by the Questing knights and the supporting men at arms.
Seeing the charge of young Raymond now exposed to the flanking chaos horse men, the knights of the realm finally moved up into the battle. The chaos warriors charged with ear splitting war cries at the knights, who counter charged, smashed one troop, killing all but two!
They then continued their charge into the other unit. The warrior commander told his men to evade, but they paused a moment too long in indecision, and where caught by the knights who destroyed them all!
Surtha Lenk then rushed forward towards the Questing knights, the only knight left spurred onto the huge man, his lace was smashed aside and his horse hacked from under him.
But Raymond had thundered up to him, his great sword held above his head, and his battle cry on his lips! With a great sweep of his sword he brought the chaos lord to the ground!
With their leader down, and born from the field by his warriors, the last beastmen fled for their lives pursued by the victorious Bretonnians.
The field was empty, save for the corpses, and one bloodied figure, being born away towards the woods. Surtha Lenk wounded and beaten but still alive left the battle ground...
A Clear Bretonnian Victory!
The forces of chaos had been badly beaten and would now be mercilessly tracked down. All that was left for Lenk was to recooperate while he hid in the forest, before attempting to escape Brettonia and perhaps cause some carnage in their flight...
By M
