The Battle for Quel Estela
Quel Estela Castle is marked simply as an "Elven Fortress" at the southern-most tip of the Southlands. Yet, it is a significant location as it is the only place where the High Elves maintain a foothold on the continent; as the Fortress of Dawn is on an island across the Quel Estela Strait.
In the mid-19th Century the Lizardmen that long occupied the Southlands were gradually subdued and their lands conquered by the Beastmen of Chaos. At the turn of the century, they sent an army south from the capital of Zlatlan to besiege the Elf defenders at Quel Estela Castle. The problem was that the Beastmen had no naval vessels, so that the Elves were never without supply.
After 6 months of a fruitless siege, the Gods of Chaos ordered the Beastlord Rom to either launch a direct attack, or return to Zlatlan. At dawn in May, 1900 the Beastmen attacked.
The Beastman forces would launch a 2-pronged attack. One would come against the Northwest corner (shown here) and the other against the northern face (to the right) where the Gatehouse stood.
Quel Estela castle stands on a narrow peninsula. Behind the keep is a large field enclosed by a curtain wall that leads to a fortified waterfront. From here, the Elven ships could shuttle back and forth to the Fortress of Dawn. When viewed from this corner, the building on the left is an administrative building with a small (man-sized) reinforced door. Although it is a weak point in the fortress, access into the building will be limited by the size of the doorway. The only landward side of the peninsula is here in the north. The strip of land to the left (west) is where the locals conducted trade and business on public (unsecure) docks.
The High Elves have repeater bolt throwers in the nearest (northwest) tower and the tower to the left of the Gatehouse. A unit of spearmen are posted as sentries around the fortress during the night.
Viewed from the North. The High Elves had successfully held off the Beastman advance, granting them time to raze the woodlands that encroached on the castle walls. The Beast's strategy would be to batter the gate with a Minotaur unit and launch a unit of Gor with scaling ladders against this northern wall.
Viewed from the West. The structures in the foreground mark the dock area for the local traders. The back of the keep can be seen from here, where the back field is separated from the keep by a wall and gate.
This view is taken from the South fortified waterfront. The tents and buildings house the occupying garrison and key civilians who have not been evacuated to the Fortress of Dawn. When the attack comes, the High Elves have about 1/3 of their force on leave at the Fortress of Dawn, including their General, Prince Aurelian.
Under cover of darkness, the Beastmen advance on the citadel. In the foreground is a small unit of Gor carrying ladders toward the north wall. Behind them a Cyclops (Cygor) who will be hurling boulders at the fortress in support. Beyond them a unit of harpies, the Minotaurs and a unit of Bestigor in the distance.
Dawn is breaking. From this view of the Northwest corner can be seen the larger unit of Gor carrying scaling ladders. They are tasked with assaulting the West Wall between the corner tower and the fortified trader's building. They are accompanied by their General, Beastlord Rom, 3 Shamen, a Giant and a Gorgon.
The High Elf garrison holds as many men as the attacking army; odds that would typically favor the defender. However, by attacking at dawn the Beastmen hope to breach the fortress before the garrison can be alerted.
The surprise attack comes with the Harpy unit assaulting the repeater bolt thrower by the gatehouse. The crew are asleep below and a lone sentry fights valiantly to hold them off. The alarm was raised and the sentry eventually defeated. The harpies destroyed the bolt thrower and descended into the tower where they fought the crew and the High Elf Army Battle Standard Bearer who'd come to their aid. This was enough to see the harpies off for the duration of the battle.
The unit of 10 Gor, supported by a Beast Shaman (in "beast mode" with the Bear's Anger spell) made it to the Northern Wall before any aid could reach the sentry.
Never the less, the sentry was able to hold the attackers for one crucial turn before a unit of 15 Swordmasters were able to mount the wall and thwart the attack. This was a tenacious group of Gor and they would return twice to assault the wall again during the course of the battle.
Inside the keep, forces were beginning to gather. The rest of the spear unit that provided the sentries were joined by another large unit of Swordmasters just inside the gate. They would wait here in anticipation of the eventual breach while the unit of Minotaurs, aided by a magical Army Battle Standard, began battering at the gate.
By Turn 4, most of the garrison sleeping in the back field had awaken and were cued up to enter the keep (once the sentries could get the rear gate opened). 20 Archers, 10 spearmen and 2 units of 5 Elnaith Cavalry were led by a Tironoc Chariot.
This view from the Northwest shows the Gor making a second assault on the North wall with the Cyclops close behind. In the foreground, the other Gor herd with supporting units bypasses the corner tower. The Giant has smashed the roof protecting the tower, which collapsed upon the other bolt thrower and rendered it useless for the battle.
Unbeknownst to the Beastmen, a unit of 6 Elnaith heavy cavalry had boarded a vessel when the attack began and navigated around to attack the flank on the Beastman right (from the East). To prevent them from interrupting the Minotaurs in their hammering of the gate, the unit of Bestigor charged in despite being in loose order. They didn't need the rank bonus however, as their great weapons cut through the heavy armored cavalry with ease and sent them fleeing back to their ship.
"Whatever comes through that gate, you are Elves of Ulthuan! You will show no fear!"
The gate collapses and the Minotaurs charge into the court yard. They charge the Swordmasters, leaving their flank exposed to a charge from the Elven Spears. This was enough to send them fleeing back out of the castle.
As the Minotaurs fled, the Gor Bull (Minotaur Hero) held his ground and attacked the Elven Spears. This would prevent them from securing the gate while the Minotaurs rallied.
Elsewhere, Prince Aurelian arrived on his Great Eagle by Turn 6. He was able to assist the Swordmasters on the North Wall to repel the persistent Gor Herd there and ensured that they didn't return for a fourth assault.
The Swordmasters on the Northwest wall repelled the Gor herd there, but the Gorgon kicked in the door of the Trader's Building allowing the Gor, lead by Beastlord Rom, to file in. The encountered another unit of Elven Spears inside the building and in an unlikely turn of events, the Beastlord and his unit fled back out of the castle.
The Beastmen had suffered too many casualties and, while Beastlord Rom was regaining his composure in the woods, he decided to call off the attack and retreat back to Zlatlan. It was an Elven victory despite the suspense of getting their forces deployed on time.
