My recent games of HOTT have reminded me that I have an unresolved campaign ongoing. This is my HOTT Literature World Cup, in which eight armies representing four books or sets of books are battling it out.
The first semi-final saw the Narnian series eliminated, with the White Witch losing to the Forces of Light. The other day I played the second semi-final - Cluny's Rat Horde (from Redwall) against Helium (from the Barsoom novels).
Helium defended, and put its aerial navy on the left flank.
Cluny's archers prepared to engage the enemy aerial elements.
Both armies advance.
Helium's navy struck the end of Cluny's line and destroyed an element of archers.
On Cluny's other flank a pair of sneakers attempted to slip past the Heliumitic warriors and reach the enemy stronghold. John Carter eyed them warily.
On the other flank Cluny The Scourge was giving the enemy airboats and flier some special attention. He brought down the enemy fliers.
A view of the battle so far. At the top of the picture you can see one sneaker has been engaged by some blades and the other is trying to get past John Carter. Both generals are far out on heir army's right flank.
One sneaker fled. The other, amazingly, fought John Carter to a draw.
Cluny was no attacking the enemy airships, and had driven one back towards its own main battle line.
The sneaker facing John Carter slipped past him, heading for the stronghold (I used my additional rules that allow a sneakers to break off by moving through an element it's in contact with).
John Carter chased after them and engaged them again.
Meanwhile Cluny and the airboats were in an impasse.
The sneaker lost a combat against John Carter. But this was a bonus, as it fled away from the Warlord and towards Helium's stronghold.
It attacked, but got a draw.
Meanwhile Helium's swordsmen and Cluny's hordes were locked in combat. Some hordes were destroyed.
The sneakers lost their second combat against the stronghold even before John Carter could come up in support. This meant that they fled off the table. Still, it was a bold and potentially battle-winning move.
Cluny destroyed an enemy airboat.
The other airboat fell back, and Cluny's hordes were falling back as well.
Cluny now faced some enemy blades, but drove them back. Cluny and teh sneakers were pretty much doing the work in this battle. At the top right you can see John Carter working his way back to the battle.
The other sneaker slipped past John Carter.
Helium pressed its attack, flanking Cluny's rats.
This time instead of attacking teh sneaker in the rear and propelling it towards the stronghold if it fled, John Carter moved back through the elements and engaged it from the front - totally allowed as any element can move through a sneaker. The sneaker was quickly cut down.
A confused melee in the centre saw Cluny unable to set up any useful kills.
More hordes fell.
John Carter rejoined teh fight and inspired his army. Cluny found himself exposed and overlapped.
And slain.
Losses. Helium won 11g-5. But it was a closer battle than the score shows. The rats nearly took Helium's stronghold, and Cluny was unluck in the early game not to destroy the other airboat which would have left Helium a lot more exposed.
So with that win Helium goes into the final to face The Forces of Light.
(I may even do the playoff for third place between The White Witch of Narnia and Cluny's Horde).
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