Getting a belly full - halflings vs ogres with Fantastic Battles

This week saw a much-needed rematch between my halfling militia from the shires and Roger's ogres from the northern tundra. Just a straight up battle between two 1,000 point armies, both hankering for a second serve of pie... The halflings were the defender, but the ogres used night march, so the armies deployed closer together than normal.

Roger placed yetis and other fast beasties on either flank, tough ogre melee units inside that, and a unit of cannon-toting ogres in the centre, supported by a warlord riding a monstrous fantastic beast and an array of characters including two magic-users, each with level three blink.

My halfling centre was composed of an elite hearthguard of spearmen (still militia), and units of kitchen militia and militia archers. The woods and rough ground were held by treefolk auxiliaries, while the mounted wing of poultry riders and cavalry (almost a pun) sat on the far left flank. A cockatrice and small indirect artillery battery provided support from behind the centre where the magic-user (with level three bless) and the warlord were hoping to be able to hold the force together.

Rolling for mishaps, the ogres suffered moderately with two units struck down with disease. The halflings proved stereotypically stolid, with only a single unit suffering a poor roll - the skirmishing poultry riders were overly enthusiastic and deployed forward of where they were supposed to be.

As the battle opened, the halfling artillery started taking shots at the ogre cannoneers who advanced and then were blinked forwards, closing the gap further.  The halflings attempted an echeloned advance to the left, with the right wing anchored in the woods. Unfortunately, the ravening ogre allies on Roger's right also advanced and then were blinked into combat, catching my skirmishing poultry riders in the open and giving them a savaging.

In the following turn, the poultry riders broke off from combat, filing through the cavalry behind them, and withdrawing to the rear. The ogre cannoneers unleashed a belching cloud of smoke as they fired on the halfling archers, causing minimal damage despite their powerful missile weapons. In return, the halfling archers and artillery caused havoc, followed up by a charge of tiny hearthguards and the kitchen militia. This proved too much for the ogres who broke and fled leaving a large smelly hole in the ogre centre.

Sadly, that proved to be the apogee of halfling success for the encounter. The halfling hearthguard and cockatrice subsequently charged the ogre warlord who was blinked to safety, leaving them looking pretty foolish. Elsewhere, the lines clashed and the slaughter began.

With every halfling having the militia racial trope, it becomes a war of attrition and the halflings need to keep up their resolve for as long as possible. Frustratingly, the ogre melee troops were hitting harder than the halfling leadership could rally or bless. 

Starting on the halfling left, one-by-one, units scattered before the ogres. The ogre warlord and his mount had suffered greatly in the melee and, with some well placed artillery fire was held on the table only by the strength of will of the commander himself. While he survived, he was able to calm his mount's distress and held his own line together.

The halfling hearthguard were now out of command and unable, or unwilling, to take the initiative for themselves. Meanwhile, the cockatrice attempted to eat one of the blinking ogre magic-users, only to blinking get blinked away. 

NB to Roger - we forgot that in receiving a charge, the magic-user actually activated and could not therefore have cast blink later in the turn. Not that it would have changed the outcome...

After a mere 45 minutes or so, the ogres scattered the halfling artillery and second unit of treefolk, bringing the halfies' losses beyond what they could stomach and scattering what remained of their army. 

Final breakpoints: ogres 3/7 verse halflings 13/11. A convincing win for Roger and his hungry ogres.