The Wretched Alliance of Appomattox
The old General rode slowly into the camp, his shoulders stooped, sad eyes seeming bear all the cares of the world.
As he approached the gathered troops, he could scarcely look into their eyes. The group began to surround the figure and his ghostly white horse. With great reverence, they reached out to touch the noble warbeast.
They were hardly men. They seemed more like the scarecrows of the fields through which they seemed to be endlessly marching, day after day, with a maelstrom always at their heels each step of the way. Those steps made all the more difficult as they were harassed by the strange creatures, skin covered in fur, and savage bucked teeth.
The General could see the gaunt faces of his weary men, eyes sunken, their clothes in tattered rags. Some of them were little more than boys.
"Tell us where to go, Uncle Robert!" shouted some. "Yes, Marse Robert", when do we fight them Yanks again!?" grew the chorus.
At the sound of his men, the exhausted figure rose in the stirrups of his white steed, chest high, eyes glowing but for a fleeting moment with the fire that his army had seen many times before, at Fredericksburg, Chancelorsville, Second Manassas, and a hundred other battles.
He addressed his men for the first time in his quiet, yet reassuring voice. "Men, you would have made as good of citizens as you have soldiers". He stopped, gathered himself, and then continued after a breath, "But once again, I ask you to do the impossible."
The men were puzzled, but would not dare to question their leader. What could he possibly mean?
"You have fought bravely, and you have made your country proud," spoke the General once more. "We have all seen the beasts that lurk in the shadows, the terrors that strike at our cities and farms alike. I am here to tell you that our former countrymen have experienced the same horrors.
"Alone, neither of us can overcome this ravaging horde." Now the old man looked ten years his senior, as he said, "I have gone to meet with General Grant, and the deed has been done. We shall once again join with our cousins and brothers in Blue."
"Never!!" Shouted his host of butternut and grey. "We can whip 'em, and the Damn Yankees too!" The throng grew more vociferous, protesting this development.
The General raised his gloved hand, and in his quiet voice spoke again. "The agreement has been signed, my men. We fight alongside them once again..."
The first game was interesting, with us paired up against a Demon/Ogre army. This is a shot from early in the game
Advance!
JEB Stuart and General Forrest gettin' it done...
Longstreet eyes the Approaching horde:
Fire the Cannons!
Marty takes down the Firebelly..
Watching Yanks die. Otherwise known in military parlance as Acceptable Tactical Losses.
Our second game was... more Demons! And Chaos warriors.
It seemed like we were fighting out west somewhere, like New Mexico!
More Demons arrive. I blame Marty!
Once again, watching more Yankees bit the dust...
Go Get them wagons, JEB!
The Ultimate game of the day was Round Three, with Mr. Domus and Mr. McClure. A real blast, since we could be in character, and they also joined in! Tom was a non-aligned dwarf, so he became the British contingent. I told him that if he did not want to wear brulap underpants for the rest of his life, he had better help me break that Yankee blockade. He obliged by shooting entirely at Marty for the first 2 turns!
Looking for allies...
We smell tea and crumpets in the British camp:
Finally, a campfire to cook our bacon and mash... Bobby Lee uses a big fireball to toast some trees.
The big twigs run away! Then they prove (again) that folks from the same species just can't get along when the forest eats them all...
Once again, it is time to collet some firewood to boil up some earl grey...
Tea Time at last...
Marty and Me...
Once again, I would like to pas along a lot of thanks to Scott Tipsword who ran the event, and Alex as well for all their hard work!!
