On Campaign with Caruthers once more ...

December 29th:

" 'Join the army, travel to strange and wondrous lands, meet mysterious people .. and kill them.' You can be damned sure about that eh wot? Because that's exactly what a chap intends to do to welcome in the new year."

An entry from Major General Caruthers' diary for December 30th, as he set out on more wondrous adventures conquering new lands and killing new people.

Past distant copses and over low lying ridges a ghastly horde of eight legged horrors scuttled forward to meet Caruthers' invaders.

Caruthers marched forward, his forces arrayed for battle:

1 x Bayonet wielding blade General (Caruthers himself)
2 x Bayonet wielding blade
2 x Shooters
1 x Airboat
1 x Gardner gun artillery
1 x Steam robot behemoth
2 x 17th lancers knights
1 x 14th yeomanry riders

The Spider host similarly advanced:

1 x Spider hero general
1 x Giant spider behemoth
10 x spider horde
2 x spider lurker
1 x Spiderman God

Caruthers decided to advance on his right with his mounted troops, supported by their airboat.

Caruthers positioned himself in the centre.

The spider general and his behemoth advanced with their host.

The stronghold must be protected from the invaders.

The 17th Lancers charged in and disposed of the first of the hordes.

And lo and behold .. the arachnid incantations were rewarded with the intervention of the Gods themselves.

In the face of divine intervention, the Imperial cavalry fell back on the support of their air arm.

Spiderman flew contemptuously over their heads and landed right behind them.

The mounted advanced once more. It was clear that they would need to defeat the rest of the spider host before the Gods could cause too much damage. The first charge of the lancers was pushed back by a solitary spider horde.. eh???? That won't go into Caruthers' official despatch, that's for sure!!

Spiderman flew into the rear of the Imperial army ready to attack, so many juicy 'rears' .. to choose from. Meanwhile the British left flank was threatened. A unit of shooters advanced into bad going, was surprised by a spider lurker, and pushed back.

In his haste, Caruthers threw his forces at the central battle line with the largest spider elements, general against general, and behemoth against behemoth .... the hero attempted to fall back but was caught beneath the murderous attack of the airboat in his rear.

Their leader gone, the spider horde dispersed.

Onwards.....