Spellbreakers at Realm's Edge - part 8

The Geminids of Kallichore

The Cleavermaws pursued the Shadowflames through Realmgate after Realmgate and eventually found their way to the Ruins of Phos. To Mogrum's frustration the trail went cold in the hot desert sands. They retreated to a makeshift camp around an oasis to drown their sorrows. Mogrum knew they would catch up with the Mistweaver and her band soon but it was not to be this day.

After hearing talk of a pair of Geminids orbiting a stone circle near by, the Kaptain decided they would make the best of it and turn the expedition to profit. 

~ 🕱 ~

The orruk pirates grumbled about the heat, about the dust, about the rationed grog, and about losing the Shadowflames. Sludga and Deadwood did their best to shut them up, while glancing sideways at the Kaptain in case he started sparking again, but it didn't do much good. They just grumbled about being beaten as well.

They all brightened at once when they saw the Geminids of Kallichore though - the opposing forces of the aether in balance: an orb of pure light and a sphere of utter darkness. The Light of Kallichore and the Shadow of Kallichore orbited each other around the monolithic stone circle.

"Ah, yeah," said Double Barrel "a noxious dark mist populated by 'llusions, and a incineratin' light dat bestows mind-destroying troofs." he nodded to himself smugly, "Obviously."

Oiler Tun nodded too but Weatherly Deg added "We have to be more careful of dat Light one here. It's the more dangerous by far, 'cause of the empowerment of da Realm." this annoyed Double Barrel no end.

Deadwood smacked them round the head with a belaying pin and herded them away from the Kaptain.

The Hunters of Gloomfen appeared out of nowhere and got to the Geminids first!

A Khinerai darted forward and used her foci to draw the Geminids away from the pirates.

The Cleavermaws charged!

The Kaptain and a few deck hands took cover in the stone circle as the Hunters drew the even further Geminids away. Arrows clattered and clashed off the stone work around them.

Deadwood and Dogwatch Fug piled into one of the Melusai. Deadwood was cut down almost immediately.

The Deluge Key took its toll on the crew and even pierced the Kaptains sorcerous defences.

A Melusai Blood Sister pounced and hacked down at Mogrum from atop a ruined pillar. Mogrum parried her Heartshard Glaive with his Waaagh! Staff and a grin.

But Mogrum destroyed her utterly: His Waaagh! Staff blasted the Melusai to shreds! Bosun Higgs only just arrived in time to witness it.

~ 🕱 ~

This was "Dangerous Hunt" from White Dwarf (January 2019). The game was technically a draw as no models were killed by the Endless Spell, but we decided that  the Cleavermaws had the moral victory for killing more points than the Hunters of the Gloomfen did, even though they killed a lot more models than the pirates did. Melusai are expensive!

Ferrugo Pass: Tor Megiddo - part 3

Baltaten Actus Pho - The Rustking of Ferrugo Pass

Servos groaned and whined as they moved the heavy door from where it had stood closed for decades. Diagonal beams of sunlight illuminated the orange dust that dry winds swirled through the open doorway.

The sound of distorted vox-chatter, a mix of static, binharic cant and low gothic, accompanied the clatter of metal feet uplon metal gratings. A small group of ParaSkitarii filed out of the doorway and into the daylight for the first time in many years. They scanned the horizon for signs of movement and unusual energy readings. When they were satisfied their leader keyed a rune on his augmetic mask and transmitted a code.

The towering form of the Rustking scuttled out onto the balcony and looked out across the desert from his vantage point, high in the tower that topped the immense Tor, known as The Cauldron. A mobile exploration, drilling and pumping platform the size of a city, that slowly lumbered across the sands of the Ferrugo Pass.

+++

I've had the Belisarius Cawl model in a draw for a long time now. I have gone through a few different vague"plans" for what I would do with the kit but the combination of Ferrugo Pass on the horizon and actually finding his assembly instructions again (I thought I had lost them, or thrown them away by accident!) spurred me on to get moving with this idea.

I have stripped him back a little by leaving off the servo-skulls, the more delicate mechadendrites and several other technological attachments. I trimmed off the large cog-crest from his back and I haven't used the book he normally rests one mechanical foot on (I have other plans for that!), I found a girder from the old Sector Imperialis scenery fitted perfectly in the space left by the book.

I used Cawl's arms on the Datasmith I made for the Grimdark Cards Challenge, but that was okay as I wanted the Rustking to look a little more techno-barbarian anyway. I trimmed the shoulders of two Necromunda Goliath arms, carrying an oversize wrench and an axe, so they would slip inside his armoured upper-shoulders.

There is still a bit of cleaning up to do, and I plan on adding a fair bit of texture paints that will hide some of the joins.

(Edit: For this idea, a debt is owed to Kristian's Scrap Queen.)

The two "ParaSkitarii" are not very original - I've seen a lot of other people do this - they were made from Necromunda Cawdor gangers with Skitarii parts added. 

The first one was just a hand-swap for one holding an Arc Pistol. I swapped the staff-top for part of a leftover Poxwalker weapon, I wanted it to look like a primitive Arc Maul.

The second one was given a skitarii Galvanic Rifle - I cut down the arm at his right shoulder to fit under the Cawdor cowl. I cut off the cowl on his left shoulder to attach the Skitarii arm - I will greenstuff some cowl back to blend it in.

They are fiddly to make but I love how they looks so I'm planning to make a few more soon!

Spellbreakers at Realm's Edge - part 7

Over Forest, Under Stone

Although the Shadowflames and the Cleavermaws travelled back from Thalia to Wortbad via different routes and means, fate would have it that they arrived there at the same time. Both crews were in need of supplies and the downtrodden village was the easiest place to acquire them.

~ 🕱 ~

Kaptain Mogrum rubbed his sore head. The sheer amount of Wild Magic that he had been exposed to over the last few weeks was starting to take its toll on him. His temper was getting worse, he had just managed to not explode any of his crew so far, but they were getting more irritating too.

"The thaumatragic build-up in the Dead Man's Chest is still just over the acceptable levels." said Oiler Tunn, just a few feet behind him.

"That last one was unstable though, we should probably increase the hexagrammatical warding. You know, just in case it causes an aesoteric cascade." said Double Barrel.

Mogrum did his best, but he could only do so much. Green energy crackled across the skin on his arms and hands,

The Shadowflames appeared around the Rose and Scythe Inn (luckily, for the Cleavermaws!) and started to collect up the supplies that Mogrum had amassed over the pass day or two.

Auric Runefather Aef-Grimnir headed straight for the eastern stack of loot and claimed it, he found an interesting trinket amongst the barrels and books.

Mogrum hurriedly searched the western loot pile - a stack of black powder barrels, but they appeared to be empty at first glance.

The Aelves and Duardin didn't seem to notice that the orruk pirates were in the town for a time. They were obviously in need of food and drink and were not their usual cautious selves.

Two Slayers closed in on the central loot pile. While the Mistweaver Saih claimed the northern loot pile, she found bundles of papers that looked interesting, and the food supplies her warband desperately needed.

The Cleavermaws made it clear that the interlopers were not welcome to share.

Dogwatch found some trinkets and a crate of rum bottles in the southern loot pile. Mogrum found a hidden panel in the bottom of a barrel: it only contained bundle of dark red cloth but he took it, as he assumed it was hidden for a reason!

The Cleavermaws charged, Double Barrel killed a Slayer. Laelanyel, the Mistweaver Saih, launched an Illusionary Assault at Snaplock Harald and killed the Ogor Leadbelcher!

Runefather Aef-Grimnir avenged his fallen kin. A thrown axe killed orruk pirate Oiler Tunn.

Mr Sludga charged the Mistweaver but she shrouded herself in shadow and mist, and his kutlass blows all sliced through nothingness! The she struck him down in reply.

Deadwood and Ledger Nud charged in to help but it was too little too late! Bosun Higgs fell and the orruks fled the town.

~ 🕱 ~

This was the Treasure Hunt Battleplan, from White Dwarf (January 2019). Fairly early on in the game we had discovered the treasure in all five objectives(!) and claimed two each, so from then on it was a matter of fighting over the contested central objective. My early successes of killing the regular Slayers gave more more confidence than I should have had in my chances. Once Viktor's "big guns" were brought to bear my orruks got whittled-down fairly rapidly, and all the more quickly when Battleshock set in.

The final tally was 3 objectives for the Shadowflames, 2 for the Cleavermaws.

Viktor's side of this tale is here.

Ferrugo Pass: Tor Megiddo - part 2

The Sentinel

A transport junk-walker, based on 2/3 of a Primaris Redemptor Dreadnought (from Warhammer 40,000 Conquest magazine - I missed the issue with the other 1/3 of the kit!) with a platform added on top and lots of additional junk-armour and stowage. It isn't finished yet - I want to add more junk and stowage, and a lot of weathering texture paint and baking soda.

It will be ridden by the Custodians of the Gate (who guard the entrance to the Ferrugo Pass - ParaSkitarii and armed Servitors).

Ferrugo Pass: Tor Megiddo - part 1

The Ferrugo Pass is a winding path through the arid mountains in the far north of the Rhossum Primus continent of Tor Megiddo. The battles of the Yaike Yaike tribes across the Scorched Plain, before the last Red Wind, caught the attention of the Rustmen who ventured out into on to the Scorched Plain to investigate. No-one remembered a time when so many of the revered Rustmen came down from the mountains in one go. When the battles were ended by the Red Wind the Rustmen walked back to the mountain pass, heedless of the dust storms that can strip the flesh off a human in less than an hour.

Rumours started to grow that the Ferrugo Pass was the domain of half a dozen Tors: Ranged in size from the walking colossi (the smallest!) to some that are the size of cities. Stories began to circulate that most of them were still mobile and at least partially functional

The Yaike Yaike tribes, the Flesh Barons, the Red Church, and many others, all coveted the Tors for the wealth and power that controlling even one such legendary god-machine can bring.

A new cycle of exploration, adventure and War in the Sun begins!

The Factions

• The Yaike Yaike Tribes
• The Flesh Barons
• The Red Church
• The Cult Mechanicus

The Gangs

• Anomaly Protocol
• The Stash Riders
• The Disciples of the Black
• The Purebred
• The Ashtown Wasters

The Tors

• The Cauldron
• The Anvil
• The Monolith
• The Throne

Campaign Outline

• Opening moves
  The rumours of a dozen or more Tors in Ferrugo Pass spread like wildfire through the shanty towns and outposts across the Scorched Plain. Warbands gather supplies and equipment needed for the journey. The scarcity of supplies causes clashes as they all try to get the same gear.
• [Play Disrupt Supply Lines or Recover Intelligence. The player with the highest total Resources chooses. Determine attacker and defender as normal (if needed)]
• The Journey to The Pass
  A race across the desert battling each other and the denizens of the red wastes.
• [Play Feint or Terror Tactics. The player with the highest total Resources chooses. Determine attacker and defender as normal (if needed)]
• The Custodians of the Gate
  The Pass is defended - Rustmen, Skitarii and armed Servitors.
• [Roll for mission as normal. Every Kill Team can add up to 30 points worth of gryns/Bullgryns and/or ADEPTUS MECHANICUS models. They never take Nerve tests and do not count as friendly models but are otherwise under full control of the respective player]
• Entering the Cauldron
  The warbands delve into the darkness inside a Tor.
• [Use the Ultra-close Confines rules. Roll for mission as normal].
• The Heart of the Machine
  The Warbands discover the ancient treasures within, and terrors in the darkness!
• [Use the Ultra-close Confines rules. Roll for mission as normal. Every Kill Team can add up to 3 "counts-as" Genestealers. They never take Nerve tests and do not count as friendly models but are otherwise under full control of the respective player]
• The Flight from the Pass
  The expedition is only a success if you get away with the loot, and your life! 
• [Play Ambush or Take Prisoners. The player with the highest total Resources chooses. Determine attacker and defender as normal (if needed)]
• Conclusion
  Once back in the settlement the warbands might have to fight to defend their ill-gotten gains!
• [Play Assassinate or Sweep and Clear. The player with the highest total Resources chooses. Determine attacker and defender as normal (if needed)]

For this campaign we are planning on using Kill Team rules (instead of the "new" Necromunda rules we used last time we visited Tor Megiddo). We will be playing "Open Play": Our teams will normally be 50 points worth of models, taken from any faction, but they will still count as Battleforged for the purposes of Command Point generation. We will only use the generic Stratagems - none of the faction-specific Stratagems will be available.

The Mushloonz - part 11 - The Knights of Skrag (Addendum)

Loonboss Skragbad chuckled to himself as the orruk Brute strolled into the Dankwood as if he owned the place. He started to shout and order the resident grots and act as if he were the boss, just because he was bigger than everyone else. This was typical of an orruk as they always thought that being the biggest made you the natural boss. Skragbad knew better.

The Knights of Skrag gathered at either end of the dirt track through the shanty town and slowly closed in on the massive shouty orruk. Skragbad stepped out of a side street a few yards away from the Brute and took up to most confident and arrogant pose he could manage.

The orruk turned toward him and grinned a big toothy grin. He hefted his ragged-bladed axe and took a step toward the Loonboss. one of the Knights jumped forward and thrust his stabba into the back of the orruk's thigh. The orruk roared in indignation and swiped at the grot but he scampered out of reach. Skragbad nodded and two gitz with barbed nets pounced and threw their nets over the orruk!

The other Knights swarmed round the tangled Brute and set about him with their spiked clubs. They aimed at his calves and the backs of his thighs and brought him down to his knees. Then they aimed at his hands and face. The orruk bellowed in rage and pain as his broken fingers dropped his axe and tore ineffectually at the nets.

More gitz came out of their hovels carrying sticks and clubs and joined in the vicious beating. Soon the orruk stopped moving and even more grots appeared to take part in the "fun".

- 🍄 -

This addition the little band of stabbas known as The Knights of Skrag feels a little gamey for my usual style (when combined with the Command Ability of the Loonboss) but it's also a nice call-back to the Warhammer 4th edition Night Goblin unit: "Netters and Clubbers", so I don't feel to bad about it. 

Snag

Tangul

Kacha

The netters together:

I posted this photo earlier but I have included it again so you can see how simple this conversion is. The Squig Hopper rider needed a little bit of greenstuff to make the netter hands fit into his robes-sleeves. The other two are normal Moonclan Grots, they needed their heads (carefully) sliced off (and saved for another project!), and the helmeted Boingrot heads needed a trim to fit flush, but obviously their hands fitted with no work.

The Mushloonz - part 10 - The Knights of Skrag

The Knights of Skrag

Whooping and hollering, Loonboss Skragbad's Mushloonz armoured enforcers moved through the clearings and trails of the Dankwood making as much noise and commotion as they could; they were cowards and bullies the lot of 'em and they took great pleasure in ruining the day of everyone they met who was not bigger than them.

They shouted at the squigs in pens, they pushed about the fungus farmers and they knocked over the Brewgit's bottles of beer.

If anyone stood-up to them some of them stood back and taunted them, while the others snuck round behind them to stab them in the back. They knew that if anyone really tried anything their boss would have their back and he would sort them out. Of course if one of the Troggoths said anything to them, they would disappear faster than a Gargant can finish a barrel of beer!

- 🍄 -

Skragbad's little band of bullies and thugs were made from half the riders from a Squig Hoppers kit, with the helmeted heads for the Boingrot Bounders alternative build, that comes in the same kit, instead of hooded heads. Making them work as infantry was mostly just a case of gluing one foot onto the base, but a couple needed something to stand on to make them look right.

Soddit

Itchy

Leggit

Bugrit

Skarpa

- 🍄 -

Fungus Farmer Maggit and Madcap Shaman Wazza, inspecting the crops and rooting out hungry squiggly beasts. (Heads of both also from the wonderful Squig Hoppers kit.)

 I love using an NPC, or two, to add a bit of flavour to a warband's backstory.

(Ugh. Now I have uploaded the photos I realise I didn't paint the tiny coins on Wazza's staff! I'll fix that tonight. )

Today's new Gitz, all together:

Edit: Fixed!

Edit 2: Next up for the Knights of Skrag: some Netters.

One is made from a Squig Hopper rider (with a little greenstuff work needed), the other two from regular Moonclan Grots. All three have Boingrot Bounders heads.