Further Adventures in The Scarlands - part 16, Blubberfen

While all around them the crew unpacked the ship, stowed their dunnage and argued over the best spots to sleep, Krashhart and Docker Goff discussed a plan to defend the edge of their new territory - the eastern swamps at Blubberfen Bog.

Packing up Brakenthorn Tower had not taken the crew long and sailing the Swordfysh skyship to the new encampment at Badrok Anchorage had been almost like a holiday for the crew. They were in high spirits and had come to think of the timeworn ruins as home very quickly.

The Swordfyshes found the ogors in the swamp, but the pirates were spread-out over too much swamp. They had lost sight of each-other and become disorganised.

Krashhart, Old Mudgob and Lugger spotted Skargat lurking far too close to their new encampment. They had intended to swamp towards the monster as soon as he was sighted and overbear him. But things immediately went awry.

The Tyrant bellowed orders to his crew and they came running without a moment's hesitation. Skargat's previously shaky authority over his followers was clearly now absolute.

Cargo and the Crusher pounced on the pirates, Krashhart turned to face them and the Gristle Grinder glowed with ghostly green flames in his hands.

Old Mudgob took the initiative, seeing the evolving situation for what it was. He ordered Leeway to dash back. The Shaman followed behind, but still kept an eye on how Krashhart was fairing.

And Krashhart seemed to be doing well: he appeared to be about to make short work of the Ogor pirate!

Skargat and the other ogor were on the way though.

Krashhart left Cargo reeling - the Warchanter thought the ogor Maneater was done. He charged at Skargat; worried that the Tyrant and his bulky cronies were surrounding Old Mudgob.

Meanwhile Blackpelt and Hook sighted one-another and closed the gap.

Skargat swung his massive axe with malice and floored Krashhart as he ran.

The Tyrant turned to chase Old Mudgob.

Docker Goff, Yardarm Gark and Kaptain Battendown arrived but found a very different scene to the one they expected.

Old Mudgob skidded to a halt, turned and joined them and together they faced down Skargat as he barrelled toward them. The green energy bolt that Mudgob hastily blasted at the Tyrant just seemed to fizzle out as it hit him. He was barely even scorched.

Docker cursed at the Tyrant, unleashing a stream of insults and taunts that had even less effect than the magic.

The battle was nearing its final phase - the next few moments would decide the result without a doubt.

Lugger spotted a bunch of gnoblars trying to sneak along the western flank and headed right at them.

Kaptain Battendown repositioned himself in an attempt to get even a small advantage, while Skargat smashed Yardarm.

Blackpelt and Hook duelled.

Leeway Ruk hurried to help Hook but the Crusher was right behind him.

Lugger crashed into the gnoblars, injured one and stomped another into the bog. The two survivors squealed and scattered.

Skargat punched Docker Goff out cold and turned on Old Mudgob. The shaman clenched his fists and sparks fizzed and popped from them.

Blackpelt and the Crusher both dealt with their opponents quickly.

Hook went down just moments after Leeway fell.

As Docker lay in the wet mud, coloured lights flashed all around him and he was sure he could hear the thumping beat of distant music...

~ ⦽ ~

Bulkhead Krug and Mr Flea went to poke around the woods surrounding the ruins they now called home. They found a likely spot for treasures in the Stranglegrove Swamps and went fishing. Bulkhead caught a Greater Itxi Grub, which he was very proud of. Mr Flea struggled with a festering gut wound and found himself on the loosing side of a battle with a Gnarloak! Bulkhead pulled him out of the carnivorous tree but also told the rest of the crew about it when they got back to camp.

Mainstay went to explore the ruins of Badrok Anchorage in more detail. But he delved a little too far into the deeps and found a swarm of angry Bloodwasps, each horrible insect was as big as his fist. They noisily chased him out of the basement where they made their nest and he ran screaming from them. He slunk back to his hammock well after dark, having hidden in an empty storehouse that still had a working door.

~ ⦽ ~

Showdown at Blubberfen

Deployment: Hold Out

Victory: Drive Them Back

Twist: Murky Swampland

This was our final game of the year, and the penultimate of this campaign.

As we knew we were drawing near to the end of this story, we wrote our own Campaign Arc for the last three games: "Showdown at Blubberfen" (starting with our previous game - The Ironforged Ogor's second attack on the Swordfyshes' siege-dam). The Arc is based on the structure used in Rot and Ruin, but with new Battleplan cards selected for the Deployment and Victory that fit our story well. We will draw three Twist cards each game and secretly bid Resources to see who gets to choose the one used. Resources can also be spent on buying an extra Wild Dice,

There are two possible Battleplans for each step in the "tree", which we fight depends on the result of the previous game. Each win for the Swordfyshes follows the green arrow, each win for the Ironforged follows the red.

Viktor won the game last week, so this was the middle step of the sequence on his side. Winning this game makes the finale game on Viktor's side at the bottom of the tree.

As we both knew the Deployment and Victory cards we would be using I had a plan for this game. Only two things went wrong with it:

1. It was a bad plan
2. I didn't follow it anyway

I should have banked on Viktor's last Battlegroup being loads of Gnoblars and camped around their deployment point, so I could trap and slaughter them as soon as they arrived. I also should have avoided fighting multiple ogors at once each turn - they are so blasted tough I can only reliably take them down by ganging-up on them at least 2 or 3 to 1.

Dramatis Personae

The Swordfyshes, a crew of pirate Ironjawz

The watch on deck:

• Lord Krashhart - Warchanter Explorer
  3 Renown, Agile Warrior, The Gristle Grinder, Broken Leg (-1 Movement)
• Old Mudgob - Weirdnob Shaman
  2 Renown, Idol of Mork
• Lugger Dag - Orruk Brute with Pair of Brute Choppas (2 swords)
  3 Renown, Aqua Ghyranis, red bandana
• Hook - Orruk Brute with Pair of Brute Choppas (axe and hook hand)
  3 Renown, Greater Itxi Grub
• Yardarm Gark - Orruk Brute with Pair of Brute Choppas (axe and sword)
  2 Renown, Jabberslythe Blood, blue bandana
• Leeway Ruk - Orruk Brute with a Jagged Gore-hacka
  1 Renown, Itxi Grub, Fractured Arm, red bandana
• Kaptain Battendown - Orruk Ardboy with Ardboy Choppas
  3 Renown, red cloak and squig-parrot
• Docker Goff - Ardboy with Big Choppa
  Blight Serpent Venom, black top hat and red shoulder-plate

The watch below:

• Flotsam - Orruk Brute with Pair of Brute Choppas (axe and sword)
  2 Renown, Carnosaur Fang Elixir, blue bandana
• Bulkhead Krug - Orruk Brute with a Jagged Gore-hacka
  Itxi Grub, broad-brimmed hat, beard.
• Mr Flea - Orruk Ardboy with Ardboy Choppas
  Gut Wound, drummer
• Dakmeff - Orruk Ardboy with Ardboy Choppas
  1 Renown, barrel on his back
• Barnacle Nog - Orruk Ardboy with Ardboy Choppas
  3 Renown, bag of bones
• Mainstay - Orruk Ardboy with Ardboy Choppas
  Red shoulder-plate and red bandana

Reputation: 7

Glory: 0

Quest Progress: Explore the Gnarlwood - ongoing

Encampment: Badrok Anchorage (a Timeworn Ruin), Secure

Viktor's version of this tragedy is here.

The Road to Warhammer Fest 2023 - part 2, Themed Warcry Dashboard

Another item on the list checked off!

• Part 1, Themed box for counters, ruler, combat gauges, cards and dice.
• Part 2, Themed Warcry Dashboard
• Part 3, planning the Gnarlwood Encampment mini display board
• Part 4, building the Gnarlwood Encampment Mini display board
• Part 5, The Tangled Depths
• Part 6, The Warhammer Fest Warcry Rumble

I spent a few days trying to plan a Warcry Dashboard. My original idea had been to buy one and decorate it, but the few I've seen that were available commercially (in MDF or Perspex) always seem to be laid-out wrong to my eyes.

The White Dwarf dashboard was okay, but I wanted one extra space each for Doubles, Triples and Quads. I know they won't get used often but it would have annoyed me if I hadn't included them and they turned up in a game!

After several iterations I had I boiled my thoughts down to something I was happy with, so I put a fresh blade in my scalpel and spent 40 minutes measuring and cutting foamboard.

Then another 10 minutes painting text for the labels (that was a bit pointless, as they will be covered by later steps!).

I was satisfied with the layout so I glued the two layers of foamboard together. Then played with some dice...

Each space is a multiple of 17mm, so that a 16mm dice will pop in and out easily without sliding around or being held too tight.

Next stage; giving it some character!

A day or two later I marked out where the spaces would go on some heavy paper (that I had already stained with tea and dried). I wrote in the labels then drew a map around the text.

I carefully cut each space out (one at a time so I didn't mix them up!) and glue-stick'd each one inside the right slot before cutting the next.

Then I realised the broken up map was a bit "noisy", so I painted Agrax Earthshade onto the islands to make them stand out better.

+++

I really enjoyed making this, even if it was a little out of my comfort zone. I rarely measure/cut anything this accurately!

Further Adventures in The Scarlands - part 15, Dambusters II, the Revenge!

Even though they expected a second attempt on their dam the Swordfyshes were somehow not ready for it when it finally came.

The flowing water, that came through the cracks in the dam made by the ogor's last attack, had rejuvenated the flora of the river valley and there had been an explosion of plant growth. Iron-hard vines had sprouted up around every tree and rock.

Flotsum and Lugger Dag rushed to join the defences.

Before anyone else had a chance to do anything Krashhart impetuously pushed past Old Mudgob and charged at Skargat; he leapt off the riverbank.

Time seemed to slow down as the Warchanter sailed through the air with the Gristle Grinder held two-handed above his head, trailing crackling green sparks behind it. He brought it down on Skargat, in what he expected to be a killing blow.

Skargat was not even looking at Krashhart, he was too busy kicking a gnoblar into activity. The wretched creature squealed and landed with a tumble but somehow came up running in the direction of the dam's nearest timber support struts.

The Gristle Grinder glanced off the Tyrant's helmet with a disappointing clang. Time went back to normal speed and Skargat hardly even seemed to register what had happened. His axe-hand moved almost without thought and smashed into Krashhart's legs with a sickening crunch, sweeping him off his feet. He landed on his back hard, and all the wind was knocked out of him.

The Skargat lifted one massive foot and loomed over Krashhart.

The foot came down hard with the Tyrant's full weight, and his not-inconsiderable muscle-power, behind it. Krashhart's world went dark.

Flotsum and Lugger ran toward the boss as fast as they could. But it was already too late.

Braggoth Blackpelt clambered up the bank and came face-to-face with Old Mudgob, but he wasn't there to fight - he was there to allow the gnoblar sappers time to do their job. The miserable hog-worms had clearly been given very specific instructions this time. There was no running about at random screeching contradictory instructions at each other. Old Mudgob watched in horror.

Each of the gnoblars seemed to know exactly where they should go and exactly what they should do there.

They even managed to coordinate the moment they lit the fuses that were jammed into the heavy bags of hard-compacted blackpowder.

Almost simultaneously the rolling, overlapping explosions of the oversized blasting charges detonating split the stones of the dam in three critical spots and the massive quantity of water it had been holding back burst forth and crashed down the valley.

~ ⦽ ~

Meanwhile Dakmeff was off on his own, exploring the forests and looking for interesting places and things.

He had used his kutlass to hack his way through thick undergrowth for several hours heading south, or as near to south as he could tell. He had been bitten more times than he could count by large buzzing insects, his boots were soaked through from crossing several small streams and he had run out of grog. All in all he was in a pretty foul mood.

But all his griping was scattered to the four winds when he stumbled upon a high stone wall, covered in knotted creepers. He worked his way along the structure slowly, following it and trying to find an opening. Eventually he found a broken archway, half hidden by overgrown plants.

He pushed his way through into the area enclosed by the wall and found the crumbling remains of an ancient citadel. None of the buildings were intact, in fact most were nothing more than piles of stones. But there were many that remained half-standing. It was clear that, long ago, this had been a very impressive stronghold: There were the remains of once-strong defensive walls and towers, houses and halls, barracks and stables, storerooms, a blacksmith's, a wide courtyard and much more.

He knew that he had to get back to Brackenthorn Tower and tell the others about this place!

~ ⦽ ~

Deployment: Burst The Dam again (Warcry Core Book P.134)

Victory: Burst The Dam

Twist: Thick Foliage

This was a very short game - it was all over at the end of Round One! Three of my fighters never even made it to the battle, as they were to be deployed in Round Two.

Viktor learned his lessons from the last attempt on the dam very well and built his warband and planned his deployment and moves with a solid strategy in mind. I definitely did not do any of those things!

But the good news - Dakmeff was sent forth exploring the woods and found a Timeworn Ruin, he named it Badrok Anchorage. The Swordfyshes will move their Encampment there (it gives them +2 Reputation and allows a 1100 point warband size!), at the cost of ALL their Glory points.

Leeway Ruk's Fractured Arm recovered but poor Mr Flea's Gut Wound is still bad. I swapped the Carnosaur Fang Elixir from Docker to Flotsam, and the Blight Serpent Venom from Hook to Docker (since I realised more Crits doesn't help a Big Choppa as much as more Strength will!)

Dramatis Personae

The Swordfyshes, a crew of pirate Ironjawz

• Lord Krashhart - Warchanter Explorer
  3 Renown, Agile Warrior, The Gristle Grinder, Broken Leg (-1 Movement)
• Old Mudgob - Weirdnob Shaman
  1 Renown, Idol of Mork
• Lugger Dag - Orruk Brute with Pair of Brute Choppas (2 swords)
  3 Renown, Aqua Ghyranis, red bandana
• Hook - Orruk Brute with Pair of Brute Choppas (axe and hook hand)
  3 Renown
• Flotsam - Orruk Brute with Pair of Brute Choppas (axe and sword)
  2 Renown, Carnosaur Fang Elixir, blue bandana
• Yardarm Gark - Orruk Brute with Pair of Brute Choppas (axe and sword)
  2 Renown, Jabberslythe Blood, blue bandana
• Leeway Ruk - Orruk Brute with a Jagged Gore-hacka
  1 Renown, Itxi Grub, Fractured Arm, red bandana
• Bulkhead Krug - Orruk Brute with a Jagged Gore-hacka
  Itxi Grub, broad-brimmed hat, beard.
• Kaptain Battendown - Orruk Ardboy with Ardboy Choppas
  3 Renown, red cloak and squig-parrot
• Mr Flea - Orruk Ardboy with Ardboy Choppas
  Gut Wound, drummer
• Dakmeff - Orruk Ardboy with Ardboy Choppas
  1 Renown, barrel on his back
• Barnacle Nog - Orruk Ardboy with Ardboy Choppas
  3 Renown, bag of bones
• Mainstay - Orruk Ardboy with Ardboy Choppas
  Red shoulder-plate and red bandana
• Docker Goff - Ardboy with Big Choppa
  Blight Serpent Venom, black top hat and red shoulder-plate

Reputation: 7

Glory: 0

Quest Progress: Explore the Gnarlwood - ongoing

New Encampment: Badrok Anchorage (a Timeworn Ruin)

Viktor's version of this episode is here.

The Road to Warhammer Fest 2023 - part 1, Warcry Gaming Accessories Box

I have been using an old pine jewellery box to transport my Warcry gaming accessories for a few months now - it came with me to Warhammer World in August for the Animosity UK Meet-up for example. It's small enough to be easy to carry but still big enough to hold a bag of dice, Battleplan cards, a folding ruler, combat gauges, a pen, and a set of Warcry tokens.

Last month I got day-pass for Warhammer Fest 2023 and an add-on ticket for the Sunday Warcry Rumble tournament.

As my warband is already painted my thoughts have turned to the other things I will be taking with me: I'm planning on making a mini display board for them (maybe using an A4 cork pin-board, maybe using a GW 160mm round base - not sure yet). So by the time I go to Warhammer Fest I want to have these ready to take with me:

• Part 1, Themed box for counters, ruler, combat gauges, cards and dice.
• Part 2, Themed Warcry Dashboard
• Part 3, planning the Gnarlwood Encampment mini display board
• Part 4, building the Gnarlwood Encampment Mini display board
• Part 5, The Tangled Depths
• Part 6, The Warhammer Fest Warcry Rumble

With this in mind I started thinking about this box. The plain aged-pine finish was okay but I thought it could easily be a lot more characterful and thematic.

So first I darkened the wood with a water-based "oak" wood stain and then, when that was dry, started drawing pirate orruk designs over it, with a 1mm waterproof pigment ink pen.

I did a lot of google image searches first for ideas, but I had a vague idea of how I wanted the finished box to look when I started; something mixing nautical scrimshaw designs, hand-drawn maps, recognisably nautical and/or pirate style symbols and calligraphy (skull and crossbones, a compass rose, anchors, crossed swords, curled/spiralled lines, etc.), and conventional Warhammer orruk/orc/ork symbols and glyphs (orruk skulls, weapons, checks, dags and flames). I also thought a few Dreadfleet map styled illustrations of monstrous fish thrown in wouldn't hurt.

The above is the front of the box - I think it and the top are my favourite faces.

I am pleased with the orruk glyph of the ur-whale I drew for Animosity II (or "Squidmuncha") on the back though. (I still thinks it's absolutely wild that someone liked my orruky fish-drawing so much they had a real tattoo of it done on their arm!!)

This is got a bit abstract! It's kind-of channelling weather maps and there might be a version of Azyrite script in there.

Maybe its a orruk shaman-navigator's way of mapping Realmgate travel?

This is my least favourite side. I messed it up a bit (where the anchor overlaps the crossed bones) and never really managed to get it to come together. I wish I'd done more maps instead of the skeleton, anchor and tentacles. I don't hate it though.

As I mentioned - I'm very happy with the top - I think I found a nice blend of orruky and piratey symbols. The overlapping circles are a motif I have used since WFB Storm of Magic as a way of drawing "magical diagrams".

Inside...

The bag came with some handmade soap my wife bought. I called dibs on it as soon as I saw it! (then drew a orruk skull on it with a marker pen).

It just about holds about thirty 16mm dice, but with just the 18 dice needed for Warcry it is very roomy, but doesn't feel too big.

These are the 3 sets of 6 dice I currently plan to use for the Warhammer Fest Warcry Rumble tournament (although they were all from dice sets sold for Kill Team).

• The orange skull and crossbones dice (Phobos Strike Team dice!) are my Initiative Dice.
• The slightly smaller black and orange ones (14mm Kill Team "Organised Play" dice from the last edition) are my Wild Dice.
• The Ork set with the horned-skull are my Battle Dice.

Update: I have since replaced the 14mm Kill Team "Organised Play" dice with 16mm green WH40K Ork dice to use as Wild Dice. They should be a bit easier for my opponent to distinguish from the others!

The small card boxes inside each have a simple orruky skull and crossbones drawn/painted on top - the black box on the left was from a watch and the one on the right was from a craft shop.

Inside the card boxes are the Battleplan Cards and tokens from Heart of Ghur. In the gap behind them are 2 metal combat gauges, a wooden 2-foot folding ruler and a nice pen.

I don't know why exactly, but having "off the board" accessories that fit the theme of the warband / army really makes me happy. This obviously started with themed dice (and I have a LOT of dice...) but it has extended to almost everything else that I take to a game now!