Further Adventures in The Scarlands - part 5, Brackenthorn Tower

The noises of living creatures filled the shade beneath the trees. Narrow beams of sunlight slanted diagonally through the leafy canopy. Krashhart and Battendown stood at the tree-line and looked into the gloom between the trees.

"I've heard stories about this place." said Battendown.

"I know lad, me and all." said Krashhart, with a grin. "There's going to be a boatload of fighting in there over the next few weeks. You mark my words."

The other Swordfyshes heard this and chuckled among themselves. They started telling each other of the things they were going to find in there, the fights they were going to win. In the telling, each boast became more extreme than the last...

Dramatis Personae

The Swordfyshes

• Lord Krashhart - Warchanter Explorer
• Kaptain Battendown - Ardboy with a cloak and a squig-parrot
• Sinka - Brute with red bandana
• Hook - Brute with a hook hand
• Flotsum - Brute with blue bandana
• Mr Flea - Ardboy Drummer
• Dakmeff - Ardboy with a barrel on his back
• Barnacle Nog - Ardboy with a bag of bones
• Mainstay - Ardboy with red shoulder-plate and bandana

~ ⦽ ~

Brackenthorn Tower. A moss-covered stone tower on the edge of the forest, overrun with small spined beasts. Horrible hungry things with more teeth and claws and spikes than anything really had a right to have. Someone said they were called Bearakeets, and for once, no one thought to argue with them.

When two bands of explorers appeared, on either side of the rocky hill the tower stood on, the bearakeets growled territorially at both groups..

Dakmeff, Barnacle Nog and Hook all got bitten by the vile beasts, when they came too near two piles of potential loot. The boxes were all empty though, save for the horrible biting creatures.

A Gnoblar from the Ironforged Ogors opened a third chest also only found an angry bearakeet.

But Cargo the Maneater surged up the hill and found a chest full of loot: glowing green stones. The last of the bearakeets fled from the tower, startled by the massive Manester's booming laughter.

So far, the Ironforged were getting the better of the Swordfyshes again!

Then the main force of both crews arrived - Mainstay, Battendown and Sinka from the south-west.

Krashhart, Flotsum and Mr Flee from the north.

Another Ogor Maneater from the north-east.

And Scargat the Tyrant from the south.

Mainstay cautiously opened a chest, he was relieved to find it full of loot! He wisely kept himself well clear of the fighting from then on.

Krashhart distracted Cargo with a "Look at that!" trick, that really should not have worked, and grabbed the glowing green rocks from under his nose!

After pushing a squealing Gnoblar to the ground, Mr Flea leapt up the rocks to try and make sure Cargo couldn't follow Krashhart.

But Cargo punched him out cold without even breaking a sweat, with a single meaty fist.

Dakmeff leapt into Flea's place, as the other maneater arrived and smashed into Krashhart.

Battendown and Sinka weighed-up their options. Two Gnoblars hurled insults at them - but it was clear the little gits were setting up traps. The orruks didn't take the bait.

Skargat scaled the tower and grabbed the loot out of the last chest: a bunch of scrolls tied to a skull. He wasn't going to muck about with carrying stuff though - that was Gnoblar work. To the Swordfyshes' shock and disbelief he just lobbed the scrolls behind him, over the wall!

Cargo dropped down behind Krashhart and smacked the Warchanter on the head. He went down like a sack of potatoes.

The rest of the Swordfyshes were furious and piled-onto Cargo. The hacked and stabbed and punched and headbutted. The flamboyant ogor fell eventually. But their focused rage allowed the other Manester to escape. Skargat jumped down from the tower, he landed with a bone-crunching crash but the only thing that broke were the paving slabs beneath his feet.

Skargat wasn't as careless as it looked from the pirate's point of view though: There was a Gnoblar waiting at the foot of the tower on the far side. The little tyke grabbed the scrolls and scarpered

Then the Maneater dropped the green rocks behind him too - another Gnoblar nabbed them and legged it!

Kaptain Battendown could see which way the wind was blowing. The Gnoblars were too fast, and too far away, for the pirates to be able to do anything about them. So he let the ogors have the two treasures in their clutches. The Swordfyshes had to console themselves that they got a pile of coins at least. He called back the others who were about to give chase and told them to pick up the unconscious Krashhart.

Maybe this tower would make a good camp site, ahead of Krashhart's planned expedition into the Prowling Forest?

~ ⦽ ~

Deployment: Fog of War (1st Edition Battleplan cards)

Victory: Savage Treasure (WD473, Thondia rules)

Twist: Planned to Perfection: Tribal Spirits (WD473, Thondia rules)

This was probably our last Open Play game before we start the new Narrative Play campaign properly. Viktor and I both have the new rulebook and Battleplan cards now, so we will each be picking our first Quests for our warbands and Heroic Traits for our leaders.

The updated campaign system looks really good, so we will be playing it (almost!) straight out of the book, with just a slight change of location for our story. Instead of the Gnarlwood in Thondia our games will continue our post-Animosity IV narrative in the Prowling Forest, in the eastern Scarlands.

Dark Skies Over The Harrowmark - part 14, a graveyard corner

(The board is far too cluttered for gaming, but this is just to see how all the trees look together.)

I have had this little corner wall and tree, in a very slowly progressing WIP state, on my desk since January 2021! But because Viktor and I are back exploring forests again, so I was motivated to actually get on and finish it.

I have also started building two more Awakened Wyldwood trees and I have another one still on the sprue that I hope to start soon. They are a bit faffy to build, so I won't be rushing them. I will just add a branch or two each session between working on other projects and leaving the glue to dry at least overnight, if not longer.

Further Adventures in The Scarlands - part 4, Reapers

"So, my good Kaptain. Do we need to find somewhere what is safe to moor the ship, while we is off exploring?" said Krashhart, "If them rumours of what treasures are to be found in there is even half true, we might be in them woods for a while." he continued, with a piratical gleam in his eye.

Battendown nodded and scratched his sideburns, "Aye. We can't just leave an anchor-watch and hope for the best. If we're going to be away for a time, we need to be sure the ship still be where we left her when we gets back." he said.

The two orruks stood on the quarter deck of the Swordfysh, watching the crew loading supplies into the hold. Behind them to the north was the wide grassy plains known as Drakenot's Meadow. Ahead of them, to the south, were rolling hills and snaking valleys covered by vast tracts of woodland: the Prowling Forest, miles and miles of trees that had just started to show the colours of early autumn.

Battendown pointed at an area of scattered trees on a low hill, a mile or so away from the ship; not as densely-wooded as the forest proper, but close enough to still be considered part of it by most.

"Lets have a look there. If it's right-wise we could throw up a quick stockade atop the hill, to make it more defendable like." he said, after a minute or two assessing their surroundings. "There be plenty of timber, and the wind will be strong enough up there for a quick escape, should we have need of one."

"An excellent plan!" said Krashhart enthusiastically. He laughed and slapped Battendown's shoulder.

~ ⦽ ~

Dramatis Personae

The Swordfyshes

• Lord Krashhart - Warchanter Explorer
• Kaptain Battendown - Ardboy with a cloak and a squig-parrot
• Sinka - Brute with red bandana
• Hook - Brute with a hook hand
• Flotsum - Brute with blue bandana
• Mr Flea - Ardboy Drummer
• Dakmeff - Ardboy with a barrel on his back
• Barnacle Nog - Ardboy with a bag of bones
• Mainstay - Ardboy with red shoulder-plate and bandana

Under the scattered trees on the northern reaches of the Prowling Forest, the Swordfyshes' expedition into the dark woods started badly. One of the crew disappeared on the first day, presumed eaten by a wild beast or possibly a tree. Then the Ironforged Ogors sprung their ambush! It seemed like the Ironforged had a grudge against the orruks and were waiting for them...

Krashhart rallied the Swordfyshes around the overgrown Idol of Gork (or possibly Mork), bawling orders, threats and curses at the crew, to encourage them into action. They readied themselves for the inevitable ogor onslaught to come.

Like a tidal wave of sweaty flesh and steel, the Ironforged rolled in on them.

Cargo the Maneater led the charge and smashed into the orruk pirates. Krashhart jumped forward and joined the fight.

The Swordfyshes reinforcements arrived - Flotsum, Dakmeff and Barnacle Nog bounded towards the Idol to help, shouting insults at the ogors as they ran.

The Ironforged were also reinforced: Skargat arrived.

Cargo was brought down by a combined effort, but only after he knocked out Mainstay.

The ogor Maneater that Flotsum and his mates had charged was made of tough stuff; he remained standing even after a vicious assault by the Brute and two Ardboyz.

The Maneater legged-it and had time to get his breath back before Krashhart managed to round-up the crew and send them scuttling after him.

When Sinka attacked the Maneater bit him! The orruk blood that sprayed from the wound invigorated the ogor enough for him to survive another whirlwind of attacks from the other pirate orruks.

Then Skargat the Tyrant bull-charged Sinka and flattened him - without the bite wounds Sinka might have weathered it.

For a moment Krashhart was isolated on the wrong side of the Idol, unable to do much to help his ladz. Then Mr Flee went down.

Krashhart did his best to get back into the action, he dashed toward Flotsum and the ogor Glutton he battled, but it was too late by the time he arrived. The ogors had already won.

The Swordfyshes fled.

"Maybe that ain't... quite the right spot... for the building of... an encampment... after all. We'll look somewhere else." shouted Krashhart as they ran.

~ ⦽ ~

Deployment and Victory: Reaper (free Core rules PDF)

Twist: Hunting Animals (WD473, Thondia rules)

Our second game of Warcry 2nd edition, again using the Battleplans from the free Core book PDF.

We rolled a Twist from the Thondia rules in White Dwarf again - this one gave the player who lost the first priority of the game a bonus move action for every fighter in their warband on the board, but with a Move characteristic of 3 for that bonus action only. Viktor lost the initiative so got the bonus move.

This was a tough game for me! Even though each of Viktor's fighters was worth a lot of Blood Tally points they have so many wounds it was a real struggle to take two of them down in one Round to get the Victory Point. I think two orruk casualties each turn were enough to steal the VP!

After 4 Rounds the total VP score was 4-0 to Viktor. Each of his ogors were fully capable of smacking down a few orruks each every Round as well, so even ganging-up on them didn't help.

Viktor also made very cunning use of the ogor Reaction: If I didn't score a Critical my attacker took 3 damage and his ogor healed 3 damage!

It was still loads of fun though!

Gallowdark, part 1

So, a Kill Team: Into The Dark project is happening. The Gallowdark is such a cool sounding setting, I can't wait to start exploring it!

I'm going to aim to make the tiles with "zero" spending, as I have way too many partial 40k scenery kits in storage, doing nothing. (And I think all my hobby funds are going on Warcry, so this is the only chance I'll make the Space Hulk scenery I have planned (but never started) for years!).

Many half finished scenery projects have been sacrificed to this project.

I've been planning to make modular space hulk scenery for a couple of years. I made most of these sketches during lockdown in 2020. I was originally thinking of using Necromunda floor tiles, but they are so big only 4 of them would be needed for a Kill Team board and that wouldn't give much variation in layout.

The plan was shelved while I waited inspiration and/or a different idea...

But then the new season of Kill Team was announced and with it the idea occurred to me that 12 tiles would work: each at 180mm square, with doors in the centre of one (or more) sides.

So I am kit-bashing Gallowdark tiles around multiples of 60mm squares because the Sector Mechanicus (etc.) scenery is all based on that size. The Sector Mechanicus walkways come in two sizes - 60x60mm and 60x120mm. Nearly everything else is made to multiples of 60mm.

When laid out in 3x4 rectangle twelve 180mm-square tiles are virtually the same size as a 20x30" Kill Team board. 12 squares that can be oriented in any of 4 directions and placed in any location in the 3x4 grid, gives me a hell of a lot of arrangement options!

+++

I started building at the beginning of August (2022). I sorted out my hobby space, so all the boxes of 40k scenery were easily accessible and I could see what my options were.

My first noodling was of layouts for the tiles, on bases made of 5mm thick matt black foamcore card from Hobbycraft. I penciled-on 60mm squares so I could be sure everything will be in the right place, relative to the other tiles. The exits from each tile will be flush to each other. All the space that isn't a wall, a bulkhead or a path will be full of machinery and junk.

Before I glued anything down I tried a few test layouts. I think 3x3 tiles (18cm a side) with between 2 and 4 exits will be the most useful in terms of layout and playability. But I like the 3x5 and 3x2 ones enough to make one or two of each.

Once two of the tiles had the bigger components glued down I started getting a feel for what worked. I tried more test layouts of non-glued tiles

+++

Once I had a few tiles glued I started adding the junk piles in the gutters either side of the walkways.

I found a few of the smaller space, especially on the T-junction tiles, were a bit harder when it came to adding walls, so I cut a few bulkheads in half to make the corners.

The walls aren't all exactly the same height but they are close enough for me.

I made a 3x2 tile that is entirely full of machinery, pipes and storage tanks (made from the larger size pots that supermarket herbs and spices sometimes come in), with a walkway over the top.

At the moment none of the other tiles have a way to access this upper level. But I have an idea for a vertical access tunnel, and maybe some more upper-levels, that I will try to get to later.

I know. Googley eyes!

This is as far as I have got, but I'm still working on it. I have a big pot of texture paste that I'm going to pile up around the walls and junk. I will also make at least three more 3x3 tiles.

I also have a few Necromunda doors, that need to be widened a little to fit the 60mm doorways. I will leave them free-standing though, so the can be "opened" or "shut" during games.

My plan for painting is all about getting the base colours down as quickly as possible, then adding details afterwards (cables, screens, hazard stripes, a few block colours, weathering and grime, etc.).

I'll spray it all black. Zenithal-spray it grey with something like Halfords Grey Primer. Then another zenithal-spray but only in a few smaller areas with Greyseer. Then I've got a big bottle of Acrylic Matt Medium and mixed up some big batches of "Not Nuln Oil" and "Not Agrax Earthshade" (see this video!) and I will blast everything with a fat brush.

More updates soon!