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!

Further Adventures in The Scarlands - part 14, Dambusters

Thick coiling fog wound round trees and undergrowth as Mudgob and Battendown went to check the work of the Swordfyshes who had built a crude dam of rock, branches and mud. They were very pleased with the progress: The Ironforged Ogor's encampment in Blubberfen Bog had been almost entirely cut off from its water supply.

The bog had turned from a defendable swampy haven for the Ironforged (and one with only a few winding and almost invisible safe routes of access) into a much more easily navigable target, surrounded by drying and compacted mudflats with a few clumps of stunted and dying trees that could be used to provide cover during an assault.

But the work had not been carried out as secretly as Krashhart had hoped - and they realised the inevitable counter by the ogors was on the way, under the cover of the fog. Battendown raised the alarm and called the crew's fighters to come and defend their siegeworks.

The ogor's whole raiding force appeared at the same moment. They charged from the fogbank: a tidal wave of muscle and iron and rage.

Krashhart and Yardarm Gark were the first reinforcements to arrive.

Yardarm Gark sprinted forward toward the ogors, urged-on by Krashhart's roared commands.

A Glutton leapt at Old Mudgob, who defended himself with weapons both arcane and mundane.

Krashhart continued bellowing, calling more of the pirate crew from their camp.

"On deck! All hands on deck there! Shake a leg you slovenly blaggards!"

Old Mudgob and the Glutton continued to duel as Skargat approached them along the dry riverbed. A gnoblar jammed a small bag of compacted blackpowder in the dam-works and torched the fuse. A large section of rocks, branches and mud gave-way when the charge exploded with a fog-muffled thump.

Another Glutton pounced on Battendown. The wily seadog dodged the lumbering oaf's hacking axes.

The remainder of the nearby Swordfyshes arrived from the south. Leeway Ruk charged along the dry riverbed, below the bank on which the ogor and Battendown fought, and impaled the Glutton in the back - the long reach of his jagged gore-hacka making it easier for him. The ogor collapsed and rolled down the small cliff.

The ogors seemed to be everywhere, all at once. Gnoblars with burning torches appeared and disappeared - running here and there through the fog.

Old Mudgob fell, Skargat stepped over him and advanced toward the next Swordfysh.

Krashhart leapt up onto the riverbank, he stamped out the fuse that was fizzing toward another bagged blasting charge.

One of the gnoblars uncorked a barrel and sparked a flame in the escaping fumes... and even though it was an unexpectedly small blaze, a stash of vital dam-building supplies was destroyed as the strong grog inside ignited.

The Swordfyshes tried to organise themselves but the horror of the burning grog was hard to get over.

Krashhart raged at the ogors for such a shocking wasteful deed.

Even the gnoblar looked guilty, as he realised what a terrible thing he had done.

The wind shifted easterly and picked up. The fog thinned and dispersed.

Yardarm and Leeway clambered up the riverbank and closed on the ogors facing Krashhart.

Battendown looked about, seeing the gaps in the Swordfyshes dispersion - he called out instructions for them to help organise the defences.

Hook had dealt with one of the Gluttons and the fires of Gorkamorka burned strong within him. He was spoiling for another fight.

Lugger Dag found a gnoblar up to mischief and stomped him, before the little blighter even noticed he was there.

Skargat and his big lads took no chances against Krashhart - they knew all too well what the Warchanter and his Gristle Grinder could do.

With the boss down Skargat turned on the Brutes behind him.

He felled Leeway with a single mighty blow of his great axe.

Hook joined Lugger Dag when two Gluttons jumped down to get revenge for the gnoblar Lugger had kicked.

The ogors realised they couldn't break the dam that day and fell back in good order.

The Swordfyshes helped Krashhart and Old Mudgob to their feet and Battendown gave them each a shot of strong rum. As Krashhart drank he said "Shipmates, we hoisted our colours today but them ogors will be back, make no mistake. Now them Ironforged know what is a-going on here they won't let it sit. They will be regrouping for another attempt soon."

Leeway Ruk needed a bit more than a drink to fix his broken arm - even he admitted the attention of a Wardokk would not have gone amiss.

~ ⦽ ~

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

Victory: Burst The Dam

Twist: Favourable Position (I won the roll-off): Cloying Mists

This was a very bloody game - we both took down 3 fighters from the other's warband. Viktor burned one objective in Round 1 and another in Round 2 and I really thought he was going to win at that point. But I managed to keep at least fighter close enough to the objectives he could reach for the remaining 2 Battle Rounds and just clung on to the bitter end to scrape a win!

In the Aftermath Sequence the Swordfyshes gained 6 Glory, Leeway Ruk got a Fractured Arm (-1 Strength), Old Mudgob and Lugger Dag got a point of Renown each.

Mainstay, Barnacle Nog and Mr Flea went exploring; Mainstay returned empty handed, Barnacle Nog found a Vial of Jabberslythe Blood (Consumable. Bonus Action. +1 damage on Crits, to end of Activation.) and Mr Flea found a bottle of Aqua Ghyranis (Consumable, bonus action, remove 3d6 Damage).

Finally, they added Docker Goff to their roster (as an Ardboy with Big Choppa)

Dramatis Personae

The Swordfyshes, a crew of pirate Ironjawz

• Lord Krashhart - Warchanter Explorer
  Agile Warrior, 3 Renown, The Gristle Grinder
• 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, Blight Serpent Venom
• Flotsam - Orruk Brute with Pair of Brute Choppas (axe and sword)
  1 Renown, 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
  Carnosaur Fang Elixir, black top hat and red shoulder-plate

Reputation: 5

Glory: 12

Quest Progress: Explore the Gnarlwood - ongoing

Viktor's version of this tale is here.