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Menite Incursions: Battle for Orosk – Campaign Report

Owen — Fri, 18 Mar 2011 12:44:51 +0000

This is the second campaign in the Menite Incursions arc. The first ended in stalemate as both sides etched out two wins a piece. For this second campaign we continued the story of the Menite forces attempting to make their way north through eastern Khador and move towards the Legion-held Scourge Bringer weapon. I’ve been slow writing up the campaigns I’ve been playing this year, but thankfully Phil has come to the rescue and written them up on his blog – Subject to Stupidity. I’ve cheekily copied the fluff Phil wrote below. Follow the links to the full battle reports.

Game 1 – Chance Encounter at Orosk

The blizzard had finally abated. The frozen hills were no place to be stuck in the middle of a snow storm. The first snows of the season had taken the Menites by suprise and they were ill prepared for the turn in the weather. Their supplies were far behind them and the rough terrain meant it would be evening before they would catch up. In their haste to get to Orosk the Harbinger had left Reznik and half their forces with the baggage train. She regretted that now as she shivered on the ridge overlooking the village. She had paused here to survey the apparently deserted hovel. All seemed quiet, indeed not a single peasant could be spotted in the area. No fires seemed to burn in the hearths of the homes here. The only life visible were the crows congregated on the buildings and trees. Ranging ahead of the main forces the Avatar of Menoth stopped. The lone Idrian scout the Harbinger had brought north from Lael could now be seen running from the trees to the east of the village. He was waving and even from this distance it was obvious that something was wrong. Suddenly two plumes of smoke rose from the centre of the village. From behind one of the houses a Juggernaut moved. The huge Warjacks frame shuddered with the movement. Ice could be seen breaking off the oddly grey coloured hulk in huge chunks. So the village wasn’t as empty as they had hoped.

Game 1 Battle Report

Game 2 – Noon at Orosk

The Temple Guard had pulled back and formed up in a defensive line along the ridge overlooking the hovels that made up Orosk. A makeshift barricade had been erected from the fallen trunks of two trees, pulled into place by Crusaders. Small fires had been set up behind this in an attempt to keep the troops warm. The Harbinger suspected the Temple Guard had used some of Menoth’s sacred fire but she forgave the insult. At this point staying warm was too important. The khadorans had also pulled back towards the centre of the village. With no wall surrounding the place it would be hard to defend, thought the Harbinger. A simple flanking move while engaging them lightly elsewhere should sweep them aside. The snow had picked up again and covered the tracks and remnants from the battle. Here and there some blood could still be seen, colouring the snow a disturbing pink. The Avatar had been salvaged but without the Mekaniks who were accompanying the baggage train nothing could be done to prepare it for battle. One of its legs was badly damaged as were the actuators in its shoulders. It would be days before it could be returned to action. The Idrian Scout had been sent to meet Reznik and to order him to speed up and come upon the village from the west. Her zealots had formed a screen in front of the lines ready to disrupt any response from the village. Now she just needed that damned Reznik to get here before the khadorans came at her again.

Game 2 Battle Report

Game 3 – Slaughter at Orosk

Smoke rose from the centre of the village. Something was burning but the Harbinger coudn’t make out what. The snow swirling around had reduced visibility to the point that seeing the smoke was almost impossible. Reznik should still be circling around Orosk she thought. The smoke told her otherwise. It looked like the situation was turning, Reznik had gone in alone and now was paying the price for his impetuousness. Quickly she assembled a paltry force from what she had. The Avatar was still being repaired so he was no use, the damage from the morning had been far more extensive than initially thought. All that was left in terms of Warjacks were an old Crusader, a Revenger and a Guardian. The Crusader was a sad reflection of its former glory but the old battlehorse wasn’t ready to be scrapped just yet. He had accompanied her from Sul if she remembered correctly. Back then the ‘jack was fresh from the Vassal Mekaniks assembly plant. In terms of infantry should couldn’t justify bringing everyone. The Templeguard would be used to hold the line on the ridge so that they could make an effective retreat if needed. The zealots wouldn’t be much use in defense so she called to their leader to assemble. If only the Errants had arrived she could storm the village and wipe out the defenders. Now she needed to be cautious and tentatively test the defences in the hope she could get to Reznik in time. With the ever ready zealots and her bodyguard of Paladins she descended from the ridge to discover exactly what was transpiring in Orosk.

Game 3 Battle Report

Enjoy!

Owen

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Frozen North – Narrative Battle Report

Owen — Wed, 16 Feb 2011 16:53:23 +0000

Anthony (of occasional Lost Hemisphere fame) sent me on this amazing piece of fluff that describes our game during the Frozen North campaign. I think it captures the single-minded focus of Lich Lord Venethrax.

Draconic Souls

The snow hissed and turned to steam under Venethrax’s heavy footfalls, evaporated by the crackling power field. The Seether to his right stumbled, dropping to one knee before collapsing as white hot fire chewed through its vitals.

The Lich Lord scanned the scene, contemplating.

Venethrax had committed his forces to a frontal assault of Vayl’s retinue. The lives of his minions were individually worth nothing, but there was a long game to consider. He had not anticipated that the Legion would be able to lay down such a withering wall of ranged firepower. The northern weather had suddenly become clement, falling into an uncharacteristic calm, as if the blizzards themselves held their breath in anticipation of the conflict. Without that cover, the Cryxians had suffered heavy casualties, and with the vital battle still to come, it seemed wise to preserve his remaining Helljacks.

Withdrawing his forces was one thing, but full scale retreat was anathema to the Lich Lord Venethrax. He had faced a Dragon in single combat and survived. There was nothing to fear from squirming spawned that only pretended to the majesty of the true Draconic form, and less still to fear from fragile elves who were nothing more than pawns.

As the remnants of his battlegroup withdrew, Venethrax hefted his blade and advanced. His magic turned inwards, strengthening his power field so that the snow around him began to evaporate in great gouts of steam. His eyes fixed on Vayl, Venethrax broke into a run, each stride covering more ground and lending momentum to his immortal metal body.

Arrows shattered against the power field, and Nyss claymores blunted and broke against his armoured forearm. The elves panicked and scattered, only to die to wide strokes of his halberd. Venethrax inhaled a great breath, gorging in their souls before they could flee beyond the veil.

An Angelius swooped towards him, its barbed tail aimed at his chest. The beast’s momentum gave it enough power to pierce the power field and drive the barb into the Lich Lord’s chestplate. Venethrax braced against the impact, catching the monster’s tail in an iron fist. With a roar, he turned its momentum against it and slammed it into the snow. The dragonspawn twisted and thrashed free, trying to right itself, but Venethrax moved faster, burying his blade into its heart and drinking deep of the Fury Vayl had awoken in it. The power field’s angry hum became a wail.

The Cryxian warcaster paused for a moment to relish his victory before once again giving chase to the cowering pawn of Everblight. He spied her as she left the cover of the forest, moving quickly to escape. Her forces in tatters and her beasts merely fuel for Venethrax’s power, she knew there was no victory here. He collected the Focus that armoured him, expending its massive energy in a wave of green-black hellfire.

Vayl fell, and Venethrax released a primal shout of victory. Her servants began to drag her unconscious body from the field, and the Lich Lord laughed as he walked confidently back towards the Cryxian lines. Everblight’s foolish presumptions and arrogance had evidently infected his minions, but they would soon learn. They could no more stand against an Iron Lich than Everblight himself could face his Father’s Wrath.

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Frozen North: The Spawnings

Owen — Sat, 04 Dec 2010 11:29:59 +0000

This is the fiction to introduce a four-player campaign that puts the Legion of Everblight and Cryx in direct conflict. It is a continutation of the Scourge Bringer campaign.

This was the third and final piece. Vayl had successfully embedded the other two into creatures spawned in her master’s draconic image. There were several failed attempts before the first creature was created. The Scourge Bringer pieces decayed the body and minds of draconic spawn and developing a suitable vessel had required all of her sorcerous abilities. Each newly spawned creature would bubble and dissolve before her eyes until only the weapon piece was left in a pool of ichor.

Three months had passed since the first success. The haft of Scourge Bringer was installed into a new creation and then buried in the heart of a glacier. Everblight knew the danger this weapon represented to himself and other dragon kind. He was tempted to wield it against Toruk, but he needed time. Time to understand this weapon, time to tame it. The first step was to contain its contagian. He had a great patience that no mortal, not even his most powerful servants, could understand. He would wait. The weapon’s time would come.

Vayl’s final creature was a masterpiece. Everblight had maintained an almost continuous link with her while she carried out this most important work. His influence was apparent not only in this creature’s appearance, but also in demeanor. It had a cunning and will not usually present in the spawned creations. It was almost a shame that its fate was to be buried in a glacier like its siblings. The creature was all muscle, sinew and fangs, with a malice that Everblight suspected was a symptom of the weapon fragment at its core.

Frozen North: Vylodectes Vylodectes is a Unique Warbeast for the Legion of Everblight...
Frozen North – Campaign Review Undying Loyalty Toruk’s spies had failed him. The Scourge Bringer...
Frozen North – Narrative Battle Report Anthony (of occasional Lost Hemisphere fame) sent me on this...

Scourge Bringer: Epilogue

Owen — Fri, 19 Nov 2010 20:21:43 +0000

On a recent trip to Orlando I was lucky enough to meet up with Clay and Dan, a couple of local Warmachine/Hordes players. We played out the Scourge Bringer Campaign and I was lucky to come out the winner. I mean, really lucky – at the end of the third and final game my dice came alive during a last ditch charge on the Butcher. Clay wrote a nice summary of the day here. Anyway, here’s the wrap up story.

Temptation

The dust swirled as the Angelius and Seraph dispatched by Everblight descended to Thagrosh’s side. Soon he would heal his wounds by absorbing their fury. Everblight hoped his pawn would have the strength to resist the temptation of the mighty weapon he had just won, for the alternative was too terrifying to contemplate. Thagrosh was usually consumed by an animalistic euphoria after battle, allowing himself to revel in the baser aspect of the his ever present master. However, Everblight sensed that his mind was not as singularly absorbed. Another voice tugged at him. This ancient weapon, even in it’s shattered state had a malignancy that gnawed at all who possessed it. It eroded the clarity that Everblight normally maintained.

He sensed the confusion in his prophet. He knew that Scourge Bringer had the power to destroy his kind, but he had not expected it to interfere with the bond he shared with his chosen. The thought of wielding the weapon against his wayward siblings and diabolical father had been but a fleeting one. He feared the weapon could be used against him and knew now that Scourge Bringer must be hidden from the face of Caen.

This will, his focussed vision, was simultaneously shared with all who possessed a piece of his athanc. They acted as a machine of bone and sinew, spread far apart, but now set to a common purpose; build vassals suitable to obscure and hide the pieces of this weapon. He would use his own blight to mask the toxicity of the Orgoth’s creation. Each vile piece would be buried in a blighted beast of Everblight’s design and entombed in a glacier in the far north.

First Thagrosh needed to be protected. This weapon has a powerful sway on those near it and even a servant as stalwart as Thagrosh required shielding from it. He was alone, the battles to retrieve the weapon having destroyed his force and the winged beasts were now spent. Everblight flooded his prophet’s consciousness with images from his other minions, while at the same time sending them towards him. Scores of beasts on the move accompanied by blighted Nyss and other creatures of his creation; this legion was mighty and he hoped to overwhelm Thagrosh’s mind, distracting him from the lure of weapon.

After playing through the campaign I updated the rules slightly. They can be downloaded here – Scourge Bringer – Campaign Rules v1.1.

Owen

Scourge Bringer: Part 3 Dark Revival My master has more memories than my feeble...
Scourge Bringer: Modeling an Orgoth Weapon As part of the upcoming campaign (story part 1, part...
Scourge Bringer: Part 1 Blood Frenzy Orsus Zoktavir did not consider himself as having...

Scourge Bringer: Part 3

Owen — Fri, 10 Sep 2010 19:00:49 +0000

Dark Revival

My master has more memories than my feeble mind could ever hope to absorb. He reveals to me what is important and the rest remains as indistinct flashes that fade into blurry tones and shades. When Everblight shows me a memory there is a divine purpose.

I was marching my legion south revelling in the mind and senses of a nearby Carnivean when my Master spoke directly to me. He showed me a scene of blighted destruction that was more stunning than any I have ever seen with my own eyes.

I revealed to my servant the long past ruination of a sibling of mine; a weak dragon that was prone to extreme impetuousness. The Orgoth wrought great devastation on the peoples of this continent, but they mostly stayed away from the dragons after my father smote their fleet. While they did not wish to directly confront us they also did not wish to be rolled aside should our family feud spill out onto their newly conquered lands. The Orgoth set to building a weapon that could fell a dragon. That they achieved it is an amazement for I have not witnessed any mortals that could command such magics since. They kept this weapon hidden away until it was needed. My foolish sibling gave them the opportunity.

These buried memories become vivid in my mind. I can see, smell and almost touch them as Everblight reveals to me the fate of that dragon. A great warrior of the Orgoth, wrapped in dense ornate armour, carries a massive axe into the centre of a battle as the assembled army fights to hold the dragon back. The warriors do not stand a chance when confronted with the mighty power of a full strength dragon and soon enough the great warrior is confronted by the beast as the army is swept aside. The next images are astounding to behold.

I saw my sibling struck down with a single blow. Its flesh was dissolved under a black mist that emanated from the weapon. The great warrior, the assembled army and every living creature for miles around was consumed by the undiscriminating power of the weapon. I myself was injured by its clinging darkness and I decided to flee lest it weaken me further.

My Master bade me to turn north west, for as we marched past the great wood of Blackroot he recognised a presence that brought these memories to the fore, it could be that of his sibling’s athanc or even the weapon of the Orgoth. Either way what he sensed must be destroyed. I am his Prophet. I will rediscover this memory and remove it from the face of the world.

Scourge Bringer is a three player campaign for Warmachine and Hordes. Watch this space.

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Scourge Bringer: Part 2 Artwork by Dave Daniels Dominance It always took a moment...
Scourge Bringer: Modeling an Orgoth Weapon As part of the upcoming campaign (story part 1, part...

Scourge Bringer: Part 2

Owen — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 19:00:40 +0000

Artwork by Dave Daniels

Dominance

It always took a moment to adjust. It was like emerging for a darkened cave into a startling dawn sunrise, but that wasn’t quite right. The darkness of his beast form was more magnificent, more fiery than any sunrise could be. The beast was more than he was. It was pure, focussed and truly alive. It was free from the politicking of the druids and the responsibility of being the leader of a tuath. It was savagery, violence and rage manifest in flesh.

As he adjusted back he looked down at Dusk and Dawn, his great axes, to see surprisingly little blood and gore on their surfaces. Around him the warbeasts were panting. Their pursuit was relentless and he could sense his foe was near. The Tharn were few in number and any loss was significant. These vile dragonspawn would fall to the vengence of his great axes as may before had been felled. He expected to see more Tharn around him, but only the wolf riders had kept up the unrelenting pace. His mastery of warbeasts was legendary, not only amongst his own people. If he had to face the filth of the dragon with only these wolves, then so be it. They would bring death.

From their home in the Thornwood they had pursued their foe back north, past the great lakes until the enemy suddenly veered towards the coast and past the foul smelling black city. Now the wind became stronger as they climbed into the coastal mountains. The enemy was close and would meet Dusk and Dawn soon. Kromac smiled and allowed the beast to consume him once more.

Scourge Bringer is a three player campaign for Warmachine and Hordes. Watch this space.

Scourge Bringer: Part 3 Dark Revival My master has more memories than my feeble...
Scourge Bringer: Part 1 Blood Frenzy Orsus Zoktavir did not consider himself as having...
Scourge Bringer: Epilogue On a recent trip to Orlando I was lucky enough...

Scourge Bringer: Part 1

Owen — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 20:53:35 +0000

Blood Frenzy

Orsus Zoktavir did not consider himself as having a single place he thought of as home. He spent most of his time in or near battle. That was his home – the sound of slaughter and the smell of ionised air. That was what he longed for. The only place he had ever come close to sensing those homely and familiar things was in the black towered city of Khardov. The choking fumes from its mines and the unmistakable dark aura of the Orgoth were comforting to him.

It was there two weeks ago that he met Great Prince Aeniv Rolonovik. Orsus did not usually have any time for nobility. Their incessant pleasantries, lofty notions of Empire and misplaced ideas of duty were of no interest to him, but Aeniv was different. He was as dedicated, albeit in a very different way, to battle and slaughter as Orsus. In the Orgoth Keep of Khardov Aeniv had mastered the manufacture of the dreaded Fell Blades, the weapons that drove the Doom Reavers to feats of glorious carnage. It was in the Keep amongst those moaning weapons that the Great Prince told the story that set Orsus on the path he was now following.

The northerly wind began to scream louder as the Vescheneg Headlands reared up from the horizon. That was where he would find it, the Scourge Bringer, a mystical axe so uncontrollable the Orgoth had sought to destroy it. All they could achieve was to divide the weapon and scatter the pieces. In the four hundred years since the Orgoth quit Western Immoren the axe had slowly managed to pull its pieces closer and closer together. Aeniv believed the weapon now lay in three pieces somewhere in the Veschenegs. With his recent exposure to the Fell Blades Orsus was certain he could find and reunite this most reviled of relics. Wielding it in one hand and Lola in the other his unchecked fury would wreak havoc amongst Khador’s enemies. It wasn’t through duty; it wasn’t to protect his home; Orsus was driven to bring destruction to all those who stood against him.

Scourge Bringer is a three player campaign for Warmachine and Hordes. Watch this space.

Scourge Bringer: Part 3 Dark Revival My master has more memories than my feeble...
Scourge Bringer: Part 2 Artwork by Dave Daniels Dominance It always took a moment...
Scourge Bringer: Modeling an Orgoth Weapon As part of the upcoming campaign (story part 1, part...

Great Bears of Gallowswood: Who’s who?

Owen — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 22:02:20 +0000

Larger image on flickr.com

Many people have difficulties knowing who is who in this character unit. If you have problems identifying the Great Bears – Volkov is the leader and is the miniature in the middle (with a beard); Kolsk is on the right (he is the eldest and is bald); and Yarovich is on the left (he the youngest of the trio). It is important to know who’s who as they each bring different abilities to the unit.

Owen

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