Campaign Week 6 – Blood for the Blood God

The Lizardmen outriders successfully claimed the center temple of the Stegadon vale. They’ve earned a free Battle Standard upgrade for an eligible hero. Verlbog’s shambling zombies also managed to reach the temple, and Verlbog rolled a permanent +1 Toughness bonus.

The Chaos commander Dunewraith found his forces under heavy siege. The skillful Dark Elves assaulted their front while Verlbog’s undead horde came towards his army’s flank despite both of the other forces being in direct combat with Lizardmen. Through the clamor and chaos of battle he saw the Dark Elf Master Slaver, Spiv Korval, calmly watching as his elite Black Guard took apart Wulfric the Wanderer. Dunewraith knew the famous Chaos hero would be loathe to forgive this tactical blunder.

He mounted his warhorse and rode in the direction of the enemy commander, killing anyone that got in his way until he was directly in front of the Dark Elf slaver.

Instead of a challenge, he issued a statement; “The servants of the Chaos gods would sooner die than become slaves to the likes of you and your kin, Elf.”

“Haha I do count on it. Where would be the sport otherwise?”, retorted the Dark Elf commander, “I have broken Dragons, Hydras, and Manticores. What are your Northon ilk compared to them? In time, you too will bend the knee and toil in Naggaroth.”

“Proud, foolish elf! The Lizardmen are bearing down on you, a horde of undead march towards my flank, and you would prefer our armies continue fighting in the hopes to take in a few slaves?! You make your own doom and mine along with it!”

Suddently, there was a thunderous noise in the sky which made the very ground shake. Wind raced across the whole of the battlefield, breaking the clouds overhead to reveal a set of massive meteors careening towards the battlefield. In the center of the Lizardmen throng, the Skink Priest Ixi Temoc worked the Lore of Heavens to rain ruin on his foes, safe from the range of enemy archers or war machines.

Spiv Korval's proud demeanor crumbled at the sight of the meteors.

“Elf! Yield - give the order!” yelled the Dunewraith.

“Only this once, chaos spawn. And never again, if I can help it.” answered Spiv, wide eyes fixed to the sky overhead. "I fear you may be right this time."

The first meteor came down in a powerful blinding flash. The ground broke under the force and battle lines collapsed as scores of Chaos and Elf forces were wiped out in the blast.

In the distance, the awakened Stegadon rammed a horde of the Dunewraith’s marauders. It's massive bulk sending northerners flying or crushing them underfoot.

“Release the rest of my men!” demanded the Dunewraith.

Korval mustered what was left of his forces, ordered the release of the chaos prisoners from the hold of the Malekith's Spite, and sent the airship away. Dunewraith nodded at the elf, and galloped towards the mighty Stegadon.

The sky continued to resound with lighting as Dunewraith raced to help his beleaguered forces. He rode towards the Stegadon's back and launched himself off his warhorse at full gallop when a powerful crimson lightning bolt stuck down from the heavens onto the Chaos leader, empowering him with two massive battle axes before coming down upon the Stegadon’s neck, effortlessly slicing the beast's head near in half.

The Stegadon raged and lashed out, using the last of it's considerable strength to rain blows upon the Chaos warrior. Dunewraith parried each attack with his battle axes and countered slice after slice at the massive dinosaur until only a butchered carcass remained.

He stood in the middle of the beast's remains, framed by split innards and a massive upturned rib cage, simmering in the carnage he'd wrought with axes magically dripping endless gallons of blood. The intricate demons carved into the hilt, bronze embellishments and and red blades of an otherworldly quality marking the Blood Axes as a gift from Khorne.

The second meteor crashed into the center of Verlbog’s army, the force of the impact taking him by surprise and knocking him off his boar.Verlbog reeled at the force of the impact, his head pounding in pain, turning the world hazy. He tried to get up but stumbled and convulsed, throwing up violently. The dark gem he had ingested came out and pulled the dark magic it had unleashed back into itself in pulsating waves from within the undead orcs..

All the shambling zombie Boyz fell and turned back to their normal selves, including orcs who had previously been found dead in the jungle. Unsure of what was going on, but glad to be in the middle of a battle, the whole Orc contingent cheered and howled before charging headlong in the direction of the Dark Elves.

Spiv Korval rode to Dunewraith with a spare elven steed  in tow. “Do not confuse this for kindness. I will deal with these vile greenskins. You take the lizards. Once this battle is done, so is this alliance.”

“Ride, then.” Said the Dunewraith, axes dripping blood, “I’ve got a skink astromancer to deal with.”


SCENARIO: Master Slaver Captain Spiv Korval vs Verlbog's Orc and Goblins, and Dunewraith's Chaos forces against the Lizardmen host. 1,000 point battles. 

Campaign Week 5 - The Vale of the Sleeping Titan

The Dunewraith’s Chaos host reisisted the assault of the Dark Elf slavers.

Verlbog traveled down the jungle path away from the commotion. As jungle thicket gave way to fresh air, a wide valley opened before him. The top of a lonely Lizardmen temple could be seen above the canopy and jungle fog.

The orc marched towards the center of the vale when something snaped under his foot. He looked down to find a broken orc choppa. A few feet farther down he noticed a discarded orc shield. As he proceeded through the jungle path he found an alarming number of broken orc weapons until finally coming to a large haphazard mound of dead Boyz – one of his raiding ships must have landed up the coast and made a camp at the edge of the valley before something powerful or overwhelming broke them.

Verlbog dug his pale claws into the ground. His body shook and his icy eyes emitted an intense light as once again, his new powers manifested in black waves of malevolent energy radiating outward from him and onto the mound of orc corpses. The dead orcs slowly twitched back to life, pulling themselves free of the mass grave.The sound of bones grinding against broken joints filled the air as the mountain of animated corpses calmly joined the other hazy-eyed undead orcs behind Verlbog.

The orc stood back up and continued walking towards the temple unaware that he had been monitored by cold reptilian eyes the second they'd entered the valley. This was the domain of the Children of the Old Ones, and outsiders only proved adept at stumbling around…and waking ancient trouble.

ELSEWHERE:
The Dark Elf assault had not been in vain – The Druchii took many human slaves into the hold of their airship, the Malekith’s Spite. The Dark Elf captain, Master Slaver Spiv Korval, directed the airship toward one of the camps set up in the deep jungle – At the edge of a vale overlooking a lizard temple – and conveniently, the direction the greenskins disapeared to.
.
Korval was eager to return to his Black Ark, the Vision of Khaine, anchored at the western coast of Lustria – but he would do so only once his holds were overfull with slaves for Naggaroth.

Below them, Chaos marauder scouts  struggled to keep up with the airship under the cover of jungle. The battle was not yet over.

Campaign Week 4 - The Slavers of Naggaroth

 The Chaos host’s surprise attack on the bewildered Greenskins was largely inconclusive – neither side gave an inch but all generals became just a little tougher than they were before.

All three armies have gained +1 Wound to a single character model which must be specified in their respective army lists.

   Moopy Morkyfeet and Verlbog withstood the Chaos charge. The armies clashed back and forth for some time, tearing down the forest around them. As the battle came to a standstill with the surrounding jungle reduced to open clearing, a large oval shape appeared in the sky overhead.

  It began its descend, raining arrow shafts as it got closer to the battlefield, shielded from view against the unrelenting Lustrian sun. Ornate, graceful jagged spikes protruded from the large mass.

“Wot’s dat, boss?” said one of Moopy’s Night Goblin gits.

“IT’S AN AIRSHIP.” Answered back the possessed Verlbog in his eerily chilling voice, cold gaze still firmly on the Chaos foe.

Moopy Morkyfeet looked up, shielding his eyes from the sun in an attempt to make out the latest adversary. “It does look like a stuntie zeppelin…” said the goblin, sniffing the air, “…but there’s no Dwarfs on that ship.”

“Well, hoos in it den, boss?” asked the inquisitive Night Goblin.

“ That may be a Dwarf airship, but it’s full of Dark Elves. I think you know what to do, gits.”

“Aye, aye bo—!“  A jagged shaft rained onto the anonymous goblin git, silencing him.

The other Night Goblins scrambled to avoid being skewered while packing up and scurrying into the jungle. Soon, the battlefield was devoid of goblins, especially the sly Morkyfeet.  Verlbog looked around at his vacant, milky-eyed orcs and back at the airship. It was almost at ground level and grim pale-faced elves were disembarking while gracefully spraying repeater crossbow fire at the Chaos forces.

Verlbog narrowed his icy gaze on the Dark Elf commander, who was busy shouting orders while efortlessly dispatching marauders. He turned and walked into the thick jungle leaving the bewildered Chaos forces and Dark Elf reavers to tear each other apart.

His shambling orcs followed instinctively. They had never been easier to lead, and Verlbog had never felt better.

Campaign Week 3 – ...And Into the Fire

The Lizardmen general Axtlan Nahua and his Cold One unit held their ground in direct combat with Verlbog. No bonuses awarded this battle.

Axtlan Nahua called a halt to his Cold One vanguard amidst the chaos of battle. The greenskin forces had begun to scatter and break but the seasoned Saurus leader knew something was amiss. Slowly, from the dense Lustrian thicket, small shapes began to emerge. A tide of Night Goblins had come to the aid of the fledgling Orc forces.

Axtlan’s Cold One threw its head back, emitting a piercing cry. Within moments, the Lizardmen were nowhere to be seen, leaving the goblins and wounded orcs in the eerie quiet of the deep jungle.

“MOOPY! THANK MORK!” called Verlbog, “BLEEDIN’ LIZZIES, THEY CAME OUTTA NOWEHRE!”

“I told you, Verlbog. The lizzies are everywhere, but ya had to go chase after the Chaos hummies! You look a bloody mess.” said Moopy Morkyfeet, examining the many gashes on the massive orc . “While you were here getting ambushed, me and me gits sacked a lizzie temple. Lookit, mate.” Moopy produced a strange circular black gem from within his robes.

“WHUTS ALL THIS DEN?! MOOPS, IM SITTIN HERE, FIGHTIN EVERY BLEEDIN’ LIZZIE IN DA JUNGLE, AND YOU’S OUT PICKIN' BLACK BERRIES?! YE GIT! GIVE US THAT HERE!” exclaimed Verlbog, snatching the ominous gem from the diminutive goblin and throwing it down his gullet.

“Verlbog, I don't think that was a great idea....” Said a concerned Moopy. “There was lotsa lizzies guardin' that jewel, I think its magical…”

It was too late. Verlbog fell to his knees, as did many of the surrounding orcs. A pale shade overtook their green complexion as they began to howl and writhe in agony. Dark waves of malevolent energy radiated from within Verlbog, warping his army. Moopy Morkyfeet and his goblin horde remained unchanged as they looked on.

Only the sudden sound of a loud blaring war horn broke the scene of horror as Moopy looked up to find a large Chaos host arrayed in the jungle around them.

Moopy’s eyes widened in terror. This was a far cry from the scouting party that attacked their camp. This was a sizable enemy.

“We’s dead! By Gork and Mork, we’s all dead! We never shoulda come to this jungle!” said the small goblin, despairing.

“NO. IT’S THEM WHO WILL DIE.” replied a powerful, eerily hollow voice.

 Verlbog was back on his feet, pale Orc Boyz standing all around him with vacant expressions and deep milky eyes. The Orc warboss displayed an otherworldly renewed vitality and predernatural intelligence. His movements had become methodical, a marked change from his brash, brutish nature.

The massive Chaos host began to advance on the assembled greenskins. Verlbog looked at Moopy with cold, blue eyes.

“Verlbog, I don’t know what’s going on with ya, mate... but this time, I'm not runnin'. This time, we fight.”

The orc’s pale face contorted into a sinister smile.

Campaign Week 2 - Hexoatl Awakened

Game 1: Dunewraith’s night attack was beaten back by the alert forces of Verlbog Maneater in a decisive victory. Both parties claimed a minor bonus amidst the crates of the orc camp:

Verlborg – 16 point Boar

Dunewraith – 16 point Barded Chaos Steed

Moopy Morkyfeet returned from scouting at dawn. The orc camp was in complete dissaray, some of the piles of crates and supplies they had previously unloaded were aflame or broken.

“By Gork, what has Verlbog been doing with the camp?! He probably overdid it with the ale again…”

“OY!” Bellowed the enormous Verlbog as he pushed his way through a crowd of orcs, red blood dripping from his choppa. “We’s been attacked, Moops. Them humies attacked us when you were out, but we beat their bleedin’ heads in! ORCS IS THE TOUGHEST THERE IS!”

The camp errupted in roaring cheer.

Moopy saw corpses of Chaos worshippers everywhere, intermingled with the occasional dead greenskin.

“LOOKIT DIS MOOPY, I GOT ME SOME PROPER HAIR HAHAHA” laughed Verlbog, placing a piece of matted, bloody chaos marauder beard on his head.

“A night attack, eh Verlbog? Looks like you did well enough. I found some interesting stuff out in the jungle, mate. I think we’re pretty close to one of the Lizard Temple-Cities, but these Chaos humies worry me. We don’t want to get caught between them and the lizzies. There’s little ones out in the jungle, crawling about and spying. We got a few but some of ‘em shot up my gits with little darts that turned them purple and dead.“

The bloody tangle of flesh and hair fell off Verlbog’s green leathery head. “LITTLE LIZZIES DO NAE SCARE ME! – First fing first, Moops. These humies burnt our stuff and killed some ‘o da boyz. We’s chasin them down, finding their weak humie warboss, and feedin’ him to my Boar!”

“Fine. March right into the jungle.” Said the gobbo, smiling. “I have other matters to attend to.”

ELSEWHERE:

In the Temple-City of Hexoatl, the Saurus Veteran Axtlan Nahua, Servant of the Slann, quietly contemplated war and the great plan of the Old Ones. A lone Skink entered the vaulted solarium where Axtlan meditated. Noislessly, he made his way to the still warrior.

The mighty Saurus emmited a low rumble as the Skink explained that intruders had been spotted by scouts near the Cactus Coast. He stood up calmly and effortlessly picked up a massive great weapon and walked to the Cold One stables.

It had been a slow day in a life several thousand years old, and greenskin intruders were welcome sport. He would never fail the Mage-Priests.

SCENARIO 2: A fast moving contingent of Lizardmen led by Axtlan Nahua race to meet the encroaching greenskin horde in the Lustrian jungle. Axtlan’s own Cold One unit must be defeated or ran off to earn a bonus.

Campaign Week 1 - A Shipwreck on the Cactus Coast

The massive Waghhhh! Of Boss Verlbog Maneater sailed across the great ocean to Lustria after a terrifyingly brutal campaign that began in the World’s Edge Mountains. The seasoned army of greenskins had fended off the Slayer King of Karak-Kardin, coming through Peak Pass, proceeded to collectively urinate on the crypts of the lords of Sylvania, pillaged the food supply of the Empire, hewn the sacred trees of Athel Loren, and set up a brutally accident prone shipyard on the Bretonnian coast.

Verlborg’s march started as the most devastating the Old World had seen since Gorbad Ironclaw, and as the host of 500,000 shoddy makeshift orc vessels filled to the brim with Boyz and crying Night Goblins departed into the Great Sea, the Old World cheered, glad to see them go. 

What ultimately landed on the shores of Lustria was a paltry shadow of the massive force that set sail from Bretonnia. The only ship to arrive safely consisted of Boss Verlbog and his second in command, the Night Goblin Shaman Moopy Morkyfeet, along with a small contingent of Boyz and Night Goblins that incessantly thanked Mork and Gork to be back on land.

“Ey boss, how’s come none o’ the other boyz is ‘here?” asked an orc boy as he hopped onto the shore from the remains of the greenskin vessel.

“’Do nae be an idiot mate! Dey’s want us to have a little ‘glory for ourselves before dey catch up, is all. NOW DAE NAE QUESTION ME AGAIN!”

“Oy. But, ey boss. How’s come you got a little Night Goblin git as yer numba two?” asked the same orc, his eyes full of curiosity and vacant bliss.

“CAUSE ‘E KNOWS WHEN TA FIGHT, WHEN TA LEAD, ‘AN WHEN TO NAE ASK ME ANY BLEEDIN QUESTIONS!” yelled Boss Verlborg, sidestepping and bringing a massive Choppa to bear on the intrusive boy’s neck, sending black blood spraying in every direction.

“Verlbog, Verlbog. Don’t be so hasty, buddy.” Came a little voice from behind the massive orc.

“We’re going to need all these Boyz and more for this tropical vacation.”

“Oy, mabbe you’re right Moopy….I’z want a big lizzie magic fingy OR! OR! Maybe one ‘o dem cleavas dey ‘has all inlaid with jools. Moopy, do ya think dey has jools all stashed aways? ‘AH WANT A LIZZIE HEAD OR ONE ‘O DEM BIG, BIG SKULLS ‘OFFA STEGADUN FER A HELMET” Verlborg’s eyes widened expectantly at the thought of bloodshed and headgear.

“Then let’s get to it, Verlborg. But we have to be careful. I sent some gits sniffing about and they say it smells funny in the jungle. There's man smells, and worse still.” said Moopy Morkyfeet.

“DEN WE’S BUGGERING DEM TOO MOOPY. BEFORE WE’S DONE ‘ERE, WE’S BUGGERIN’ EVERYBODY!” The orc let out a massive laugh as he and the diminutive Moopy retreated with the last of the Bugman’s Ale left over from the assault on Karak-Kardin, while boyz and night goblins scrambled to unload and salvage as much as they could from their wrecked landing.

Meanwhile, In the thickets overlooking the Orc camp, a group of horsemen looked on as the band of greenskins prepared for their march into Lustria proper.

“By the gods, the Dunewraith won’t be pleased by this. Let’s move along and report. With any luck, those moronic creatures won’t live a week in these jungles.” Said one of the mounted men.

“Haha If I had to guess, considering the Dunewraith’s current temperament, those greenskins won’t live to see another sunrise.” Said another.

Turning their horses, they galloped away into the treacherous jungle.

SCENARIO 1: Dunewraith, Chosen of Chaos, Warlord of Northern Tribes and a small vanguard attack Verlbog Maneater’s camp in the dead of night. Thinking the greenskins will be easy prey, he does not take into consideration that Orcs find sleep very overrated, and are only too happy to find themselves under siege. Moopy Morkyfeet’s goblin forces are out to scout and will not participate in this battle.

The camp is a disheveled mess with lots of cover. Points of interest are the groups of stacked crates found strewn hastily throughout the camp.

Hydra Agent Gaming!

This blog will chronicle the Warhammer Fantasy Battles story campaign being played by my playgroup. The story begins with the landing of Orc and Goblin forces on the northern coast of Lustria.

The aim of the campaign is to provide a fun and interesting escalation league with unique and refreshing game play twists with story elements to flesh out our battles into an ongoing narrative and turn our toy soldiers into engaging characters.