Site hosted by Angelfire.com: Build your free website today!

The Battle of Scarback Valley

Gnashik had only been a Clanlord for a short time, but already he had attracted the attention of Grey Seer Hrist. Some of the Clan Skryre retainers he had hired decided to rebel against his leadership. So, not wanting to draw the ire of Clan Skryre, Gnashik banished them from his lair. The Warlock Engineer Skrikskrak led the rebellion and instead of returning to Clan Skryre, he devised a plan to gain revenge against Gnashik. He enlisted the help of a Night Goblin Warband led by the Warboss Snotslingga. With the help of Skrikskrak and his teams of warpfire throwers, they would attack the small rear entrance to Gnashik's Lair, which lay in a small valley.

The Armies

Gnashik's Warhost 1000 pts

Warlord Gnashik w/ heavy armour, extra hand weapon
Grey Seer Hrist w/ Warpstorm Scroll
31 Clanrats w/ Standard Bearer, Musician, Warpfire Thrower; led by Warlord Gnashik
31 Clanrats w/ Standard Bearer, Musician; led by Grey Seer Hrist
Rat Swarm

Snottslinga's Warband 1000 pts.

Warboss Snotslingga w/ light armour, shield
Sniffla (Shaman)
Snuffla (Shaman)
24 Night Goblin Archers; led by Snotslingga, accompanied by Sniffla and Snuffla
3 Squig Hunter Teams w/ 9 Cave Squigs
Grundy the Grungy (Giant)
Manticore
Skrikskrak (Warlock Engineer)
2 Warpfire Throwers


Gnashik informed his forces of his strategy, "Seer Hrist, lead your forces around the edge of the hill so that the gobbos will see-see your unit. I will charge over the hill and attack their flanks. Die-die, they will. The rat-herder will force-force the rats up through this crevase and onto the battlefield. Then we will sweep into the gobbos and kill-kill those traitorous Skryre-rats."

Turn 1


Gobblin Turn 1
Animosity tests were failed by Snotslingga's Night Goblins as well as the Squig Teams. Snotslingga's unit squabbled amongst themselves, fighting over the correct way to slay rat-men. The Squig Teams decide to show their warboss that they know the best way to kill Skaven and take off ahead of everyone else (free move). The Manticore fails it's Leadership test and stays where it is. The Warpfire teams advance 8", Grundy marches 12", Skrikskrak marches 10", Squig Teams march. Nothing done in Magic Phase.
Skaven Turn 1
The rat swarm rushes ahead 12" (does anyone out there know if swarms can make a march-move? My opponent said they couldn't, but was unable to find any rule, so he let me have it. If you know, email me at gnashik@angelfire.com and let me know where the rule is at. *thanks*), Gnashik's unit marches 10" over the hill, the Warpfire Thrower moves up 8", Hrist stays put. In the Magic Phase, Hrist casts Plague at the Squig Team, the Night Goblins counter with the Rebound card, the dispell works and Sniffla casts Mork Save Us on the Squig Team. Hrist plays Destroy Spell and dispells it, as well as destroys it.

Hrist sized up the two units advancing on his position. The lumbering Giant was quickly closing the distance and the Squigs were also bounding forward quickly. Hrist made a quick decision and begins casting Plague at the Squigs. He waved his paws in the air and began chittering the incantation, the winds of magic swirled about him and rushed at the Squigs. Suddenly, the shaman, Sniffla, draws the winds of magic to himself. Hrist's spell dissolved and the magical energy swirled about Sniffla who began hopping about chanting his own spell. He realesed the spell to benefit the Squig Teams. Hrist snarled in defiance and drew upon the winds of magic again. He flung out his paw, hurling the magical energy at the incoming goblin spell. The powerful anti-magic blasted the spell apart and continued on towards the shaman. The force of the anti-magic slammed into Sniffla, knocking him off his feet and blasting the knowledge of his spell from his mind. Hrist chitters in glee as the winds of magic begin to calm.

Turn 2


Goblin Turn 2
The Squig Teams fail their animosity test and squabble amongst themselves. The Manticore flies and charges the rat swarm. Grundy attempts to charge Hrist's unit but falls short, moves 6". Snotslingga and his archers march forward 8". Skrikskrak scurries ahead to be even with the Squig Teams. The Manticore attacks the rat swarm scoring 2 wounds. The rats attack in return, but their Strength isn't great enough to wound the Manticore. The renegade Warpfire Throwers fire at Gnashik's unit. The first blast fires 4" hitting 17 Clanrats, Gnashik dives to the side just in time. The Clanrats loose 17 of their number. The second Warpfire Thrower fires...and MISFIRES! The team disappears in a mushroom cloud explosion taking out the other warpfire thrower as well. Gnashik's unit passes their panic test. In the magic phase, Snuffla pops a mushroom in his mouth and gains 4 winds of magic cards. He then casts Mork Wants Ya on a member of Gnashik's Warpfire Thrower team. Hrist attempts to dispell it, but fails. The unfortunate Skaven is lifted into the air, he struggles to free himself, but cannot.
Skaven Turn 2
Hrist charges the Giant. Gnashik moves into a flanking position agains Snotslingga's gobbos by moving 5 inches, he thinks he is still too far away to charge. Hrist attacks the Giant, scoring 3 hits but no wounds. The Clanrats attack the Giant, scoring 2 hits but, once again, no wounds. The Giant decides to jump up and down. He maintains his balance and jumps on the Clanrat unit inflicting 6 wounds. The Giant wins combat, with a +2 modifier to his Leadership roll, Hrist fails the break test and the unit flees 7". The Giant pursues and catches the unit by rolling 9". Hrist's unit is destroyed. The rat swarm attacks the Manticore, doing no damage. The Manticore inflicts 2 more wounds. Nothing happens during the magic phase.

Hrist issued the order, "CHARGE!" The Clanrats rushed the imposing figure of the giant and began hacking at it mercilessly. The ferocious attacks had no affect on the stalwart giant and he grined down at the chittering rat-men. Steadying himself, he began hopping up and down, squishing Skaven beneath him. In horror, Hrist ordered the unit to regroup about him, but the Clanrats would have none of that. They began fleeing, dragging the furious Grey Seer with them. The drunken giant bellowed at the retreating rat-men and ran after them, stomping the Skaven and swatting at them with his great club. A few unfortunates were even tossed into the air to be caught in his mouth! Hrist wass struck a fantastic blow by the club and sent hurtling away from the carnage. As he lost consciousness, Hrist watched the giant as he wiped his feet on the ground, trying to dislodge the Skaven stuck to the bottom of his boot.

Turn 3


Goblin Turn 3
All units pass their animosity checks. THe Giant stays where he is, as does the Squig Teams and Skrikskrak. Snotslingga's archers turn to face the approaching Clanrats and fire their bows. They score 2 hits and wound with each. The Skaven fail their armour save. The Manticore attacks the rat swarm and deals 2 wounds, destroying it. The magic phase is uneventful.
Skaven Turn 3
Gnashik's Clanrats charge Snottslinga's archers, they are within 6" of the gobbos, so they cannot fire. Gnashik attacks Snotslingga, scoring 4 hits, which end up scoring 3 wounds. The goblin warboss fails his armour saves and dies. The Musician attacks Sniffla, scoring 1 hit, and 1 wound. The Standard Bearer attacks Snuffla, scoring 1 hit, but not wounding. The other front rank Clanrat attacks a goblin and misses. The goblins attack back, but score no hits. The Skaven win combat with a +4 modifier. The goblins fail their break test and flee 7". Gnashik's unit gives chase and cuts them down, running 9". The Giant passed his Leadership test for his general being slain, as did the Manticore. The Squig Herders decided to lie to fight another day and ran off, leaving their squigs behind. Nothing happens in the magic phase.

Gnashik pointed at the goblin archers and his Clanrats began surging towards their enemy. The Night Goblins hurried to ready their bows, but could not in time. They dropped their bows and grabbed for their weapons. The two units clashed together with a mighty roar. Sniffla fell as a Skaven ran him through with his blade. Gnashik singled out the goblin warboss and charged at him, screaming. His two swords pumped up and down, and jabbed in and out. Snotslingga tried to stave off the flury of blows but could not. Gnashik's blades struck home repeatedly, slicing goblin flesh. With a final, mighty swing, he beheaded the goblin warboss. Gnashik raised Snotslingga's severed head on his sword and screamed in triumph. The other goblins, seeing their leader dead and one shaman as well, decided to make a hasty retreat. The Skaven horde followed them, cutting the fleeing greenskins down. Gnashik stood in the center of his unit, in one hand his sword with Snotslingga's head still stuck to the end, in the other, the night goblin's standard.

The End

Tallying up points, the Night Goblins won 7 victory points; 3 for Grey Seer Hrist, 1 for Hrist's unit of Clanrats, 1 for that unit's standard, 1 for the Rat Swarm, 1 for occupying the lower left quarter of the table. The Skaven also scored 7; 2 for Warboss Snotslingga, 1 for Sniffla, 1 for Snuffla, 1 for Snottslingga's unit of Night Goblin archers, 1 for that unit's standard, 1 for the unfortunate Warpfire Team *snicker*. It just goes to show, you shouldn't put all of your eggs in one basket. A tie isn't a defeat, but neither is it a victory. However, I was quite content at having cut down the opposing general. This was a short battle due to time constraints, size of armies involved, and the size of the available battlefield. I hope to add some longer battle reports in the future, so keep an eye out for them.

Looking about the battlefield, Gnashik saw that his unit was the only Skaven regiment remaining. Eyeing the Manticore and the way it licked the rat's blood from its chops, he decided not to press his luck. His unit quickly formed up for a strategic retreat. The remaining units of the goblin army had no stomach for more fighting and went there own ways. Grundy went off in search of more beer and the Manticore flew off in search of smaller rats than the Skaven. Skrikskrak skulked off, plotting another way to get back at Gnashik. Picking their way back toward's the entrance to the lair, the Clanrats stumbled upon Hrist, who was beginning to regain consciousness. Gnashik ordered the wounded Grey Seer to be picked up and carried back to the lair. As they traveled, Hrist managed to ask Gnashik, "Did we win?"
"No," replied Gnashik. "But we did manage to stave them off for the time-time." He smiled as he patted Snotslingga's head, tied to his belt. "Next time, Hrist. Next time we will defeat those greenskins, and more importantly, the next time I will kill-kill that traitor, Skrikskrak, and all his renegade weapon teams."

(c)C. Johnson, 2000.

Back to Battle Reports
Back to Gnashik's Lair Menu