Years ago, when I led only a band of Skaven mercenaries, we came upon a Dwarf settlement on the eastern border of the World's Edge Mountains. My scouts reported that the bulk of the complex was underground and heavily fortified. However, the above-ground section of the settlement was less defended. In dire need of supplies and thirsting for Dwarf treasures, I decided to lead my mercenaries against them. I gathered my troops and we made our way to the surface. The Dwarfs were not caught completely by surprise, though, and a hard-fought battle comenced.
Warlord Gnashik w/ Warpstone Armour, additional Hand Weapon
28 Clanrats w/ Light Armour, Shields, Spears, Standard, Musician, Champion, Warpfire Thrower; led by Gnashik
Warlock Champion Neeprit w/ Staff of Lightning
28 Clanrats w/ Light Armour, Shields, Spears, Standard, Musician, Champion, Warpfire Thrower; led by Neeprit
30 Skavenslaves w/ Spears, Standard, Musician
Orik Bloodbeard, Lord of Norfadukr w/ The Blood Axe (inscribed w/ Master Rune of Swiftness, Rune of Fury and Rune of Smiting), Gromril Armour of Norfadukr (Heavy Armour inscribed w. Master Rune of Gromril), brace of Pistols
11 Longbeards w/ Heavy Armour, Shields, Standard, Musician; led by Orik Bloodbeard
10 Warriors w/ Light Armour, Shields, Standard, Musician
8 Crossbowmen
2 Organ Cannons
The Skaven won the dice roll to go first. Both armies were set up and spells wre dealt to the Skaven who received Skitterleap and Poison Wind. Neeprit also brought along a single shard of Warpstone. The battle would last for five turns.
My troops moved quickly through the foothills towards the main settlement. As we neards the low wall marking the outer edge of the Dwarf holdings, we saw that the Dwarfs were aware of our presence. The lord of the Dwarf-things had led his troops here to defend the surface buildings against our attack. The remainder of his troops must have been securing the tunnels below, as his defense was sparse. However, the organ guns he commanded would make up for the lack of troops on his part.
Gnashik's unit marched ahead, stopping short of the hill in front of the unit. The slaves marched ahead as far as possible into the valley created by the two hills. Neeprit's clanrats marched forward down the right flank of the table. During the magic phase, Neeprit was dealt Escape. No spells were cast.
The three Dwarf infantry units moved up and ttok positions along the easily defendable wall. The two organ guns were moved forward as well.
As the Skaven units moved into the Dwarf territory, they noticed the stout warriors taking up positions along a long, low wall. The lord, a Dwarf with a fiery orange beard, gave the command for the war machines to be brought forward. The Skaven looked nervously to their leader. Gnashik noted the Dwarf's movements but seemed unconcerned. He ordered his slaves forward into the valley and held his unit back behind them.
The skavenslaves continued marching straight towards the Dwarf ranks. Gnashik's unit wheeled into the valley to follow the slaves' advance. Neeprits unit marched straight ahead once more, bringing his unit almost past the hill. During the magic phase, Neeprit attempted to use Skitterleap, but the Dwarfs dispelled it. He then aimed a bolt of lightning from his staff at the Longbeards. However, no wounds were caused.
The Dwarf crossbows fired at the advancing unit of skavenslaves. The slaves took a number of hits, but only a single rat fell to the onslaught. Then the Dwarfs unleashed their artillery. The organ gun near the crossbows fired two of its barrels at the slaves. The first shot only managed to hit one model, killing him. The second one scythed throught the slaves killiing four more and then continued into Gnashik's unit where four more clanrats fell. The other organ gun fired everything at Neeprit's clanrats. Two volleys hit he unit hard, slaying a total of seven clanrats. hte third barrel falls short and the fourth misfires, causing the cannon to miss a full turn.
Orik Bloodbeard raises a mailed fist and shouts "Fire!" The crossbowmen take aim and release a volley of bolts at the scampering ratmen. Then both organ guns fire. As the smoke clears, the Dwarfs are dismayed to see so many of the rats still standing...and approaching.
The skavenslaves continued to advance, ending their movement with a portion of their troops on the far hillside. Gnashik's clanrats followed behind the slaves, using them as a shield against the crossbows. Neeprit's unit continued to move quickly down the right flank towards the Dwarf warriors. In the magic phase, Neeprit successfully cast Skitterleap and transported himself to the organ gun near the crossbows, thus charging the crew. He ate his piece of warpstone to help power his Poison Wind spell which he cast at the crossbows. He passed his warp test, but the vile spell caused no wounds on the stalwart Dwarfs. Neeprit then aimed a lightning bolt at the organ gun and wounded one of the crewmen.
Neeprit's charge against the crew caused one wound, forcing the remaing crewman to lose his nerve and flee. The warlock easily caught up to him and slayed him. The crossbows fired at the skavenslaves again. This time their aim was true and four of the pathetic wretches crumpled to thte ground.
"Forward!" shouted Gnashik and his slaves quickly moved to do his bidding. The warlord's unit fell into place behind the advancing slaves as the Dwarf commander gave his crossbowmen orders to fire. The screams of the dying slaves caused no remorse to Gnashik or his retinue of clanrats. The slaves were to die for them. The Dwarfs saw the malicious intent of the Skaven to save their toghest troops until the final confrontation. With one of his war machines destroyed, Orik shouted ordres to the other crew to double their efforts at reloading their wepon. They were going to need all of the firepower they could muster before the vile ratmen reached their ranks.
The skavenslaves were just out of range to charge the crossbows, but advanced towards them, setting up for the charge. Gnashik's unit closed the distance to the slave unit, ending its movement directly behind the slaves and using the hill as cover against the remaing organ cannon. Neeprit was deep behind the Dwarf lines and advanced quickly towards the remaing war machine. His clanrats continued to move forward, the warpfire thrower took up position to fire its next turn. In the magic phase, Neeprit cast Skitterleap again, moving into contact with the remaing organ gun's crew. He used his staff against them as well, but failed to cause any wounds. At least his luck was holding out and the staff still had power left.
Neeprit failed to caus any wounds against the crew in his magical charge. However, the crewmen failed to wound the warlock either. The crossbowmen unleashed another volley at the slaves. At this range it was hard to miss and five more slaves fell dead.
The slaves were beginning to lose heart, Gnashik noticed. "Die-die, Dwarf-things!" shouted the warlord, hoping to instill a little more battle-lust into the decimatd ranks of the slaves. The Dwarfs insistent crossbow volleys had wiped out a number of slaves and the loss ws beginning to tell on the weak-willed slave rats. Gnashik could care less about the slaves' fate. He only wanted them to hold together long enough to cover his charge. The large rat lord nodded in approval as he noticed the figure of his warlock wreaking havoc behind the Dwarf's lines. "Good-good," he thought. "Tonight I will have a belly full of Dwarf ale!"
The skavenslaves charged the unit of crossbows who stoond and fired, killing two of the onrushing slaves. The slaves attacked and casue a single casualty. However, it was enough to send the crossbows fleeing. The slaves jumped the wall, but the Dwarfs had too much of a head start and outdistanced the disorganized ratmen. Neeprit's clanrats charged the Dwarf warriors and killed one Dwarf, but lost two of their own in return. In a fit of blood-lust, Gnashik ordered his troops toward the Dwarfs leaving the safety of cover even though this was the last turn and he couldn't reach any units. Gnashik's warpfire thrower was in a position to fire at the Longbeards, the warpflame only managed to kill a single Dwarf and the unit passed its panic test because of the burning death raining upon it. Neeprit's warpfire thrower targeted the Longbeards as well, frying three of the veteran warriors. The stubborn Dwarfs passed their panic tests for taking damage from the warpflame and for losing 25% of its troops. Neeprit managed to kill one of the crewmen on the organ gun. In the magic phase, Neeprit unleashed another lightning bolt at the crew. This time he electrcuted both Dwarfs and the staff still retained its charge!
The crossbows rallied. Orik Bloodbeard aimed a pistol at Gnashik's unit and fired, dropping one of the clanrats. Neeprit's clanrats suffer three wounds from the determined Dwarfs, one of which was their Skaven champion. The demoralized ratmen only managed to send a single Dwarf to its ancestors.
With the battle finally reaching the Dwarf line and with both organ guns destroyed and a crazed Skaven warlock running amok behind his troops, Orik called for a retreat. "Fall back!" he shouted. "We must protect the brewery! Do not let it fall to this vermin!" At his call, his troops began to fall back toward the safety of the main Dwarf settlement and their beloved brewery.
"Go-go!" screamed Gnashik. "No mercy! All must die-die!" They scurried towards the retreating Dwarfs battling s they went. The Dwarfs passed a number of buildings and Gnashik called for his warriors to halt. "Food-food here," he declared, sniffing the air. "And Dwarf beer too!" he shouted gleefully. The Skaven allowed the Dwarfs to continue to fall back in exchange for the supply stores they had found. The Dwarfs only prayed to their ancestors that the ratmen had found enough to make them happy and they'd move on. Somehow, Orik doubted it
Using the VP 100 rules, the Skaven forces won 130 to 0. With so much ground to cover, the Skaven sustained heavy losses to the Dwarf artillery and missile fire. However, the vast number of ratmen proved enough to see Gnashik through. Amazingly both warpfire throwers survived the battle, however, they did little good during the game. One would have probably sufficed. All in all, the battle was quite enjoyable, I only wished I could have made more of the Dwarf units flee. That wall made it nearly impossible to inflict enough hits to wound the unit substantially. I'm sure Orik Bloodbeard hasn't heard the last from my Skaven horde!
(c) C. Johnson, 2000.
Back to Battle Reports
Back to Gnashik's Lair Menu
