Part 6
This army was assembled for a painting challenge which has now concluded. The final result is arrayed before you – 2,500pts of Ostlanders painted in 3 months.
I wanted to let a battle report determine the ending to the narrative component which you can read below, but first it’s time to take a final curtain call before we learn the fate of the Wolfenburg survivors:
Town Militia of Wolfenburg w/ Goodmother Fulda the Wise Woman
The Count’s Gamekeepers
The Wolfenburg Witch Wardens led by notorious soldier of fortune Helbrandt Grimm
The Hunters of Sigmar and Grand Master Jerik Wildorn
Warrior Monks of the Eternal Flame
State Troops
Der Alte Kessel
Border Patrols
Imperial Ogres (not just filler)
Salvaged Artillery
Dramatis Personae
And now the play
Two nights had passed since the food ran out. A grim-faced engineer shovelled the last few coals into the steam boiler and warmed his hands as Morrslieb rose above the silhouetted treeline.
A stirring in the branches. Whispers carried on the wind, but the words were nonsense, backwards.
Stench, metallic and foul, followed. Finally footfalls. A strangled cry from the first watch. The creatures of the forest were at last upon them…
Army Lists
OSTLAND
++ Standard (Empire) [2,497pts] ++ + Lords + Grand Master [175pts] . Jerik Wildorn (The Hunters of Sigmar): General . . Magic Items: Helm of the Skavenslayer, The Silver Horn Wizard Lord [300pts] . Magic Items: Grey Wand, Shroud of Magnus . Wizard Level 4 . . Lore of Fire 4: 1. Cascading Fire-Cloak, 2. Flaming Sword of Rhuin, 5. Fulminating Flame Cage, 6. Flame Storm + Heroes + Battle Wizard [95pts] . Magic Items: Rod of Power . Wizard Level 1 . . Lore of Death 1: 2. The Caress of Laniph Captain of the Empire [116pts]: Full Plate Armour, Hand Weapon . Magic Items: Hammer of Judgement, Holy Relic Warrior Priest [107pts]: Hand Weapon, Medium Armour, Shield . Magic Items: Van Horstmanns Speculum Witch Hunter [80pts]: Hand Weapon, Pistol . Magic Items: Cold Iron Blade, Dazh's Flint, Sigil of Sigmar + Core + Halberdiers [60pts] . 10x Halberdier: 10x Light Armour, 10x Polearm/Halberd Knights [225pts] . The Hunters of Sigmar . . 9x Knight: 9x Great Weapon, 9x Heavy Armour, 9x Lance (Mounted), 9x Shield, 9x Warhorse . . Musician . . Preceptor . . Standard Bearer . . . Magic Standard: Banner of Courage Knights [127pts] . Templars of Sigmar: Preceptor . . 9x Knight: 9x Brace of Pistols, 9x Light Armour Pistoliers [115pts] . Outrider: Repeater Handgun . 5x Pistolier: 5x Brace of Pistols, 5x Hand Weapon, 5x Medium Armour, 5x Warhorse Spearmen [162pts]: Musician, Sergeant, Standard Bearer . 22x Spearman: 22x Light Armour, 22x Spear (On Foot) & Shield + Special + Great Cannon [100pts] . 3x Crew: 3x Hand Weapon Greatswords [233pts] . Count's Champion . 17x Greatsword: 17x Great Weapon, 17x Medium Armour . Musician . Standard Bearer . . Magic Standard: Banner of Sigismund Huntsmen [150pts] . 15x Huntsman: 15x Bow, 15x Hand Weapon Imperial Ogres [102pts] . 3x Imperial Ogre: 3x Great Weapon, 3x Light Armour Mortar [100pts] . 3x Crew: 3x Hand Weapon + Rare + Steam Tank [250pts] . Conqueror . . Engineer Commander: Repeater Pistol Created with BattleScribe (https://battlescribe.net)
BEASTMEN
++ Standard (Beastmen) [2,496pts] ++ + Lords + Doombull [345pts]: General, Hand Weapon, Mark of Khorne, Medium Armour . Gifts of Chaos & Magic Items: Axes of Khorgor, Gnarled Hide, Ramhorn Helm + Heroes + Bray-Shaman [225pts] . Bray-Shaman . . Gifts of Chaos & Magic Items: Hunting Spear . . Tuskgor Chariot . . Wizard Level 2 . . . Lore of Beasts 2: 1. The Flock of Doom, 3. The Amber Spear Special Characters [200pts] . Moonclaw, Son of Moorslieb . . Wizard Level 1 . . . Lore of the Wild 1: 2. Devolve + Core + Gors [222pts]: Foe-Render, Musician, Standard Bearer . 24x Gor: 24x Two/Additional Hand Weapons Minotaurs (Taurox, Doombull or Gorebull as general) [390pts]: Bloodkine, Musician, Standard Bearer . 8x Minotaur: 8x Mark of Khorne, 8x Two/Additional Hand Weapons Tuskgor Chariot [80pts] Ungor Raiders [60pts] . 10x Ungor Raider: 10x Hand Weapon, 10x Short Bow + Special + Bestigors [300pts]: Gouge-horn, Musician, Standard Bearer . 18x Bestigor: 18x Great Weapon, 18x Mark of Khorne, 18x Medium Armour Centigors [124pts]: Gorehoof . 6x Centigor: 6x Spear (Mounted) & Shield, 6x Throwing Axes Preyton [100pts]: Forest Stalker, Insane Bloodlust + Rare + Ghorgon [225pts] Ramhorn [225pts] . 4x Bestigor Crew: 4x Great Weapon Created with BattleScribe (https://battlescribe.net)
The Steam Tank rushed ahead with boiler at maximum only to fall short of the monsters that loomed over it. Cannons failed, their boreholes suspiciously plugged in the darkness.
Bart fired off some fireballs into the gloom, torching only a solitary Gor.
Bogged in the mud, the Steam Tank was charged by both the Ghorgon and the Ramhorn however despite having 50% arms made of can-openers, the creature could not penetrate the hull.
Centigors charged drunkenly at the Hunters of Sigmar, only to be cut down in combat by the great axes of the ranger knights. The Minotaurs, alas, were not far behind.
The Pistoliers fired wildly as a Preyton leapt from the thicket and had their throats torn out by its weird buck-toothed fangs.
Their Doombull having chopped Jerik Wildorn into jerky, the Minotaurs gorged themselves on the flesh of troop after troop of loyal Ostlanders – racking up the maximum Frenzy bonus for Bloodgreed.
Helbrandt and the Witchhunters fled here and there in the confusion of battle although stopping to fire a volley, they blew away half of the Khorngor.
Leaking steam and boiler sputtering out, the Steam Tank finally fell in turn five.
The scouting Archers and Ungors fired ineffectively at one another in the darkness.
Whittled down to only a few remaining, the Khorngors charged into the Spearmen nonetheless, their frenzied axe blows sufficient to liberate many men of their skulls. Braying for blood, they chased them down.
The meandering Ogres were run down by the steam-maddened Ghorgon.
The Minotaurs caught up with the Wardens/Templars at last and swallowed the last of the survivors. Only Helbrandt Grimm was left alive.
Moonclaw was useless and did nothing, but you already knew that.
Hellbrandt Grimm heard the cawing of crows signaling he had survived to day break. From the high branches of the tree he took refuge in, he could see the red remnants of his comrades fading to black. The only survivor of the massacre…why did this keep happening to him?! Perhaps fate would one day let him find out. By the look of the creatures sniffing around the base of the tree, it may be soon. THE END
