Blood in Albion

Campaign Game V – Northern Blood

Gyorgy emerged first from the tunnel. His hunter’s senses had caught the scent of a great life-force, its blood a beacon in the darkness of the warrens. Now under the stars, Vaszoly could see the beast too. Never had they encountered so much blood in one body. This would be a foe worthy of his skills and perhaps, the blood of this great tusked creature might quash the red thirst for some time.

King Harold Uronjir shook the Seer’s shoulders – still they traversed the low road, in a feverish trance brought on by their wounds. They would have to face this foe blind to the fickle fortunes. Harold drank from his horn, ate from his golden plate, and made sacrifice to his forefathers, for without the wisdom of the runes, who knew if this was the day he entered the Golden Halls?

Vampire Counts come into their full functionality once you can afford two Necromancers, allowing you multiple chances to cast Invocation as well as access to all the spells you need to make the army work.

Returning alongside Vaszoly the Vampire are Regiment of Renown the Drakenburg Deadshots and Gyorgy the Varghulf. Joining them for the first time in this campaign are the über-elite Blood Knights (although only a couple of them).

++ Standard (Vampire Counts) [1,325pts] ++

+ Heroes +

Necromancer [110pts]: Hand Weapon
. Magic Items: Power Stone
. Wizard Level 2
. . Lore of Necromancy VC 2: 0. Invocation of Nehek, 2. Hellish Vigour, 4. Raise Dead, The Curse of Undeath

Vaszoly - Vampire [192pts]
. Blood Dragon Vampire: General, Hand Weapon, Heavy Armour, Shield
. . Magic Items & Vampiric Powers: Blademaster, Bone Blade, Dread Knight
. . Wizard Level 1
. . . Lore of Necromancy VC 1: 0. Invocation of Nehek, 1. Vanhel's Danse Macabre, The Curse of Undeath

+ Core +

Bat Swarms [90pts]: 3x Bat Swarm, Expendable

Crypt Ghouls [60pts]
. 10x Crypt Ghoul: 10x Skirmishers

Dire Wolves [60pts]: 10x Dire Wolf, Expendable

Skeleton Warriors [116pts]: Skeleton Champion, Standard Bearer
. 24x Skeleton Warrior: 24x Hand Weapon, 24x Shield

Skeleton Warriors [120pts]: Skeleton Champion, Standard Bearer
. 25x Skeleton Warrior: 25x Hand Weapon, 25x Shield

The Drakenburg Deadshots - Skeleton Warriors (Ranged) [104pts]
. RoR | -1 to Hit
. 12x Skeleton Warrior: 12x Crossbow, 12x Hand Weapon
. Standard Bearer
. . Magic Standards: Banner of Hellfire

Zombies [63pts]: 21x Zombie

+ Special +

Corpse Cart [90pts]: Corpsemaster, The Restless Dead

+ Rare +

Blood Knights [130pts]: Kastellan
. 3x Blood Knight: 3x Heavy Armour, 3x Lance (Mounted), 3x Shield
. . 3x Nightmare: 3x Barding

Gyorgy - Varghulf [190pts]
. RoR - Armour Piercing (1)

This was my first game playing against the Norsca army book which I had only skimmed since its recent big update. King Harold’s army was 1,375pts (my opponent had more games under his belt) and consisted of something like the following:

++ Standard (Norsca) [1,375pts] ++

+ Lords +

King [212.50pts]: Fur Cloak, General, Hand Weapon, Medium Armour, Shield
. Magic Items: Enchanted shield, Girdle of Might, Seed of Rebirth, Sword of Swift Slaying

+ Heroes +

Valkyrie [110pts]: Light Armour, Shield, Spear (On Foot)
. Magic Items: The Gleaming Torc

+ Core +

Bondsmen [192.50pts]: Herse, Musician, Standard Bearer
. 25x Bondsman: 25x Fur Cloak, 25x Hand Weapon & Shield, 25x Light Armour

War Wolves [60pts]: Expendable, 10x War Wolf

Whalers [80pts]: Musician
. 10x Whaler: 10x Hand Weapon, 10x Javelins, 10x Shield

Whalers [80pts]: Musician
. 10x Whaler: 10x Hand Weapon, 10x Javelins, 10x Shield

+ Special +

Berserkers [130pts]
. 10x Berserker: 10x Fur Cloak, 10x Great Weapon

Ice Wolves [185pts]: 5x Ice Wolf

+ Rare +

War Mammoth [325pts]
. 5x Marauder Crew: 5x Hand Weapon, 5x Javelins

The scenario rolled was Dawn Attack – a particularly precarious one for Vampire Counts as proximity to the General is vital (or should that be mortal?). Fortunately, Vaszoly was able to deploy fairly centrally although the corpse cart was off to one side. Gyorgy the Varghulf and the Knights of Blood Keep were taking the right flank, able to move more independently than the Undead minions.

The carrion eaters surged forwards at the scent of whale meat from the ships, Ghouls and Dire Wolves Vanguarding ahead of the main force. The Norscan counterparts did likewise, with the War Wolves and Ice Wolves advancing cautiously.

Norsca 1

The Mammoth trumpeted a primal fanfare as it started its unstoppable momentum towards the enemy.

Skirting around the side of the pine copse, the Whalers released their harpoons at the oncoming Dire Wolves, stopping 5 of them in their tracks.

Their Seer, recovering from wounds sustained in the last battle, was absent from this fight – no magic was available to Norsca this day.

Vampire Counts 1

Leaping over the bodies of their packmates, the Dire Wolves launched themselves into the Whalers on the left flank, losing two more of their number to hastily hurled harpoons.

The Necromancer, having all of the Winds of Magic at his disposal, resurrected two of the wolves and summoned a unit of seven Skeletons to support them.

A loud creak came from the crossbows and the bones of the Drakenburg Deadshots as they loosed their flaming bolts at the Ice Wolves, killing one outright.

The Dire Wolves traded one kill for two, drawing the combat.

Norsca 2

Distracted by the movement, the Ice Wolves barreled into the Bat Swarms, snapping and biting at the dark cloud flitting around them.

Cautious of overextending, King Harald commanded his troops to whittle down the enemy numbers some more with their javelins and axes. Three harpoons found their way into the Crypt Ghouls’ chest cavities. The last of the Dire Wolves was sent to a permanent rest, leaving the Whalers free to threaten the flank

Vampire Counts 2

Under the hail of harpoons, the Ghouls failed to muster the courage to charge, creeping an inch forward instead. Cursing their craven cowering, Vaszoly chanted an ancient phrase and two of the three dead Ghouls stood back up. Next to them, six Zombies popped out of the ground to slow the Mammoth’s progress.

Vaszoly’s squires from Blood Keep lowered their spearpoints and urged their Nightmares toward the War Wolves, who fled from the thundering onslaught.

Gyorgy lost the trail of the Berzerkers he was tracking but picked up the scent of hot Mammoth blood instead, ambling around the side of the Norscan line.

Norsca 3

Angry at the loss of their packmate, the Ice Wolves continued on to stampede over the Deadshots although losing two wounds in the process.

Whining and howling, the War Wolves fled the board to escape the lances of the Blood Knights.

Reaching their full frenzy, the Berzerkers tore through the intervening zombies…but lost in their frantic hacking and frothing, only managed to pursue two inches beyond.

Vampire Counts 3

The Wind of Death weakened and the winter fog grew thicker. The Necromancer’s distracted incantation was easily dispelled by the resilient Norscans.

Blind Gyorgy leapt towards the haunches of the Mammoth, trying to find the hot pulsing that would indicate where its throat lay. Their courage bolstered, the Ghouls scurried also toward the Mammoth’s towering tusks. Between them, they struck three wounds from its total ten. In response the Mammoth let out a gargantuan bellow that would have burst the eardrums and shattered the resolve of any mortal, but was ineffective on the Undead.

Norsca 4

Berzerkers clashed with Skeletons in the centre field and Vaszoly deflected their clumsy, animalistic blows to fell several. A chill wind crept up behind him as the Ice Wolves fell on the rear of the Skeletons, killing all of them and leaving Vaszoly alone. The Mammoth stomped on the remaining Ghouls this turn as Gyorgy tore at its haunches.

Vampire Counts 4

Returned from their hunt, the Blood Knights signaled a charge towards a greater prey: Mammoth. As prophesied by your dear narrator however, two of the three failed their Dangerous Terrain test and fell into stake pits set by the Norscan scouts. Their Kastellan continued on alone as his companions met their final death.

The Necromancer urged his horde into the Whalers and, unable to assist Vaszoly any further, summoned a Skeleton cohort behind them.

Blade flashing faster than the eye could follow, Vaszoly dispatched the remaining Berzerkers and turned to face the Ice Wolves alone.

Gyorgy, now enraged by the blood starting to pour from the wounds in the Mammoth’s hide, bit deep into its artery. Spooked by the pain, the Mammoth crushed the Blood Knights Kastellan into the mud as it turned to flee. Alas, the summoned Skeletons stood in its way, and their rusted blades cut the beast’s tendons as it tried to escape. With a throat full of Mammoth blood, Gyorgy pursued into King Harold and his band of Bondsmen.

Norsca 5

Making way through the ranks of his men, King Harold tightened his mighty girdle and chanted a verse to his ancestors while the Valkyrie’s song of doom vibrated in his ears.

Swinging first, he landed a series of titanic blows on the beast only to watch in horror as its vampiric flesh stitched back together, empowered by the monstrous blood upon which Gyorgy had gorged. Taking advantage of the old King’s shock, Gyorgy lunged past the household shieldbearers and caught Harold by the throat, draining a pint of royal blood. Harold’s blood brothers bore him back to the ships, no more to take part in this chapter of the saga.

Across the field, Vaszoly also fell before the fangs of the Ice Wolves, unable to parry the whole pack at once. Minions started to falter and crumble, losing several Skeletons from each unit before the Necromancer picked up the slack.

Vampire Counts 5

Seeing the Ice Wolves approaching like the turning of the season, the Necromancer fled his unit and made a break for the Corpse Cart. He used the remaining power from his reserves to bolster the unit of Skeletons supporting Gyorgy and bless them with Hellish Vigour.

These Skeletons buffed by both the dark magic and the invigorating aura of the Corpse Cart, managed to dice up eight of the Bondsmen. They fled for their longships and were hunted down by the enraged Varghulf.

Norsca 6

“HEIAJAHO Harold, go not yet to your rest” sung the Valkyrie, and hurled herself at the Necromancer to the sound of spectral hunting horns. Alongside her, the Ice Wolves fell upon the Skeletons.

The Whalers on the periphery of the battle continued to launch their harpoons, felling half a dozen Zombies but failing to slow their inevitable march.

The Valkyrie’s gleaming torc blinded the Necromancer’s nocturnal vision and her spear found his heart singing “HI-JO-TO, Greet your dark master face to face!”. With a clap of thunder and the swelling of an unseen orchestra she charged onward to be immolated upon her pyre, in this instance made of Zombies.

Vampire Counts 6

As the Zombies clawed at the wings of the Valkyrie, the Skeletons fended off the Ice Wolves and ran them off, forestalling the fimbulwinter for one more season.

The game ended with a close score after six full turns, only 96 points in favour of the Vampire Counts – with half points awarded for both the Ice Wolves and for Gyorgy, who was unable to restore a wound with the Thirst despite gulping so much pachyderm blood.

As victor, I rolled another Regiment of Renown roll – this time giving Stubborn to the Blood Knights (not wasted as they do not crumble like Undead). To roleplay this Stubbornness however, I intend to run them through a forest at least once per game to reflect their Stubborn refusal to avoid Dangerous Terrain.

King Harold was left with a permanent -1S from his wounds.

Vaszoly was captured by his foes as per the following result:

As we are not playing for Relics, his Bone Blade was awarded to the Norscans as a trophy, and we shall have to engineer some sort of rescue party or prison break scenario.

The whalers chanted a hymn of healing as they rowed their King back to the long ship. Although he lived to rule another day, the blood loss had left him weak and frail. Harold’s shieldbearer wept not for his king, for they hoped to restore him with the blood of their captive – the vampire bound by silver chains to the dragon-shaped prow.

INTRO | I | II | III | IV | V

Campaign Game IV – Pandaemonium in Londinium

INTRO | I | II | III | IV | V

From the diary of Phineas Storch (prodigal genius) – 1st day of Brauzeit

I have been observing these savage people for several days now as they have been about their harvest festival that they label “Felltaine”. They cavort around their erect momunents with no regard for modesty. I of course would never participate in such indecent conduct, even if invited.

It seems the dance involves two teams of youths, who have a shrine at each end of the town that they must capture while defending their own. This has devolved quickly into brutality as each tries to prove his manhood by savaging the other suitors. A death slows them not a bit, but excites them to a faster frenzy.

2nd day of Brauzeit
The vile pagan shrines have a strange shimmer about them now, and shadowy outlines flit across their face, as though someone inside wishes to join the dance.

3rd day of Brauzeit
All hell has broken loose.

To mark the passing of May Day, we organised a 3-player game in a 1v1v1 matchup – Phineas’ sinister research expedition caught between two rival armies of Daemons. I will have to add that disclaimer that the following presentation is only inspired by real events, as I forgot to save my notes.

Phineas Storch has grown in power and become a Master Necromancer, bringing along his most powerful creation yet: a Terrorgheist he stitched together from specimens collected in Albion.

++ Standard (Vampire Counts) [1,225pts] ++

+ Lords +

Phineas Storch - Master Necromancer [270pts]: General, Hand Weapon, Master of the Dead
. Magic Items: Forbidden Rod, The Cursed Book
. Wizard Level 4
. . Lore of Necromancy VC 4: 0. Invocation of Nehek, 1. Vanhel's Danse Macabre, 2. Hellish Vigour, 4. Raise Dead, 5. Curse of Years, The Curse of Undeath

+ Heroes +

Wight King [150pts]: Hand Weapon, Heavy Armour, Shield
. Army Battle Standard
. . Magic Standard: Cursed Pennant of Mousillon

+ Core +

Bat Swarms [120pts]: 4x Bat Swarm, Expendable

Skeleton Warriors [165pts]: Skeleton Champion, Standard Bearer
. 29x Skeleton Warrior: 29x Hand Weapon, 29x Light Armour, 29x Shield

Skeleton Warriors [136pts]: Skeleton Champion, Standard Bearer
. 29x Skeleton Warrior: 29x Hand Weapon, 29x Shield

Zombies [69pts]: 23x Zombie

+ Special +

Failed Experiments - Corpse Cart [90pts]: Corpsemaster, The Restless Dead

+ Rare +

Re-Animation Experiment 14 - Terrorgheist [225pts]

The table was split into four deployment zones and a roll determined preference for starting position.

A statue in the centre represented an objective to hold, with 200VP to the occupant.

Caught in the middle of the fray but eager for battle, Khorne’s cloven-hoofed creatures charged ahead to meet the enemy head on – Juggernauts getting confounded for a round by the swarms of agile bats but bursting the partially manifested (assembled) Plaguebearers with a snake-eyes instability test.

Khorne’s wrath was felt immediately with a boulder hurtling from the aether to strike the Terrorgheist for half of its wounds.

Ignoring his miniature kin, Experiment 14 flew past the front line to shriek its displeasure at the god that smote it, although the damage to its health prevented it from destroying one of the Flesh Hounds.

Unable to sneak a series of spells past the protective Collars of Khorne, Phineas scraped through a rite of resurrection, spawning a unit of Skeletons to protect his flank.

Nurgle’s menagerie of things that lay eggs in stagnant pools hopped into action.

Unaware in its frenzy that its friends were vanquished, the Flesh Hound tried to fetch the bones of the Wight King BSB, only to vanish to the weight of the Skeleton horde pressing forward.

The droning and croaking of Nurgle’s cavalry drew nearer and grew into a cacophony. Using the reserve power of the Forbidden Rod, another unit of Skeletons was summoned forth to hold them back. Deep behind the lines, Nurgle’s Herald turned to face the iron clad cavalry.

Furious that their rot could not infect the blood god’s finest by magical means, the Plague Cavalry tried to dent their brass armour instead. A recourse to the rules reminded all that neither Daemons nor Undead were susceptible to poison, and the brass axes gave the amphibians a new set of gills.

Their initial momentum starting to falter, the Juggernauts were halted by the Herald’s aura.

Phineas felt a strange surge of power from somewhere , channeling the maximum Winds of Magic but feeling a tug in a direction he didn’t know existed. Nagash’s Gaze burned a hole through a Juggernaut and The Curse of Ages was cast on the Bloodletters in the centre of the board but could only send two daemons back to their realm. Experiment 14, healed by the flow of necromantic magic, came in to clean up the rest of the Juggernauts with a powerful screech at just the right resonant frequency.

Finishing off the other unit of Juggernauts, the pestilent herald made towards the objective in the centre.

Confidence bolstered by his forces’ strong position, Phineas tried on the Winds of Magic for his lucky number eleven again. Ironic fate betrayed him though as he also rolled an eleven for his Leadership test as demanded by the Reign of Chaos table…subjecting him to Daemonic Possesion. A three-fingered hand, swollen with rheumatism and seeping from whitlows, dragged Phineas into the Realm of Nurgle and switched his place with a bewildered Herald. The undead forces begin to falter…

From this point on, the new Herald tied up the remaining Skeletons long enough to crumble them while the Plaguebearers held the centre to the end, securing victory for Grandfather.

For their efforts, the Plague Cavalry were rewarded with a magic Banner of 50pts.

Khorne’s influence in the mortal realm damaged by the defeat, the Herald is unable to manifest in their next game.

Unable to keep up with the demand for fresh corpses, the Zombies will be limited to half-strength in their next appearance.

Phineas reappeared from a sphinctral portal – appearing outwardly unscathed but feeling a bit worse for wear. He will be -1 Strength for the remainder of the campaign.

From the diary of Phineas Storch (prodigal genius) – 5th day of Brauzeit

My work is hindered somewhat by the shaking of my hand, which has been progressing since my sojourn to that infernal garden. The skin is drawn and pale, the veins beneath almost appear to be writhing of their own accord. No matter, a small price to pay for obtaining the serum, with which I have had remarkable success…re-animating the freshly dead with no need for an incantation!

Perhaps an injection to my hand might have a restorative effect.

INTRO | I | II | III | IV | V

Campaign Game III – Ogres among the Ogham

INTRO | I | II | III | IV | V

In the centre of the stone circle a mound of bones had been built into a fire, and the hulking silhouttes drummed on their belly plates with a rhythmic clang. Smoke from the charred offerings wafted into the wide nostrils of the ogre troop’s Slaughtermaster. Gripping the bound feet of a captured hart, the ogre seer cut a slit from horn to hind and spilled its living entrails onto the stone slab. Peering at the still-pulsing guts, he selected a particularly auspicious organ and tossed it into his mouth – then turned skyward to consult the heavens for glimpses of the future. Odd, a comet blazed more brightly than before.

King Lwyd watched from the tree-line, outside the reach of the bonfire’s light. He turned to his steward Cadog, who as a faithful servant had been honourably buried with his king.
“……………………….”
Cadog lifted a scrimshawed sceptre and the shadows seemed to close in nearer to the standing stones.
“……………………”
Satisfied with this answer, Lwyd gestured at the henge’s stone portal, then tapped a finger bone to where his heart once beat.
An inscription in an ancient spiralling script was briefly illuminated on the lintel stone by a flicker of flame:

ᚌᚑᚄᚑᚇᚒᚔᚇ ᚔ ᚉᚓᚏᚏᚔᚌ ᚆᚔᚅ ᚌᚐᚅ ᚂᚒᚔᚇ ᚁᚏᚓᚅᚔᚅ ᚔ ᚒᚂᚐᚇ ᚆᚑᚅ

“Gosodwyd y cerrig hyn gan Lwyd brenin y wlad hon”

“These stones were laid by Lwyd, King of this land”

Both blood and bone are spilled in Albion as King Lwyd’s wights meet an unexpected foe. My scheduled opponent unavailable, I played instead against a new belligerent. To accomodate the situation, we added the campaign XP before the game, bringing the points up to 1,250. Good thing I brought some spare skeletons and there were more lying around, as I’d be needing those later.

After some quick adjustments, the list read as follows:

++ Standard (Vampire Counts) [1,249pts] ++

+ Heroes +

Cadog - Necromancer [140pts]: General, Hand Weapon
. Magic Items: Forbidden Rod, Sceptre de Noirot
. Wizard Level 2
. . Lore of Necromancy VC 2: 0. Invocation of Nehek, 1. Vanhel's Danse Macabre, 4. Raise Dead, The Curse of Undeath

King Lwyd - Wight King [115pts]: Hand Weapon, Medium Armour
. Magic Items: Sword of Kings, The Accursed Armour

+ Core +

Skeleton Warriors [170pts]: Musician, Skeleton Champion, Standard Bearer
. 29x Skeleton Warrior: 29x Hand Weapon, 29x Light Armour, 29x Shield

Skeleton Warriors [150pts]: Musician, Skeleton Champion, Standard Bearer
. 25x Skeleton Warrior: 25x Hand Weapon, 25x Light Armour, 25x Shield

Zombies [60pts]: 20x Zombie

+ Special +

The Black and Wight Order - Black Knights [222pts]
. 7x Black Knight: 7x Heavy Armour, 7x Lance (Mounted), 7x Shield
. . 7x Skeletal Steed: 7x Barding
. Hell Knight
. Musician
. Standard Bearer
. . Magic Standards: Standard of Hellish Vigour

Barrow Barons - Grave Guard [312pts]
. 19x Grave Guard: 19x Great Weapon, 19x Heavy Armour
. Musician
. Seneschal
. Standard Bearer
. . Magic Standards: Banner of the Barrows

+ Rare +

Aoibheall - Tomb Banshee [80pts]: Hand Weapon

My references tend to creep towards the obscure, so an explanation – Aoibheall is an Irish spirit tied to the O’Brien family (plus is pronounced like ‘evil’) and the Black & Wight/white comes from the colours of Cornwall.

My best recollection of my opponent’s list:

++ Standard (Ogre Kingdoms) [1,247pts] ++

+ Lords +

Slaughtermaster [283pts]: Great Weapon
. Magic Items: Cathayan Jet
. Wizard Level 3
. . Lore of Heavens 3: 0. Iceshard Blizzard, Fate Manipulation

+ Heroes +

Butcher [140pts]: Hand Weapon
. Wizard Level 2
. . Lore of the Great Maw 2: 0. Spinemarrow, Bloodgruel

+ Core +

Gnoblar Fighters [130pts]: Expendable, Standard Bearer
. 40x Gnoblar Fighter: 40x Throwing Weapons, 40x Two/Additional Hand Weapons

Regiments of Renown [254pts]
. Golgfag's Mercenary Ogres
. . Golgfag: Medium Armour, Two/Additional Hand Weapons
. . Musician
. . 3x Ogre: 3x Light Armour, 3x Two/Additional Hand Weapons
. . Skaff: Light Armour, Two/Additional Hand Weapons

+ Special +

Gorger [50pts]

Leadbelcher [240pts]
. 6x Leadbelcher: 6x Hand Weapon, 6x Leadbelcher Gun, 6x Light Armor

+ Rare +

Slavegiant [150pts]: Hand Weapon

Turn 1:
Casting the bones in the sign of a constellation, the Slaughtermaster bestowed the Leadbelchers with Harmonic Convergence, who dusted off several Grave Guard from across the table.

Cadog’s dark crystal pulsed as he summoned his countrymen from their slumber and eighteen answered the call as the dead marched forward.

Turn 2:
Golgfag Maneater counted his wages again (paid in meal tokens) and, satisfied with the tally, urged his boys forward into the freshly raised dead, crashing right through them and carrying on all the way to the Grave Guard behind them with their momentum.

A combined volley from the Leadbelchers and the Gnoblar horde put ten Zombies back in the ground.

Their glowing eyes betraying their concealed position in the forest, the Black Knights caught the attention of the Slave Giant who took a runup and flying leap, landing on top of the Knights and crushing all of them flat.

In an attempt to slow the onslaught of the Giant, a unit of Skeletons was sent in as a distraction and wounded his shin as he flailed around at them.

Bolstered by success, Golgfag bellowed a challenge to the rusted revenants before him. His blows dented the Accursed Armour of Lwyd, causing two wounds but failing to finish the job. In retaliation his retinue cut down several Maneaters, who suddenly decided it wasn’t worth the pay and tried to reverse course but were hamstrung and dispatched by the grave glaives of their pursuers.

Popping out of a muddy warren, a Gorger crept up behind the undead ranks.

Turn 3:
In a clash of titans, Gnoblars leapt into action against the Zombies, knocking over six of them with well aimed gravel and cutting the rest down with their paraphernalia.

Further flailing by the Giant only dropped one skeleton but five more fell to his stomp and the unit’s resolve (and marrow) began to crumble. With a final attempt to jump up and down on the enemy, the Giant instead fell onto them, crushing the last five flat.

This did not phase Cadog, who merely summoned supplementary Skeletons behind the old ones.

Aoibheall the Banshee shrieked at the Gorger – its sensitive eardrums split and a spout of blood poured from its head.

Urged on across the board by the sound of spectral xylophones, King Lwyd charged in to solidify the fortunes fortold by the Ogre seer. The blows from the brass guns could not deter the Barrow Barons from reclaiming their turf and the Slaughtermaster was cut down. His unit fled the field too and the blood of all but the Butcher was spilled.

Turn 4:
The Butcher fled from the field and Lwyd turned back to rejoin the fight in the center.

Their leadership structure gone, the decision was made by the Ogres to concede as between the Giant and the Gnoblar horde, precious few brain cells remained. Cadog was spared the attempt to be stuffed into a sack.

Final score came out something like 1,092-613 so a Solid Victory for the Vampire Counts. With a fortunate campaign roll, King Lwyd earned himself a free magic item worth 40 points, and the ogres bestowed a 60 point banner on a regiment of renown.

***

Trampling on the embers, the Barrow Barrons extinguished the bonefire at altar. Cadog brought forth the king’s ancient signet ring, tarnished by the centuries, and placed it into the notch below the inscription. Ancient counterweights and pulleys screeched to life and the trilithons slid aside to reveal a cached treasure beneath the stones. King Lwyd cast aside his Accursed Armour – already a symbol of servitude and now dented by the Maneater’s blows – to don his own armour, kept intact by the magic of the stone circle. An aura of darkness emanated from the Armour of the Night and the last flickering coals from the fire died. Overhead, the comet winked out.

INTRO | I | II | III | IV | V

Campaign Game II – Gobs of Gobs

INTRO | I | II | III | IV | V

“Gyorgy, what blood do you sense?”

The creature sniffed at the air and turned its bestial head uncertainly to and fro.

Vaszoly bared his teeth, all sharpened to match his canines. “We cannot march further now, brother of my hearth. Although Tengri’s bright face is veiled by the clouds in this land of mist, Angya’s golden hair will burn us still.”

Hooked claws dragging on the boggy earth, the Varghulf turned to follow into the stone cave where they sought solace from the sun. Skeletal servants marched behind, stepping mindlessly over the squig lures set into the ground and sending up a spray of spores.

Da Head Squiq Wrangla waved a hunk of rotten flesh in front of the frenzied herd. Live or dead, no different – squigs’ll ‘ave a go at it.

Gyorgy sniffed again…green blood. His already poor vision went red as he hurled toward the tree-line, taken over by The Beast.

After rolling a result to Fear Night Goblins at the end of last game, I of course ended up playing Night Goblins again. The terrifying aura of the undead would carry no advantage here – however many of the enemy were already Immune to Psychology via various vectors.

My list for this battle is buoyed by 100pts of experience earned from the campaign, as well as again accounting for a few extra points of price drops as yet unrecognized in Battlescribe:

++ Standard (Vampire Counts) [1,109pts] ++

+ Heroes +

Vaszoly - Vampire [187pts]
. Blood Dragon Vampire: General, Hand Weapon, Shield
. . Magic Items & Vampiric Powers: Blademaster, Dragonhelm, Honour or Death
. . Wizard Level 1
. . . Lore of Necromancy VC 1: 1. Vanhel's Danse Macabre

+ Core +

Bat Swarms [120pts]: 4x Bat Swarm

Hunchbacked Servants - Crypt Ghouls [60pts]
. 10x Crypt Ghoul: 10x Skirmishers

Dire Wolves [60pts]: 10x Dire Wolf

Fell Bats [42pts]: 3x Fell Bat

Skeleton Warriors [160pts]: Musician, Skeleton Champion, Standard Bearer
. 27x Skeleton Warrior: 27x Hand Weapon, 27x Light Armour, 27x Shield

Skeleton Warriors [150pts]: Musician, Skeleton Champion, Standard Bearer
. 25x Skeleton Warrior: 25x Hand Weapon, 25x Light Armour, 25x Shield

The Drakenhof Deadshots - Skeleton Warriors (Ranged) [70pts]
. 10x Skeleton Warrior: 10x Crossbow, 10x Hand Weapon

Zombies [60pts]: 20x Zombie

+ Rare +

Gyorgy - Varghulf [200pts]

I had the goal to keep the three characters themed somewhat distinctly at these early stages (eventually everything I own will be in the list). Vaszoly, with his origin story as a duellist, has been outfitted with suitable Bloodline Powers. His childhood friend Gyorgy accompanies him, although Gyorgy has long since succumbed to the beast within. The Skeleton Crossbowmen are ancient plastic models that I had to dust off with a toothbrush, and fielded entirely for comedic effect.

This opponent took an alternative tack with the theme, investing heavily in squigs and squig accessories. Herds, hoppers and manglers made an appearances, and some horrible little spidery Skulkers scouting the field.

Turn 1:
The Nasty Skulkers scuttled from the trees, scouting in front of the undead lines and ready to sling some sharp stuff.

Slavering for battle, the Dire Wolves, Bats, Wolf Riders and Squig Hoppers all Vanguarded out into the fray.

Face to face with the fearful fiends, the Wolf Riders failed their Animosity check and fell to fighting their friends.

The Squig Hoppers flew out in front with a boing of 17″. Flat-footed, the Mangler Squig failed to follow.

Gleaming with a green glow from the gobs of gathered Goblins, Da Wrangla blasted off a Great Green Spite at the Dire Wolves, flaying fur and flesh from their feral forms. Bolstered by his success, he attempted to fix a Vindictive Glare on the foe but the Winds of Magic got some grit in his third eye.

Vaszoly’s Hunchbacked Huns decided to show the Skulkers how scuttling was done, killing five to three and sending them scurrying.

Gyorgy the Varghulf launched across the field and into the Squig Hoppers, tearing them apart and continuing into the herd. Fanatics flung from the Shaman’s mob stopped short of connecting.

Slow and steady, the Skeleton Crossbowmen skewered 2 squigs.

Turn 2:
Settling their differences, the Wolf Riders returned to make a nuisance of themselves and the Skulkers rallied and reverted to what they do best (skulking).

Da Head Squig Wrangla had something wrong with his head, forgetting the words and most of the dance steps needed to cast the Great Green something something. He did however have a pocket full of Squig Lures to hand out. Dangling his Double-doin’ Doodahs, he dabbled in a double cast with his special shroom die. It proved to be a spicy one, starting a stomach-ache to supplement his migraine.

Slicing at Gyorgy’s side, the Skulkers managed to find a soft spot. Enraged, Gyorgy stomped six squigs, and set off in pursuit when they headed for the hills.

Vaszoly doesn’t know much magic but he knows a good xylophone tune, and Vanhel’s Danse Macabre ushered some Skeletons into the Skulkers, finishing them off. The Zombies sat on top of the Mangler Squig, losing the maximum amount of casualties. It didn’t matter.

Turn 3:
It was Wolf vs Bat as the chaff clashed and the Squigs turned around for a second chance at chow.

Despite Gyorgy’s violent blows, he couldn’t find any viable blood to replenish his vigour, and was covered by a carpet of ferocious fungus. Continuing their campaign, the Squigs careened into some Skeletons, chomping enough of them to cause a complete crumble.

Turn 4:
The newly replenished Zombies lurched into the main Goblin horde alongside the Bat Swarms and despite being cut down to two remaining, they were able to scoop out what was left of the Shaman’s brains.

Almost all of Vaszoly’s osseic entourage were crunched up by the hungry Squigs as he was out of position to participate in the fight.

Turning to fight, Vaszoly valiantly vanquished several Squigs and Squig-fanciers, but suffered too severe a defeat due to the deaths of his Skeletons and was himself chased down by the Squigs.

Turn 5/6:
Having finally reloaded, the Skeleton Crossbows shot down the remaining Wolf Riders.

Nothing was left to reach the Crossbows and they somehow failed to crumble while failing to kill anything else, leaving them the only survivors for the Vampires.

Vaszoly tore the biting beasts from Gyorgy’s hide and dragged him snarling towards the cave. The Goblins had won the night, but were hesitant to complete the rout while their leader was injured.
“Come Gyorgy, you can fight no more, there is no time – you are a bat out of hell and must be gone when the morning comes…we need your senses to lead us through the darkness.”

The result was a massacre of the Vampire Counts. Being the second game of the season however, no roll on the injury table was required according to our rule pack – instead we each got a spin on the Spoils of War table at -1 modifier and both rolled a Regiment of Renown. My opponent bestowed the fearsome Squig Herd unit with Always Strikes First.

After much deliberation, I decided to be sensible and award my Regiment of Renown to Gyorgy the Varghulf (so that I wasn’t locked in to taking the Crossbowmen every game), adding Armour Piercing (1) to his stat-line. Impressed with their performance relative to my expectations though, the Skeleton Crossbows were informally upgraded to the Drakenhof Deadshots, and rewarded with a command group and a custom banner.

Please join me for the next game in the series as King Lwyd of the Barrows embarks to reclaim his homeland and find his final resting place.

INTRO | I | II | III | IV | V

Campaign Game I – Gobs in the Fog

INTRO | I | II | III | IV | V

From the diary of Phineas Storch (prodigal genius) – 1st day of Nachgeheim

The spectral figure from my dream is now fully manifest. Beneath the grinning skull, his robe conceals a locked box weighed down with heavy chains. The ghostly vision he shows me…standing alone above the graves of all those who failed to recognise my genius…the future is foggy, but the spectre beckons and I follow.

After 3 nights in this sodden and savage land, I might consider myself a fool for believing there was knowledge to be found here…were that not an impossibility. Recalling the miserable words uttered by the wretch in Marienburg: “the Emissaries of the Shadowlord…seek them at the stone circles of Albion…when Ghyranek fixes his gaze upon them” – it seems I have 20 days until my next opportunity. As any halfwit knows, Ghyranek is the name the Northmen give to the beloved moon of Morr, whose wise face I have seen through the instruments of the Azure College.

Until then I shall seek cover in the farmstead my pets have located for me – it is rife with mold and has nice shallow earth. There are some green-skinned vermin (goblinus crepusculus) scurrying around. Their feeble intellects should prove no hindrance for my creations.

The stage is set for the first Battle Report of the Tasmanian Blood in Albion campaign of 2023. My first opponent ‘C’ has presented the forces of Night Goblin Warlord “Giznit” – with a suspiciously low number of goblin models. My list was as follows:

++ Standard (Vampire Counts) [1,005pts] ++

+ Heroes +

The Ghost of Geheimnistag Future - Cairn Wraith [85pts]
. Magic Items: The Casket of Ages

Phineas Storch - Necromancer [150pts]: General
. Magic Items: Forbidden Rod, The Cursed Book
. Wizard Level 2
. . Lore of Necromancy VC 2: 3. Gaze of Nagash, 4. Raise Dead

+ Core +

Conjoined Creations - Fell Bats [42pts]: 3x Fell Bat

Skeleton Warriors [160pts]: Musician, Skeleton Champion, Standard Bearer
. 27x Skeleton Warrior: 27x Hand Weapon, 27x Light Armour, 27x Shield

Skeleton Warriors [150pts]: Musician, Skeleton Champion, Standard Bearer
. 25x Skeleton Warrior: 25x Hand Weapon, 25x Light Armour, 25x Shield

Re-animated - Zombies [118pts]: Musician, Standard Bearer, 36x Zombie

Spare Parts - Zombies [90pts]: 30x Zombie

+ Special +

Corpse Cart [120pts]: Unholy Lodestone

Former Alumni - Spirit Hosts [90pts]: 2x Spirit Host

N.B. the extra 5 points is to make up for the reduced cost of Fell Bats – at time of writing, Battlescribe had not yet been updated.

Giznit’s horde consisted of two large units of Night Goblins, two Doom Diver Catapults, four Stone Trolls and a Warlord on (in?) a Squig. The game was played on a slightly reduced 4’x4′ table size to accommodate the small points allotment.

Turn 1:
Phineas surveyed his skeletal servants. “Summon surplus” he surmised: seven skeletons scrambled from the sod.

The trolls, who don’t know much but they do know several uses for bones, slunk forward and crunched the newly risen minions into powder.

Seeing a batlike silhouette fly past the moon like some kind of signal, the Doom Diver cracked his knuckles…they had been practicing bat. Once airborne, he clicked and chittered and badly flapped, echolocating his way into one of the flying fiends.

Turn 2:
Floating through the wall of the farmhouse, the Ghost of Geheimnisnacht Future beckoned to the Warlord Giznit before charging towards him. Blue lights flared in his eye-sockets as he opened the lid of the Casket of Ages but found out the hard way that goblins (and squigs) don’t have souls to be captured. Giznit’s magic wotzit swung through the dark robe and dispersed it into a fading mist.

After settling a dispute over who was Bat-goblin, the prevailing Doom Diver clipped his wing on a tree and spun like a boomerang, taking out both remaining Fell Bats in an arcing trajectory. Buoyed by their success in obtaining calcium, the trolls continued forward into the main unit but stopped after one skeleton each to pick their teeth.

The ghostly host, revenants of Phineas’ former classmates who he brought back over and over to prolong his revenge, moaned and wailed towards the Night Goblins, whose flailing Fanatics failed to impact the ghostly figures.

Turn 3:
Sneering at the simpletons who spun and sputtered, Phineas commanded a troop of Zombies to shuffle on top of a Fanatic, only needing nine of their rotting bodies to bog up the chain.

Chuckling, he opened the Cursed Book, flipping to the page for Doom and Darkness. The already-dim Trolls felt their vision and thoughts become even dimmer, fleeing in disarray as one of their number received a slice from the sword of a Skeleton.

As Giznit boinged around the farmhouse toward the rear of the line, Phineas felt about in the aether for an aura of restless souls. The farmer, it seemed, had been a serial murderer of his neighbours and the fresh earth in the farmstead strewn with their skeletons. A dozen rose to block the Squig’s path and held fast against Giznit’s prods.

Further failure followed from the other Fanatics as they fell short of their mark.

Turn 4:
The Trolls continued legging it to the safety of their cave – their hide might be stone but their hearts and brains were mush.

The Spirit Host of Former Alumni failed to frighten the goblinoid foe, who frankly didn’t understand. Their haunting unsuccessful, they faded back into limbo.

The remaining Fanatics took on the form of a savage Southern Wastes Devil and tornadoed through a copse of trees before being crushed by the trunks.

Owing to the success of the earlier tactic, the Doom Divers were now pretending as skeletons instead of bats. This faired poorly for aerodynamics, although they did end up being realistically dead.

Turn 5:
Muttering curses, Phineas turned to another page in the Cursed Book – unleashing the Curse of the Midnight Wind on the Night Goblin horde. Bolstered by this success, he turned the Baleful Gaze of Nagash onto the fleeing Trolls, dissolving one’s flesh and reclaiming the looted calcium. The others found this perplexing enough that they needed all of their silicon brain cells to concentrate and forgot that they were fleeing – however instead of fighting, they were paralysed by their Stupidity and took no further part in the battle.

Turn 6:
In a fluster, Phineas flung himself into the fray. All but one of the Skeletons had their bones cracked by the clubs of the greenskins.

It looked as though the curtains might be closing on this quest before it had barely begun but with moments to spare before daybreak, the Night Goblins got the creeping willies and fled from the Zombie masses. Giznit flailed at the Corpse Cart but couldn’t quite get the hang of how to kill it.

Both adventurers survived the clash and the dead will rise again.

From the diary of Phineas Storch (prodigal genius) – 2nd day of Nachgeheim

Fie! The foul fungoids fell upon my forces from out of the fir forest. Were it not for the former farmer’s fancies we would have faced failure! For now they have fallen back but I fear further forays against me. And the greatest gall: my ghostly guide is gone at the hands of the Great Goblin. Perhaps my dreams will return…

The conclusion was a minor victory for the Night Goblins as neither side managed to break through the line.

My foe earned a Relic (think of these like Stars in Mario Party – a way of keeping an overall score) and rolled a 6 on the Spoils of War chart, earning ‘The Glitter of Gold’ – a free magic item next game worth 20 points.

As the loser, I rolled a 1 on the Ignominious Defeats table for the result: ‘A Sound Beating!’ – I now feared Night Goblins for the next game.

With both Leaders surviving, no wounds or grudges were taken.

INTRO | I | II | III | IV | V

INTRO | I | II

INTRO

Dark forces stir in the mists of Albion. The local WHFB community has scraped together a cohort to play a year-long campaign using a modded version of the Blood in the Badlands rule set. More than a dozen players starting with 1k point armies are going to eventually (we hope) build to 6k+ mega matches by the final season.

Because of this, I have chosen to field Vampire Counts as this is the only army I can get past 6k points without using named characters and/or proxies (still some unit filler in the skellingtons though).

If unfamiliar with the Blood in the Badlands book, the premise is as follows. Each player creates 3 characters: 1 leader and 2 lieutenants. These characters can then pick fights with the other players, then roll on a chart to determine outcomes – bonuses for the winners such as a free magic item or an upgrade for a chosen unit, demerits for the loser e.g. your general has Stupidity next game.

A smaller campaign would use a map such as Mighty Empires to track battles and progress, but this is unfeasible for the number of participants so we will just be coming up with our own narrative for now and may use the map later down the track.

Here are the three characters I have chosen, with a bit of hastily and drunkenly scribbled backstory:

LEADER:

Vaszoly’s soul entered the world before men had two names. It left the world 28 years later, but Vaszoly remained – bested in a duel by a stranger who had impugned his honour, but not before Vaszoly’s blade grazed a drop of dark blood from the stranger’s cheek. For his mastery of the duel, he was ‘rewarded’ with a second chance. Having scoured the known world for his Promethean creator, Vaszoly the Blood Dragon hopes to find him hidden in the mists of Albion: does he wish to restore his honour or to meet his true death, or does he truly desire answers?…

1st LIEUTENANT: King Lwyd remembers he rode a chariot and sang songs in the valley. He remembers being buried in his eternal resting place with his horses, armour, and cupbearers – to drink with the gods in the land of the young. Thousands of years later what was left of his essence was wrested from these halls and returned to his wretched form in its boggy tomb to serve the will of Nagash. Freed from the control of the Great Betrayer, he wishes to resume his place among the kings of the barrows.

2nd LIEUTENANT: As a boy, Phineas Storch never cared for the daytime – preferring to lure moths through his window with candlelight only to impale them with pins and watch their futile struggles for life as he slowly plucked off their wings over the next few days. The jeers and jibes of the other lads slid from Phineas’ shoulders like rain on a leaf as he knew that someday he would see their names on headstones. The young prodigy was
forced to flee the Imperial College of Apothecaries and Physicians after the dormitory mascot was returned to life after 3 days in the ground by a technique Storch described as “elementary” (the element being the Wind of Shyish in this case). Although now a powerful Necromancer with nothing left to learn in the Old World, Storch is still spurned by his sinister peers for his snivelling superiority complex, and unwelcome at the annual Dark Kabal Ball. He travels to Albion with Vaszoly to seek knowledge (and perhaps acceptance) among the Dark Emissaries, servants of the Shadow.

With this cast of characters, I will be writing narrative pieces to accompany each Battle Report, to be posted in the coming months. I hope you will join us for Blood in Albion.

INTRO | I | II