DEATH IN THE BLACK MOUNTAINS
The bloodletting spreads . . .
With the Empire forces stretched across Morr’s heartland, and no way to break the hold of the Chaos forces over a swathe of territory stretching from the Staffel to the Blue Reach, emissaries were sent to the Dwarves of Karak Anghazar high in the Black Mountains. Argument rages in the halls of the Dwarves. Some call for marching immediately to the aide of their allies. Others rally against this, citing the ever more tenuous hold the Dwarves have over the Black Mountains, as the tribes of the Weeping Moon goblins thrive and besiege the ever-dwindling Dwarven defenses.
The matter is settled when word arrives of a massacre. The newly enthroned Fiend of Avondorf slaughters a column of Dwarven refugees fleeing towards the safety of Osterzell. Slayer King Ungrim Ironfist declares a grudge against the Fiend, and leads the warriors of Karak Anganzar to execute it.
The Dwarves march, and are immediately attacked. In the high passes of the Black Mountains, by the headwaters of the Staffel, the Weeping Moon leaps upon the Dwarven column: and they are not alone. Warpstone, sent to the Weeping Moon and their overlord Snoosnik from the Deamonsmiths of the Daemon’s Nest to poison the waters of the Staffel, is instead used by the duplicitous warlord to pay the fallen Grey Seer Ruskus for the help of his warriors.
As the Dwarven column enters the Valley of Tears, they are set upon by both greenskin and rat-man. In the high windswept mountains, battle ensues as the dark tides of Chaos sweep more races into the bloodshed.
Deployment and Opening Moves
Adopting a standard Anvil pattern of defense, Ungrim anchored the left flank of his line with his personal guard, longbeard veterans, and flanked thse with potent war machines: an organ gun and two bolt throwers, with his eyes and ears, a gyrocoter nearby the harry the enemy and track their movements.
Through the centre, Ungrim himself commanded two blocks of Slayers, eager for the fight, Their strength supported by two regiments of clansmen from the mountain hold, each ably led by runepriests, ready to nullify the Greenskin shamans.
On the Right, a wall of fire awaited the foe: Two regiments of gunners, falme cannon, grudge thrower and crossbowmen, and more slayers to protect them.
Facing them, the massive ambush force Stretched from valley wall to valley wall. On the far flank, facing the wall of fire, Snoosnik Deployed his own war machines: Bolt and stone throwers, a doom diver and a skirmish line of night goblin bowmen to advance ahead of a screeching horde of squigs.
Alongside them marched the skaven, hordes of slaves to weary the slayers for the kill, and behind them massed regiments of clanrats and plague monks, chittering and chanting. In their midst, a Towering screaming bell bore ruskus' able lieutenant doomsqueak. a pulsating warp-lightning cannon added to the skaven fury, and rat ogres and giant rats accompanied the host.
Facing the dwarven anvil, massive blocks of night goblin spears sat behind pickets of archers, and more rabbles of squigs. And to their left, swift moving chariots, pump wagins and hoppers raced forward beneath the shaow of a monstrous squig the size of the watchtower.
As the horde Approached, warning runes glowed hot on the dwarven twoer of the sentinel, and swept the battlefield like a lighthouse's warning. Ungrim seized the initiative and pushed his regiments forward before the foe could complete their deployment.
With grim defiance, the dwarven line met out punishment to the skaven horde with the flame cannon, thunderers and quarrelers wiping out the rat ogres and giant rats - sending their respective handlers burrowing back for safety. The Warp Lightning Cannon also erupted in a colourful display of destruction, as the stalwart dwarves notched another mark on their stone thrower and smiled disdainfully at their adversaries. The skaven in response threw their slaves at the ravening slayers who promptly smeared them, giving pause to the Grey Seer who quickly remobilized his force in the face of such ferocity!
The self proclaimed tactical genius that is Skooznik had unleashed squigs in the path of the advancing dwarves causing the miners to be diverted and delaying their arrival to the field of battle. Continuing along this line of befuddling the enemy, Skooznik goaded his troops forward in the centre and left flank (no animosity!). Cackling manically as the sky turned black with the rain of arrows descending on the slayers and clansmen, crazed fanatics were disgorged to further sew chaos into the dwarven line. On the Goblin left flank the chariots, pump wagon, squig jumpers and giant squig hurtled towards their hated foes slamming into them with a discordant cacophony of screams and clashing metal.
Doomsqueek's ravening commands quickly whipped the skaven line into a frenzy with the plague monks, globadiers, and clan rats throwing themselves against the hammer of the dwarven assault.
Midgame
Seeing the trap inexorably being drawn tight, the dwarves redoubled their efforts and pushed further into the goblin line with the second unit of slayers containing the daemon slayer charging into Skooznik's unit. Ungrim and his brethren kept the skaven tide at bay with support from the clansmen unit being led by the runepriest. This stand however took it's toll with both the bell and Doomsqueeks fiery magics inflicting heavy casualties.
The matter is settled when word arrives of a massacre. The newly enthroned Fiend of Avondorf slaughters a column of Dwarven refugees fleeing towards the safety of Osterzell. Slayer King Ungrim Ironfist declares a grudge against the Fiend, and leads the warriors of Karak Anganzar to execute it.
The Dwarves march, and are immediately attacked. In the high passes of the Black Mountains, by the headwaters of the Staffel, the Weeping Moon leaps upon the Dwarven column: and they are not alone. Warpstone, sent to the Weeping Moon and their overlord Snoosnik from the Deamonsmiths of the Daemon’s Nest to poison the waters of the Staffel, is instead used by the duplicitous warlord to pay the fallen Grey Seer Ruskus for the help of his warriors.
As the Dwarven column enters the Valley of Tears, they are set upon by both greenskin and rat-man. In the high windswept mountains, battle ensues as the dark tides of Chaos sweep more races into the bloodshed.
Deployment and Opening Moves
Adopting a standard Anvil pattern of defense, Ungrim anchored the left flank of his line with his personal guard, longbeard veterans, and flanked thse with potent war machines: an organ gun and two bolt throwers, with his eyes and ears, a gyrocoter nearby the harry the enemy and track their movements.
Through the centre, Ungrim himself commanded two blocks of Slayers, eager for the fight, Their strength supported by two regiments of clansmen from the mountain hold, each ably led by runepriests, ready to nullify the Greenskin shamans.
On the Right, a wall of fire awaited the foe: Two regiments of gunners, falme cannon, grudge thrower and crossbowmen, and more slayers to protect them.
Facing them, the massive ambush force Stretched from valley wall to valley wall. On the far flank, facing the wall of fire, Snoosnik Deployed his own war machines: Bolt and stone throwers, a doom diver and a skirmish line of night goblin bowmen to advance ahead of a screeching horde of squigs.
Alongside them marched the skaven, hordes of slaves to weary the slayers for the kill, and behind them massed regiments of clanrats and plague monks, chittering and chanting. In their midst, a Towering screaming bell bore ruskus' able lieutenant doomsqueak. a pulsating warp-lightning cannon added to the skaven fury, and rat ogres and giant rats accompanied the host.
Facing the dwarven anvil, massive blocks of night goblin spears sat behind pickets of archers, and more rabbles of squigs. And to their left, swift moving chariots, pump wagins and hoppers raced forward beneath the shaow of a monstrous squig the size of the watchtower.
As the horde Approached, warning runes glowed hot on the dwarven twoer of the sentinel, and swept the battlefield like a lighthouse's warning. Ungrim seized the initiative and pushed his regiments forward before the foe could complete their deployment.
With grim defiance, the dwarven line met out punishment to the skaven horde with the flame cannon, thunderers and quarrelers wiping out the rat ogres and giant rats - sending their respective handlers burrowing back for safety. The Warp Lightning Cannon also erupted in a colourful display of destruction, as the stalwart dwarves notched another mark on their stone thrower and smiled disdainfully at their adversaries. The skaven in response threw their slaves at the ravening slayers who promptly smeared them, giving pause to the Grey Seer who quickly remobilized his force in the face of such ferocity!
The self proclaimed tactical genius that is Skooznik had unleashed squigs in the path of the advancing dwarves causing the miners to be diverted and delaying their arrival to the field of battle. Continuing along this line of befuddling the enemy, Skooznik goaded his troops forward in the centre and left flank (no animosity!). Cackling manically as the sky turned black with the rain of arrows descending on the slayers and clansmen, crazed fanatics were disgorged to further sew chaos into the dwarven line. On the Goblin left flank the chariots, pump wagon, squig jumpers and giant squig hurtled towards their hated foes slamming into them with a discordant cacophony of screams and clashing metal.
Doomsqueek's ravening commands quickly whipped the skaven line into a frenzy with the plague monks, globadiers, and clan rats throwing themselves against the hammer of the dwarven assault.
Midgame
Seeing the trap inexorably being drawn tight, the dwarves redoubled their efforts and pushed further into the goblin line with the second unit of slayers containing the daemon slayer charging into Skooznik's unit. Ungrim and his brethren kept the skaven tide at bay with support from the clansmen unit being led by the runepriest. This stand however took it's toll with both the bell and Doomsqueeks fiery magics inflicting heavy casualties.
In the centre, the squig herders forced the large block of clansmen into retreat after the unit also took a battering from the goblin artillery.
Nightrunners had emerged on the dwarven back line, with the mission to take down the stone thrower and flame cannon that were causing so much damage to the skaven and goblin forces. Dwarves are made of strener stuff, and with the support of the thunderers, the nightrunners were sent packing.
The dwarven right flank started to fray with the combined might of the giant squig, pump wagon, and chariots smashing through artillery and ironbreakers alike. in a titanic fight, the giant squig smashed into the dwarven lord and his house guard, who fell by the drove trying to defend their lord. Yet for all their resilience, they failed, and the mighty warrior fell beneath the dying bulk of the red monstrosity, even as the green horde swept over both.
Endgame
Skooznik and his cronies used their nasty bag of tricks to ensnare the slayers who engaged them, beating them down till none were left standing. With victory at hand, the remaining night goblins in the centre could not contain themselves and ran amok, slaying each other in their manic celebrations!
With nothing left to oppose them, the Swift moving goblin left flank swept along the dwarven back line sweeping aside the warmachines and smashing into the thunderers holding the hill. Ahead of them, The clansmen supporting Ungrim managed to fend off the plague monks only to turn and face a chaotic mass of goblins.
As ungrim continued to fight, slaying all who dared come within reach of his blades, the pressing hordes closed in from all sides. Seeing the battle lost, he sounded the retreat, and the survivors cut their way out and began the long march back to karak anganzar.
Nightrunners had emerged on the dwarven back line, with the mission to take down the stone thrower and flame cannon that were causing so much damage to the skaven and goblin forces. Dwarves are made of strener stuff, and with the support of the thunderers, the nightrunners were sent packing.
The dwarven right flank started to fray with the combined might of the giant squig, pump wagon, and chariots smashing through artillery and ironbreakers alike. in a titanic fight, the giant squig smashed into the dwarven lord and his house guard, who fell by the drove trying to defend their lord. Yet for all their resilience, they failed, and the mighty warrior fell beneath the dying bulk of the red monstrosity, even as the green horde swept over both.
Endgame
Skooznik and his cronies used their nasty bag of tricks to ensnare the slayers who engaged them, beating them down till none were left standing. With victory at hand, the remaining night goblins in the centre could not contain themselves and ran amok, slaying each other in their manic celebrations!
With nothing left to oppose them, the Swift moving goblin left flank swept along the dwarven back line sweeping aside the warmachines and smashing into the thunderers holding the hill. Ahead of them, The clansmen supporting Ungrim managed to fend off the plague monks only to turn and face a chaotic mass of goblins.
As ungrim continued to fight, slaying all who dared come within reach of his blades, the pressing hordes closed in from all sides. Seeing the battle lost, he sounded the retreat, and the survivors cut their way out and began the long march back to karak anganzar.
as Anselm watched, more fires sprang to life on the far bank. there were hundreds of flames now, and he knew each one was the foe. if only they had some way of knowing what the cursed warriors were doing. from his vantage point in the bell tower of the old church, the warrior priest had a commanding view of the situation.
all along this side of the Staffel, ordinary folk had raised an impressive redoubt to defend what what theirs. a twisting line of barricades, trenches and makeshift walls had been cunningly erected. Anselm felt his heart swell with pride. these were his people now: they had come to believe in him, and he had lent them his strength to accomplish what they had now accomplished: a chance, a fighting chance.
a cry made him turn. gert was running up the spiral stair towards his platform. The boy was perhaps no more than 14, yet had proved an enthusiastic is somewhat careless courier. "a messgae my Lord!" the boy cried.
"I'm no Lord, son" Anselm Grumbled, but took the Message. He read, eagerly. wiess had sent for aid, and the Dwarves of the Black Mountains had responded. With trepidation he turned his gaze from the river to the black-grey pinnacles of snow-dusted rock that towered on the horizon. a storm was raging there, stretching its dark tendrils over the craggy foothills that bracketed the staffel as it tumbled from the heights to where he now stood. even as he watched, lighting played upon the high plateau.
"I'll believe it when i see it" the warrior priest murmured.
all along this side of the Staffel, ordinary folk had raised an impressive redoubt to defend what what theirs. a twisting line of barricades, trenches and makeshift walls had been cunningly erected. Anselm felt his heart swell with pride. these were his people now: they had come to believe in him, and he had lent them his strength to accomplish what they had now accomplished: a chance, a fighting chance.
a cry made him turn. gert was running up the spiral stair towards his platform. The boy was perhaps no more than 14, yet had proved an enthusiastic is somewhat careless courier. "a messgae my Lord!" the boy cried.
"I'm no Lord, son" Anselm Grumbled, but took the Message. He read, eagerly. wiess had sent for aid, and the Dwarves of the Black Mountains had responded. With trepidation he turned his gaze from the river to the black-grey pinnacles of snow-dusted rock that towered on the horizon. a storm was raging there, stretching its dark tendrils over the craggy foothills that bracketed the staffel as it tumbled from the heights to where he now stood. even as he watched, lighting played upon the high plateau.
"I'll believe it when i see it" the warrior priest murmured.