The Old Enemy

The crystal blue sky pleased Zaki. It brought him memories of what his ancestors had taught him in his youthful life. He enjoyed the bright star and all the life it gave his fellow scaled journeymen and the other youthful creatures that relied on its ever watchful gaze. Sitting cross clawed he began to meditate to communicate with his lord back in Lustria. Looking back he saw his brother Zik, his arm bleeding from the fall of his proud steed in the battle against the younger race.
"Any word brother?"
"I am about to try." Hissed Zaki to his Chief brother. "Tend to the others. All life is precious to try and maintain this foothold and carry out our Lords plan." Before he turned to carry out the Priest's wish, he struck his chest and bowed in respect to the general's efforts. He had done well, none of his kind had ever managed to hold a position such as this at a time of need. He demanded nothing but determination from his kin and they all respected him for it. He knew their strengths and their weaknesses and he knew all would give their lives to try and stop the evil that his master had sent him there to eliminate.

Gazing at the sun he closed his eyes, the towering saurus warriors guarding him in each direction. Suddenly Zaki was transported through space and time itself and emerged in his home land as a spiritual messenger. Lord Rib-Tec was sat upon his lily pad in the middle of his meditation pool.
"Your work is not complete my humble servant" an echoing croak filled the chamber. Zaki knelt in shock. Rib-Tec had never spoken to anyone this way in centuries. This was an honour for the Preist but his head was throbbing from the power that the Slann used to communicate with him. "The old enemy is gathering a small force to the West of your current location. The plagued ones will soon take your position if you do not act quickly! Return and destroy our old foe and make ready for war. Zaki showed the same respect as Zik had shown him not too long ago and he traveled back to his body.

Hissing, Zaki gathered his soldiers to his side and ordered his brother to return and gather new troops. Opening a gate to his home, Zik asked his brother what he wished him to send. Zaki looked at his brother and hissed two names subtly. "Lar-ax... Trox."

The ground festered beneath the lizards feet, the tunnels made the rocks feel like soil. Opposite them a sea of evil contraptions and chattering teeth met Zaki's gaze.

Looking around he saw no sign of the reinforcements that his small force needed to defeat the foe. There was no time to waste, and ordered his Ripperdactyls forward and into the air to deal with the warmachines as they did before. Launching forward the 10 skinks and 20 suarus began to march forward.

Suddenly another portal opened and out walked a behemoth of a creature. Three horns protruded from his heavily armored skull and the powerful muscles rocked back and fourth as it emerged from the shadow. A proud and aggressive stegadon, a young bull from a local heard known as Trox entered the battlefield alongside the saurus. Behind him was a large bipedal figure whom Zaki recognized straight away. Lar-ax, a great Scar-Vetran from many wars against the Skaven strode next to the skinks atop of a horned one. This rare beast was now thought to be extinct at the hands of the evil ratmen. Lar-ax had been blessed by Itzil and had raise the predator from birth.

As the rippers moved forward they were met by a sea of giant rats. These were notorious in Lustria for getting into the temple cities but they were rarely caught out in the open as they were now. Seeing the small morsals, the aerial beasts landed to snap up a snack, raring for the fight against the war machines their rides were not as impressed but could not control their mounts. The rats took a chunk out of the wings of one of the Ripperdactyls but they retaliated by sheer ferocity. snapping necks and slashed furry flesh left the fight on going and giving the Rippers a lovely meal.

Looking on at the mass gathered opposite him, Zaki began to see the work of a Ratman who followed the Lore of the Horned rat. This was deadly as Zaki had seen it before, scales could turn to fur and brothers turn on each other. This he could not allow. Summoning a bolt of pure evil, the Grey Seer launched an attack that fortunately was ineffective against the scaled saurus warriors. However something wasnt right. The Seer seemed to spazuim as Zaki's eyes gleamed. He then saw a small explosion and a great bang as a chunk of the Seer's unit were thrown into the air around him. This was a sign from Sotek himself that this day would be theirs! Another crash of lightning punched a hole through the suarus warriors to far greater effect and a smoking barrel pointed toward their direction... The distraction had worked and the Ratmen had a fully operational warmachine to pick off their opponents. Neither the less, Zaki ordered them forward.

The Ripperdactyls broke through the small morsals and targeted their original target after the huge eruption their felt in the air. Taking to the wing once again they continued their hunt. Lar-ax trotted to keep up with the winged terrors but made sure he was not in the way of their rage path.The saurus also moved forward along with the rest of the army providing they stayed out of the way of the mighty stegadon to their right.

The Rat men had to do something quick and the warp  lightning cannon pointed to the Ripperdactyls that were almost upon them. With a squeek, then a click... something went wrong and the cannon fired towards their own troops blowing another set out of their formations. This allowed the birds the chance to dive in and enjoy another feast. Zaki spotted the Grey Seers eyes burning and pointing towards the saurus block followed by a mighty screetch! 

He turned to his brothers and saw them spout more horns and fur... in horror he saw at least half of the warriors clutch their stomachs in pain and proud roars turning to sqwaks and squeeking. Zaki ordered Trox into the combat!

The ground shook and the mighty creature lowered his head impaling four rats as it entered a sea of rats! The Ripperdactyls on the right flank made short work of the cannon and turned their attention to the mele in the middle of the canyon. The rats were not phased by Trox and all wielded their weapons with martail accuracy. Finding soft spots in his armor, Trox and his handlers retaliated with clubbing blows. Just as they gained the upper hand another wave of rats charged the side of the proud beast! A battle ensued that began to grind the stegadon down, but resilience is what his kind were known for. Trox held the line and continued to fight. 

Zaki looked back and saw his fallen brothers in a mutated heap, some still shaking from twisted energies. Looking at his saurus champion, he nodded. This was nothing new for the ancient fighter and he ordered his saurus into the frey to help their relic beast. The battle was bloody and losses were many. The ratmen were skewered , saurus were felled but in the end the scaled servants of the old ones prevailed.

The rats fled the battle and were cut down. Uxotal and his chameleons had been working the rear of the Skaven's army, a trick that had been faithful to Zaki's plans thus far. They had eliminated an important Skaven member and had now lent their blowpipes to cutting the Grey Seers troops down along with the evil sorcerer. 

The rest of the Skaven managed to get away. This was a problem. Zaki's element of surprise was gone. The enemy knew of his presence. But as he looked at the bodies of his lost brothers and their mounts, he heard a loud croaking echo.

"Prepare for my arrival..."

Lizardmen: Crushing victory 5pts

Fully painted: 3pts

Newly painted hero (Lar-ax): 1pt

Battle report: 1pt

Total for Lizardmen: 10pts

Warboss Spuzgob looses his cool ... and various snotlings loose their heads

Waaaarrrrrgggggghhhhhhhhhh!

Warboss Spuzgob's cries of rage could be heard all over the orc encampment.  everyone was treading quietly - he'd already lopped the heads off a couple or Arrer Boyz for 'lookin at im funny' and had his second favourite boar spitted and roasted in a vain attempt eat his way out of his rage.

The anger had started when all that came back from the force he'd sent to investigate the latest rumours of Gork's or was it Mork's cup was a handful of night goblins and one spear chukka - and pretty ragged night gobs they were too.  Still roast boar was having its effect and he was now calm enough to demand a report from the Night Goblin Big Boss.

"Well boss it was like this" - said the tired (but pleased to be alive gobbo)...

We woz all huntin' around for the cup when we 'erd this din up ahead.  So I sez - ladz there's sum bovver coomin.  So wez all getz ready and stuffs some mushrooms down a few of the ladz gullets, kick the big squigs to get 'em all riled like and them snotties pile on the pump wagon.

 

Well next thing we knowz there woz these right big bleeders commin towards us - wiv sum sorta huge hairy horse in the middle.

 

 

 

No probz we thought - Fizzer, our mage can toast that we thought - bloomin' daft thought that!

 

(Spuzgob growls at this point grabs a snotling and rips its head off - throwing it at the Night Goblin Big Boss, who being much more agile dodges it before hurriedly continuing)

 

So wez just about to get going when another free of dez massive bleeders turns up right up our bumz.  Scared the wotsits out of me I can tell you. 

 

 

Anwayz Fizzer pushes out one of the loonies and the snotties jump up and down and goes after em with their wagon.  Hits em good 'n hard too, but when the dust settles thez still one left standing!  And no loony, nor no wagon niever.  And thems uvverz in front starts towards us.

 

 

Well we aint fer waiting ter be etten so wez goes for em.  Push out all the loonies and the big boingers too - then all sorts of craziness kicks off.  Thez casting magic fire and shooting great bloomin canons full er forks or summat.  Blooming boinger is half full er tin, loonies don't go far enuff, crazy gobbos comes wooshing out er sky and hits da big hairy horse on its head - Fizzer makes it all goes dark and then thur's this bang and he falls over and goes all glassy eyed - and seems well I dunno some how normal.

 

 

Well I aint for getting full er tin neiver so I sets after 'em bangers geezers afor they can do it again - chases 'em off we did.  The that big geezer from the back teks a try at fizzer and dem gobbos wiv bows, but although he ets loads ov em they stick him full er pins and he goes down.

 

(A squeak here as Spuzgob carried away with the story squeezes the life out of another snotling in his excitement)

 

 

Well we funk de big ass black orcs followed us but dey didna (an angry growl at this marks the passing of another snotling) - so next fing da big geezers and da hairy horse goes running past us.  Dat Horse hits dem black orcs, da big mob a geezers hitz poor old Fizzer and da arrer gobbos. 

 

 

Well we never saw Fizzer or 'is ladz again.  But dem black orcs wuz mashed up bad too - but de biggest and baddest dey picks up dem big choppas dey have and lets dat hairy horse 'av it.  Dat woz summat I can tell you - bits of horse everywhere.  (A whoop and a crunch mark Spuzgob dancing about for joy - on top of yet another unfortunate snotling).

 

Well dem shooty boyz come back at us again so we haz ter chase 'em off again.  Da wheely pigs hit dem uvver shooty types, but dey goes on and on hittin and hittin each uvver - till da wheely pigs run off.  Dem shooty types can darn run fast even wiv dem big bangers I tell you.

 

Well then we haz it - da black orcs goz fer da big mob of 'em big bleeders.  Well dat woz summat I tell you - but da one ov 'em he burps a load of flames and dat aint fair or nuffin ez it?  So though they killz a fair few, da black orcs got ell bashed up and dead.  And dem dere big bleeders takes out da crazy flyin gobbos too an all.

 

 

So me and der few ladz left scarper smartish and 'eadz on back fer a bit o elp!

 

++++++++++++

 

At which point fair readers we best draw a veil over the events at the orc camp.  Suffice to say that although mightily entertained Warboss Spuzgob was not happy with the outcome of the evening's events and a lot of snotlings paid the ultimate sacrifice to calm him down.

Gutrot Triumphant (Round 1 500 Points: James' Ogres and Graeme's Empire)

The Goblins shrieked in fear as a clumsy paw fumbled into the temporary cage housing them. Betrayed by the pure self-concern their race was renowned for, a smaller, scrawnier individual yelped as it was pushed and shoved forward by its inmates into the clutching grasp, before being greedily shovelled up into the maw of a bored looking Ogre. The Ogre gulped and let out a frustrated sigh.   

“Ere, Gutrot, I aint had a propa meal in days. All we’ve had is these pieces of green gristle. You can’t even get a belch out of ‘em. Thems menthings and smallmenthings aint coming round ere nomore so how we gonna get us sum real feasting agen?”

Gutrot had led the small band of Ogres out of the Mountains of Mourn not four cycles of the moon ago. As an emissary of the Great Maw, known in the simple Ogre tongue as a Butcher, Gutrot was feared and revered in equal proportions by his fellow Ogres. It was during the preparations for a Great Feast that Gutrot had been struck by a dire portent of death and destruction; the ceaseless call of the Great Maw beckoned him. Without a word, Gutrot departed the mountain of his tribe and began his journey, but not before arousing the attention of several of his kinsmen, their natural curiosity and wanderlust tempted by the lucrative promise of food and fighting. After traversing the desolate wastes of the Dark Lands, the band of Ogres had taken Mad Dog Pass through the World’s Edge Mountains, whilst enjoying plentiful scuffles with the countless local tribes of greenskins. Trusting his gut implicitly, Gutrot was drawn north to the foothills of the Black Mountains and the fringes of The Empire. It was here that the band of Ogres, rather fortuitously, happened upon the Silver Road, a historic trade route and major arterial road into the provinces of the Eastern Empire. For several weeks Gutrot’s band had enjoyed rich pickings as they preyed upon the various trade caravans journeying along the route, extorting a fortune in toll charges and stockpiling food and plunder. Notably, a chance encounter with a Dwarfen artillery train, destined for the realms of the Border Princes, saw the Band come into possession of 3 cannons, together with assorted armour and weaponry. Their brazen success had even seen them set up a makeshift camp adjacent to the road. However, in recent days the previously busy route had become barren; the trade caravans disappearing abruptly. Gutrot, unlike many of his kind, was blessed with a prodigious prescience that could only be explained as a result of his recent visions of the Great Maw.  Whilst his fellow Ogres were blissfully unaware that their incursions would inevitably draw significant attention, Gutrot knew there would be swift recourse to remove the threat their band presented to one of the Empire's most important trade routes.  

“Don’t you worry your fat head. We iz gonna be feasting by day’s end. Mark my wurds. I will provide it and we will eat it. Now get lost or I’ll cut your arm off.”

Unsatisfied the Ogre turned away, consoling himself with another Goblin snack. Gutrot knew that in another few hours the protests of his fellow Ogres would soon turn physical, such was the Ogre’s tribal and fickle nature, especially where food, or more specifically the lack of it, was concerned, but the gnawing feeling in his gut did nothing but focus his resolve. It was at that moment that Gutrot’s nose twitched, at first momentarily before curling completely as the unmistakable scent of man-flesh peaked his interest. He noticed its effect on his fellow Ogres as they excitedly jumped to their feet, salivating as their insatiable appetites took control. Gutrot guffawed loudly.

“Ere they are. Right on time. Grub’s up.”

 

MKWGW Escalation League 2015: Round 1 (500 Points)

Ogre Kingdoms (James) vs. The Empire (Graeme)

Army List

The Rotgut Tribe                                 497 points

Heroes
Gutrot
Butcher                                               100 Points
(Level 1, Lore of the Great Maw)

Core

The Dragon Guts
3 Ironguts                                            129 Points
 

The Troll Guts

3 Ironguts                                            129 Points
 
Special
The Belchers
3 Leadbelchers                                    139 Points
(Bellower +10)

Battle Overview

The Ogres took first turn and marched boldy towards the Empire lines. Gutrot cast ‘Bonecrusher’ at the approaching Empire Outriders with irresistible force as the whole unit was instantly destroyed. The ensuing miscast result was benevolent as Gutrot and his accompanying Ogres suffered a solitary wound each. Subsequently, the Leadbelchers killed 2 of the Empire Knights.

In response The Empire attempted to avenge their fallen comrades by declaring charges. Unfortunately, the Knights were unsuccessful leaving them in a precarious position in the middle ground. Meanwhile, the Empire State Troops charged into the unit of Ironguts. The Empire Wizard successfully cast ‘The Withering’, reducing Gutrot and his unit’s toughness. In combat the Empire State Troops were unable to land a wound on the Ironguts who in turn killed two of their number, prompting them to panic and flee. Their panic also caused the Empire Wizard to turn and flee as both were caught and butchered by the pursuing Ironguts.

Both the Leadbelchers and Gutrot’s unit of Ironguts declared charges on the Empire Knights. After successfully making the charge a single Knight succumbed to the bludgeoning impact of the Ogres. Again, the Empire Knights unfortunately failed to land a wound on the Ogres who responded by killing another Knight. With steely determination the Empire Knights remained steadfast before another round of combat killed another of their number. Their resolve tested, the Knights panicked and fled from the battlefield.

 

Result

Crushing Victory to the Ogres

5 league points

7 hobby poins (3 fully painted army, 3 painted units, 1 battle report)

James, 6th March 2015