Following my victory on the Plains of the Dark Lands, the campaign shifted to the eastern foothills of the World’s Edge Mountains. There a new Dwarf Army awaited me, under General Karn Steelaxe–brother of the recently-slain Nark Steelaxe.
For this game, we choose three hills and a couple of (impassable) rocky outcrops to reflect the rougher terrain. The armies were 2400 points. Because my opponent had just splurged on a couple of Grudge Throwers (he does like his artillery!), I let him field them even though he was over his special units quota. On the other hand, having lost his army general in the last battle, we agreed that he would have to field a Thane as general rather than fielding a Lord. Replacements, it seems, are hard to find.
My larger numbers of units gave me the luxury of getting a sense of the stunties’ battle-plans long before I had to commit my own. He had set up a deadly killing ground in the center of the battlefield: Crossbows (20) and Thunderers (20) interspersed with an Organ Gun and Cannon, with supporting Grudge-Throwers on the hills behind. Longbeards (20) and a small unit of Trollslayers anchored his right flank, Ironbreakers and Warriors (20) anchored his right, and one unit of Warriors was held back as a reserve to reinforce the front line if need be.
I had no intention of marching straight into this potential maelstrom of lead and steel. Instead, I deployed all of my primary striking force to my right flank, where they could approach the Dwarven position behind the shelter of a long hill. As usual, my Black Orcs (20+ general), double-choppa-wielding Orc Boyz (35 + battle standard), and “Boo” the Troll would be my primary shock troops, while a largish (10) unit of Goblin Spider Riders, supported by Slarkfug Boarmuncher (a boar-mounted Orc Big Boss), would provide flanking support. By contrast, my intention was to simply hold the center, and harass on the left, knowing the slow movement of the enemy troops would delay any retaliatory blows there. Thus, two small (5) Goblin Spider Riders and a large unit of Night Goblin Spears (40 + 2 fanatics) deployed on the left, and throw-away units of Snotlings (4) and Night Goblin Bows (20) deployed to the center, along with my Spear-Chukka and Rock Lobba. A small unit of Night Goblin Spears (20 + fanatic) provided rearguard protect against any enemy Miners that might appear.
Finally, with a few points to spare, I purchased a low-cost Night Goblin Big Boss, equipped him with Maad’s Map and the Brimstone Bauble, and hid him behind a rock. From there he could harass the enemy, and when he died he would explode and do D6 S6 hits–a Goblin suicide-bomber, of sorts! Hopefully he could take a gun crew with him.
TURN 1
I moved first, and my forces surged forward, anxious to do battle with their Dwarven foes. Well, almost all of my forces surged forward: both Night Goblin units held their blocking positions, and one small unit of Spiders on the left squabbled rather than advance. To make up for this, the larger unit of spiders on my more important right flank decided it wanted to “show ’em” and surged forward even faster. Finally, Bootlegreen Boombottom, the heroic (or foolish) suicide goblin, headed off in search of artillery to detonate.
The Dwarves, seeing a large and angry mass of greenskins bearing down on their right, moved to reinforce that flank: the Warriors and redoubtable Ironbreakers moved forward to meet me, while the Cannon was dwarf-handled to the spur of the hill where it could see my approaching troops. A lone Dragonslayer provided an escort.The artillery fire on both sides was largely ineffectual, and a few snotlings were wounded by crossbow fire.
TURN 2
The clash of steel was imminent! My General declared a Waaaaaaghh, and our advance hastened. On the left, my troops were almost in striking range, and my Spider Riders moved into a flanking position on his Warriors. The Night Goblin Bow mounted the the hill, moving to within (short!) bow range of the enemy. My Rock Lobba scored a bullseye on the Quarrelers. Finally, my troll charged and engaged his Dragonslayer, clearing the way for Boombottom to move even closer to his intended target. On the far left, the Spider Riders continued their harassing moves.
The Dwarves responded by starting an advance on my left towards my Night Goblin Spear, and further moving to close on the right. the Snotlings were devastated by combined fire from the Organ Gun and Quarrelers. Then again, that’s what they were there for: to die and buy time for their more competent big brothers. The newly redeployed Cannon proved what a danger it could be by blowing away two of my stalwart Black Orcs. One of the Dwarven Grudge-Throwers, however, thankfully self-destructed.
Finally, a unit of Miners showed up on my furthest right flank. This could be a problem if I didn’t burst through the enemy quickly…
TURN 3
With bloodthirsty shouts and a hefty choppa in each hand, my Black Orcs crashed headlong into the unit of Ironbackers. My greenskin leader, Warboss Glarsnot Bloodcurdle, taunted Karn Steelaxe, recounting how his unlucky predecessor had been crushed under a stray Goblin rock just two weeks earlier. The angry Dwarf strode forward, his gleaming magical axe in hand, to revenge his fallen brother in single combat…
..and was killed. You’ve got to love Iron Gnashas and their killing blow ability.
My Orc Boyz weren’t quite within charge range yet–indeed, Hevvythud Raglugger (my Black Orc Standard bearer) had to kill a couple to stop their squabbling and keep them focused on the task at hand. In any case, Slarkfug Boarmuncher wasn’t waiting: the Orcish hero led his mechanical boar and unit of Spider Riders into the flank of the Warriors, hoping to score a quick victory (and prevent them from coming to the aid of the Ironbackers too). Boombottom charged the gun crew, rushing past the Troll and Dragonslayer still locked in combat on the hill. Despite his fervent wish to die a martyr, he killed one of the crew without suffering so much as a scratch.
On the left, the Night Goblin Spears and two Spider Rider units maneuvered to flank the approaching Longbeards. Two fanatics spun off from the latter, and smashed into the approaching Dwarves, devastating the Slayers, who also took casualties from the Spider Rider bows. The Night Goblin Spear were taking heavy casualties from missile and artillery fire, but were in a large enough unit to avoid panic tests so far.
TURN 4
This looked like it might be the decisive phase of the battle: the Warriors were charged by the Orc Boyz and Raglugger with Nogg’s banner of Butchery. The Dwarves quickly broke under the onslaught, and were overrun in pursuit. My triumphant Boyz collected their fallen banner, and whatever else they could loot from the corpses.
The Black Orcs, joined by a flanking group of Night Goblins, broke the Ironbackers, who fled and were cut down too.
Boombottom still couldn’t find his special way to the greenskin afterlife, killing the last of the cannon crew (with help from Boo) rather than detonating.
My rear unit of Night Goblins, relieved of rearguard duties by the earlier arrival of the Miners on the right, squabbled rather than hasten to their new position.The Organ Gun, thankfully, self-destructed (this was not the best of days for Dwarven artillery).
TURN 5
The Dwarven left flank had crumbled. The Orc Boyz reversed direction, and headed off to deal with the pesky miners behind them. The Black Orcs, Spider Riders, Troll, and Night Goblin Bows wheeled to prepare an assault against the nearby crossbows. The reserve unit of Dwarf Warriors moved forward to support them Quarellers, and the Thunderers redeployed to better target the greenskin units on the hill.
On my right, the Night Goblin Spears and Spiders watched with approval as their distant companions on the hill waved Dwarven body parts in triumph. This would show those arrogant Orcs how vital and indespensible Gobbos were to a modern army! With high-pitched squeaky cries, they charged into their own nearby foes..Well, some did. One Spider Rider unit squabbled instead, doubtless arguing over who deserved the greatest credit for the impending massacre.
Sadly, the Longbeards had obviously fought Goblins before. Many times. Indeed, they had fought Goblins back in the day, when Goblins were tough and tall and had three arms and sharp gnashing teeth, not at all like these pesky puny modern excuses for Goblins today’s so-called Dwarf warriors complain about…
It was a slaughter. The Goblins (rolling what appeared to be cursed dice) killed one, while the Dwarves struck back killing eight. This was too much for the rank, rear, and outnumbering bonus to offset: and, the Goblins being Goblins, broke and ran, to the jeers of the pursuing Dwarves.
This was also too much for Boombottom, watching all of this from afar. He charged recklessly down the hill and into the Quarrellers, killed one, died, detonated, and killed several more. Gobbo honour had been redeemed.
TURN 6
The Black Orcs, Troll, and even the Night Goblin Bows all charged into the Quarellers at the base of the hill, crushing them. The ensuing flight of the crossbows caused panic amongst the Warriors, who decided thet they too had best flee to fight another day. The Miners couldn’t stand up to the much larger group of Orc Boyz bearing down on them–and also broke and ran.
Only the Thunderers and Longbeards were in any position to retire in good order. Clearly, the greenskin onslaught wouldn’t be stopped today. Perhaps if they withdrew to Peak Pass it might be possible to throw back the invading hordes before they reached the Dwarven strongold of Karak Kadrin…
The Gilt War 