Tale of Four Gamers

[Titus]

This is going to be a compilation of our trial and tribulations in trying to complete four new armies for Warhammer Fanatsy Battles.

The people that will be participating are:
MorGrendel - Skaven
Titus - High Elves
Serban - Goblins, maybe some Orcs.
Equinous - Dwarves

I am hoping to add some fluff behind each of the units and make a bigger story of all the armies and why they are fighting each other. maybe add a couple of battle reports and the such. This is going to be this winter's project of my own and hopefully each of the others will post updates also.

[Titus]

High Elves
Army Comp
Mor Grendel and I each picked up a copy of the new Island of Blood boxed sets and swapped the respective armies with each other. This gave me the following:
20 Lothern Sea Guard (19 after converting the second command figures)
20 Swordmasters of Hoeth (18 after converting the second command figures)
2 Prince on Griffon (1 I plan on converting to a Bretonnian Lord on Gryphon
2 Mage
10 Ellysian Reavers (Will be used as two 5-man units)

After that I purchased a noble kit and bolt thrower. I need to get one more bolt thrower and got the noble because I do not plan on using the griffon in less than 2000 points. Also I ebayed 3 more 10-man Lothern Sea Guard Units to make another 20 man unit and fill in the missing models in the other unit. I need to find 2 more swordmasters to fill in that last little bit.

So I need to get the following:
2 Swordmasters
1 Bolt Thrower

I am waiting on Mor Grendel to flush out his army's story so that I can make mine, essentially I have a Elven Sea Raiding Party, so it is pretty easy to fit my army in the story.

[Berserker]

I have goblins. They like to kill. And to eat. They like it best if what they kill is tasty and comes with a side of alcohol. That's it.

[MorGrendel]

I figured we'd keep the general Isle of Blood story line and build up our forces. We would start with the basic box, 500 points, build to 1000, 1500, and then 2000. I guess it is up to Serban and Clayson to decide how they got there, but attempting to control the Phoenix Stone . . . well that just sounds Galatian to me. : )

I believe my Skaven are digging their way there now as we speak. Oh, the stench from the piles of dead and drowned slaves is overpowering, but it appears Clan Moulder has already spoken for the broken bodies. As they remove the tattered corpes, one can already hear the would-be-Warlord Verminkin haggling over the price for a Bonebreaker. He best watch how loud he speaks though, Warlord Turgor Shunt or his favored Chieftain and Army Standard Banner Horrent Barghest are always listening for the next back-stabbing challenger. And not far from the action sit a patient Warlock Engineer, Ratchitt. What are his plans?

[Berserker]

Skaven be tasty in a stew. All dat running make dem muscles hard, but not a thing that boilin water can't fix. Cook say even tastier when boiled alive... Soothing music.

Dem dwarves be even tasty more! Dey be like cows. Fatten and skewer. Fatten and skewer. Oh soo juicy! Yum! And they come with wet beer on da side! I want them most!

As fer them skinny elvish tree-huggers, me make them appetizer! On second thought, they be too skinny and very tastless. Mebbe me keep them in pen and feed them corn. Naah! Too long! I put'em dance on table, den treat dem to me squiggles. Dey like dem bones of elvs!

I been told all three dem be goin to dis stone like bird. What stoopids! Dey all there waiting for me ta feast! What great time! Me go! Me go! Come now me squiggly! Come now me bretheren! We feast soon! Sharpen dem pokies!

We come! We come now!

[MorGrendel]

Two thoughts:
1. Every army needs a theme - It helps you pick a direction and stick with it and not get to swayed by "options". I like that you've chosen Goblins "only". Dan actually used to run a pretty competitive Goblin list that kicked butt and left opponents scrathing thier heads. But you need more, what kind of goblins are they?

2. Well, since you have to get to the island anyway, why not make them Pirate Goblins? Give them big feathery hats on top and no one will notice that they are all the same model. Or since your goal is to eat us, Cannible Goblins! Bones through the nose and boiling pots of goo. You could change your leader model to carring a spoon!

[Berserker]

No pirates! They are goblins! They don't sail. Besides, you actually want me to convert 600 models into pirates? No way!! :P

[Titus]

Remember, they are night goblins, so they like mushrooms.

[Berserker]

Yes, that I did think of. There will be mushrooms =)

[Titus]

XI, 340, 2, 87 on the Isle of Thanan (Imperial Year 2503)
- After the invasion by Eric Redaxe, the Phoenix King Finubar the Seafarer ordered outposts set on all of the outlying islands between Norsca and Ulthuan. Located 300 longspans of the northern coast of Ulthuan, one such outpost on the Isle of Thanan holds a deeper secret. The last isle in a long string of islands stretching far from the mainland, Thanan is the first warning in another Norsca invasion. Unaware of what is about to unfold, a small elvish garrison goes about it normal routine.
--------------------------------------------
- Noble Draghone of Hoeth sat with the mage Tespan, pondering over the map provided to him by Mitar Gai, captain of the Ellyrian Reavers attached to his garrison. Gai's scouts were reporting an increase in the number of animal tracks across the island. The tracks looked like they belonged to some kind of giant rat but none of the animals have yet to be found.
- The rats must of come in on the dwarven ships last month. Something was odd with the location of these occurrences. While the dwarves are staying to the foothills on the south side of island, the rat tracks are being found all over. The dwarves have started mining the southern foothills, but only Asuryan knows what they found of interest over there. As long as they stay away from the Waystone and the ancient site hidden in the center of the shifting woods on the west side of the island, Draghone was more than content to let them chip away at the earth and take what they wanted.
- Draghone had the mage send a request weeks back to Caledor requesting more troops in case the dwarves were up to something other than their current mining operations. As it stands right now, Draghone would have to pull his twenty-three men he has now back to the shifting wood and hope to remain hidden until reinforcements could arrive.
- One of Gai's men burst into the room dragging a large sack almost bursting at its seems tied close with strip of his now bloody tunic. "Sir, Vildar and I were ambushed by six of these things. Vildar didn't make it. I managed to scare off the other ones, but this one got knocked out, " the scout said in earnest. Draghone bolted up and approached the scout, fire burning in his eyes. "Well, open it up. Show me which of these dwarves dare to attack us," he said.
- Gai's man untied the sack and opened it wide to reveal its contents. Draghone peered inside then turned back to his planning table and sat back down before his map. "Show me where this happened." The scout pointed to the northern most section of the foot hills, a few hundred yards from the Dragon's Maw cave. "Go," Draghone commanded, "recall all the scouts. We must muster to investigate this in force."
- Tespan stepped forward. "Commander, surely we can wait for more of our brethren before we engage the dwarves," he advised. "No, we can not. I must prepare for battle. We move within the hour," Draghone said gravely, "Lock that thing up in the stocks and ready yourself, Tespan."
- Moving to gather the bag and the prisoner, Tespan dragged it to the next room over to where the one cell on the compound lay. He dumped the contents of the bag onto the floor of the cell and nearly fell backwards in shock over what he saw. There, lying on the floor was the unconscious form of a white skaven...

[MorGrendel]

cozenrookICON.JPG

Clan Cozenrook
Translates to Clan Steal-Steal

The Skaven have many subtly nuanced words for the word “steal”, and Clan Cozenrook utilizes two such meanings. The first, the Cozen symbol, refers to finding procuring that which is lost or does not belong to you, such as relics and artifacts. When the symbol is reversed it becomes the Rook, meaning to take the idea of another, research, and science. Both are fitting for this technology-crazed band of thieves.

Clan Cozenrook is loosely affiliated with clan Skryre, as they provide a symbiotic advantage for one another. Clan Cozenrook procures mysterious technology and powerful artifacts for the mad scientists of Clan Skryre, while Skryre provides wild and deadly technology for the pursuits of Cozenrook. This technology boost affords Cozenrook a leg up on rival clans and allows them to penetrate deeper into the Jungles of Lustaria and into the tunnels of Clan Pestilence. This also works for Clan Skryre benefit as they have innumerable willing test subjects and are able to interfere in Clan Pestilences affairs without being directly responsible. Neither clan likes Clan Pestilence, and both may have the loose permission from the Council of Thirteen to do whatever is necessary to see that Clan Pestilence never rises to power again.

New: It is through this mutual hatred of Clan Pestilence that Clan Cozenrook developed its distinct characteristic of white fur. While searching for the ancient relic, the Plaque of Dominance, in Northern Lusteria, Clan CozenRook found itself surrounded in a war between Clan Pestilence and Sotekian Skinks. Being that Cozenrook was on Pestilence land uninvited, they skillfully avoided both sides as they continued their search. Unfortunately, this was not to last. Soon they realized they needed to go where the fighting was heaviest, near the Lizardmen city of Atabolhua. The chosen chieftain Farhet was sent as an emissary to the cousin Skaven to ask for access to the mighty temple city. With uncommon warmth Clan Pestilence agreed, but with a small stipulation. Cruelbar of Pestilence explained that they had been unable to sneak around and flank the city. They believed that a ziggurat near the rear of the city held the key to unlocking the defenses of the city. If Cozenrook could find a way into the ziggurat and disable these defenses then the city would be theirs, and they would happily given Cozenrook any “cyansis” that they found.

The deal sounded too good to be true, this was so easy for masters of tomb raiding. And so Farhet in excited squeaks relayed the news to the others. Possibly Clan pestilence underestimated them for who could sneak better, save Clan Eshin, than the Cozenrook. They watched the ziggurat for three days, and under the cover of night they moved into place. At dawn the signal was given and the Skaven fell upon the Skink defenders. However, once inside a loud explosion took place outside. Green-grey gas oozed into the ziggurat and the surrounding lands. Rats dropped at an alarming rate as they had become the unwitting victim of poison.

Years later, Clan Pestilence would attest that it was a Skink bomb designed to turn snake venom into an aerosol that was the culprit. However, Farhet and those that survived never quite believed that story, maybe partly because they never received their promised “cyansis”. As Farhet lay dying in agonizing pain, he sent a messenger to a friendly Warlock Engineer of Clan Skryre. Having seen this before, the Engineer dispatched his apprentices to gather up all of the infected Cozenrook and to bring them back to his lab. The Engineers name was Ikit Klaw. He put the rats through many tests. Many vaccines were tried, but only one with any success. Though it cured the Cozenrook of the poison, it also bleached their skin and fur. They became like white like ghosts; they became ostracized. Those that survived the poison became stronger, and soon they controlled the clan. They bred out the darker Skaven, and with the help of Clan Skryre perfected the silken-coat of their leaders so that they might never be confused as Grey Seers. And hence, this is why the rats of Clan Cozenrook are white.

[MorGrendel]

“Dig faster!” Roared the bloated Skaven Packmaster. His whip flared and cracked on the backs of the poor slaves. Some winced, but most did not in their near lobotomized state. The tunnel reeked of blood, sweat, and death. A slave died every few yards and every few minutes, the progress was good.

Then a breakthrough, the slaves rupture a wall exposing a tunnel behind. Only the tunnel is not empty. Standing before the slaves are a couple dozen greenskins, some bare their yellow teeth while others shriek in terror. The slaves just stare, unsure what they should do.

The oblivious Packmaster bellows down the tunnel, “Keep digging, you dirty sacks of droppings!” A few of the lead slaves exchange glances and then turn ninety degrees. With pick and shovel they continue their back-breaking work, parallel to the newly discovered tunnel. The stunned Goblins watch them pass by. Then each in turn picks up a stone and backfills the wall. The crisis is averted, for now.

[MorGrendel]

Here are some small game scenarios from Isle of Blood.

http://www.games-workshop.com/gws/conte ... 5a&start=1

I wrote two 500 point lists, I guess we need to decide whether to allow characters at such a low point level (just realized mine was over the 25% mark). Here is a sample of my two Scout lists*:

Scouting Party - 501 points
20 Clanrats
P. Wind Mortar
20 Clanrats
Warpfire thrower
3 Rat Ogres with 2 packmasters

A trusted apprentice? - (still) 501 points
40 Clanrats
Warpfire thrower
Engineer
2 Rat Ogres with Packmaster

*I did not build these to conform with the scenarios above.

[Titus]

Follow the normal restrictions. You just have to go with a bare boned character. It is harder for me, they start at 85 pts a pop for me, without gear.

Scouting Party - 499 pts (Notice below 500pts, not over :P)
Mage
10 Sea Guard
5 Ellyrian Reavers
5 Ellyrian Reavers

I like that ambush scenario for our first game, fits into the story I was writing quite nicely.

[MorGrendel]

All the math ends in 1s, so sue me : ) I was also trying to stay inside my original purchase, but if you have double Reavers, mayhaps I need some Jazzells (and so the war of escalation begins).