Man O' War : Black Ark of Naggaroth

Ahoy! Today I share these pictures of my brand new Dark Elf fleet Mother-ship.

Black Arks are the largest vessels commanded by a Dark Elf Corsair, vast floating fortresses capable of carrying thousands of warriors and slaves. Their sorcerers summon beasts up from the deep which fortifications are then built on. These ‘living ships’ always travel with a Black Ark, and drive fear into the hearts of all the corsairs would prey upon.

In France, some gamers continu to play ManO'War. To promote and help the new comers to build their own fleets, they purpose all the range in resin and including masts and sails in resin too.  If you interrested to play this game and save some bucks, leave me your email in the comment section.

Pertinent MP3 to play! Cheers!

Space Hulk : Space ship avatar

Hi! The function of this miniature is provide a concrete representation of vessel visited by the marines during the campaign. I ordered the model several weeks before the deadline project (BOYL19) but the parcel never arrived on time, in fact, more than one month after the UK event.

I bought this miniature on the Brigades Models web site. Their range of Space Ships is pretty massive and I admit is difficult to resist to compulsive buying! I particularly love the the British Space Ships Fleet.

The Galactic Trade League (GTL) declared The Perseus Space ship lost for 243 years. This factory vessel is a recycled Military ship from a far Human Nation of the know Univer. These massive Starship is labeled SFS-102 Fisher class Super-Dreadnought, it was disarmed and modernised to transport and transform ores from new colonised planets across the galaxy.

The Perseus was located by the GTL a short time ago and after an unsuccesful attempt to take the control of the Drifting Spaceship carcass, the status of the vessel was modified by the GTL as "Infected SpaceHulk" +++ Report sent to the Administratum +++

Last picture of The Perseus SpaceShip before its lost



World Edges Campaign : Battle report 2

Hey! I hope you enjoy the lockdown in your dungeon and everything alright? From my side, I stopped the work at home and  now I'm in short-time working (chômage partiel) since one week.

I discovered a recent interrest for drawing maps. I know, there are applications online to creat these maps but I prefer whenit's Home-made! They add an old school flavor to the blog and add a new dimension to these reports. No doubt! It make sens for simultaneous actions on the battlefield, more maps and less words !

Introduction

The Greeskins try to reapropriate a part of their lost campaign baggages. Dwarves leaders laying a trap to the Orcs troops, they use the baggages to force the Orcs  to go through the pass. This tight path is tactical advantage for the lesser Dwarf Army. The baggages are represented by two chariots.

The noise of the recent battles in the World Edges mountains awakned some cave dwellers. They're represent on the battlefield by this 1D6 Squigs and 1D3 Trolls. They are deployed at the begining of the game and move in random direction at every compulsary phase.

We played this game twice, indeed, the distance between both deployement areas were too long in the original scenario. More over, in the first game I built a classic Dwarf shooting list and the result was a one-way game without real interrest for O&G player. So we decided to play again this scenario with some appropriates corrections, 40ps between the battle-lines (check the scenario here).

O&G Army (2000pts)

From left to right. Upper line : Giant Spider Riders (N), Doom Diver Catapult (G), Wulfboyz (F), Rocklobber (J), Pump Wagon (M).
Lower line : Black Orc with general and Great Banner (I), Savage Orc with Shaman (L), Night Goblins (H), Snortas with Orc Hero.

Dwarf Army (2000pts + 500pts)

From left to right. Upper line : Hammerers with Dwarf Hero and Runesmith (B), Ogres Allies (D), Dwarf Hallebardiers with General and Great banner (C)

Lower line : Organ Gun (E), SwivelGun as Bolthrower (A), Dwarf Spearmen (Reinforcement), Gnomes as Dwarf Warriors (Reinforcement)



Inital deployement. Trolls (T) and Squigs (S)

Battle report

The report is splitted in three parts. Concider every map is an overview of 2 game turns.

Turns 1 & 2 : Mess between the two battle lines!



The first turns was perturbed by the Cave-Dwellers. Particulary when the green Troll move in direction of O&G battle line. Indeed, when he approched to the Night Goblin horde, 3 Goblin-Fanatics get out from the Gobbo ranks. The Troll fell under the blows of the Black Orc General who by the way dodging a nice Vomit strick!

Inspired by their General, the Snortas 'll show 'im and charged the approaching Squig. Of course the monster fail his breacktest and flee. But the bad thing for the the Boar riders was the fail of their command test to avoid the pursue. It result their presence alone at the center of the battlefield. They suffered from a crossfire of the Bolthrower and the fearsome Organ Gun. None Snorta survived... At this points of the game the O&G lost 25% of their troops.

On the other side of the pass, the Dwarf battle line was less perturbed by the Cave Dwellers. The orange Troll quickly leaved the battlefield, meanwhile the blue Mohawked Squig was slainned by the Dwarf Hallebardiers. Dwarf Army advance as a pack and stay close to the General and the Great Banner.



Turns 3 & 4 : The second part of the battle was dedicated
to reciprocs charge movements

The O&G War Machines pounded constantly the dwarves troops but the frequents misfire not allowed the creation of a signifiant breack in the dwarf battleline.

Before strangling himself with his ball&chain, the last Goblin Fanatic stricking the Wulfboyz. Casualty were heavy and the panic seized the Goblin Wolf Riders. The Night Goblins unit kept their calm and made manoeuvres to reach the first chariot.

The Pump Wagon and the Giant Spiders charged the Ogres. The impacts hits from the Snot wagon make the different (as in the first battle) and Slain up to 2 Ogres.

Althought the combat result was unfavorable to the Ogre, they benefited from the combined effects of the Master Rune of Groth One Eye encrusted in the Great Banner  (every unit stubborn at 12ps around the banner) and the CD of the General. In others terms, Ogres was Stubborn with CD10. The fight endded after several rounds, the low CD skill of the Goblins and the striking force of the Ogres finally incitated the Greenskins to flee, without pursue of the Ogres Hallebardiers.

Overview before the O&G charges

Despite the progressive decrease of his warband (Thanks the Bolthrower!) The Black Orc General brandished his blade and charged the Dwarf Hammerers. Characters attacked first, the O&G General bore the Dragon Blade (1hit =2hits) but got nothing!
Both units troopers were equiped with heavy weapon, Hammerers had a better Initiative and attacked before the black Orcs.

The Dwarf Hero present in the unit bore a Magic Item which permit to improve Skills of the unit (+1 to M or S or Armour save), It made the difference and permitted the Hammerers to finally win the combat. After several rounds the Black Orcs General, the Great Banner and the remaining troopers flee, without pursue of the Dwarves.

Meanwhile the Dwarf Reinforcement arrive on the battlefield and add 500pt of fresh troops in the balance readdy to keep the Orc Idol chariot..

Turns 5 & 6 : Both army secure their objective

Last part of battle, the Organ Gun raored again and renders harmless the Savage Orcs. These Frenetic troopers were finished by the Ogres. A shaman (lvl2) was present in this unit, Magic phases were not decisive for O&G firstly because the spells draw were unadapted for the context, secondly because my Runesmith bore an artefact encrusted by 3 antispell runes. And thirdly, the magic winds were rather quiet.

Conclusion

The advance of the Dwarf army in close orders and constantly inside the bubble of the General CD and the Great Banner effets, was successful. I strongly believe that the lost of Snortas unit was a hard blow and was the begining of the end for the O&G army. About the objectives, both armies controlled one baggage chariot. It mean the O&G army will add 150pts to it ranks for the last battle.

We waiting for the end of the lockdown to play the last scenario of the campaign, I'm looking forward to play this game. Meantime, I wish you a lot of great moments with your familly and nice hobby times! Take care :)

World edges Campaign : Battle report 1

Relax and stay cool Nico! Enjoy the lockdown!

Hello! First report of the campaign, the scenario is named BEATCHHEAD (check details here). I played this game with my brother as O&G Boss and I as Dwarf General. We used the ruleset of the 4th (5th) edition of WHFB with restrictions about the total of Magic Item points per characters, to avoid the HeroHammer syndrom.

 

But first of all... Why no picture Nico? I've had some technicals problems and I losted the majority of my pictures for the first battle, it left me some ones  but they're too crappy. So I Grabbed my best criterium and I drawed you the battle report! I hope you enjoy it?

Introduction

Ok for reminder, the aim of the mission for the O&G army is make a breackthrough the Dwarf battle line and setup a beatchhead for the rest of the Aaaagh.

In terms of objectives it look like this, the dwarves are defeated IF all their banners are captured OR at least 6 units of O&G are present in the dwarf area at the end of the 6th turn

The O&G vanguard (1500pts)

Upper line, from Left to right : Wulfboyz, Night Goblins, Orcs and another Wulfboyz unit.

Lowner line, from left to right: Pump Wagon, Black Orcs with the General and the Great Banner. Snorta's and one Orc Chariot.

The vanguard totalize 6 units  and 2 War Machines.

The Dwarf border Patrol (1000pts)

From left to right : Dwarf Spearmen with the General and the Great Banner. Organ gun, Dwarf Handgunners, Dwarf Crossbowmen and another unit of Dwarf Handgunners.

The Borders Patrol totalize 4 units  and 1 War Machine. About the banners, every unit count one banner plus the Great Banner, total 5 banners.

Battle report

I prefer the short reports, also I splitted the battle in two parts. One picture for every parts, consider it's an overview of roughtly 3 turns per picture.

A & B : The principal unit of the Dwarf Patrol is striked simultaneously by the Snotling pump Wagon and the Black Orcs unit. After an Epic Challenge between the Generals (endding by a draw) the combat result was too much deep and the dwarves fail their breack test ... 2d6 impact Hits for the Pump Wagon... Wow nasty!

C : Befor their charge, the Snortas suffered from a hail of fire from the Organ Gun and the Handgunners. They finally reached the Dwarf line with less of half thir origal troops. They enguaged a long struggle against the handgunners... And slainned them until the last!

D & E: One more time, dwarf fire power make the difference. Orc Chariot was progressively destroyed by the Dwarf Crossbowmen and the unit of Wulfboyz was stopped in ony one turn by the Handgunners.

F: After some weirds and questionables movements, the last unit of Wulfboyz Fall under the fire power of the dwarf Handgunners.
G: The Black Orcs and the Pump Wagon Charged and slainned the crew of the Organ Gun.
H: In the last turn the unit of Orcs charged the Dwarf Crossbowmen and annihilated them but too late. Like The Night Goblins, these two O&G units take too much time to cross the battlefield to shift the balance in favour of the Greenskins vanguard.


Conclusion :
Although the O&G Vanguard dominate the battlefied at the end of the 6th turn, they lost the battle. Not enought Greenskin units in the Dwarf Area and still one Dwarf banner on the Battlefield.
During the last battle of the campaign, dwarves will add their reinforcement one turn earlier on the battlefield.


Next battle report will be pictured, no doubt! Cheers!

World Edges Campaign : Sceneries

Hi! This post focus on the principals sceneries for the campaign (check the scenarios here). Let’s begin by the four large cliffs. 

I made them with foam and sculpted the blocks with a cutter (large blade). I applied the classic recipe for sceneries making : Dry brushing, weathering and flocking. No particular tip!


Setup of the three battlefields:

 

Stand fast at the gate !

The centerpiece of the last scenario is the large gate incrusted in the cliff. This gate is the first defence of large Stronghold built by an old community of expatriated Dwarves. Far from the traditions of their ancestors, they adopted the Human Empire customs, traditions, fashion styles and architecture!

I requisitioned some parts of the Mighty Fortress and I reinforced them with the traditional and often forget… hoarding. It was a temporary wooden shed-like construction that was placed on the exterior of the ramparts of a castle during a siege to allow the defenders to improve their field of fire along the length of a wall and, most particularly, directly downwards to the wall base.

This kind of additional structures aren’t complicated to build, it simply required time and patience. I build it with card-board (2mm thick) and swizzle sticks! I love these sticks, stingy material compared to the balsa wood. But less workable, I admit!

Next step, battle reports!

WHFB Campaign!

Hey guys! I share with you some scenarios of WHFB,  I started this campaign before the quarantine with my brother. The Dwarf realm is invade (again!) by a huge punitive Aaaaagh!!

Three battles in a mountainous landscape, it's an occasion for me to creat new elements of sceneries. I focus my work on the 4 massive cliffs (12'x24') and the fortress gate for the last battle (12'x48').

I was inspired by campaign show in the excellent WHFB supplement Blood in the Badlands and the Battle of the East Gate of Karak Eight Peaks. I gonna post some pictures and battle reports in few days. Good readding! Illustrations by Paul Bonner and Map illusrations by Nico !

THE WORLD EDGES CAMPAIGN

It is the year 5513 (Dwarf Date) in the Old World. A massive Dwarf army from Karaz-a-Karak has destroyed dozens of Goblin bases in a heroic raid on the Mad Dog Pass.

 

In response to this outrage, a massive Orc army has assembled and it is now journeying north, towards the pass, from the southernmost parts of the World's Edge Mountains. The plan is to put the Dwarfs firmly back into their stunted place!

BATTLE 1: BEACH HEAD
The O&G army crossed the Death Pass and launch his vanguard to make a breakthrough in the Stunty Dwarf Realm. It’s  necessary to set up a beachhead for the rest of the Aaaagh!. Stunties are been taken by surprise!

Armies: O&G 1500pts and Dwarf 1000pts

Deployment: Dwarf player deploy all his units in First.

First Turn: The O&G player start the first turn.

Duration of the game: 6 turns

Objectives: The dwarfs are defeated if all their banners are captured or if 6 units of O&G are present in the dwarf deployment zone at the end of the 6th turn (Not counted: Characters and War Machines)

Victory: The victorious general will engage his reinforcement one turn earlier in the last battle.

BATTLE 2 : WHERE’S THE BAGGAGE?
The rear-guard of the Green Skin army was ambush by a large force of weirdbeard runt guys. After a bloody battle, the rear-guard was defeated and abandoned the precious baggage of the Aaaaaagh. Dwarves have no consideration for this heap of rubbish Orc things but they will use it to baiting the rest of the O&G army. The Mad Dog Pass will be the tomb of the Green Skins.

Armies: O&G 2000pts and Dwarf 2000pts plus 500pts of reinforcement.

Sceneries: To represent the lost bagguage, place two counters as show on the map below

Deployment: Alternate deployment unit by unit. The Dwarf player start to deploy one unit and alternate with O&G player. Dwarf reinforcement arrive at the 3rd turn.

First Turn: Players throw a dice. The higher score start the first turn. The first player who finish to deploy his units add +1 to his score.

Duration of the game: 6 turns

Objectives:  Control the most of objectives as possible at the end of the 6^th turn.

Victory: For every objective controlled by the O&G player, he can add 150pts to his army list for the last battle.

BATTLE 3 : STAND FAST!

Dwarves have suffered heavy casualties and decided to organise the general retreat in their realms. The Dwarf army dispersed his troops in several parts and two contingents try to reach the nearer stronghold by different paths. Unfortunately for them, this stronghold was captured by the Greenskins since few day and the Stunties walking into a deadly trap. Orc warboss planned to surround and cruch the Dwarves at the gates of the Stronghold. The only way for Dwarves to survive longer is to rush the gates, remain barricaded inside the stronghold and alert a rescue force.

Dwarf Army and deployment:

1. First contingent: 3250pts (65%). The Dwarf player deploy his troops first of the first contingent in the Dwarf Area
2. Second contingent: 1750pts (35%). This part of the Dwarf army arrive randomly between the 2^nd and the 4^th turn. And deployed in random area A, B, C or D.

O&G Army and deployment:

1. Defending force at the gate: 1000pts (20%). This force is deployed in the Orc Area1 and after the deplyement of the Dwarf First Contingent
2. Pursuing force: 2500pts (50%). Deployed in the Orc Area2 as the same way of the Defending force at the gate.
3. First Flanking force: 750pts (15%). They arrive randomly between the 2^nd and the 4^th turn. Their deployment area is randomly define too.
4. Second Flanking force: 750pts (15%). They arrive and deployed as the same way of the First Flanking force.

Note : Only one force can be deployed in the area A, B, C or D. First come, first served!

First Turn: Players throw a dice. The O&G player start the first turn.
Duration of the game : 6 turns

Dwarf Army Victory Points:

1. Each enemy units destroyed or fleeing : 1 VP for every 100pts cost of the unit
2. General enemy slain : 1 VP
3. Each dwarf units barricaded inside the stronghold: 2 VP if 75% of their original cost, 1 PV if 50%.

O&G Army Victory Points:

1. Each enemy units destroyed or fleeing : 1 VP for every 100pts cost of the unit
2. General enemy slain : 1 VP
3. Great banner slain or captured : 1 VP
4. Each enemy units reduce to 50% of their original cost : 1 VP if still outside of the Stronghold.