Meerkat Madness campaign log

Today, I played the first game of a new campaign - in fact, my first Mordheim campaign.

This was my starting witch hunter warband:

Witch hunter captain with mace and pistol
Warrior priest with hammer and staff (Sigmar's Hammer prayer)
Witch hunter with crossbow and mace
Witch hunter with mace
Witch hunter with mace
Four flagellants with flails
Three warhounds


The first game was against the undead, in a 'chance encounter' scenario. The undead had a vampire, necromancer, three dregs, two ghouls, and eight zombies.



The undead chose to deploy first, grouping together near the centre.




The lone crossbowman caught the necromancer with a lucky shot, but only knocked him down.




The vampire moved to threaten the crossbowman, but the witch hunters decided to try to mob the vampire. Two dogs and the crossbow witch hunter charged him. But, they failed to achieve anything, and were soon counter-charged by ghouls. Before long, only one dog remained.




The last dog charged in against a ghoul, while all the other members of the witch hunter band charged into combat. None of them did especially well.




By this time, the witch hunters were forced to take a rout test, which they passed. After for accounting for a few zombies and a dreg, the undead were also forced to test. They too passed.




But the witch hunters continued to perform badly, losing their captain to a zombie attack. When the time came, they routed voluntarily.


The undead had lost three zombies, one ghoul and a dreg. The witch hunters had lost their captain, two hunters, two flagellants and three dogs. Worse was to come: two dogs, one flagellant, and the crossbow witch hunter were all permanently dead.

I think I played very badly in this game. I'm not sure why I had the flagellants charge individual zombies instead of having them gang up.

So, I had sixty-five gold from the game, but had lost significantly more than that. The next game is tomorrow, against Marienburgers. I have hired a new witch hunter and two dogs, but can't replace the flagellant yet.

Witch hunter captain with mace and pistol
Warrior priest with hammer and staff (Sigmar's Hammer prayer)
Witch hunter with two maces (and +1 toughness)
Witch hunter with two maces
Witch hunter with two maces
Three flagellants with flails
Three warhounds


Also, my priest has gained a new skill. Should I take a skill or a prayer? If a skill, which one?

I hope you have a good campaign!

For the Warrior Priest I would recommend a Prayer (Looking to get Soulfire or really any of the Prayers as all are useful.) Alternatively you could take a survival skill like Step Aside or Resilient since he already has a useful close combat prayer.

Burn the Witch!

Thanks!

I'm a bit worried about choosing a prayer, because I might end up with an unhelpful one. I haven't actually seen the one he's got (hammer of sigmar) in action, because it failed to work once he was in combat...

So I think maybe 'step aside' would be better for now. I want to keen the priest alive and hammering!


Here's the warband ready for game two:

COOL REPORT! AND a FINE looking War Band! How did you like the game, Amigo?

Thanks! I enjoyed the game, even though I lost disastrously. I'm hoping the next game goes better, and I can get back up to twelve gang members.

Game two:

I now had to play the Marienburgers. They had lost their last game, and were down to nine members (including a warlock and halfling scout). Unfortunately, the Marienburg player rolled up the 'choose the scenario' result, and selected the fairly unbalanced 'surprise attack.'



My captain, two flagellants and one witch hunter decided not to show up straight away. The remaining members of the warband dispersed around the central tower. The picture looks yellow, by the way, because there was no natural light. At night. Strangely
enough.




The Marienburgers came after my warband, which was trying to get back together. One witch hunter (the replacement for Dead von Crossbowguy) was by himself in full view of the enemy heroes and crossbowmen. He tried to jump from the building in order to escape, and promptly fell to his doom. Or his out-of-action-ness, at least.




But the captain and the other flagellants arrived, so everyone had a 'let's hide from the crossbows' party behind the tower.




Next, I did my favourite thing in Mordheim, which is setting the dogs on a lone hero who hasn't realised they are all in range.




The warlock (who had combat spells) joined in. But the dogs eventually ate the hero.




The Marienburg captain didn't fancy his chances, and moved away. The wizard was knocking dogs all over the place.




So a witch hunter and the priest joined in. The witch hunter stunned the warlock, and the priest clubbed him in the head with the Hammer of Sigmar.




The captain soon found himself fighting the witch hunter captain and three flagellants. The Marienburgers passed their rout test. 'Great,' I thought, 'I can kill the captain now.'

Except I didn't (he made two saves with his heavy armour! On sixes because of the flagellant's strength four!), and he somehow took two flagellants out of action. I failed my rout test!

This time though, no one died permanently and five gang members gained a level:

Egeus Schelling Witch hunter captain with mace and pistol
Erasmus von Miltitz Warrior priest with hammer and staff (new skill)
Martin Volker Witch hunter with two maces
Johann von Eck Witch hunter with two maces (new skill)
Titus van Marnix Witch hunter with two maces
Helmut Flagellant with flail ( +1 initiative)
Albrecht Flagellant with flail ( +1 attacks)
Konrad Flagellant with flail ( +1 weaponskill)
Karl, Philipp and Max Three warhounds

So, I have two new skills to choose. Should I take a prayer for the priest this time (he has 'step aside' already)? Should I take 'Wyrdstone Hunter' for the witch hunter, so that I can do better on those exploration rolls?

Also, I have sixty gold to spend. I could buy a flagellant with a flail for fifty-five. Or, I could hire the halfling scout and also two more warhounds. Any thoughts?

The next game is against the possessed, I think.

I'll keep posting over here since I started although I noticed the new post on the W-E.

All good things come to a warband with 6 heroes and it will be a few games before your flaggies will advance again so I'd go for the new Flagellant. The dogs gain no experience and thus don't help you toward the 6 hero goal.

Hired Swords are better left for after the 6 hero threshold has been reached as resources do not need to be allocated to gaining a hero.

Alternately you might want to spring for 2 crossbows and a Lucky Charm to start a long range threat of your own and improve the chances of your heroes survival.

Skills: At this point I'd go for the prayer for the WP. If you bought the Witch Hunter a crossbow, quickshot will keep them ducking if nothing else.

Surprise Attack is better with buildings... or just more scenery. Even with found objects your tables are a bit barren. The Empire in Flames or Nemesis Crown settings might suit your collections more at this point.

Last word--All Alone Tests. It looked to me as though the Marienburger was running his warriors around by themselves a bit. Using the All Alone rules will cut down on this and punish those who stray off from the group.

As a complete side note, your camera image looks orange because it is daylight (blue outdoor light) balanced. You can quickly fix this by white balancing (point the camera at a blank sheet of white paper in the room you're going to take the picture and hitting white balance), or switching the camera to tungsten (orange). In options switch to 'tungsten balanced' (or 3200k, if the camera designers were feeling obtuse). Most digital cameras (heck most camera phones) give you this option somewhere in the menus.

I LIKE the yellowed photos. If you don't want to play around with the camera, you COULD claim you planned it that way...for atmosphere.

Thanks for the comments!

The camera thing is interesting - I'll have to see if I can get that to work. Unless yellow really does look better...


I thought we did quite well for scenery this time. At least, it was the best we've managed up to now. But people are working on getting more scenery together.

We do, in fact, keep forgetting 'all alone' tests. I'm not sure anyone has ever taken one! The Marienburg player would have been liable with his captain and warlock at least twice each, I think. I'll have to make an effort to remember next time.

I'll take a prayer for the priest then. And maybe I will go for the crossbows. Or one crossbow for the guy who gained a skill, and give him quickshot.

Had you not mentioned anything about it, I would have just assumed it was some sepia toned after effect. There is an old joke in Cinematography:

Q: What's the difference between a flare and a highlight?

A: About $8,000 a day.

Ba-whum-bah

Good one!

Back to daylight for game three.


Game 3: street fight, against the possessed.



The possessed warband, which lost its magister last game.




The witch Hunters are back up to twelve models, and are feeling good.




The possessed are leading the way, straight towards the dog-bait. So the dogs withdraw.




The two possessed move right in front of the witch hunters, so the dogs charge one and all four flagellants charge the other. Surely the flagellants and their six strength six attacks can kill a possessed?

No, they can't. They cause one wound, as do the dogs. Two flagellants and two dogs are put out of action. The witch hunters decide to rout.

One dog and both flagellants die. I have just lost one hundred and twenty five gold in models. So, I sulk and declare that I am disbanding my warband.

Later, I decide to continue after all. I buy the two things that my warband really needs: a crossbow pistol, and Van Halfling!



Van Halfling will surely turn things around.

Also, I change the model I am using for my captain, because the current one is clearly not cool enough. I go for the warhammer quest witch hunter instead.

Also also also, I realise that I never did choose a skill for that witch hunter, so I pick 'eagle eyes' and give him the leader's old pistol.

New list:

Egeus Schelling Witch hunter captain with two maces and crossbow pistol
Erasmus von Miltitz Warrior priest with hammer and staff (soulfire)
Martin Volker Witch hunter with two maces
Johann von Eck Witch hunter with two maces and pistol (eagle eyes)
Titus van Marnix Witch hunter with mace and axe
Helmut Flagellant with flail ( +1 initiative)
Albrecht Flagellant with flail ( +1 attacks)
Van Halfling! Halfling Scout
Karl and Philipp Two warhounds

They are rubbish, their rating is far too high (132! Ludicrous!), Sigmar hates them, and they are extremely angry about it!

And now, game four, in which the witch hunters play the orcs in the sickly glow of evening.




It's a wyrdstone hunt! The wyrdstone is represented by purple dice. The orcs win the draw and pick sides.




The witch hunters line up near the tower.




The orcs grab two counters early. The warrior priest, meanwhile, sorts out the batteries on his Hammer of Sigmar.




Combat! Captain Schelling knocks an orc hero over with his crossbow pistol, while the dogs dogstrike the other one. Van Halfling head off alone to draw fire.




Even more combat! The shaman runs into the tower, and is charged by the captain and two witch hunters. But even with hatred, they can't kill him! Another witch hunter and a flagellant take out the orc hero the dogs were fighting. The priest kills a goblin that charged him under animosity. Van Halfling is squigged to death.




The priest gets in on the fight with the shaman too. He can't kill him either! The orcs have lost six models (four of them goblins), which forces a rout test. They fail, but reroll and pass due to the orc leader's cunning plan.

The captain, two witch hunters and a flagellant have gone out of action, and the shaman is still not dead. The witch hunters give up and voluntarily rout.

The flagellant and Van Halfling are dead forever, but the heroes recover. All but one of them levels up.


The next game is against the dread skaven, who are a sling gunline and have a rating of two hundred or so.

So, here's my warband now:

Egeus Schelling Witch hunter captain with sword, mace and crossbow pistol (+1 wound)
Erasmus von Miltitz Warrior priest with hammer, staff and lucky charm (fearsome!)
Martin Volker Witch hunter with two maces and crossbow (quick shot)
Johann von Eck Witch hunter with two maces and pistol
Titus van Marnix Witch hunter with two maces and crossbow (quick shot)
Albrecht Flagellant with flail
Karl and Philipp Two warhounds

The plan: shoot like crazy, sacrifice dogs, rout, make off with bonus experience, profit!

SOUNDS LIKE A PLAN! Cool photos...too bad about Van Halfling.

Enjoyed reading your posts especialy as I am converting a Witch Hunter band.

Doubt I will be playing with them though

I admire your tenacity, your warband tokk quite a beating in the last games. Have you thought about buying another flagellant before the game against the skaven? Even if you can´t afford a weapon for him he gets the bonus XP and an easy advance...but check first if you still get the bonus with him in your warband. Your witchhunters with quick shot need nimble as their next skill, that will make them twice as deadly as they now can maneuver to line up a shot.

And it is nice to see your warband and those of your opponents gettingsome paint, now all you need is more terrain!

Hey, my models have always been painted! It's those other guys...

It's true about the terrain though.

I did think about getting another flagellant, but after losing four or so of them already I'm a bit fed up with them. I wanted the crossbows so that my witch hunters could have a chance of getting some kills, because they are certainly no good at hand to hand combat.



Thanks for the comments, all! And Van Halfling will return, death or no death.

Game 5: Skaven

The skaven are the runaway winners of the campaign so far, and had a rating of 222. So, my plan was to shoot at them, and then run away without losing any heroes.

We rolled a 'skirmish,' and the skaven won the first turn. After using their 'tactics' skill and running, they were already half way across the table. On my turn, I moved the two dogs in front of the skaven heroes, and fired all four crossbow shots at the sorcerer. All missed.

On their turn, the skaven killed the dogs. I routed immediately (and voluntarily) when my next turn began.



One dog died permanently, but I rolled well on the exploration chart, and also was able to level up everyone apart from the captain.


Egeus Schelling Witch hunter captain with sword, mace and crossbow pistol
Erasmus von Miltitz Warrior priest with hammer, staff and lucky charm (+1 attack)
Martin Volker Witch hunter with two maces and crossbow (+1 attack)
Johann von Eck Witch hunter with mace, pistol and blunderbuss (weapons expert)
Titus van Marnix Witch hunter with two maces and crossbow (+1 attack)
Albrecht Flagellant with flail (+1 weaponskill)
Istvan Flagellant
Philipp, Joost and Zak Three warhounds


Next up is the Marienburg warband again.

COOL! The "advance in a different direction" tactic seems to have worked well. Still having FUN?

Well, it wasn't much of a game really. But I liked gaining quite a lot of money and experience!

Game 6: Marienburg.

Scenario: occupy (four buildings).

The Marienburg warband had twelve members, including a halfling scout, a warlock and a bounty hunter. Their rating was higher than that of the witch hunters.



Marienburg deployed a gunline on a large building in their deployment zone, and sent a second group towards the objectives under the command of the captain. The witch hunters seized two buildings and threatened to take the other two, carefully avoiding coming into sight of the gunline.




Two double-shooting witch hunter crossbows take the Marienburg captain out of action. The blunderbuss takes out the warlock and knocks down a swordsman.




A Marienburg group containing a champion, youngblood and swordsman enter the building the dog pack is lurking by. The dogs charge the swordsman, but fail to cause any harm. Eventually, they are all taken out of action.

The other youngblood enters the tower, stunning the priest with a pistol shot. The puppet-waving flagellant, captain and witch hunter charge the young blood, but fail to wound him. He fails his 'all alone' test, and is taken out of action as he tries to run.




The Marienburg gunline finally have a target, and take out the captain and witch hunter. The other witch hunters shoot the champion who had been fighting dogs, and take him out of action. Marienburg chooses to rout.

Witch hunters win. Three dogs, one witch hunter and the captain were taken out of action. One dog dies, everyone else recovers.


Egeus Schelling Witch hunter captain with sword, mace and crossbow pistol (new skill)
Erasmus von Miltitz Warrior priest with hammer, staff and lucky charm
Martin Volker Witch hunter with two maces and crossbow (new skill)
Johann von Eck Witch hunter with mace, pistol and blunderbuss (+1T)
Titus van Marnix Witch hunter with two maces and crossbow
Albrecht Flagellant with flail
Istvan Flagellant
Philipp and Joost Two warhounds

69 gold.

HURRAH! The Righteous Templars of Holy Sigmar HAVE PREVAILED over the VILE, DECADENT Forces of FOUL Mercantilism & Heresy. WELL DONE, meerkat!

Running away is often a good tactic, especially if you are way behind the other warband. Don´t feel bad about it, simply play another game so that your opponent gets some fun, too.
I suggest mighty blow as the new skill for your witchhunter captain, +1 strength in hand-to-hand combat is very nice and will help him gain some more XP.
And as a last comment: Your witchhunter normally can´t have a blunderbuss (unless he has the weapons expert skill he can only use weapons that are on the starting list of his warband and type).But maybe that is a houserule .

Thanks, both of you!

I like the idea of taking the mighty blow skill, because my captain needs all the help he can get in combat.

As for the blunderbuss, I took the weapon expert skill. Don't worry, I'm not cheating!

Ridderstrijd! : )

(Or: "Battle Masters!!")