Another Winter in Mordheim

Week One--A Gathering of Warbands

Players and Warbands
Austin--Beastmen
Bob--Night Goblins (Pathfinder's version)
Chris R--Bretonnians
Chris S--Possessed
Matt--Reiklanders
Jim L--Marienburgers
Jim S--Middenheimers

Our first meeting of 2017 was pretty eventful.  Two goblin heroes died.  The Possessed Magister was captured (by Marienburgers).  Lots of henchmen died and many heroes earned advances.

Ambush
The Marienburgers attacked the Middenheimers.

Lots of Mary Anns stalking a couple of youngbloods...




The rest of the Middenheimers show up before the trap springs.


The end of Mary Anns.


Two Mary Ann swordsmen die.  The Wolf Priest's wolf companion was killed.  Wolves win.

Then the Marienburgers fought the Possessed in Occupy.  The Mary Anns don't pass a fear test and flee with 4 or 5 out of action.

Possessed gain an LGT hero on their first try.
The Mary Anns gain one as well.

A Chaotic Streetfight
Possessed versus Beasts

Austin fielded eleven beasts:  a chieftain, four gors, four ungors and a couple of hounds. Naturally I told him he would get killed...  There were only four Possessed: A Magister, two super Possessed and a henchmen...

Beasts never failed a fear check and swept the field.

Victorious Beasts


Then the Beasts fought the goblins and killed the shaman...  None of the gors become heroes, but...they didn't get killed either.

A Hidden Treasure
Bretonnians versus Reikland

The Bretonnians have a Headless Archer


The Reiklanders try to escape...




Reikland gets too close, many men of the Empire go out of action.


A Skirmish with the Goblins
Middenheim puts down the Green

Set up:




Goblins advance.


The Middenhiemers fire one blunderbuss and take down a hero, a squig and two goblins.  The goblins flee.  The goblin hero dies...

The blunderbuss toting Marksman becomes a hero!

Looking forward to week two!

Week Two--More players

Players and Warbands
Bob--Night Goblins (Pathfinder's version)
Chris R--Bretonnians
Chris S--Possessed
Jake--Undead
Matt--Reiklanders
Jim L--Marienburgers
Jim S--Middenheimers
Zach--Skaven

Aside from the Night Goblins this is a pretty old school campaign.  Matt started over with a new Reikland band...These Reiklanders ran into a Noob Skaven warband.

Defend the Find
Skaven versus Reiklanders

Both warbands had eleven members--the Reiklanders ended up as defenders.






The sorcerer is stunned by a bolt.


A failed diving charge does for the Reikland captain.


The sorcerer's fluffy dog gets revenge!


The Reikland captain dies.  Reikland starts over again...
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Street Fight!
Brettonians versus Undead

The Brets marched right down to fight the Undead. (Shooting was apparently ineffective.)


The Brets finally fled with 6 or 7 out of action.  Two henchmen die.  A ghoulie died on the Undead side.  The Undead buy the ghoul and lucky charms...
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Skirmish on the River
Goblins versus Mary Anns

A Bridge over the River Kiwi.




The Goblins fled.  Little Joe (youngblood) was killed by the goblin fanatic.
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Hidden Treasure
Possessed versus Middenheimers

The Possessed fled with the Magister and a Mutant out of action.  Nothing died.  A super mutant is hired.  The Possessed have six heroes and 7 models.

The Middenheimers lost no models.  They get a bunch of gold and a sword from the treasure chest and find a short bow in exploration.
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Skirmish
The Possessed and the Goblins

The Possessed had bad luck against squigs.  Nothing seemed to die though. Goblins win one!
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Occupy
Undead versus the Middenheimers

We rolled Occupy, but I never bother occupying buildings.  The Middenheimers hunted Dregs while the vampire struggled to beat up Sonja the Youngblood.  Even though a zombie got Sonja, the Undead got tired of the game of losing Dregs and fled.  Sonja survived a Smashed Leg (miss a game.)  The Dregs mostly recovered except one lost a WS and one got a Nervous Condition...

The Middenheimers finished shopping for lucky charms and rabbits feet.  Exploration yeilded a double handed weapon for later...

Week Three--Third Times the Charm

I'm out of the loop this week, but folks have been sending me updates

matt wrote:

Chris, Jake, and I met up to get an intra-week game in at Sinclair Games on the north side. We did the Treasure Hunt from Chaos in the Streets but Chris had to suddenly leave so it turned into an unexpected two warband affair. Hauptman's Harriers (me)  were soundly beaten by Fobia's Fiends (Jake) but thankfully no one perished (although one poor man was sold to the pits, stripped of his equipment, and then robbed on the way back for good measure).





Sorry I didn't take more pictures but we got caught up in it pretty quick.

playtable aka Jim L wrote:

Wyrdstone Hunt
Versus Fobia's Fiends


I had 3 henchmen ooa and left.
I got 2 shards, undead got 1 shard.
All 3 of my henchmen died !!!
Bought 2 back.


Breakthrough
Bob's goblins
I was low and chose attacker.


I won, had 1 henchman ooa.
He died. Bought him back. Heilman IV now.

5 games and I've lost 1 Youngblood and
6 henchmen
Heilman has died 3 times.


Started at 123
After 1st game I was 123
After 2nd game it was 147
Down to 10 guys now.
Dying so fast I can't keep up.
Did I mention, 7 dead in 5 games?

More to come...

It looks like you have jumped into the action in FINE form. GREAT STUFF!  

Awesome reports. Keep the updates coming!

Thanks gents,thanks for looking and taking the time to comment.

Our version of Mordheim is my least favorite of the settings we play in as we really don't have much interesting scenery for the City of the Damned, but it is the best setting to introduce beginners and attract the traditionalists.

For a final image of the week I present the Gray Knights in battle with their nemesis Fobia's Fiends.




As far as I can tell Chris R battled Chris S, then took on the Undead for a rematch. No idea what happened in either game, but it at least looks like the Brets got a decent charge in against the Undead.

Scenery wise, Mordheim proper is a pretty tough nut to crack. I can understand preferring other settings especially with all the nice looking terrain you have for Araby & the Caribbean/Lustria games.  

Thanks Al. We started in Lustria as soon as the setting showed up in TC all those years ago. Didn't play a game in Mordheim for like two years after that. Nowadays I wouldn't bother with Mordheim the city at all if it weren't easier to teach than all the crazy rules we use other places.


Chris R (Bretonnians) got back to me:

Chris R wrote:

I played Chris S and Jake, both were chance encounters. I won both. Against Chris S, he took out one of my squires and men at arms, but I took out 2 of his. He elected to rout on his turn. He walked away with more of the bonus wyrdstone than I did. One of my squires was forced to miss the next game.
My game against Jake went even better. I made a feint on my right with both all of my knights, so he split his forces and had to swing wide. My men at arms pummeled a few zombies and 2 of his dregs, while my knights doubled back. By the time his vampire and necro were getting close it was too risky for him to stay, so he routed. One of my men at arms died, but I captured a slave and he joined my warband to replace the loss.
As for a name, see below. According to google that is "for glory". Seems fitting for adventuring treasure hunters.
Pour la gloire

Week Four--Fear the Cult of the Possessed

Players and Warbands
Chris R--Bretonnians--"Pour la gloire"
Chris S--Possessed
Jake--Undead--"Fobia's Fiends"
Matt--Reiklanders--"Hauptman's Harriers"
Jim L--Marienburgers
Jim S--Middenheimers--"Ulric's Wolves"
Zach--Skaven

Thursday was a one game night in the Greenwood (Indiana). There just wasn't enough time for another game once the big multi-player wound down.

An Ambush!
Fobia's Fiends were ambushed by the Bretonnians and the Possessed.

The Undead are in the central tower. Squire Walbert approaches the edge of the high hill that will kill him (lower left).




Undead. Skeletons are zombies.


The Possessed have added albino beastmen.


Sir Giraud is killed by a zombie...

Chris R wrote:

I lost to Chris S in and 3 way fight including Jake. Sir Giraud and Squire Walbert died, but were quickly replaced by Man-at-Arms Baldwin and archer Bertram. Though I didn't make enough gold to kit them out and buy new henchmen, so I'm down to 10 until I get some more GC.

Fobia's Fiends fled first with horrible casualties. A zombie and a ghoul did not survive.

The Possessed report no casualties, excessive riches and a Possessed that is maxed out in Weapon Skill (WS 8!).

More to follow.

LOOKIN' GOOD...Ghostly Creatures et al!  

Chance Encounter
Da Rats run afoul of Mary Anns

Apparently earlier in the week the Rats had encountered the Undead. Fobia's Fiends killed the dread Warp Lightning Sorcerer. In his place is the Pied Piper Sorcerer... Not so dread.

The Mary Anns look shooty


The Rats are gray...




The Mary Anns killed a Black Skaven. The Rats fled when their Assassin Adept fell. The Assassin suffered Horrible Scars which makes those vampires and possessed less scary at least.

The Mary Anns suffered NO casualties for the first night of the campaign.

Next: The Skirmish

Von Kurst wrote:

Chance Encounter

...the Mary Anns killed a Black Skaven.  The Rats fled when their Assassin Adept fell.

...which was gray. The Skaven might not be painted but it does look like all their parts are assembled...a break through.
AND the Photos are LOVELY as always!  

Great job Von Kurst. Games look like fun and table scenery looks great.

Thanks again for the kind comments.
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A Skrimish
Hauptman's Harriers attack Ulric's Wolves

Hauptman's drew first blood with the crossbowman in the ruin.


There was a wolf there a moment ago.

The pincer attack is a bit late...




Hauptman's failed a rout test with a Youngblood and four henchmen out of action. A St 4 guy with a club died.

Ulric's Wolves lost another wolf companion. A new wolf was recruited. Also bought blessed water, there are T5 Possessed about...

Fortune favors the faded...I guess. Despite a lack of color, it looks like s SPLENDID game.  

Thanks Al.
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Week Five--No One gets out Alive!

Players and Warbands
Chris R--Bretonnians--"Pour la gloire"
Chris S--Possessed
Jake--Undead--"Fobia's Fiends"
Matt--Reiklanders--"Hauptman's Harriers"
Jim L--Marienburgers--"Penny Pinchers"
Jim S--Middenheimers--"Ulric's Wolves"
Zach--Skaven

Chance Encounter
Pour la gloire versus the Penny Pinchers

Jim L. aka playtable wrote:

Played Chance Encounter.
Each side carried 3 shards.

A clash!





I took ooa 2 heroes and won.
(One Bretonian fell off ramp 6" high. Ouch.
I had no ooa.

Chris R wrote:

I lost a chance encounter to Jim, which ended with squire Gobald fighting (and losing) in the Pits. He survived with a leg injury, a hand injury and is now frenzied...

Rumors that Squire Gobald is really the Black Knight from The Holy Grail movie are unconfirmed at this time...

Now THAT looks COOL...SPLENDID photos! In the best of military/war gaming tradition, the action takes place where two maps/boards meet.  

Too true...

The Battle of the Riser
Fobia's Fiends versus Hauptman's Harriers

Jake spent the entire evening trying to climb this ramp.


Some Undead on the riser already.


Reiklanders in the belfry.


Infantry!


The battle on the riser.






The Undead broke first. Reikland wins!

Painted or not, that does look SPLENDID. I LOVE the shot from the dizzying heights of the Belfry. GREAT STUFF!  

Thanks Al
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An Ambush in Mordheim
The Possessed get attacked by the Rats and Wolves

The Possessed found themselves trapped between the Rats and the Wolves.  The Rats have had a hard few weeks, so the Possessed decided to target them.  The Rats led with a line of giant rats who refused to die to the first charge...




The Wolves took up too good of defensive position, so they got left behind.


The Wolves catch a beastman.


All gone...


The Rats fled first with mostly verminkin out of action (the giant rats refused to die).  2 verminkin were killed out right.  No giant rats died...
The Rats get +1 underdog.

The Possessed lost one hero to giant rats... Then the Wolves caught the Winged Terror with a blunderbuss shot or two... But the rest of them got away.  The Winged Terror misses a game for undisclosed reasons.  Nothing else was reported killed.

Only the wolf companion went out of action.  It got better.
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A Wyrdstone Hunt
The Wolves versus Fobia's Fiends

I think there were like three wyrdstone to collect.  The Fiends got a good start on cornering the market by picking up two.  Ivan the Marksman nabbed one for the Wolves.  Then blunderbusses took down a couple of zombies and the wolf companion got a ghoul.  The Fiends felt like cutting their losses and ran away.   Istvan the ghoul died.
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Surprise Attack
The Rats attack the Brets

Chris R wrote:

Game 2 I lost a surprise attack to Zach. Only 4 of my warband started on the board, with only 1 more arriving on turn 2. I've got to quit trying diving charges, because I failed 2 out of 3. I ran on turn 3. One man-at-arms died, but I found enough gold between the 2 games to buy 2 men-at-arms and a new bowman.

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Skirmish
Penny Pinchers versus the Reiklanders

Jim L aka playtable wrote:

Rushed 2nd game. Didn't get to finish.
Called it a tie (although I was loosing).
Champion Adam was injured in the eye.
Rating 209 with 14 guys.

LOOKIN' GOOD! The Wolves really are a BEAUTIFULLY painted Crew. GREAT STUFF!  

I like seeing the throwback game in the old city. Great pics, scenery and narrative.

Thanks for the comments Deafnala and GameDoc.
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Week Six:  Another One and Done

Players and Warbands
Chris R--Bretonnians--"Pour la gloire"
Chris S--Possessed
Jake--Undead--"Fabia's Fiends"
Matt--Reiklanders--"Hauptman's Harriers"
Jim L--Marienburgers--"Penny Pinchers"
Jim S--Middenheimers--"Ulric's Wolves"
Zach--Skaven

Occupy Mordheim
The Rats find no housing

Fabia's Fiends advance on bridges.


The Rats are planning on ladders and climbing.

Jake wrote:

The undead came across a pack of skaven in a densely packed urban part of the Mordheim slums. After a long period of maneuvering by both sides magic attacks and missiles rained down on both warbands. However fate favored the undead, one hedge wizard kept the Assassin stunned for the majority of the game while the necromancer sent a doom to a giant rat. The Eshin sorcerer was killed by a Hail Mary shot by Fabia the vampire. The rats fled soon afterwards.

All in all Zach had absolutely dreadful rolls for 3 hours. He lost 2 giant rats and the sorcerer died from his wounds. I had an injured direwolf who recovered. Zach is a little sour about it me killing his sorcerer for a second time but vows that his warband will be stronger for it

There is something about swashbuckling on a rickety walkway high above the unforgiving paving stones that speaks of pure excitement...abject fear is in there as well. GREAT STUFF ONCE MORE!