Warg Riders - Removable Riders and with arrows.

Recently got into this old game again, I say old as I played it when it first came out in 2001 but I wasn't overwhelmed at the time even though I'd read all the books in the 1970 and many times since and even The Silmarillion twice.

Either the rules or I have changed sufficiently for me to pick it up and play and I've gone down the inevitable route of buying units to make a fighting force with a little extra so I can tweak for variety.

Having played a few games with friends and using proxy pieces, as well as original unpainted plastics I'd bought in 2001. (Is it really 23 years ago!😰) I decided I needed to assemble some forces, Minas Tirith and Mordor were obvious starters as I had the original ancient plastics.
I then purchased the Mordor  Battlehost box and started to assemble the wargs as a newbie player I'd managed a few game with proxy pieces before assembling my wargs. and learnt that either the rider or mount could continue alone and this is reflected in my assembly. 

I assembled the Wargs enlarging the hole to glue in a small magnet and painted them up.

Wargs undercoated and prepped with magnets 

Painting position

Then I painted the riders with their feet still on the sprue using Blu-Tack to attach them to my dowel stand.

When I'd finished I removed the sprue and tag that slots into the Warg, drilled a hole at that point glued in the top of a panel pin and voila, separateable riders and mounts, no need to buy spare Wargs.

Drilled a hole with a small 0.6mm bit using it to locate the position as I find I have more control and it gives the larger bit something to fix on. Also if it's not quite right you can alter the point of entry with the larger bit.

The panel pins I used have a 1mm shaft, a 2mm head slightly bevelled at the top. Using a 1mm bit I drilled into the prepared position and when that was deep enough a short way with the 2mm bit. As nothing is ever exact I used a 3mm bit to help counter sink the panel pin's head. I did this just using the bit with my fingers, a single turn is enough. Why not fix it in the drill? I feel it gave me more control, slowed me down and stopped it going too deep.

Ready for the panel pin.

Why a panel pin + magnet rather than 2 magnets? Well the pin will fit anywhere on the magnet, so you can choose the position of the model. A magnet would over-ride your choice and place it where it wants it. Oh and get the magnets the wrong way around and the opposite poles will reject any idea of placing them together.

Tools for the job

I also have a thing about Arrows, some models call out for them.

I used the small drill bit 0.6mm as my pins are 0.5mm wide I drill into the hand to create a hole for the arrow/pin.

I then push the sharp end into the hand, align it with the bow and cut off at the required length. This leaves you with a nice sharp arrow.

Remove the pin push the sharp end into BluTack paint twice. 

Apply glue to blunt end use that to dab glue on bow above fist then push blunt end into hole you drilled and push home with a block of wood, against the sharp end of the wood. I don't recommend pushing in with your fingers.

When secure paint the end of the pin with bolt gun or whatever your metal choice is.

If you look closely you might notice I have four types of Warg positions. In the box you only get two variants 'A' and 'B' did you know you could glue Left 'A' to right 'B' and Left 'B' to right 'A' swopping the sides?

Hail Caesar Fantasy (PV) 2

...Continued   You may need to read my previous blog, Hail Caesar Fantasy (PV)

Things have advanced, not as fast as I might have wished, but it is an interesting learning curve.
Having absorbed a lot of the Shadow Storm ideas, I started.

Magic

I've looked at each army re-written the magic so it relates to a unit rather than a stand and made it comply with the Hail Caesar rules.
One point of interest was that the ranged magic attacks in WM counted successful hits as contributing towards the combat results. I didn't think this was necessary. Unlike WM where unless the damage removes a stand it is cleared after the shooting magic phase, in HC! the damage stays on the unit  adding to its loss of stamina.
To reinforce this decision, consider that in WM any wounds caused by closing shots are counted towards the combat (so just like ranged spells) whilst in HC! they are not.

Racial traits, Army Rules and Special Rules.

I'm always looking for the HC! special rule that could be applied and in many instances I've managed to find them, but they don't deal with the undead, Orcs and Skaven so some special rules have been created but I'm trying to keep them to the minimum and am still working to see if I can ditch some of my creations as in my view the less additional PV rules the better.
So one by one I'm going through the army lists, creating each unit, dealing with army traits, special/unique weapons and applying existing concepts where applicable. I've found the addition of each army and its units can cause a rethink of how I've dealt with a previous army so by the time I was doing the 8th army it required checking balance with the previous seven and I determined that a  complete rethink of the stats creations mechanism was required and also at this point a lot of Shadow Storm ideas/concepts were dropped.

One rule I found myself following was always go back to the Warmaster Rules. In many instances this resolved confusion and difficulties caused by my absorbing the Shadow Storm rules and I
found myself ditching almost 80-90% of them as they didn't fit what I was wanting to do which was convert Warmaster to play HC!.
Please don't take this as a criticism of the Shadow Storm rules as if I was looking for an alternative to WHF then I'm confident I'd be going down this route. .

What next?

When I've created every army I'm going to reference back to the army lists for HC!; 'Biblical & Classical' and 'Late Antiquity to Early Medieval'. Whilst I am aware of period supplements; 'Shield Wall', 'Britannia', 'Germania' and others, for the moment I'm leaving them out of the equation.

Other Progress

I've play tested a small 8 units per side game and we both liked the result, the Magic was as good/bad as it used to be in WM and the combat worked out satisfactorily.
I re-based elements of my Orc Warmaster army for this and though friends have based their existing bases on top of MDF, either directly or using recessed MDF to hold the stands as a unit. I'm very unlikely to play WM again as I am convinced PV will work so I'm going for it and have stripped the WM models off their old bases and put them on the new.

Above with their new basing (those done so far)

Above - as they were

 Their right wing

 Their left wing

Centre

I've just noticed the Orcs to the left of the Wyvern in the image above have turned their back's on the camera, I will be speaking to them later.

When I started my Warmaster army I had access to a large number of Battle of five armies Orcs, I based these up and then realised the size difference, so bought Baccus goblins and play GW Orcs as Black Orcs. This kept the size comparison realistic.

Post script - After this I received a rather nasty head injury, that altered me in more ways than I realised. It was some 6 months before people felt I'd returned to my old self so a lot of things went on hold PV being one of them. I will return.


Continued ...

40k AAR Iron Warriors v Sisters of Battle 2nd June 2003

More nonsense from 2nd June 2003

40k was the only game back then, with occasional forays into WHFB.

Chaos Champion Dranask Wolfsbane, my alter Ego, with CSM and Dreadnaught in support.

Denis Jackman as club Competitions secretary had organised a 40k tournament and in it I have previously beaten 'F's Space Wolves but have just lost to Paul Douglas' Sisters of Battle. Although I read a rule sometime later that could have changed the game and saved a unit of mine. I did wonder at the time if I might have won under those different circumstance. Probably not Paul is a very able player still...............

I can balance that by remembering the time my Vanquisher's cannon targeted Denis' Harlequins under it's blast marker, dodge that!

Trying to make my battle report different I came up with the idea of doing a transmission, probably saw somthing similar in White Dwarf.

To Kommissar Jackman

The following transmissions have been picked up by our fleet as it approached the planet ‘Lost Founding’ in order to reinforce the Adeptus Sororitas who were attempting to recover an item of immense religious value upon the planet that had recently been wrestled from the Space Wolves.

+ + + +  To the omnipotent most fearful Abbadon from Daemon Prince Janrasuk commander World Eaters. + + + + Force Omega-delta sent on your orders to hold the positions won by us and the Iron Warriors of Dranask Wolf's Bane have begun to arrive. Prince Jahyovik informs us he has sufficient forces to relive our position  he ………..  + + +  ….. . .. .as instructed we advance in pursuit of the Emperor’s lackeys.  The wolves can be but a few days ahead of us.  *** Blood for the blood God!   + + + + +

- - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - -

.

+ + + +  Force Omega-delta to Abbadon warp disturbance delaying  arrival of heavy weapons and other units.  ……………….  . We are in position but await remaining units. + + + +    + + +  Intercepted comms link from Emperor’s brides. + + + +  Moving on our positions. + +  No doubt we will earn more souls for the Gods.  + + + + +  …………………         + + +  …… + + +  Positions under att.. …  Where are those  ………blue squad  incinerated. …..    Assassin  …   predator arrives still waiting remainder    **    + +  …. predator’s daemon disrupted - vehicle lost - - …. berserkers annihilated   …. ..       + + + ..  They are swarming all over us.  Jahyovik has stemmed the flow but is embroiled with these shield maidens. + + + ……….Land raider …arrives with chosen  they will recover blue squad’s bunker.  …+ + * + *+ *  ……  The god’s are deserting us  …. . + + + + chosen annihilated by assassin. Land raider disabled but is literally running down the redemptionists  the field has become a mass of bloodied bodies……….  Land raider self repairs the blood was good . ……….   + + + +  Plague Marines reinforce Jahyovik, they have destroyed second squad of redemptionists  …  .. Land raiders still churning first squad.    + ++ + + … .. ..  Jahyovik destroys Seraphim + + + Plague marines destroyed by lone Canoness… . ..   + + + + +  Jahyovik destroys retributor squad  and Exorcist…     Less than a third of attackers left ..     They are attacking our final position  ………….  + + + Assasinaaahhhgggg.  + + ++ + 

+ + + +  Kravus – Captain of the Wrath of Krondak Despoiler Class  - Have made rendezvous with remnants of fleet over  planet …. ..   they  have effected recovery of only survivor Jahyovik  … .. . . please your … . .. invited them to return to you or engage approaching Imperial fleet ..   outnumbers them 4:1   + + +  presumed as ineffective as they were in protecting the planet  .. .  they are no loss to you but if they take a few ships   … ..eir lives  .. . worthwhile.   as instructed Jahyovik  chained and imprisoned     …………..  …………   pleased  to know  runes have quietened him and cause pain in addit  …… .. ……… he now awaits the pleasure of the Gods. + + +  Unable to effect recovery of Land raider…. .. …  + + + it’s roaming the planet causing destruction + + any units that recover or escape the fires of the Emperor’s wives may rally to it.  + + Ship under attack  from reinforcing Imperial fleets . ……. . . .Planet lost to us . . . ..  +++ + ++   

Transmission ends

I can report that the Adeptus Sororitas not only recovered the artefact but also cleansed the planet of the chaos scum and are currently hunting down the corrupted land raider.

Praise to the Emperor! – the Living God!

Kommissar Foulgar

Chaos Warbands 2003

It's a funny old world, having found the previous article I then found the models.

Photo time!

Tim's Head Hunters, the three missing hounds are probably with the wolf riders in the WHFB Orc and Goblin storage box.

My Black Pudding Boys

Why are mine painted and Tim's not? It's 2003 Tim's 13 and I'm trying to encourage him to paint his own, which he is doing, homework, Takewando, scouting and other interests permitting.
I'm a little older after all duties are done, this is my relaxation.

Chaos Warbands - AAR 10th Jan 2003

Another gem from the past. (my opinion)

At Denis Jackman's suggestion the club was running a Chaos Warband campaign GW rules similar to Necromunda as the result of a battle affects the warband's development.

This was my After Action Report.

They Shall Not Pass

Dork Flumas - Black Pudding Boys (Mark Foulds) stood by the small alter he’d created in honour of Khorne a simple pike forced into the ground, the oldest skull, the first he’d taken, now clean of flesh was mounted on the central spike and he’d learned that it stared towards danger. He carefully positioned the misshapen head of the semi-intelligent animal his men had just eaten on the small pile of skulls, which surrounded the base of the spike. One day the pike would be hidden from view and he would be a great warrior.

As Dork turned to leave he caught the movement of the skull as its sightless sockets stared towards the west, quickly gathering his men he charged off to see who was intruding upon his domain.

From his position between the clumps of trees Dork watched the strangers lined up in front of him seventeen in all in a line running North to South. There were two groups of three marauders on the northern flank, five chaos hounds, then the leader on horseback, sunlight glinting of his shield and five Chaos warriors on the southern flank their mutated arms were barbed and fanged like second weapons, formidable opponents.

For a moment he though to let them pass, but knew Khorne would not favour such an act. He sent four of his warriors to the north the enigmatic chosen one holding a position behind them; the second group of four warriors went south whilst he followed, close enough to support either group.

Skull Crusher - Head Hunters (Tim Foulds) was moving east towards the ruined town of Wurldege, it was rumoured that there were men for hire living there. It was imperative that he got there quickly before they left, or worse were hired by someone else. As he moved through the blighted land he sensed the increased magic of sacred ground and moved eagerly forwards, this would be the sort of ground a band would call its own. There was rumour of a small band of men here. For a moment he toyed with the idea of killing their leader so that they would join him, but he knew they would not. Unless he defeated each and every one of them they would reform around one of their own, make him the new champion. He prepared his men putting them in a line himself placed in the centre. They would charge through, each man for himself and regroup at the town. Looking around he gave the signal and the Head Hunters advanced.

Head Hunters Turn one.

The Head hunters marched forwards the marauders towards a small wooded hill, the warriors moving north in front of a small copse, whilst Skull Crusher surrounded by his pack of chaos hounds cut south west to move around and down the southern flank. Skull Crusher didn’t want a protracted fight today he had to get to Wurldege by tomorrow evening.

Black Pudding Boys Turn one

Calling upon the chosen one to move southwards in to the woods to cover the centre, and commanding the Warriors in the north to go into the tree covered hill in front of the marauders. Dork Flumas moved south sending his other warriors into woods from where they could ambush the enemy leader or his chaos hounds.

Head Hunters Turn two

Both groups of marauders charged up the hill into the woods to attack the four chaos warriors who awaited them, The five chaos warriors, mutated arms snapping and flexing rushed into the small copse against the chosen one. Meanwhile Skull Crusher swung north cutting behind his warriors and to the west of the hill where the marauders were slogging it out with the warriors. He smiled grimly, the feint had worked, half the enemy force was out of touch and with luck those warriors would not get a fight today

Being in cover the four chaos warriors attacked the marauders two attacking each group. The flail smartly mashed the brains of one marauder and the mace did equal service in the to the other group. The marauders failed to hurt the warriors and the great weapons failed. One group of marauders decided to leave the battle whilst the others stayed on to fight.

Meanwhile the chosen one flashed his two weapons and neatly decapitated two trees much to the amusement of the chaos warriors who unable to retain their mirth failed to hit the chosen. None the less outnumbered as he was the chosen decided to fall back and tripped whereupon the warriors overran his position and found themselves within strike distance of Dork Flumas.

Black Pudding Boys turn 2

The careless charge of the chaos warriors had brought them within range of the Dork Flumas and his warriors in the southernwoods; who all charged in two reaching the target. Between them they kill one of the invading warriors and suffer no wounds, chaos warriors hold firm and all closed in for the next phase.

On the hill the marauders take down a chaos warriors the heavy weapon knocking him to the ground. Both sides determine to slog it out.

Head Hunters turn 3

Turning in his saddle Skull Crusher watches as his men hold of the enemy warband and gallops on to the east for his rendezvous, his will forcing the chaos hounds to lead in case any more enemy block his way. The two fleeing marauders rally and watch as their fellows are cut down.

The melee of warriors in the centre results in a wound on the leader, but all fight on determined to fight to the end.

Black Pudding Boys turn 3

The three knights on the hill are unable to stop the escape of the mounted group and charge into the rallied marauders who disable one warrior. All are steadfast and fight on.

In the centre the ‘Great Baker God’ affects the melee and nothing happens!

Head Hunters turn 4

Skull Crusher races on towards the board edge and stops 3” away, he had hopped to end the battle but all must fight another round of combat.

The marauders kill another chaos warrior; his companion can’t believe I tand stays to seek revenge.

In the centre the ‘Great Baker God’ still holds sway.

Black Pudding Boys turn 4

Oh shame the two marauders remove the last chaos warrior.

But in the centre Khorne comes to Dork Flumas’ aid and together with his warriors they kill two chaos warriors, the rest sensing failure turn to run but are cut down by the leader and his men.

Head Hunters turn 5

Skull Crusher leaves the eastern table edge and the battle is over.

Black Pudding Boys report.

Well Skull Crusher and his Head Hunters may have won the game but Khorne was not impressed, he didn’t even get his sword out! I had lost four warriors and a chosen and they all recovered though I will be speaking severely to the chaos warriors, being taken down by marauders for Khorne’s sake, as for the chosen, less topiary and more skulls.

A fun battle and it shows how much I need a fast unit. But I gained two favour points and got to roll on the advancement table where I rolled the Mark of Khorne! (Well what else did you expect me to roll????) This gives me frenzy and an extra attack.

Head Hunters report

Gained four favour point and the displeasure of Khorne, when I rolled for recovery I rolled two ones and had to use two favour points up to save two of my chaos warriors. On the other hand my leader rolled on the advancement table and gained +1WS, he must have spent the evening practising!

Conclusion

A number of lessons learned, most importantly that the rules need some clearer interpretation. All of us need to sit down and think about the situations that have occurred and how we have resolved them. Then we need to create house rules that can grow as our games continue. There is a certain element of conflict between using our men as units (regiments) or as skirmishers.

Mark's Black Pudding Boys

Tim's Head Hunters

                          ---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Reading this now in 2017, I wonder how differently I'd play the game regarding units/skirmishers given the wide range of rules that now exist. 

I believe using the Frostgrave rules concept with each band of men under a captain would work well, the captain able to take four men rather than one.