First up, my painting progress. I added 11 new models to my force, and for the first time I was able to field a fully painted army. 1300 points of Skaven painted is a good start, but a big part of that was one centerpiece model: the new Grey Seer Thanquol on Boneripper model.
My Grey Seer Thanquol and Boneripper.
I went with the Warpfire Throwers, because it's been my favorite weapon since I first started playing Warhammer. Plus it gives Thanquol a lot of flexibility as a caster. The model was fairly simple to assemble, and it actually painted really nicely I felt. The back of the model is a set of tubes, boilers, and pipes, giving it a really busy feel (in a good way). I added the projections of flame, as I love painting the fire effects for my models!
Ten Stormvermin and their attached Warpfire Thrower. Burn those enemies to death!
1300 Points of Skaven for the event. I was really pleased about fielding a fully painted force for the first time with my current version of this Skaven project.
The event featured six players fielding "Opposing Forces", each 1300 points in size, against the invading army of Nurgle (more Nurgle-only photos here). We had two Lizardmen armies, two non-Nurgle Chaos armies (one Khorne and one all-Khorne with a single Slaanesh Sorcerer Lord), Orcs and Goblins, and my Skaven. The threat of Nurgle must have been very powerful, to unit such diverse foes under a common banner!
One of two blocks of Skink Cohorts watches as warhounds and a Chaos Giant rush forward.
The other spawning of Lizardmen--look at those beautiful scales.
The Slaanesh Sorcerer Lord was a triple threat: 1) his spells wreaked havoc on the Nurgle forces, 2) he single-handedly charged Festus the Leechlord and the remaining stragglers of the Beastmen unit and managed to defeat them, and 3) was the master of dispelling enemy spells. Well, if by "dispelling enemy spells" we mean "laughing as they failed to cast thanks to very low rolls time after time."
A unit of Chaos Trolls, their stupidity in check thanks to the proximity of their General's leadership.
The Khornate General. Despite favoring the forces of ruin, some urge to be sole master must have turned so many of the Chaos forces against the rise of Nurgle. Such shifting fortunes are the nature of Chaos no doubt.
The Skink Cohort, bolstered by their Kroxigor friends, had a long stalemate against the unit of Beasts of Nurgle and Great Unclean One--both sides losing casualties, and the skinks fleeing at one point only to rally again.
Skink Skirmishers with blowpipes sacrifice their lives to draw the rampaging gang of Minotaurs into a more advantageous position. The steady hail of poisoned blowpipe shots and javelin shots from another player's Skink Cohort took their toll over time on the unit.
Warriors of Chaos Forsaken charge into the Skullcrushers of Khorne. The Chaos-on-Chaos battles on the left flank were brutal and bloody to both sides.
The Orcs chose the unenviable task of assaulting the center of the Nurgle lines, taking the battle directly to Epidemius. His power to enhance those bearing the Mark of Nurgle on the battlefield quickly got to the point of difficulty for the Opposition Forces to handle. A unit of Black Orcs led by Grimgor Ironhide himself tackled Epidemius and his unit, but they simply couldn't harm the Daemon nor take out enough of his unit to make a dent.
A wider angle of the view from the Orcs' perspective (photo courtesy of Roger). The trolls mounted an initial assault on Epidemius, only be followed by the Black Orcs and Big 'Uns. Note Glottkin and the Soul Grinder in the background, and my feeble Clanrats lurking behind the Orc lines.
Kroq-Gar on his Carnosaur charged the Rot Flies, but even his supreme ability to kill models with multiple wounds was thwarted by the growing power of Nurgle emanating from Epidemius. This master of cold-blooded remained locked with them for a few turns, waiting in hopes that Grimgor Ironhide would eventually finish off the foe that was bringing all the power for the Nurgle side.
The Saurus Warriors follow up on the sacrifice of the Skink Skirmishers and charge the flank of the Minotaurs. While they managed to break the Minotaurs through luck and some powerful predatory fighting rolls, their pursuit wasn't enough to catch and wipe them out--denying the kill of the Doombull and allowing the Minotaurs to regroup. The whole side of the Opposing Forces groaned when the pursuit was rolled... would any dice go the way of our side?
The Opposing Forces units were at best tying up the Nurgle advance, and at worst fleeing in the face of the crushing oppression of Nurgle's might. However, one star managed to shine: the Chaos Giant managed to survive the attacks of Daemon Prince Klaus Feverskin, and responded with a Headbutt. This left Feverskin wounded and dazed, and the Giant--with a single wound left--then thumped the Daemon Prince to death the following combat. Wounded but reveling in killing the #3 leader of the Nurgle Forces, the Giant rampaged on into a unit of Plaguebearers. Although he eventually died, even in death he managed to fall directly on the enemy unit to try and take them out.
After my prior post recognizing that I failed to get a photo of my own of Klaus Feverskin, Chad was polite enough to pass one my way and let me use it. Here's another shot of Klaus, about to be mud-stomped by the Giant foe.
The Glottkin join the central fray where the Orcs had two units desperately trying to finish off Epidemius and his unit. The sheer savagery of the Orc Big Un's and Grimgor's Black Orcs--and the general toughness of the Orcs, was all that managed to keep them in the fight.
Finally, and with a cheer from all the Opposing Forces, Epidemius was slain by the Black Orcs. With the loss of their protective boosts and offensive might, the forces of Nurgle finally hiccuped. Combats went from being holding actions to actually some wins for the Opposing Forces against the Daemon units.
However, the Warriors of Chaos Nurgle models, especially the Putrid Blightkings, continued to consistently demolish and rout their opponents. The Khornate forces were caught out of position by others of their number fleeing, leaving a charge in the side by the Nurgle Chaos Warriors. The two on the flanks managed to kill the Chaos Sorcerer by focusing their attacks on him, but then didn't stand a chance against the Chaos Lord and his unit's attacks--causing them to panic and flee.
At least this time, the clash between Khorne and Nurgle was a win for the lads in green.
It was a great game overall, if still a difficult uphill slog for the Opposition Forces. The end results of the game awarded prizes based on the following list--the top three kills each got a gift card to the store.
The Glottkin
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Guttrot Spume
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Klaus Feverskin, Daemon Prince of Nurgle
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Charles (Chaos, all Khorne)
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Epidemius
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Roger (Orcs and Goblins)
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Great Unclean One
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Festus the Leechlord
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Tony (Chaos, Khorne with a bit of Slaanesh)
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Doombull
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Chaos Lord
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Herald of Nurgle
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Carrie (Lizardmen)
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Chaos Sorcerer
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Tony
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I liked the way the bounties system worked for this game. I had used it once before in a Nagash-themed End Times special event, where it worked out great. This time it did the same, for the most part. Ultimately, like many mega games (it featured roughly 8,000 points per side), it was a case of needing to go about two turns more. That would have resolved a few more fights, given some players a chance at some lateral movement--to try and grab some of the unclaimed Nurgle characters that didn't deploy directly opposite them.
The game itself proved to be very tense, due to the increasing power of the Nurgle side thanks to Epidemius. It also really helped that for a long while the Opposing Forces had virtually no luck in anything but their own flee rolls (all sorts of Khornate Chaos Warriors running away and not being caught) and the Nurgle players' magic phases being marked with consistent failed casting attempts. Once Epidemius died, the momentum shifted a bit--but the game was still really balanced. And the biggest lot of Opposing Forces models were left at the end of the game with a still-alive and hardly wounded Glottkin on one side, and a ten-strong unit of Putrid Blightkings with Gutrot Spume on the other side. I declared the game to be a victory for the forces of Nurgle, but with a note for valiant effort for the Opposing Forces coalition.
The generals of the Nurgle side, their bellies swollen with rot and pus, celebrate their victory.
The valiant other generals of the Opposing Forces.
Fully Painted Models
Skaven: 70
Dwarfs: 41
Battles
Total 2015: 4 (Win/Loss/Tie: 2/2/0)
Total 2014: 15 (Win/Loss/Tie: 8/6/1)
Skaven:
4 Wins (Empire 1, T&T Daemons and Dwarfs, Siege Dwarfs and Bretonnians, T&T Daemons and Empire)
6 Losses (Empire 1, Dwarfs 1, Daemons 1, T&T Daemons 1, T&T Dwarfs 1, Special Game Nurgle)
Dwarfs:
4 Wins (Dwarfs 2, Wood Elves 2)
1 Loss (Dark Elves 1)
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