Reiklanders vs Skaven! The fifth skirmish!

On Monday, October 30, 2023, more than FOUR long months after the last battle, Matt's skaven clashed with Perry`s human Reiklander warband over territory and loot! 

The Reiklanders, Dietrich`s Dogs, wandered deep into the City of the Damned, having entered through the River Gate and made their way towards the Merchant`s Quarter. They had recently heard rumours at Sigmar Haven of wyrdstone abandoned by another warband who hastily stashed it inside of an old ruined inn. Unbeknownst to the Reiklanders, however, the skaven warband, The Skulking Blades, had already gotten there, and were squatting in the ruins of the inn, sniffing under floorboards for the same wyrdstone! Scouts on both sides spotted the other warband, and Scenario 1: Defend the Find began!

Again, one of the standard scenarios from the rulebook: Matt with the lower warband rating rolled and selected this one. We placed my “slightly more finished” ruined inn at the centre of the table as the objective building. The skaven with the lowest number of warriors were automatically the defender and set up inside the inn. The Reiklanders as the attackers were able to set up within 3” of any table edge (we play on a slightly smaller 3’ x 3’ table, so halve all stated distances in scenarios). Attackers have the first turn.

Winning Conditions: If at the end of the defender’s turn the attacker has more standing models within 3” of the objective building (the inn), the attacker wins. Alternatively, when one of the warbands fails its Rout test, the game ends. Rewards include one shard of wyrdstone for each Hero of either warband who is inside the objective building at the end of the game (maximum of three shards per warband).

The skaven warband, THE SKULKING BLADES, was led by assassin adept Khretch Nightseeker. He was accompanied by a black skaven, Crut Crestflayer, two night runners: Strok Keenfingers and Queek Heartsblood, as well as three verminkin. The band of seven skaven were still licking their wounds after the last battle with the Possessed, and had not yet had time replace the loss of their other black skaven warrior, Ikket Heartslasher (i.e. Matt forgot to update his warband, lol!).

The Skulking Blades prepare for the Reiklanders within the ruins of the Inn

The Reiklander mercenary company of DIETRICH'S DOGS was led by Dietrich Grossenheimer, accompanied by his son Pieter Grossenheimer a young blood. Along with Champion Wolfgang Baur (with his third son, young blood Reinhard Baur), there was Otto Klein, a “hero henchman” who was making his own name, as well as new recruit Oscar Schiller, the lone representative of the Sneidklingen (i.e. Cutthroats) henchmen group. And finally, three bowmen, “rumoured” Marksmen of fine shot (who had yet to prove it in battle!), the Wiebe Bruders: Jurgen and Stefan Wiebe and their friend Hans Schmidt. Champion Herman Reichert was back at camp with a smashed leg from the last skirmish, having to sit out this expedition.

Dietrich and his son with the Wiebe Bruders, along with Boki and Johannes.

Wolfgang Baur and his son with the rest of the "Dogs" set up on the opposite side

Dietrich had also re-hired the services of the dwarf trollslayer Boki Flinthead, who wanted to prove he could do more than run up and take shots to the head. He also introduced Dietrich to Johannes Rutter, a warlock who was hiding in the ruins from witch hunters, and Dietrich hired him for some extra magical firepower!

Round 1: Leader Dietrich orders everyone to move up! Jürgen and Stefan Wiebe, the bowmen, do their normal thing and rush into a second story house and position themselves by the windows for a better vantage point. 

Boki the dwarf trollslayer charges out of an alley, eyeing up the skaven at the rear ruined area of the inn. His buddy the warlock Johannes, spots a beady eyed skaven on a balcony, and blasts it to cinders with a summoned fireball! First casualty and its looking good for the Reiklanders!

On the other side of the battlefield, Champion Wolfgang runs up with his son Reinhard, along with Oscar and Henchman hero Otto. Bowman Hans Schmidt tags along with Reinhard and takes a shot at a skaven on the third storey of the inn…but misses. “It’s my lazy eye!” he explains to the young Reinhard.

The skaven do not sit idle. One skaven verminkin on the third storey hurls sling bullets, and beans the young Reinhard, leaving him stunned and senseless on the ground!

Leader Khretch along with black skaven Crut charge Oscar Schiller and Otto Klein. The black skaven strikes down Oscar with a cunning blow, much to the chagrin of his leader Khretch who really wanted to make the kill.

On the other side, night runners Strok and Queek intercept Boki the dwarf. Although Queek’s blow strikes true, it does not damage Boki, but Strok’s weeping blade poison successfully knocks Boki on his back! Suddenly, it is looking very good for the skaven!

Round 2: Dietrich screams at everyone to rush the building, as they have the numbers and can overwhelm the skaven! The young Reinhard can do nothing but roll over and catch his breath while his father Wolfgang, running towards the building, yells at him to get up. Bowman Hans Schmidt shoots the same skaven again, and the arrow goes wide! “It’s this dastardly wind!” Hans curses to Reinhard.  Nearby, Henchman hero Otto stuns the black skaven Crut with a furious charge, much to the consternation of skaven leader Khretch who leers at him! 

Dietrich and his son Pieter make it to the rear of the inn and wait for the others. The two Wiebe brothers inside their vantage point…stand and wait? Dietrich curses them under his breath. The warlock Johannes, flies through the air, landing on the now empty balcony. He spots a verminkin inside the inn, but is unable to summon the magic to hurl another fire ball! 

The dwarf trollslayer Boki pops back up to this feet and clobbers night runner Strok and stuns him! 

Crut Crestflayer rolls over onto his back, helpless at the feet of Otto Klein. The skaven verminkin inside the inn, hearing the arcane failed mumblings of Johannes, turns and hurls two sling bullets at the warlock, clocking him on the forehead and stunning him! Only by a sweet miracle does Johannes manage to not roll off the balcony! The verminkin on the third storey takes a shot at Reinhard flailing on his back, but misses the youth.

Assassin Adept, Khretch Nightseeker, seeing the stinky humans moving towards the inn, turns and charges Wolfgang Baur, and stuns him with a cunning backstab strike! 

Night runner Queek Heartsblood slashes at Boki, and swiftly stuns the dwarf! If not for the dwarf’s hard head, he would have been OUT of action!

Round 3: Wolfgang Baur, the dwarf Boki, and the warlock Johannes all roll over onto their backs, shaking off their respective stuns. Still in the fight, but barely.  Henchman Hero Otto Klein takes OUT the black skaven Crut Crestflayer with a well-placed chop on the fallen skaven. Reinhard Baur and bowman Hans Schmidt run up trying to get closer to the building, and the youth can do nothing as his father struggles at the feet of the dangerous skaven Assassin Adept!

Dietrich is losing his temper. He shouts at the Wiebe Bruders who very well may have cost him this victory – without them, they don’t have the numbers to overwhelm the skaven out of the inn! Jurgen takes the safe, much longer way down from the vantage point. His bruder Stefan decides to be a hero and climb out the window! He stumbles and falls to the ground, but miraculously lands on his feet, safe!

The Skulking Blades, now with two of their number out of action, look for guidance from their leader Khretch Nightseeker, but they do not rout! (Although technically, they wanted to, because we forgot to roll this until the end of the round, but Perry was cool with it, because the skaven were kicking some cool moves!)

One of the verminkin in the ruins of the inn strikes the bowman Hans Schmidt with a sling stone and stuns him! The Assassin Adept, staring at the young Reinhard Baur, giggles maniacally as its blade stabs into the fallen Wolfgang Baur, taking him OUT of action. Reinhard could do nothing but scream, “Father!!”

The night runner Strok Keenfingers, leaves the fight with Boki (trusting that Queek will deal with the troublesome dwarf finally), and charges Reiklander leader Dietrich, knocking him down with a well-placed blow!  

The other verminkin in the inn lithely springs over rubble and up the stairs to where Johannes lies on the balcony trying to catch his breath, and takes the warlock OUT of action with a brutal club strike! Night runner Queek fails to take out Boki the dwarf who is lying on the ground, but it is still a deadly round for the skaven!

Round 4: Things are not looking good for Dietrich’s Dogs, but even with three of their members OUT, the Reiklander leader is not so easily cowed. He stands up, shouts encouragements, and manages to avoid a rout. Bowman Hans Schmidt can do nothing but shake off the stun and lie on the ground, contemplating his life as a “marksmen” archer.

Henchman hero Otto Klein, full of beans, charges the Assassin Adept Khretch, who nimbly avoids the Reiklander’s clumsy strikes and fells Otto with a deadly strike, taking him OUT of action!

Dietrich’s young son Pieter and bowman Stefan charge night runner Strok, lending Dietrich assistance, but the leader of the warband needs no help, as he himself takes OUT Strok with his expertly wielded halberd! 

The dwarf trollslayer Boki and night runner Queek fight to a draw.

Skaven leader Khretch surveys the situation and is not ready to flee just yet, and manages to avoid a rout with a few threatening screeches to his followers. The Assassin Adept then turns his deadly poisonous blades on the son of the fallen Wolfgang and charges the young Reinhard. Fear and adrenaline somehow manage to keep Reinhard alive as he fends off a flurry of strikes!

His friend and comrade, the young Pieter Grossenheimer is not so lucky, as the verminkin who took OUT the warlock makes its way to the edge of the balcony and casts a sling stone at Pieter’s head, and takes him OUT of action! 

Night runner Queek presses his attack against Boki, but the dwarf gets the upper hand and stuns the skaven!

Round 5: Dietrich has had enough. With his son bleeding and potentially dying, furious at the Wiebe Bruders for staying out of the fight for so long, and with so many of his warriors Out of action, he decides he must leave! (also, it was 10:00pm and we have a hard cut off for our battles by 10:00pm on a school night, lol). The skaven take this skirmish as a win!

POST BATTLE
The skaven definitely kicked Reiklander butt in this skirmish.

For the SKULKING BLADES, they had one verminkin Out (the round one fireball casualty) who made a full recovery. Black skaven Crut Crestflayer also made a full recovery! Night runner Strok Keenfingers rolled multiple injuries (a 33 on the chart) but luckily was only afflicted with nervous condition (-1 Init).

For DIETRICH’S DOGS, five of their number went Out of Action, including Dietrich’s own son, Pieter.  The youth managed to survive but was Robbed of all his possessions! An expensive outing to be sure. Wolfgang Baur recovered, and was now Immune to Fear, having lived from the near assassination at the hands of the skaven Assassin Adept Khretch Nightseeker! Oscar Schiller, the henchman swordsman, managed to make a full recovery. Henchman Hero Otto Klein also suffered multiple injuries (that 33 roll on the chart), the worst of which was a bad leg injury (-1 Mov); he also suffered Hideous Scars (so he causes Fear now!) and became Crazed (allowing him the ability to Frenzy in combat!). Otto Klein was a man who had seen much in the streets of Mordheim, and it showed!

The most exciting outcome however was the hired warlock Johannes Rutter, who was Captured by the skaven, and summarily sold to slavers (most likely Witch Hunters of Sigmar) for the tidy sum of 25 gold crowns!

The wounded Dietrich's Dogs lived another day, but for the warlock only slavery and death!

As for loot:
No Heroes were inside the ruined inn when the skirmish ended, so it was presumed that the wyrdstone stashed inside (as the Scenario Reward) was nothing but rumours and gossip!

The skaven did find 1 wyrdstone on their way out of the city, which they sold for 35 gold. Together with the unspent 65 gold crowns from sold wyrdstone last time, and the 25 gold crowns from the sale of the Warlock, the skaven had a tidy sum to replenish their warband for next time!

The Reiklanders managed to find 2 shards of wyrdstone on their trek out of the city, which they sold for 45 gold crowns, most of which will probably go to replacing the young Pieter Grossenheimer’s stolen possessions!

Combatants on both sides also gained experience with this latest adventure into the ruined city, so Experience rolls were made:

SKULKING BLADES:

Khretch Nightseeker: +1 Attack

Queek Heartsblood: +1 Strength

DIETRICH’S DOGS:
Pieter Grossenheimer: +1 Attack
Wolfgang Baur: +1 BS
Otto Klein: New skill, Jump Up (Speed skill)
Boki Flinthead: New skill, Berserker!

FINAL THOUGHTS
As Greg, Jay and Matt all said: this was the Reiklander’s battle to lose! With 11 warriors to the skaven’s 7, it should have been a simple matter to run everyone up to within 3” of the ruined Inn and win the game with more attackers standing than the defenders.

However, I was apparently just too excited to play a game instead of tactically winning a game, lol! Setting up the bowmen in the house for better shooting vantage points was just dumb (this was not the scenario to do that) and was probably the major reason the Reiklanders lost. Matt also rolled fairly well, which is one of the fun parts of this game: you just never know how fast those one-on-one fights will go! Also, Matt's tactics to ensure skaven were outside the building and engaging Reiklanders meant that for most of Round 2 and 3 I could not "run" up quickly (i.e. the rule is you cannot run if an enemy is within 8" of you), which also slowed the Reiklander's approach to the walls of the ruined inn.

My favourite parts included the Injury roll for the Warlock, and how he was captured and sold off (instead of ransomed back to the Reiklanders); Assassin Adept Khretch Nightseeker stabbing Wolfgang Baur while his son Reinhard looked on; and the multiple injuries roll for Henchman Hero Otto Klein, making him more badass and tougher than ever. These are the types of things that create great mini-stories within the scope of the individual skirmishes of an ongoing campaign.

Next Up: Jay vs Greg (Possessed vs Witch Hunters)