Reiklanders vs Skaven! The Ninth Skirmish!

 

On Monday, February 19, 2024, Perry’s Reiklanders tried to run through a ruined neighbourhood as Matt’s Skaven tried to stop them. It sounded so easy…

The Reiklanders, Dietrich’s Dogs, were making their way through the Merchants’ Quarter, trying to reach the Middle Bridge in order to cross the river to the Rich Quarter where they heard rumours of wyrdstone caches. Unfortunately for the Reiklanders, the skavens, The Skulking Blades, had spotted them, and decided to try and stop the unsuspecting humans from reaching their goal. And thus began Scenario 4: Breakthrough!

This scenario had already been played once before, between Greg’s Witch Hunters and Jay’s Possessed (the sixth skirmish).  A standard scenario. Perry’s Reiklanders set up first along one table edge, and Matt’s Skaven set up anywhere on the table, as long as each of his warriors were at least 8” away from any Reiklander figures.

Winning Conditions: Perry’s Reiklanders were designated as the “attackers” with the goal of reaching the opposite side of the table, thus making a “break through” enemy lines to safety! The game would also end if either warband routed, or we reached 10:00pm and ran out of time (our deadline for playing on a school night).

The Reiklanders, DIETRICH’S DOGS, were led into the area by leader Dietrich Grossenheimer. Beside him, his young blood son Pieter Grossenheimer, along with Pieter’s young blood friend Reinhard Baur (whose champion father Wolfgang Baur was brutally murdered and…eaten…by the Possessed warband a few weeks earlier). Dueling pistol-wielding champion Hermann Reichert was accompanied by henchman hero Otto Klein, and newly appointed henchman hero Hans Schmidt (who was sporting a new outfit in the colours of his state of Stirland, and a brand new sword!). The Wiebe Bruders (Jürgen and Stefan Wiebe) seemed a little more confident than usual, despite the fact that Schmidt had been promoted in the warband and not them – they had apparently been practicing their shooting skills and were eager to show them off! (i.e. with their new ballistic skill increase (BS 5), surely, SURELY, they would be absolute killer snipers now!)

(L to R) Jürgen Wiebe and Reinhard Baur; Tasos Pepas and Otto Klein;
Stefan Wiebe, Pieter and Dietrich Grossenheimer and Hans Schmidt; Boki and Hermann

The new and improved Henchman Hero Hans Schmidt! Ready to show his qualities...

The dwarf trollslayer Boki Flinthead was also there, still on retainer, eager to also show off his (as yet to be displayed) killing skills.  He brought with him a dangerous looking individual, Tasos Pepas, a pit fighter fresh from the fighting pits of the Cutthroat’s Den settlement!

The skaven warband, THE SKULKING BLADES, were well set up amidst the ruins, awaiting the humans. Led by assassin adept Khretch Nightseeker, he was accompanied by the sorcerer Skitch Stonechewer, the two black skavens Rik-Rik Toecutter and Crut Crestflayer, and the two night runners, Strok Keenfingers and Queek Heartsblood. The three nameless young verminkin chittered excitedly, eager to show off their deadly sling skills again. They had feasted well with a reward of fresh halfling for their prowess a week ago when they quickly took down and captured the leader of the Witch Hunter warband, Werner von Halstaff!

Back: Sorcerer Skitch Stonechewer, Queek Heartsblood
Front: Khretch Nightseeker, Rik-Rik Toecutter, Strok Keenfingers, 3 verminkin, Crut Crestflayer 

Khretch Nightseeker had also brought along a warlock, a sneaky skaven by the name of Snarlfang Spellspitter. An old family friend of Khretch’s clan, the warlock had offered his services for free, eager to prove himself for potential future employment.

Special Note: Snarlfang Spellspitter was Matt’s free hireling that he rolled on the Exploration table from the last game. Technically, Snarlfang is a human warlock with those stats from the book, but for in-game coolness, he is represented with a skaven miniature!

Round 1: Dietrich motioned for the Reiklanders to run! Boki Flinthead charged ahead with champion Hermann Reichart close behind. Pieter, Dietrich, Stefan Wiebe and henchman hero Hans Schmidt made for the right side of a swampy pool (Stefan got behind a pile of crates), while the pit fighter Tasos lead henchman hero Otto Klein towards the left side. 

On the far left of the neighbourhood, Jürgen Wiebe followed young blood Reinhard Baur, who limped as fast as he could on his busted leg. Jürgen, spotting a skaven lurking behind some crates (Skitch Stonechewer himself!) took a shot with his bow, but the arrow missed, instead striking the crates and the sorcerer skaven skittered away to safety (Jürgen would later blame the fact he ran, the far shot, the barely noticeable amount of the skaven he could see, and the lurching Reinhard in front of him who ultimately made him miss the shot).

Sorcerer Skitch Stonechewer lurks behind crates, waiting...and totally safe from arrows. 

Khretch Nightseeker barked softly into the shadows, and several of the skaven emerged, some moving into deeper cover, others taking vantage points from above. 

The warlock Snarlfang loosed a fireball at Boki, and knocked the dwarf trollslayer on his back! 

Two of the verminkin emerged on the balcony of the Inn, their slings throwing deadly stones! One smacked henchman hero Otto Klein and took him OUT of Action with a critical hit to the skull! 

The other verminkin then followed up by taking newly promoted henchman hero Hans Schmidt also OUT of Action with a critical hit to the throat! Khretch Nightseeker snarled and laughed from his hiding spot – perhaps the young verminkin would gain their name rights sooner than later…

A sneaky verminkin POV of the slingshot takedown of (new) henchman hero Hans Schmidt!
(as yet to show his qualities...)

Round 2: Undeterred, Dietrich Grossenheimer ordered the Reiklanders to push through! Most of them moved up, their speed somewhat slowed now by the appearance of the skaven. 

Boki Flinthead scrambled to his feet, just as Hermann Reichart moved up beside him, training a gun barrel on the warlock skaven Snarlfang. A shot rang out, but the bullet went wide!

Young blood Reinhard Baur continued to shamble forwards as fast as he could. Behind him, Jürgen Wiebe also moved up and tried to shoot at one of the verminkin on the Inn’s balcony, but the light was in his eyes, and the arrow went wide. 

One can clearly see how the sun is shining in Jürgen's eyes, right?

Stefan Wiebe remained where he was behind the crates. He took careful aim, sighting down the arrow at the other verminkin on the inn’s balcony, the one that had taken down poor Hans Schmidt. It was an easy shot, close. So close. And yet…a slight breeze? The startling squawk of a hawk? SOMETHING made Stefan miss!

Being "too close" is a legit reason to miss, right?!

The verminkin laughed, as they reloaded their slings. Night runner Strok Keenfingers exploded from the shadows in a flurry of gnashing teeth and fur, charging the man-thing Hermann Reichart! Warlock Snarlfang Spellspitter chittered and attempted a second fireball at the dwarf Boki, but the magic failed to materialize. The young verminkin on the inn’s balcony loosed several stones at Jürgen Wiebe, but missed! The verminkin beside him loosed stones at Dietrich Grossenheimer, and hit, knocking the Reiklander leader onto his back! 

Reiklander leader down! Leader down!

Another verminkin on the second floor of a ruined house threw slingstones at pit fighter Tasos Pepas and hit, but the big man simply shrugged, undamaged by the attack.

Pit fighter Tasos Pepas laughs at the wee little sling stones!

Strok Keenfingers launched himself so swiftly at champion Hermann Reichart that the human could not retaliate. A flurry of blows knocked him down, STUNNED!

Champion Hermann Reichart down, but not out!

Round 3: The dwarf trollslayer laughed, spittle flying from his mouth, as he charged night runner Strok Keenfingers, stepping over the stunned form of champion Hermann Reichart who could do nothing else but flip over to his back and catch his breath.

Leader Dietrich Grossenheimer sprang to his own feet, and he and young blood Pieter scrambled around the swampy mud hole in the middle of the square. Pit fighter Tasos Pepas ran alongside the ruined inn, aware that danger lurked on the other side of the wall and readied his morningstar. 

Tasos Pepas is no stranger to danger

On the other side of the ruined inn, Young blood Reinhard Baur and Jürgen Wiebe continued running forward, unaware of the dangerous black skaven Crut Crestflayer lurking nearby.  Jürgen tried another shot at the verminkin on the balcony above, but missed, citing he was moving too fast and the verminkin had a “bit” of cover from the damaged railing.

Crut Crestflayer giggled. "Yes-yes, come close-closer boy-man-thing!"

Jürgen's brother Stefan Wiebe, still crouched behind the pile of crates, knocked another arrow and took aim at the same verminkin on the inn’s balcony as before. So close. So easy. IMPOSSIBLE TO MISS. And yet…the arrow flew wide of the inn. Drunk. The idiot Wiebe bruder was drunk, there was no other explanation!

Boki Flinthead once again in battle with the skaven. Weeks ago he had fought to a draw but this time was for him: a critical hit with two wounds and Strok Keenfingers was taken OUT of Action!

 VICTORY (finally) for Boki Flinthead!

For the skaven, it was time to get personal and up close. The rat-men sprang from the shadows, charging the startled man-things. Assassin Adept and leader Khretch Nightseeker led the charge, springing for Pieter Grossenheimer. On the ruined floor above, a verminkin successfully leapt down to join his leader in attacking the young blood Reiklander! 

Khretch warns the verminkin to not kill-steal his victim...

From around the inn, Queek Heartsblood charged the pit fighter Tasos Pepas! 

And finally, black skaven Crut Crestflayer, hiding behind the crates, sprang at young blood Reinhard Baur, just as Skitch Stonechewer summoned arcane energies of the Black Fury spell to materialize through the inn’s walls and also charge young Reinhard!

Crut and sorcerer Skitch attack young Reinhard!

The verminkin on the inn’s balcony, the failed target of two shots from Jürgen Wiebe, sent a flurry of slingstones at the bowman and took him OUT of Action! 

Jürgen Wiebe lies gurgling in the alley from a slingstone to the throat, unable to help Reinhard Baur

The warlock Snarlfang Spellspitter summoned another fireball, and hurled it at Stefan Wiebe cowering behind the crates, blasting him badly and taking him OUT of Action!

Warlock Snarlfang Spellspitter laughs as Stefan stops-drops-rolls from a fireball!

The other verminkin on the inn’s balcony took aim again at leader Dietrich Grossenheimer, and although hit him twice, was unable to wound.

Young blood Reinhard valiantly fought his two opponents. He managed to parry one of Crut Crestflayer’s blows, but failed to step aside from the second and got Knocked Down! Skaven sorcerer Skitch Stonechewer laughed and wounded the prone Reiklander and took Reinhard OUT of Action!

"Father...is that you? I think I'm dying..."

Night runner Queek Heartsblood managed to hit Tasos Pepas, but failed to wound. The pit fighter retaliated, and with a quick blow of his Morningstar took Queek OUT of Action!

"So, you like fighting pit fighters, eh skaven skum? Let's see how well you do in the PITS!"

On the other side of the battlefield, young blood Pieter fought for his life as well against two opponents! The verminkin hit, failing to wound. But Khretch Nightseeker was no unskilled verminkin, and managed to hit Pieter with a critical blow, taking him OUT of Action!

"Pieter!" Dietrich, seeing his son getting rolled by dirty skaven, decided it was time to leave...

Round 4: Dietrich, seeing the carnage and the skaven surrounding and blocking their egress, sounded the alarm to retreat. He managed to drag his son to safety out of the clutches of Khretch, and pit fighter Tasos Pepas grabbed the unconscious body of Queek Heartsblood and joined the rest of the Reiklanders in their rout! The battle was over!

 

POST BATTLE

For THE SKULKING BLADES only two casualties, but one hilarious result on the Serious Injury charts.

While Strok Keenfingers managed to make a full recover, Queek Heartsblood was Sold to the Pits (a roll of 65)!  In game, we said that the pit fighter Tasos Pepas must have grabbed him during the Reiklander rout. Queek now needs to have a quick one-on-one battle with a pit fighter to see what happens: if he lives or dies, if he gains experience or just escapes with the fur on his back!

For DIETRICH’S DOGS…yikes. Six warriors in the injury box!

Young blood Reinhard Baur received Multiple Wounds! A smashed leg (reinjuring his already busted leg?), causing him to miss the next game, as well as horrible scars allowing him to cause Fear!

Young blood Pieter Grossenheimer became Hardened, and is now Immune to Fear.

Henchman hero Otto Klein received a Smashed Leg (probably the other one, as one of his is also already busted), so now he can’t run anymore, although he can still charge.

Henchman hero Hans Schmidt also received Horrible Scars (sling shot to the throat?!) and he now also causes Fear!

And finally, both henchmen, Stefan and Jürgen Wiebe, managed to survive to miss their shots another day.

All told, the Reiklanders got really lucky!

For loot rolls:

The Reiklanders, with only two champions able to search, found 1 shard of wyrdstone which they sold for 35 gold crowns.

The skaven also only found 2 wyrdstone, which they sold for 50 gold crowns. They also found barrels of ale in the ruins of the Inn (i.e. a roll of Triple 1s for “Tavern”), but unfortunately the thirsty skaven drank nearly all of it, and were only able to salvage 3 gold crowns worth to sell.   

For Experience:

Experience was allotted as normal (no special scenario bonuses, aside from the winning leader).

For the SKULKING BLADES:

Rik-Rik Toecutter gained a new skill, Art of Silent Death.

Sorcerer Skitch Stonechewer gained +1 WS

Strok Keenfingers gained a new skill, Expert Swordsman.

The Verminkind hench group gained +1 Init.

And Queen Heartsblood gained a new skill, but won’t be chosen until after the pit fight!

 

For DIETRICH’S DOGS:

Leader Dietrich Grossenheimer gained a new skill, Mighty Blow.

His son Pieter Grossenheimer gained +1 WS

Herman Reichart gained a new skill, Pistolier.

Hans Schmidt gained +1 WS

Otto Klein gained +1 LD

 

FINAL THOUGHTS

Perry’s dice are cursed. It is comical how badly I always roll for those damn Reiklander Marksmen, lol. With a Ballistic Skill of BS 5, I needed 2s to hit, TWOS! Two ones in a row was just too damn hilarious, and keeps adding to the story of these dumb, drunk Wiebe Bruders (and I love it).

Matt again was rolling gangbusters. When he took out my two henchman heroes on round 1 it was pretty devastating (I was so looking forward to getting Hans Schmidt out there, lol!), but in hindsight the Reiklanders were pretty stupid for just trying to run across the battlefield in the open. I should have kept to the corners, and actually, you know, USED the rubble and terrain on the battlefield to make it a bit more difficult for Matt to get good shots (at least try and get that +1 cover bonus).

Ah well, it was still fun as hell, and in the end the Reiklanders got REALLY lucky with those injury rolls, all things considering. And Experience was still had for all!

Can’t wait to see how Queek Heartsblood does against another pit fighter to determine his destiny!

Special Note about the pit fighter: Tasos Pepas is named after the Greek gentleman from whom I purchased this painted figure! From Greece!! Seriously, I bought the miniature years ago to use in my Warhammer Quest game (I'm guessing that Tasos put the pit fighter on a base to use in Heroquest actually, as the base is the same shape and colour). I just love the fact that I purchased a miniature from someone on the other side of the world. Also, damn nice paint job! Thanks Tasos Pepas!

Next up: Witch Hunters vs Possessed!