Witch Hunters vs Reiklanders! The 11th Skirmish!

On Monday, July 22, 2024 (almost 3 months since the last skirmish!) Greg’s Witch Hunters and Perry’s Reiklanders were both in the middle of scavenging the ruined city, and were already on their way back to their respective camps with some wyrdstone, when both groups suddenly ran into each other in the Artisan Quarter. Weapons were drawn and warcries exchanged as warriors on both sides charged forwards! And Scenario 6: Chance Encounter began!

This was the first time the scenario was played. A standard scenario from the core book, each warband is on their way back after already scavenging d3 wyrdstone (each warband in this case rolled 2). Witch Hunters set up first (after a d6 roll to determine who was first) in one quarter of the table. Reiklanders then set up in the opposite corner quarter, and couldn’t be closer than 12” to any enemy model (upon review...it appears I totally F'd up and had at least 3 figures in the wrong quarter, sigh. It might not have made a difference in the battle, but still, a mistake! Doh!).

Winning Conditions: The battle ends when one warband routs! For each Hero knocked out, the opposing team gets one of that team’s wyrdstones! (in addition to any scavenged at the end of the scenario).

The Witch Hunters warband, THE FLAMES OF REDEMPTION, continued to be led by Werner von Halstaff, with his loyal warhound companion Daisy. The two were inseparable, the stalwart leader having raised her from but a pup after he rescued her from a pair of heretic homeless vagrants in the city streets of Altdorf. Along with the leader and his erstwhile fuzzy companion were the two university-trained witch hunters: Frederic and Maghilda, along with a conglomeration of loyal zealots: Gerwalt, Anna and Schaeffer. Rolf, a zealot henchman hero was also there, along with the flagellants, Sister Bertrille and Hans. Finally, joining the witch hunters for this excursion was an ogre bodyguard by name of Brog, who was looking forward to crushing a few (heretical) skulls!

L-R: Werner von Halstaff with Daisy and Rolf; witch hunters Maghilda and Frederic
Flagellants Sister Bertrille and Hans; Zealots Gerwalt, Schaeffer and Anna

The Reiklanders, DIETRICH’S DOGS, were led into the area by leader Dietrich Grossenheimer. Beside him as always, his young blood son Pieter Grossenheimer. Dueling pistol-wielding champion Hermann Reichert was accompanied by henchman hero Otto Klein, and appointed henchman hero Hans Schmidt. The Wiebe Bruders (Jürgen and Stefan Wiebe) seemed a little nervous, having YET to prove their marksmenship as Marksmen of the Empire. Pieter’s young blood friend Reinhard Baur was resting back at camp, his leg having been shattered in their last encounter with the skaven. Finally, the dwarf trollslayer Boki Flinthead was still on retainer, along with Tasos Pepas, the pit fighter fresh from the fighting pits of Cutthroat’s Den settlement where one of his fighting pit brothers had fought, and bested, the captured skaven Queek Heartsblood!*

L-R: Stefan and Jurgen Weibe up high. Hans Schmidt, Tasos Pepas; Pieter and Deitrich
Grossenheimer; Otto Klein, Boki Flinthead and Hermann Reichart

Round 1: Werner von Halstaff shouted for his loyal retainers and followers to quickly engage! The Flames of Redemption moved through the ruins, getting closer to the Reiklanders. Brog shambled forwards, eager to smash someone, while witch hunters Maghilda and Frederic started to move to higher ground.

Likewise, Dietrich Grossenheimer commanded his own retinue of mercenaries to move forwards. The Wiebe Bruders, already positioned on second storey floors, took aim at what they felt were easy targets. Jürgen aimed at Maghilda, and his arrow flew wide! An errant bit of wind from the chaos of magic in the city, the marksman would later exclaim! His brother Stefan, however, took aim at the large form of the ogre, and lo and behold his arrow struck true! Brog cursed as blood was drawn, but the ogre was tougher than a normal man! From behind a low wall, Hans Schmidt also took aim at Brog and his arrow also struck true! The ogre cried out, his advance faltering but for a moment, before he continued to push forward. With two wounds he was hurt, but still alive!

Round 2: The Witch Hunters continued to move up. Maghilda took a shot at Jürgen with her crossbow but missed! 

Both the ogre Brog and zealot Gerwalt ran up to engage the heretics!

Zealot Gerwalt charged Tasos Pepas, and with an unexpected move of his scythe tripped up the pit fighter and unbelievably took Tasos Pepas OUT of Action! 

The mercenary ogre Brog charged Boki Flinthead but couldn’t get his massive club up in time, and the dwarf trollslayer knocked the ogre onto his large backside.

The Reiklanders charged forward! Jürgen took another shot at Maghilda, who was now partially concealed behind a tower wall, and his arrow bounced harmlessly off the bricks! 

His brother Stefan though continued to make his mark, taking a shot at the zealot Schaeffer and Stunning him! Henchman hero Hans Schmidt loosed an arrow and struck zealot Anna, knocking her to the ground! 

Champion of the Empire, Hermann Reichert, blasted his duelling pistols at henchman hero Rolf, and took him OUT of Action!

Trollslayer Boki attacked the ogre Brog lying on the ground, but was unable to wound him! Henchman hero Otto Klein and Pieter Grossenheimer charged at zealot Gerwalt still savouring his remarkable victory over the pit fighter. Otto hit and Stunned the zealot, and with a finishing blow, Pieter took Gerwalt OUT of Action!

Round 3: The Flames of Redemption attempt to rally! Zealot Schaeffer rolled over after his Stun. Anna stood up as did the ogre mercenary Brog, both ready to fight. Witch hunters Frederik and Maghilda both fired their weapons at Jürgen Wiebe, but he managed to use the cover to his advantage and they both missed. The flagellant Hans charged Pieter Grossenheimer while Werner von Halstaff ordered his loyal Daisy to charge the impetuous champion Hermann Reichert!

Zealot Anna charged henchman hero Hans Schmidt, leaping over the low wall, and smashed him OUT of Action! 

The flagellant Hans charged Pieter Grossenheimer, but in the ensuing melee the young blood Reiklander managed to Stun the flagellant!

The large Brog swung his club, but Boki Flinthead struck first, and took the ogre mercenary OUT of Action!  Finally, Werner von Halstaff's loyal Daisy growled and snapped at Hermann Reichert, but Reichert managed to get off a shot with one of his pistols and took Daisy OUT of Action!

The Reiklanders lost no time in pushing their advantage. Herman Reichert turned his dueling pistols on witch hunter Frederic and blasted him OUT of Action! 

Weibe Bruders Jürgen and Stefan both shot at Sister Bertrille, but their arrows failed to wound the tough flagellant. 

Leader Dietrich Grossenheimer charged zealot Anna, and with a Strongman skilled deft swing of his halberd took her OUT of Action before she could react! 

His son Pieter, standing over the stunned form of Hans, simply finished the job and took the flagellant OUT of Action! Boki Flinthead and Otto Klein both charged the Witch Hunter leader Werner von Halstaff. Boki managed to knock Werner on his back, and Otto followed up with a wound, taking him OUT of Action!

Round 4: There was nothing for it, The Flames of Redemption were hurt badly! The remaining zealots and followers, as they were able, grabbed their downed companions and fled the area, a full rout. Dietrich’s Dogs had won the day!

POST BATTLE

For DIETRICH’S DOGS only two casualties: Tasos Pepas the pit fighter and henchman hero Hans Schmidt both managed to make full recoveries.

For THE FLAMES OF REDEMPTION however, Sigmar appeared most displeased, with eight of their eleven members having fallen in the vicious melee. Their leader, Werner von Halstaff managed to recover from Multiple Wounds, although he would carry an Old Battle Wound forever. More grievous, however, was the loss of his loyal warhound Daisy, who succumbed to her wounds and died.

Henchman hero Rolf, flagellant Hans and zealots Anna and Schaeffer made full recoveries. Witch hunter Frederik died of his gunshot wounds, and the ogre mercenary Brog died on the battlefield, having bled out from the arrows and the trollslayer’s axe wounds. Heavy losses for the warband to be sure.

For loot rolls:

The Witch Hunters lost their 2 starting shards of wyrdstone, but managed to steal one from the Reiklanders (by taking out Hans Schmidt) and their single remaining hero managed to find 1 shard of wyrdstone after a quick search. The group sold both wyrdstones at camp for 50gc.

The Reiklanders stole the 2 starting shards of wyrdstone from the Witch Hunters, although lost one of their own starting shards (because Hans Schmidt was taken OUT of Action) leaving the battle with a total of 3 shards. In addition, they were able to scavenge 3 more around the area, for a total of 6 shards of wyrdstone! After expenses for celebrating, upkeep, and paying the men, they walked away with 100gc in their treasury!   

In addition, Dietrich’s Dogs also found an old shop (a roll of 2, 2) where they scavenged 5gc worth of goods, and also found a group of Prisoners (a roll of 3, 3, 3) who paid the Reiklanders 5gc for safe passage out of the ruins, and one of them joined the warband as an experienced henchman for free! Which means, the Wiebe Bruders marksmen have a third member again (perhaps he will shoot better from the onset?).

 

For Experience:

Experience was allotted as normal.

For DIETRCH’S DOGS:

Young blood Pieter Grossenheimer: New Skill (Speed: Scale Sheer Surfaces)

Henchman hero Otto Klein: +1 WS

Tasos Pepas, pit fighter: +1 WS

Boki Flinthead, trollslayer: +1 WS

 

For THE FLAMES OF REDEMPTION:

None of the Witch Hunters reached a new level of experience.

 

FINAL THOUGHTS

Wow! I mean, just wow. This was one of those games where you wondered if something was broken with one warband.

After several skirmishes of bad die rolling, the Reiklanders had a streak of luck and were finally rolling quite well. Amazingly enough, the Wiebe Bruders actually HIT and WOUNDED targets! Unheard of! It was a game where the dice were rolling high for me (it seemed at times that every wound roll I was making was a critical hit) and Greg just had a spat of bad luck. He was also disappointed in the ogre bodyguard, which was an expensive purchase of 80gc, and didn’t end up doing any damage because of his big two-handed weapon always going last in combat (in hindsight, equipping him with two swords, axes or clubs might have been a better choice).

This skirmish reminded me again of how swingy this game can be on the die rolls. On one hand, the Reiklanders did roll well, but a few (usual) bad rolls would have changed some of the combats for sure! (Perhaps I’ll buy an ogre bodyguard myself for the final combat…hmmmm….)

*Note on Queek’s Heartsblood: At the end of the last skirmish with Matt’s skaven, Queek rolled “Sold to the Pits” on his Serious Injuries roll, so we had the quick fight as per the rulebook just before this skirmish.

Next up: Skirmish #12, Possessed vs Skaven! The final official skirmish of the campaign before the battle royale!