Conquest of the Black Peninsula - ManOwar sea Battle of Ithrag-Mun River 1535ic

Whilst there was a battle in the south at Throrki's fingers another battle was being fought near the Chaos Dwarf capital along the Ithrag-Mun river. Named by the Dwarves who previously lived amongst the Aquiline mountains, the name means sour water as the Volcanic tainted fresh water flows out into the polluted black sea.

The River entrance was defended by a chaos dwarf fort called the Black Fortress, whoever controlled the fortress de facto controlled all traffic in and out of the river; whilst the powerful engines, large sails and tough hulls of warships could withstand the cannons and run the gauntlet, the slow, thin hulled and civilian crewed merchant and slaver ships would be shot to pieces and the garrison could then easily overwhelm the crew from row boats.

The Skaven fleet split, the 'Poison Whiskers searats' fleet maintained the blockade whilst the 'Seaclaws' charged the estuary to take the fortress and towers whilst possibly destroying the Chaos Dwarf fleet.

Chaos Admiral Razhoul Taurabrath commanded the single remaining naval force in the empire and was tasked to hold the fort. The sea route was essential to maintain supplies to the Capital Zharr-Mag-Rud in case of a siege.

The battle was a modified scenario of Capture the Shorefort, the Chaos Dwarfs started in control of the Black fortress and had to control it end of turn 6.

The fleets were such:

SeaClaws		Zharr-Mag-Rud river Flotilla
Doom bringerer	200	Thuderfire battlebarge	150
Admiral Chitrit Bloodclaw		Adrmial Razhoul Taurabrath
Grey seer champion	100	Great Leveller	150
5xStorm Vermin
Antiflyer weapon	25	Thunder roller	150
Rat Ogres	25
		Hull destroyers	150
warp raiders	75
3xSkaven slaves		Shore fort	150
warp raiders	75	Great Taurus	50
3xSkaven slaves
		Great Taurus	50
Deathburner	150
3xclanrats		Great Taurus	50
3xRat Ogres	75
		Defence tower	50
Deathburner	150
3xclanrats		Defence tower	50
3xRat Ogres	75
3xChaos Rewards	75	Total	1000
Total	1000
Battle for Lyfor Battle 1	18 battle honour
	25 extra points

The Battle Honours won in the Battle of Lyfor Headlands allowed the Skaven to add Rat Ogres to the Doombringer.

The Skaven Pushed forward from turn 1, their Warp raiders with unreliable gearing were left floundering a few times however the tried and true water wheels allowed the Doombringer and Plague Burners to surge forward; some good shooting from the Great leveller turn 1 sank a Warp raider.

Turn 2 the Taurus turned in on the Skaven Formations flanks and proceeded to sweep the decks clear of Skaven slaves aboard the Warp raider squadrons.

Turn 3 the Skaven got the initiative and advanced its Centre into the teeth of Chaos Dwarf artillery. 

The Plague burners failed to kill any crews with the Censer, however the 5+ boarding strength from 3 Clanrats and Rat Ogre combo was enough to put down the Thunder Roller crew.

The Chaos Dwarfs then fired their Great leveller Damaging the Plague burners before the Skaven sailed forward with the Doom Bringer and rang that most terrifying bell. Rolling 2 6's and a 3 the Bells tune once again reached all ships like last battle, Sinking 2 Hull destroyers and doing 2 under the waterline damage to the Thunderfire battle barge as well as setting a fire in the boilers of the Great leveller, the bell also collapsed both towers and damaged the fort.

Following such a dramatic turn the Chaos Dwarfs countered by moving the Thunderfire battle barge into position in the hopes of sinking the Doom Bringer, getting 4 good shots in and damaging the hull and the front Treadwheel as well as getting a critical hit; a further roll on the captains chart getting a 5, however rolling 6 dice for the full crew complement not a single crew fell overboard drunk!

The battle concluded with a contest for the Black Fort, the first Plague Burner failed to kill any crew with its censer and the subsequent boarding action was turned away and the full crew killed in the melee. The second Plague burner closed and easily overwhelmed the tired Fortress defenders, the Rat Ogres and some Clanrat crew occupying the fortress.

The final actions of the battle were the Taurus riders diving onto the decks off the Doombringer trying to overwhelm the crews and kill the admiral, they died in vain.

Final thoughts

The Skaven List is so good once they're in close and fighting Hand to Hand, taking the fort also seals the fate of those dwarves under siege in Zharr-Mag-Rud.

Conquest of the Black Peninsula - Warmaster - 2nd battle of Throrki's fingers 1535ic

 

The year started with Espionage as always, the Chaos Dwarves purchased no spies however their influence with Clan Eshin was clear as all 5 spies sent out by the Skaven Vanished without a trace, taking their gold with them.

An envoy from the Skaven went to Anol-A-Luk, the Stubborn dwarves were going to have none of it, shaving the envoy and killing his entourage; the Skaven Envoy returned naked and shamed. The Warlord Throt Gutter Whisker had it quietly lead away to grow its fur back in isolation.

The Deep Chaos Dwarf incursion presented a problem to the Skaven as they moved to retake the lands ands put pressure on the Chaos Dwarf Capital. The Skaven Fleets moved to blockade the Groaning River that fed the Chaos Dwarven Capital.

Skaven Strategy during this year was to enforce a sea blockade, whilst moving the two banners to sure up the salient within their empire. The ultimate plan was to cut off the Invading Chaos Dwarven army from their own Empire with the anticipation of a devastating winter retreat at the end of the year. 

The Chaos Dwarf armies deployed along the outer edges of their salient and in their capital, unleashing great magics the chaos dwarves razed the walls of the fortress of Vers-Aisle, the settlement remained however to support local troops. The Skaven deployed east of Anol-a-Luk and in their capital, trying their hands at raising an army of the Undead to hurray the Chaos Dwarves garrisoned north of Throrki's fingers, they failed to chant the correct words.

The Campaign season opened with the Skaven and Chaos Dwarf scouts tussling over territories within the salient, the Chaos Dwarves turn 4 tried to push into the Territory west of Vers-Aisle where a significant Skaven force had gathered but the army failed to find the crossing points along the river suitable enough to bring their baggage across. The 1st Skaven Banner known as the 'Skittering warhost' Scouted the Chaos Dwarf banner revealing their size (in points) and engaged the Chaos host after Successfully navigating a crossing of the Dongrande River.

The Stage was set for a clash of arms between the Vying powers, the battle was to last 7 turns.

The Second Battle of Throrki's Fingers

Simultaneous to the flanking and destruction of the Blunderbusses the Earth shaker cannon was also destroyed. The Skaven then rolled on the pursuit chart of the Mighty Empires book and came up with a '3' D6x50 further losses, however with their general dead a further d6 was rolled and the chaos dwarves lost a further 200points, leaving only a unit of Blunderbusses.

Battle losses

The Skaven were also mauled losing both plague monk units, a unit of clan rats and a unit of Rat Ogres.

The Next chapter of the Saga is to take place at the mouth of the Ithrag-Mun River, the Black Sea Entrance to Zharr-Mag-Rud (CD Capital), the Clan Fleets will now attempt to break and blockade the Chaos Dwarves.

Final thoughts

This battle was BRUTAL, the CD failed a number of important orders and only the tenacity and toughness of the dwarves but also some strong defensive terrain carried them. The Surprise bullcentaur flank charge was a masterpiece in Chaos Dwarf playing and Scott should be proud because scared the shit out of me. He almost made me rethink the whole attack and fall back.

My strategy to draw the CD into a cauldron and annihilate them would have been a great strategic manoeuvre but the tactical victory I made was just as good. I really made me think of the great potential this rule system has for integrating terrain and attrition into players strategies. Skaven are fun but I would probably not choose to play them again.

Conquest of the Black Peninsula - ManOwar Sea battle of Lyfor Headlands - 1534ic

 The thrum of steam engines and the glow of Warpstone reactors, another year of campaigning and another battle takes place. The year 1534ic was not one for landlubbers.

 The Campaign season began with agents despatched across the land, Eshin Assassins tried to kill the Chaos Dwarf King Kruhk Bagranarhk; however the kings agents flushed the rats out and had them tossed into firepits.

The Dwarves on the other hand got much more for their trouble, paying off a yet still rooted warren of conspirators and traitors they managed to burn several barracks at the former Bretonian Fortress called 'Vers-Aisle' killing a number of clan rats. Saboteurs tried to burn down the fortress south of Vers-Aisle called Fontun-Brun, these traitors were caught and fed to the Rat Ogres.

The Campaign season begins

One Skaven Force focused all year on expanding south of Fontun-Brun, pushing south down the east coast. The other Skaven army pushed north taking the independent Dwarven fortress of Gon-Aluk with only 50 points in losses.

The Chaos dwarves pushed their main force into the centre of the Skaven empire in a south easterly direction with the intention of securing more revenue through slaves and taxes. A secondary force also explored the wilderness directly west of the capital.

Both Empires began building up their Fleets the previous season; a great Naval battle we inevitable. Eye witnesses confirmed the fleets as such:

Battle for Lyfor Headlands

As the two Skaven Fleets rounded the Lyfor Headland in column one behind the other; the two smoke belching Chaos Dwarf fleets came into view, situated several Miles apart the two Fleets were in a double line abreast with the obvious intention to prevent the Skaven fleet which was much faster from running the gauntlet or turning a flank. The first Skaven fleet moved directly from sailing line ahead into a double line with the Doom bringer in the centre.

Turn 1

The Chaos Dwarves maintained their Line Abreast formation, the Skaven Admiral Salt-Sniff assumed they intended to envelope his compact assault formation. Both Fleets moved steadily forward and the Great Taurus moved into the centre to support the ManOwar.

The Great Leveller fired a shell which fell slightly short damaging the lead Warp raider on the left flank causing it to lose its engines.

Turn 2

The Great Taurus flew forward, working their way through the Slave crewed Warp raiders. The Doom Bringer tried to fire off its Anti-Flyer Flame weapon but missed. The Great leveller fired again and Damaged the engines of the Centre Plague burners on the right flank.

Turn 3

Skaven remembered they had a grey Seer and attempted to cast:

The Grey Seer succeeded, but when rolled for all 4 crew checks came up a 1,2 or 3.

The Plague Burners pushed forward on the right Flank, The first successfully boarded a Hull destroyer, the Rat Ogres slaughtering the small crew of Chaos Dwarves and Slaves. Another with its unique gift from Nurgle being a Vomit cannon that causes -2 to saves, destroyed the Ram and Engine of the centre most Hull destroyer before a 3rd Plague burner arrived to board and slaughter the crew.

The Chaos Dwarves all battle could not fire their Thunder fire Battlebarge, the silence of its giant missiles allowed the Left flank to be rushed by Plague Burners.

The 2 left most Plague Burners killed the crews with the poisoned gases of the the Censor and the right Plague Burner easily overwhelmed the crew of the Thunder roller.

Turn 4

Skaven won the Initiative roll and attempted to cast this spell:

Intending to place the Chaos Dwarf Flagship in base contact with the Doombringer and its eager StormVermin Crew. The Skaven rolled a 1! and the Grey seer was forced to eat 5 more Warpstone to prevent a catastrophic chaotic mishap.

Taking first turn the Skaven Activated the Doom bringer with its bell that's been ringing all game, Rolling 5 dice a Double 6 was rolled with a total range of 22 inches.

What happened next was awe inspiring, the entire Chaos Dwarf fleet fell within range, losing 3 ships of the line to critical hits, and Each of the ManOwar: Great Leveller and Thunderfire Battle barge taking 3 of 4 below the water line hits meaning they only had 1 hit left before sinking themselves. What was more pressing though was the sheer ferocity and danger the crews and poisonous gases posed to the Chaos Dwarf fleet.

In the End the Chaos Dwarves lost everything bar their Great Taurus' and one Thunder roller a truly crushing defeat.

Defeat at sea

The loss of control of the northern coasts was a massive loss to the Chaos Dwarves, with the Skaven taking fortresses and towns right next to the heart of their Empire.

Where the Chaos Dwarves made headway however was in their thrust deep into the centre of the Skittervald Empire, there will have to be a strong response in the coming Season from the Skaven to secure their Land Empire, even if they can dominate the seas.

Warpstone Blood and Blackshard Iron - Warmaster - Conquest of the Black Peninsula. 1532-1533IC

The Black Peninsula

The Black Peninsula, so named after the sooty ash accrued on the beaches and inlets; run off from the Blasted forges of the Chaos dwarves Hundreds of miles up the coast. 

Settled early in the epoch by a mix of Brettonian Lords and Sea faring Dwarves, the region had its own golden age between 1150ic and 1380ic when the mixed Dwarven and Brettonian Fleets plied the coastlines sinking pirates and seizing smugglers, the fertile soil and deep deposits of ores and gems in the Aquiline Mountain range made them rich beyond the imaginations of the original settlers. As with all things, that which rises must fall and the Union was shattered when the arrogance of the Brettonian Courts and the Stubbornness of the Dwarven Halls cut deep rifts that eventually lead to outright conflict. The Brettonian Fleets could out sail and out shoot all Dwarven fleets in open water, but those same ships relied upon Dwarven Engineers to make said Cannon, the inlets and coastal zones favoured the Dwarven Ironclad which were more than able to take a beating while out manoeuvring the Tall ships of the Brettonians. Similarly the Cavalry of the Brettonian lords could turn and crush the Dwarven Battle lines flanks, but the Passes that dotted the Aquiline Mountain range funnelled the fleet footed cavalry into costly frontal assaults.

By the Year 1523ic the Black Peninsula is made up a scattering of disunited Bretonnian and Dwarven lords preyed upon by the Occasional Green Skin plague or enslaved by audacious Chaos Dwarf expeditions.

Skaven enter the Fray

 The steady thrum of the Warpstone engine, interrupted by the occasional metallic bang as a gear slipped or a slave fell into the inexhaustible mechanism. The massive vessel called the 'Sound of despair' another of the madmen constructs of the Skaven race, plied the seas as Throt Gutter whisker brooded on the command deck.

Throt Gutterwhisker was headed for Skaven outpost called Skittervald, an under hive located in the recently overrun ruins of a Bretonnian settlement called Gren-Grois. The council of 13 instructs him to secure the Peninsula and find any sources of Warpstone for return to Skavenblight.

The Chaos Dwarf Gold Rush

The Chaos Dwarves maintained a settlement/fortress called Zharr-mag-rud in the region since 300ic, normally the base was used for resupplying coal for the journey back to Zharr-Naggrund as well as a sporadic slave markets but the site was never considered strategically important. In the year 1517ic a large Goblin migration crashed against the stones of the Fortress walls, after numerous failed assaults the scattered Goblins having eaten all available food began to starve and cannibalise each other; despite the tiny size of the garrison force it was able to march out and enslave the host, coincidentally the slave ships that passed for water and coal had had a bad year and paid a handsome price for the slaves that year. The base experienced an influx of colonists following the massive injection of wealth, and stories of weak but numerous subject to enslave. The mounting pressure to expand has reached boiling point as the clan groups continue to arrive and seek their own fortunes.

Special Rules for the campaign

1523

• The campaign began with some unremarkable expansion by both Empires, the Chaos Dwarves hire some Mercenaries after their scouts took a wrong turn. The Skaven moved across the Peninsula razing towns.
• Both Empires besieged and starved out a fortress each, whilst the Chaos Dwarves fought a series of costly battles with local Bretonnian lords, the Bretonnians killing for more than they lost.
• In the winter, the Skaven suffered an attack by Dragons descending from the Central peaks of the Aquiline Mountains, whilst the Chaos Dwarves had a bumper crop.
• Both armies put down new fleets on the stocks and expanded their baggage for the next season, Additionally that Skaven sent out spies and saboteurs whilst the Chaos Dwarves sent our their own spies and assassins; all in all the effect was a Grey Seer Murdered in the night.

1524

• Both Empires attempted to expand again this year, the Skaven kept finding nothing but barren wastes, whilst the Chaos Dwarves met belligerent Bretonnian or Dwarven lords guarding the remnants of their once great Empires. 
• In the 3rd month the Skaven and Chaos Dwarves met in battle at a Riverhead known locally and Thror-kie's fingers.

The battle of Thror-Kie's finger is an indecisive battle, with the Skaven getting the better trades. River battles are always harder and the Chaos Dwarves had a really hard time making their gains on the crossing on the Skaven right. Following this battle the risk of losses in battle was too great with such limited forces and both empires instead settled on jostling for control of contested ground with their scout forces. The Chaos Dwarves suffered a plague as their Winter event, however both players agreed on a reroll so the campaign could continue and instead, as a loss of a whole banner would effectively wipe out the Chaos Dwarves from a realistic chance of victory in the future and what kind of campaign would it be losing turn 2. The Year Ended on both sides expanding their armies, the Skaven forgo espionage to maximise Baggage and New troops. Thoughts Using the IRL board is way more fun than TTS, I gotta get those Skaven minis printed and painted. I used Empire models as Proxy. Can't wait to play some ManOwar.