Dogs of War

As promised ages ago, my dwarven army will appear here.

Starting off with my newest figure. Bugman as the BSB.





More will follow

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King Mighted Sturmbrow.

Pffft wrong type of dwarfs!

Cool Dwarfs even though they bailed on their brethern.

Do you mean the pointy hatted variety that are the biatches of weak minded sorcerers?

We didnt bail on them, even now we try to correct their failings and weaknesses whenever we can...

Lovely banner on the BSB - did you do it deliberatley to make it look more likea woven/tapestry banner?

It was partly intentional, but I didnt know if it would work till I tried it, my main aim was to make it look like it had been through a few battles and had acumulated a lot of grime on it.

Ridiculously simple to do to...just take a coarse brush and ink over the banner, using flat, long strokes in a single direction. As if you are badly painting a door or wall...

Well, it really did work - it looks ancient, as it should do. Nice one.

(You say you ink over the banner - is that after you've painted it? Using a single colour?)

The banner was printed by laserjet

I used photoshop to colour in a banner taken from god knows where I got it, when I get chance I will add it here, or email it if you PM me, its got loads of dwarf banners on in black and white.

Anyway, I used that to colour it, printed it out onto plain, but good quality paper. Glued the two faces of the flag together using watered down PVA - leaving a gap at the flagpole end so I could slide it onto the flagpole later - and clampled the two halves in place so they wouldnt split or curl apart.

Once it was dry (and being PVA it is quite stiff when the glue dries) I put it on the flagpole, fixed it in place with some tiny dabs of superglue stuff and then just brushed over it with a brown ink wash, putting a lot of ink on some of the white edges to properly stain them.

Ahhhh. Great - thanks

Like the white dwarf, bugman, gotrek model very much!

The banner looks great to.

Nicely done Uryens!

I especially like the beards/hair. Having ther older minis in the background really show people how much they can improve with practice.

Nice work !!the tree best dwarfs out there!!

Well my army covered itself in glory today, 2750points against Ogres...they took half a unit of Thunderers off me...

Utter slaughter

A battle report with pics will follow soonish.

My good friend Padre and I had a battle, and he writes the best battle reports out there, here is a closer look at my army in action...taken from Warhammer-Empire

Quote:Battle of Ummenbach Pass
(Battle Report: 2750(ish) pts, Dwarfs versus Ogres)

Introduction:
This is a continuation of the Border Princes IC 2524 (Linked to the Solland Effort) thread (see http://www.warhammer-empire.com/theforum...ic=27949.0). You will find there the lead up to this battle.

There is a quiz element to this thread, an idea I have not tried before but which intrigues me. See the end and you'll understand. In the meantime, let's get on with it.

Prologue
This was not what Agrabog had been expecting. He had been told this pass was unguarded, and that the Black Company had traversed it only a few months previously, yet here was a force of mountain dwarfs arrayed to defend the entrance to the pass. And it was no hastily mustered affair, nor an under-strength garrison force, but a full army with batteries of artillery and large regiments of warriors.
“We still going?” asked Jublig, the leader of Agrabog’s Irongut bodyguard.
“Aye, we are. I ain’t coming all this way to be put off by little ‘uns. You mark my word, by nightfall we’ll be chewing on their bones.”
“Tough meat, dwarves,” was all that Jublig said in response.
Agrabog ignored him and began bellowing out his orders for the array of his army.

Agrabog’s force: Ogre Kingdoms 2751 pts

Tyrant Agrabog (General) - Tenderiser, Bullgut, Deathcheater
Hunter Boondak & 2 Sabretusks - Sword of Battle, Talisman of Protection
Butcher Gholjodoo - Sword of Might, Bangstick
Butcher Fumpem - Sword of Striking, Wyrdstone Necklace

3 x 3 Bulls, each with Full Command, Ironfist; Light Armour
3 Bulls, Bellower
4 Ironguts, Full Command (Gutlord Jublig), War Banner
3 x 30 Gnoblar Fighters each with Groinbiter
2 x 2 Leadbelchers each with Bellower
Scraplauncher
2 Maneaters - Brace of Handguns (x1); Cathayan Longsword (x1)
Slavegiant (Bodo)


Lord Sternbrow of Khazid Hafak had fought on this ground previously. For months he had been cursing that he was not here when the wickedly villainous Black Company had passed through, but at leas he was here now. It was a good place to fight and he had the best of his warriors with him, He was confident.

Dwarfs of Khazid Hafak: 2764 pts

Dwarf Lord (Mighted Sternbrow), General - Gromril, Shield, Shieldbearers; Master Rune of Skalf Blackhammer, Rune of Fury, Rune of Resistance
Thane (Battle Standard Bearer) - Oath Stone; Master Rune of Grungni; Rune of Courage; Rune of Guarding
Thane (Ilvar Flatnose) - Rune of Fire, Rune of Might; Rune of Iron, Rune of Stone
Runesmith - Rune of Might, two Runes of Spellbreaking

20 Ironbreakers - FC; Runic Standard, Ancestor Rune, Rune of Determination, Rune of Sanctuary
20 Longbeards - FC; Runic Standard, Rune of Battle; Rune of Determination
34 Dwarf Warriors - FC
2 x 10 Thunderers with Veteran
10 Quarellers

Bolt Thrower - Master Rune of Skewering; Rune of Penetrating
Bolt Thrower - Rune of Penetrating
Cannon - Rune of Burning; Rune of Fortune; Engineer with Dwarf Handgun
Cannon - Rune of Forging; Rune of Penetrating; Engineer with Brace of Pistols
Organ Gun

The field of battle

The mouth of the pass was flanked by rocky hills, providing the dwarfs with natural bastions upon which to mount their artillery pieces, as well as depressions in which to muster their regiments of warriors. To the north of the main valley leading to the pass was a smaller valley which culminated in a ring of passable hills that could allow access up and over into the main valley. Scattered throughout the whole area before the pass were patches of rocky ground that would prove difficult to move over, even for Ogres. These threatened to restrict the Ogres’ advance, and unless considered carefully, would channel them towards the foe in a manner they might not wish for, unable to support regiments off to their own flanks.



All in all, the terrain favoured the dwarfs - which should come as no surprise, considering they had picked exactly where they wanted to stage their defence of the pass. Here they had the heights and the space to deploy their strength to their advantage.

Deployment

Lord Sternbrow deployed his army as follows: Upon his right, aiming right down the small valley, he put a regiment of Thunderers. Their volleys would be bolstered by the shots of one of a pair of Bolt Throwers he deployed in the woods upon the hill on the northern side of the mouth to the pass (though the other Bolt Thrower was positioned to shoot instead down the larger valley). He ordered his thane Ilvar Flatnose to command the Longbeards and position them below the Bolt Throwers so that they could move into either of the valleys.
Sternbrow himself led his Ironbreakers, with his Runesmith by his side. These being his elite, he stood them right before the mouth into the pass. As there was plenty of space available, he ordered his massive regiment of warriors, commanded by his Army Standard Bearer, to take up position on his own regiment’s left flank. From there out to the left he placed his artillery and missile troops - two cannons, an organ gun, Thunderers and Quarrelers - all aiming down at the large expanse of open ground that would surely be the Ogres’ main route of advance.



In response, Agrabog divided his force into two wings.



The right wing would be an illusion of strength, consisting of his weakest regiment of Bulls, a brace of Leadbelchers and the rest being three regiments of thirty Gnoblars and the Scraplauncher. This wing was to deploy upon the wide open space facing most of the dwarven artillery and missile troops.



His right wing, however, was where all his strength was concentrated. He himself took the lead with his Ironguts, and mustered about him two regiments of Bulls with his Butchers attached, his Slave Giant and Maneaters. These he intended to lead up the smaller of the two valleys, knowing that they would be forced into a column, but planning to smash through at the front and thus allow those following to fan out (especially down into the main valley before the pass).



Two Leadbelchers moved cautiously to his right, which he thought might provide a distraction for the foe, while off some way to the left, forming the extreme flank of his army, he sent his Hunter and the last of his regiments of Bulls, hoping that they could punch through and then swing right at the far end to join the main fight.

Now the quiz part: You know the army lists, the terrain, the deployment and the commanders’ plans. Let’s have your predictions at this early stage - Who will win this battle?

(Uryens - You can't enter, for obvious reasons. I know you were thinking about it, you cheeky monkey. But no, you're not allowed!)

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Quote:The Battle, Part One (Turns 1 & 2)

Lord Sternbrow realised immediately what the Ogres intended to do and ordered his musician to signal Thane Ilvar to lead the Longbeards to the head of the smaller valley and prepare to make a stand. He himself turned his Ironbreakers and readied them for an advance up and over the hill to join the Longbeards in the fight. Agrabog, being in the smaller valley, could not see what the Ironbreakers and the Dwarf Lord were up to (Game Note: Translate this as I didn’t really notice their turning move.)

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Nothing else moved in the Dwarves’ line, but the artillery made themselves busy. One cannon scored a hit upon the Scraplauncher, but nothing more than a glancing blow off one of the Rhinox’s horns. The dumb beast did not even notice! The second cannon overshot the Bulls ahead of it and brought down two gnoblars. Needless to say the crew thought the shot a waste of good powder. Quarrelers and Thunderers alike poured their shots at the same three Bulls, and did manage to bloody them somewhat. Then the Bolt Throwers let loose, one wounding the Slavegiant, the other felling one of the three Bulls already shot at by just about everyone else. The remaining pair were unnerved by this disheartening turn of events, especially with so far yet to go before they reached the enemy line, and they turned and fled. Unusually, the Gnoblar regiment they hurtled straight through seemed to think the flight was part of the plan and chose not to join them! Embarrassed by the little ‘uns lack of concern, the two Ogre Bulls bucked their ideas up and rallied in the rear, just in time to watch two of the Gnoblar regiments march forwards ahead of them, joined by the Leabelchers and followed closely by thr Scraplauncher. The advance on the Ogres’ right had begun - with only the two Bulls and one of the Gnoblar regiments letting the side down.

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Meanwhile on the left Agrabog led his Ironguts along the valley, the size of his own unit forcing the two regiments of Bulls, the Maneaters and even the Giant to trail behind in a ragged column. (Game Note: I wish I had remembered it was no good ‘hiding’ a giant, what with him being a large target, because then I would have had him much further forward to start off with - maybe even on the right.)

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And out on the far left, in the even smaller valley to the west of the one Agrabog occupied, the Hunter led his brute hounds forwards, with the fourth regiment of Bulls keeping up behind him.

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All the Butchers’ magic was dispelled or broken by the dwarfs, while the Scraplauncher’s shot fell just short of the Warriors. Still, the Ogres were getting closer.
Now the Longbeards turned themselves to face the valley, while the elite Ironbreakers marched boldly onto the hill - much surprising Agrabog with their sudden threatening appearance. Further to the left the massive regiment of Warriors began an advance of its own towards the massed regiments of Gnoblars, not one dwarf thinking such goblin warriors could be of any worth.

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The two cannons fired a second time, and once again one of them hit the Scraplauncher. This was no glancing blow, for the iron ball buried itself deep in the Rhinox’s flesh and brought the beast down, the superstructure of wood and metal upon its back smashing to pieces in the fall and what few Gnoblars that survived buried in the tangle mess created.
The two leadbelchers in the centre found themselves approaching the massive, and surely impossible to miss, regiment of Warriors. Both chuckled at the thought of what their pieces could do to such a foe.

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What they had failed to notice, however, was the organ gun looking down from the hill behind the warriors. This now gave forth a thunderous blast, and its hail of swan-shot and sangranel tore the two Ogre to pieces, leaving them as lifeless, steaming mounds of bloodied flesh. Perhaps hoping to be as lucky both Bolt Throwers now shot at the Slavegiant, but only one hit, which was not enough to fell such a monster.
Now Agrabog launched his charge up the hill, him and his Ironguts smashing into the Ironbreakers. He knew that if his warriors were to break out of the valley then he had to push the Dwarfen Lord and his Bodyguard aside. While he did so, the rest of his left wing did what they could to advance and the Butchers attempted to bolster their Lord’s fighting ability with magic. They failed, for once again the Dwarven ability to quell magic proved unbeatable.

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The dwarves were not so good at resisting bullets, however, and six Thunderers were killed when the surviving pair of Leadbelchers gave fire. Whilst they did so, the Gnoblars to the right of them continued their foolhardy advance and the previously shamed Bulls tried to catch up from the rear.

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The real battle was going on upon the hill between the two valleys. Agrabog and his Ironguts crushed one Ironbreaker with the force of their charge alone, but Agrabog could not (5 Str 7 Attacks) wound Lord Strumbrow, such was the strength of his mundane and magical protection. Even the Ironguts (10 attacks) could only slay one dwarf. Lord Sturmbrow proved to be a mighty warrior indeed and laid into Agrabog with such skill and strength that the Tyrant felt more than stung as a result (3 wounds). Nevertheless, even though they had been outmatched in the charge and the challenge, the Ironguts stood their ground. They were (almost) certain that they would punch through soon, just not as quickly as they had thought they might.

Part two to follow soon. But here I have to say two things:

* Thanks for all the thanks.
* Anyone want to change their guess at this stage?

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Quote:The Battle, Part Two (turns 3 & 4)

In the little valley, Lord Sternbrow and the bloodied Tyrant Agrabog hacked and slashed at each other. On the Ironbreaker’s left the Longbeards were faced with a pair of Maneaters, followed closely by several ranks of Ogre Bulls.

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Not wanting to receive a charge, the Longbeards charged in themselves. On the hill behind them the Thunderers reformed, readying themselves to attempt to put a stop to whatever it was the Hunter loping up on the far right flank hoped to do.

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In the centre of the field, as is their wont, the Dwarven warriors continued their slow but steady march forwards, while the cannons behind them sent two balls ploughing into the massed Gnoblars (admittedly not their intended targets) bringing down six of the greenskins between them,

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When the Quarrelers and the Thunderers joined in the shooting, however, they proved more capable of upsetting the foe’s advance, for they laid low one of the two Leadbelchers who had just fired at them and sent the other running in panic. The Organ gun opened up immediately after them and tore eight Gnoblars apart. Unsurprisingly they proved no less shaken by the experience than their larger comrades and they too fled as fast as their legs could take them, pouring right through the two bewildered Ogre Bulls behind them.

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As all this was unfolding in the centre, off to the dwarfs’ right the two Bolt Throwers could not fell the giant now looming over their Lord. Thane Ilvar Flatnose and the Longbeards were a little luckier, managing to slay one of the Maneaters they had charged, but they could not break the other, who proved stubborn before them even though he surely had no chance against them and could not harm them back at all. Flatnose’s luck was as nothing compared to Lord Sternbrow’s, for he and his Ironbreakers proved to be very devils in battle, Sternbrow slaying the Tyrant Agrabog, then his warriors sending two Ironguts lifelessly rolling down the hill to join his corpse. The remaining Ironguts stumbled back in confusion and despair only to be butchered a moment later.

The death of their Lord and his Bodyguard proved too much for the Butchers and Ogre Bulls - both regiments beneath the hill turned and fled, while the addled Slave Giant suddenly found himself the target of Lord Sternbrow’s attentions.

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The Ogres’ situation was now becoming desperate. Boondak the Hunter released his brutish hounds at the Thunderers with a cry of “Sic ‘em, boys” …

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… but both were riddled with bullets before they got close. The only Bulls left on the field that were not bloodied or wounded then followed the same route as the deceased dogs to get closer to the Thunderers, while Boondak himself made his way off to the right in an attempt to aid the Maneater fighting an entire regiment on his own.

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Of the two fleeing units of Bulls, only those led by the Butcher Fumpem rallied, the others wanting to put a lot more distance between themselves and a Dwarfen Lord who could dispatch the likes of Agrabog the Mighty! Bodo the Giant had not even lifted his club before he too was hacked down by Lord Sternbrow’s magical blade. Out on the Ogres’ right, every unit attempted to move forwards, but all (starting to wonder why Agrabog had not yet broken out of the little valley) had a feeling that something was going wrong.

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The massive regiment of Dwarfs now launched their charge at the Gnoblars before them. The greenskins had no chance against such warriors and after umpteen were slain the rest broke and fled as such pathetic fighters always do!

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While Boondak wondered whether there really was any point in sacrificing himself in the service of a dead Tyrant …

[center][img width=799 height=519]http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i49/padrissimus/UmmenbachPass21.jpg[/img][/center]

… the Dwarven artillery and missile troops fired once more. Several more Bulls tumbled to the ground, and the lone survivor on the far left turned and fled as had so many Bulls done already.

Lord Sternbrow stood on the brow of a hill, looking stern (Author’s note: Sorry, couldn’t help it!).

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The Ogres were beat, and everyone on the field knew it. What few Bulls and Gnoblars survived had sense enough to quit the field, and hastily.
Agrabog the Mighty was dead, and thanks to the Dwarfs of Khazid Hafak none of his Ogres would be entering Wissenland.

Result: Obvious massacre, and only half way through turn 4!


Congratulations to all those who guessed right. You get cookies or whatever it is you fancy with my permission. Go on treat yourself, and if anyone complains, send them my way. Commiserations to those who assumed the underdog would win. No, like usual, he lost, and lost badly.

Game Notes:
What can I say? I set up the terrain in an attempt to make it look pretty and so that Uryens would not think it unfair, thus creating what turned out to be a natural fortress for the dwarfs, with raised platforms for all his artillery giving lovely fields of fire throughout the battle. I also made the big mistake of assuming that Agrabog could defeat Lord Sternbrow and his Ironbreakers straight on. I was ridiculously unlucky in the rolls, even Uryens agrees on that, but it was my folly to base a battle plan around a toss of a coin situation like that. If Agrabog had won that combat oh boy(!) would things have been different! I think.

What say you?

Lovely battle report , great pictures !

good report. Nice dwarven army. The cartoonish Ogres aren't my style... but the player that have written the report did hear that a lot of times before I think.

Ouch your friend really set himself up for a fall! He does write very well though and has an excellent army with some nice conversions. Oh to be able to hire a hunter

Conga Rats to you for the victory!

He admits he set it up to look pretty, which it really did, and I think his deployment intially had me worried, but then I realised I could easily counter it.

Its still a lot of fun to play battles that arent set piece affairs

If Warhammer Empire is working again I would reccomend you look out for more of Padres reports, they are well worth it.

warhammer empire is working again

Very nice battle report!

Ahh its always good to see a nice dwarven victory!
Long live the dawi!