·, '

Sheny Yeary • Chief Creative Officer: Matt • Creative Manager: Ed Bourelle • Project

Bryan Cutler • Lead Developer: Jason Soles • : Kris Aubin • Development Manager: David

Carl • Production Manager: Mark Christensen • Studio Director: Ron Kruzie

•••

Editor-in-Chief: Aeryn Rudel

Hobby Manager: Rob Hawkins

Editorial Manager: Darla Kennerud

Editing: Bryan Cutler, Aeryn Rudel

Proofreading: Phil Chinzi, Jared Green, Cody Ellis, Wul Hungerford, Jen lkuta, Thomas Marshall, Ben

"Wombat" Sanders

Playtest Coordinator: David "DC" Carl

Continuity Editor: Jason Soles

Graphic Design: Kris Aubin, Laine Garrett, Josh Manderville, Stuart Spengler

StaffWriters: Simon Berman, Douglas Seacat

Studio Miniatures Painting: Matt DiPietro, Ron Kruzie

• • • CONTRIBUTORS:

Simon Berman, Ed Bourelle, David "DC" Carl, Matt DiPietro, Rob Hawkins, Adam Huenecke, Aeryn

Rudel, Douglas Seacat, Jason Soles, Will Shick, Matt Wilson

••• ILLUSTRATIONS:

Carlos Cabrera, Mariusz GandzeL Luke Mancini, Nestor Ossandan, Neil Roberts, Brian Snoddy, Andrea

Uderzo, Chris Walton, Matt Wilson

Become a fan of No Quarter Magazine on Facebook!

T his special issue of No Quarter 171agazine commemorates the ten-year anniversary of Privateer Press the same way we do everything

else: bigger and better. We've packed it with awesome content, and here you'll flnd super-sized editions of your favorite articles, including the Battle Report, Guts & Gears, and Terrain Building. This issue is more than just an oversized installment of the magazine, though; it's a celebration of an incredible company and the fantastic world and games it has created.

Between these covers we'll explore both the history of Privateer Press and the history of one of its greatest creations, the immersive world of the Iron Kingdoms that serves as the setting for WARMACHINEand HORDES. A Decade of Distinction illustrates the development of Pt·ivateer Press through a ten-year timeline covering the company's catalog of award-winning products. Then, lead writer Doug Seacat offers a revealing glimpse at some of

T eo years is a long time. For me personally, it's more than a quarter of my entire life. It 's a lso the single longest tenure of employment I've

held anywhere. (One of the benefits of working for yourself is that you're not likely to get fired, though there are days . .. ) So how can it have gone by in the blink of an eye?

Over the past ten years, Privateer has gone from a company literally operating in a basement to a mainstay game manufacturer in the tabletop game industry. Up until the release of WARMACHINE Mk II-and occasionally even since then- I was frequently amused by the public speculation as to whether Privateer Press would be around for the long haul or would disappear in the night like so many game companies before us.

As we celebrate a decade of making great games, my hope is that we have earned the confidence of customers who can now sleep more soundly at night assured that Privateer Press is indeed here to stay. That said, I'll miss that scrappy, underdog image people have of the company, because I think that at our core, that's really who we are. Privateer is made up of a bunch of like-minded people w ho enjoy rolling up their sleeves and taking on a challenge just for the personal pride that comes with accomplishing something others-or even they themselves-thought might not be possible. (See the 2010 Mk II book publishing schedule for just one example!)

We're often praised for our market savvy a nd shrewd business model, and people want to know: How have we managed to stay afloat in the turbulent seas of a fickle marketplace? How could we forecast accurately enough to sustain a long-range plan for the growth and development of Privateer Press? In truth, the evolution

the pivotal events that shaped the Iron Kingdoms, with an epic tale that centers on an up-and-coming Asheth Magnus during a key battle of the Scharde Invasions. Following that, Gavyn Kyle compiles a weighty dossier on two of the Iron Kingdoms' most iconic characters: Alexia Ciannor and her eldritch blade the Witchfire.

No Quarter is in many ways a chronicle of Privateer Press, recording the groundbreaking exploits of the company through the years, and I am honored to be at the helm of the magazine that celebrates such an important anniversary. In ten years, Privateer Press has established a legacy of which I am proud to be a part, a legacy that continues to grow with each new release and one I am quite fortunate to document in the pages of No Quarter Magazine.

Aeryn Rudel Editor-in-Chief

of this company has been far more organic. Within that lack of rigid structure, I believe, is our strength .

As a company that is first and foremost dedicated to the pursuit of creativity, we have always charted our course from the heart. Being independently owned and free from the restrictions of investors, shareholders, or a board of directors, we have remained agi le and responsive and have enjoyed the luxury of being able to indulge our creative whims beholden to no masters other than our customers. Truthfully, the one prevailing strategy we have employed is to make first­rate products that inspire our players to explore the imaginary worlds we enjoy living in every day. At the risk of giving up the recipe to our secret sauce, I'll disclose the single most important ingredient to any of our plans: keep making great products so we can keep making great products .

(No~ see, technically I should probably fire myself for disclosing such a closely held company secret. But being the sole proprietor of this enterprise, I enjoy a degree of immunity from such infractions of conduct.)

Yes, ten years is a long time. But I know that if I blink, we'll be celebrating our twenty-year anniversary. Then, instead of hearing, "Do you think Privateer Press is here to stay?" we'll be hearing, "Privateer? Oh yeah, they've been around forever." And I can't wait.

With much gratitude to the players who make living in fantasy worlds a reality for us,

Matthew D. Wilson Owner and Chief Creative Officer

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Guts & Gears: Drago Ever wonder what makes the unpredictable and utterly lethal Khadoran warjack Drago tick? Well, wonder no longer. Get the inside scoop from one of Drago's former mechaniks .. and read his instructions for the proper care and maintenance of one of the most dangerous warjacks in western lmmoren.

The King's Own Lead writer Douglas Seacat presents a new novella following Captain Asheth Magnus during the Battle of Blackrock in 587 AR. This harrowing tale takes place during one of the largest and most important engagements of the Scharde Invasions. after Cygnar's ruthless king led an army deep into Cryxian territory.

Terrain Showcase: Black River Bridge Hobby manager Rob Hawkins shows off his incredible terrain­building skills with a detailed, step-by-step extravaganza on the staggering Black River Bridge table. Des_ig.ned for the epic Unbound battle report in this issue, the Black river Bridge table is truly a sight to behold, and Rob's tutorial contains a wealth of information for terrain builders of all skill levels.

Guts f1.. Gears: Mulg the Ancient Professor Pendrake delves into the myths and lore surrounding the fearsome• dire troll Mulg the Ancient. By translating the runes that cover ,Mulg's stony hide, the good professor uncovers the secret motivations of one of western lmmoren's mightiest warbeasts.

The Gavyn Kyle Files: Alexia Ciannor Gavyn Kyle turns his attention to one of the most influential characters in western lmmoren's long history and compiles a detailed dossier and Alexia Ciannor and her infamous blade the Witchfire. Learn the dark secrets of the Witchfire and the dire events that forged Alexia into a powerful necromancer and one of most wanted fugitives in Cygnaran history.

Battle Report: Battle of Black River Bridge Cygnar and Skorne square off in this gigantic Unbound battle report, recreating one of the pivotal conflicts of the Battle of Corvis. Watch the battle unfold as creative director Ed Bourelle and lead developer jason Soles pit their 150-point armies in a no­holds-barred fight to the finish.

Modeling & Painting: Constance Blaize Studio painter Matt DiPietro reveals the painstakingly detailed process of producing a fully painted miniature worthy to be called a Privateer Press studio model. Matt reveals many of his expert techniques as he takes you step-by-step through his gorgeous paint job on the Cygnaran warcaster Constance Blaize.

'TEN YEARS OF PRIVATEER PRESS Since 2001, Privateer Press has del ivered quality games designed by award-winning creative people seeking to offer a

better entertainment experience. The company that would become a leader in the gaming commun ity and home to one of

the most successful miniatures games on the market began as a union of like-minded artists and game players who shared a common vision of producing the kind of quality games they wanted but could not find on the market.

From the bumble beginnings of The Witch/ire Trilogy, the "full metal fantasy" setting of the Iron Kingdoms has exploded

over the last ten years into an immersive world and boasts not on ly an RPG system but two miniatures game lines and an

upcoming video game. Privateer Press bas a lso released many other products, including theMonJterpocalypJe battle miniatures game, more traditional board and card games, a bimonthly magazine, and a full line of hobby paints and tools. Through it all,

Privateer Press has remained committed to creating the best gaming experiences imaginable for its audience.

This article takes a look back across the entire breadth of Pr ivateer Press' releases over the last ten years, examining

the trajectory of the company from an independent RPG publisher to one of the premier companies in the tabletop

gaming industry.

"'

IRON KINGDOMS RPG Before there was WARMACHINE and HORDES, there was the Iron Kingdoms Role Playing Game. The RPG introduced not only the world of Caen and the region of western Immoren but also several characters that would inevitably make their way to

WARMACHINE and HORDE S tabletops.

Designed for the d20 system under the open gaming license (OGL), The Witchfire Trilogy campaign made its triumphant entrance

onto the RPG market on January l, 2001 with The Lon.9ut Night. This debut book gave players their first taste of the unique

setting, where sorcery and technology combined in a world that felt at once similar to our own history and yet completely apart

from anything that had come before. The Lo1~9ut Nigbt_sets players on a quest to investigate myste rious grave robberies within

the Cygnaran city of Corvis. During their investigations, players qujckly begin to unravel a conspiracy of the most sinister

proportions centered on a young, troubled girl and a magical blade steeped in ancient evil.

The Longu t Night Witch/ti·e Trilogy: Book I

MAY 2001

Book two of the trilogy, The Shadow of the Exile, followed quickly on the heels of the

first book's success and put players in hot pursuit of Alexia and the Witchfire mere

days later in the timeline. The Shadow of the Exile took players beyond the outskirts

of Corvis and thrust them into the dangerous wilds of the Iron Kingdoms. After a

dramatic showdown within a Cyriss temple, the characters returned to Corvis with

the Witch6re-only to discovE;r the exiled former king of Cygnar, Vinter Rae! thorne,

had captured the city with the aid of skorne allies.

Players were once again tasked with helping the city of Corvis in the dramatic

conclusion to the Witch fire saga, The Legion of Lo.Jt Souu. With Alexia's help the

characters delved even deeper into the dark secrets of Corvis and the ancient history

of the Iron Kingdoms in their effort to raise a great army of undead to liberate the

city. Building upon the foundations of the prev ious two adventures, The Legion of Loot Sou!J brought the unique elements of the Iron Kingdoms setting to the fore as epic battles were waged with sword and sorcery as well as gunpowder a nd steam power.

Shadow of the &r:ile Witch/ire Trilogy: Book 2

AUGUST 2001

WARMACHINE debuted at GEN CON

AUGUST 2001

The Legion 4 LoJt Souu Witch/ire Trilogy: Book 2

NOVEMBER 2001

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For a ll its innovation in setti ng, The [.'?'itchfire Tt-i!ogy served only as an introduction

to a much larger and richer world. Many of the races and creatures that defined the

Iron Kingdoms were at best briefly mentioned in those first three books. However,

2002 brought two im portant releases for the RPG that would enable players to

explore the setting more fu lly in their ow n campaigns.

Mon.Jtemomicon: Volume I provided over 200 pages of encycloped ic lore on the unique species a nd monstrous races of the Iron Kingdoms. Not only did it in troduce

playe rs to exotic monsters like burrow mawgs, spine rippers, a nd thrullgs, it a lso

hinted at the w ild forces that endeavor to shape the Iron Kingdoms to their var ious

desires. The Mon.Jtemomicon in troduced the Dragon Wars between Lord Toruk

a nd his offspring as well as providing a wealth of information on several races

that would appear later in HORDES a nd WARMACHl NE, such as the Tharn, farrow, and cepha lyx.

Lock and Load: Iron Killfjdom,, Character Primer was released shortly a fter the

Mon.Jtemomicon in 2002. The book provided p laye rs a nd GMs a n easily accessible

crash course for setting campa igns with in the expansive world of the Iron

Kingdoms and explored the various race options available. Gone were the generic

titles of human, elf, and dwarf; in stead players were a rmed w ith the in formation

to play Todorans, Nyss, or Rhulfolk. More tha n simply expa nding on the scope of the core d20 races, Lock and Load in troduced rules for creating characters of races specific to the Iron Kingdoms, such as gabbers,

ogrun, a nd trollkin.

With WARMACHI NE in full sw ing and several major tndustry

awards for the !ron Kingdoms RPG setting under its belt, Privateer

Press began working on a compendium of books that would shape

the setting into a fully developed world as rich a nd immersive as

any of the g reat fantasy worlds before it. T he fi rst in th is enormous

effort was the Iron Kingdom.J Character Guide.

Bui lding on in format ion presented in Lock and Loao and the later

WAJU/1ACHJNE: Prime and E.Jca!ation, the Character Guide was

the prem iere resource for players w ho wished to explore the Iron

Kingdoms. It heralded the appearance of character classes found

on ly within this unique setting, such as the spell- and pistol-sling ing

Gun Mage, the resourcefu l Bodger, and-perhaps the most desired

of a ll -the mighty Warcaster. The book a lso rev ised how some of the trad itiona l d20 classes functioned w ithin the Iron Kingdoms to

mainta in the gritty reali ty of the setting.

The Cbamcter Guide also included a plethora of Iron Kingdoms­

specific gear to outfit characters, fro m powerfu l firearms to elega nt

Nyss c laymores and bruta l ogrun warcleavers. Players could even

custom ize their weapons and a rmor w ith mechan i kal enhancements,

g iving a nyone access to powerfu l encha ntments and abili t ies. (Of course they soon discovered that for a ll its benefits, mechan ika has

its own rules a nd limits, rely ing as it does on charged accumu lators

to power magical abilities.) And those characters who possessed the

means made sure to obtatn the ultimate weapon and ally: their very

own warjack.

Relig ion a nd cosmology were a lso explored in depth for the first

time within the pages of the Cbaracter Guide. Covering the creation

of ma n and the rise of the numerous gods that fo rm the basis of the

ma ny relig ions on Caen, this section rema ins to thi s day the most

complete discussion of the subject w ithin the Iron Kingdoms. The

care a nd thought applied to the study of rel ig ions would be applied

to the setting history in an extraord inary fash ion the follow ing year w ithin the invaluable Iron Kingdom.J Wor!J Guide.

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Prime

MARCH 2002

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With its 400+ pages of detailed hi-story on the Iron Kingdoms, the World Guide could easily have been tbe standa rd textbook for Hi story 101 at Corvis University. Need to know w hen the Second Troll kin War occurred or how many rail lines a re

in Cygnar? Turn to this undi sputed authority on a ll things Iron Kingdoms.

The World Guide put onto the page in explicit detail the defining histo1·y of

western Immoren, beginning w ith a hi storical overview and timeline that covered

events ra ng ing from Immoren's pre-history through the onset of war described in WARM!ICHJNE: E.tcaLation. Follow ing this overview was a n extensive

exa minat ion of the industries, inst itutions, a nd societies of the va riou s lron

Kingdoms nations a nd an exam ination of each kingdom in detail.

No deta il escaped the notice of the W'or!d Guide: currency type and excha nge rates,

population densities, and important locat ions and persons were a ll discussed

w ithin its pages. The ex ha ustive tome provided an a mazing resource for GMs w ho wanted to create the most authentic and compelling IK ca mpa ig ns for their

players. It continues to be the primary reference today for Privateer Press staff

w 1·iting about the Iron Kingdoms.

From mechanikal weapons a nd too ls to Cyriss technology to war jack construction,

the Liber 1/llecbanika , released in 2005, provided players and GMs every thing they needed in order to immerse themselves in the wondrou s art of mecha nikal artifice

and steam-foo le ry. This is the book that turned the magic of mecha nika into

the science of mechanika w ith its presentation of the ins-a nd-outs of mecha nika

creation, including prosthetic limbs and steam-powered armor as well as myriad

weapons a nd other equipment.

Next, Fi11e FingerJ: Port of Deceit provided a st ree t-level v iew of one of the most

infamous cit ies in the Iron Kingdoms. Fi11e Fin.fJerJ contained detailed accounts of life w ithin the city as well as plenty of N PCs for GMs to use in their campa igns.

Perhaps one of the more unu sua l aspects of the book was the sect ion that

discussed the conspiracies, collusion s, a nd cabals of F ive F inge rs. ln addition to

descriptions of the major players and variou s items, this section actua lly included

cha rts detailing the feelings each collaborator had about the other conspirators.

T he fina l book released under the open gaming I icense, !11onJternomicon VoLume Jf· Tbe !ron KingdomJ and Beyond, took a step back from western lmmoren a nd

brought the exot ic c rea tu res a nd empires of eastern Immoren to the fore . Fi lled

w ith informat ion on the Skorne Empire, 1/llonJtem omicon VoLume 11 gave playe rs

a nd GMs access to a treasure trove of information for ca mpaign s se t w ithin this

ancient a nd harsh world.

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WARMACIHNE & HORDES Following in the wake of The lf/itchfire Ti·ilogy, the "steam-powered combat" of WARMACHINE

gave players a w hole new way to experience the lron Kingdoms by putt ing them front-and­center on the battlefie ld s of western lmmoren. First in troduced at Gen Con 2001, the or ig ina l

WARMACHINE battlegroups were sold in plain brown boxes w ith "quick start" rules that

presented a very different ga me than the one people know today. The game centered on the use of

action points, aod the battlegroups included commanders w ith a reference gu ide printed right on

them . In addition, players w ho picked up a battlegroup at that year 's Gen Con later received the fu ll rulebook in the mail afte r it had been printed .

Several changes occurred before the final rules were sent to the printer. The action point system

was removed in favor of a more streamlined activation sequence, and the pre-release focus mecha nic

evolved into the system current WARMACHINE players know a nd love. Nearly six months after its pre-release at Gen Con, [.f/AJU/1/ACH!NE: Prime was ready to storm its way onto game store

shelves a nd tabletops worldw ide.

At 200 pages, Tf/AR//!JACH!NE: Prime provided players everything

they needed to stage cli mactic battles between mighty warcasters and their armies of warjacks a nd soldiers. Prime a lso expanded the

lron Kingdoms setting that had been introd uced in The Witcbfire Ti·ifogy, providing first-person accounts on the history of Cygnar,

the Protectorate of Menoth, Khador, a nd Cryx, while lay ing the

foundation for the future expansion of both WARMACHJNE a nd the Iron K ingdoms RPG.

W ith the setting fleshed out in The Witchfire Trilogy a nd

WAJUI!IACH!NE: Prime, the stage was set for the saga of the Iron

Kingdoms to explode full force. Tf/ARMACHINE: &cafalioll brought

full-sca le war to western lmmoren as Khador invaded the southern

nation ofLiael a nd the Protectorate of Menoth began assaulting the gates of Caspia. Amid the chaos of war, EJcafation provided players

new warcasters, units, a nd warjacks and set the tone for future

WARMACHINE expansions.

In addition to expand ing the story and scope of the game, E.Jcafation gave players a cha nce to immerse themselves in the drama of the

events presented in its pages. The Kings, Nations, and Gods campaign spanned the entire year of warfare that raged across

the Iron Kingdoms in 604-605 AR and presented forty-eight new scenarios for in trepid players .

By its conclusion, E1cafation had firm ly planted WARMACHlNE

as a force to be reckoned w ith in the miniatures gam ing world .

Iron KingdomJ Character G u we

DECEMBER 2004

Iron KJ:ngdomJ Wor&Guide

MARCH 2005

Iron Kin.IJdOmJ World Guwe

J ANUARY 2005

WARJJtJACHINE: ApotheOJil

SEPTEMBER 2005

A bold experiment m both format and content,

WARMACHINE: Apo_theo.1i.J radically changed the landscape

of the WARMACHlNE miniatures game by combining

playability with the artistic foundations of Privateer Press.

Apotheo.1i.J stands apart, its oversized pages brimming with

beautiful artwork depicting the heroes and villains of the Iron Kingdoms in the new era of open warfare. It also marked the

first time Privateer Press released a special edition hardcover.

Befitting its landmark status, the Apotheo.1i.J special edition

came with loads of extras, including a numbered certificate

of authenticity, a hardcover case, and a print of the cover art

signed by Matt Wilson.

The Apotheo.1i.J story advanced the war to dark extremes as

Lich Lord Asphyxious attempted to transform himself into a god by an unholy ritual in the Thornwood, forcing heroes

from every faction to oppose his megalomaniacal schemes.

Privateer Press raised the bar with this release, from the

artwork and the gorgeous miniatures to the rules themselves.

With the first epic warcasters, character warjacks, and

large-based warcasters, Apotheo.1i.J pushed the limits of what

players could expect from the company and the future of WARMACHINE.

Privateer Press reached another major milestone in 2006

with the release of the HORDES tabletop miniatures game.

Set in the same world as WARMACHINE and designed

Liber Mecbanika

OCTOBER 2005

Wilcbfire Trilogy Compilation

NOVEMBER 2005

to be completely compatible, HORDES gave players the opportunity to delve into the shadowed wilds on the fringes of

the I ron Kingdoms. The release introduced all-new compelling

game mechanics with warlocks and warbeasts and effectively

doubled the size of Privateer Press' catalog.

While the foundation for HORDES had been laid in the IK

RPG just as it had for WARMACHINE, the game's release

provided a chance to more fully define and explore the vast wilderness of lmmoren . HORDES also saw the return of

an old enemy from The Witch/ire 1iifogy, the brutal skorne.

In addition to these eastern invaders, HORDES: Primal introduced the draconic Legion of Everblight, the proud

trollbloods, and the enigmatic druids of the Circle Orboros.

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Privateer Press continued to surpass the expectations of players

with WARMACHINE: Superiority. This book introduced new

epic warcasters and brought cavalry thundering onto the

battlefield with special rules to represent their unique abilities.

It a lso contained a detailed examination of each faction 's

military structure and furthered the exciting narrative from the perspective of the soldiers in the field.

With a new companion game and three expansions,

WARMACHINE: Prime was no longer the complete authority it

had once been. In addition, after five years of player feedback there was opportun ity to fine tune WARMACHINE to create

an even better game. WARMACHINE: Prtine Remi..-r; compiled all

the supplemental rules from every WARMACHINE expansion

and updated the models and abilities. Even so, addressing and

collecting rules content was only part of Remi..-r;.

While WARMACHINE: Prime had represented a significant milestone for Privateer Press, the

years since its release had seen the company grow signi ficantly in print and production

knowledge and ability. Retnt:>:. represented a chance to take what the company had

learned and apply it to the foundations ofWARMACHINE. Even the look of Prime was re-engineered; Remi..T. contained all-new art depicting the heroes, villains,

warjacks, and soldiers of the Iron Kingdoms, and every page was presented in lavish full color.

The first HORDES expansion book also released in 2007. In terms of new

models, HORDES: Evolution brought the equ ivalent of nearly four years of

WARMACHINE development screaming into the HORDES factions in one

fell swoop. In addition to cavalry, I ight artillery, and unit attachments, Evolution also introduced the dangerous and incredibly maneuverable light cavalry for the

Legion of Everblight and C ircle Orboros. The book's story pitted the factions

against one another as the Legion of Everblight embarked on a bold gamble to amplify their power, with on ly the Circle able to stand in their way.

Evolution a lso marked the official combination of WARMACHINE and HORDES

in the organized play system. Combined events quickly became the standard, and today it is practically impossible to imagine a tournament that doesn't see warlock and warbeast

squaring off against warcaster and war jack.

WARMACHINE: Supertority

AUGUST2006

Formula P3 debuted at Gen Con

AUGUST2006

WARMACHJJ\TE:

JANUARY 2007

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Setting a record for the number of supplement books

produced in a single year, Privateer Press released Force.J of WARMACHINE: Pti·ate.J of the Broken Coa.Jt in December

2007. The book contained an entirely new army for

WARMACHINE that could be integrated into existing

faction s, as it was an offshoot of the Mercenaries. Its self­

contained story fo llowed the pirates of the Tal ion Charter in a clash against the dreaded Atramentou.J and its revenants

led by Captain Rengrave.

After the busy release schedule of 2007, 2008 was marked

by a single WARMACHINE expansion as Privateer

Press prepared to unveil an enti rely new product in

111on.Jterpocalyp.Je. That expansion, WARMACHINE: Legend.J, continued to rede6 ne what players could expect from

WARMACHINE and HORDES. The book took character

warjacks one step further by introducing rules for

the personal warjacks of notable warcasters. Legendo brought the narrative arc

begun in Elcafation to an explosive 6nale, reshaping the borders of the Iron

Kingdoms and ending with an uneasy and tenuous cease-6re.

What would be the last book made for the 6rst edition of

WARMACHINE and HORDES followed. HORDES: j/!felamorpl.wotJ continued the HORDES storyline as each faction

faced struggles that threatened to tear them apart from w ithin.

The book introduced character warbeasts as wel l as the 6rst

epic warlocks and debuted lesser warlocks-an entirely new

model type that were Minion character solos accompanied by

their own character heavy warbeasts.

By the release of Metamorphooio, Privateer Press a nd its dedicated

player communi ty were a lready preparing for the unprecedented

6eld test that would provide players the chance to give their

feedback on a draft of the next edition of WARMACHINE and HORDES, to be released in 2010. Change was on the horizon.

~ -

FORMULAP3 With WARMACHINE a nd HORDES both strong in the marketplace, Privateer Press had a firm foothold as one of the top miniatures companies in the industry. Nothing beats the excitement of seeing Fu lly painted a rmies on the tabletop, so in 2006 the company prepared to release their own line of hobby pa ints a nd tools to support the hobby side of the games.

Developed by lead ing professionals in the miniatures industry, Formula P3 (originally called P r ivateer Press Paint) set out to redefine w hat people should expect from hobby paints. The line pioneered several innovations, including using liquid pigment for better coverage and being packaged in faction-specific sets desig ned to provide not only the basic colors integral to the faction's color scheme but a lso perfect combi nations for color mixing, a llowing painters to ach ieve a wide range of faction colors w ith a limited selection of paints. Privateer Press introduced Formu la P3 paints in a limi ted pre-release at Gen Con 2006, and they were an instant hi t. Now comprising 72 colors, the Formula P3 paint li ne has become a staple of both award-w inning pain ters and regular hobbyists the world over.

Privateer Press ex pa nded its Formu la P31ine in 2007 w ith the add ition of an entire ra nge of hobby tools. As w ith the paints, Formu la P3 hobby tools were designed from the outset to provide the height of quality for hobbyi sts of a ll skill levels. ln add ition, the company produced an instructional bobby DVD, ModeLing d Painting: Core Technique.J, in which stud io director Ron Kruzie showcased the basic steps of model assembly a nd painting.

The Formula P3 bra nd continues to stand as a benchma rk of quali ty in the hobby indu stry, provid ing every thing hobbyists of a ll skill levels need in order to bring their miniatures to li fe.

Infernal Contraption

JULY 2007

HORDES: Evolution

AUGUST 2007

Infernal Coatraptw11

Force.• of WARJWACHINE: Pirate.J of the Broke11 Coa,Jt

DECEMBER 2007

WARJWACHINE: Le_qendJ

AUGUST 2008

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ORGANIZED PLAY Organized play has a lways been one of the pillars of P r ivateer Press' game design. Promoting

fun a nd cha ll engi ng events for players to compete aga inst one a no ther, Privateer Press'

O rganized Pl ay program has consistently strived for one simple goal, to be the best-organized

play experience anywhere .

The staple of all Privateer Press WAR MACH INEand HORDES competitive play Steamroller

provided a free and universa l format that has grown and evolved since its inception in 2003. The format stresses ba lanced, competitive tests of skill as players v ie to be crowned champion.

The first Steamroller ki ts included award certificates w ith specia lly cast metal tokens. Soon

though Privateer Press was offering full meta l coi ns em blazo ned w ith faction sym bol s and la ter, w hen the Steamroller events Of each game were combined, 1" , 2"d, a nd 3'd p lace awards.

[n 2007, Privateer Press unve il ed the first WARMACHINE

and HORDES league, a system that promoted continuou s play with narrative driven scenarios and specia l effects. The

system ent it led Ca ll to Arms, lasted until the re lease of Mk

II in 20 10 w here it was rep laced w ith the current Shattered

Ground s league format. Shattered Grounds built upon

the casua l play atmosphere of Call to Ar ms and enha nced

it by add ing several innovations including a worldw ide interactive campaign map a nd unique specia lty units that

cou ld be used for the length of the campaign. Another

major step in organized play fo r both games occurred in the

summ er of 2007 w hen the first Summer Rampage event hit

worldw id e. Summer Rampage was an importa nt turning

point as it marked the first offtcial mixed WARMACHINE

a nd HORDES event offered by P rivateer Press.

Organized Pl ay h asn't just been about WARMACHI NE

a nd HORDES however ; Privateer Press a lso created

an exte nsive o rgani zed p lay system for !/lfollJlerpocafypJe.

The program offered free pr ize support for any store or

game club w ho had s ix or more players a nd continues to this day. Because of the unique nature of I/IIonJterpocaLypJe

support, Privateer Press a lso created a new website fu lly

geared towards promoting and managing its organized

play offer ings, www.privateerevents.com. The site a llowed

players and stores a way to find and register for events and

prize support, con necting players a nd retailers together to

create the best-organized play events possible.

Privateer Press

NO QUARTER MAGAZINE The creation of No Quarter Magazine in June 2005 marked the point where Privateer Press moved

from an enterprising start-up to a full-fledged company. The magazine launched with the goal of

providing regular information on new releases, showcasing previews of upcoming products, and expanding the rich world of the Iron Kingdoms.

No Quarter's inaugural issue set the tone for a ll future issues with its huge assortment of previews,

including several new Mercenary models and the first rules for using mercenary contracts in

WARMACHINE. In addition, the magazine gave players an exclusive look into the content of

Apotheo.:~iJ and presented an all-new short story that pitted Haley against Deneghra and set up their evolution in the book.

From its inception, No Quarter has covered a ll the pivotal moments in Privateer Press history. Its

pages continually introduce new content that supports WARMACHINE and HORDES, including

favorites like the Gavin Kyle Files and Forces of Distinction as well as long-time classics such

as Guts and Gears. With its in-depth coverage of Privateer Press games and worlds, No Quarter

Magazine is an indispensable resource for fans and players worldw ide.

M onJierpocalypJe

debuted at Gen Con

AUGUST 2008

MonJterpocalypJe:

RMe

OCTOBER 2008

HORDES: M etamorohOJiJ

MARCH 2009

WARMACHINE Mk II Field Test

APRIL2009

MONSTERPOCAL YPSE Building on the immense success of the Iron Kingdoms, WARMACHINE, a nd HORDES,

Privateer Press set about creat ing a whole new intellectual property known as M01wterpocalyp.1e. The two-player battle miniatures game brought the giant monsters of kaiju cinema to the tabletop in an action-packed contest over an entire city.

Monaterpocalypoe featured pre-painted plastic figures, which represented a new set of production

challenges for Privateer Press even after years of producing WARMACH INE and HORDES. In

addition, the game was conceived to be the company's first-ever collectible, ra ndomi zed product.

Unleashed in a special pre-release at Gen Con 2008, MonJterpocalypae quickly earned its name as it crushed a ll expectations. By the time the game was officially released that October, Privateer

Press had already sold out of its initial run of starter boxes-and would do so two more times over the next two years.

The game was released In themed series, w ith each set introducing new monsters, un its, and

bui ldings for players to use as they stomped and smashed their way to victory. By the release of the fifth series, M01wterpocalypoe had rampaged its way through game versions of New York and

Japan and had twelve factions ranging from giant lizards to hideous mole-men.

T hanks to the tireless work of Privateer Press Chief Creative Officer Matt W ilson, 10 2010

Dreamworks Studios purchased the Monoterpocalypoe movie rights. A full-length feature film is planned for a near-future release directed by award-w in ning director Tim Burton.

Now presented in a non-collectible format, MonJterpocalypae stands ready to smash its way into the

imagination of people a ll over the world.

VOLTRON Following the immensely successful release of MonJterpocalypJe, Privateer Press began d iscussions with World Event Productions to

bring an iconic character into the line. That character, none other

than Voltron: Defender of the Universe, appeared in the very first

licensed product produced by Privateer Press.

Forr:u of WAIUIACHINE:

&tri},uJiJJn of Scyrah

SEPTEMBER 2009

&rapperJ

SEPTEMBER 2009

A lthough the Voltron cartoon had been a staple of Satu rday mornings in the 1980s, no one had ever brought the steadfast Defender of the

Universe to the tabletop in his very own board game. T ha nks to its

kaiju-inspired, action-packed gameplay, /11/onJterpocalypae presented

the perfect platform to let fans relive their favorite moments from the

TV series as well as create a ll-new stories by pitting Voltron against the monsters of MonJterpocalyp<~e .

GrintJ

OCTOBER 2009

HORDESMk II Field Test

NOVEMBER 2009

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BODGERS In the summer of 2007, Privateer Press took its first steps into a new line of products called

Bodgers games, begi nning with the multi-player card game Infernal Contraption. The game put players in the role of goblin bodgers racing to build "contraptions" a nd trying to destroy their

opponents' parts piles to be the last bodger standing. An expansion released soon after, ln/erruzl Contraption 2: Sabota_qe, introduced new cards to the game-including sneaky sabotage cards

that could be played directly on a n opponent's contraption to cause all sorts of mayhem.

The 2010 release of ScrapperJ brought everyone's favorite bodgers back to the fore in a frantic

board game for two to four players. In ScrapperJ players vied with each other to grab parts off

a constantly moving conveyor belt in order to be the first to complete a power core. Foregoing traditional dice, the game handled movement through a unique card mechanic, which forced

players to rely on a good combination of skill and luck in order to grab the parts they needed.

GRIND In 2010 Privateer Press took steamjacks off the battlefield

and pitted them against each other in the stand-alone

board game version of Grind, a steamjack-sport game

concept first introduced in No Quarter #10. Featuring a

huge board and loaded with detailed plastic components, the revved-up version of Grind packed a tournament's

worth of adrenaline-soaked action into one massive box.

The high quality plastic steamjacks players use for their

teams make Grind stand out from any other board game. In addition to their large size and high level of deta.il,

the figures were engineered so that their weapon arms

cou ld be easily swapped out between games, allowing an unprecedented amount of team customization.

Grind showed Privateer Press' continuing commitment to

pushing the envelope in creating new and exciting games,

a commitment as strong today as it was ten years ago.

lrW?AfA 'HJNE Pnine 1111: II

JANUARY 2010

F11rce.t t!f WAIMIACHINE: Cyg11ar

FEBRUARY 2010

Fnttt.t 4 WARAfACHJNE: Fort-e.• nf li'IA/MfACHINE: KbniJor Prntednralo ni'Afmotb

MARCH 2010 APRJL 2010

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MKII After seven years of releases and growth, work began on the second edition of WARMACH INEand HORDES, entitled Mk II . At the outset Privateer Press la id down

several goals for w hat Mk I I would accompli sh . The first was to streamline play a nd bring

both games back to their roots of aggressive, fast-paced action. In the same vein, it would

address the number of different abilities across the games that a ll had simi lar effects but

different names. The new ed ition was a lso a chance to adjust models that fell far off the

power curve in an attempt to create the most balanced game possible. Finally, Privateer

Press was determined to update the entirety of both games w ithin a single year.

With these goals in mind, the company began one of the most rigorous inter na l playtesti ng

and development cycles it had ever conducted, re-evaluating a nd fine-tuning every single

WARMACHINE and HORDES model that had ever been released. Not content to

simply update the games, they added several new models to the existi ng factions, and­

most ambit ious of a ll -undertook work on a n entirely new WARMACHINE faction, the Retribution of Scyrah .

Privateer Press gave players unprecedented access to the Mk II development process w ith

the Mk II field test. The field test offered players an early look at the second edition rules

and opened every existing WARLVlACHINE and HORDES model to scrutiny, giving

players a chance to influence the final outcome directly. Hundreds of thousands of field test reports were painstakingly reviewed by Privateer Press' indomitable development team

before the final stats a nd abilities were sent off to print.

In January of 2010, WAR/11ACHINE: Prime /IIIk II was officia lly released to the public,

and "Mk II 2010" card decks were published for each faction to ensure players cou ld

immediately update their armies to the new edition. With so much existing information to

cover, Privateer Press had decided to give each WARMACHINE and HORDES faction its ow n book over the course of the year. WARA1ACH!NE: PrimeMk II and, later in the year,

HORDES: Primal /11/k If gave players the basics, including the fully updated rules system

and templates, exciting new fiction, additional history for each faction, and an introduction

to the hobby, a ll in a gorgeous full-color format bursting w ith new art and photographs.

ForctJ of WARMACHINE: Cry.~

MAY2010

ForceJ of WARMACH!NE: i~lercenarie.J

JU NE2 010

HORDES: PrimalMk If

JULY 20 10

Voltron: Defender of the Unille!'Je

AUGUST 20 10

The format introduced with Force.J of WARMACHJNE: PirateJ of the Broken CoaJt was re6 ned

for the Mk 11 books, including 2009's Forceo of WAIUJ'IACHJNE: Retributwn of Scyrah. Each

force book collected every existing model entry for the faction-plus a few new ones-as

well as presenting new art, new 6ction, and a new level of background detail on the 6ghting forces of the Iron Kingdoms.

The force books a lso introduced an exciting new option for building arm ies based on

specialist fo rces. Each of these Theme Forces provided a set of restrictions and bene6ts

For building an army under a speci6c warcaster or warlock. Theme Forces opened up new

game play options and cha llenges as well as providing a fantastic opportunity for avid

hobbyists when converting and painting their army.

With the release of ForceJ of HORDES: Mtiu(mJ in January 2011, the year of Mk II came to

a triumphant close. The force book format had w ithout a doubt proven to be an excellent

vehicle for expand ing the world and games of WARMACHINE and HORDES.

Forceo of HORDES: ForceJ of HORDES: Forcu of HORDES: Skome TroflbfoodJ Leoion of Everblioht

AUGUST 2010 SEPTEMBER 2010 OCTOBER 2010

Forceo of HORDES: Circle OrhoroJ

NOVEMBER 2010

oroz A1nr IT J/f117VIflflfd

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WARMACHINE and HORDES have experienced growth like never before since the release of Mk II. As the first Mk II

expansion, WARMACHINE: Wrath begins a whole new chapter in the ongoing saga of the Iron Kingdoms. It contains plenty of exciting new warcasters, warjacks, and warriors to field in battle-but it also brings an amazing new dimension to the game table

with the impressive battle engines, a large new centerpiece model type that challenges player expectations and the company's

production abilities a like.

Mounted on 120 mm bases, battle engines

don't just expand the scope of the game rules;

they expand the scope of what "miniatures"

means on the tabletop. The extreme size of

these models is made possible by Privateer Press' new resin casting faci lities. Pioneered

under the Extreme Titan Gladiator, the

company's resin production has gone

from a one-man operation to a full-blown

setup that easily rivals traditional metal­

casting production. The material opens up

possibilities for both large- and small-scale models like never before.

Following close behind Wrath, HORDES: Domination will bring the new battle engine

model type to the wi lds of lmmoren and

introduce a host of options to the table,

including new epic warlocks and new character warbeasts.

With the momentum of Mk II and Privateer

Press' never-ending drive to break beyond

the expected, WARMACHINE and HORDES are sure to be an unstoppable

force in the miniatures gaming community

for the next ten years and well beyond.

ForceJ of HORDES: WARMACHINE: Mininn.J Wrath

DECEMBER 2010 JUNE2011

Lock & Load GameFest 2011

JUNE20ll

HORDES: Domt."nation

OCTOBER 2011

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By Simon Berman • Art by Carlos Cabrera, Nestor Ossandan, and Andrea Uderzo

In recent months, my responsibilities to the Cygnaran Reconnaissance Service have taken the lion's share of my time. However, the time I have spent among the kriels of central Cygnar has been extremely illuminating and has allowed me rare insight into some of the deepest mysteries of the trollkin and their cousins, the full-blood trolls and dire trolls. I spent some weeks living with the Tallwater kriel in the foothills of the Upper Wyrmwall Mountains during which time I befriended a stone scribe elder, Craggen Runewaker. As the curator of his kriel's knowledge, Runewaker is essentially a living library carrying the accumulated history of his extended family. Runewaker honored me with the opportunity to make copies of some of his most treasured scrolls, among them a set of rubbings taken from a most intriguing set of carvings-runes inscribed into the back of an ancient and fearsome dire troll!

The stone scribe I befriended made these rubbings at great personal risk, having sought out the notorious dire troll called Mulg. After prostrating himself before the monstrous creature, Runewaker asked permission to make a copy of the runes upon Ivlulg's back to share among the kriels. Runewaker claims it was only his invocation of the name of a Dhunian shaman named Doomshaper that kept Mulg from devouring him on the spot. The appeals to the ancient troll's vanity were successful, though, and he was allowed to make some rubbings. He informs me that the Erst transcribed passage is carved into the prominent stony ridge atop Mulg's back. Subsequent passages are taken from a set of carvings on the enormous club the dire troll wields as well as from the smaller carvings found in less prominent portions of Mulg's stony protruberances.

Runewaker informs me that the runes inscribed upon Mulg are written in a strange tense, apparently an effort to capture the tone of Mulg's unique mode of speech. l have attempted to maintain the tone of this unusual writing. Enclosed are my copies of the rubbings and translations as well as associated commentary.

-Victor Pendrake

Runewaker tells me this Erst set of runes come from the oldest carvings upon the dire troll's back.

MULG IS THE AVALANCHE. MULG IS THE LANDSLTDE.MULG IS THE STORM THAT BEATS THE MOUNTAIN. MULG IS THE KURJOL, THE TROLL OF TROLLS. MULG CARRIES THE FIRST SEED IN HIS LOINS. HIS CHILDREN ARE GREAT AND MANY. THE WORLD IS THERE TO FEED MULG IN MULG'S HUNGER. ONE DAY, MULG WILL EAT THE WORLD, AS IS MULG'S RIGHT. MULG WILL EAT THE MOUNTAIN AND THE FOREST AND THE MEN AND EVEN THE TROLLS. MU LG WILL EAT THE WORLD.

From what I can deduce, these Erst runes were inscribed somewhere around the year 300 A.R. According to Runewaker's scrolls, it seems that M ulg had been known to the trollbloods of the Wyrmwalls for at least two centuries before that time. The kriels of the region had long feared the dire troll that stalked the mountain passes devouring everything in its path, even other dire trolls. When Mulg crashed into the midst of the Tallwater kriel's village, they were astonished and terri£ed. He roared in the troll language of Molgur-Trul, demanding tribute in meat. The kriel rushed to provide him with the food. Hours later, barely sated on the entirety of the kriel's preserved food and Livestock, Mulg called for their rune bearers to stand before him. He demanded they carve their runes of power into his back so that his story would be recorded and all who saw him would know it.

MULG!STHEGREATHUNTEROFTHEMOUNTAINS. MULGISTHEGREATHUNTEROFTHEWORLD.MEN THINK THEY ARE HUNTERS, BUT THEY COWER IN FEAR OF li-1ULG, THEIR CAVE-PILES SJV\ASHED BENEATH MULG'S CLUB. MULG SJ\'IASHES THEIR PUNY WALLS AND EATS THEIR FOOD. MULG EATS THE WEAK HUNTERS AS WELL. ALL WHO HUNT ON MULG 'S MOUNTAINS AND TAKE MULG'S FOOD BECOME l\lULG'S FOOD.

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Runewaker suggested that whi le this part of the text is filled with Mulg's characteristic hyperbole, it might hold more than a kernel of truth. Dire trolls are known to prey upon one another, particu larly over mating rights. It is not inconceivable that Mu lg has winnowed out the progeny of his rivals and populated much of the Wyrmwall with his descendants. Indeed, the dire trolls of the region have a reputation for ferocity exceeding that of dire trolls in other areas. Mulg's populating the region with his offspring has not tempered his fee lings towards other dire tro lls, though . Runewaker told me that dire tolls almost invariably abandon their kills when Mulg interrupts them feeding, and those who do not soon feed the ancient troll with their own carcasses.

l\\ULG CANNOT BE ESCAPED. l\'lULG WILL EAT WHATEVER MULG WISHES. EVEN THE GREATEST BEASTS OF THE I\10UNTAIN CANNOT ~SCAPE 1\\ULG. THEHUGESATYROFTHEWTNDING PEAKS THOUGHT HE COULD EVADE l\1ULG, BUT liE WAS WRONG. HE FOOLISHLY RAN FROM 1\\ULG DOWN THE MOUNTAIN. BUT l\lULG FOLLOWED.

TER ffiRGR2InE: GUTS & GERRS

My friend, Runewal<er, spoke with unconcealed pride at this portion of the translation. Centuries earlier, his kriel had come under attack by the Cygnaran Army and at least one of their mighty colossals. It seems the Cygnaran forces stumbled across Mulg while pt·eparing their attack upon the trollkin and paid a high price for their poor timing. Mulg's strength and ferocity are clearly highlighted by this incident. Although we can assume a certain amount of hyperbole on Mu lg's part, there are clear records that the Cygnaran Second Army lost a major battle in th is region during the Co lossal War. In fact, reading between the lines of accounts written by Cygnaran survivors and Runewaker's repetition of his kriel's legends, there is every ind ication that Mu lg's presence was no accident. It seems likely that the legendary trollkin Chief Modr may have lead the Cygnarans into Mu lg's path at great personal risk. This incident is particularly noteworthy in that it was one of the first engagements in which trollkin succeeded in defeating a Cygnaran colossal. With several centuries distance from those events, I must salute the brave trollkin and respect the ferocity of Mulg even if this did result in an alarming defeat for my nation!

HE RAN THROUGH THE FOREST VALLEY. BUT MULG HAS NO ~MASTER AND KNOWS ONLY ONE MULG FOLLOWED. HE RAN THROUGI! THE WHO IS LIKE MULG. KROL IS 1\lULG'S BROTHER. GNARLS AND ACROSS THE RIVER AND INTO THE ONLY KROL COULD WITHSTAND MULG'S PLAIN, BUT MULG STILL FOLLOWED. THE SATYR GREETING AND NOT OLE. KROL NEED ONLY ASK THOUGHT TO HIDE WITH THE WEAK HUNTER AND MULG WILL BE THERE TO DESTROY AND

EAT THOSE THAT KROL CANNOT. KROL IS STRONG l\lEN, BUT HE COULD NOT HIDE FROM 1\lULG. MULG FOUND HIM AND SMASHED HIM A~\lONG FOR EATING SO LITTLE. BUT J\lULG KNOWS THAT THE MEN IN THEIR CAVES AND ATE THE SATYR KROI.:S HUNGER IS ALMOST AS GREAT AS .1\lULG'S AND THE MEN, AND .1\\ULG LAUGHED. BETTER HUNGER. KROL IS THE RAGE OF TROLLS.l\lULG IS TO STAY STILL AND NOT RUN FROM MULG WHEN THE HUNGER OF TROLLS. KROL AND MULG WILL 1\lULG WANTS TO EAT.

Another interesting anecdote. There is a folktale among the people of southeastern Ord that roughly correlates to this tale. The story speaks of a goat that taunted a troll and then led it a merry chase across the land. In the story, the goat stops to taunt the troll a second time near a village. Having paused to make mock once more, the goat underestimated the troLl's anger, was overtaken, and eaten in view of aU the villagers who lauFh at his grisly fate. The moral is, I suppose, "don't push your luck ." I've never really had a good understanding of the character of the Ordic people, though, and I may be misinterpreting the point of their fab le.

MULG FEARS NOTHING. NOT TROLLS OR TROLLKlN OR BEASTS OR MEN. MULG DOES NOT EVEN FEAR THE MEN OF IRON. THE MEN SENT THEIR l\lAN OF IRON AND HUNTERS TO ATTACK THE TROLLK!N AND 1\lULG. MULG OlD NOT FEAR ITS STONE HANDS OR ITS Si\lOKE OR ITS WEAPON. l\\ULG HAS HIS OWN WEAPON. MULG'S CLUB SMASHED THE WEAPON FROM THE MAN OF IRON'S HAND. MULG GRABBED ITS HEAD AND Sl\1ASHED. THE MAN OF IRON FOUGHT WELL. FOUGHT BETTER TIIAN ANY OTHER, ANY OTHER EXCEPT MULG. MULG WAS PROUD TO SMASH IT INTO THE GROUND AND PULL OUT THE FIRE FRO,\\ ITS HEART. THE MEN WHO FOLLOWED IT RAN BUT 1\lULG WAS FASTER. AND THEY FILLED MULG'S BELLY. i\lEN WILL NOT RETURN NOW. THEY FEAR 1\lULG.

SHAKE THE EARTH LIKE RAGE AND HUNGER.

Runewaker informs me that "KROL" refers to the Dhunian shaman known as Doomshaper and that the shaman himself inscribed these runes upon Mulg's back only a few months ago. Doomshaper is a powerful leader among the laiels of the present day, and we have had reports that a singularly large dire troll often accompanies him. I've never encountered Doomshaper personally, but his reputation among the troUkin precedes him. The most radical warriors fo llow him, incited by his rhetoric of vengeance against humankind and Cygnar in particular. I regret to say their wish for revenge is not entirely unjustified. However, the atrocities committed under Doomshaper's command are unforgivable, and the idea that a creature like Mu.lg now accompanies him is unsettling in the extreme. T shudder to think what should happen ifDoomshapet· were to lead the war bands of the kriels and the voracious Mulg into a Cygnaran city.

no QURRTER ffiRGR2InE: GUTS & GERRS

By David "DC" Carl

D ire Trolls are some of the biggest, baddest, and

hungriest beasties in all of western lmmoren. This

gives a very special perspective on the fact that Mulg the Ancient is the oldest, meanest, and most insatiable dire

troll in known history.

Built Troll Tough Trollblood players and opponents alike know that dire trolls

have some serious durability. Between Snacking, Regeneration,

Alternate Food Source, warlock healing, Protective Aura, and

generous life spirals, they've got staying power well beyond what their ARM stat alone would imply.

Mulg the Ancient takes that dire troll toughness and amps

it up even further thanks to an additional point of ARM

ano an additional helping of damage circles on his life

spiral. The Reach advantage of Mulg's giant dub provides

yet another boost in survivability by allowing him to use the

Snacking ability against a greater number of enemy models in a single turn than would be available to a model without Reach

weaponry.

Mulg's Runebreaker anunus provides some protection for

the friendly Trollblood forces in his vicinity. While its range

limitations only guarantees protection for Mulg himself from short-range spells like Whip Snap or Battering Ram,

Runebreaker forces an enemy to consider positioning carefully

and can put a real crimp on powerful spell effects Like Frostbite, Stone Spray, or Venom.

Tree-to-Face While it is foo lish to underestimate the Trol l bloods as a purely

aggressive faction, there is no denying their melee prowess.

Mulg's got that typical strong suit in spades with his P+S 19 tree trunk along with a P+S 17 open ji,ft. This mammoth's amazing

STR 13 means that even his bare hand hits harder than g iant

swords, hammers, or axes in the hands of some heavy warbeasts

or warjacks.

Mulg is also deceptively fast for his SPD 4 frame. Any time

he's damaged, his SPD leaps up to a 6 for one round. Any time his warlock is damaged, Mulg can make a fu ll advance towards

that enemy model and can mal<e a free attack if the enemy is

in range of his mighty dub. Unless an opponent decides not to

attack Mulg or his warlock, the Ancient is going to be in his face

sooner rather than later.

Mu lg tops off his aggress ive tree-to-face capabilities with the

ability to slam foes away on a critical hit with the rune dub along with the ability to make one final strike at an enemy

that refuses to die if he's in the battlegroup of his little buddy,

Hoarlulc Doomshaper.

ffiulg the Rncient Support Mulg will spend the game smashing the enemies of the

Trollbloods regardless of his current warlock, but there are

plenty of ways to enhance his innate combat prowess with

supporting spells, feats, or abilities.

• Though Mulg has disturbingly impressive threat ranges

against a cooperative opponent, some might try to keep him out of the action by avoiding the Relentless or Protective Fit

triggers. In those cases, Mulg can still find plenty of help from friendly models to get into optimum position. Crusher,

Warpath, Goad, Scroll of Grirnmr, Hoof It, Barroom Blitz,

and Bait the Line are all great positioning tools in the Trollblood warlocks' arsenals. Lanyssa Ryssyl's Hunter's

Mark will stack with any of these abilities along with Mulg's

own Relentless ability for some truly mystJYing threat ranges for a SPD 4 dire troll.

• Against particularly high-DEF targets, spells like Carnage,

Fortune, Wild Aggression, Calamity, and Marked for Death

grant Mulg the accuracy he needs to make every attack count. The Fate Blessed ability or the Spread the Net feat are other

options to increase his accuracy, but knockdown effects from

the Thumper Crew, Troll Impaler, or Runeshapers' Tremor

grant him the greatest accuracy of all by guaranteeing every

attack he makes will find its mark.

• Depending on the opposing threats, damage buffs may be

better uti lized elsewhere. An attack at P+S 17 along with

ai..o: attacks at P+S 19 is probably p lenty. Against a swarm of the heaviest threats imaginable, however, feel free to

use the Flaming Fists, Acidic Touch, or Rage animus with

the Krielstone Elder's Stone Strength thrown on top for

good measure.

By A<

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By Adam Huenecke

In order to get smooth shading and easy transitions between tints, adding some acrylic retarder to your shades and highlights wi.U make your life a lot easier. Retarder changes the drying time and consistency of your paints, giving you more time to work with your colors while blending and offering a creamy, easy-to-work-with texture. This method of shading works most effectively when a shade or highlight is applied over a dry basecoat. Adding a dollop of retarder to your paints will give you those few crucial minutes to blend your colors easily, and with a little practice, you will 6nd that professional-looking shading is within your reach regardless of skill level.

Feel free to fully assemble Mulg before you get to work- his dynamic pose allows you to access all parts of his body for painting. Be forewarned: Mulg is not just a mountain troll; he is a troll who is a mountain. Accordingly, he is a very heavy model. Your 6ngers are going to

get a workout holding this model up, so be ready for some satisfYing cramps.

Step I-Flesh As the "lowest" point on the

model (meaning that all the

other details are piled on top of

it), Mulg's skin is a good place

to start.

1) Basecoat all of the flesh areas

with Bastion Grey.

z) Wash all of the flesh areas with

a thinned mixture of Battlefield

Brown, Thamar Black, and a

touch of Yellow Ink.

3) Shade the flesh with a mixture

of Umbral Umber and Thamar

Black mixed with a drop of acrylic

retarder and a drop of water

to thin the mixture to a roughly

1:1 :1:1 ratio. Use a slightly damp

brush to apply the shadows to the

under sides of Mulg's muscles in

the areas that an overhead light

would not directly shine.

4) Once your shading is dry (even with the retarder, this will be only a few minutes), touch up your

Bastion Grey basecoat by mixing it with a little retarder and reclaiming the upper areas of the

muscles and veins (where light would naturally hit) .

sl Add some Cryx Bane Highlight to your Bastion Grey basecoat and continue highlighting the flesh.

6) Add some Trollblood Highlight to the previous mixture, and add some additional highlights to the

highest areas to really make your shading "pop."

7) Finally, use a small amount of Troll blood Highlight mixed with a little retarder to add some

details around the cracks in Mulg's skin. the crevasses in his face, and the other smaller details

around his flesh.

Colors Used: Flesh: Acrylic Retarder, Battlefield Brown, Bastion Grey, Cryx Bane Highlight, Thamar Black,

Trollblood Highlight. Umbral Umber, Yellow Ink

nn OURRTER mRGR2InE: GUTS & GERRS

Step 2- Stone 1) Basecoat the stones in Bloodtracker Brown with a few outcroppings

basecoated in Pig Iron.

2) Wash all of the stone areas (both the Brown and Iron) with a thinned

mixture of Battlefield Brown, Thamar Black, and Yellow Ink.

3) Shade all of the stone areas (both Brown and Iron) with Battlefield

Brown with a touch of retarder.

4) Start highlighting both stone areas with the same color as their

respective basecoats mixed with a little retarder in order to reclaim your

highlights.

5) Continue highlighting the brown stone with a mix of Bloodtracker

Brown, Rucksack Tan, and retarder.

6) Add some "veins" of minerals to the brown stone by applying horizontal, random stripes. For the darker veins. use a mixture of Thamar Black

and Coal Black. For the lighter veins, mix Rucksack Tan and a touch of Bloodstone.

7) On the metal deposits, use some thinned Bloodstone to apply some oxidation around the base of the outcroppings. Once you are finished

with the entire model and apply your clear coat. you can return to the metal areas and add some Radiant Platinum sparingly to the upper

surfaces to bring back a little of the metallic shine.

8) Add some final highlights to your brown stone using Hammerfall Khaki mixed with a little retarder.

[olors Used: Metal Deposits: Acrylic Retarder, Battlefield Brown, Bloodstone, Pig Iron, Radiant Platinum, Thamar Black

Brown Stone: Acrylic Retarder, Battlefield Brown, Bloodtracker Brown, Hammerfall Khaki, Rucksack Tan. Thamar Black

Veins: Bloodstone. Coal Black, Rucksack Tan, Thamar Black

Step J- Club, loincloth, and Runes I) Basecoat the loincloth in Battlefield Brown, the exposed wood of the club in Beast Hide, the bark of the wood with Thornwood Green, and

the metal rings with Pig Iron. Paint the rune stones draped around Mulg's waist in the same fashion as the flesh areas.

2) Shade the loincloth with a wash of thinned Thamar Black, and wash the entire club with a mix of thinned Battlefield Brown, Thamar Black.

and Yellow Ink.

3) Start highlighting the loincloth with a mixture of Battlefield Brown and retarder. Start highlighting the areas of the trunk using all of its

respective base colors.

4) Highlight the loincloth by adding some Bootstrap Leather to your previous mix of Battlefield Brown and retarder. Highlight the exposed wood

of the club with Hammerfall Khaki, the bark with Cryx Bane Highlight, and add some Bloodstone to the metal rings to add some rust.

5) Add some final highlights to the loincloth with a mixture of Bootstrap Leather and retarder. Also. add some scratches and creases to the

leather of the loincloth by using a small brush to add some random hatch marks and nicks.

6) For

to app

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6) For the runes on the Kriel stone and smaller stones, use a small brush

to apply Gnarls Green mixed with retarder to the recesses of each rune.

Wipe away any excess green that gets outside the rune with a paper towel

before it dries.

7) After the Gnarls Green dries, add another coat of paint inside the runes

with Necrotite Green mixed with retarder. This should create a nice two-tone

"glow." You can add some Cygnus Yellow as a final step to make your larger

runes really stand out.

Colors Used: Loincloth: Acrylic Retarder, Battlefield Brown, Bootstrap Leather,

Thamar Black

Club: Acrylic Retarder, Battlefield Brown, Beast Hide, Cryx Bane

Highlight, Hammerfall Khaki, Pig Iron, Thamar Black, Thornwood Green

Runes: Acrylic Retarder, Cygnus Yellow, Gnarls Green, Necrotite Green

Step 4- Detailing 1) Paint the gums with a base of Sanguine Base, and then highlight

with tints of Sanguine Highlight and Murderous Magenta.

z) Basecoat the eyes in Khador Red Base, and highlight with

tints of Khador Red Highlight and Heartfire.

3) Basecoat the teeth in Rucksack Tan, shade with Battlefield

Brown, and highlight with tints of Menoth White Base and

Menoth White Highlight.

Colors Used: Gums: Murderous Magenta, Sanguine Base,

Sanguine Highlight

Eyes: Heartfire, Khador Red Base, Khador Red Highlight

Teeth: Battlefield Brown, Menoth White Base, Menoth White

Highlight, Rucksack Tan

II

no OUHRTER IDHGH2InE: GUTS & GEHRS

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Guts & Gears takes a look at the men. machines. and monsters of the Iran Kingdoms. Read about what it takes to be a warrior or warbeast with one of the man!l factions or look into the mechanikal workings of hulking warjacks and what it takes to get these multi-tan constructs to dominate the battlefield.

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TID OUHRTER fiHGH2InE: GUTS & GEHRS

By David "DC" Carl • Art by Nestor Ossandan and Andrea Uderzo

Manual regarding the care and history of the Berserker designated Drago

written by Torvich Panninski, Great House Korskovny Volozkyam, Chief Battle Mechanlk to Great Prince Tzepesci, retired

Introduction Over the years, I lost track of the number of times I wished to

escape from that tnfernal machine, but I find that now, at the last, I am saddened our time has come to an end. Drago is no

average warjack; he is not even an average Berserker! Rather,

he is a trusted vassal of the Tzepesci line, a temperamental beast

of war, and a priceless relic of a bygone era.

You will quickly find that your experience with modern 'jacks

simply does not apply here. Berserkers are the oldest warjack model stilltn service anywhere Ln the Iron Kingdoms, and they

sl10w thetr age more than other warjacks. A Juggernaut Ln

service for eight or nine decades likely has had its cortex wiped

at least eight or nine tLrnes-likely more. The older style of

cortex found within Berserkers does not afford us this option, however, so Berserker cortexes reflect the true age of these

ancient weapons.

This fact accounts for Berserkers' oft-unruly behavior and

savage dispositions. When it comes to Drago speci£1caliy, his

unfettered actions are even more justlfted, for the warjack

has seen the bloodiest of battles in every corner of the Iron

Kingdoms and continues to stand victorious even in the face of

overwhelming opposition .

I'm afraid I have gotten ahead of myself already. My point is

this: to understand this warjack, Drago, you must know far

more than technical speci.6cations and service procedures. You must understand the history that has molded this ancient

machine into such a loyal, yet unpredictable warrior of the

Tzepesci house.

The Berserl1er As I'm sure you are aware, the history of the Berserker is deeply entwined with that of the Tzepesci family. Though it has trail.ed

far from the cutting edge of warjack production technology over the past couple of centuries, the innate aggressive nature

of the Berserker still sets it apart from other warjacks on the

field of battle. Berserkers requtre little dlrection when charging

heedlessly into the nearest foes.

Some believe it is the unique patterns inscribed in the cortexes of Berserkers that has led to the gradual degradation of those

cortexes over the years, and that the predilection for barely-

controlled aggression became more extreme as cortexes were ravaged by time.

l think they're just bloody old. Show me another warjack

pushing 200 winters, and I'll show you a cortex in some state

of disrepaLr.

The fact remains, however, that the Berserkers' aggressive

predisposition has served two purposes. First, it has led to

countless acc idents over the years. Berserkers account for the majority of accidental injuries and deaths among Khadoran

mechanics both on and off the field of battle. They have even

claimed a few warcaster injuries over the years. Secondarily,

however, it has led to a warjack Line that meshes perfectly with

the pride, nobility, and aggression of the ancient bloodline of the Tzepesci horselords.

name salle The machine that we now know as Drago was among the first

Berserkers to march forth from the warjack foundries of the

Motherland. His early service rec01·d is not fully documented,

but I am confident he has seen more battles than any other Khadoran warjack in history.

Drago first saw service during the battles to overthrow Ivan

Vladykin. After the cursed necromancer stole the Khadoran

throne, loyal Khadorans throughout the land rose up to abolish his unlawful reign. In those days, Drago Tzepesci fought

numerous engagements against Vladylcin, his supporters, and

his masses of undead thralls. Tzepesci's martial prowess and

reckless bloodlust gradually seeped into the temperaments

of his warjacks. One particular Berserker picked up more

instinctual behavior than most and also became quite protective of its master, frequently rushing into battle at his side without

commands from the warcaster.

Though the battles soon ended, Drago's aggression did

not. After numerous accidents during even the most routine

maintenance or battle exercises, Drago Tzepesci acquiesced to

chaining his Berserker when it was not in use. This practice

has since spread and is now common among mechanics with Berserkers in thetr charge. I understand the Ct:yxians

sometimes utilize the same method to control their more

murderous creations.

Over the years, this Berserker has been passed from one Tzepesci warcaster to another, eventually being named "Drago"

in honor of Great Prince Drago Tzepesci, the warcaster who

unlocked the true potential of this peerless Berserker.

Retrofit Just about every part but Drago's cortex has been replaced

at least three times by now, but the abandon with w hich he

fights ensures that even the newest components are battered, dented, and scratched in short order. There is little use in

attempting cosmetic repairs beyond an occasional fresh paint job. In addition to the standard parts rep lacement, Drago

stands out from other Berserkers due to his unique weaponry.

Towards the end of a particularly brutal battle outside

Merywyn during the conquest of Llael. the wrecks of numerous warjacks a nd the bodies of countless soldiers

li ttered the ravaged landscape. Weary and battered, th e

brave soldiers of the Motherland fo ug ht valiantly against

Llaelese defenders a nd their south ern a lli es seeking to

prevent us from reclaiming ancient Umbrey. In the heat

of battle, Drago wrested his executioner axes from a pair

of wrecked Destroyers. He then strode over the wreckage

and brought his new weapons to bear with frenz ied fervor,

cleaving through not one but two Ironclads that anchored

the enemy lin es .

Any subsequent attempt to arm Drago with other weaponry has met with typ ical violent outbursts, so the "retroftt" was

logged as an official armament upgrade.

leuends A number of rumors a nd legends surround your new

charge. Some of them are true w hile others are naught but

fabr ication.

I can confirm the rumor that Drago's boiler can start on

its own w hen Great Prince V ladimir Tzepesci is nearby.

Somehow, Drago is capable of sensing Great Prince

Tzepesci's presence, and Drago's stro ng connection

to the sorcero us Tzepesci bloodline appears to have

fundamentally altered the ve ry steps needed to start the

warjack . I wou ld like to exp la in this away as an in genious

mechanikal apparatus that reacts to o u tside commands, but I can find no technolog ical reason fo t· this curi ous

behavior. It is a feature of the warjack that can prove qu ite

usefu l at times. Unfortunately, it can a lso prove rather

dangerous, and a number of mechanics have been injured

during unexpected startups.

On the other hand, the rumors that Dt·ago is

possessed by the spirit of Drago Tzepesci cou ld not be further from the truth.

I am confident the soul of Drago

Tzepesci yet does battle, but he

fights on Urcaen not locked

within the hull of a warjack

fighting enemtes on the

fields of Cygnar or Llael. Lend no credence to these

rum or

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rumors w hen you hear them g iven voice, and see that your

own crew does nothing to support these wild tales.

Other rum ors I have hea rd over the years grow even more

absurd from the,·e. Drago does not co nsum e the soul s of the

fallen nor does he run on corpses rath er than coal. To do your

duty as a mechanik you mu st separate supe rstition from fact!

Drago is ce rtainly a tenacious warjack with deeply ingrained aggression, a surv ivor of countless battles, a priceless re lic of

the Tzepesci bloodlin e, and a loyal soldi er for hi s master, but

he is no ghost or ghoul.

reluctant to believe Drago could t.al"t on its own. It is just a machine,

after all. For the ~rat few months working on Drago, I became more certain I was right each day. When Lord Tzepesci was recently called away quickly and unexpectedly to the . eastern front, I was shocked to see Drago start on its own. I still can barely belieye it myself, but I swear it's true.

maintenance Now that you unders tand this unique warj ack w ith w hic h

yo u have been entrusted, I will exp la in some additional

points in w hich Drago diffe r from other warjacks and even

fro m other Berserkers.

First and foremost, you must keep Drago res tra in ed at a ll tim es w hen he is not under the di rect control of Great Prince

Tzepesci. No matte r how sorely tempted you are to disregard this instruction, I implore you to res ist. Even if Drago is

unarm ed, unlit, a nd has no coal in his hopper, you s hould s till

u se the heavy custom-forged chains at all times. This may

sound extreme, even unreasonable, but too many mechanics

have a lready underestimated Drago, a nd I do not want to see

you added to thei1· number.

While Drago is in the vicini ty of Great Prince T zep esci, you

w iU find that his beha vior changes remarkably, but he is no

less dangerous to his crew. His self-w ill a nd eve n a seeming

self-awareness will increase drama tically. This may sound

ben ign, but it is a truly dangerous proposition for a nearly nine-ton heavily armed warjack . On the positi ve s id e, Drago

respo nd s eage rly to Great Prince Tzepesci's co mmands

a nd his wrath finds outlet only against th e Great Prince's

enem ies . His actions remind me of stories of the ancient

Tzepesci horselords w ith steeds that were considered wild

murderous beasts but heed ed th eir lord read ily, becoming

peerless combatants a nd a lli es.

You shou ld follow a ll of th e typical Khadoran warjack

maintenance practices, of course. Keep all pistons well oiled ,

gears free of oxidation, hopper a nd engine cleaned of soot,

and armor plating in good repair. When you are una ble to

find replacement parts, simply commission new ones. You'Ll

get some funny looks commissioning new Berserker parts,

but Great Prince Tzepesci will readily pay any additional fees levied for the ma nufacture of obscure or outdated

components.

Drago also requires additional care as is fitting for a warjack

w ith a n a ntiquated co rtex that is pushing two centuries

of constant use. Be sure to carefully apply the alchemical

TER mHGH2InE: GUTS & GEHRS

bon&ng gel to the weld points on Drago's cortex at least

o nce a month . Unlike many Berserkers, Drago does not yet leak cortical flu id, but it's a continu ing r isk . Berserkers' joint

conn ections are a lso not as tight as current warjacks due to

o lde r man ufacturing processes, so be certa in to thoroughly

scrub a ll joints afte r extensive combat. You'll find bits and

pieces of dried gore in ali sorts of places on a Berserke r that

you wouldn 't on a newer model.

If a new mechanic ever reads this manual, there is one other important note regarding parts replacement - do not replace Drago's head. At one point, we replaced the damaged faceplate with the deep gash running down the aide. Shortly thereafter, Drago became evan mora violent and unruly than usual. I did not realize such a thing was evan possible, but ita chains could barely contain it any longer, and Patr Voronov was crushed between Drago' a arm and hull when he attempted to adjust the restraints.

I scoured the logbook for hours in an at tempt to idan ti fy the causa of Drago • a severe change in behavior. On the whim of a junior mechanic, we dug the old scarred faceplate out of the scrap bin and restored Drago's damaged visage . Shockingly, no ona· was hurt in the process and Drago • a temperament improved immediately.

Conclusion There are far too ma ny glorious battles as well as fa r too

many unfortunate accidents for me to recount them a U in

this s imple manual. Considering that Drago is older than my

grandfather 's grandfather's grandfather would be, th ere are

also countless stories that are lost to the ages. I do wish you

the best of luck and a hea.lthy measure of persevera nce. I

am certa in you wi ll eventua.lly com e to respect a nd admire Drago as I now do.

-Torvich Panninski

While I must confess that my respect for . Drago (af\d for Torvich, for that matter,)

has increased substantially over the past several .months, I also have a growing concern. This warjack has endured much over the years. One could claim that he has evolved into the perfect Berserker, but I fear the truth is that he has devolved into a wild beast beyond our control. Should Great Prince Tzapasci aver fall in battle, it is ~y stern recommendation that Drago be decommissioned immediately.

no OURRTER IDRGR2InE: GUTS & GERRS

ORAliO. TRCTIC!i By David "DC" Carl

Vad's favored Berserker assails its foes with an

unrelenting rain of Executioner Axe attacks. One of the

most focus-efficientwarjacks in all ofWARMACHINE,

Drago is an exceptional tool in the Khadoran warjack arsenal.

Efficient Euisceration Drago's combination of high MAT and efficient offensive

abilities makes it vastly more focus-efficient than similar melee

warjacks. The Aggressive abili1y allows Drago to charge freely,

and the Bloodbath chain attack gives Drago a free attack against

his primary target and a free attack against anyone else that

happens to be in his melee range. Assuming that's even just one

enemy model, Drago gains the equivalent of three free focus

points (one to charge, two for additional attacks).

Tills efficiency makes Drago an excellent warjack selection

for warcasters that do not have lots of focus to spare. Whether

a warcaster's focus goes to spells, other warjacks, his own

combat abilities, or even his power field, Drago can operate

independently with a high degree of effectiveness.

On a truly critical turn, however, a full focus payload can make

Drago even more destructive by granting him up to three more

attacks or boosts than Ills innate abilities allow. Very few other

warjacks in the game can charge a target to make a total of six

attacks against the same foe in one turn.

Runnin!J Riot There can be no denying that the Unstable abili1y is a deterrent

to using focus carelessly. On any given turn that it uses focus

points, Drago just might explode in a shower of shrapnel. As

noted earlier, though, focus can be a real boon when attacking

a particularly tenacious foe, and Drago's Run Riot imprint is

another attractive expenditure for those resources.

Run Riot allows Drago to move an inch a&er each kill. For a

warjack without Reach, this is a great way to cleave through

heavy infantry formations. When using abilities like Run Riot,

always p lan ahead rather than attacking from the most direct

angle. With a half-inch engagement range to each target and a

one-inch step in between, enemy models can be as much as 2"

apart in the most extreme case. Plan ahead to make the most out

of every Run Riot advance to get into melee range with enemies

that would otherwise be out of reach.

The potential drawback of Unstable should always be a

consideration, but like any other warjack, Drago is ultimately

expendable in the service of the warcaster. The abili1y to make

additional attacks or the possibili1y of reaching the opposing

warcasterlwarlock with Run Riot must be weighed against the

possibili1y of premature explosion. Just ensure that if Drago

does trigger Unstable, the POW 14 blast with its roughly 8"

diameter AOE takes out plen1y of opposing soldiers in the

explosion.

Dra!JO Support Drago is an efficient melee warjack who can get by with minimal

warcaster support, but there are a number of warcasters that

take the character Berserker to whole new heights of carnage.

• The most obvious warcaster choices are Vladimir, the

Dark Prince and Vladimir, the Dark Champion. When in a

battlegroup with either Vladimir, Drago's Unstable abili1y

becomes optional, reducing the risk while still maintaining the

potential for a massive explosion. On top of that, Drago gains

increased accuracy and damage, maximizing his already­

impressive melee output.

• Threat range enhancement can be extremely helpful for SPD4

warjacks that Love to get into the action . The vast majori1y of

Khadoran warcasters have at least one form of warjack threat

range enhancement including Bounclless Charge, Conferred

Rage, Forced March, Assail, Superiority, Energizer, Iron

Fist, and Tow.

• Spells, feats, and abilities to buff Drago's damage potentially

can be a real boon against exceptionally heavily-armored foes,

especially when he is running without any focus for boosts

or additional attacks. Blood Frenzy, Fury, and Unearthly

Rage are some of the most powerful tools available, but

don't neglect less common possibilities Like Gorman's Rust

Born!;>, Aiyana's Kiss of Lyliss, or the Ragman 's Death Field.

Mercenary support alone can get Drago's axes up to an

equivalent of P+S 22 against a hardy warjack.

• Though it's not a direct model buff, the ARM 18 Drago gains

more benefit from a good screen than other Khador warjacks.

A front line of !Ugh-defense units like Kayazy Assassins or

high-armor units like Man-a-War Shocktroopers can ensure

Drago reaches battle intact.

PJ By A<

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TER mHGH2InE: GUTS & GEHRS

PRINTINii DRRiiD By Adam Huenecke

In order to get smooth shading and easy transitions between tints, add ing some acrylic

retarder to your shades and highl ights will make your life a lot easier. Retarder changes the

drying time and consistency of your paints, giving you more time to work with your colors

while b lending and offering a creamy, easy-to-work-with texture. T his method of shading

works most effectively when a shade or highl ight is applied over a dry base coat. Adding a

dollop of retarder to your paints will give you those few crucial minutes to blend your colors

easily, and with a little practice, you wil l find that professional-looking shading is within your reach regardless of skill level.

Feel free to fu lly assemble Drago before you get to work - his dynamic pose allows you to

access aU parts of his body for paintiog. Optionally, you could paint the arms separate and then attach them last.

5t~p I-Bas~ [oat I) Base coat Drago's undercarriage, axes, and metal components with Pig Iron. z) Paint the majority of the armor plates in Skorne Red. Pa in t the other plates in a base of Umbra! Umber. 3) Base coat the ri ngs around the spikes and plates with Thamar Black. 4) Paint Drago's face grill , smokestack guards, and axe detail s in Molten Bronze.

[olors Used: Undercarriage and Axes: Pig Iron Armor Plates: Skorne Red, Thamar Black, Umbra! Umber Brass Details: Molten Bronze

no OURRTER mRGR2InE: GUTS & GERRS

St~p 2- Shadin!J 1) Wash all of the Pig Iron components with a thinned mixture of Battlefield

Brown and Yellow Ink. (Leave the axe heads. We will deal with those later.)

2) Shade the red plates with a mix of Exile Blue, Umbra! Umber, and acrylic

retarder in a roughly 1: 1:1 ratio.

3) Shade the brown areas with Thamar Black mixed with retarder.

4) Shade the axe heads with a mixture of Greatcoat Grey mixed with

retarder.

5) Once the Greatcoat Grey on the axes is fully dry, add another shade of

Battlefield Brown mixed with Exile Blue and retarder.

6) Shade the brass components with Brown Ink mixed with Cryx Bane Base.

[olors Used: Undercarriage: Battlefield Brown, Yellow Ink

Armor Plates: Acrylic Retarder, Exile Blue. Thamar Black, Umbra! Umber

Axes: Acrylic Retarder, Battlefield Brown, Exi le Blue, Greatcoat Grey

Brass Details: Cryx Bane Base. Brown Ink

St~p 3- Hi!Jhli!Jhtin!J

[olors Used:

1) On the red plates, first touch-up your basecoat and clean up any

excess shading by applying Skorne Red to the upper areas of the

plates that light wou ld naturally hit. Next, add some Khador Red

Highlight and retarder to your Skorne Red and apply a further tint

of highlight.

2) On the brown plates, touch-up your basecoat with Umbra! Umber.

and then add Blood tracker Brown and retarder to your Umbra! Umber

for additiona l highlights. Fina ll y, use Bloodtracker Brown mixed with

retarder to add highlights to the highest areas and upper detail edges

(rivets, etc).

3) On the b lack plates, apply a highlight of Coal Black mixed with

Umbra! Umber and retarder. Add Cryx Bane Highlight to the mixture

to apply some final highlights to the upper edges.

4) On the brass components, simply touch-up your basecoat with

Molten Bronze in the upper areas.

5.) Touch up your metal components with Pig Iron, and then add

some Radiant Platinum on the ra ised areas to bring out the details.

6.) Once the entire model is highlighted. take a small brush and apply

the scrapes and chips all around Drago's painted armor plates with

Pig Iron mixed with a touch of Thamar Black. Remember, Drago is

possibly the longest-serving and most ill-tempered Warjack in the

Khador arsenal , so go crazy with the damage and weathering.

Armor: Acrylic Retarder, Bloodtracker Brown, Coal Black, Cryx Bane Highlight.

Khador Red Highlight, Skorne Red, Thamar Black, Umbra! Umber.,

Metal: Radiant Platinum, Pig Iron

Eyes: Heartfire, Khador Red Base, Khador Red Highlight

Brass: Molten Bronze

Damage: Pig Iron, Thamar Black

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TER mHGH2InE: GUTS & GEHRS

Step ij- lletailinQ 1) In order to give the battle damage a more realistic look, add a drop shadow to the upper edge of each scrape. Not every scrape needs a drop

shadow on the top, only the more horizontal scratches that would cast a small shadow from an overhead light.

z) On the lower rim of each scrape, add a small bit of highlight to simulate light hitting the paint around the damage. On the red areas. use a

mixture of Skorne Red and 'Jack Bone. On the Brown plates, use Beast Hide. Don't worry too much about the black-you could add some Cryx Bane

Highlight, but it will not make much difference considering the high contrast.

3) On the metal components, use thinned Bloodstone to apply light rust around the rivets and joints. Drago spends a lot of time in the field, and

the mechanics don't like to get close enough to him for much preventative maintenance.

4) Base coat the skull necklace in 'jack Bone. Shade the skulls with Battlefield Brown and highlight with Menoth White Highlight.

5) For the lire in Drago's eyes, shoulders, and axe vents, apply Khador Red Base to each area with a small brush. Next, mix Khador Red Highlight

with retarder and add a tint to each area. Finally, add Heartlire to Drago's eye slit to give them a sinister glow.

6) After clear coating your model for protection, use Radiant Platinum to apply some final

highlights to the metal areas and battle damage. This will reclaim the metallic tones

that your clear coat will likely mute and give your model an extra glint. Mix Radiant

Platinum with Molten Bronze to touch up your brass components, and enjoy.

Colors Used: Skulls: Battlefield Brown, 'Jack Bone, Menoth White Highlight

Eyes: Heartlire, Khador Red Base, Khador Red Highlight

Highlights: Beast Hide, 'jack Bone, Molten Bronze,

Radiant Platinum, Skorne

Rust: Bloodstone

melted Snow After painting and clear coating your

model. you might want to apply some

melted snow to the base. In order to do this,

mix white glue and baking soda in a 1:1 ratio. Use

an old brush to glob the mixture onto your base, and

Jet it dry fully. The result is easy to make piles of melted snow!

You could even use this effect to add some accumulated snow to

your wintery 'Jacks or battle engines.

What I 1 its pres a scale with itE served malevol

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PAGE2

ljgl AR: Upon discovering a transcription of the Thuria's Promise's

original shipping manifest, Dexer Sirac lead a troop of mercenaries

to the ruins of l':oorcraig Castle to recover an ancient artifact. Only Dexer Sirac, the infamous s niper Kell Bailoch , and two mercenaries

named Durst and Lank returned form this mysterious expedition.

Durst and Lank subsequently died under suspicious circumstances.

591-593 AR: Dexer Sira c used h is role in the Inquisition to slay

an indeterminate number of arcanists found guilty of witchcraft,

using the •.vitchfire a s the instrument of execution.

593 AR: The Corvis Coven witch trials. :b'ive women were accused of witchcraft, including Lexaria Ciannor, Alexia's mother. The women

were convicted and beheaded. Again, Dexer Sirac used the \vitchfire

to carry out the executions. The execution ritual unleashed a massive surge of energy that knocked Head Inquisitor Sirac

unconscious. Bodyguards of l'lagistrate Ulfass Borloch carried

Sirac from the scene and left the \vitchfire behind.

593 AR: Prelate Pandor Dumas, Alexia's uncle and head of the

l~orrowan Church in Corvis, recovered the \Vitchfire from the site of

the Corvis Coven execution. He used h is influence to have Lexaria

Ciannor's corpse interred in the Corvis Grand Cathedra l while the other four witches were buried outside town. Dumas sealed the

\vitchfire below Lexaria's tomb as "its nature unsettled him and he

felt it best kept on holy ground."

59• AR: Alexia Ciannor was sent to live with her uncle, Prelate Dumas. The Inquisition was disbanded when Leto became king. l•lany

inquisitors were arrested and executed while others such as Head Inquisitor Sirac become wanted outlaws.

602 AR: A series of u nexplained grave robberies were discovered

around Corvis. Among the graves plundered was the site containing

four members of the Corvis Coven.

602 AR, Longest Ni ght: Hundreds of u ndead assaulted the Chapel

of Morrow in Corvis, allegedly a rriving from the nearby ruins of :b'ort Rhyker. The tomb of Lexaria Ci annor was desecrated, her body

and the bodies of her coven sisters were removed, and the \vitchfire

was stolen.

603 AR: Agents of the outlawed Inquisition, led by Dexer Sirac operating under the a lias Vahn Oberen, infiltrated Corvis. They

seized control of the city with the hel p of collaborator l'lagistrate

Borloch and prepared for the arrival of a skorne a rmy led by Vinter Raelthorne. Vinter Raelthorne's efforts were thwarted when Alexia

Ciannor used the '.Vitchfire to raise the Legion of Lost Souls to aid

the city* during t he Battle of Corvis.

603 AR: Alexia relinquished the '.Vitchfire and The Church of J·;orrow took custody of the blade after the Battle of Corvis . High

Prelate Dumas sent t h e sword south intending it for safekeeping in

the Sancteum.

60" AR: Alexia attacked the caravan carrying the \vitchfire to the Sancteum and stole t h e sword. This act earned her the enmity of

the Order of Illumination, which was s anctioned by the Churc}:l of l':orrow to use force in recovering the blade.

60• AR - Present: \vhile on the run from the Order of Illumination,

Alexia survives by selling her services as a mercenary. Clients appear to be those desperate enough to make use of her necromantic

power to destroy t heir enemies.

* The "Legion of Lost Souls" is worthy of a dossier itself. The Sancteum has records on this supernatural phenomenon. Allegedly

the dead raised by Alexia to defend Corvis derived from a mercenary

company long in Cygnaran employ called the Eternals, sla in while

in the service of l'lalagant the Grim. They were interred in a hidden tomb in 295 AR after a border conflict between Cygnar and Khador.

Their tomb was built following the instructions of a host of

J{orrowan archons at which time it was prophesied they would "rise

again to keep the forces of darkness at bay."

• I believe it is crucially important first to understand the history of the Witchfire and then examine how it intertwines with Alexia's own. This is key to ascertaining the extent of the threat they pose together. •

As with many ancient artifacts, divining the origins of the Witchfire is akin to tracking down a single grain of sand in the middle of the Bloodstone. Still, I am not without my resources, and there are a number of compelling myths and legends that inform the blade's history-although few are individually reliable.

The first tenuous mention of the Witchfire is attributed to Scion Delesle, the Thamarite Patron of Necromancy. Legend states that she wielded a "black sword" that later adherents believed was the Witchfire. Precisely how she used this blade is disputed, but Delesle was involved in the murder of dozens of Menite priests, and her moment of dark ascension is said to have involved impaling herself with her black sword. Some of her adherents believe the power of this dark blade and the combined deaths of her enemies helped trigger her transformation into a scion, at which point she joined her dark mistress in Urcaen.

The following document was culled from a set of ancient Thamarite scrolls, and its author claims to have been present during the ascension of Delesle.

-G.K.

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attributed :ecromancy. r that later ly how she

-G.K.

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You will of course note the descriptions of a "black blade" used in the ritual slaying of Menite priests. Although the sword detailed above is not completely described, I am not the first to suspect it to be the Witchfire. The sword is described as "devouring" the minds, bodies, and souls of the scion's victims-their essence, so to speak. This trait is also attributed to the Witchfire.

I think the circumstantial evidence is strong enough to suggest that Scion Delesle may have wielded the Witchfire during her lifetime. There are pieces of Thamarite lore going so far as to suggest this sword was created by Delesle, but more impartial theologians and scholars suggest its decorative elements and markings derive from an older era. I am not inclined to guess at the Witchfire's true origins, and honestly, its genesis hardly matters at this point beyond satisfying sagacious curiosity. Some have noted the weapon bears similarity to Orgoth weaponry. While true, the earliest recorded incidents attributed to the blade occurred as much as a thousand years before the Orgoth came to these shores, so I am inclined to believe the weapon has no direct connection to those oppressors.

' -G.K.

The following passage from the Tome of Defiance describes a skirmish between Thamarite and Morrowan forces where Zerosh, now ascribed the higher Thamarite priestly rank of cantor, used the Witchfire's power to animate the dead. The Witchfire is described in some detail, leaving little doubt that Akhet Zerosh once wielded the blade and made use of its power to establish himself as a powerful servant of Thamar. Note that while legends surrounding this sword often speak of its presence stirring the dead to walk, this is the first recorded mention of this process being deliberately initiated.

-G.K

•

The most widely documented incidents involving the Witchflre transpired 400 years after Delesle's dark ascension. The .most infamous wielder of the blade was a Thamarite priesrby the name of Akhet Zerosh who used the Witchflre to embark upon a bloody crusade against the clergy of both Menoth and Morrow.

While brief mentions of Zerosh's crusade exist in many historical tomes, a highly detailed account exists in a rare Thamarite volume called the "Tome of Defiance." One of the last remaining copies of this book, which was largely destroyed by the Inquisition, is in the care of High Prelate Dumas in Corvis. It was among Dexer Sirac's belongings recovered after the battle of Corvis.

Though it does not explain how the blade came into his possession, the chronicle recounted Akhet Zerosh's use of the Witchfire in his rise to power among the Thamarites and documents a murderous reign of terror in which he allegedly slaughtered hundreds of Morrowan and Menite priests. The chronicle describes in great detail how these priests were offered to Thamar in a ritual sacrifice, with the Witchflre serving as the instrument of their execution. I believe this type of sacrificial ceremony allows the Witchflre to absorb the essence of those it slays and transfer a portion of their power to its wielder. This would help explain Akhet Zerosh's meteoric rise to power.

-G.K.

unremar. was liste shipped I heirloom Church o

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With locat: appears D1 the ruins c Cryxian w. by Lord Tc lightly-or However, I driven, an1 the details one intere1

Dexer Sir infamous : trusted hi to handle to his lesf from Kell expedition

---G.K.

Though there are hints and rumors of others wielding the blade, there is nothing concrete in the historical record for the next 200 years, when the Witchfire shows up in a shipping manifest, of all things, in 1015 BR. Only the diligence of monk-scribes of Ascendant Doleth-who prize all nautical documents-preserved and later transcribed this otherwise unremarkable manuscript. A ship called Thuria 's Promise apparently carried the Witchfire in its hold. The weapon was listed as part of a cargo of other "items of historical import intended for sale in Caspia." It seems likely whoever shipped the blade and the captain of the vessel had no idea of its import and considered it merely a potentially valuable heirloom. A copy of the shipping manifest was also among the belongings of Dexer Sirac. It was confiscated by the Church of Morrow along with his journal, which proved to be a bountiful source of information on the Witchfire.

Apparently Sirac had been seeking the Witchfire for some time and had turned to a number of unexpected sources­Thamarites, infernalists, and other nefarious individuals his order was sworn to root out and destroy-for any shred of information regarding the blade. Given his status as head inquisitor under King Vinter IV, he was in a unique position to investigate the trail of the blade. This journal entry relates his discovery of the ancient shipping manifest.

-G.K

CAfTDV1f 17TJ.-<, nl AR

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With location of the Witchfire known to him, it appears Dexer Sirac set about retrieving it from the ruins of Castle Moorcraig. An expedition into Cryxian waters to the ruins of a castle destroyed by Lord Toruk himself is not a task undertaken lightly-or one with much chance of success. However, Dexer Sirac was nothing if not bold and driven, and although his journal does not relate the details of his voyage to Moorcraig, I did find one interesting source that did.

Dexer Sirac was known to work with the infamous assassin Kell Bailoch and apparently trusted him (as much as he trusted anyone) to handle situations too important to assign to his lesser minions. What follows is a letter from Kell Bailoch to Dexer Sirac regarding the expedition to Moorcraig.

-G.K.

TfMPEN ZlfT; )'I M

i>EXER,

y,.,_ If£ II A((fP17,Bi.£ r<>P. TilE W1lfl 0<1(118£> IN y,.,_ ll/IW. IW/U A«EPTTI/E WM o( Zoo 4ot.ll (ROWN5 To 5ER.VE A5 YOfiR. "8o!IY4VAR.!I ."

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YOfiR. 'FRJEN!> ANI> AUY,

~~

Dexer Sirac never spoke openly about the Witchfire and clearly intended to use its power secretly for his own benefit. He "concealed" the sword in plain sight by utilizing it in the fulfillment of his office. When examining the cases in which he was involved, I found a marked increase in Sirac's personal involvement in the execution of sorcerers after 691 AR. Before that date, many of those tasks were handled by subordinates. The last and now most infamous case in which he was involved was the Corvis Cove~ Witch Trials in 593 AR where five women were executed with the blade-one of them Alexia's mother, Lexaria Ciannor.

After examining the Tome of Defiance, I can safely conclude that Dexer Sirac was using the Witchfire to steal power and strength from gifted arcanists to bolster his own ability. Additionally, I think we are all very fortunate that the ritual he attempted at the Corvis Witch Trials was too much for him to handle and that Dexer Sirac lost possession of the sword. Clearly Dexer Sirac intended to reach similar levels of power as Akhet Zerosh-a frightening proposition for Vinter IV's Cygnar. I wonder if the Lion's Coup might have ended differently if King Vinter had access to such an ally.

The events of the Corvis Coven Witch Trials are fairly well documented. However, the following account-from one of Magistrate Ulfass Borloch's personal guards-focuses on the executions themselves. The guard, one Darius Mosley, is currently spending the remainder of his life rotting in Bloodshore Island for his part in Magistrate Borloch's crimes. I managed to converse with him briefly, and he was quite forthcoming about the events of the Corvis Coven Witch Trials. The following account is a detailed transcription of the conversation I had with Mosley. In it, I think you will find some fascinating corollaries between Head lnquisitor Sirac's ritualized slaying of the five women accused of witchcraft and the slaughters perpetrated by Akhet Zerosh.

-G.K.

/

1 reall':1 should~'t talk a"Dout this. Borloc.h paid Vira~ c.row~s to keep our mouths shut a"DolAt what happe~ed that

~ight. But ~ow I'm Loc.ked i~ here a~d almost ever1:1o~e else i~volved with that mess is dead . Ma1:1"De the':1'LL reduc.e m1:1 se~te~c.e it I tell 1:10u what I remem"Der.

Those wome~ were guilt'? . I'm sure ot that. Whe~ Magistrate Borloc.h read aloud the List ot their c.rimes1 I c.ould~'t wait to see their heads c.ome awa1:1 from their ~ec.ks. Still, it was~'t Like a~1:1 e)(ec.utio~ I'd ever see~ . Wh':1 we had to do it wa1:1 out i~ the woods1 tor o~e, ~ever made se~se to me. We had e)(ec.uted witc.hes "Detore, a~d it was aLwa1:1s do~e i~ the pu"Dlic. square. People ~eed to see that ki~d of thi11'g .

We dragged those wome~ out to the Widower's Wood to a plac.e that had "Dee~ prepared. lt was a grave1:1ard1 a~d a reall':1 old o~e. Most ot the graves were just mou~ds c.overed over with moss. It o"Dviousl':1 had~'t "Dee~ used i~ c.e~turies. It was a~ eerie plac.e1 though. I remem"Der that muc.h .

The i~quisitor was alread':1 there whe~ we arrived, a~d he had this "Dig "Dlac.k sword u~sheathed a~d was holdi~g it ac.ross his arms. It was a~ evil-Looki~g th i~g . The wome~ were Lead i~to a~ area where the grass had "Dee~ "Dur~t awa1:1 1 a c.irc.ular c.Leari~g a"Dout te~ teet ac.ross . Vira~ a~d I were supposed to hold the wome~ dow~ so the e)(ec.utio~er c.ould swi~g the sword1 "Dut it tur~ed out it was~'t ~ec.essar1:1 . The wome~ just k~elt dow~, "Dowed their heads, a~d Let him do it. It was as if the'? did~'t wa~t to Live a~1:1more.

Ever1:1thi~g a"Dout that e)(ec.utio~ was just odd . Duri~g the whole thi~g the i~quisitor was mutteri~g i~ some L'a~guage ~o~e ot us had ever heard . It was thic.k a~d guttural, a~d it almost sou~dedlike he was gru~ti~g rather tha~ talki~g . Eac.h time he Lopped ott o~e ot those witc.h's heads1 he would mutter or c.ha~t Louder, a~d that sword of his glowed tor a sec.o~d or two. The~ the i~quisitor would stagger a Little, Like that glow was taki~g somethi~g out ot him . But it was~'t u~til the Last woma~-I remem"Der she was the prettiest ot the "Du~c.h a~d the o~l':1 o~e that would Look the i~quisitor i~ the e1:1e-that ever1:1thi~g we~t to hell. B1:1 the time the i~quisitor got to her1 he was trem"Dli~g so "Dadl':1he c.ould "Darel':1hold 011 to the sworc\1

a11d his c.ha11ti11g was short a11d quic.k Like he'd ru11 out of "Dreath . Whel1 he n11all':1 did "Dehead the last witc.h1 the sword "Durst i11to flames a11dhe tell to his k11ees. The i11quisitor stopped c.ha11ti~g at that poil1t1 a11d whe11 he did1 the flames jumped from the sword o11to him a11d e11gulfed him c.ompletel':1 . The'? did11't seem to "Dur11 him1 "Dut he sure sc.reamed Like the'? were. Fi11all':1 the flames we11t out1 a11d he pitc.hed over tac.e f,rst i11 the dirt1 out c.old .

The whole t'ni11g seemed to sc.are the piss out of the magistrate, a11d · he ordered Vira11 al'ld I to pic.k up the e)(ec.utiol'ler a11d c.arr':1him. "Dac.J:c:. to Borloc.h's ma11se. We Lett the sword a11d the "Dodies where the'? were-the magistrate was i11 a11 awful hurr1:1 to get out ot there.

I thi11k those wome11 deserVed to die1 "Dut I tell 1:1ou trul':1 there was somethi11g "wro11g" a"Dout that e)(ec.utio\1. It was11't justic.e "Dei11g do11e · there; it was somethi11g else, somethi11g to do with that dam~ed sword a11d whoever the hell that i11quisitor was.

e Last thi11g I remem"Der from that ~ight was also ver1:1 stra11ge. As were draggi~g awa1:1 the e)(ec.utiol1er1 I heard a Little girl c.r1:1i11g . kept sa1:1i11g1 "Momma. Momma• over a11d over agai11 . I'm 11ot sure

that was just i11 m1:1head or it she was ac.tuall':1 out i11 the woods us. I hope 11ot; that was 11othi11g tor a c.hild to see.

MOTHE~r

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4ft.er Dexer Sirac was dragged away from the execution site, Prelate Pandor Dumas and his Morrowan acolytes arrived and f ecovered the bodies of the five women. They also took possession off the Witchfire. Prelate Dumas was the brother-in-law ofe Lexaria Ciannor but had been cleared of any complicity with the witches during their trial. I believe Prelate Dumas had no knowledge of the blade's power. When conversing on the subject, he has claimed that he felt the sword was unwholesome due to its connection with the executions, and this was why he entombed it on holy ground near the body of his sister-in-law in the

Grand Cathedral. He has been apologetic about the fact that she was buried there rather than in the less prestigious gravesite outside of town chosen for the other members of the coven. Such preferential treatment for the families of clergy not uncommon.

~ The now orphaned Alexia was sent to live with her closest living relative, Prelate Dumas. The Church of Morrow likely believed that Dumas would have a positive influence on Alexia and subvert any possible sorcerous "taint" passed to her by her mother.

The following letter sent from Dumas to his superior in Fharin relates some of the difficulties he had with his young niece soon after taking custody of her. This letter and the testimony of Borloch's guard leave little doubt, I think, that Alexia actually witnessed the execution of her mother. I can only imagine what effect that had on her.

v,~,_, "> .. , I M\lrT ,._OMIT TO COME EMt .... ~rrMENT TH,._T I rEND Y0\1 THII !-ETTEI/.. WHEN I KNOW 1'01/.. CEI/..T .... IN YOV H,._VE f'IV- MO'-f 11\1\POI/..T,._NT M,._TTEM TO ,._TTEND TO. f-/owEvEI/..

1 I ,._PPE,._L- TO YOu NOT IN YOul/.. Of'f'ICE' ,._, 1/,c,._l/.. Of' oul/.. HOL-Y CHuUH tuT IN,.._,

WI-E I KNOW YOu CONI! DEl/.. ;urT ,._, IMPOI/..T,._NT. I ,._PPE,._L- TO You ,._, ,._ MOTHEI/.. WHO H,._l ,_....,rED TWO D,._vGHTE'-1 TO ,._DuL.Tf-10001

tOTH Of' WHOM H,._VE GONE ON TO M,._KE THEil/.. MOTHEI/.. PW\JD .

Ar Yov KNOW, I H,...vE tEEN GrvEN currooY oF MY YovNG N1HE AL-Exr,... ,._PTE'- t'"'- MOTHEI/.. w,...r cH,...,_c;Eo ,...ND Ex-HVTED PO'- THE

C~ME Of' WITCHC,_....f'T. AL-EXI,._ H,._l tEEN PWf'O\JNDI-Y ,._f'f'ECTE'D tY HEI/.. MOTHEI/.. I DE .... TH, ,._NO I f'IND TH,._T MY ME .... GEI/.. II<JI.-1..1 ,._T

CHIL-D 1/..E,...,__,NG ,._'-f WHOL-L-Y IN .... DEQ.u,._TE IN PWVIDING ,._NY COMI'OI/..T TO THE GI'-1--

~HE II WrTHD,_....WN

1

DE\PONDENT, ,._NO 1/..EFUIE'I TO H,._VE ,._NITHING TO DO W1TH OTHEI/.. CHIL-01/..EN. ~HE t,._I/..EL-Y rPE .... Kr, ,._NO I C,._N

H,._'--01-Y CO,._X HE I/.. 1NTO E,._TING ENOuGH TO KEEP HE I/.. rTII..ENGTH uP. f-/owEvEI/..1 THI I II NOT THE WOII..rT Of' rT. NE .... '-1-Y EVEII..Y

NIGHT rHE W,._KEI f(I/..E' .... MING PI/..OM TE~t!-E NrGHTM,._'-;E\1

Of'TE'N ~!-!-lNG 0\JT HEll.. MOTHE,: I N,._ME. 07-HEI/.. TIMEr, I HE,._II.. HEll..

T,._!-I<.JNG IN HE'll.. 1!-EEP, .... G .... IN MUTTE''-'NG HEll.. MOTHEI/.. I N,._ME ,._ND.-.OTHEI/.. N,._MEI. I rWE,._I/.. I HE,._I/..0 HEll.. rPE,._K THE N,._ME Of'

M,._GirT,_....TE f?o'-1-0CH IN HEll.. 11-EEP ,._ FEW NIGHT\ ,._GO. I THOuGHT I H,._D INIU~TED HEll.. PWM THE EvENT\ Of' HEll.. MOTHE,: I

'(1/H,._T CONCEI/..NC ME THE MOrT ,._,_E ,._ NUMtEII.. Of' Dl rru#l..tiNG \IGNI TH,._T AL-EXI,._ M,._Y H,._VE 1NHE'-'TED HEll.. MOTI-lE,: I 10'-CEI/..0111 T~,._L-, tvT PEI/..H,._Pr I 1',._1!-ED.

T .... !-ENTI- p,._,_....MOuNT ,._MONG THEM II TH,._T AL-EXI,._ rEEMED TO KNOW ,._tOuT HEll.. MOTHE,: I DE .... TH ,._NO CEII..T .... IN EVENT\ ,._tOuT

THE Ex-ECuTION tEf'OI/..E I TOL-D HEll.. ,...NITHrNG. ON TH,...T TEI/..I/..Iti..E NIGHT, I 1/..ITuii..NED HOME TO FIND AL-EX,,._ ,._w,...KE ,._NO rrTTrNG

ON HEI/.. tED IN THE 0 .... 1/..1<.. I NEEDED TO TEL-L- HEll.. TH,._T HEll.. MOTHEII..,,H,._~ P,._rrEo-Moii..WW HEL-P ME, TO TEL-L-,._ CH1!-D rutH ,._ TEII..'-'tL.E THING-tuT tEPOII..E I couL-D r,._Y ,._ wo'-D, AL-EXI,... ,,._,o, ~HEr DE,...D, VNCL-E. I PEL-T HEll.. orE, VNCL-E, tY THE t~cK IWOI/..0. r'·f>EI.-T HEll.. D1E." No~ 'ojl..'( dil> rHE KNOW TH,._T HEll.. MOTHEI/.. H,._D tEEN Ex-ECuTED, tuT rHE ,._1-10 KNEW THE WC .... TION ,._NO THE M,._NNEI/.. Of' TH

E'x-fCUTrON; ~GHT DOWN TO ,._ DEIC'-'PTION OP THE t~DE TH,._T ENDED LEx-,._,_,,._' I 1.-IPE . Aoo TO TH,._T HEll.. CII..YPTIC rT,._TEMENT

,._touT f>EE!-I"'G LEx-,._,_,,._ DIE, ,._ND I ,._M 1'01/..CED TO WONDEII.. If' THE Gl'-1- DOEr NOT PorrErr lOME PII..EICIENT ,._tfi..(TY ,._I<.JN TO HEll..

MOTHE..:r T.-ik-ENTI. • Ar y-ou I<NOW, MY' ~THED,_....L- H,._r tEEN rHOII..T rr,._PPED ,._NO I H,._vE ,...1-,_E,...DY ENT'-f,...TED POll.. ,._DDITION,...L- ruPPOI/..T. I oo NO,T

W'-'TE To tE~tOI/.. TH,._T POINT tvT MEII..EI-Y' TO INDIC,._TE WOI/..K. TENDING TO MY PL-OCK H,._r 1/..EQ.UII/..ED MOrT OP MY TIME ,._NO !-Ef'T

P'-fCIOur 1-rTTL.E TO rEE TO THE Gl'-1-1 I NEED\. l,._I<JNG INTO ,._ccouNT AL-EXI,._' r DETE''-'O,_....TING rT,._TE ,._NO THE rT,_....NGE EvENT

I DErl''-'tEI> ,._tovE, I WONDEI/.. If' I ,._M DOING THE Grii..L- ,._ D11fEI/..V1CE tY KEEPrNG HEll.. WITH ME. PEI/..H .... PI rHE WOul-D tE tETTEII.. rEII..VED 1.-;VING ,._T .... Moii..WW,._N 01/..PH,._N,...GE WHEI/..E THOlE II<JI-1.-ED IN DE .... L.ING WITH CHI!-DII..EN IN HEll.. CONDITION COul-D HE!..P HEll..

ovEUOME HEll.. G'-'Ef' ....... ND I,._PEGu,._'--0 HEll.. f'WM THE TEMPTI'-TrON TO urE ,._NY 101/..CEWul ,._tii-ITIE'r rHE MIGHT PorrErr .

-At ,._1.-W .... Y'I, I TI/..UrT YOul/.. JUDGMENT EXPL.tCITI-Y, ,._ND YOUI/.. ,._DvrCE ON THErE M,._TTEI/..1 wouL-D tE INV .... I..\I .... ti..E TO ME .

YouM rN Moii..Ww,

p!!:~M(k~ Prelate Dumas did not, of course, send Alexia away, and while some have crit icized him for not doing so, I think we are all quite fortunate that he kept her with him. Without his influence, I think Alexia might have more easily succumbed to the temptations to use the Witchfire for greater evils . I believe the time she spent with ller uncle-by all accounts a kind and just man strong in his faith-is largely responsible for what restraint she has shown. However, I cannot help but wonder if this restraint is steadily erodiTIS the longer she is in possession of the Witchfire.

-G.K.

There were no further letters regarding Alexia's "deteriorating state." I think she found S<wJ.e way to cope with her mother's death and on the surface at least appeared to have a normal childhood. However, I think there is little question that she harbored both a growing obsession with her dead mother and a growing ability in the sorcerous arts, which she appears to have concealed from her uncle. Prelate Dumas seems to have been genuinely shocked to discover his niece's actions around the Longest Night in Corvis at the end of 602 AR. It is worth noting that he initiated the investigation into the grave robberies transpiring ar ound Corvis during this time, and he clearly did not anticipate the culprit might be his own niece.

Amid the festivities of the Longest Night celebrations, a horde of walking dead rose up from the undercity to assault Corvis and wreak all manner of havoc. Their goal was unclear, but a large number of the undead converged on the Corvis Cathedral where coincidentally both the Witchfire and Alexia's mother were entombed.

The plague of undead that besieged Corvis was largely driven back by the City Guard, led by Julian Helstrom, but also members of the Fraternal Order of Wizardry and others. Magi roamed the city during the attack and destroyed the walking dead with gouts of arcane fire or bolts of eldritch lightning. One of these brave wizards was Magus Lorimer Kex who was posted near the Corvis Cathedral. His report to his high magus regarding the night's events contains some interesting observations-observations that leave little doubt that this was the time and place where Alexia fir st took up the Witchfire.

Date: Ashtoven 23rd, 602 AR

To: High /"\agus Wyatt Sunbright

From: /"\agus Lorimer 1Cex

-G.K.

Pardon the tardiness of my monthly report. High /"\agus. You chose an auspicious time to be away from Corvis on business, as events in the city have been rather engrossing. The lodge senior clerk already sent you a full report on the invasion of walking dead that assaulted the city during the Longest Night. /"\y report, however, contains a number of additional observations on this event you may ftnd interesting.

Shortly after the undead attacked, I was sent along with two other magi to guard the Grand Cathedral. The undead, although scattered throughout the city, seemed to be converging on the area around the cathedral. We engaged the walking dead with arcane ftre, for the risen are often quite vulnerable to such magic. After our ftrst battle with a small group of the dead on the grounds of the cathedral. we quickly realized we faced something quite a bit more powerful than simple animated corpses.

It was a shocking realization that the animated corpses attacking Corvis were not spontaneously arisen undead, but true thralls bearing runes of animation. They acted with speed and coordination. armed themselves with crude weapons. and used basic combat tactics far beyond the abilities of lesser undead. To create a single thrall of this type requires a significant investment of time on the necromancer's part. Creating so many would ordinarily require a large cabal of necromancers. but we have found no sign of such a group operating in the region. The marks all seem similar, suggesting a single architect behind them. which would require tremendous power. The animating runes do not match those we have seen used by either the Thamarite Shroud or the necrotechs of Cryx.

Though the danger has passed, I would urge you to send this information to Ceryl and devote whatever resources are necessary to discover who (or what) was behind the attack. On that point, I have one bit of information that may prove usefuL

/"\y brothers and I were engaged in a protracted battle with a group of particularly stubborn thralls when the gates of the cathedral opened to emit three ftgures. In the lead was a young woman; her head and face were obscured with a heavy cowl. She had in her possession a truly prodigious sword with an ebony blade and cradled it in her arms like a mother might cradle her babe. Behind her came two thralls. Their shambling, uneven gait gave away their deathly condition almost immediately. One of them carried a shroud-wrapped bundle that could have only been a corpse.

I called out to the woman. but she ignored us and walked into the night with the two thralls in tow. Engaged with the undead as we were, we were unable to give chase, and once we dispatched our foes, she had long since disappeared. I certainly can't say this woman was responsible for the attack on Corvis, but she may have been afftliated with it in some way. Certainly the incident seemed suspicious.

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lerhaps no event illustrates the supernatural power Alexia Ciannor and the Witchfire represent as the pivotal battle in Corvlse where Vinter Raelthorne IV and his invading army of skorne were defeated and driven from the city. Although Alexia's raising of the Legion of Lost souls, the long-dead mercenary company that served Cygnar ages ago, to defend the city and drive out the Invaders ultimately worked for greater good, it was a frightening display of power. How much of that power was hers and how much the Witchfire, I do not know. If Alexia did not possess the Witchfire until after the Longest Night in 602 AR, this means she already possessed the power to animate hundreds of undead on her own skill. United with the Witchfire she raised an of the dead that numbered over a thousand strong, and that was when the sword was still new to her possession.

Although there are hundreds of accounts of the Battle of Corvis, the following from a member of the city guard included In a packet of reports sent by Captain Julian Helstrom to Duke Kielon Ebonhart IV at Fort Falk is a particularly compelling description of Alexia's arrival into the city and the impact it had on those facing death at the hands of Vinter's skorne allies. It also serves as a reminder that there are many in Corvis who do not see Alexia as a dangerously unstable necromancer but as a savior. To many of the common folk in Corvis, Alexia is nothing less than a hero who drove back the forces of a great alien army and protected the hearths and homes of the citizenry.

-G.K.

Date: Tempen 13th, 603 AR

To: Captain Julian Helstrom

From: Sergeant Timus lronsmith

Captain, as you know, not all of us fell under the sway of Vinter's forces when he and his damned Inquisition moved in and took

control of Corvis. Some of us resisted, quietly at first, and when that army of inhuman invaders appeared at the gates, we took up

our blades and rifles and prepared to give our lives in defense of the city. I feel it is my duty to inform you how bravely the men of

the 8th patrol acquitted themselves during the invasion as well as relate to you my firsthand account of the events that transpired

on the Black River Bridge during the battle.

My patrol was on the Black River Bridge when the invaders came streaming across in a tide of crimson and steel. The bridge

was narrow enough that it slowed their advance, and they could only bring so many of their number to bear on us at one time. In

addition, we had erected some crude barricades, but there were so many invaders we knew it was only a matter of time before we

were overrun by their sheer numbers or by one of the massive enslaved beasts that fought alongside them. Still, we began pouring

lead into their front rariks, and I like to think we were the first to spill their blood that day.

We were lucky the invaders were primarily armed with close combat weapons, and our guns, as few in number as they were, gave

us a momentary advantage. Our initial volleys slowed their advance, and as it turned out, those few precious minutes gained from

an apparent unfamiliarity with Cygnaran firearms proved our salvation.

As we were preparing to meet the charge that would surely overwhelm us, we heard a great hue and cry go up from inside the city.

Behind us echoed the sound of hundreds and hundreds of marching feet and the metallic clattering of arms and armor that could

only mean an army on the move. It was a glorious sound, and we expected a contingent of the Cygnaran military to arrive and join

the battle we had begun on the bridge. We felt nothing but stark horror when a horde of rotted corpses outfitted in arms and armor

several centuries old and waving banners that have not been seen for ten generations at least marched into view. However, leading

this army of the dead was a young woman astride a horse every bit as dead and rotted as the troops that followed it. She carried

a great black sword whose blade burned brightly with crimson flames , and you could feel the power rolling off her in waves. I've

never seen or felt anything like it.

The woman said not a word to us and simply pointed her blade toward the advancing invaders. In response her army of corpses

surged forward-not in a motley horde as one would expect of the walking dead but with the ordered precision of disciplined

soldiers. They streamed around our barricades to slam full tilt into the invaders . The woman led the charge, and I watched as she

cut down an eight-foot tall monstrosity that accompanied the invaders with a single slash of that great black blade. After that, our

horror at the sight of the army of the dead melted away. They were enemies of our enemies, and that was enough. I ordered the

charge, and we joined battle with the dead and their enigmatic leader.

As you know, the battle was hard-fought, but we emerged victorious . I now know the woman who led the legion of the dead was

Alexia Ciannor and that she is considered a grave threat to the realm. Although I am aware of Alexia's crimes , I believe these

transgressions fall squarely under the jurisdiction of the Church of Morrow. I am a lowly city guard sergeant and these things are

beyond the scope of my concerns. However, I will say that if she had not marched an army of walking corpses into Corvis and

engaged the invaders in battle, thousands would have been killed. If you ask me and any of those who fought along with me on the

bridge that day, we'd say that Alexia Ciannor's debt to the realm for whatever crimes she may have committed has been paid in full .

~Jm4 Sergeant Tirnus Ironsmith

After the battle of Corvis, it is documented that the Church of Morrow reclaimed the blade, but beyond that there is little information regarding the aftermath of Alexia's incredible necromantic feat that saved c,wvis from the marauding skorne. Alexia herself was not captured by the church or by Cygnaran officials, and since I can find no record of a conflict between her and these two agencies, I can only surmise that she gave up the Witchfire willingly. I have no doubt that her uncle Prelate Dumas had something to do with Alexia's surrender of the blade. He was promoted to high prelate in the aftermath, which may reflect the church's appreciation of his efforts.

The following letter from High Prelate Dumas to Exarch Sebastian Dargule is one of the few documents I have been able to locate with any information on Alexia and the Witchfire immediately after the Battle of Corvis. Now aware of the power of the Witchfire, Dumas sought advice from the exarch regarding what is to be done with the artifact. Interestingly, he also tried to downplay Alexia's role in the events surrounding the Battle of Corvis, which I believe played a part in the unfortunate events that occurred on the heels of this letter.

DATt : CuvrtN lOTH, bO,S AR..

lo: ExAilCH \teArTtAN 0Ait.Gul..-t

Youll HOI..-tNtrf, f WlliTt To You lltGAilDtNG A MATrtll Of' Glt.Avt tMPOilTANCt.

Ar You Allt NO Dou~T AwAilt, THt Ttlllltnt t VtNTf THAT ~tf'tl..-1..- C ollvtr

THtft I.-AfT MONTH( 11\!VOI..-VtD THt uft Of' POWtllf'ul..- 1\ltCilOMAI\ITtC MAf;itC1 THt

fQullCt Of' WHiCH lltVOI..-Vtf AllOui\ID AN ANCtti\IT fWOilD Of' uNI<.NOWI\I OlliGti\IL

( HAVt TAI<.tl\l POfftH/01\1 Of' THt f ~1..-ADt IN THt NAMt Of' THt CHullCH, ~uT

THt POWtll Of' THt f AllTtf'ACT 1 f 11\!CiltD/ ny POTti\IT AND MANY DANGtllOu(

tNDtvtDuAL-r, tNCL-uDtNG f'OilMtll HtAD fNQ.ut>tTOil Otxtll ltllAc, HAvt tAGtlli..-Y

fOuGHT tT OuT. ( f'ttl..- ( AM A WOtf'ui..-1..-Y tNADtQ.uATt GuA/I..DtAN f'Oil ruCH A

Ptllti..-Ouf AllTif'ACT1 AND ( fttl<. YOull Wt(t COuNCil..- 01\1 THt ~tfT COullf t Of'

ACTtON TO TAI<.t TO tl\lf~ llt THt fWOilD I f PllOPtlli..-Y fAf'tGu A/I..DtD .

fN ADDtTtON, You MAY HAvt 1..-tAilNtD THAT MY NttCt AL-tx tA wAr tNVOI..-vtD

WtTH THt (WO/I..D AND WAf ~tHti\ID MANY Of' THt fTilANGt OCCullllti\ICt( IN

Collvtr Of' 1..-ATt, tNCL-uDtNG THt lltft Of' THt LtGtON Of' LofT \ouL-r. r wtrH

TO Arrullt You THAT AL-txtA ACTtD ONL-Y tN THt ~tfT ti\ITtlltfT Of' THt

CtTY AND Wtl..-1..-ti\IGI..-Y lltl..-tNQ.utfHtD THt fWOilD 01\!Ct THt /1\!VADtllf. HAD ~ttl\!

DlltVtN f'llOM Collvt r. fN f'ACT, rHt ATrtMPTtD TO DtrTilrpY THt Alt.Ttf'ACT

Htll(tl..-f'. (T WAf A Mt(GutDtD tf'f'OilT TO ~t (ullt ~uT 01\lt WHO(t 11\!Tti\ITIOI\If

Wtllt Of' THt PulltfT WilT. AL-THOuGH AL-tx tA MAY POfftff WllCtllOuf TAL-tNT

ti\IHtlltTtD f'llOM Htll MOTHtll1 THt ACTf Of' 1\ltCilOMANCY TllANfPtllti\IG DulliNG

THtr tVtNT olltGtNATtD, r f'ttl..- rullt, wtTH THt r wollD tTftL-f'. AL-tXtA' r llOL-t

tN rArtGuA/I..DtNG C ollvtr wAr PtvoTAL-, AND WtTHOuT Htll AtD, ( HAvt NO

DOu~T THt CiTY WOuL-D HAVt f'AI..-1..-tl\l TO VtNTtll RAEI..-THOill\lt rv AND Htf

-G.K.

Despite reliJ sword's poV~

in Caspia. Tl of undead at stolen. The :

Alexia's act ranking Illu from High V

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Since recovering the Witchfire, Alexia's activities have been erratic in the extreme. Although she appears to be operating under the guise of a mercenary for hire, I believe there is a purpose in bo.th where and when she appears. Her mercenary activities seem to be confined to Cygnar and Khador, and I think it fairly obvious that she has avoided associating with the battle-chaplains of Morrow or their equivalents among the Khadorans .

Although it might appear odd that any Cygnaran commander would hire such a notorious figure, the fact remains that Alexia is an exceedingly skilled sorceress and combatant. Commanders in extreme situations with few options might see Alexia and her hordes of thrall warriors as a very good alternative to death at the hands of their enemies. The following report filed by a Cygnaran lieutenant, however, illustrates that despite her abilities and the affect she can have on the outcome of a battle, Alexia Ciannor is also a figure that inspires much fear and mistrust in her allies .

-G.K.

Officer 1'1is conduct Report: Captain Holan Rus ling

}'iling Officer: Lieutenant Timeck 1-lillward

Date: Tempen 15th, 607 AR

Commanding Officer: l'1ajor Garret Ellsworth

I feel I must begin by stating that before the incident described in this report, Captain Rusl ing has been, in my estimation, an exemplary officer. However, his recent actions have endangered our mission with a decision so rash it borders on l unacy, and I feel no regret in stating that he is no longer fit to lead us in battle.

Our company was positioned near Deepwood Tower, and we were in the thick of the fighting there pushing back the Khadoran advance. Our orders were to hol d the ground near the tower at all costs and keep the Khadorans from entering the Thornwood. However, after nearly half- a ­dozen engagements with the enemy, our company was below half- strength and in no shape to hold off a sizable force advancing on our position.

In such desperate times, men offer prayers to the gods for deliverance, and I will admit to beseeching l'l:orrow for aid. However, I think other, darker gods took heed of our prayers and sent us a most dubious salvation in the form of the necromantic witch, Alexia Ciannor.

She appeared in the middle of our camp in the dead of night, emerging suddenly into our firelight like some pale apparition. I was immediately struck by her youth-she couldn't have been more than twenty- her beauty, and most of all the haunting strength in her eyes. Across her back was slung a blade I later heard called the '.Vitchfire. Its great black blade was unsheathed and naked.

The young woman crossed our stunned camp in silence and made her way directly to Captain Rusling's tent. Unabl e to fight our mounting curiosity, many of us followed her and served as an impromptu audience for the interaction that followed between the witch and Captain Rusling. '.vhen she spoke, her measured and calm voice was a direct contrast to the ludicrous nature of her words. She offered her services to the captain for a price and stated that she alone could help us stave off the impending Khadoran attack.

Of course many of us, myself included, were aware of this woman's actions in the Battle of Corvis and the power she was reported to have commanded there. Still, she had come to our camp alone, and however skilled she was in the black arts, the captain was not impressed by a slip of a girl armed with a sword too big for her to wield properly. He refused her offer outright, ordered her from the camp, and threatened to have her thrown in chains and shipped back to Corvis to answer for her crimes.

Alexia said nothing at first; she simply reached over her shoulder and slowly pulled her sword from where it hung across her back. Then she spoke in a thick, broken language I have never heard and hope never to hear again. In response to Alexia's guttural intonations, the blade of the weapon burst into scarlet flames, and from around our camp we heard the heavy tread of armored men. Before any of us could draw blade or pistol, the night disgorged a shambling horde of animate corpses, each outfitted in the rotting, battle- scarred kit of a Khadoran or Cygnaran soldier. I do not know how many of the walking dead Alexia called forth that night, but it was enough to surround our camp completely.

Horrified beyond measure at the sight of the risen dead, some of whom I recognized as brothers in arms, we were helpless to her whim. It was then that Alexia delivered her procl amation. "Captain," she said. "I can serve you and Cygnar or I can offer my services to your enemies. It makes little difference to me. You have until morning to decide." She then turned and walked away and disappeared into the ragged wall of corpses around our camp.

COl<TIN

I haver was noi exuded moans i rest for saw tha We COUll

Alexia asked C service had not we were armed,c: that Cal captive

Captain her bla• accept l taken· l• willing: us a ch ones ag:

removin, men wou leaders! stand in

I will n battle w in her h bound tc neat rar. were jus were all a course

Thankfu distancE then whe us in ba: they rea. hear. '.Yo: immedia1 growing walking slaughtE to the no

'.vhen thE to raise dead mer our brotl of our '.Vhen she purposes with a ra

I cannot been ove Khadorar in this" appropri1 has tain1 the servi him fori his tram believe i miscondu command

Lieutenar

CONTINUED:

I have never spent a more terrifying night in my life. There was no thought of sleep; the cloying stench of the grave that exuded from the walking dead as well as the soft plaintive moans they occasionally voiced ensured there would be no rest for any of us that night. \Vhen the sun finally rose, we saw that there was a sea of risen dead, certainly more than we could have easily dispatched.

Alexia Ciannor returned not long after the sun rose and asked Captain Rusling for his answer: accept her into our service or battle her alongside the Khadorans. The captain had not consulted with me or any of the other officers, but we were sure he would refuse her. In fact, every one of us was armed, armored, and spoiling for a fight. ive had little doubt that Captain Rusling would soon order us to take the witch captive and put down her horrid undead.

Captain Rusling must have been so terrified by Alexia and her blasphemous thralls that he saw no other choice but to accept her terms. Still, when he agreed, I thought he had taken leave of his senses. How could any man of }rorrow willingly consort with such evil? Even if her aid offered. us a chance to defeat the Khadorans and see our loved ones again, it was madness. I will admit that I considered removing Captain Rusling from command. I know many of the men would have followed me, but I could not undermine his leadership on the eve of battle. }rorrow help me, I did not stand in his way.

I will never forget the sight of Alexia Ciannor before the battle with the Khadorans. She held the \Vitchfire alight in her hands, and the violated dead of Khador and Cygnar bound together beneath her terrible will were formed into neat ranks. The captain tried to assure us that the risen were just tools better used by us than by the enemy, but we were a ll sickened by his willingness even to consider such a course of action.

Thankfully, Alexia Ciannor and her risen kept their distance until the Khadorans were nearly on top of us, and then when the bullets and shells began flying, they joined us in battle. The cries of horror from the Khadorans when they rea lized they faced an army of the dead were terrible to hear. '.Vorse yet, whenever a Khadoran soldier fell, it would immediately rise as an animated corpse to join the witch's growing horde. Outnumbered and faced with the terror of the walking dead, the Khadorans were quickly overwhelmed. \Ve slaughtered half their number and sent the rest retreating to the north.

ivhen the battle ended, Alexia lingered over the battlefield to raise the corpses of slain Khadorans. She left our own dead mercifully untouched. If she had attempted to violate our brothers in such a way, I would have l ead what remained of our force against her no matter the consequences. '.Vhen she had enough risen for whatever dire, inscrutable purposes that motivate such a creature, she departed north with a ragged line of walking corpses behind her.

I cannot dispute that without the witch's aid we would have been overrun and either killed or taken captive by the Khadorans. Still, there is no victory so desperately needed in this world that the dark magic of Alexia Ciannor is an appropriate way to achieve it. I believe Captain Rusling has tainted his immortal soul with the decision to retain the services of such a woman. •.vhile only I•rorrow may judge him for transgressions of the soul, we can judge him for his transgressions against the men under his command. I believe that Captain Rusling's actions qualify as gross misconduct, and I believe he should be stripped of his command immediately.

J~~dt( Lieutenant Timeck }rillward

Since she has largely avoided conflict with the orders and authorities seeking to apprehend her, it may be easy t) dismiss Alexia as nothing more than a dangerous fugitive with little influence on the more immediate threats facing western Immoren. This may even be true for the moment.

I think it is vitally important to remember that the Witchfire, although incredibly potent in its own right, magnifies the power of its wielder significantly. The sword allowed a sixteen-year-old Alexia Ciannor to animate an entire legion of powerful thralls. Although Alexia was and is a gifted sorceress, the necromantic feats she has accomplished are without doubt a direct result of her possession of the • Witchfire. If a mentally unstable young girl like Alexia can wreak such havoc and misfortune, imagine what the sword might be capable of in the hands of a more practiced and skilled necromancer, a powerful infernalist, or, gods forefend, one of the Nightmare Empire's iron liches. It is a sobering thought to be sure.

Alexia is a powerful adversary, but her power is not insurmountable-again, for the moment. The longer Alexia holds the Witchfire, the greater her power becomes, and there may come a day when she is beyond even your resources to capture or kill. We have a window of opportunity to recl&im the Witchfire and ensure that it is safely locked away f~ those foolish enough to use its power. I suggest you take advantage of it.

-G.It

no QURRTER IDRGR2InE: THE KinG'S Ullin

By Doug Seacat Art by Imaginary Friends Studio, Luke Mancini, Marek Okon, D rew Wolf, and Matt Wuson

Gulf of Middlebank Patrol, 587 The 23rd Assault Recon Company of the IGng's Own Trenchers moved into Wallerton with typical professionalism and efficiency. Two p latoons of line infantry and the company's rangers took up elevated positions on the hill north of the town to cover the commando p latoon that swept past the outer wall with readied rifles, scatterguns, and grenades. The men of the 23rd wore the dark blue of the !Gog's Own, a color so deep it was almost black. Their company badges showed a coiled serpent and their motto, "We are the snake in the grass," intended to reflect their skill at ambush and incursions behind enemy lines.

Captain Asheth Magnus walked at the center of his soldiers,

a vigorous twenty-nine year old warcaster in the prime of his career. Magnus was lean and fit from a decade of military service along Cygnar's borders, and he wore his warcaster armor Like a second skin. A hefty mechanikally augmented

Caspian battle blade was strapped to his waist, and he held his hand cannon ready. His Arcane, with its expensive but quirky arc node, strode just ahead of him . A Defender and Charger he himself had considerably modified backed him.

Magnus had always had a strong aptitude for mechanikal tinkering, a habit that unsettled the mechaniks assigned to attend to his machines. His Defender-which he called Impious, or "Imp" -had Lost its shock hammer in a battle along the Protectorate border. Magnus had tired of waiting for a replacement and had finally outfitted it with a spiked flail stolen from a Ternplar. He had also replaced his Charger's hammer with a mechanikally enhanced cleaver. He called that 'jack "Rust," more in reference to its age than to its actual state of repair. It was a reliable machine he had been using since his journeyman tour. The unreliable Arcane he refused to dignifY with a name.

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T he streets were eerily q uiet aside from the crackle of dying

embers from the burnt buildings. Magnus signaled two squads to peel off in either direction from the central road as they

checked the structures and declared them clear. Pieces of

shattered rifles lay along the ground. Pools of blood dried amid

cobblestones, and red splatters lined the walls. The stone and

wood buildings bore gouges and holes. There were no bodies.

This more than anything else told Magnus they were too late.

Lieutenant Arthur Jacobs fmished clearing the buildings ahead

and returned. "Nothing," he said with a disgusted expression.

He took off his bronze helmet and scratched his shaved head.

Jacobs had been with Magnus through the two and a half

years of the current Cryxian conflict and another six years on missions along Cygnar's northern and eastern borders. He was

a trencher commando with a squat, muscular build belied by

a friendly, almost boyish face. Magnus could always rely on

Jacobs-they had been through many firefights, and each had

saved the other more than once. The look they now shared spoke to a familiar frustration: Cryx had eluded them. Again.

Magnus and Jacobs looked across what was left of the village.

It was a squalid place with no strategic value, no wealth to

plunder, yet Cryx had erased it from the world just as they

had lngrane, Langerby, Paulson Bridge, a nd a dozen other villages a nd towns. There was no rhy me or reason to it, so far

as the Cygnaran command could determine. They had been

continuaUy confounded in their attempts to predict Cryxian

attacks or even understand them.

One of the nearest commandos put words to those thoughts, "At least they didn't hit a nywhere importa nt. No one's going to

miss this town."

"These were Cygnaran citizens, which makes them important,"

Magnus reprimanded sternly. "They were counting on us to defend them, and we weren't here. Remember tha t." The

commando looked abashed and backed away after a pologizing.

"Always the dutiful soldier," Jacobs sighed. "A little hard

on him, don't you think? You know we're not going to find

anything here. How about we call it a day?"

The warcaster gave a weary smile but shook his head. "You know the drill. We need to do a thorough sweep. The one time

we don 't search will be when Cryx gets into the interior with

no one the wiser."

Magnus and his men painstakingly scoured the sands and hills for tracks while patrols checked on the nearby villages. Once

word arrived that those settlements were unharmed, Magnus

was able to declare Cryx conclusively withdrawn. They were marching back to their ship when a military courier arrived,

bringing new orders.

The warcaster opened the sealed documents with enthusiasm

on recognizing the royal seal. Jacobs and two of the other

Lieutenants approached, and he held up the papers. "Looks Like we have real work to do. We're sent for by the king."

"I told you Vmter was planning something!" Jacobs said with a

grin. "I knew his arrival at Sandbottom wasn't a fluke!" At the

major battle at Sandbottom Point, both King Vmter IV and his

brother Leto had arrived with soldiers from Cas pia to lead them

to victory. Having the royals involved in the war directly had

made an impact on the men, raising their morale significantly.

nu IDRGR2InE: THE KinG'S Ullin

Magnus nodded, fee ling his own blood stirring. More than the

thought of a real battle and an end to empty patrols, he was

eager for an opportunity to show the king what he and his company could accomplish. "This could be what we've been

waiting for," he said. "Tell the boys to polish their boots; we'll

be in the presence of royalty soon."

~ Barrel B ranch Passage, Meredius The powerful warships cut through the waves as if eager to

leap past them. The wind was with them, but the majority

of Cygnar's fleet did not rely on sails alone; massive steam­

powered paddle wheels pushed them through the water regardless of the weather. The ships had made excellent speed

through the Barrel Branch passage, heading west into the heart

of the Cryxian Empire.

The sound of ship guns firing 6Jied the air with the roaring

beUow of a massive broadside attack. Answering booms from

distant enemy vessels were followed by either the plumes of cannonballs plunging into the water or the wrenching sound of

solid impacts. The ships on the periphery were quickly in the thick of it. Crews scrambled on decks and up in riggings to add

the crackle of rifle 6re to the mighty broadside blasts.

These outer battles did not affect the heart of the fleet, where

King Vmter IV's flagship, the HMS fnoomitable Storm, was

protected by a cordon. Its closest escorts were the HMS Blaoe of CtL1pia and the HMS Vengeance, each a formidable first-rate

ship of the line. The fleet included many of Cygnar's mightiest

vessels, some of them aged and bearing many scars, other s of

newer design, delivered fresh from the shipyards. Over two

years of warfare with Cryx had motivated the treasury to pay for an influx of new warships.

As yet the ships chasing them were a rag-tag assortment

of pirate vessels crewed by Scharde raiders. Spotters with

telescopes atop the crow's nests scanned the horizon, fearful of more formidable vessels such as the infamous Atramentow or even the ships of the Black Fleet, which brought their own

sulfuric winds. Cygnar had sent a sizable fleet ahead of them

along the Shattered Neck, nearer Giant's Head Island, as

a lure for the Black Fleet. If they succeeded, many of those

diversionary vessels would Likely never be seen again.

Magnus was at the rail watching the distant clash and considering the Likely fate of the diversionary fleet when he

was summoned to the a& deck where King Vmter IV awaited.

He made his way quickly, feeling a stirring excitement. He

had seen Little of the royals since boarding the flagship. There

had been an aura of secrecy from the outset, and the sailors had evaded questions related to their destination. Magnus

wondered if the king believed Cryxian spies could be even

here, on his own flagship.

Rumors circulated among the soldiers on board. Magnus had

learned that Prince Leto had been promoted to lord general

of the expedition and was being groomed for warmaster

general, the highest rank in the Cygnaran Army. T here were ominous suggestions that the previous warmaster, Archduke

Carston Laddermore, was languishing in a cell below Castle

Raelthorne. His lands had already passed to his son, Fergus.

61

I

I ~

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I

,.-

62

no QURRTER mRGR2InE: THE KinG'S Ollin

Magnus listened to the talk closely; he had a taste for drama regarding Cygnar's elite. All too often he had witnessed nobles

vaulting through the army ranks with a speed disproportionate to their ability.

A group of senior officers had gathered on the aft deck around

the royals . It seemed reckless to meet in the open while the

outer fleet was engaged in battle, but King Vinter IV was not a timid man . The king stood stoically in his black armor, his

meant that any attack against it wou ld place Cygnaran

soldiers deep inside Cryxian territory.

T he booming of heavy guns from the Vengeance drew their attention, and simultaneously a plume of water erupted off the

port bow. A swift Cryxian pirate frigate had approached too

near the Cygnaran vessel and fired its smaller guns toward the

flagship, only to be met by a massive eruption of return fire. The larger turrets of the Blaoe of CaJpia joined in with several

heavy crown pressing down his black hair.

He might have been

in his audience hall

instead of upon a rolling deck.

We will make our landing, advance inland, and annihilate these facilities with overwhelming force.

Prince Leta-Lord General Leta, Magnus reminded himself­

stood slightly behind the king, in full military uniform. He was

noticeably smaller than his brother and far less impressive. He

wore his uniform comfortably and was allegedly no stranger to

battle, but he looked very young. Magnus knew no love was

lost between the brothers. If the king was considering Leto for future warmaster, it indicated he trusted no other candidate, a

significant rebuke of the rest of his general staff.

Adjacent to Leta was Commander Adept Sebastian Nemo,

a warcaster in his early fifties who was only vaguely known

to Magnus. The eccentric warcaster had spent most of his

recent years in workshops hatching military inventions rather than fighting in the fteld, until Cryxian hostilities had lured

him back to active duty. Rumors suggested Nemo served

as military advisor to Prince Leta, who had also sponsored

his research. Magnus cynically concl uded it was Sebastian

Nemo, not Leto, who would actually be making the leadership decisions for the army.

The third warcaster in the group was a much younger man

who stood respectfu lly apart from the senior officers. Magnus

caught his eye briefly and they shared a nod . This was

Captain Markus Brisbane, a thick-framed and dark-skinned

youth who had just recently finished his journeyman tour.

Magnus approved of the fact that Brisbane was of humble birth and that he had served as an enl.isted trencher before his

warcaster training.

He noted that the senior-most of the king's warcasters,

Commander Adept Birk Kin brace, was missing from the

flagship. Magnus paid close attention to the ebb and flow of the king's favor; he was certain Kin brace's absence was

no coincidence. Likely the senior commander had spoken

doubts about this expedition and had been assigned to the Bfaoe of CaJpia or the Vengeance as a subtle rebuke. Several of

the other warcasters of the force were aboard those ships,

ready to lead the veteran soldiers that would serve as Vinter's

vanguard. The rest of the army was distributed among the

other ships of the fleet.

King Vinter's hawk-like eyes scanned the gathering before he spoke. "We are about to invade Blackrock Island,

which intelligence suggests is the most heavily fortified

and significant Cryxian holding outside Scharde itself."

He paused to let this news penetrate. Blackrock had a

dire reputation: it was infested with b lighted trollkin and

ogrun said to feast on human flesh, as well as other horrors. Additionally, its position directly adjacent to the main island

thundering reports. The pirate ship's wooden hull was torn

apart by a dozen heavy impacts, and its main mast shattered

and fell. Similar clashes were happening aft of the flagship,

where numerous smaller Cryxian endured punishing barrages

vessels as they raced to close to boarding distance.

Vmter raised his voice to regain their attention . "We have

solid intelligence of numerous sizable factory complexes on Blackrock. We will make our landing, advance inland, and

annihilate these facilities with overwhelming force. This will

hamper Cryx's capacity to launch attacks against our shores."

His eyes bored into his assembled military leaders, and his

voice took on an even more dangerous tone. "We will succeed, whatever the cost. "

After this grim pronouncement Vinter waved his brother

forward and climbed the steps to the elevated pilot's deck

to observe the naval clash. Lord General Leto took over

to discuss the specific p lan of attack with the generals and

commanders. Descriptions of landing order became a dull

drone to Magnus' ears. His thoughts were on his company. He wondered how a few hundred men could make a

difference in an operation of this scale.

Commander Nemo stepped away from the lord general and

gestured for Magnus and Brisbane to approach. Nemo 's

voice seemed condescending to Magnus' ear as he explained, "You two will be under my command. First we will secure

and hold the beach. It will take hours to unload our soldiers,

during which we must ready against enemy attack. During

the landing your only priority is the safety of the Raelthornes.

Is that understood?"

At his g lare both Magnus and Brisbane voiced automatically, "Yes, sir!"

The older warcaster grunted as if not entirely satisfied at

their enthusiasm. "Several target factories are proximate

to our landing region. Once the beach is secure, the army will divide to deal with them ." Nemo did not say it aloud,

but Magnus knew their assignments would depend on

the casualties they sustained. "Captain Brisbane, your

battlegroup is intended to attack the western factory.

Captain Magnus, you will join the strike on a different facility northeast of our landing position. Once that is

completed, I will need you in ready reserve to support Major

Durnwick in his mission to penetrate deep inland and strike

the largest and most remote of our target necrofactoriums."

Magnus felt some jealousy, as the mission Nemo had described was just the sort he had hoped to undertake.

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Still , of all Cygnar's warcasters, Strom Durnwick was the

man Magnus most admired . He was a living legend, and his !99th Light Infantry Battalion was one of the most highly

d ecorated units in the army. Magnus had patterned his 23rd

after them. Durnwick was another warcaster Magnus would

have expected on th e Aagship, although his absence might have been a s imple matter of logistics. "Where is Major

Durnwick, sir?" h e asked.

"Aboard the Vengeance." Nemo answered. "He will join us in

securing the beach. I suggest you two see to your men and

warjacks; we will be the first in. You are dismissed."

As t hey walked away from t he a ft deck, Magnus turn ed

to the yo unger warcaster. ''I've sp ent the last two years kicking Cryxians off eve ry scummy island and forgotten

beach a long the Broken Coast. I f you 've got a ny questions, now's the time to ask."

Brisbane drew himself up. "Thanks, but I've got this." His eyes

conveyed the confident arrogance of youth. There was a saying

in the Strategic Academy that the first two years after the journeyman tour was the riskiest tim e in a warcaster's career.

Magnus smiled knowingly. "See you on the beach," Brisbane

said as he offered llis ha nd. Magnus shook it, and the two went

their separate ways.

~ Landing on Blackrock Island The largest vessels in Cygnar's navy had to be anchored in

the deep water some distance from the is land. Their g uns

shelled the beach and cl iffs as numerous smaller launches

were lowered into the water from the three vanguard ships to

creep toward shore. Only the largest of these were capable of delivering heavy warjacks. Magnus and the other warcasters

joined the royals on the Indomitable's main launch vessel, a fully

functional schooner with two masts and its own steam eng ine

and wheel. T hey were not nearly as vulnerable as the soldiers

in the first landing wave, w ho rowed toward the beach in a

variety of smaller boats fixed with high side-shielding panels.

T he island ahead seemed to emanate menace through the hot, muggy air, and there was an air of tension among the soldiers

of the initial wave. They had little idea w hat to expect.

What scant information they possessed ofBlackrock

had been extracted from captured Scharde pirates

and smugglers, a nd Magnus doubted its usefulness.

Such prisoners had described the necrofactoriums looming above the dense foliage, but none had

known the extent of the island's defenses. The

fog-cloaked cove a head with its sandy beaches

was among the few p laces on the craggy island

that was amenable to landing craft. It seemed inevitable that defenses would be in place. Against

another nation Magnus would have anticipated heavy cannon batteries protecting such a beach,

but Cryx had little artillery; w hat cannons it

plundered or forged were used to outfit their

raiding Aeet. Yet Cryx was endless ly inventive when it came to deljvering death .

TID OURRTER IDRGR2ITIE: THE RinG'S DIIJTI

Lieutenant Arthur Jacobs stood behind his platoon, as frozen and tense as the rest of them. Magnus asked with deliberate

joviality, "How are you this fine morning, Jacobs?"

Jacobs looked at him as if breaking from a trance and gave his

boyish grin. "Ready for action, sir!" The lieutenant lowered his

voice and leaned in to say, "But I'd fee l better if the rest of the company were here."

Magnus nodded agreement. Large as it was, the launch could not carry their entire company, particularly with several

warjacks and the personal guards of the royals aboard. The

23rd were scattered among the smaller boats, and some would not arrive until the second wave.

A shout went up from those on deck, and Magnus saw what seemed to be a dozen catapulted rocks soaring toward their

boats. Such weapons might be crude, but a giant stone could

si nk a landing boat as easily as a cannonball could. A dozen

yards from their vessel, one splashed down with a sizzle upon

the waters, and he realized it was not a stone but a massive

gobbet of foul liquid that bubbled and steamed with an acrid stench. "Bile!" he said with dread.

Magnus had never heard of a bloat or bile thrall capable of

ftring at such a distance. The shots seemed to originate from

somewhere along the looming black cliffs set back from the

beach . Thick, twisted foLiage and gnarled trees grew atop

that area, ahead of the jutting crag of obsidian stone that gave Blackrock its name.

Another of the giant globes came dow n directly across a boat

on their starboard side. The high side panels might have helped

had the angle been more direct, but the bile came in from

above to splash onto the heads of those rowing. The soldiers

screamed in ungodly cries of agony. Magnus gritted his teeth. He had seen men subjected to the Auid before; it was a terr ible

way to die, worse than being burned alive.

"Were any of our boys on that boat?" Jacobs asked, staring

at the horril)ring spectacle. The vessel listed and began to sink, spilling the gruesome and unidentifiable remains of

half-melted bodies.

"Focus on the beach ahead," Magnus ordered , although he

had been wondering the same thing. He gathered his arcane

power to create a mirage-like haze of shimmering air around

the launch. He was un certain w hether the magic would

be effective to obscure a vessel of this s ize, but it might reassure the men.

While most of the incoming bile splashed in to the turbulent

water, several more vessels were struck either directly or in

part, giving ri se to a chorus of screams. The cross ing seemed to

tal<e forever, until finally there was an impact and the ship slid

up onto the sands. Anchored weights were thrown to secure

its position, and its modi.fied blunt prow dropped to become a ramp. Several of the swiftest secondary vessels slid a longside,

and soldiers began pouring onto the beach. Magnus a nd Lieutenant Jacobs were among those at the fore, and Magnus

mentally linked with Imp, his Defender. His light 'jacks

would arrive with the next haul; all the warcasters had limited

warjacks for the initial landing. As exposed as Magnus fe lt,

he knew it had to be far worse for his soldiers, as at least he had his warcaster armor and its power field to g ive him some

additional protection.

Other launches and rowboats hit the beach and soldiers leapt

out, rifles ready. A hundred yards to Magnus' right he saw the

largest la unch from the Vengeance disgorge troops led by a tall

man in warcaster armor: Major Strom Durnwick. Even as the

Cygnarans raced up the sandy beach, the enemy appeared. An inhuman roar poured forth from the shadowed recesses

beneath the black cliEfs as heavi ly muscled blig hted tro llkin

raced to meet them. Trenchers and long gunners opened fire

their rifles, adding a gray haze of smoke to the lig ht fog.

Caustic fluid contin ued to fall from a bove, catc hing men with the spray. Most of the bi le seemed directed at the incoming

boats, but some were fired on the beaches instead. Magnus

took control of his Defender a nd drew his hand can non to

fire into the approaching trollkin. They were monstrou s

creatures, bearing on ly slight resemblance to their mai nland

kin , each with scaled skin, jutting blackened ba rbs, and other deformities. It was difficult to tell where their thick black iron

armor ended and scaled flesh began . They wielded a variety

of wicked killing implements. One trait they clearly sha red

with mainland trollkin was the res ilience of their species­

they charged into the Cygnaran line h eed less of bullets that

ripped thmugh their flesh. They attacked with a savagery far

beyond a simple defense of their territory. Magnus had fo ug ht

such blighted creatures after they bad pillaged Cygnaran coastal towns. H e felt a vindictive satisfaction in talcing the

fight to them now.

The enemy swiftly closed on the disembarking soldiers, and

soon Magnus was in the thick of it, wi th the swirling smoke

and lingering fog making it difficu lt to aim his p istol or guide his Defender's heavy cannon w ithout fear of striking al.lies.

Lieutenant J acobs shouted orders to the men of his platoon

a nd soon had them formed into a tighter line to concentrate

their ftrepower. At Magnus' direction two chain guns were

hau led forward and set in p lace. Ammunition belts were fed

in to their barrels, and they quickly spun up to speed to hurl bullets into the savages.

A cluster of blighted troll kin carrying massive rounded shields advanced up the center as bullets sparked off the metal

surfaces. Magnus extended a hand and evoked a n explosion

in the soil beneath them, sending them flying. He sent Im p

forward, abandoning its firing position so it could punish the

enemy with powerful sweeping arcs of its chained flail. The

weighted metal head of the weapon drove through the savages

w ith a succession of meaty impacts, clearing a section of the beach as the trenchers of the 23rd advanced and rallied around

Magn us' position.

Smoke stinging his eyes, Magnus was so focused on the enemy

a head that he did not see several trollkin overrun the position

to his left. Jacobs shou ted a warn ing and stepped behind him with his scattergun to fire a massive blast of metal shards

through them, stopping several cold but enraging the one

survivor. Magn us drew his mechanil<ally augmented Caspian

battle blade just in time to block a jagged axe. P ushing forward

with the strength given him by his warcaster armor, he got

inside the blighted troll kin 's reach and brought the blade across

in a great arc, hacking a lmost halfway through the creatw-e's torso. Still the trollkin g lared at him and bared its sharpened

teeth w hile raising its axe for another strilce. Jacobs had

reloaded and fired again, taking out one of its legs. Magnus

jerked his sword free and carved through its neck before it

finally coUapsed. lmp stepped in front of him protectively, its

head swinging left and then right as it looked for its next target.

His immediate vicin ity momentarily clear, Magn us saw

Vinter and his escorting sword knights in their black tabards

sweeping up the beach toward the cliffs shelte ring the

blighted tro lll<in vil.lages. Lord General Leto was nearby

alongside his own guard, the Storm blades, knights in

modified lighter blue armor and w ielding storm gla ives.

Commander Nemo strode ahead of them alongside his Ironclad to catch up wi th the king. King Vinter

outpaced his escort w ith his greatsword Kings layer in

hand, heed.less of his own safety, toward several trollkin that

had massacred the long gunner squad trying to hold a low hill

ahead of him.

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Magnus knew of the king's skill but was still startled by the ease with which the sovereign swiftly decapitated three trollkin with horizontal sweeps of his ancestral blade. Bile from above landed amid his sword knights and poured through their visored helmets. They staggered and collapsed, Aesh falling from their hands and faces even as they tried to pry their helmets off. Vinter did not look back but marched on to strike down the next blighted trollkin that rushed him. Leto's Stormblades gave a battle cry and unleashed streaks of lightning from their storm glaives against several nine­foot-tall blighted ogrun that had closed on them from the left flank. Captain Brisbane was also fighting on that side and charged an ogrun with his two-handed mechanikal hammer.

Magnus knew he should get closer to the royals. He was about to order his men in that direction when Jacobs shouted, "Magnus!" He turned to see his lieutenant looking back to where the main launch from the Vengeance had landed and was facing stern opposition.

Those soldiers had fought ofF the in.itial trollkin, but more had emerged from caves beneath the cliffs. They swarmed Major Durnwick's Ironclad, which used its quake hammer to knock down those at the front but was beset by those following after. They battered it with axes, clubs, and spiked hammers. The heavy 'jack smashed them with its own hammer, turning bodies to pulp, but there were too many. It staggered under their combined onslaught.

Major Durnwick was confronted by the largest trollkin Magnus had ever seen, one he initially mistook for an ogrun. After smashing through the nearest sold.iers, it had charged the warcaster with a massive ra.ised axe, the blade of the weapon almost as tall as a man. Durnwick f1red his hand cannon stra.ight into the blighted creature's monstrous face, tearing ofF half its chin and part of its throat, but it hardly faltered. It swung its axe downward, and the major barely leapt aside in time. He dropped his pistol and took h.is poleaxe in both hands to square ofF aga.inst the brute. He delivered a solid blow to its left leg, but the wound seemed not to trouble the creature, wh.ich swi&ly retaliated.

Durnwick easily got his polearm in front of the c.lumsy strike, but the great axe cut stra.ight through the weapon's metal shaft and Durnwick's power 6.eld and warcaster armor to bite i.nto h.is side. The major reeled back, bleeding, wh.ile the men who had been 6.ring behind him rushed in to stab the giant trollkin with bayonets. They looked like children sent against it. The trolJkin knocked them aside with a sweep of its axe blade, killing several, and let loose an inhuman howl that echoed across the sands.

Magnus linked his mind with Imp's cortex to peer through the warjack's eyes as he raised its heavy barrel. Firing into close combat was risky, but he fe lt impelled to take the chance. He chose h.is moment carefulJy . The cannon 6.red and its shell crashed into the giant trolJkin's chest, tearing through ribs and internal organs. It was certain ly a fatal wound, yet the nightmare creature did not fall. Instead it ra.ised the axe and brought it down with horrible fmali ty onto Major Durnwick's helmet. The helmet shattered, and the axe made a ru.in of the man's head. Both warcaster and trollkin toppled to land heavily on the blood.ied sands. One of Durnw:ick's officers, a woman with a captain's shield on her shoulder, broke through the other trolJk.in and ran to where he lay. Kneeling next to the major, she let out a strangled sound.

nu mRGR2InE: THE tHTIG'S mun

Magnus was too stunned to react. He had never imagined he would see one of his heroes laid low before the main battle had even begun. One of his soldiers yelling for his attention brought him back to the fighting still raging nearby. He called to his men and directed them to rejoin their place among the royal escort. Together they battled to the ground beneath the overhanging cliffs, where they appeared to be sheltered from the bile fluid being flung toward the approaching launches. The villages here were 6.Lled with grisly trophies and totems. Human skulls and gnawed bones were both heaped in piles and strung up as decorations around the crude huts. Lengths of indeterminate meat hung out to dry, each covered with oversized Aies. The remaining blighted inhabitants fought tenaciously to defend their homes but were quickly overwhelmed.

ei=C:=w The senior officers gathered where King Vinter bad established his command post. Tents were already being erected, and chain gun crews a nd sentries had been posted to watch the beach approach on both sides. Trenchers were quickly creating earthworks around the position.

While the undestroyed la nding craft were sent back for the second wave of Cygnarans, Vmter calJed his officers to order. Magnus recognized several other warcasters, inc.luding Commander Kin brace, who looked winded from the short battle. Magnus felt it his obligation to report the details of Major Durnw:ick's fall, being as factual as possible and restraining h.is emotions. Lord General Leto shook h.is head, and several of the ranking officers looked shocked and d.ismayed.

King Vmter's expression did not change. He was silent a long moment, perhaps gathering his thoughts. His look was piercing and unflinching w hen he spoke. "The loss of Major Durn wick is a serious blow, but the battle has just begun. We will suffer more losses in the fighting ahead. Harden yourself to that inevitability. " Vmter's eyes scanned his officers and lingered sternly on his brother. "There a re tasks we must accomplish. Major Durnw:ick had the highest priority mission; his men were fulJy briefed and prepared. I need another warcaster to assume command of his battalion for that strike. Who feels worthy of this vital task?"

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no OURRTER IDRGR2InE: THE KinG'S mun Magnus' pulse quickened at this unusual request, but he also

felt uncertain. It might be insufferably impertinent for someone

of his rank to volunteer. If the king refused him so publicly it

could deal his career a crippling blow.

The pause extended, and the king scowled. Magnus could feel

the moment slipping away. He saw Commander Nemo frown as if to speak, but Prince Leta stopped him with a look. The

prince interjected, "I need Commanders Kin brace and Nemo

with the main army. This mission must be led by someone else." King Vmter gave his brother an inscrutable look but did

not overrule him.

Before Magnus resolved his internal struggle, someone else stepped forward and knelt to one knee. "I volunteer, Your

Majesty." Magnus was startled to see it was Colonel Wi.Uiam

Ratbleigh, a taU and haughty warcaster. He felt an instant and

visceral surge of loathing. Ratbleigh was the second son of

an earl and despite being a warcaster of some small talent, he

had been advanced swiftly to colonel solely due to his family

standing. Magnus had seen him fighting at Sand bottom Point and had not been impressed -in his opinion, the man was timid

and reactionary. The colonel added, "I have met the officers of

the !99th. I am prepared to stand in for Major Durnwick."

The sound of Ratbleigh 's voice and the thought of him leading

the mission galvanized Magnus. He had no doubt this self­

serving toady would fail, and in doing so he would bring shame

to the expedition, with ruinous consequences for Cygnar.

He stepped forward and said, "Meaning no disrespect to the Colonel, but I am better qua li fied to lead this mission."

Vinter eyed him appraisingly. "Explain." Rathleigh 's face

went red, and he g lared at Magnus as he stood to his feet .

Several of the command staff drew themselves up with

disapproving expressions.

Magnus knew it was too late to back down. "Colonel Rathleigb

has done an admirable job defending Highgate and its environs for the past few years, but he has never led a major offensive in

enemy territory. Under my leadership, the 23rd Assault Recon Company has undertaken many missions behind enemy lines.

This mission is similar to others I have conducted. I am ready

for this, Your Majesty."

"Your Majesty," the colonel protested, looking aggrieved, "it

would be improper for a captain to lead a battalion. This is not

a mission we can trust to a junior officer! "

"In that you are correct, Colonel," Vinter said, prompting a

relieved smile from Rathleigh. The king turned to Magnus and said, "You are promoted to brevet major. The commission

will become permanent after that factory is destroyed.

Take command of the !99th, and fold your company into

the battalion." He ignored both Magnus' astonishment and

Rathleigh's indignant look and addressed the others. "We must

eliminate Cryxian artillery so the rest of the army can land.

Every boat sunk on approach is a mark of failure."

Magnus went to check on the men of his company who had

landed with the first wave, now occupied digging a trencb west

of their· encampment. Magnus pulled Arthur Jacobs aside to explain the situation. Jacobs stared at the new rank insignia

on Magnus' sleeve and sbook his head. ''I'm not sure wbetber

to ofler congratulations or condolences, " he said. "Living up to

Durnwick's reputation is a tall order."

"He can keep his reputation. Getting the mission done and

staying alive will be enough." Magnus would never have

shown doubt or uncertainty to any of the other men, but with

Jacobs he could be honest. "Tbis is a big opportunity. I know

we're ready for it, but I'll be relying on you."

Jacobs clasped his hand. "''ve always got your back, Cap-er, Major." He grinned, then pulled a chain from around his neck.

Dangling from it was a large, misshapen bullet. "I think it's

time to pass this on." He held it out.

The warcaster accepted tbe memento reluctantly. It dated

from a skirmish with Khador years before, when a uiske flask

Jacobs had stolen from Magnus stopped a bullet from piercing

his chest. Jacobs had claimed it was proof that stealing the

flask had been a good idea, while Magnus had insisted it meant

Jacobs owed Magnus his life. Jacobs had kept it with him ever since. M agnus eyed tbe buLlet and said, "1 don 't want to steal

your luck."

Jacobs chuckled and waved dismissively. "I've gotten good

use out of it. Now it's your turn. You ' re going to need it-the

king's eyes are on you." Magnus chuckled a nd put the chain

around his neck, tucking the bullet out of sight. Jacobs seemed satisfied and asked, "What's next? "

"We'll make a move on the cliff top artillery soon. Do a head

count after tbe Indomitable finishes offloading and keep me appraised." Beneath his words was the grim reminder that they

could expect more casualties. "Right now, I need to talk to the

captains of the !99th. They won't be happy about my taking

over. I want you with me to represent the 23rd as captain."

Jacobs blinked in startled surprise as Magnus' words sunk in.

"What did you just say?"

"I meant it when I said I'd be relying on y ou. You're captain

of the 23rd now. " He grinned. "Figured I need someone with

more courage tban sense leading my men. "

Jacobs smi led and said, 'Tm going to choose to take that

as a compliment."

Magnus chuckled. "Come on, let's go meet the fine officers of

the !99th. Try to mal~e a good first impression. "

!aco~.s made a s~.ow of smoothing hair he did not have. Don t I a lways?

The warcaster frowned. "This isn't tbe time to be funny.

Remember, they just suffered a ser;ous loss." Jacobs sobered

immediately, and they crossed the encampment to find Magnus'

new officers. Most of the !99th Light Infantry Battalion had

yet to land; only a couple platoons had accompanied Major

Durnwick on their ship's launch. Those were on the eastern

section of the perimeter, also focusing on entrenchment.

Magnus and Jacobs introduced themselves and were met by

sullen looks and barely restrained hostility. The p latoons had

taken heavy casualties in tbe landing, and their mood was dark. Durnwick had been the most prominent, but many had fallen.

Magnus knew they would adapt; they were professional soldiers.

He pulled aside the three captains, hoping to get their measure.

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cool reserve and made a show of being surprised to see he was a major. "I suppose I cannot fault you for seizing the

opportunities afforded by wartime casualties," she said.

Magnus took the statement in stride. This was the captain he

had seen checking Durn wick when he fell, and her grief was

fresh. While she spoke she unconsciously touched the well­

worn ivory handles of a pair of knives at her waist.

Captain Broderick Haggin, a hulking brute of a trencher

in whose massive hands a scattergun looked like a toy, said

very little. He led a mixed company of trencher infantry and commandos. While his eyes had the far-off look of

someone who was not entirely there, Magnus knew the

man's reputation. He was a natural killer and fighter, one

of Durnwick's mainstays. Likely he was the sort of man

who came to life only in battle. He listened to the news that Magnus would take immediate command of the !99th with no

discernable reaction.

The last captain was the lean, redheaded Gordin Thatch,

who had an intense look about him. The rifle slung over his

shoulder was affixed with an expensive sniper's scope. He led

a company of trencher marines, soldiers outfitted similarly

to regular infantry but trained aboard ships to work with the

navy. Marines drilled in boarding and repelling operations and

had greater experience in beach landings, and the Cryxian

conflict had seen their numbers grow.

"I have heard of you, Major," he said to Magnus. "I expect

you have found fighting Cryx to be more difficult than

massacring Khadoran civilians along the border." Magnus

felt a flash of anger and almost rose to the bait, but he

restrained his impulse. The l99th bad been involved in

exactly the same sorts of border operations his company had

been. He simply agreed that Cryx was a different sort of beast and ignored the implied criticism.

Magnus did not push; acceptance was better forged in battle.

"Get what rest you can," he advised. "We'll be fighting as soon

as orders come down." He shared a look with Jacobs as they

returned back to their own camp. Things had gone about as

well as could be expected.

no OURRTER IDRGR2InE: THE KinG'S mun

Purging the Cliff Tops It took hours for the remaining soldiers and gear from the three

lead ships to land. It was painful watching the boats cross the water with the constant threat of corrosive death. Even with

the inaccuracy of the defending weapons, every wave of skiffs

lost several to projected bile. Everyone in the encampment was

eager to neutralize that threat, but until the three lead ships

offloaded, they lacked the soldiers to assault the cliffs without

leaving the command area vulnerable.

The wisdom in staying encamped was proven after nightfall when they were beset by a massive assault on their position

by blighted ogrun and troll kin from other nearby villages.

The bloodthirsty savages attacked from both ends of the

beach at once, and with them came mechanitbralls and

bonejacks. Throughout this clash the soldiers could hear

roar of guns from off shore as the fleet came under sustained

attack by additional Cryxian vessels. Spotters reported a thick fog had rolled in behind what might have been revenant

vessels. The distant rumbling of the ships' guns punctuated

the land battle, and Magnus was not the only man to wonder

what their fate would be if the Cygnaran fleet was driven off

while they were stuck on shore.

Amid punishing rifle volleys, trencher chain guns and cannons

joined Sentinel and Defender 6re to chew through onrushing waves of the enemy. Magnus had never fought alongside so

many warcasters. Even with relatively few warjacks at their

disposal they made all the di!Ierence, not only by quickly

obliterating enemies but also by keeping the defenders safe.

The Cygnaran force suffered very few casualties, and the

fortified command encampment held.

After they had shattered the waves of blighted attackers, the

warcasters pushed out from the encampment alongside their

warjacks to ensure the greater region was purged. A heavy patrol rotation was put in place to forewarn of additional

onslaughts, while Magnus and the other warcasters were

taken aside to bear their next orders. The boats had finished

offloading; there would be no rest.

67

68

nu IDRGR2InE: THE RinG' 5 mrrn

Rangers gathered from various companies had earlier been assigned to reconnoiter their surroundings. Word had it only a third of those sent out had returned, as the dense, blighted vegetation above the cliffs h.id any number of additional Cryxians. Those who returned described the best routes to the top: two different switchbacks carved into the cliff face, each wide enough to allow warjacks access to the heights.

Magnus took his orders from Commander Nemo, who delivered them in h.is typical patronizing fash.ion. Magnus' battalion was to take the nearest switchback, just to the east, with Brisbane watching their rear. Nemo referred to a hastily sketched map of the cliffs where X marks indicated the likely origins of the bile bombardments. He tapped one of these with an extended finger and repeated, "You

their distended stomachs to their weapons, as their undead bodies served as reservoirs for liquid death . They made up for their individual inaccuracy by sheer volume, with the capacity to unleash their full payload in a single devastating purge.

The Ironclad smashed through the nearest of them, crushing them underfoot. Bile fluid could eat through even warjack armor in time, but the machines were far more resistant to corrosion than the soldiers. Pools of the caustic liquid were left behind in the Ironclad's wake; the soldiers would need to tread carefully in this area.

Once his Arcane and Charger had also reached the top, the warcaster drew on his sorcerous power to send explosive energy through his arc node out into knots of bile thralls. At

are to neutralize thiJ area ... " he tapped elsewhere and continued, " ... then move to thif position. Got it?"

"Yes, sir. I understand. " Magnus tried to keep the impatience from his voice. His impression that Nemo bad a low

.Everywhere was tbe siRn of dragon bU_gbt, wbicb left all Uving tb~ngs tw~sted and warped.

opinion of him was slightly diminished when he overheard the commander speaking similarly to the next officer. He concluded that Nemo might simply consider the reliability of everyone under the age of forty suspect.

Magnus was reunited with his modified Cha rger Rust a nd his Arcane. He added Durnwick's freshly repaired Ironclad to his battlegroup, along with a pair of Sentinels. Additional Defenders intended for his priority mission would arrive when the other sh.ips offloaded. Magnus' mind balked at imagining controlling so many 'jacks at once.

Once his group was ready for the initial mission, they made their way to the ramps and began the climb. The switchback was narrow-only a few men could walk abreast-so their column stretched long. Magnus and his men were halfway up the incline when a trencher behind him gave a choked cry and fell, impaled by a heavy spear with an obsidian tip. Dozens of simil.ar weapons rained down upon them. Trenchers raised rifles to fire blindly into the thick undergrowth above until Magnus ordered them to stop. Looking through the eyes of his warjacks, he fired more carefully, neutralizing several of the blighted savages along the top of the ramp.

The forward section of the column surged ahead with added haste even as Magnus impelled the warjacks at the front to run . Bile thralls emerged from amid the bullet-shredded vegetation to line the cliff top and spray corrosive fluid down onto the soldiers. The air was filled with the putrid stench. Trenchers tore at their uniforms and armor in futile attempts to evade contact with the deadly fluid. Most of those splashed died, their end neither quick nor mercifuL This time Magnus did not discourage the men from firing onto the cliff tops, and the rush of their bullets joined the whirring of his Sentinels' chain guns. The defensive volley hit many of the bile thralls, but every one they cleared was immediately replaced by another.

Magnus' Ironclad reached the summit, its quake hammer in hand as its baleful eyes searched for enemies. They were not hard to find; clumps of grotesquely rotund bile thralls shambled forward . Disgusting abominations, they bore little resemblance to the humans whose corpses had been stitched together to create them. Lengths of black piping wrapped from

least they were not very durable, succumbing quickly to the blasts. His Charger added the alternating fire of its double cannon to the onslaught, and soon Magnus and the first of his trenchers reached the summit to lay down their own fire . The enemy was quickly dispatched, although a black ogrun with a double-handed maul managed to land a tremendous impact that buckled his Arcane 's shield and nearly tore off its arm before Magnus backed the enemy down with his battle blade. Captain Jacobs and the men of the 23rd rushed forward to support him as they cleared the summit, firing scatterguns to chew through both walking dead and blighted l.iving. The rest of the column reached the top relatively unmolested.

What foLlowed was a nerve-wracking march through the twisted trees and thorny hedges that choked the region . The beach below had seemed like a ny other, aside from the grisly scene of the troLlkin villages, but the top of the island was disturbingly alien . None of the plants were familiar. Their leaves shone a dark oily green, every branch riddled with thorns. Everywhere was the sign of dragon blight, which left all living things twisted and warped. There was a constant buzzing of strange insects, and occasionally oversized flies or beetles landed on a man's neck or leg to bite with razor­sharp mandibles through cloth and skin. Even the smaLlest creatu.-e on the island seemed hateful. Everything about the place, from the plants and insects to the putrid smell and unidentified clicking noises amid the shadowed trees, seemed unnatural and tainted .

After several light skirmishes with thralls and blighted trollkin, they broke through to a cleared plateau. A peculiar structure sat in the center, its bulging dome at least thirty feet in diameter. From the apex of its curved roof extended a long elevated barrel. almost like a telescope, pointing toward the ocean. Green light pulsed from vent-like slats along its upper surfaces, and they could hear the rumble of pumping machinery from its interior.

Attached to the structure at points around the perimeter were a dozen enormous bloated monstrosities, giant spherical creatures sewn of rotting flesh and supported by a carriage of metal spider-like legs. They were far larger t han the bile

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aloud. He had fought them before and knew that as larger and

more frightful variants on bile thralls they were able to deliver

tremendous volumes of bile fluid. At present their weapons

were inserted into apertures around the base of the dome, and

as he watched the giant barrel at the top shuddered to disgorge a gobbet of bile fluid that soared out in a high arc toward the

distant ships. They had found the Cryxian artillery. It seemed

this building concentrated the output of multiple bloat thraUs

into a pressurized projectile to fire with unprecedented range.

"Destroy them! Quickly!" Even as he shouted to his men, he impelled his Charger and Defender to 6re. The nearest bloat

thralls exploded wetly, their vile innards spraying outward to

burn anything they touched. The remaining bloats disengaged from the structure and turned on the approaching trenchers.

Simultaneously a large meta l door facing them rumbled opened

to unleash dozens of mechanithralls that rushed the Cygnaran

soldiers. The trenchers in the forward line had already 6red

at the bloats and were caught in the middle of reloading. The mechan ithralls smashed into them with their steam-powered

6sts, killing anyone they could reach.

The rest of the force reacted quickly, directed by Magnus'

captains. Magnus sent his Ironclad into the midst of the

mechanithraUs to pound the earth with its quake hammer,

rippling the ground to send thralls toppling back.

An overwhelming volley of trencher rifle ftre mowed them down. Several bloat

thraUs at the rear managed to launch

horrendous gouts of bile fluid

deeper into the trencher ranks.

Magnus saw a number of men

&om the 23rd he had fought with for years melted into

unrecognizable forms, and

_he had to clamp down on his a nger to focus on

directing his 'jacks.

Captain Jalise Kirkwall

made a brave charge a round the perimeter

with her commandos to

reach the last of the bloats.

Captain Gordin Thatch and

his marine sharpshooters

flanked to the left while

KirkwaiJ went right and took

one out on the opposite side of the building. Those cleared,

sent his Ironclad and Defender

to batter the building to rubble,

prompting a ragged cheer from the

men that was more relieved than triumphant.

Jacobs looked at the smoking ruin and nodded in satisfaction.

"One less thing hurling death at our ships."

Magnus tore his eyes away &om the ruin of the trenchers who

had fallen there. "There's still another site to neutralize," he

said. "Get your platoons in order and let's march."

The I 99th disassembled the next artillery site with swift and

smooth precision, as now they knew what to expect. They

no OURRTER IDRGR2InE: THE KinG'S mun suffered far fewer casualties this time. Once the building

was destroyed they launched a flare to signal the completion

of that phase of the objective. The gleam of other flares was

reported in the distance; it seemed the forces that had climbed

the second ramp had also succeeded. This meant the ships

could begin offloading the main army. Magnus looked over his force in satisfaction. His new group had worked well together

to complete this part of the mission, and he saw a glimmer of

respect in the faces of his captain. Even Kirkwall gave him a smaU nod. It was a start.

Magnus' orders were to hasten in land and join with the

other assault forces to create a perimeter line while other

squads swept the intervening region to be sure they had not

missed any undiscovered artillery sites. Even as Magnus

and his officers got the men and 'jacks ready to move out,

a ranger rushed i.nto the clearing from the east. He wasted no time reporting, "Major Magnus! Captain Brisbane's

company is overrun!"

The captains looked to Magnus, all of them tense. "Where are

they?" Magnus asked.

"Holding the ramp we climbed from the beach. Enemies came from inland."

"What kind of enemy?"

"Ogrun, mechanithralls, bonejacks. Not sure what's leading 'em,

sir." He waited, agitation

evident in his ragged

breathing and tensed muscles.

It would take them away

from their intended position,

but then, it might be worse if their flank was overrun and

they lost access to the path down to the beach. And

Magnus could not stomach leaving another warcaster

out to dry. He could see

his captains watching him closely, likely remembering Durnwick's fall and

wondering if he would

simply follow orders or go to Brisbane's defense. He said,

"Change of plans. We're heading

back to the cliffs, double-time!" No

one needed additional encouragement.

~ They heard shooting through the trees before they could see

the enemy: sporadic shots, not the heavier 6re of an intact

company. Magnus cursed the dense, hostile undergrowth that slowed the force's progress as it pulled at his Ironclad and

Defender and tore at his soldiers. Anywhere bleeding skin was

exposed, buzzing insect swarms landed and bit.

Those at the front broke through to a slight rise, and Magnus

joined them to survey the situation. Captain Brisbane and his

69

mixed company had taken up a position on a low hill fronted by a line of thick, jagged rocks. They had situated a chain gun and cannons at the center of the riflemen. At either end of a Line of frantically firing trenchers and long gunners stood Brisbane's pair of Defenders, already engaged by blighted ogrun with heavy mauls. Cygnaran and Cryxian corpses alike li ttered the hill and its perimeter. Brisbane had gone to the assistance of one of his Defenders, engaging the ogrun with his mechanikal hammer. Just in front of his position, a large number of mechanithralls pounded into a ragged platoon of sword knights. Magnus estimated Brisbane was down to less than half his original company, and those left were barely holding on.

Behind the mechanithralls Magnus spotted a man -shaped skeletal figure wearing a hooded robe set with armored plates.

Its eyes gleamed green within a face of white bone, and sooty smoke poured from stacks on its back. An iron lich! His pulse raced at the sight of the first significant Cryxian leader they had yet encountered. It carried no obvious weapon but held an ironbound book chained to its left wrist. Its right gauntleted hand was extended to summon baleful green fire that burst forth to consume several long gunners atop the hilltop.

Captain Thatch unlimbered his sniper rifle and snapped a shot to pierce the head of a blighted ogrun about to charge Brisbane. Magnus ordered, "Jacobs, Kirkwall, charge with your men to reinforce Brisbane's left Bank! Haggin, Thatch, cover their advance!" The soldiers rushed from the twisted trees to hurl grenades and fire scatterguns into the enemy. An eruption of rifle fire fo llowed. Magnus invoked his magic to manifest as a ring of runes around Imp's heavy barrel, augmenting its range. He impeLled the Defender to take a shot at the iron lich- he wou ld not let that creature feast on the souls of his trenchers. He felt grim satisfaction when a sheLl smashed through the creature 's left shoulder, knocking it back.

He urged his Ironclad ahead even as Brisbane's left Defender collapsed under ogrun mauls. The Ironclad barreled into the

nearest ogrun and sent it Aying back through its companions to smash into the rock face sheltering the long gunners. Toppled ogrun were scrambling back to their feet as the 'jack laid into them with powerful blows of its quake hammer. His Charger's double cannon did not have the range to reach the iron lich, so it fired at the nearest targets of opportunity. His damaged Arcane ran to the left behind the commandos, where Magnus hoped to use their advance to get its arc node closer. He saw a pair of Slayers charge into Brisbane's sword knights and rake several apart with their claws. Magnus gritted his teeth and felt an even greater urgency to get to their controlling Lich.

Death rippers and Defilers raced around the periphery of Magnus' force. Green hellfire surged through their arc nodes to blast the nearest trenchers. Magnus fired on one with his Defender, scoring a crippling hit to its legs. Captain Thatch shouted to his trencher marine platoons to concentrate fire on these threats; experience had clearly taught him their dangers. One Deathripper leapt into their midst and savagely mauled one trencher after another with its fanged jaws. The nimble construct easily evaded their attempts to fend it off with bayonets.

Magnus drew his battle blade and pushed through his men to engage the machine. He landed an overhand blow directly to its upper chassis, cleaving through its Light armor and hearing the satisfYing metal crunch of delicate internal mechanisms. After another blow it stopped moving, its blood-smeared jaws hanging open.

The Lich had vanished behind a Line of mechanithralls by the time another shell dropped into Imp's heavy barrel. He fired at one of the blighted ogrun nearest Brisbane instead, giving the warcaster the chance to step clear of the melee. The warcaster quickly surveyed the battle and then charged the nearest Slayer to deliver a steel-crumpling blow with his weighty hammer. His faltering sword knights were encouraged by his presence and restored what was left of their line.

Kirkwall had nearly been surrounded, but Captain Haggin and his commandos came to her support, hurling grenades to unleash a rippling wave of explosions that consumed the nearest Line of mechanithralls. Jacobs and his platoon fired scatterguns to rip apart another batch before the forward trencher Line was forced to draw knives and fight hand­to-hand. Kirkwall was a blur of motion as she demonstrated her skill with her blades, nimbly

evading steam-powered fists that could kill her with a single blow and

retaliating with expert strikes. Although mechanithraiJs had deadly strength, they could be neutralized quickly by severing the connecting tendons on their arms or

cutting their heads from their shoulders. Kirkwall and the

trenchers of the l99th had obviously fought them enough to know how to take them down quickly and efficiently.

Magnus got his Arcane close enough to invoke a sorcerous blast into the thralls nearest to the lich's last location, sending

animated corpses Aying. He felt a sharp stab of pain in the back of his head when the faulty arc node sent a surge of feedback .

Smoke rose from the Arcane as the delicate mechanism atop

its chassis Lit on fire. Magnus growled and sent the unreliable

machine to spear one of the bonejacks with its pike.

no IDRGR2InE: THE KinG' 5 mrm

Fortunately Cryx did not try their line again before the other patrols that had been sent to do a more thorough sweep of the

cliff region located and dismantled two more bile artillery sites.

Commander Nemo then declared the cliffs neutralized, and the

bulk of the army withdrew back to the beaches. Entrenched

forces stayed at the top of each ramp to serve as mustering

points for the next phase. As Magnus and his officers wearily

Haggin looked like an enraged

berserker as he smashed through mechanithralls, not bothering to

draw his killfe but wielding his heavy

scattergu n like a c lub. T he heavily

muscled trencher ducked beneath

what would have been a fatal blow

and then belted the offending thrall so

hard with his gun stock that its rotted

He Unked bis sigbt to Imp and fired. Tbe ordnance-designed to buckle Kbadoran beavy armor-made a wreckage of tbe Ucb's torso."

head Aew from its shoulders. Other commandos took out other

thralls, fmally clearing enough that Magnus saw the lich at last, its black gauntlets glowing green as it summoned more helLfire.

He linked his sight to Imp and fired. The ordnance -designed

to buckle Khadoran heavy armor- made a wreckage of the

lich 's torso. Its destruction sent a mental backlash that halted

the remaining bonejacks and Slayers. Magnus saw Brisbane,

who had been leaning back to avoid a Slayer's raking claws, take a deep breath and then bring his hammer around to

crash into the inert hell jack, which toppled to the ground . The

mechanithralls became uncoordinated without the guidance of

their master and were quickly overcome.

After the enemy force was cleared, Brisbane approached

Magnus and extended a hand. "Thank you, Major. Looks like

I owe you one-or maybe more than one." He smiled, and

Magnus clasped his hand. Brisbane's expression suggested be remembered having refused Magnus' earlier offer for advice.

His eyes took in the countless bodies strewn across the hillside.

lt was a grisly scene, as bad as the beaches below bad been

after their initial landing.

Magnus nodded. "You'd have done the same. I'm sure you'll

get the chance, sooner or later."

Jacobs approached and said, "Sir, we had better get back. They'll be waiting."

Magn us looked back to the other warcaster. "Can you keep the

ramp secure? I'll inform Commander Nemo of the s ituation ."

Brisbane nodded and said, "We'll bold as long as necessary."

~ Commander Nemo was furious whe n Magnus ' half-strength

battalion arrived late to their rendezvous. Magnus learned

there had been hard fighting during his absence, and their

perimeter line had been breached. After enduring a brutal

tongue-lashing, Magnus was eventually able to explain the

situation with Captain Brisbane and how near the junior

warcaster had come to being overrun. This slightly molLified

the commander, who begrudgingly agreed he had made

the right decision. Magnus and his team were integrated into the perimeter forces and told to stand ready against

additional assaults.

descended the switchbacks he saw many more lau nches

c rossing from the Aeet by the light of Calder, the largest moon.

No bile was pitched from the cliffs to interfere with them, and

he took no small satisfaction from this. It had been a good night's work.

The fighting had clearly had an impact on the captains of the

l99th, who were now at greater ease with their commanding

officer. Bonds forged quickly in combat, and they aU knew they wou ld soon be embarking on their main m ission.

Magnus eagerly anticipated even a few hours of rest in his

tent. He had just settled when he received an unexpected

summons from the king.

Whatever ease he might have felt evaporated when be

entered the king's larger but otherwise unadorned tent.

The king was alone, but he stood leaning upon the hilt

of Kingslayer, its point in the ground, with a posture and expression that rad iated baleful anger. Magnus fe lt as if cold

water bad been hurled into his face, and he shivered with a

fear that was palpable and overpowering. He immediately

knelt to one knee and bowed his head.

"Major Asheth Magnus." Vmter spoke slowly, g iving his

words ominous emphasis. "I am 11ery displeased. Perhaps your

promotion was premature."

Magnus' mind reeled as he tried to imagine what he had done

wrong. H e had succeeded in his objective of destroying the ammunition battery. He had rejoined the greater force and

helped hold the perimeter. And he had backed up another

warcaster who otherwise would have been killed and his

position compromised. Nevertheless, he was very familiar with

the terrible consequences of losing favor with King Vmter

Rae! thorne IV He stared fixedly at the ground, and his voice shook as he asked, "Your Majesty?"

"We walk the razor's edge between success and failure." Vinter

paused. "I joined this expedition because only I can make the

difficult decisions required to defeat our foe. Success requires my officers to fo llow their orders. I expect complete obedience.

I know warcasters think they are above the chain of command,

but let me disabuse you of that idea. Today you disobeyed your orders in a vain attempt at personal glory. Do you deny thi.s?"

Magnus felt the blood drain from his face at these words,

understanding at last. "Your Majesty, I offer my humblest

apologies. I thought we should not allow our position to be

71

72

mRGR2InE: THE tUnG' 5 Ullin

flanked. I was concerned at the possibility of losing another warcaster." He remembered Vinter's words after Major Durnwick's death and wished he had not spoken that thought aloud. He stammered, "I had no intention of disobeying orders."

The king stepped closer, looming over Magnus and casting him in shadow. Magnus trembled, expecting a blade to bite his neck at any moment. "You presumed to tizterpret your orders. It was not your call to rejjeve Brisbane. He would have fought to hold that ramp-and held long enough. I had contingencies ready. While you were absent, Colonel Rathleigh, whose flank you were to protect, was encircled. He was wounded. Commander Nemo almost went to his aid; had he done so, our Lines would have been frayed. The effort atop the cliffs might have failed ." Magnus felt the full weight of that last word twist in his gut. The king continued, his voice no less menacing. "I anticipated your absence, however. I had Nemo hold and sent Leto to fill the gap. Your lord general stood in your place. Because of you, my brother was imperiled a nd we suffered needless casualties."

"I was in error," Magnus said, his voice hoarse. "Forgive me. "

Vmter was silent for a time that felt agonizing to Magnus. Then he said, "Much rests on tomorrow. We have lost the element of surprise. We must achieve our goals quickly, before this island becomes our tomb. Should I pick someone else for your task? Someone with greater mental fortitude?"

Magnus felt his face burning with shame but also resolve. He said, "I will see the rujssion done, my King. I will not fail. "

"See you do not. You are rusmissed." Vmter turned away from Magnus and the warcaster rose and withdrew. As he walked back to his tent he felt the powerful irrational fear that everyone he passed knew his humiliation .

Penetrating the Interior Magnus had little sleep that night, although he was dimly aware of closing his eyes. A moment later Captain Jacobs was jostling him awake. Dawn had not broken, but the commanders hoped to be on the march by the time the sun had risen. It was almost startling to step forth from the tent and see the transformation of the beach after several hours of launches and rowboats from the rest of the fleet constantly landing. The army had arrived in full. Tents and campfires filled the beach in every direction as far as he could see.

There was a tremendous sense of urgency, since the cove where the ships anchored could be easily sealed should Cryx send its fuiJ naval might. Vinter's words of the previous night had been no exaggeration: if the Black Fleet arrived and drove off their ships, the entire army would be left to fend for itself on Blackrock, with Jjttle hope of rescue. Despite this awareness, no force so large could move with alacrity, particularly since they had limited access to the cliff top. The sun had risen by the time their columns made their way up the switchbacks. With the army gathered, Magnus' sense of himself as only a small part of an enormous effort was magnified. At the same time he knew the importance of his mission, a responsibility he would shoulder alone.

Magnus had been entrusted with five additional Defenders offloaded from the ships overnight, all originally intended for

Major Durn wick. It was primarily by their cannons and a Limited quality of explosive ammunition that he was to demojjsh the target necrofactorium. He still had his two Sentinels, but his old Arcane had been deemed unfit for battle. He had been given another to replace it, plus another Charger and Ironclad as well. Altogether he now controlled thirteen warjacks.

"Gravedig~ers don't sleep, we fortify. '

Captain Thatch stopped nearby while checking the status of their ammunition stores and gave Magnus an appraising look. "Are you all right, Major? Not enough sleep?"

Magnus had been staring blankly ahead with his mind dispersed among his warjacks. He shook his head and said, "Gravediggers don't sleep, we fortifY." It was an old trencher saying, and several of the nearby men chuckled . Thatch nodded in approval and returned to his men.

Controlling so many warjacks represented a mental challenge he had never attempted before. Their military-grade cortexes were sufficient to engage in battle without his constant supervision, but he still needed to give them periodic general orders. If he wanted them positioned for maximum effect, he had to stay in contact with their cortexes at all times. He felt rustracted connecting to so many, as each sent perioruc signals to him that included glimpses through their ocular systems. It would require acclimation.

This was overwhelming enough without considering the full battalion of a thousand soldiers now under his command. While it was a fraction of the forces being supervised by the ranking colonels and commanders, to Magnus it was a significant logistical challenge. He was glad to have experienced captains working under him, each overseeing a quarter of the force. He knew he needed to project an air of utmost confidence, even as Vmter's words echoed in his mind. He could not help but wonder if his promotion had indeed been premature. Was he ready for this? Had he been a fool to volunteer?

The air filled with shouted orders as the army got underway. They had split into four ruvisions, each targeting a different necrofactorium complex. Magnus and the 199th were attached to the largest single ruvision, directly led by King Vinter, Lord Gene;al Leto, and Commanders Kinbrace and Nemo. They would penetrate deepest into the dark island . Rangers had gone out in the night to survey the mustering Cryxian forces, and those who returned reported the enemy massing at several places in the interior. Detailed reconnaissance was Limited, with so many rangers rrussmg.

The division making its way inland was Large enough to be fronted by a line of heavy warjacks that flattened and backed through the twisted undergrowth as they went, malci.ng it easier for the wide columns of soldiers who followed. Along the most direct route toward Magnus' intended target was a narrow pass through steep hills that the rangers had reported as guarded by the largest concentration of Cryxian forces. A towering, undead horror with tattered wings had been seen learung that army-Likely Lich Lord Terminus, one of Lord Toruk's most terrifYing generals.

~~- ~

no OURRTtR IDRGR2In£: THE KinG'S mnn ~ ' k~ ..

Magnus would have given much to see Vinter 's army clash added, "Can't see the name of the revenant ship. It's not the • with that of Terminus, but his batta]jon peeled away from the Atramentow at least, thank Morrow."

main column miles ahead of that choke point. T he warcasters :~·

with the division were not seeking to break through the Kirkwall looked down at the boats pulled up on the beach and

~ Cryxian army at that position but rather to engage them in

said, "That's a lot oflaunches." 11:

a protracted and costly battle. Hopefully the fight would Magnus felt a knot of unease in his stomach . The Wwower

lure reinforcements from deeper in the interior; every was said to most often travel with the flagships of the Black ~

~ ' enemy attracted to this clash would be one less lying in wait F leet. The thought of their navy being engaged rose to ~·

to intercept Magnus' battalion. Leto would withdraw as the forefront of his mind. He pushed these worries down, ~

necessary once the bait was taken. knowing they had to focus on the mission at band . "Chances

are, whoever landed went deeper inland. It's imperative we ... The 199th took a circuitous route nearer the shoreline to !::>.

approach the target. Magnus had often been forced to reconcile don't open fire or use grenades except as a last resort. Other

than that, nothing changes." .. I speed and stealth whi le penetrating the Khadoran interior. The I

' I 23rd had been used for many covert strikes against Khadoran With a thousand soldiers and over a dozen warjacks, stealth I settlements deemed too close to the Cygnaran border, and was impossible. The smoke of Magnus' 'jacks created a haze '

he and his team had needed to be brutally efficient in order over their position, while the sound of their force was as ~ to strike and escape before the Khadoran Army retaliated. obvious as the trail they left behind. Magnus was not trying

He drew on that experience as he could, a lthough he now to remain hidden, only to avoid easy observation from afar. ~ maneuvered an entire battalion. Visibility on the island was generally poor due to the thick

vegetation and uneven terrain. They could only hope no I '?

After a long march they arrived within sigQt of a blighted significant enemy force was nearby. I~ trollkin village. Following a bit of scouting they determined ·'· that most of the village's hardier inhabitants had already Within the hour, their forward scouts reported another village t

left, likely to join war parties in the interior. Mostly youths ahead. Magnus passed down orders to clear it with similar I ~ 1

and a few females remai.ned. Even these were fierce, though, pragmatic efficiency as the last. Captains Kirkwall and Jacobs . .'

and Magnus could not take the risk of them alerting others went ahead with their commandos. Magnus had most of .. in the vicinity; he bad no choice but to clear the village. To his Light 'jacks and his Ironclads at the front of the regular '

I

suppress the population as quietly as possible, he ordered infantry, ready to send them in after the first strike. It began 1

~-! his men to refrain from rille and cannon fire, relying instead to rain, w hich should have been a relief amid the stifling island , :

., on commandos c losing to melee and his warjacks assisting heat. Yet even this had been fouled by the Cryxian miasma on :

. after battle was joined. The work was quickly and efficiently Blackrock, and each warm, oily drop that landed left a burning

'

"" accomplished, and the battalion was able to move on . sensation on their skin. r.;

I

Magnus took no enjoyment in such actions but knew war This village, a ring of crude huts, sat atop a craggy hill near required a certain pragmatism, one his company had long the shore. The commandos crept up the hill in silence, ready to

;~ I· since learned to accept.

e

carry out their bloody task. Before they could enter the village

Their path took them near the eastern :

shore of the island, which was rocky "Beautiful. Just beautiful. ~~

and craggy even without the wall of

cliffs that loomed along the southern. Tbat blackship is the Widower." • #-•

. liJ Magnus and his officers kept a ~ watchful eye on their surroundings as >'

the force hastened down a narrow de6le descending closer to there was a sudden rumbling and the ground erupted in front " sea level. They spotted no further enemies in their path, but of them as several Helldiver bone jacks leapt from the earth. f

·• through a break in the trees along a rare stretch of beach they Simultaneously a line of heavily armored black ogrun charged i

glimpsed a sight that made their blood run cold : through a Light from the nearest huts. Magnus knew he had miscalculated: I mist on the waters, a pair of large Cryxian ships anchored. they were ambushed. ' .:

The nearer one bad the distinct silhouette of a blacks hip. The Desperately, he sent his Ironc.lads, Chargers, and Sentinels -. other appeared to be an old but more typical sailing vessel, forward . The Hell divers had fearsome hinged jaws set with

1!: n except a green glow hung beneath its sails, and unnatural green metal tusks that easily tore through the nearest commandos.

flames danced along its rails and rigging. It was a ship of the Those who had been advancing with knives ready were met by I

I ~

I reveqant-crewed Ghost F leet. Just below their path along the long warcleavers in the hands of eight-foot-tall ogrun and were t

beach they could see an entire line of beached Cryxian raiding quickly hacked down. Simultaneously Magnus heard warbling '·

launches, a clear sign that a sizable landing party had arrived. cries to the rear of his Line. He glanced back to see satyx:is had ~ Captain Thatch peered through the scope on his rifle to get

emerged from the fo rest to carve into his flank. Things had ~=

gone from bad to worse. Magnus impelled his Chargers and 1

a better view and cursed. "Beautiful. J ust beautiful. That -blacks hip is the Wwower." The name of the most notorious

Defenders to fire even as he screamed, "Free fire!" Rifle fire .. erupted throughout the force before the words were spoken. I

satyx:is blackship to sail the Broken Coast sent a chill down ' the spines of all gathered there. Any Cryxian ships were The hilltop village was the most defensible section of the ~

a cause for concern, but the captain of the Wldower was a immediate landscape-they needed to seize that ground If ~

satyx:is warcaster of particularly fearsome reputation. Thatch and hold it. "To the village! Advance an8 fire!" He directed '· Captains Thatch and Haggin to get their men away from the li! ,.

73 -

~

-

tree line, where seemingly countless saJyxis with barbed whips

were emerging. Mixed among them were groups of rotting

corpses armed with cutlasses and pistols, recognizable as revenant pirates.

Amid these attackers he spotted a saJyxis woman in warcaster

armor, her attire more ornamented than the others. Wtth the

earlier identification of the Wldower, Magnus knew instantly

this must be Skarre Ravenmane, said to be a queen among the

saJyxis. She was flanked by Slayers and Reapers, and together

they leapt into the fray. Skarre's expression was cruel and gleeful as she waded into the trenchers with her cutlass in one hand and

a dagger in the other. She then pointed higher up the hillside and invoked bursts of red acidic liquid to splash into squads of

fleeing soJdjers. Each drop burned flesh with the same deadly

acidic intens.ity as bile. The trenchers fled from her warjacks,

which loped among them like hounds on the hunt.

Magnus knew he had to seize the higher ground and rally his trenchers before he could deal with her. He had his

Defenders provide what cover fire they could, directing

several to concentrate on and annihilate the nearest Slayer.

He then turned his back on the retreating trenchers to

confront the blighted ogrun ahead. It took an effort of will

to ignore the screams of his men as barbed whips opened Cygnaran throats and lashed soldiers to shreds. He ran up

the hill while invoking explosions among the ogrun and then

drew his sword to hack into the nearest survivor.

Amid the chaotic melee he lost track of anything beyond the

nearest enemy. He saw Kirkwall narrowly evade an ogrun's

great chopping blow. He drew his hand cannon and squeezed

the trigger to blast a hole through the head of the blighted creature. He was nearly tackled by another of the brutes but

Captain Haggis intercepted it, screaming incoherently while

stabbing with his long-bladed trench knife. The two tumbled

down the muddy slope and were lost to Magnus' sight. An

entire gang of hulking ogrun battered his Sentinels to scrap

before his Ironclads charged into their midst. Rust and the other Charger beset the Helldivers.

In a few short moments the ogrun and bone jacks were

eliminated and the hilltop was theirs. Magnus ordered his

captains to get cannons and chain guns into position. His

Arcane ran along the lower slope to let Magnus deliver

sorcerous blasts where the enemy clustered. Soon the light 'jack was rushed by revenants who battered it with their

cutlasses. He yelled, "Take out revenant officers first! " after

seeing many of the men firing futilely into the seemingly invincible pirates, which feU to bullets only to rise again.

Magnus had hoped to catch Skarre with his Defenders, but

the cagey satyxis queen used her warjacks and the terrain to

stay out of their lanes of fire, keeping at the rear of her force.

She commanded her saJyxis to converge on the warjacks as Magnus moved them toward her.

The nearest of the raiders cracked their barbed whips to

score the armor of the two nearest Defenders. Suddenly

there was an explosion of unnatural agony in Magnus' mind

as unholy energies from the whips blazed through the 'jacks,

penetrating cortexes and through them searing Magnus'

brain. He fought through the pain to urge those 'jacks to

trample through those besetting them and run up the hill back toward the Cygnarans. The numerous warjacks in his

arsenal had suddenly become a liability. Any thought

of eliminating Skarre with Defender cannon fire was

gone from his head amid the haze of searing pain.

The trencher line along the lip of the hill unleashed

a deadly hail of lead to cut down the satyxis who had been pursuing the 'jacks, but even as chain

guns and cannons opened fire the revenants and

saJyxis withdrew back into the trees. Magnus

stood shakily to his feet. The pain in his skull faded . While he was more rattled than seriously

injured, he knew a sustained assault by those

whips against his 'jacks might well have killed

him from feedback alone. Doing a quick mental

survey of his 'jacks he saw his newly acquired

Charger was scrapped, and Rust and his Ironclads

were damaged, his remaining mechaniks attempting

hasty field repairs.

Magnus' mood was bleak as he saw many

bodies of the 23rd lying motionless along

the bloody ground. He recognized

several of his fallen sergeants and one of his senior lieutenants. As he took

in the carnage, he saw Thatch and Kirkwall standing near one of the

fallen just down the slope, their

faces ashen. At their feet was the

bloody and battered corpse of

~ ;.., •

I I no OURRTER mRGR2InE: THE KinG'S mrrn !.;

l

' -~

Captain Haggin. He was sprawled alongside the ogrun that had force with a Slayer, a Reaper, and a single Ripjaw. Magnus

nearly tackled Magnus, his trench knife buried in its chest. The and Kirkwall's scattergun-wielding commandos leapt out from ., man had saved his life, but Magnus could think of no comforting the trees to beset the satyxis queen and her immediate escort,

words to say to the remaining captains. Other trencher corpses which they quickly gunned down. But just as quickly the ~ littered the village and the surrounding hillside. Slayer was among the commandos, tearing them apart with ~

Magnus felt a surge of relief to spot Arthur Jacobs alive near its claws. Magnus sent his Ironclad to intercept the fiendish

the cannons. He approached his old friend, who reported, hell jack while directing Rust and Imp to fire on Ravenmane. ;

"Our defensive position is sound, sir." It was the trencher He hoped to take her down quickly.

instinct to fortify, and Magnus could see it in Jacobs' eyes. Skarre reacted with preternatural alacrity to evade the " Magnus knew the enemy would never be so stupid as to

Defender's shell, and her power field absorbed most of the F'

attack their position now that they were ready and had the Charger impacts. Blood along her side told him at least one

I better ground. Besides, they had not come here to seize an had gotten through. He advanced, firing his hand cannon,

I

ogrun vi llage. "We need to be on the march," he said. His but her power field shimmered and the shell deflected. The

voice sounded merciless even to his own ears. They all wanted Reaper turned on him in response, nearly skewering him with

a reprieve- if only a brief one-to gather their dead friends its harpoon before closing to strike at him with its hell driver.

and bury them. When time permitted in a battle against Cryx, Magnus smashed his mechanikal blade through the tempered

~t

bodies were always to be dealt with, as each could be animated steel of its melee weapon and impelled Rust to charge the

as an enemy . But Magnus was operating beyond the ordinarily machine and hack at its armor with its augmented cleaver. ~ .

rules, a nd speed was all that mattered. The more time that Meanwhile the Ripjaw leapt upon his Defender, the whirling ! ~

l :-

passed, the worse the odds became for the success of their blade between its mandibles cutting through the warjack's ~

mission. All the while, additional blackships might be rounding armored plating with alarming efficiency. '~

the island shores to menace their fleet. Showing foolish bravery, Captain Kirkwall rushed the satyxis l ;.

The men grumbled, but they obeyed. Platoons were reshuffled queen . There was nothing Magnus could do to stop her.

\- ~

as companies made adj ustments for casualties. Once the Skarre smiled as if welcoming the duel and easily parried and i

warjacks were refueled and every soldier was resupplied with evaded Kirkwall's blindingly fast strikes with her cutlass and i • ,.·

ammunition they set off, leaving the carnage behind. dagger. Magnus observed the clash with dread, knowing how

~

Soldie rs warily scanned the dark trees as they went, it wou ld end, and renewed his assault on the Reaper with i I"

desperate haste. ' ~-

knowing the enemy was out there, somewhere. Magnus fe lt .

confident his battalion still outnumbered Skarre 's landing The trencher captain feinted and sliced at Skarre's throat, but

party, and he hoped th is strength of numbers wou ld see him the strike deflected off her power fie ld . The Cryxian smashed ' ' ~

through. But he also knew they walked on Cryxian soil, her horns into Kirkwall 's forehead with a brutal crunch,

r:

i ~

which the e nemy knew far better than they. Ravenmane sending her sprawling. Magnus hammered the Reaper with his

: l_

i ~ could choose when and w here she struck.

battle blade to finish it and staggered toward the satyxis, but he ' ~

was too far away to do more than watch as Skarre 's dagger cut ~

The next hours proved this dread to be well founded. Skarre i

Raven mane stalked them, besetting them without warning Kirkwall's throat with a spray of arterial blood. ..

again and again. Satyxis, revenants, and bonejacks charged Magnus charged her with a cry, but she just laughed and I iC.

from the trees while Slayers and Reapers emerged from th e stepped to meet him . He felt tremendous rage as he hacked at

I

i i :¥

I opposite side to beset one or more of Magnus' warjacks. Her

her with !tis Caspian battle blade, but she was too skilled to be if

objective was clear-she focused relentlessly on his Defenders, easily struck down. She smiled mockingly as she parried a nd ; ~

and he lost one after the other in quick sequence in the course riposted. He had seen what she could do, but her cutlass and

of three ambushes, until he was down to just two. During each dagger kept him preoccupied enough that he could not avoid :-

of these attacks he made wrecks of hell jacks, but that seemed it when she crashed her horned forehead into his just as she I ~z

I a trade Ravenmane was willing to accept. At each ambush

had done with Kirkwal.l. He saw stars as he fell to his knees ~i

satyxis and revenants were slain, but they lost two or three and blindly raised his sword to parry, feeling certain the killing I · "

I trenchers for every foe they put down. When they tried to

strike would descend. ' 0.,:

pursue the enemy into the trees, they lost even more. Through his link to his warjacks he felt his Ironclad and ~ ·~ ~ :-~

I The situation became desperate as their numbers shifted. After the Slayer deliver mutually crippling blows to one another. ~ the third ambush Magnus knew he had lost the numerical Imp managed to batter the Ripjaw to wreckage with its

advantage. The toll of death weighed heavily on his mind, and flall, and the badly damaged Reaper fell to Rust's cleaver.

~

; !'

he could see he wasn't the only one. The remaining soldiers of With Skarre's 'jacks destroyed or crippled, he summoned .:,;

I the l99th looked harrowed, their eyes sunken and their hands

Imp and Rust to charge the satyxis queen. Magnus saw

gripping their rifles desperately. Magnus knew he had to risk her raising her cutlass over him, but before she committed

I "

I 1 i,"

his own ambush to try to regain the advantage, and he stayed to the blow she spotted the movement of his warjacks.

i back while the rest of the column continued on. He took with Frowning as if in annoyance, she leapt toward the cover of

., him a handpicked force led by Captain Kirkwall, along with the trees. His 'jacks fired, but their shots only splintered '

I one of his battered Ironclads, Imp, and Rust. bark. She was gone. Magnus stumbled shakily to his feet,

~~

Staying off t he main path, he managed to flank the satyxis his eyes swimming with spots and his head reeling from the ~

concussion. He shook his head in frustration to see Kirkwall :.

queen and catch her off guard after the rest of her raiding lying dead at his feet, her eyes staring blankly upward . !;

party marched past. She had kept warily near the rear of her I~ ::.:-

75 .. '-..

"

fortresses and temples. Baleful green light gleamed through countless slits and apertures. They sent their last rangers to check the structure more closely. As they awaited the rangers' return, every trencher gripping his rifle fearfully, finding little solace in the pale faces of battle-scarred sergeants and officers. They had lost their chain guns and were down to one cannon, now pointed at the great closed metal doors.

A pair of tremendous smoke stacks extended from the domed roof of the building like wicked horns. Several times as they waited there was a strange moaning noise, as &om some doleful horn, before acrid plumes erupted &om the stacks to fill the air above. This vapor was tinged with green and bubbled and boiled in the air. Several of the trenchers had torn off cloth to wrap around their mouths and noses, fearing the air itself, which was biting and foul. Each indrawn breath brought a metallic taste, with something rotten beneath.

The rangers returned and their sergeant reported, "Massive

bile production facility. Found an aperture on the south face, too narrow to get through, but I could see inside. The whole central area's filled with bile thralls, unmoving. Hundreds upon hundreds. They don't look . . . urn .. . active. Saw huge armored tanks: bile reservoirs. Lots of thumping machinery. Some necrotechs in there, moving around, but I couldn 't get a count. No patrols outside we could see. If there's a garrison, it's not as big as we feared . But we couldn't see everything. Most of the space inside is taken up by the inert bile thralls. Likely they're being pumped full before activation." The soldiers around them muttered fearfully.

Magnus had been staring at the stacks as great plumes of smoke poured forth. "I wonder .. . " He locked eyes with

Arthur Jacobs, who showed a glimmer of interest. He knew the tone in Magnus' voice when a plan had come to him. Magnus continued, "I don't think we need Defenders to bring this place down. We just have to block those vents. Whatever they're doing in there, it requires pressure. Like a steam boiler. If we block the vents, the pressure will build- "

Jacobs ' eyes widened . "And the place might blow. The machinery could destroy itself."

Thatch looked back and forth between the two of them as if they were crazy. "What if there's a safety mechanism to shut down the engines?"

no UURRTER IDRGR~InE: THE KinG'S Ullin

Magnus chewed the inside of his lip, his mind racing. "Here's what we11 do. We break in, then the two of you find a way to stop the venting. I can check the engines for fail-safes. We get as far away as possible before it blows."

Captain Thatch scowled . "You make it sound so easy!"

Magnus said calmly, "This factory is deep in Blackrock, where no living man has ever stood. This place has but one purpose: to make weapons. Cryx doesn't build places like this expecting they will be attacked. We left a trail of corpses to get here. That was the hard part."

Thatch said nothing more, but Magnus sensed his morale­and that of the men -was shaky. Every soldier was imagining the horror of hundreds of bile thralls in one place. Magnus had to admit he also found the thought terrifying. He spoke again, "Every Cryxian weapon made here might be turned on our countrymen. We've made it this far. Now

we just need to finish the job and destroy this place. In doing so, we will save far more lives than we have lost today." He could see his words had an impact, firming their resolve, although fear lingered in their eyes.

~ Magnus touched the cortexes of Rust and Imp and told the cannon crew to get ready to fire. At his signal the trencher cannon bucked and rolled back &om recoil even as the Charger and Defender also f1red. The massive metal doors buckled and exploded inward, torn off their hinges. "Advance!" he shouted. The sound of the cannons had gotten the adrenaline of the men pumping. They forgot their fea r for the moment and charged.

Dozens of mechanithralls emerged from the shattered doors only to be immediately cut down by rifle fire. More were met by sprays of metal shrapnel and grenades, and then the soldiers got inside the doors. Battle became chaotic in close quarters, and a number of trenchers fell to steam-powered fists before they cleared the vicinity. Additional grenade explosions and rifle fire cleared the immediate area enough for Magnus and his 'jacks to push inside. Just past the shattered doors he spotted an ancillary square room set into the left wall, likely where those mechanithralls had originated.

The interior of the factory was lit by a now-familiar green glow from the fires of numerous churning machines. The stench of burning necrotite was heavy in the foul air, prompting many

of the trenchers to fall into fits of coughing. The main chamber was indeed filled with endless rows of

bile thralls, a sight that was even more sinister in person than they had imagined . . Magnus

lmew his men did not have enough bullets to shoot them all even if they had been so inclined. Fortunately the thralls were still as statues. He saw necrotechs scurrying amid the machinery deeper inside the open chamber, hurriedly throwing levers and switches. The sight alarmed him, and he wondered what they might be activating. He targeted those he could see with Defender and Charger fire, hoping to

eliminate them before they could finish whatever they had planned.

77

76

Thoughts of vengeance were derailed when another explosion of pain erupted in his head . Raiders back at the main column had beset the 'jacks he had left with the main column with lacerator whips. He and the remaining men rushed back to see satyxis and revenants attacking the rear of his force while mechanithralls alongside Deathripper bonejacks struck at the front. Magnus lost his temper and threw himself into the minds of his 'jacks even as he charged those nearest with his blade.

He had no thoughts for his own safety as he hacked through them, feeling a sizzling fire in his brain as more lacerator strikes brought down his second Ironclad. Chain guns were set in place a nd spun up to firing speed, but their crews were overrun and sliced to bloody ribbons. The battle came down to revenant cutlasses, satyxis whips, and trencher knives and bayonets.

A Deathripper barreled into Magnus, knocking him from his feet as he wedged his sword into its fanged mouth. Weak from fatigue and blood loss he could only batter at it feebly, but Jacobs came to his side and kicked the machine from him and then blasted it with his scattergun . Magnus summoned one last adrenaline surge and battered the bonejack to oblivion with his blade. He and Jacobs were then separated as they plunged back into the fray.

It seemed a long time of metal on metal and bloody carnage, and at the end Magnus was half-blinded by the blood seeping into his eyes from a gash along his forehead. At last there was a moment of calm, and he was able to step back a nd take stock of the situation. He had resigned himself to dying here, to taking as many of the enemy down with him as he could. What he saw now was almost startling: they seemed to have won. The trampled and shredded section of forest where they fought was littered with corpses from both sides. He blinked and stared at the remaining trenchers, who seemed so few.

Magnus breathed hard and felt strangely numb even though his heart was beating heavily and his body ached from battle fatigue as well as countless cuts and bruises. He took in the bodies around them and could not muster any emotions, whether he looked on men in the navy blue of the King's Own or Cryxians in satyxis leathers. Both seemed the same. A remote part of his mind registered he was down to two of his original 'jacks: Imp and Rust. The rest had been wrecked. Where had his force gone? The answer lay in bloody piles around him.

His mind balked to consider how few soldiers were left. He looked up as his last two captains approached, covered in

gore. Jacobs was limping from a hastily bandaged slash along his

left leg, but Thatch appeared relatively unhurt. A trencher

lieutenant took Thatch aside to tell him of Kirkwall 's fall, and the sniper's face drained of blood.

"-ffilSSlOn."

The world came back into focus and he realized Jacobs had spoken. Magnus blinked at him and his tongue felt thick in his mouth as he asked,

"What? Say that again."

Jacobs spoke with quiet intensity. "We need

to consider aborting the mission, Major."

Magnus swallowed, his hands trembling. He knew Jacobs

was right. They needed the Defenders in order to destroy the

necrofactorium, and now he had only one, and most of the explosive ammunition

had been spent or lost. Even as he considered this, Magnus remembered Vmter's words and the icy dread he had felt in the royal tent. How could he face the king if he failed? Death seemed preferable.

He spoke in a hoarse voice, "That's not an option . We have nearly reached the target. We've defeated the satyxis leader. " He had no absolute certainty of this, to be truthful. But the scheming part of Magnus ' mind told him they must have at least dealt her landing party a crippling blow. Skarre might gather additional Cryxians from elsewh ere on the island, but doing so would take time. They had a narrow window in which to act.

"Look around!" Jacobs jabbed a finger pointedly back at where the remnants of their battalion gathered. "We've lost most of our men! All your Defenders are destroyed but one. This mission is over, Asheth."

He rarely used Magnus' fLrst name, but if he felt it would have an impact, he had miscalculated. "This is not a debate, Captain. I wilL destroy that factory. Let's march." Jacobs stared in disbelief as Magnus marched past him. Magnus did not wait for the men, but they soon fo llowed, leaving behind the corpses of their friends.

~ Assault on the Necrofactorium. The men passed the rest of the march in fear, knowing Skarre might descend upon them at any time. But as Magnus had predicted, there were no additional ambushes. Above the trees the great necrofactorium loomed, a massive brooding edifice as squat, ugly, and unadorned as any built by Cryx. It was made of blackened stone that called to mind old stories of Orgoth

fortresses and temples. Baleful green Light gleamed through countless slits and apertures. They sent their last rangers to check the structure more closely. As they awaited the rangers' return, every trencher gripping his rifle fearfully, finding little solace in the pale faces of battle-scarred sergeants and officers. They had lost their chain guns and were down to one cannon, now pointed at the great closed metal doors.

A pair of tremendous smoke stacks extended from the domed roof of the building like wicked horns. Several times as they waited there was a strange moaning noise, as from some doleful horn, before acrid plumes erupted &om the stacks to fill the air above. This vapor was tinged with green and bubbled and boiled in the air. Several of the trenchers had torn off cloth to wrap around their mouths and noses, fearing the air itself, which was biting and foul. Each indrawn breath brought a metallic taste, with something rotten beneath.

The rangers returned and their sergeant reported, "Massive bile production facility. Found an aperture on the south f~ce, too narrow to get through, but I could see inside. The whole central area's 6lled with bile thralls, unmoving. Hundreds upon hundreds. They don't look ... urn .. . active. Saw huge armored tanks: bile reservoirs. Lots of thumping machinery. Some necrotechs in there, moving around, but I couldn't get a count. No patrols outside we could see. lf there's a garrison, it's not as big as we feared. But we couldn 't see everything. Most of the space inside is taken up by the inert bile thralls. Likely they're being pumped full before activation." The soldiers around them muttered fearfully.

Magnus had been staring at the stacks as great plumes of smoke poured forth . "I wonder ... "He locked eyes with Arthur Jacobs, who showed a glimmer of interest. He knew the tone in Magnus ' voice when a plan had come to him. Magnus continued, "I don't think we need Defenders to bring this place down. We just have to block those vents. Whatever they're doing in there, it requires pressure. Like a steam boiler. lf we block the vents, the pressure will build-"

Jacobs' eyes widened. "And the place might blow. The machinery could destroy itself."

Thatch looked back and forth between the two of them as if they were crazy. "What if there's a safety mechanism to shut down the engines?"

no OURRTER IDRGR2InE: THE RinG'S Ollin

Magnus chewed the inside of his lip, his mind racing. "Here's what we'U do. We break in, then the two of you find a way to stop the venting. I can check the engines for fail-safes. We get as far away as possible before it blows."

Captain Thatch scowled. "You make it sound so easy!"

Magnus said calmly, "This factory is deep in Blackrock, where no living man has ever stood. This place has but one purpose: to make weapons. Cryx doesn't build places like this expecting they will be attacked. We le& a trail of corpses to get here. That was the hard part."

Thatch said nothing more, but Magnus sensed his morale­and that of the men -was shaky. Every soldier was imagining the horror of hundreds of bile thralls in one place.

Magnus had to admit he also found the thought terrifYing. He spoke again, "Every Cryxian weapon made here might be turned on our countrymen. We've made it this far. Now we just need to 6nish the job and destroy this place. In doing so, we will save far more lives than we have lost today." He could see his words had an impact, firming their resolve, although fear lingered in their eyes.

~ Magnus touched the cortexes of Rust and Imp and told the cannon crew to get ready to fire. At his signal the trencher cannon bucked and rolled back &om recoil even as the Charger and Defender also fired. The massive metal doors buckled and exploded inward, torn off their hinges. "Advance!" he shouted. The sound of the cannons had gotten the adrenaune of the men pumping. They forgot their fear for the moment and charged.

Dozens of mechanithralls emerged from the shattered doors only to be immediately cut down by rifle ftre. More were met by sprays of metal shrapnel and grenades, and then the soldiers got inside the doors. Battle became chaotic in close quarters, and a number of trenchers feU to steam-powered 6sts before they cleared the vicinity. Additional grenade explosions and rifle 6re cleared the immediate area enough for Magnus and his 'jacks to push inside. Just past the shattered doors he spotted an ancillary square room set into the le& wall, likely where those mechanithraUs had originated.

The interior of the factory was lit by a now-familiar green glow from the fires of numerous ch urning machines. The stench of burning necrotite was heavy in the foul air, prompting many

of the trenchers to fall into flts of coughing. The main chamber was indeed 6lled with endless rows of

bile thralls, a sight that was even more sinister in person than they had imagined. Magnus

knew his men did not have enough bullets to shoot them all even if they had been so inclined. Fortunately the thralls were stiU as statues. He saw necrotechs scurrying amid the machinery deeper inside the open chamber, hurriedly throwing levers and switches. The sight alarmed him, and he wondered what they might be activating. He targeted those he could see with Defender and Charger fire, hoping to

eUminate them before they could finish whatever they had planned.

77

] no QURRTER mRGR2InE: THE KinG'S Ollin <

~

I~

I~ l'i I•

I ~

I'

I ~

I ~

78 !:i

.....

Jacobs grabbed Thatch's arm and pointed up along the outer

walls to where scaffolding and metal-grilled p latforms allowed access to sections of the building's upper machinery. "I think

we can get to the vent shafts up there. You go that way."

Magnus said, "Work quickly. The rest of the men will keep the

exit secured while I check the engines.

Thatch nodded, and each captain selected a squad of trenchers

to accompany him as they made their separate ways up the

small and precarious ramps. Those seemed sturdy enough

to sustain their weight, but there were no railings, and the p latforms were uncomfortably narrow.

The doors to several other ceU-Iike rooms along the first floor

perimeter clanged open to disgorge additional mechanithraUs,

plus a number of active bile thralls. There was no sign of an

intelligence directing them . The trenchers not with Thatch

and Jacobs had formed into a defensive cordon just within the entrance to the main chamber. Magnus used his arcane

power to augment their firing range as they took aim at the

approaching enemy. Those in the front row fired and fell back

to reload w hile the next line with readied rifles took their place.

It was one of the few times when Magnus wished his battalion

included long gunners. He preferred the more adaptable skills

of hardened trenchers in general, but w hen it came to laying down a volume of firepower no soldiers could match the long

gunners. He and his 'jacks stepped forward to assist, but the

line suffered additional casualties when mechanithralls reached

them, and he could plainly see that the rest of the men were

rattled and afraid, eager to leave this nightmare place. Even as

they fought, their eyes strayed to the hundreds of statue-like bile thralls looming nearby.

Magnus went ahead alone to make his way toward the heavy

engines. This required him to step directly through the eerie rows of bile thralls, getting too close a look at their bloated

stitched 8esh and grotesque weaponry. Lengths of piping

like black snakes connected each of them to thicker conduits

extending from the central reservoir. Numerous pipes attached

this to smaller vats and those in turn to the pumping steam

engines. Magnus ran his eye along the maze of piping, puzzling out their relation to the churning pistons and other machine

elements. He thought he could see how this place functioned.

As he rounded one machine he was startled to see several

thralls shoveling necrotite into the open maw of a furnace. T he

blight-6iled radiance from the heat of its fire made his muscles ache, and nausea clenched his stomach . He raised his hand

cannon toward them but stopped when it became clear they

a U. Not seeing any elegant solution, he used his mechanikal

sword to batter the pressure meters and valves to wreckage.

He finished this just as on the catwalks above his two captains

were concluding their own sabotage on the main vent stacks to choke off the steam exhausts. Thatch managed to hammer

one of the thick pipes closed but then released a thick surge of

h ideous gas straight into his face, prompting him to cough and

retch . He staggered away, coughing up blood, and his nearest

soldie rs helped him away from the noxious fumes and back

down the perilous scaffolding.

Magnus felt a moment of satisfaction when heard the

apparatus shudder as it attempted its next venting. The

pressure had begun to build. His appreciation was short-lived,

though, as he heard shouts of alarm from the soldiers near the

doors . Through the eyes of Rust and lmp he saw an entire

line of the previously inert bile thralls swing into motion . They were waking up.

He gritted his teeth and raced back through the silent rows

of their kind, expecting them to turn on him at any moment.

Fortunately they seemed to be activating slowly, a few at a

time, a nd he did not have to fight his way back to his men.

Rifle fire increased in intensity ahead, and Magnus sent Imp

and Rust to intercept the thralls that escaped the initial hail of bullets and scattergun fire. Even w ith these efforts several

exploded close enough to send caustic fluid across the front

ranks. The men collapsed screaming as their flesh melted, and

then the rest of Magnus' remaining soldiers broke and ran.

They were not willing to stand against certain, torturous death.

Acidic fluid coati ng the warjacks slowly ate through armor and conduits, a lthough they should endure for several

minutes longer at least. Magn us evaded another spray of

the fluid as he reached them. More and more of the biles

were animating, pulling loose from the black umbilical

cords connected to the bile reservoir and stepping forward

to engage. The machinery at the vaul ted chamber's center

s hook noticeably, the metal creaking and groaning as the pressure chamber reached its limit.

Magnus stood in the opening of the exit and assessed the

situation. The troops accompanying Thatch and Jacobs had

scrambled down the catwalks w hile firing at the nearest biles.

Jacobs Limped to the lower level, but bile thra lls blocked his path to the doors . "Magnus! " he shouted, "Clear the way! " He

fired his scattergun to shred several of the nearest foes. Thatch

and his·men were farther back, cut off by more active biles.

They were forced to retreat back up onto the walkway.

paid him no mind. They

were designed for the

simple task of shoveling

Cryxian fuel, not to fight; their work would

actually help him in his

objective. Magnus did

not interrupt them.

This required bim to step directly tbrougb tbe eerie rows of bile tbralls, getting too close a look at tbeir bloated stitcbed fl.esb and grotesque weaponry.

He climbed b lackened steps to reach the upper section of the

large machine and pressure tank connected to the exhaust

vents. There he discovered an immense configuration of valves and triggers that might, in fact, quench the engines if it

detected a pressure overload. It seemed the building's engineers

had taken steps to avoid at least a simple malfunction after

Imp lurched for a moment and took a step toward Jacobs as Magnus considered sending it to trample through the biles to

get to him. Magnus stopped the 'jack as a horrible calculus

suddenly came together in his mind. The machinery might soon

reach its pressured culmination. He visualized the rupturing

tank and bile fluid pouring forth to consume them aU.

I

. !-,

I no OURRTER IDRGR2InE: THE KinG'S mun 1& l

;:. I

As frightfu l as that was to imagine, there was a possibility and his side was wrapped in bandages. His head was also ~ worse yet: the explosion might not happen at all. He cou ld wrapped; in fact, there seemed to be little of his skin that was

,, •i

not be sure the tanks wou ld rupture without assistance, not bandaged . !'

I particularly as the sabotage to the upper stacks had I ~

He had a vague recollection of a Leviathan spike piercing ~-been incomplete. A miasma of greenish corrosive steam his power field after he had rejoined the battle occupying

continued to pour from the battered cylinders below the the main army, but most of that battle was an uncertain blur, I ~ ceiling, perhaps re leasing too much pressure. Impious a sequence of hazy images that did not qillte make sense. It

I

was quickly being overwhelmed by the caustic fluid of did not seem important to sort them out right now. A great

lrl the biles and wou ld not last long. He could send it to '· save Jacobs, but that wou ld. be its last act, and then he

numbness filled him, tinged. w ith bitter sorrow. The images !.

would have no Defender to use as backup against the from the destruction of the bile factory came back in a rush, 1 ' and once again he saw the expression on Arthur Jacobs' face

necrofactorium. He might well fail in his mission. when Magnus had. turned away from him. His hand. reached r,_-

If the mission were not I completed, all these biles-now It tbe mission were not com/leted, all

active and ready-would march t ese biles-now active an ready-I against Vmter's army. The

:~ I factory would endure to make would marcb against Vinter's army. '

more from the gathered corpses l of the King's Own. Magnus '

I ;-

remembered the sensation of awaiting the king's sword to for the shared memento that should. be around his neck, but it .,

1 sever his neck when they had last spoken. was not there. His heart pounding, he looked to his side and "tj

saw the necklace with the bullet Jacobs had given him lying ~~

Jacobs caught his eye again as he desperately reloaded his

scattergun. Magnus stepped back, shaking hls head once, with some of his other possessions on a crate by the bed. He "i

and turned his back on his closest friend. to exit the building. reached out and clenched. his fist around it, then fell back onto the cot in exhaustion. -

Through the eyes of hls 'jacks he saw the horror dawn on .•

' :

Jacobs' face. Someone stepped into the tent, and it took him a moment

As he walked away, Magnus clenched. his teeth and directed to realize who it was-the black armor, the piercing stare. .': :,.

Rust to aim at the main pressure tank and Impious at the He tried to raise himself but shooting pain paralyzed him,

bile reservoir. They fired in sequence, bursting the straining and he groaned. :

pressure tank even as his Defender's shell struck the reservoir "As you were, Major." King Vinter Raelthorne IV spoke in an .~

I

to send a spiderweb of cracks through its armored exterior. unusually gentle tone. "The battle is ended. You will be back ~

The blast was enormous, deafening him and hurling him to on the flagship soon." ·,~ the ground outside the building despite his power field. A "My King," Magnus gasped, feeling a rush of shame. "I lost

I 1e chunk of stone managed to penetrate it and hit the back of his my battallon. All of them. I'm sorry. I have failed you." I head hard enough to draw blood . I •'•

Vmter shook his head. "No. You completed your mission and ' Through Imp's ocular apparatus, he saw Jacobs blasted off .~

I returned alive. The deaths of those you led, while tragic, were

I his feet to hit the far wall as a green tide of bile fluid gushed ' .

necessary. You learned to make the hard decisions that define ,, .,

from the shattered reservoir. The impact might have killed ' a leader, and your nation is indebted to you. We will honor ' him outright if not for a large intervening vat, which absorbed

you properly when we return to Highgate." ~ the brunt of the explosion. Still conscious, he had. only a ~

His head swimming, he stared in mute disbelief at his ' moment to register the green tide of bile fluid gushing from the shattered reservoir. Even the bile thralls themselves, sovereign, who offered a rare smile and went so far as to ..

I

ordinarily resistant to corrosive fluids, were unable to retain clasp him on his shoulder before turning to leave. Tears rose •.

cohesiveness against complete immersion. As they were swept in Magnus' eyes. He felt some great weight slide away, some

up by a torrent of concentrated flwd, the hundreds of thralls burden that had been pressing his chest. Magnus let it go, I

I

began to disintegrate. Magnus barely registered it. along with the memory of Jacobs' horribed face. He chose to ! ~·

His borrowed eyes stayed locked on Jacobs, who had just focus on the Vmter's words instead. He knew every soldier

regained his feet as the fluid reached him . He screamed as his was a weapon that might be expended. Yet by those same ~

flesh rotted and sloughed off, transformed into a horrifYing words Magnus wondered. if he might have become something

' more to the king. Someone truly important, worth preserving. . slurry. It was no small b lessing when acid overwhelmed . the 'jack cortexes and. their vision went dark. Feeling dizzy, He let the bullet on its chain slip from his fingers and fall to ~

sickened, and wretched., be staggered away between blighted the floor next to his cot. He rolled to face the tent wall and fell " ' . into a deep sleep, not waking even when he was lifted to be '

·I

trees toward the distant thunder of cannons. '

~ carried onto the ln'Jomilable Storm. ..

•, ~

I Magnus awoke disoriented and confused. It was too quiet. ~

He realized he was lying on a crude cot within a hospital tent " alongside other wounded. His entire body pulsed with pain,

~

79 .. r... ~

- - -

T his Battle Report marks a number of firsts for No Quarter Magazine. For starters, it's quite simply the

biggest one we've ever done. C locking in at thirty-two pages, this beast of a Battle Report is based upon a

truly epic conflict, one that echoes a pivotal moment in Cygnaran history.

Second, this is the first Battle Report to use the new Unbound rules for large-scale combats (see No Quarter# 36

for full details on this exciting new way to p lay WARMACHINE and HORDES). Ed and Jason each took 150

points of Skorne and Cygnar respectively, with each army featuring three warcasters/warlocks and more warjacks,

warbeasts, and troops than I've ever seen on one table. The pictures in this article barely do justice to that carpet

of red and blue models that dominated 6ve hours of a rainy February afternoon.

Finally, this Battle Report, while obviously not an exact recreation of the events that transpired in 603 AR,

attempts to capture the spirit and setting of Vi.nter Raelthorne's bloody attack on Corvis. Our battle takes place on the Black River Bridge where a decisive victory was fought to turn back an invading Skorne army. The "what-if''

scenario presented in this article attempts to divine what a pitched battle between Skorne and Cygnar forces might

have looked like if both had brought to bear their most potent weapons -a trio of each faction 's most renowned warcasters and warlocks. -Aeryn

I would like to start off by saying I have played A LOT of Unbound games, and experience has taught me to play with what I know. Taking scores of

different solos and support models in hopes of executing super combos is more complication than it's worth in games of this size. The last thing I want to do is pause in the middle of the game to refresh my memory on half-a-dozen rules and then hope I win the initiative so I can put THE PLAN in motion. I would rather respond to the tides of war intuitively, taking advantage of the opportunities fortune and my opponent provide. To that end, I selected models and units with which I was comfortable and that were able to support each other.

I chose Commander Coleman Stryker and Captain Victoria Haley because I am well versed in their respective bags of tricks. They also have a lot of potent support capabilities and can make a defmite impact in a game of this scale. I wanted General Adept Nemo because 1 felt what he brings to the table in terms of battlegroup maneuverabi lity and raw power could turn the tide of battle.

Defenders, Stormclads, and Lancers are my go-to Cygnaran warjacks . Properly supported by Storm blade Infantry for maximum focus efficiency, a Stormclad is a wrecking ball in motion. I knew from the start my Long Gunner Infantry would be married to my Precursor Knights . I added Harlan Versh to deal with those brutally effective Skorne upkeep spells. Plus, I just like the model.

Though my Trencher Infantry would not be able to use Dig-In on the upper bridge, I figured their smoke and weapon attachments would make fine crowd-control to keep the Skorne in line.

There are many Cygnar players that believe models like the Squire or Black 13th belong in every army list, but I don't fall into that "must have" mentality. I'll take more Stormsmiths over a Squire any day, and in a battle this large, the Black 13th is just a little too fragile for my needs. Besides, not having Thunderbolt is just a deal -breaker for me.

0 Captain Victoria Haley

0 Defender

~ Thorn

• General Adept Nemo

4) Lancer

~ Sentinel

Stormclad x2

+5 warjack pts

9

8

+6 warjack pts

6

4

20 (10 ea.)

e Commander Coleman Stryker + 6 warjack pts

0 Defender 9

e Lancer

0 Stormclad

6

10

S Arcane Tempest Gun Mages (full)

e Long Gunner Infantry (full)

G Precursor Knights (full)

6

10

8

Precursor Knight Officer & Standard 2

e Stormblade Infantry x3 15 (5 ea.)

Stormblade Infantry Officer & Std. x3 9 (3 ea.)

e Trencher Commandos (full) 10

Trencher Commando Scattergunner x3 3 (1 ea.)

0 Trencher Infantry (full) 10

Trencher Infantry Officer & Standard

Trencher Infantry Rille Grenadier x3

8 Field Mechaniks (full)

~ Captain Arlan Strangewayes

8 Journeyman Warcaster

~ Stormsmith Stormcaller x6

G Harlan Versh, Illuminated One

3

3 (1 ea.)

3

2

3

6 (1 ea.)

2

TOTAL 167 (150 +17 WARJACK POINTS)

I would like to start off by saying I have played A LOT of Unbound games, and experience has taught me to play with what I know. Taking scores of

different solos and support models in hopes of executing super combos is more complication than it's worth in games of this size. The last thing I want to do is pause in the middle of the game to refresh my memory on half-a-dozen rules and then hope I win the initiative so I can put THE PLAN in motion. I would rather respond to the tides of war intuitively, taking advantage of the opportunities fortune and my opponent provide. To that end, I selected models and units with which I was comfortable and that were able to support each other.

I chose Commander Coleman Stryker and Captain Victoria Haley because I am well versed in their respective bags of tricks. They also have a lot of potent support capabilities and can make a definite impact in a game of this scale. I wanted General Adept Nemo because I felt what he brings to the table in terms of battlegroup maneuverability and raw power could turn the tide of battle.

Defenders, Stormclads, and Lancers are my go-to Cygnaran warjacks. Properly supported by Stormblade Infantry for maximum focus efficiency, a Stormclad is a wrecking ball in motion. I knew from the start my Long Gunner Infantry would be married to my Precursor Knights. I added Harlan Versh to deal with those brutally effective Skorne upkeep spells. Plus, I just like the model.

Though my Trencher Infantry would not be able to use Dig-In on the upper bridge, I figured their smoke and weapon attachments would make fine crowd-control to keep the Skorne in line.

There are many Cygnar players that believe models like the Squire or Black 13th belong in every army list, but I don't fall into that "must have" mentality. I'll take more Stormsmiths over a Squire any day, and in a battle this large, the Black 13th is just a tittle too fragile for my needs. Besides, not having Thunderbolt is just a deal-breaker for me.

SCENARIO RULES Since Ed and Jason were taking the Unbound rules

for a public test drive, we didn't think it was necessary

to muddy up their conflict with a complicated scenario.

For th.is Unbound Battle Report, Cygnar and the

Skorne Empire simply tried to take out each other's

warcasters/warlocks in the most expedient (and

Likely brutal) way possible. Both armies set up in the

standard 10" deployment zones, and the winner would

be the player with the most warcasters or warlocks

standing after 5 rounds.

AN UNBOUND PRIMER No Quarter #36 presents the full rules for Unbound

games, but the following is a quick primer on some of

the differences between Unbound games and standard

games of WARMACHINE and HORDES.

GAME SIZE Unbound is a system for p laying games of WARMACHINEand HORDES in which each

player fields 150-point or larger armies with 3 or more

warcasters or warlocks on each side. An additional

warcaster is added to each army for every additional 50

points of models fielded by each p layer.

TABLE SIZE Because of the scope of Unbound games, it is

recommend that p layers use a 4'x6' table instead of the

standard 4'x4'. Truly massive games may require even

larger tables to accommodate play.

SEIZING THE INITIATIVE At the start of the game, players roll off to determine

which p layer sets up fi.rst and takes the first turn as in a

normal WARMACHINE or HORDE& game.

However, when playing Unbound the order of play

is not static as it is in normal W ARMACHINE a nd

HORDES games. Instead , at the start of each round,

beginning with the second round, players roLl off to

determine which player takes the flrst turn that round.

Each p layer rolls a d6. The higher ro ller takes the fi.rst

turn that round. This player is said to have the initiative.

DOMINATION BONUS The more ground a p layer control, the greater his

chances of seizing the initiative. When playing

Unbound, the table is divided into eight 24N x 18N zones.

Starting with the beginning of the second round, a

player ga.ins +I on his roll to seize the initiative for each

territory he controls at that time. A player controls

a territory if he has one or more models complete ly

within it and his opponent does not.

ALTERNATING PLAY When playing Unbound, rounds are d ivided into a

variable number of turns based on the number of

warcasters and/or warlocks each player has at the start

of the game. The number of turns each player takes

during a round is equal to the number of warcasters

and/or warlocks each p layer has at the start of the

game +1. Once the number of turns a player takes

dur ing each round has been determ ined, it does not

change as play progresses and warcasters and warlocks

are destroyed or removed from play.

OPENING STRATEGY & DEPLOYMENT JASON-CYGNAR I arrived at the battlefield early and surveyed the ground.

The upper bridge level was large, flat, and sparse: excellent

ground for my reactive, swift, and deceptively hard-hitting

army. I would almost certainly have the range advantage,

leaving my opponent in the unenviable position of having to

c ross a lot of ground under a steady barrage from my guns.

Whether I initially won the initiative roll or not, my

plan wou ld be the same. I made up my mind quickly to

position all three of my warcasters on the upper bridge

where they could do their best to support each other.

Nemo's battlegroup would take point. His feat and the

great mobility he adds to his warjacks would make bis

battlegroup highly reactive to my opponent's movements.

Haley and Stryker would form the second wave, both

supporting the bulk of my infantry w hile us ing their

Defenders to soften up Ed's warbeasts.

On either side of the table was a section of deep water I had

no choice but to cede to my opponent in the un likely event

he brought amphibious Minions (he did).

The next best ground to fight upon was the railway linked

to the top of the upper bridge by a series of stone stairways.

Already planning to group all three of my battlegroups on

the upper bridge, I placed a small number of defenders on

the railway to slow Ed's advance. Un less we both hit on

the same strategy of concentrating our forces on the upper

bridge, I figured losing the railway would be inevitable. However, I could still make a decisive impact on Ed's forces

before he rolled my flank .

I won the die roll for set up and deployed based on the

strategy I outlined above. I put Stryker, Nemo, and

Haley on the upper bridge a long with the bulk of my

infantry (two un its of Storm blades, Long Gunners,

Precursors, Field Mechaniks, Strangewayes, Versh, a

couple Stormsmiths, and my Journey man). The third un.it

of Storm blades went on tbe railway with the Gun Mages

on the stai rs between the upper bridge and the railway. The remaining Stormsmiths spread out amongst them for

support.

My plans laid, I could only hope that Ed would split his

battlegroups between the upper bridge and the railway,

and he did just that. We identified early between us that the

decision was likely to have a huge impact on the eventual

outcome of the game. However, in hindsight, I think the

effect was less than we anticipated.

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ED-SKORNE Looking at Jason's army deployed before me with all those guns made my stomach drop. In order to avoid getting picked apart, I needed to move quickJy.

Seeing that Jason had deployed all his warcasters on the upper bridge left me with a tough decision. Ultimately, I elected to put Makeda and a mass of troops on the railway in hopes of quickly cutting through the troopers Jason had placed there. This could either prove a brilliant strategy and win me the game or seal my fate. Either way, it was done.

Xerxis and Rasheth deployed on the upper bridge with their six heavy beasts to create what I hoped would be a solid barrier to hold off the trio of casters they faced. I split the pairs of non-Advanced Deployment units equally between the railway and the upper bridge, and each battlegroup got the support of a Paingiver Beast Handler unit. The Swamp Gabbers Bellows Crew deployed on the upper bridge.

THE BATTLEFIELD

ADVANCED DEPLOYMENT JASON-CYGNAR Ed's placement of Makeda below gave me a chance to deliver a decisive blow to his army before he could merge his forces. The key was to stall Makeda's advance in order to keep Ed's forces split. Though l knew my left flank would eventually give, I needed it to hold just long enough to take the upper bridge. For that reason, I placed my Advance­Deploying Trencher Infantry on the railway. My plan was to rely on their smoke placement and combined firepower to contain Ed's forces for a round or two. That left my Trencher Commandos, which I packed onto the upper bridge where I hoped the Scattergunners could soften up whatever infantry Ed had not placed on the railway.

ED-SKORNE With the addition of the Trencher Infantry to the railway, I deployed both of my Blood runner units there with hopes of inflicting some quick casualties. I also planned on using my Bloodrunners' Shadow Play ability to "teleport" them up the stairs on the left and into battle on the upper bridge.

It was game time.

The battlefield for this super-sized conflict is definitely one of the most elaborate pieces of terrain ever featured in a Battle Report. Hobby manager Rob Hawkins' painstakingly detailed reconstruction of the Black River Bridge in Corvis is breathtaking and served as a dynamic theatre of war for Ed and Jason's opposing armies. However, despite its size and detail, the bridge was quite conducive to epic warfare, with multiple different levels connected by stairs," interesting obstructions, deep canals, and an awesome historical backdrop.

ROUNDt JASON ROUND 1/TURN I Going first in the first round of an Unbound game is a

dubious honor. In fact, it is the only time I would say you

do not actually want to go first. I began the game with the

initiative, but it would be a long time before I seized the

initiative again. Damn Ed and his aquatic M.inions! My first turn was ultimately dictated to me by my deployment.

I chose to activate Nemo's battlegroup this turn and started

with Nemo. The old man advanced, cast Force Field on

himself, Lightning Shroud on the Lancer, and Polarity

Shield on a Stormclad. My choice to cast Force Field was mandated by Ed's Titan Cannoneer who wou ld a lmost

certainly have blasted apart more Gun Mages or Commandos otherwise. Still, I'd probably

regret not getting Fail Safe up on a Stormclad

early.

Next, Nemo's battlegroup moved up, the

Stormclads ran while pulling focus from nearby

Storm blades. The Trencher Commandos took

up position near the middle of the table. The Precursors Knights advanced under Shield

Wall with the Long Gunners right behind.

Finally, my Journeyman Warcaster bolted

around the left to bring some much-needed

arcane firepower to that Hank.

ED ROUND 1/TURN I Because there were fewer ranged threats on my left Hank, I decided to activate Xerxis'

battlegroup first. Activating the other battlegroups would just move them into Jason's

gun range sooner and get them blown apart.

There was no guarantee that wasn't going to

happen anyway with those Defenders sitting in

Jason 's deployment zone.

Flrst, I ran both Rhinodons forward and followed up behind them with the nearby

unit of Beast Handlers. Then I activated Xerxis and

had him cast Defender's Ward on the unit of Praetorian

Swordsmen beside him.

Following that, Xerxis advanced and discarded two

points of fury. His Basilisk Krea followed him and used

her Paralytic Aura animus to protect the warlock. Next,

I advanced the Praetorians under Defender's Ward in

preparation for a rush forward next turn.

On the railway, I activated one unit of Paingiver

Blood runners and ran them forward. I knew I would lose

a few to the Trenchers in front of me, but thanks to the

Bloodrunners' Stealth, the Cygnaran troops would have to

move closer to get them in range.

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Back up on top, I ran forward with the Ancestral Guardian and both Extoller Soulwards near Xerxis. Since all three models got within range of the Krea's animus, they gained some protection against any stray bullets. The Swamp Gabbers then moved up and put down a SN smoke cloud to block Line of sight to as many allies as possible.

I hadn't activated my allotment of solos yet, but I decided to turn the game back over to Jason to see what he had in store.

JASON ROUND 1/TURN 2 I decided to activate Haley's battlegroup next and immediately realized my hopes of using Temporal Barrier to hinder Ed's advance would not Live up to my expectations. Makeda could supersede the effect with Savagery, and the timing of the Unbound turn structure alone meant I had to use Temporal Barrier very early in the round to maximize the potential of the costly spell.

Haley aiJocated 2 focus to her Defender. Note, in Unbound, warcasters allocate focus at the start of the turn in which you activate their battlegroup. That means your casters have full focus to boost their ARM until you activate them.

This turn I started with Haley's battlegroup and activated her first. Haley cast Arcane Shield on my rightmost unit of Storm blades, then she advanced. Thorn followed after her. Next, I brought up the Defender and blasted Xenos' right Rhinodon with a boosted heavy barrel shot. A boosted damage roiJ resulted in 9 damage to the beast. FIRST BLOOD!

Next, I ran the Storm blades forward, advanced my three rightmost Stormsmiths, and ran Harlan Versh into position on the center of the upper bridge. l finished out the turn by running the Gun Mages forward along with three Stormsmiths. The Gun Mages took up position on the stairs above the railway.

ED ROUND 1/TURN 2 I chose to activate Rasheth this turn since much of the opposition directly in front of him had activated on Jason's last turn. I started by running forward with the Nihilators on the upper bridge. The Bronzeback Titan also ran forward, taking advantage of the concealment offered by

the Swamp Gabbers' cloud and was followed by an Agonizer.

I advanced with Dominar Rasheth and used Dark Rituals to channel Breath of Corruption through a Nihi.lator into the Trencher Commandos. Unfortunately, the spell missed its mark and the deviation missed everything. Net result: I was down one Nihi.lator and 3 fury. Following that, Rasheth cast Castigate and used the Gladiator's Rush animus on the Cannoneer.

Taking advantage of its newfound speed, I advanced the Cannoneer and riled it for 2 fury. With Force Field up on Nemo, I decided going for a lucky deviation with a cannon shot while there were no targets within range was a bad idea. I had both the Sentry and Gladiator each run forward foiJowed by their supporting Beast Handlers.

To wrap up my turn, I had my other Extoller Soulward run forward while Aptimus Marketh advanced and cast Carnivore on the upper­bridge Nihilators. That way I could just upkeep the spell with Rasheth next round.

JASON ROUND 1/TURN 3 Having already activated both of my other battlegroups, Stryker was up. My fourth turn would encompass activating any non­battlegroup models and units I had not yet activated.

I started off by allocating 2 focus to Stryker's Defender. Then I advanced Stryker and cast Snipe on the Storm blades and Arcane Shield on Stryker's Stormclad. Strangewayes activated next, advanced, and gave Stryker's Lancer l focus. The Lancer then ran forward.

Next, I activated Stryker's Defender, advanced it and fired a boosted shot into the wounded Rhinodon. A hit followed by a boosted damage roll, and the thing was smarting from another 12 points of damage! Then, the Stormclad activated, gained 1 focus from its proximity to the Stormblades, and ran forward.

My Trencher Infantry then advanced within 5N of the Bloodrunners and opened fire. The Sniper dropped one Bloodrunner, and a three-model CRA felled another. The Trencher Grenadiers attached to the unit scored three more kills, including one in the rear unit &om a fortunate deviation.

ED ROUND 1/TURN 3 My forward Bloodrunners got caught in the bloodbath I knew was coming, but I still had two standing when it was all over. The surprise casualty was Jason 's lucky Rifle Grenade deviation into the backfield Bloodrunners, but with five Bloodrunners still standing, they had plenty of pain left to dish out. They would, however, have to wait until next round for the pain-giving. They were too far away &om the enemy to charge, so I ran them forward instead.

Of course, it was Makeda's battlegroup I would be activating this turn since my others had already taken action. So I followed up the Bloodrunners by running Molik Karn downfield . Next, I had the railway Nihilators run forward followed by an advancing Cyclops Brute.

On Makeda's activation, I advanced with her, cast Defender's Ward on the Nihilators in case I lost the initiative next round, and then had her cast the Basilisk Krea's Paralytic Aura animus. It was only after doing so I realized that casting Paralytic Aura was a complete waste. Remember, in Unbound one round no longer means "my current turn and my opponent's next turn." The only thing Jason had left to activate in our current round was one solo and one unit. I needed to get those "lasts-for-one­

round" abilities out there early in the round if I wanted to take full advantage of them.

Following Makeda, I ran her Cyclops Savage forward and advanced the Basilisk Krea who riled for 2 fury (to make up for Makeda throwing away two). I then ran with the railway Ancestral Guardian and Tyrant Commander and Standard. On the upper bridge, I ran the final Ancestral Guardian, fo llowed by the Tyrant Commander and Standard, and advanced the second Agonizer. I then passed the turn over to Jason.

JASON ROUND 1/TURN 4 We affectionately call Turn 4 the bucket turn. With no battlegroups left to activate, and knowing that anything you do activate cannot move again during your first turn of the new round, its pretty much the "what­ever-is-left" turn.

I advanced my remaining Stormsmith and Rash-fried a Bloodrunner. Then I moved up my Mechaniks and called it good.

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ED ROUND 1/TURN 4 All I had left in my "bucket" was a final unit of Beast

Handlers on the railway, the railway Praetorian

Swordsmen, and my Gatorman Posse. 1 ran them all to

finish out the round.

I had never used a Gatorman Posse before, but I chose them as an aquatic flank force. Unfortunately, they aren't

known for speed, and they would have to go very wide in order to get onto the land and cut across the canal to

get into play. Still, I tried my best with them and they did

provide one big advantage. Jason was never able to hold

any territory for the initiative roll that was occupied by

gators while they were in deep water.

ROUND2 ED'S MAINTENANCE PHASE Despite my losses, I had achieved my goal of ending the first turn with Bloodrunners in two of the territories on Jason's side of the table, giving me +2 to the mitiative rol l. My roll of 6 to Jason 's 1 immediately got me &othmg at the mouth for payback.

All my warlocks leached their fury. Makeda upkept Defender's Ward on the railway Nihi lators, Rasheth upkept Carnivore on the Nlhilators in front of him, and Xerxis upkept Defender's Ward on the Praetorians beside him.

JASON'S MAINTENANCE PHASE r ended the last turn without losses, somethlng Ed promised would never happen again. Havillg spread his army across the table, Ed was already reaping the benefits of controlling more quadrants of the table than I did, so he seized the initiative. Ed would have the first turn this round.

I upkept all my spells in play.

ED ROUND 2/TURN 1 With three fresh battlegroup activations to choose from, I decided Makeda's was going to kick off this round.

The Cyclops Brute advanced first followed directly by Makeda. From behind the Brute she used her feat, Walking Death. She then cast Savagery on Molik Karn a nd Carnage to set the stage for what I hoped would be a railway slaughter.

I charged in with the four-man unit of Bloodrunners, running one of them onto the stairs, and using the first charge attack to kill a Trencher. That triggered Shadow

P lay, allowing another member of the unit to be placed

onto the stairs for an attack against a Gun Mage, which

missed. In the end, I only took out two Trenchers, but I

was able to move the Bloodrunners far enough out of the

way that I could bring in reinforcements.

Molik Karn charged in next and used a combination of

attacks and sidesteps to kill four Trenchers, a Stormsmith,

and a Storm blade. Hot on his heels, I charged in with the

railway Nihilator unit, and although only three of them

got to attack, they dropped seven Trenchers, includlng all

three Grenadiers. One Nihilator was also lost to an errant

Berserk attack, but I wasn't too broken up over it.

Feeling the high from the Nihilators ' powers of 'nihilation,

I activated my other unit on the upper bridge and charged

them headlong into Jason's Trencher Commandos.

With the bonus to hit from Carnivore and their Berserk

ability, I was feeling very confident that this would be a

gloriously successful charge. The first Nihilator to make

an attack even had five enemy models in melee range! I

only needed 4s to hit, so this would be easy right? Well,

fate had a different idea, and my first attack roll came up

snake eyes. In the end, only four of a potential twelve or

so Commandos went down, and again, I lost a Nihilator to

one of his neighbor's Berserk attacks.

I finished out my turn by advancing the Krea alongside

Makeda and using Paralytic Aura (much better timing this

round) , advancmg with the Cyclops Savage, advancing

with the Swamp Gobbers and putting down smoke, and

running the railway Ancestral Guardian forward.

It was now time to take Jason 's counter punch.

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JASON ROUND 2/TURN I With a sizeable number of Ed's warbeasts now in my sights, I decided to start with Haley again and allocated 2 focus to her Defender.

Haley started my turn by casting Temporal Barrier and popping her feat! I then activated three Stormsmiths in succession who took down a grand total of one Nihilator (with a second on his back following a successful Tough check) .

One of the challenges of playing such a large game is that you constantly have to consider how the movement of your models impacts the movement of the models behind them. This occasionally results in models clustering up in ways you hadn't intended. This can be especially devastating when your opponent has easy access to spells like Breath of Corruption that he can lire from unforeseen attack vectors. Such thoughts were in my head when my Storm blades advanced. Unfortunately, due to my conservative placement, they only managed to cut down a single Nihilator on the upper bridge.

Next, Haley's Defender took aim at the injured Rhinodon and put 01' Yeller down with a boosted POW 15 damage roll. With a second shot thanks to Haley's feat, the Defender executed another Nihilator with a boosted attack roll. It was kind of a waste, but the Nihilator was in range, out in the open, and begging for it.

The Precursors advanced again under Shield Wall. Next, the Long Gunners advanced and put a pair of ten-man CRAs into Xerxis' remaining Rhinodon thanks to Haley's feat and Snipe. Their efforts netted 17 damage to the· Rh.ino.

Next, Strangewayes gave l focus to Thorn who then moved toward the Long Gunners. Finally, the Trencher Commandos advanced under Haley's feat and unleashed a hail of grenade and scattergun fire , resulting in the demise of six more Nihilators and the Swamp Gabbers.

ED ROUND 2/TURN 2 Now things are nice and bloody. l expected to lose the Nihilators and a Rhinodon. What I didn't expect to lose was my Swamp Gobbers and half of another Rhinodon. With so many models on the table, Haley's feat was devastating. This turn, I chose Rasheth and his battlegroup to engage in some payback.

I kicked things off by activating the Ancestral Guardian nearest Rasheth. It spent one of the Nihilator souls collected from last round to get +2 SPD and charged for the kill on a Trencher Commando. The Ancestral Guardian quickly dispatched a second Commando after buying another attack.

I next activated the Beast Handlers nearest Rasheth and advanced them to enrage the Titan Sentry and

Bronzeback. Although I would have liked to Medicate the injured Rhinodon with the second unit of Beast Handlers on the upper bridge, I had another plan. The Beast Handlers charged forward, but only one of them managed to get within range and take out a Storm blade.

With the Beast Handlers in place, I activated Rasheth and used Dark Rituals to channel Breath of Corruption through one of them. My target was a Long Gunner that I could draw line of sight to through the mass of Jason's infantry, and I was devastated when the attack roll missed. However, his troops were packed in pretty tightly, and I knew I had a good chance to still do some serious damage with the deviation. I did not think reality would exceed my expectations, though . Mter a 2" deviation, the corrosive cloud managed to kill eight Long Gunners in the 3" AOE! To add insult to injury, the remaining two Long Gunners failed their CMD check. Who has two thumbs and loves happy accidents? This guy!

I advanced Aptimus Marketh and used his Spell Slave ability to cast Carnivore on the Titan Sentry. I also had the Gladiator use its Rush animus on the Sentry and advance. !"then had the Sentry, enraged and hopped-up on magic, charge and kill a Trencher Commando. With a second attack the Sentry killed another Commando and triggered a CMD check, which the Commandos passed .

The Bronze back also charged and mauled another Commando. The Cannoneer advanced, and with a target now in range, it blasted apart a Stormsmith with a cannon shot. The blast damage also killed yet another Commando thanks to a boosted damage roll.

I felt a little like I had wasted the efforts of the Titans by targeting only a few trooper models, especially after the stellar Breath of Corruption results. The reality was that I had to get the big beasts up6eld into melee, and I might as well destroy some stuff along the way.

I wrapped up my turn by advancing an Extoller who failed to eliminate a Stormblade with Spirit Eye.

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Nemo's battlegroup for this turn. The plan was simple:

charge in and kill them all! I had my sights on Rasheth's

warbeasts on the upper bridge and on Malik Karn below

on the railway. I allocated no focus and started with the

Journeyman Warcaster who advanced and missed Malik

Karn with a boosted band cannon shot.

I then activated a pair of Stormsmiths, one after another,

in hopes of taking out some Nihilators to free up my Gun

Mages. Both failed. (Yes, despite the bonus from Epic

Nemo's Elite Cadre!) My remaining Trenchers on the

railway combined fire on a Nihilator who passed his Tough

check! This was a remarkably poor start to what would

become a seriously underwhelming turn.

Cue the Stormblades! The Stormblades on the railway

charged Molik Karn under the assault order, dropped him

with a combination of storm glaive strikes and blasts, and

took down a Nihilator while knocking down a second due

to a successful Tough check. This would prove to be the

highlight of my turn.

Enter Nemo who cast a three-focus Energizer followed

by his feat, which filled all his warjacks with focus. His

warjacks strode forward. I started with the Sentinel,

w lllch opened up on an Ancestral Guardian. Five Strafe

shots with three boosted damage rolls inflicted only 8 total

damage. Suck!

The Lancer then moved to engage the damaged Ancestral

Guardian and suffered a 6-point defensive strike for its

efforts. Under the effects of Lightning Shroud, the Lancer

proceeded to finish off the Ancestral Guardian before turning

its remaining attacks on the Titan Sentry to little effect.

Then, I advanced the first of Nemo's Stormclads on the

Titan Sentry. Polarity Shield prevented the Bronze back

from counter charging. Despite having 3 points of focus

on the Stormclad, I only managed to inflict 16 points of

damage on the Sentry.

The second Stormclad advanced into striking range of

both the Bronzeback and the Sentry. Concentrating its

attacks on the Bronzeback, the Stormclad inflicted 23

points of damage on the Titan. The Cannoneer suffered 4 damage from Electro Leaps as a result of its proximity to

the Bronze back-another small highlight in what was a

fairly dismal turn.

Versh then opened up on the Titan Sentry, getting off three

shots and inflicting a single point of damage. Then I got

greedy and assaulted the Bronze back and a single Beast

Handler with a unit of Storm blades. One melee attack

resulted in a dead Beast Handler, while five storm glaive blasts

on the Bronze back netted a single hit that caused no damage.

In my head, I had visions of cleaving through Rasheth 's

entire battlegroup, but it was not to be. Realiz ing that I

hadn't inflicted anywhere near as much damage on my

turn as I had hoped, my thoughts now turned to concerns

of Ed 's retribution. I sent my Field Mechani~s screaming

across the table to contest Ed's control of the board and

hopefully to jam up some charge lanes.

ED ROUND 2/TURN 3 Titans are crazy-durable warbeasts, especially the Sentry

with its shield. I was thankful that Jason split his attacks between the Sentry and Bronzeback because it left them

both standing at the end of his turn. I needed to make

sure I had the advantage when it came time to seize the

initiative next round. That way, I could capitalize on the

Titans' survival because Jason would surely focus on them

if he got the first turn.

Xencis' battlegroup was my only option this turn, and there wasn't much left of it. Flrst up, I advanced the Extoller

Soulward closest to Xerxis, targeted the Precursor Knight

Officer with Soul Gaze, and missed.

Out of charge range, the Praetorian Swordsmen ran

forward to fill the gap between Xerxis and the Precursors.

I should have gotten them out there much sooner, but I was expecting them

to be picked off by the Long Gunners. In Unbound, it is particularly chal.lenging

to predict the actions of your opponent

from round to round since you can rarely be sure who will seize the initiative and

in what order they will choose to activate

their models each turn.

N ext, I advanced the Ancestral Guardian

closest to Xerxis. The Rhinodon also Limped forward followed by the Krea who

advanced and used her Paralytic Aura.

I really felt I was under-utilizing Xerxis,

and this would be prevalent throughout

the game. At this point, I was wishing I had deployed both units of Praetorians

with him since the second unit was getting

bottlenecked on the railway below and Xerxis could have

made great use of them. For his activation, I just advanced

him and cast Fury on the Praetorians with the hope that

enough would survive to take advantage of the spell being

upkept next round.

Down on the railway, I advanced with the two-man

unit of Blood runners . The frrst Bloodrunner killed a

Stormblade, allowing the second to use Shadow Play to

get within range of the Stormblade Standard, which he

missed. I wrapped up my turn by advancing both Tyrant

Commander units.

This turn was a bit of a letdown, and I scratched my head

tryjng to decide how the hell I was going to get Xerxis

involved in later rounds.

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JASON ROUND 2/TURN 3 Stryker allocated I focus to his Defender, Then I

activated Stryker and channeled Snipe through the Lancer onto the Stormclad (replacing Arcane Shield). The Long Gunners weren't going to need it anymore.

Stryker's Stormdad then activated and gained I focus

due to close proximity with the Storm blades. It then blasted the Titan Gladiator, inflicting 8 points of damage with a boosted roll and fried an Extoller Soulward with an Electro Leap.

The Defender then opened fire on the Gladiator, A hit and a boosted damage roll later the warbeast suffered II more damage points. My Defenders were on a roll!

The Gun Mages then activated. They knocked down a Nihilator (Tough check), plugged two others, and whiffed

against the Bloodrunners. With the activation of my last unit, I had nothing remaining for the bucket turn.

ED ROUND 2/TURN 4 Those Defenders were annoying the crap out of me.

As I ran the full Gatorman Posse onto Jason's side of the table, I was wishing I had brought two six-man units of Bog Trog Ambushers instead. They wou ld have helped with denying Jason territory on the initiative roll and created an effective backfield distraction. But hindsight is 20/20, and there was no use beating myself up about it.

I ran the railway Praetorians forward into the bottleneck forming there and finished up my bucket turn by running both Agonizers forward in hopes of contesting some territory. At this point, I was having serious regrets about deploying the Praetorians on the railway. Xencis could really use them up top, and it would be a while before I had any hope of getting good use out of them. Regardless, I had to press on.

•

ROUND3 JASON'S MAINTENANCE PHASE With Ed clearly winning the land grab, he aced the

initiative roll and went first again . Nemo dropped Polarity Shield but upkept Lightning Shroud and Force Field. Stryker dropped Snipe, and Haley upkept Arcane Shield

on the Stormblades.

ED'S MAINTENANCE PHASE I was relieved to have won the initiative again. Territory

control had proven critical for me in previous Unbound games, and this game was no different. Makeda and Rasheth upkept nothing while Xencis left Fury on the

Swordsmen. On the railway, T returned three Nibilators to play from Makeda's feat the previous round.

ED ROUND 3/TURN I Rasheth was my go-to warlock this turn. Despite the beating the Titans took the previous round, the only aspect missing from any of them was the Gladiator's body. Did I

mention that Titans are crazy-durable?

I activated Aptimus Marketh, advanced with him, and

used Spell Slave to cast yet another Breath of Corruption. This time, the deadly spell found its mark on a tightly packed bunch of troopers, killing five Storm blades (CMD check fail!) and a Commando. From the look on Jason 's face, I knew Marketh would not last another round if our

lead designer had anything to say about it.

On Rasheth 's activation, I advanced the morbidly obese warlock and unleashed his Plague Wmd feat. Through

a Praetorian, another Dark Rituals casting of Breath of Corruption missed its target (guess I should still boost

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despite FURY 8) and deviated to kill a Stormsmith and one Mechanic and inflict a single point of damage on Haley's Defender and Stryker's Lancer. Rasheth finished up by casting Castigate.

I used the Beast Handlers nearest Rasheth next to prepare the Titans for war. The Gladiator and Cannoneer were Medicated, healing 2 wounds each, and the Sentry and Bronze back were both Enraged for the +2 STRand a free charge.

Up first was the Gladiator, which I used to charge Nemo's Lancer. The first war gauntlet delivered an 11-point hit, and although I missed with the second war gauntlet attack and an additional one, the tusk attack and one last war gauntlet scrapped the light warjack with damage to spare.

The Sentry shifted over and hit one of the Stormclads with a boosted halberd attack and inflicted 7 points of damage. The tusks followed with 6 more damage, and after two additional blows from the halberd, the Titan was maxed on fury and the Stormclad was reduced to a single point of Cortex.

The Bronze back was up next. I charged the big beast at the second of the two forward Stormclads (the one that didn 't just get owned) and pounded on it with two solid war gauntlet attacks that triggered its Grab & Smash chain attack. I decided to use a Double-Hand Throw and tossed the grabbed Stormclad into the nearly destroyed Stormclad beside it. The Stormclad I threw suffered 9 points of super damage, but unfortunately the other Stormclad took no collateral damage. Since the target of the Double-Hand Throw didn't go very far, it was still in melee range of the Bronze back, and I was able to pummel it to scrap with two more attacks.

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W ith Mechanics in the area, I didn 't want to take any chances, so I activated the Cannoneer and shot the remaining Stormclad (now much easier to hit knocked on its ass). One boosted damage roll later there was a nice little cluster of three wreck markers.

Down on the railway, I advanced with the Tyrant Commander and Standard and used their Reveille ability to stand up my Nihilators that were knocked down last turn from successful Tough rolls. I then activated the Bloodrunners on the stairway and killed a pair of Gun Mages and a Storm smith, using each death to Shadow Play my way further into the enemy ranks. I followed that up by activating and advancing the Nihilator unit, which resulted in two dead Trenchers, four dead Stormblades, a dead friendly Bloodrunner, and a Nihilator on his back after passing a Tough check. It wouldn't be a Nihilator activation without a friendly casualty or two.

It was then I realized I had activated four units and would not be able to activate the Praetorians up top with Xerxis. In Unbound, you sometimes have to decide where you are willing to take your losses. My Praetorian unit on the upper bridge was not in a position to take a hard hit, but I got so caught up in the carnage on the railway that I wasn 't going to be able to activate them this turn.

I fmished my turn by activating my rema.ining Extoller Soulward. It advanced and used Ghost Shot to target the Precursor Knight Officer with a boosted Spirit Ey e attack. If I could kill the Officer, Jason would not have access to the potent Morrow's Name ability, and coupled with Rasheth's Plague Wind, I might stand a chance at surviving a charge from the Precursors. Even with a boosted roll, I only inflicted four points of damage on the Officer. I resigned myself to a holy beating.

JASON ROUND 3/TURN t I began the tum with Haley's battlegroup and allocated no focus. The plan was to save it all for a Chain Lightning that would open up charge angles for my Precursors.

I started my turn by advancing Thorn forward. Then Versh advanced and ripped through four Praetorian Swordsmen thanks to Purgation, the upkeep spell lingering on them, and a bad attitude.

The Stormblades on the upper bridge then attacked the remaining Praetorians and brought down two more. The Trencher Commandos, now consisting of just two Scattergunners, activated and opened up on the Skorne. One failed to injure the Titans while the other cut down a Praetorian . Haley then activated, advanced, and channeled Chain Lightning through Thorn, resulting in the deaths of two measly Praetorians.

Strangewayes activated next and gave Haley's Defender 1 focus . The Defender opened fire on the Titan Gladiator and inAicted a mere 4 points of damage despite boosting the damage roll.

Next, the Precursors activated and charged . I used the Officer's Morrow's Name once-per-game ability for extra damage, but as a result of the -2 STR I suffered from Fat Boy's feat, a slight misjudgment of the distances concerned,

and a disappointing Chain Lightning not clearing more

Praetorians, they were only able to kill an Agonizer, an Extoller Soulward, two more Praetorians, and a Beast

Handler while inflicting 5 damage points on the Rbinodon.

Then, one of my Stormsmiths lined up a Surge and burned

up two of the Blood runners tying up my Gun Mages.

Finally, the Journeyman dropped a Bloodrunner on the stairs with a boosted hand cannon shot and killed a

Nihilator on the railway with an Arcane Bolt.

ED ROUND 3/TURN 2 Thankyou Rasheth. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

Plague Wind saved my bacon (or whatever you call Rbinodon meat) .

For this turn, I chose Xencis' battlegroup, or what was

left of it, as the battlegroup I would activate. First up,

I charged a Precursor with the upper-bridge Ancestral Guardian. It landed a killing blow and spent two souls on

additional attacks to destroy a second Precursor. The one

remaining Praetorian on the upper bridge ran forward in an attempt to gain some territory.

I then activated Xerxis who cast Defender's Ward on the Rhinodon and healed one point to the warbeast's body.

The warlock also used his Press Forward Battle Plan to

give himself +2 SPD before advancing to a position behind the Tyrant Commander.

With all its aspects intact, the Rhinodon advanced slightly and used Amuck for boosted attack rolls on all special attacks. I then used its Thresher special attack to take out four of the five Precursors surrounding the beast, including the Officer. After buying an additional attack, the Rhinodon sent the fifth Precursor to meet Morrow with his brothers. I could hear Rasheth from atop his lectica belching "you're welcome" through a mouthful of pickled eyeballs.

I advanced the Krea and used her Paralytic Aura, and I finished the turn by advancing the railway Bloodrunner who failed to kill a Stormsmith.

JASON ROUND 3/TURN 2 It was clear to me that taking out Rasheth's

battlegroup was an absolute necessity. With that in mind, I set about starting Stryker's turn. Stryker allocated 1 focus to his Defender.

I activated Stryker's Lancer first. It advanced out of the Breath of Corruption cloud and into Earthquake range of the Titan Sentry, taking care to stay clear of Rasheth's control area. Then, I activated Stryker, advanced, and channeled the aforementioned Earthquake through the Lancer. A boosted hit knocked the Sentry, the Bronzeback, and the Gladjator onto their rears. Stryker then

opened up on the Gladiator with his pistol, inflicting no damage.

Next, Stryker's Stormclad activated and

gained 1 focus from the Stormblades. Lacking a clear charge path, the Storm clad stood still, trained its blade on the Titan Gladiator, and blasted away. A boosted damage roll later and the Gladiator left this mortal coil.

Stryker's Defender then fired on the knocked down Bronzeback, scored 9 points of damage with a boosted roll, and left it with one wound remaining!

For sheer amusement value, I then charged the downed Titans with my Gabber Mechaniks. They inflicted no damage but they would leave with stories to tell their grandchildren. The rest of the Mecharuks ran forward to grab up territory.

The Long Gunners, who failed their CMD check last round, ran in place and rallied,

and the Storm blade unit on the upper bridge spread out to make them a less-tempting target for Breath of Corruption . They also rallied. My single remaining Sto_rmblade on the railway then activated and missed a Blood ru nner with an attack.

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ED ROUND 3/TURN 3 Plague Wind saved yet another warbeast, but I knew my

Titans were in trouble.

On this turn, I bad no choice but to activate Makeda.

Unfortunately, she was still in too much of a bottleneck to

put the necessary pressure on Nemo and take his attention

off my Titans. But I had to try.

I activated the Basilisk Krea first and ran her up the stairs to

help relieve the bottleneck.

Makeda was up next. The

Domina cast Savagery

on the Cyclops Savage

followed by Carnage. She then advanced to the base

of the stairs.

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Savage advanced up the

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to Prescience, it was ab le to boost after the fact and

get the killing blow. I was

continuously amazed at how the DEF 15 Gun

Mages were keeping my

force from overrunning the

stairs. My kingdom for a damn AOE!

The Cyclops Brute ran to the base of the stairs, and the

rai lway Ancestral Guardian, Praetorians, and Beast

Handlers also ran into position to begin funneling up the

stairs. So far, the railway Praetorians had done nothing but

get jammed up behind my other models while the troops

on the upper bridge had been thinned to a critical low.

Speaking of the upper bridge, up above, my final Agonizer

made a run to claim territory for next round's initiative roll.

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JASON ROUND 3/TURN 3 Since Ed had destroyed so many of my models, my turns were now a lot faster. Nemo allocated 3 focus to the Sentinel; it then advanced and went full auto. My first shot hit the Bronzeback and finished it with a boosted damage roll. Unfortunately. Marketh was too far away for my additional Strafe attacks, so l walked my remaining shots into the downed Titan Sentry, inflicting 6 points of damage with my remaining boosts. Not half bad!

The Gun Mages made a three-man Arcane Inferno attack on the Ancestral Guardian on the railway. The shot caused no damage to it, but three Nihilators and a Praetorian Swordsman were consumed in the AOE. Finally, Nemo advanced toward Marketh and executed him with a Galvanic Bolt.

ED&JASON ROUND 3/TURN 4 Ed: My remaining Bloodrunner on the stairs took a swing at a Gun Mage and missed horribly. Then, the Gatormen ran (swam) once more. Next turn they would be up and out of the water. On the upper bridge, my Tyrant Commander and Standard advanced, and the Standard Bearer killed the Field Mechanik Chief.

Jason: I didn't have any models left to activate in my bucket turn, so we moved to

the next round .

'

ROUND4 ED'S MAINTENANCE PHASE ' Once again, I was able to take the first turn, but my casual1y count was growing, and I wouldn't be able to hold off Jason for long. Makeda upkept Savagery on the Cyclops Savage. Rasheth let Castigate expire and took a point of damage to get up to full fury. Finally, Xerxis upkept Defender's Ward on the Rhinodon . After leaching, the Rhinodon ended up with 1 fury left but passed its threshold check.

JASON'S MAINTENANCE PHASE With Ed's flanking maneuver still paying off, once again he seized the initiative. Nemo dropped his remaining upkeep spells and Haley upkept Arcane Shield.

ED ROUND 4/TURN t I chose to activate Makeda's battlegroup first in an attempt to put some pressure on Nemo.

With its SPD bonus from Savagery, the Cyclops Savage disengaged from a Stormsmith (taking no damage from his pathetic free strike) and moved up the stairs to engage Nemo. At full focus, Nemo's armor was quite high, and the boosted attack only inflicted 3 points of damage. Regardless, I had a warbeast in Nemo's face.

I ran the Krea up the stairs and risked another free strike from a Stormsmith, which missed. The Brute foll?wed by advancing up the stairs. Makeda advanced up the stairs, cast Carnage, and put Savagery on the Nihilators (which meant it expired from the Savage) . The Bloodrunner on the stairs hit and killed a Gun Mage.

I had the Nihilators advance with their +5 SPD from Savagery, and one of them was a ble to kill a Storm smith

and finish off the last two Gun Mages with Berserk

attacks. The way things had been going, I was a little amazed that I didn't have yet another Nihilator take out a member of his own unit.

For the first time this game, my railway Praetorians were able to advance and make some attacks! They cut down both a Stormblade and a Stormsmith with combo strikes.

I had the railway Ancestral Guardian spend a soul token for Spirit Driven and then run up the stairs. On the upper bridge, my unit of Beast Handlers were able to kill a gabber Field Mechanik and Medicate the Titan Sentry for 3 points.

I finished up my turn with the Extoller Soulward who missed Harlan Versh with a Soul Gaze attack.

JASON ROUND 4/TURN t I proudly started my turn with a plan, but that plan

went sadly wrong. Stryker allocated 2 focus points to his Stormclad and 1 focus to his Defender. The plan was to drop the rest of Rasheth's battlegroup while slowing Makeda's advance with a well place earthquake.

I started by positioning my Lancer next to the stairway w here it had a clear view of Makeda's forces . So far so

good.

Next, Harlan Versh turned to the Rhinodon (which was still affected by Defender's Ward) and blew it away before

sailing a final shot past the Krea. I then moved to the remnants of my right flank where the remaining Precursor Knights charged forward. The Ancestral Guardian took one out with a defensive strike, but the remaining Precursors dropped the last of the Praetorian Swordsmen and inflicted an 8-point hit on Xerxis' Krea.

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Then, one of my remaining units of Storm blades charged the downed Titan Sentry and Agonizer. The Agonizer took 5 points of damage-not enough! -and the Titan suffered a total of 8 damage, leaving it on Life support.

The Trencher Commando Scattergunners then advanced and opened fire. They missed an Extoller Soulward, killed a Beast Handler, and fai led to inflict any damage on the Titan Sentry.

My other remaining unit of Stormblades charged an Ancestral Guardian and an Extoller Soulward and brought both down.

Stryker's Defender then opened fire on the Titan Sentry and hit it but inflicted a mere 2 points of damage. Strangewayes also attacked the Sentry with similarly unimpressive results, netting no damage with a blast from his Voltaic Gauntlet.

I then activated Stryker's Stormclad. I wanted it to charge the Titan Sentry, but Ed's Agonizer remained in my way. It clearly lacked the good sense to die. Instead, the Stormclad chose to blast the Sentry with its generator blade but inflicted no damage, even with a boost.

So ml,lch for mopping up Rasheth 's battlegroup and Earthquaking Makeda! Suddenly I had a more

immediate need for Stryker's focus. Since the Sentry did not fall to the Defender's fire, Stryker had to finish the job himself. l advanced Stryker into position and fired on the Sentry. With a hit and boosted damage roll, the Titan was no more. Time to use Stryker's feat! What you got now, Ed?!

Finally proving he had more guts than brains, my Journeyman Warcaster charged a Nihilator and dropped it with a boosted charge attack. The NihiJator survived on a Tough roll, so the Journeyman spent l focus for another attack and wiggled his Mechanika Blade until the Nihilator stopped moving. With the murderous Journeyman out of attacks, my turn ended.

I

ED ROUND 4 / TURN 2 There was no denying that my warlocks on the upper

bridge were in some serious trouble. Healing the Sentry

last turn paid off as it stayed alive long enough for Jason

to focus on killing it, thus keeping the heat off of Makeda and her flanking force.

l began the turn by activating Rasheth and cast Blood

Mark at Nemo using a Beast Handler as a conduit for Dark Rituals. The Beast Handler died in the process, but

the spell found its target, and I was all set to transfer some

damage to Nemo should Rasheth take a hit. Rasheth then

advanced up behind his Cannoneer.

I had the Cannoneer boost a shot against Jason's annoying

Sentinel, but the shot went wide and the AOE missed

everything (the battlefield was much less populated than it bad been just a few turns earlier).

The Tyrant Commander and Standard on the upper bridge attacked and killed another gabber Mechanik, and I

brought my underwhelming turn to a close.

JASON ROUND 4/TURN 2 It was Nemo's turn at bat. Nemo allocated 3 focus to the

Sentinel which advanced forward and opened fire on

Rasheth-five strafe shots! For the time being, I decided to

hold my boosts. The first shot hit but inflicted no damage.

The second inflicted a single point. The third I boosted

and nailed Rasheth for 6 points of damage, which were subsequently transferred to Nemo via Blood Mark. The

fourth shot hit the fatty with a boosted damage roll for 6 more damage, which Ed transferred to the Titan Cannoneer.

The fifth and final shot tagged Rasheth for 9 points on a

boost! Ed again transferred the damage to his Cannoneer.

Nemo then turned his attention to Makeda's Cyclops

Savage that had run up the stairs and into melee with him.

A pair of boosted attacks later and the Cyclops took 14

points of damage from the old man. I felt pretty good a bout leaving Nemo in combat since he was under Stry ker's feat

for the rest of this round, and even if Ed brought much

to bear on the warcaster next turn, Nemo would have

regained his 7 focus for armor.

ED ROUND 4 / TURN 3 I never thought l would hope for a high damage roll against

one of my warlocks. Impervious Flesh was keeping me from

doing more damage to Nemo, but I suppose it also kept me ative. I really wish I would have held out and transferred

that 9-damage shot to Nemo, but that's how it goes.

Below, on the railway, I had the Beast Handlers run to the

stairs. On the upper bridge, Xenos' Krea used her Paralytic

Aura animus and killed two Precursors. She was at full fury.

Without having enough troops for him to support, I was . still struggting with Xencis. I

was at a bit of a loss on what to

do with him . He shifted over and ran into melee with Nemo's

Sentinel, keeping all his fury. Despite the huge risk, I wanted

to put more pressure on Nemo

since he was currently the most

vulnerable Cygnaran warcaster.

Back down on the railway, my

sole surviving Bloodrunner ran to the base of the stairs,

and I repositioned my Tyrant

Commander and Standard so

I maintained control of my

far right territory in hopes of

winning initiative aga.in.

JASON ROUND 4/TURN 3 Haley allocated I focus point to her Defender, but I started

with Thorn, which advanced on my right flank. Then I

had Haley unleash a Chain Lightning through Thorn's

arc node that blasted a Tyrant Commander for 5 points

of boosted damage. The arcing lightning fried two Beast

Handlers and inflicted 3 points of damage to Xerxis. Haley

then advanced and fired on the Tyrant Commander with

her hand cannon and missed.

Haley's Defender advanced forward and fired on Rasheth,

inflicting 6 points of damage with a boost. Fat boy felt that!

The remaining two models in my Long Gunner unit advanced forward and combined their lire on the Tyrant Commander, dropping him.

One gobber Field Mechanik whiffed with a melee attacks against the Standard Bearer, while the other ran forward into Ed's side of the board to grab up some territory. Then my turn drew to a close. Lacking any models that had yet to activate, I once again would be activating nothing in my final turn of the round.

ED ROUND 4/TURN 4 THE GATORS MADE LANDFALL. That is aU.

ROUNDS JASON'S MAINTENANCE PHASE The tides of war were now shifting to my favor. With Ed's forces on the upper bridge substantially thinned, his bonus for the initiative was much diminished, and I won the roll!

Haley did not upkeep Arcane Shield.

ED'S MAINTENANCE PHASE Despite already being torn up, Rasheth inflicted 4 more points of damage to himself to gain fury. I would need to transfer damage to the Cannoneer, and if Rasheth lived, he wasn't going to be much good to me if he couldn't get a spell or two off. Makeda took 1 point of damage for fury and upkept Savagery on the Nihilators. With Xerxis out of range to leach anything off the Krea, it frenzied and charged a Storm blade for a kill. I elected not to remove the fury from the Krea. It seemed I was in a spot of trouble.

JASON ROUND 5/TURN I With the end of the Krea's temper tantrum out of my way, I commenced to slaughter. This would be the final round of the game, so I needed to make it count. I surveyed the battlefield and the gears started turning. I had plenty to bring to bear; I just had to move all the parts in the right order.

This turn, I started with Haley who allocated a single focus point to Thorn. I then activated Thorn who dashed across the table toward Rasheth.

Haley activated next and channeled an Arcane Bolt through Thorn and into Rasheth. It hit but scored only 2 points of damage even with a boost. Thorn's Reaction Drive kicked in, and the 'jack advanced out of the way of the Storm blades which cleared their charge path to Rasheth. Then Haley channeled a second Arcane Bolt at Rasheth. With a hit and boosted damage roll, she inflicted

6 points of damage that was subsequently transferred to

the decimated Cannoneer. Her work done, Haley fell back a little and braced herself for Makeda.

Strangewayes advanced and gave Haley's Defender 1

focus. The Defender then activated and blasted Rasheth

for another 8 points on a boosted damage roll. Rasheth

transferred the damage to the Cannoneer, killing it. The

remaining damage reduced Rasheth to a single wound. My joy was tempered by purpose.

Having rallied and returned to the fight, my remaining Stormblades assaulted Xerxis and took him down him with

blasts and strikes from their Glaives.

With a grin, I moved in my remaining Long Gunners who

trained their sights on Rasheth. A combined attack later

and they succeed in inflicting the single point of damage required to retire Dominar Rasheth!

Two down. That felt a little like the payoff moment in

the Godfather.

The Precursors charged the enraged (and now wild) Krea

and drilled it twice for 9 points of damage. I then turned

to my embattled Journeyman Warcaster who was not

yet ready to give up the ghost. Junior Arcane Bolt-ed a Nihilator who refused to die (Tough!), so the Journeyman

stepped up and stabbed him in the face. Dead Nihilator.

One of the remaining Trencher Commando Scattergunners

opened fire on the Agonizer and put it out of its misery with scattergun fire.

With my plans coming together, I exhaled and ended my

turn, secretly thinking, "Alas, I have arisen and am alive

forever more, and hold the keys to hell and death, Amen." Or, you know, whatever ... What?

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Xerx:is went down and the Long Gunners got their revenge on Rasheth. I saw their ends coming, but that didn 't lessen the psychological impact of losing two warlocks in one turn.

Without any choice, Makeda and company took their turns. I was not about to end this game without inflicting a warcaster casualty. Makeda was up 6rst. She cast Carnage and healed the Cyclops Savage for 2 damage. Next, the Bloodrunner on the stairs advanced and put an end to that annoying Journeyman Warcaster.

Again the Nihilators advanced with their +5 SPD, and one of them managed to land a blow on Nemo who shrugged it off with his overboosted power field. I then advanced the Beast Handlers up the stairs a nd into range to Enrage the Savage.

Next, I advanced the Cyclops Savage a bit, staying in melee with Nemo and leaving enough room for another model to get in to attack him if I needed it. ] really wanted to put Nemo down this turn, before he activated, since he was the biggest threat to my last remaining warlock. With all that focus on him he would be tough to crack, but he only had eight wounds left and my damage rolls would be six off. The Savage attacked and hit the old man thanks to the bonus to attack rolls from Carnage and dinged him for a couple points of damage. A second attack found the mark again, and with the Cyclops' last fury the old man went down. I was re[jeved, and I like to think that Stryker also died from a broken heart. That sounds fair, right?

~--

~

' '--

I used Spirit Driven to run the Ancestral Guardian into melee with Stryker's Lancer. Then Makeda's Krea charged the lancer with a boosted attack but failed to connect.

I ran the last Bloodrunner up the stairs and finished my turn with the Tyrant Commander Standard Bearer on the upper bridge who managed to kill a gobber Field Mechanik and trigger a failed CMD check.

I had two un-activated units that I saved for ~y final bucket turn.

JASON ROUND 5/TURN 2 With Haley already having activated and Nemo taking a dirt nap, Stryker was my only choice for activation this turn. I allocated 3 focus to the Lancer, 1 to the Defender, and 2 points to the Stormclad.

I started my turn by activating the Stormblade unit that had not yet activated. They charged the Krea and Tyrant Standard Bearer who were Ed's remaining models holding

the upper bridge. They both fell to my Storm Glaives, and the bridge was mine!

Stryker then gunned down a Nihilator with an aimed pistol shot.

The Lancer went to town on Makeda's Krea and attacked the remaining Ancestral Guardian with embarrassing results, inflicting little damage.

Stryker's Defender then showed the Lancer how it's done and avenged Nemo with an aimed shot at the Cyclops. A boosted damage roll took its head off at the shoulders.

In an anti-climatic turn of events, the Stormclad activated, gained 1 focus from the Stormblades for a total of 3 and had nothing to charge. All of its potential targets were bleeding out on the bridge. Instead, it opened fire on the Ancestral Guardian and missed dreadfully due to its target being in melee. Thankfully, it also missed the Lancer. Harlan Versh attempted the same shot at the Ancestral Guardian and missed.

That was the last of my models, so my turn ended and I would not have a bucket turn after Ed.

ED ROUND 5/TURN 2 The railway Praetorians ran up the stairs in an attempt to shed their "railway" prefix.

To close the game, my Gatormen made one final run, and I like to think they slipped off into the Corvis sewers somewhere to become a cautionary tale for Cygnaran children not to wander too close to storm drains.

With the final models moved, the sun set on our battle.

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In the end Cygnar held the upper bridge with two Skorne

warlocks killed in action.

It was a hell of a game and a blast to play! The carnage

was fast and furious, and the Unbound system forced us to

adapt constantly to an ever-changing battlefield. Initiative

is a fickle mistress, and the unpredictable nature of the

turn order definitely kept me on my toes . As much as I

tried to plan my turns, I constantly had to adapt to Ed's

movements. I think that is the nature of the Unbound

system. It is not just WARMACHINE and HORDES on a

grand scale; it is a completely new game in terms of timing

and capabi lities. While som e familiar combinations remain

ED-SKORNE What a great and exhausting game.

If I were to do it aU over again, I would change only two

things. First, I would swap the Gatorman Posse fo r a unit

of Bog Trog Ambushers and another Swamp Gabber Bellows Crew. The Bog Trogs could have started my

second round where the Gatormen started their fifth, and

more smoke from Swamp Gabbers wou ld have meant

fewer bullets in the early game. Second, Xerxis wou ld

have had both units of Praetorian Swordsmen with him .

The railway unit did very little and was clogged behind the

other units with it (this is something that comes up quite a

bit in Unbound games but was exacerbated by the terrain in this case). With them on the upper bridge, I think they

every bit as powerful in Unbound, others are substantially harder to execute.

Getting your timing down is key.

Though I p lanned on making Temporal Barrier a

cornerstone of my strategy, that is not how the game

evolved. Instead of trying to lock down Ed's charges, I

played a much more aggressive game. Part of this was

defmitely due to Ed seizing control of the board early .

Lacking the initiative, I could never get that spell off w here

it would have been decisive. At a cost of 4 focus, there is no

sense in casting Temporal Barrier if it is not going to affect

a substantial part of your opponent's army.

would have been much more useful, and with their speed

they could have been up Jason's flank in no time.

With the fantastic terrain from hobby manager Rob

Hawkins and two massive painted armies, this battle

felt truly c inematic. I have played quite a few Unbound games, and the suspense of this one was wonderful. Every

victorious turn felt like winning a game, and each loss was

like a kick in the teeth. And despite my loss of the entire

game, it left me buzzing from the action and craving more.

Th is feeling is w hy I play WARMACHINE and

HORDES, a nd Unbound bas all of us at Privateer try ing to decide w hich faction to craft into a 150-point killing

machine next.

~ rn I

TERRAIN SHOWCASE

•

• By Rob Hawkins, Hobby Manager

NO QUARTER MAGAZINE: TERRAIN SHOWCASE

It all started with a 4"x6" mockup of the table to make sure the design wou ld work for the planned battle. This tiny-scale table was built with foam core and cardsrock in about an hour. It includes foam buildings, penciled-on railroad tracks, and even a working drawbridge!

Since the large bridge would be stone, I decided on insulation foam for the construction. This would al low me to inscribe the stone texture directly into the material. and (more importantly) it would make the overal l weight of the table much lighter. I drew the arches for the bridge and cut them out with a wire cutter.

The slope of the bridge needed to be sha llow enough so the entire surface cou ld be considered level and only elevated compared to the lower platforms. I was also concerned about models that might tip over on a steep incline. Later. I wou ld find out, despite my best efforts. the slope was sti ll too steep. and I'd have to make a radical adjustment. But we' ll cross that bridge when we come to it. Get it?

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To make the bridge's street, I cut a sheet of 1/4- foam core to size and cut parallel slits into one side without piercing the cardboard on the opposite side. The cuts allow the board to flex over the curved arch of the bridge.

I cut a notch into the top of the arch. The street running through the bridge would sit on the bottom shelf, and the raised areas would form the side guards of the bridge.

Before gluing anything in place I went over the surface and gave it all a stone texture. Creating the stone texture involves cutting the stone pattern into the material, inscribing the lines with a wood pencil, and then compacting individual stones down with a finger to create an uneven surface. (For a more detailed example of this technique, check out No Quarter Magazine 123 or visit my hobby blog online: www.privateerpress.com/hobby) You'll notice the stones don't extend all the way under the bridge; I only drew them in areas they would be visible.

With the bridge affixed to the table with construction adhesive. I began to attach the foam core street panels.

With the street in place. I used construction adhesive to coat the outer edges of the raised end of the bridge and fill gaps in the foam. As it turned out, this is a pretty effective method for protecting the exposed edges and corners of insulation foam. The next time you make a game board out of foam, try coating the outer edges and corners with construction adhesive for more durability.

As I mentioned above, the incline of the bridge turned out to be too steep, but I only realized this after the last of the construction adhesive had dried! To reduce the angle, I ended up having to tear up the foam core sheets and add spacers to raise the lowest portion of the bridge. My beautifully planned side guards were mostly cut away, and I had to build new ones as I added the building foundations.

Before attaching the bridge, I decided the center supports of the bridge needed some kind of island base. At this point, I was also planning out the docks that would line the sides of the canal and preparing the components I would need. I made these pilings by cutting a thin dowel to, - lengths and distressing the top with a pair of clippers.

To make the rope wrappings, I first twisted some thin-gauge floral wire with a power drill. The wire rope was attached with super glue. I made about fifty of these.

With the pilings finished, I set out to make the island. Two layers of foam core. their edges coated with construction adhesive, were used for the base. Thin basswood strips were attached with super glue, and sand was glued to the top.

Here is the finished island with the pilings in place, one for each side. They fit right around the foam bridge support .

•

The large bridges in Corvis are lined with houses. I decided the best way to create the structures was to design them with stone foundations recessed into the bridge_ The building tops could be built and painted separately and anached at the end_ I stacked two blocks of 2- insulation foam and marked the buildings' positions on the bridge. After removing the section of the bridge, the foundation blocks neatly fit into the cutout_

I didn't document the adjustments to the bridge's incline. but in this shot you can see some of the modifications_ At the left side of the frame a spacer of pink foam lifts the foam core street The outer wall of the bridge would need to be reconstructed.

The building foundations were given a stone texture similar to the bridge_ A side guard was cut to fit between each building along the length of the bridge_

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At either end, I added steps and levels leading from the ground level u1> to the bridge. This foam core building was affixed and extends down to the water level.

With all of the building foundations in place and the side guards added, it was time 10 move on to the docks. The buildings over the central support would be tall stone guard rowers. so I added some extra support beneath them.

For the docks, I used foam core covered with cut popsicle sticks. The top layer of foam core is raised up from the surface of the table by a smaller piece beneath it. Before gluing the dock in place. I added vertical planks to form the bulkhead and covered the building with brick-textured styrene card . The edge of the dock was also covered with construction adhesive so the wood strips could be super-glued to it.

Basswood strips were glued to the side of the foam core dock. The tops were covered with popsicle sticks, and the pilings I made earlier were placed around the outside. I placed some wood strips along the top edge of the bulkhead and built the ladder from brass and styrene rod inserted through thick styrene '"rungs.'" (The black goop in the detail shot is a water texture added in the later stages.)

In No Quarter Magazine issue ' 23, I discussed a technique for making flagstone streets using cardboard chits and sand. I used the same method to detail the ground level and planned to repeat that over the entire bridge. This method, while durable and very convincing, is very time consuming. I did have a deadline, after all , and needed a more efficient way of detailing the bridge.

?-/

The process I came up with was to cut very thin slices of insulation foam on the wire cutter and tex ture them much the same way I applied the stone texture to the wa lls. The sli ce is about 3!16- thick. Having a stationary wire cutte r helps greatly wi th getting precise cuts. It would take a very steady hand to do this with a hand-held cuner.

Here you can see the sheets of stonework going onto the street. By cutting the edges with an irregular shape and fitting them together like a jigsaw puzzle I was able to avoid seams that wou ld create unrealistic lengths of per fect ly aligned stones.

In this shot, the street is nearly complete, and you can see how the buildings will be positioned atop their foundations.

To create the ripples in the water, a mixture of latex paint and sand was dabbed onto the tab le around the edges of the docks and islands. When it came time to paint the water, these sandy ripples were drybrushed with Morrow White to resemble frothing waves. To achieve the high gloss, a thin layer of Envirotex Lite was poured over the painted surface.

With the main bridge finished, it was time to move on to the smaller iron drawbridge. It all started with a sheet of foam core cut and laid across the central support. (Note, I'm using black foam core in these photos, but I recommend white. The paper surface of black foam core is more porous than white, and it tends to absorb super glue rather quickly, which made it difficult to glue some of the styrene strips in place. It all worked out in the end, but I'll be using white foam core for future projects.)

To build the trusses, I started with three pieces of foam core taped together to create a channel. I measured the sides to ensure they were parallel. This channel would serve as a gu ide when building the truss so that it would be straight and even.

After measuring the length of the bridge section the truss would fit into, I cut two l-strips of styrene and placed them in the channel.

The vertica l strips were glued in place.

I measured and cut the support strips. The ends are clipped at a 45-degree angle.

To cover the joins, I used a rotary hand sewing punch to dimple rivets into thin styrene and glued those pieces to the truss.

With the finished truss super-glued in place, I added some framing to the ends of the bridge with more L-strips and sheet styrene.

I had scratch bui lt a locomotive and refurbished the 0-scale boxcar that had appeared in some or our older photography. These were the centerpieces for a train depot table that's been making the convention rounds as part or Iron Arena. I wanted the train to be usable on this railroad drawbridge, so I built the tracks to match its wheels.

The railroad ties are popsicle sticks, and the rails are custom-made from strips or styrene formed to an inverted T.

I made support scaffolding for the drawbridge control shed out or styrene. This was kept separate so the ground and stonework could be easily painted.

With the trusses attached to the length of the bridge, I built the drawbridge. Its working hinges are made from aluminum tubing and modeling putty.

When closed, the bridge rests on a styrene L-strip. I had to shave a little material off the trusses to ensure the drawbridge cou ld open and close without scraping the corners.

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The railroad spikes are straight pins. Holes were first drilled through the styrene and wood, then the pin was inserted. The exposed nat head of the pin resembles a large rivet.

To get the drawbridge to open, the ends of the rails were cut away to create a V-shaped notch at the hinge.

The remaining surface of the bridge was covered with styrene strips punched with rivets. This was when I started to wish I had used white foam core. The strips kept popping loose and needed to be re-glued.

The guardrails were made in the same fashion as the trusses but with thicker styrene. As with the tracks, a V-shaped notch was left so the guardrail wouldn't interfere with the opening drawbridge.

The drawbridge isn 't motorized, but it still needed to appear as though it had a functioning motor. I built a boiler assembly out of a P3 dropper bottle, styrene, and a Centurion boiler. The large gears are cast in plaster.

With the bridge and tracks complete. I added some sand on the track bed.

Multiple layers of insulation foam are used to create the platforms connecting the ground level to the bridge. The steps were created by cutting a zigzag pattern into the foam. I always strive to make my terrain as playable as possible, so I keep bases on hand to make sure the models will fit on the walkways. By using landings and keeping the stairs limited to Oights of about five steps. units of models can move up the levels and remain in formation.

Here you can see the stone texture pressed into the foam. The last of the nagstones were then added to the street on the stone bridge.

The sta'irs were cut out of insulation foam. Larger steps were situated to allow models to stand on the stai rs. The outer wall of the stairs was constructed from foam core covered with brick-textured styrene; a riveted plastic strip was added along the top edge.

Windows, doors, and other details were added to the stone foundations of the buildings and everything was primed black. The foam areas were covered with a layer of wood glue and then black latex paint before the other details were super-glued in place and sprayed with Formula P3 Black Primer. Covering the foam in this way ensured the aerosol would not dissolve all of my hard work on the stone ..

The building tops were detailed to match the rest of our Iron Kingdoms scenery. The walkway between the towers was constructed in the same manner as the iron bridge

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With a coat of paint and a few extra details, like streetlamps, the Black River Bridge is ready for battle! I hope this insight into the table construction has been entertaining as well as educational.

Now it's on to my next project!

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