Unrest in Saint Kidspring, The Five Kingdoms Campaign

I thought it about time I added some background substance to the Warband Campaign I have entered into. What started off as a string of connected battles has really caught my interest and I hope to expand the campaign adding new battles, new 'Kingdom's' and potentially new campaign players if the Pendraken Forum members are keen.

Saint Kidspring was until very recently a very peaceful place. Habited by creatures from all corners with only a very small human population, the island is known as the Realm of Five Kingdoms.

Arkan Ironhorn, Chieftain of Woll Subterrane

Woll Subterrane with its capital Pa-Mai is home to the Taurian Chieftain Arkan Ironhorn. Largely woodland glades, the population has lived in relative peace for decades and trades heavily from its coastline with the mainland










Knabadug the Despoiler

Kagronia, is home to the fearsome Orc Knabadug the Despoiler. A warrior like nation, it has feuded for years primarily internally as other Orc Warriors vie for control of the Kingdom. Knabadug rules by fear putting down internal revolts with devastating fury. Its Capital Kharul is a desolate place and a hive of scum and villainy.

King Cassenberg of Isceald

The Dwarven King Kusseg Cassenberg rules the mighty Kingdom of Isceald from deep within the mines of the Jukalp Heights. Not one dwarf has been witnessed outside of the Heights in over twenty years, but occasionally the island is rocked by quakes believed to emanate from deep under the mountains. Rumour has it that Cassenberg's forces are either drunk or burrowing for gold, probably both....

Bartholomew of Salemere

The outlying island of Daggorland and its impressive fortress Salemere Castle is the feared residence of the Vampire Count Bartholomew. Recently risen, Bartholomew is understood to be seeking to locate the Pool of Ebon Night, a foul portal to the underworld. His forces are in league with the once human forces that roamed the Five Kingdoms who are now interred within the Obsidian Mausoleum.

Firian Delacroix of the Obsidian Mausoleum

The Obsidian Mausoleum is an order of undead warriors. Once human these foul denizens of the underworld are led by the once revered Firian Delacroix and the Liche Eulisses Cane. At present the Mausoleum is underpowered and thus unable to generate forces strong enough to pose a serious challenge to the Five Kingdoms, but if Count Bartholomew can locate and capture the Pool of Ebon night, the orders strength will become manifest.







Londranis is home to various leaderless clans including the Yhn Enclave, a Goblin Outpost and the renegade Taurian Warparties of Clonells Timberland. A Lizardman clan has all but disappeared from the Kingdom. The region is largely wasteland with little or no value, probably why no single breed has ever chosen to call the place home.

Henk of the Yhn Enclave



Aranarun Stormhoof of Clonells Timberland

 

Deception in the Vile Plains

With the deception plan set, Stormhoof's Warparty advances through the Vile Plains under the banner of Ironhorn.

Astride the main road, the Kagronian Shieldwall blocks the path of the oncoming Minotaur Army. Recalling his Fathers words, the young Orc Captain deploys a second shieldwall to the rear of the Minotaur army. "Bring back Ironhorn's head, or return on your shield..."

The Battlefield - viewed from the 'Anvil' of the young
Orc Captain, 'Grablog son of Knabadug'

The main Orc Shieldwall. Bolstered by Giants and Ogres
and supporting archers and bolt shooters

Kragonian Orc Warband
Grablog - Average Chieftain, Shaman, 2x Archers, 4x Warriors with Shieldwall, 1x Bolt Shooter, 1x Giants/Ogres, 1x Wolf Rider Skirmishers. 499 pts



Grablogs Battle Plan
to block the road through the Vile Plains by presenting a Shieldwall astride the road as a 'Hammer' which would force the Minotaurs into fighting in two directions, thus splitting their effectiveness. A second Shieldwall, led by Grablog would be the Anvil on which the Hammer should fall.

Aranarun Stormhoof's Warparty
Stormhoof - Poor Chieftain (reflecting his lack of experience in major battles), 3x Minotaur Warriors, 2x Mercenary Minotaur Warriors rated as Impetuous (reflecting their eagerness to prove themselves in battle) and 1x Rhino Pack




Stormhoof's Battle Plan
Even though he is an inexperienced leader, Stormhoof recognises that his warparty relies on speed and getting into contact quickly. He is also heavily out-numbered. His is a simple plan - smash through the main Orc line and press on deeper into Kagronia.

Stormhoof's Army, masquerading under an Ironhorn Warbanner

Grablog's 'Anvil'.

Giants and Ogres support the shieldwall

The Kagronian Bolt Shooters have an early impact forcing a
mercenary Minotaur unit to fall back with casualties

The main Kagronian Shieldwall hurls abuse
(and rocks, and iron bolts) at the Minotaur Battle Line

Grablog similarly hurls abuse at Stormhoof and gets his attention.
Part one of the battle plan achieved. Get the Minotaurs to fight
in two directions.

The battle taunts work and the impetuous Minotaurs and Rhinos
charge unsupported into a hail of arrows and iron bolts

Stormhoof closes on Grablog's Shieldwall

The Minotaurs and Charge of Rhino's create havoc in the Kagronian Shieldwall.
The Kagronian Giants supported by Wolf Riders move out to protect the flank of the Shieldwall.

Stormhoof's assault goes in which sees Grablog's Shieldwall creak under the pressure

The main shieldwall splinters but not before the Minotaurs and Rhino's
are pushed back

Grablog's Shieldwall buckles under the pressure of Stormhoof's assault.

 

Grablog also falls back under the pressure of the minotaur assault,
but thankfully the shieldwall remains intact

The Kagronian Shaman unleashes Consuming Rage which routs the Minotaurs and Rhino's

Despite seeing off the Minotaur and Rhino' charge, the Kagronian Shaman
and part of the shieldwall disintegrates and routs from the field

The Shieldwall reorganises itself as Stormhoofs mercenaries rout.

Grablog's Anvil breaks under the strain leaving the Young Orc Captain isolated

The Orc Shaman flees the field.

Taurian and Orc units rally mid-battlefield. The Rhino's continue to rout.

Isolated and surrounded, Grablog is mercilessly butchered by the Minotaurs.
The Anvil is smashed. Will Grablog's death be in vain?

As Stormhoof returns to rally the centre, the Kagronian Shieldwall
presses forward keen to avenge the death of their commander

Once more Taurians rip into the shieldwall causing horrendous casualties,
but the attack is disjointed and the mercenarys rout leaving
Stormhoof isolated in front of a hail of Kagronian arrows

Taurian casualties mount as the assault falters.

The Kagronian Shieldwall goes on the offensive. Stormhoof is flanked and routed
and the Giants set about dismembering Minotaur carcasses.

Grablog is avenged! Leaderless, the Taurians rout.

After the battle, Grablog's body is carried back to his father on his shield. In honour of his famous victory Grablog's battered body is buried alongside other fallen Kragonian heroes. His gravestone is etched with one word. 'ANVIL'

As the final echoes of 'Grablog the Anvil's' funeral pyre peter out, Knabadug declares War against the Taurian Kingdom of Woll Subterrane.  

Warband Campaign - Deception

Aranarun Stormhoof is a cast-out from the minotaur Clans of Clonells Timberland. Keen to make a name for himself, he leads a renegade minotaur warparty drawn from a multitude of leaderless minotaur clans. On the island, the warparty has become renowned for cattle raids and petty criminal activities in the wilderness.




Stormhoof's reputation has earned him as many enemies as admirers, particularly in the Orc and Goblin communities, many of whom live to create chaos. Keen to make an alliance, Knabadug grants Stormhoof council and they meet to discuss terms.

The renegade minotaur confides in the Orc Chieftain outlining a deception plan Count Bartholomew approached him about days earlier. Knabadug is furious to learn that Arkan Ironhorn's Shaman, Sinaris Tesbin is in league with the Count and is marching on Kagronia as part of a diversionary attack hoping to draw away Knabadug's forces so that the Count can once again try to capture the Pool of Ebon Night. Ironhorn's Warband is approaching Kagronia through the Vile Plains.



Knabadug sends for his first son, a capable but somewhat headstrong young Orc Captain by the name of Grablog. The young Orc Captain is to ride out to the Vile Plains and set an ambush for Ironhorn. Knabadug's orders are simple; "Destroy the invading army. Failure is not an option. There will be no retreat. Bring back Ironhorn's head or return on your shield!"

In a vile deception, Aranarun has already been bought and is in league with the Undead. No sooner is he outside the stronghold gates before he sends a messenger to Count Bartholmew - "The trap is set my Lord..."

At Salemere Castle, the messenger conveys the news from Kagronia. The war is about to be widened, chaos will descend, and the Armies of the Undead will have new flesh on which to feed. The Pool of Ebon Night will be opened unleashing the hell of the underworld, but for now it's capture can wait. Stormhoof's men masquerading as Ironhorn's army will draw attention away from the new alliance being drafted with the Undead Hordes of the Obsidian Mausoleum.

Warband Campaign -Opening Shots

The once peaceful island of Saint Kidspring  has descended into darkness as rumours of a long forgotten myth about a portal to the underworld have once again risen.

Vampire Count Bartholomew of Salemere has sallied out with an Undead Army into the Kagronian Forests where the Pool of Ebon Night has been found by a mighty Orc Chieftain, Knabadug.

Knabadug is unaware of the importance of his find, but its is well known that he sees any incursion into Kagronia as an act of war and he has mustered a mighty warband to face Bartholomew's undead horde.

Count Bartholomew has spread his forces thin, desperate to locate the Pool not knowing that Knabadug's force has set up an encampment right on top of the portal itself.

In the furious battle that evolves, Bartholomew throws himself into the midst of the combat and initially puts the Orc forces under huge pressure as Knabadug struggles to beat off the Counts repeated assaults. The undead horde struggle to coordinate their attacks and finding his command increasingly isolated Bartholomew is forced to withdraw having exerted himself to the point of needing to escape and regenerate before rethinking his strategy.

Days after the battle, Knabadug learns of the myth of the pool and sets about building battlements to protect the site. He sends out emissaries to Arkan Ironhorn the Taurian Chieftain of Woll Subterrane and Kusserg Caskbeard the Dwarven Clan Leader of the Jukalp Heights.

Mistrusting of Knabadug's intentions, neither Ironhorn or Kusserg agree to council, however a roaming Taurian Warparty under Aranarun Stormhoof from Clonells Timberland slip un-noticed into Kagronia to discuss a potential alliance with the Orcs.

Back in Salemere Castle, Count Batholomew has summoned a local Undead Warlord Firian Delacroix of the Order of Obsidian Mausoleum.

Renegade Taurians

This is my second Taurian Army for Warband. A Renegade Taurian with a couple of units of leaderless Mercenary Taurians; outcasts from their individual herds, drawn to the prospect of loot and pillage....

This Warband will run Shaman-less and will be supported by random mythical beasts including a Crash of Rhino's, a Blessing of Unicorn Unicorn or a Pegasoi.

Warband Terrain

Rainy day and a spare hour on my hands, plus some 100x50 MDF bases and I've come up with my very first bit of scratch built terrain.

I set out with attempting to create a Crevice to use as impassable terrain for Warband. What I have ended up with I'm not entirely sure, but I guess it could be a crevice...

Then again, it could be a Rock Pool/Mini Lake of either limiting or impassable terrain!

This is two MDF 100x50 Warband Bases, some shavings from a piece of railway bark modelling and a small strip of foam from my redundant stethoscope packaging cut up to make the banks. I finished off the terrain with clump foliage and scatter grass.  

Warband Goblins Part II

Here's a 'test' stand for my Uruk Hai White Hand of Saruman inspired Goblin Army for warband. Excuse the bases as these are not yet tidied up as I wanted to experiment with the scheme before committing to the theme.

Quite pleased with the result, but not entirely sure about the flesh tone done in GW Scab Red?