Topic: The Northern Situation - IC 2518

[Il Condottiero]

There are evils lurking at every corner... – Ravandil’s Quest

AAR of my current Mighty Empires, using the 1991, for  Warhammer Fantasy Battles – 8th ed.

Forgive the unpainted figures, we are working on it as the campaign develops!






Year 2518 of Our Lord Sigmar

Marienburg, 20 Jahrdrung
Long Drong Slayer’s Pirates have disembarked in the southern docks, coming straight from Sartosa. In half a day’s time, they had been quartered and billeted, and their captain now holds a letter of marque issued by the Council. While the filthy company of the dwarfs is quite… unpleasant, Liutz Dorfer claims it is much better to have the pirates in the employ of the city than against it – we are already plagued enough by the buccaneers in Wrecker’s Point occasionally attacking the cogs on their way to Estalia and the south. Few madmen would sail to Kislev – nothing useful or valuable there. Let us see if the dwarfs are as effective as they are smelly.

Marienburg, 24 Jahrdrung
The spice merchant Ruprecht van der Klatz was elected by the Council as Comissar provisioner towards the management of contracts with Dogs of War, from the great free companies to the individual vagabonds. The volume of scrolls and parchment to be addressed make of this an insane job – even the most miserable peasant in Bretonnia would frown at such task. The Registry Officers have been sinking in the Reik, as everyone knows, and tens of such documents are either mouldy or illegible. As any nomination, it was contested under the cries of ‘thief’ or ‘schemer’. Some of our dignified councilmen called van der Klatz an illiterate.



Marienburg, 29 Jahrdrung
A sinistre vessel unloaded the Coin-Bought Prince, Lietpold the Black, to the docks today. People that know of his reputation will spit to the cobblestones where he treads, but the man smiles, despondent with a terrible and cruel glare. Apparently van der Klatz had already done business with the mercenary to assume general captaincy of the sellsword armies of Marienburg. Captain Rainier van Wulfschloss has received an extension of his command, and remains the general of our own brave warriors of old jutone stock; but Lietpold brings with him dogs of war from every corner of the world, much outnumbering our native guards. Someone mentioned seeing Golgfag and his maneaters, huge ogres the size of the smaller homes in town. I’ve seen by myself pikemen in astounding numbers.


Rainier von Wulfsburg and Ruprecht van der Klatz

Marienburg, 7 Pflugzeit
News from Nordland claim that, in Salzenmund, troops of the new Elector-Count are mobilizing to reaffirm the alliances with his nobility and villages which, on the occasion of the passing of the old count were left to their own devices. But the poor fishermen that call themselves the nobility of Nordland have no great ambitions, and swiftly accepted becoming vassals to the count. What worried us here is the swift taking of Dietershafen and the eviction of our usurers from the port. The Council whispers resentment against the new count, but as long as he lays no foot in Marienburg, he should be safe.

 
Marienburg, 13 Pflugzeit
A figure tailed Lietpold before the Council. Thin, short and pale, with dark oiled long hair and robes. Everyone knew it to be a wizard, but here in Marienburg we are less… simple than in the Empire, and we do not chain mages as long as they keep a low profile and honor their trading debts. Captain Rainier has lead an expedition to clean up the Reik of pirates back in the 8th, and now Lietpold and his foreign companion – likely tilean by his fragrances – have disappeared in the marshes and swamps that extend to the horizon  surrounding the city. Lietpold took with him a small group of well-armed warriors, but his warlock walked on his own. In the night, terrible whispers rose from the northeast, and colorful flashes lit up the thin woods in the distance according to the men stationed on the walls. If they are not careful, the fimir will carry them to a pot!

Marienburg, 14 Pflugzeit
Lietpold is back, as is his tilean mage, Corrado. Both only smirk at being questioned on whatever dark business they had to solve on the bogs as if smugglers. They have only mentioned new allies and regiments should protect Marienburg, why, certainly not the Fimir!



Marienburg, 18 Pflugzeit
From the Eastwall towers, some soldiers must have been drinking too much. They say that in the twilights, one can see the dead walking the earth once more, rotten banners and hoarse drums playing, but those figures do not approach the walls. Necromancers once more dwelling in the swamps? A letter was handled to Ruprecht van der Klatz with the monogram and the contract of service of a certain Richter Kruegar, but nobody has ever seen them. Some councilman must be falling to corruption and sleighing his hand over the city’s coffers.

Marienburg, 2 Sigmarzeit
Beeckerhoven  has joined the new count of Nordland, as did Hargendorf, Oldenlitz e Dünsen, on the borders with Middenland e Hochland. We don’t yet know if the count will try to negotiate marriages or alliances with the other Electors, but it is an arrivist, a newly0made man. The Council might not need to take measures. In Zandt, captain Rainier van Wulfschloss was barred from the citadel, and there was fighting. In Klessen, Ruprecht van der Klatz was too forbidden from entering the city. The burgomeister was cast out after violent combat, to which News Lietpold snarked that the council should keep it’s merchantmen inside the city rather than sending them to the field of honor bearing swords. There were no smiles except his own.

Marienburg, 16 Sigmarzeit
The Count of Nordland Nordland has built a castle in Dünsen. The Midden Mountains are dangerous and all sorts of bandit and beastmen wander the slopes and forests over them. Our warriors are shy and wish not to tread into Laurellorn – not because of crossing the Nordland border, but fearful of – imagine that! – elves. As if elves wandered the Old World! Old legends of the wilds to scare the foolish and the simpleton.




Marienburg, 24 de Sommerzeit
Plague castigates Nordland. Sigmar protects! May Shallya not allow the plague to spread this far, but thanks to Taal there are few cities to spread the sickness between Salzenmund and Marienburg, not to mention the dense forest of Laurellorn. We are accustomed to marsh fevers and malaria in Marienburg, but it is always scary when blood descends through the ears, eyes and nostrils. A sigmarite preacher declared the divine punishment to the new count, which he calls illegitimate. We had fun with his hallucinated words until the old man began to predict that the plague would punish the noble merchants and burgomasters of the Council. A good beating by the tilean bravos silenced him for the rest of the day.

Marienburg, Sonnstill
It is summer solstice, and Tycho Braams, Lord Magus in the service of the Council - and also counselor, why should not it be? - retired to his tower in Rijker. It's time for the great spells, and the Winds of Magic blow in a more terrible way than before. In order to punish Zandt for the impertinence in denying Rainier van Wulfenschloss the friendly embrace of Marienburg, the Magician made the Reik overflow sudden and terrible. The filling swept the village of the map. Also under Rainier's suggestion, divination spells were prepared to give an end to the pirate problem at Wrecker's Point. I can not imagine what the wizards at the Earl's court are up to, but Tycho mentioned that earthquakes rocked Wrecker's Point. Does the Count also intend to remove the pirates?

Marienburg, 15 Vogerheim
Bandits across Westerland are looting key villages to feed the fat Marienburg. Rainier had been censured by the Council for his inability to prevent mere looters from reigning over the lazy field.


Marienburg, 23 Nachgeheim
In Klesse, emissaries are sent to calm the moods after the disastrous action of Ruprecht van der Klatz. They are surprised by emissaries from Nordland, so close to Marienburg. Well, can’t the count know he will be hanged if we find him in Marienburg? The council did not like this news, much less when the baronet who rules Klessen expelled our diplomats by agreeing to marry a distant cousin of the Count of Nordland! The audacity of that miserable scavenger of shells!

It's war! The whole Council calls for war against Nordland.

Marienburg, 23 Erntezeit
With the declaration of war, a large fleet is bring prepared on the Marienburg’s piers. My own neighbors are happy with the profits they will make by selling their merchant cogges to the Council for cheap prices - merchant ships being adapted for war must without much trouble win the canoes the Earl of Nordland has prepared in Dietershafen! Winter promises storms.

Marienburg, 30 Erntezeit
Long Drong Slayer, in bold action, took Wrecker's Point from the pirates of Hinrich Eich, called 'Master of the Claws'. With his dwarf ship, ‘Fair Fregar', Long Drong waded through the Teeth of Manaan and managed to disembark his pira ... I mean, his privateers near the badly-manned fortress of the pirates. In fact, the earthquakes had crushed part of the walls, and many of the pirates were patrolling the coast without their small ships. Although Long Drong was injured, and Hinrich Eich escaped unharmed, the square was taken by the glory of Marienburg and his Council! I have never doubted Long Drong, and he will be honored at his return by the burgomasters.




Marienburg , Brauzeit
Cool. In the tavern I found a curious figure-a man with a peasant accent, perhaps from Talabecland or even beyond, dressed in old-fashioned outfits, drank in the company of two huge mastiffs. After much conversation with the figure in his simple outfits, I learned to be Wernher von Glocke, and that he had business in the city. As discreet as I may be, I warned Werner that the actions of the Templars of Sigmar are not recommended on the streets of the city - though they are not in fact forbidden. Oh, yes, I remember the 'wicked' shouts that came out against the Council when they tried to stop the Witch Hunters in town two years ago. Some have suggested that the Great Theogonist would declare a crusade against Marienburg if the law were actually voted. Werner only smiled when I identified him, but said that if I was afraid of Sigmar, neither he nor I should fear anything ...

[GamesPoet]

This is looking good, and very enjoyable read!

[Il Condottiero]

IC - 2518



Marienburg, 4 Nachexen

Through the revenues of our mighty merchant fleets - some vessels of which belong to yours truly - our enlightened Council managed to gather enough wealth to start garrisoning the towns and villages on the Westerland's borders. Ah, what a pleasant sight to see our well-drilled marines. While perhaps not as... effective as sartosans or the buccaneers under Long Drong Slayer's command, they do make for quite a show. While wounded, Long Drong's couriers claim he is making a speedy recovery and should be able to resume campaigning in a month.

Yet, not all of it is good news. The pirate Hinrich Eich, evicted from Wrecker's Point by the dwarves, has now pledged his service to the Count of Nordland.

Marienburg, 20 Nachexen

Lietpold, the Black, is finally taking to the field, as are his cronies. A couple days ago, while walking into the Sellsword Comission's offices, van der Klatz clerks were just having a new contract signed, this time for a freelancer who was to take command of one of our garrison forces. Klaus Rotemberg is his name, a thin, tall fellow, as gaunt as he is bald. Rotemberg apparently hails from a southern family of barons in Averland, but whose lack of favor in the Mad Count's court ended up exiling. He does not say much about that past, but then again, gold washes easily enough despite whatever hands handled it, as I once heard Lietpold comment among the billets.



Marienburg, 27 Nachexen

Rainier van Wulfsburg has sent scouts onwards in order to proceed his march along the River Reik, while Ruprecht van der Klatz himself sails up the river in order to scatter river pirates - all the way to Altdorf if such is needed. Klaus Rotemberg already has paid off his commission by taking the township of Klesse. The local baron, despite his clever alliance with the Count of Nordland, wasn't able to raise any meaningful amount of soldiers. This time, the local militia was swiftly disarmed, and the Freelancer rode easily towards the local Keep.



Lost in discussions with the spirits of the Rerum Natura, Corrado the tilean sorcerer keeps his escort in Marienburg despite the council's command for him to march. Tycho might be sent to have a word with the bloody foreigner.

Marienburg, 32 Nachexen

High columns of smoke cover the whole horizon in the distance towards Reikland for days. Only now we have word that Rainier van Wulfsburg's scouts climbed the mountains to find a dragon's lair... and woke not one, but seven of the huge beasts. Monstrous creatures of immense size in numbers never seen in living memory rose with fire and fury! While we hear that Rainier managed, through swift thinking or despair we cannot yet know, escape the path of destruction with his men. Yet, it seems he only managed to save few supplies, and will soon have to face hunger given the whole of the neighbouring lands was destroyed - the town of Leydenhoven was completely burned, destroyed by the furious dragons, their destruction reaching the northern shore of the Reik just a day before Ruprecht reached the region.



The Dragon Rage unleashed by unaware scouts.



Marienburg, 1 Jahrdrung

We hear that Hinrich Eich has been resupplied and equipped by his new liege lord, and comes to Wrecker's Point soon in order to attempt retaking the ruined fortress. We can only hope that our corsairs might hold them off and that Long Drong recovers from their first bout of fistcuffs, for help is still far to reach the isolated castle.



Marienburg, 3 Jahrdrung



Yesterday, a Bright Wizard under the employ of the Count of Nordland called so... cleverly Sainsbury 'the Bright' - we have to admire the Bright Order for their brilliance - has cut Rainier's tired and exhausted troops from the small township of Gorssel, at the eastern edges of the Laurellorn's forest. It is said that while those poor men, tired from running for their very lives from the soaring dragons that had just destroyed Leydenhofen, tried to visit the only Inn in many, many miles, the mage Sainsbury tried to block them from building.

Of course that angered our men mightily, who then decided to deny the nordlanders the building all the same. And tried to burn it down.



With a sudden surge, the dwarves under Rainier employ were joined by ogres, tilean marksmen and even the Cursed Company, who at once struck at the defended fences before the Inn of the Boar's Snout.



The tilean marksmen took position in the woods, from where they stood a long time in a shooting duel with archer and handgunners under Sainsbury's own command.


Through forbidden magicks the wizard shapeshifted into a mighty beast - a dragon! Another dragon! Who could have thought? The men under Rainier were ever more desolated despite the earlier success at battering through the spearmen and halberdiers of the state troops.


However such spells are hard to maintain should one not be a most experienced wizard. In the meanwhile, Richter Kreugar managed to cut the sorcerer down once he was returned to his human shape, and started the fires on the Inn himself. The Nordland knights, however, charged at the ogres at full tilt, managing to run them down once the dullards started to foot it.

The Inn of the Boar's Snout stood aflames, but not destroyed. The local militia finally gathered, and despite causing much heavier losses than taking, Rainier decided to retreat, given the fallen Sainsbury the field. Much later it was found out that the wizard survived, with a terrible wound on his right arm, however. Woe is Rainier's, for his men now face starvation, being denied their single change at resupplying at Gorssel, the locals looking unkindly at those who tried to burn the single Inn of the region!


The situation at the end of Jahrdrung IC 2518.

[Il Condottiero]

This is looking good, and very enjoyable read!

Thanks! Been a very, very long time since I've took to writing anything, really, and what better way to try tuning the fingertips than with some Warhammer fun? So far we've been restricting our battles to 500 pts Warhammer Skirmish matches.

[GamesPoet]

Looks like fun!

Wondering what the dice on the map represent?

[Il Condottiero]

Ah, yes, I should have made some sort of subtitle for the dice!

So, the white dice are marking the number of Baggage markers the armies on the tile have. You see, in this version of Mighty Empires, armies need to be supplied by the tile [if it has a city, a village or a castle] or by spending some of their baggage markers. Otherwise, you must roll for starvation and desertion due to lack of supplies. Rainier attempted to conquer Gorssel in order to achieve a base to supply his host, for in that turn he had spent all his baggage after his previous base, Leydenhoven, was destroyed by dragons.

The large, red dice are marking provinces that were made barren by the Dragonrage, an event that might happen if you roll spectacularly well poorly. Those provinces are made barren for a whole campaign/winter season, depending on when the event trigger happens. In this case, in the first of the six months/rounds that make up the campaign season, the event was triggered, so those tiles will remain barren until the next year, being devastated beyond recovery by the dragons. Eventually the dragons will retire and peasants will trickle in once more, but that will take some time.

It means that scouting rolls in those tiles cannot 'discover' new settlements, and that the barren territories does not afford any forage to supply passing troops. The numbers on the red dice are meaningless.

It's all sorts of fun! Should be even more pleasant an experience if I manage to swoon more of the local players to take to the Old World again so we have some variety of forces involved.

[Zygmund]

Following. 

-Z

[Xathrodox86]

Following. 

-Z

Ditto!

[Il Condottiero]

"What in the Blasted Wastes are you doing?"

"Just keepin' a pretty close eye on your investment, laddie! Captain said we should watch the cargo!" Said the first of the dwarf pirates, a large hand scratch absent-mindlessly over his black-furred chest. It was curious, the merchant noticed, how these redhead dwarves were no true redheads at all, but apparently died their filthy manes and greasy beards in orange. "Aye! We're meant to make sure no bilge rats dare coming up into this beauty."

"And what a beauty it is, messer!" The first dwarf ruffian said even as a hand lifted a bottle of grog to his lips, to which he nursed the glass for a moment before noticing that it had been drained some few sips before. The green glass was dropped with little ceremony to the wooden deck, and for a moment the only sound audible but for the soft waves and the distant crowing of seabirds was the ominous rolling of the bottle until it nested between the crates and barrels. The second dwarf had his hands pulling ineffectively at the cork of the ale barrel, as if he couldn't quite get a grip on it.



"You're not supposed to 'sample' the supplies." The merchant frowned. Ruprecht van der Klatz' commission was proving more tiresome than he had expected. Specially as the dwarves stared as if through him, their eyes like those of dead-fish. "These are not meant for you braggarts, specially not while on duty! Rudie, the Ledger! I'm discounting all the victuals you've been drinking from your pay!"

The pirates shrugged. "Eh, we were spendin' all your gold on these anyway. I'd call it even." The dwarves both nodded, as one of them suddenly pulled free it's cutlass and loped off the thick cork that had been holding it latched. The ale rushed, but with speed uncanny both dwarves dove underneath it to chug eagerly from the cascading brew. "Better note for this barrel too, boss. We are just getting it started."

***



The Ventura! What a beauty it is.



The brigantine even now pulled into the harbor, manned by the crewmen sent to fetch it from the drydocks of Luccini where it had been comissioned. In an effort to wrong-foot the nordlanders - who certainly kept spies in Marienburg - the ship had been bought and built in far-away Tilea, and already its dogs of war crew counted with the ragtag bands that served the Burgomeister and the Merchant's Council. Indeed, Captain Luuk van der Plas had been sent to fetch the vessel himself, and now it smoothly pulled into Marienburg, from where it should restock before been sent to raid the Sea of Claws' shipping meant for Salzenmund.



Piracy was, as always, a profitable enterprise. Despite how the Imperial Coast was usually rendered devoid of targets due to almost constant raids out of Norsca, there were still some juicy targets out of the Nordland's coastal infrastructure in and around Dietershafen.



***

The ship is a Brigantine from the kickstarter by Printable Scenery. https://www.printablescenery.com/

What a gorgeous little model. The link for the stl files can be reached here. https://www.printablescenery.com/product/the-brig/