Halflings on the Margins: My WFB 3rd Empire Army

Just finished the last of my GW halflings from the 80's-90's. They sat in their blisters for quite a few years before finally being painted and taking their place in the ranks of my Empire Army, but more on that later.

For now, here are the last seven. If any readers are interested in the first 23, here is a link to all of the Gorgon Halfling posts, which will also fill you in on their place on the Black Powder Fantasy battlefield. LINK

As in the past I tried to give each batch of halflings a theme. These chaps ended up being hard bitten halflings making do on the edges of civilization. These are the hollow halflings, the stuffed halflings, for whom a pint of Old Burleby's Bitter and a Mince Pie has lost all appeal.

Confronted with the savagery of life on the frontier, these chaps have either snapped, losing all touch with reality, or hardened themselves, doing unto goblins and other raiders what those raiders have done to them. 

Below is the completed unit, thirty strong, with two missile weapons between them, three if you count the pie thrower!

In the center you can see the great hero, holding aloft his gory trophy, the head of a gorgon, that he either slew, or came upon already dead, depending on whose story you choose to believe.

He is flanked by the remains of the Weemangian Guard.

In succeeding ranks may be seen the witch hunters, Larry and his brothers Daryl, the Major, and all the other notables of the Moot.

When Warhammer Armies (for 3rd edition. It was/is a wonderful hardbound set of army lists) was first released, Games Workshop had a fantastic sale. Really. They did that back then.

I was able to pick up two or three armies at a very reasonable price.  Picked up an Empire and Skaven army. Maybe one other. Not really sure at this remove.

Now, some 25+ years laters, some of the figures still await paint!

However pictured here are some that do not.

I painted most of these in the 80's-90's although I still like to pick out the odd figure or unit to add to the force now and then. 

In fact the crossbowmen are of a slightly more recent vintage being the first figures to come with separate plastic crossbows.

These knights are actually Old Glory figures that fit right in. I do have GW knights to add but while I have found their primed mounts, the riders remain in hiding.

Can't say I really play WFB anymore but 2nd and 3rd edition remain solid games and good fun. These days I am more likely to play games set in the Warhammer World using rules of my own design.

That having been said the important thing is how wonderful are the figures themselves. Full of character, each one looks like it could tell you a few stories.

BTW many of these figures are now available once again through Wargames Foundry!

Notes: All figures by Citadel Miniatures except for the mounted lay Knights. All figures shown painted by the author.

The 98: Wexforc Aflame!

We left off with rocks having been thrown at Giggers and Trumpeter Thersonorc Behineyoo. 

At this point I rolled a dice for each side, high score would get the first turn. The rebels won the toss and as all three groups of bog orcs advanced around the henge, Moyfee the Druid cast Hail of Stones at dear Giggers. Fortunately the spell fizzled and Giggers was untouched.

At this, Giggers called upon the section of dragoons behind him to charge the bog orcs on the left. This they did! 

Meanwhile Giggers had Behineyoo sound the alarm to call up the two reserve sections of dragoons and putting spurs to his mount charged the druid. The druid declined single combat and Giggers and his coverorc slew two of Moyfee's guards.

The dragoons charge was particularly bloody with 5 bog orcs and 3 dragoons falling.

The bog orcs passed their rout test and were pushed back. Moyfee and crew failed theirs and fled through the henge pursued closely by Giggers. 

Startled by the flight of their religious leader, the center company of bog orcs paused in disarray losing a turn.

Giggers and Behineyoo reigned in their mounts in the center of the henge, while the first section of dragoons remained locked in combat with the left hand bog orcs.

The right hand bog orcs began to close in on the henge. Unfortunately in avoiding single combat, Moyfee had reduced his leadership to 1 and was therefore unable to rally. The holyorc and his two remaining guards and off into the wood.

Could Giggers hold out until relief arrived?

The first section of dragoons and the bog orcs continued to trade blows, 2 bog orcs and one dragoon fell. I should have voluntarily routed the remaining two dragoons. However I was hoping they could hold out until the reserves arrived.

In the next round another dragoon and bog orc fell. This was the first round the dragoons didn't win, and the loss of the "follow up" bonus, not to mention the four to one odds, would prove a problem.

Help finally arrived in the clearing!

Giggers joined the second section and the sole survivor of first section voluntarily routed. The bog orcs could not hope to keep up and the brave dragoon got away.

This is how the table looked as there was a slight lull in the fighting.

Now I made a second mistake. Second section charged the right hand bog orcs, but I should have waited until I could get Giggers integrated into the front line. The combat was drawn.

Third section covered the withdrawal of first section and took up position facing the bog orc left flank.

Then the unthinkable happened. Second section lost a combat and routed taking Giggers with it!

Fortunately the bog orcs were unable to pursue and in such disarray they could not fall on the now exposed flank of 3rd section.

Third section made haste to withdraw and protect the flight of 2nd section.

Giggers was unable to rally 2nd section before they carried him off the table.

The final result was a rebel victory with the loss of 14 bog orcs down, and two more with Moyfee having fled.

In exchange six dragoons fell, and six more including Giggers and Thersonorc Behineyoo routed off the table.

In the end the result was not unlike that of the encounter upon which this game was based.

And so Wexforc is aflame and strange sails have been seen off Banter Bay in county Korc...

Some notes on figures and terrain:

The dragoons are all from Alternative Armies, painted by their fabulous in house painters. Minor conversions to Giggers are my fault.

The bog orcs are all Games Workshop orcs from a long time ago painted by yours truly.

The henge is from ESLO terrain. The village and road from Miniature World Works. The stone ridges are from Battlefront. The mat is from The Terrain Guy, as are some of the trees. Other trees and the sky backdrop are from Lemax. Finally any of the trees from neither of the previous two sources are model railroad trees from the 70's at least : )

Thanks for stopping by and have a very Merry Christmas all!

The 98: Battle of The Harrowed (Giglamp's first fight!)

Triplets from the Guinalean epic poem “Is That the Salmon of Wisdom or Are You Just Happy to See Me?”

“98 were the tears that were shed,

98 were the mouths with no bread,

’98!’ was the cry that was said.”

“98 was the year we got bored,

98 was the year of the sword,

98! Crushing heads like a gourd!”

It is well known that the Bog Orcs and Wee Folk of Guinalea are not always willing members of the United Kingdom of Great Britorcn. This was never more so the case than in the years following the Ferach Elf Emperor Mordred’s Annulment of the Law of Wylde Magicke, for Guinelalea was more steeped in and dependent upon Wylde Magicke than many another land.

It was Wylde Magicke that made the Land so green that even the Bog Orcs dwelling there were imbued with that colour. It was Wylde Magicke that allowed the Wee Folk to flourish there. Most important of all it was Wylde Magicke that allowed the Land the bounty that sustained the population.

With Wylde Magicke gone, the Bog Orcs faced starvation.

Never one to let an opportunity for mischief at the expense of others to pass, the tyrant, Emperor Mordred sent emissaries to Guinalea, to spread rumor and foment revolt. The rumor was that it was Goode Kyng Gorge who annulled Wylde Magicke in Guinalea and caused the land to whither. In truth it did not take much convincing for this rumor to take root, and unlike the spuds of Guinalea, prosper. The Bog Orcs were a warlike bunch and for many, rebellion was sport.

Ferach agents provocateur made it clear that the Wee Folk and oppressed Bog Orcs of Guinalea were welcome in Amorica, where a Legion was being raised to liberate the Auld Sod from the rapacious hands of Kyng Gorge.

So it was that in the year 98 BO[1], the green flag of rebellion was raised.

Coincidentally, the year 98 BO was also the year that a newly minted Cornet of the 17^th Heavy Dragoons, the “Sewon and Soforths” began what would be a very active career indeed.

Unbeknownst to him at the time, Giglamps had purchased a commission into an unhappy regimental family in the 17^th. The 17^th’s Lt. Colonel, Lord Sniggerson, was far more interested in currying favor at court than with running a combat ready command, and the assignment of the 17^th to “assist the civil authorities” in a backwater like Guinalea, seemed to his Lordship a “right demned slap in the face”!

While his Lordship spent all his time pretending that he was an orc of some importance, morale and training in the 17^th reached a nadir, and poor Giglamps was to bear the brunt of this neglect on a spring morning near the village of The Harrowed.

On that day Cornet Giglamps was tasked with tracking down a Ferach Agent believed to be spreading dissent in the area. In truth, poor Giggers was much too er green, as it were, for such a task, but frankly, no more senior officer could be bothered to take the field and so, as the most junior officer, Cornet Giglamps was given command. Mind you, Giggers himself was delighted at the prospect of independent command!

As Giggers and his patrol approached The Harrowed, it was clear that the village had been deserted. Taking his coverorc, Trumpeter Thersonorc Behineyoo, and a section of six dragoons, Cornet Giglamps turned down the lane towards the local sacred circle.

There he met Druid John Moyfee and about 40 bog orcs of the village, seemingly gird for war. Entering into conversation the Druid assured Giggers that the bog orcs were simply assembled and equipped for smurf cutting[2] as was the custom in these parts.

A more experienced officer than young Giggers would have realized that with the annulment of Wylde Magicke there could be no smurfs nearby, and the gathering of bog orcs could only have mischief at heart. As it was, Cornet Giggers accepted the Druid at his word, and made ready to depart.

When from out of the crowd of bog orcs a rock was thrown…

The preceding is the scenario description for a game I’ve had in mind for some time, Giggers first fight!

In keeping with the theme of “early days”, this game will be played using Warhammer Fantasy Battle 2^nd edition rules.

Both sides will be represented by the standard orc templates. While it is true that in Alternative Armies world of Valon, bog orcs are “harder” than proper orcs, the bunch gathered here represent an ill trained rabble. Rather than improving some aspects of their profile and then reducing others I decided to keep it simple.

There are three mobs of 12 to 16 bog orcs each led by a unit champion.

There are three sections of 6 dragoons each led by a unit champion.

Giggers will of course be some level of hero, no doubt a minor hero as befits his youth and inexperience. Trumpeter Thersonorc Behineyoo will also be a hero, as suits an orc picked to be his young officer’s minder.

Druid John Moyfee is an elementalist. Although he is well steeped in the spells and rituals of his religion, the annulment of Wylde Magicke will limit his options and possibly add a random element to his casting.

In the photos you may well notice that demnable Ferach agent Daniel D’Kless. Present mostly for colour, D’Kless is a high elf major hero. However he should take no part in the game, being, as usual, more concerned with saving his skin than with engaging in derring-do!

That’s it for now on this bleak solstice morning.

Merry Christmas and thanks for stopping by!

To read how the game played out, click here .

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[1] By Bog Orc Reckoning.

[2] Smuf cutting was a local tradition that kept the druids well supplied with blue pigment for their rituals. Each able bodied bog orc of the village would turn out with a melee weapon, shield, and possibly armour. The smurfs, well known for their propensity for mayhem and violence, made such precautions necessary.