Age Of Sigmar Battle Report: Plaguebearers Verses Bloodletters

KHORNE VERSES NURGLE: BLOODLETTER VERSES PLAGUEBEARER

This game was played predominantly using the free downloadable rules of “Age Of Sigmar” by “Games Workshop”. However as we were only playing with ten models aside on a 3’ x 3’ tablecloth, a number of house rules were implemented in order to make the skirmish flow more smoothly, such as each model technically representing a single unit. In addition both the Plagueridden and Bloodhunter were treated as their respective force's General, and we decided that during the Battleshock Phase, when “both players must take Battleshock tests for units from their army that have had models slain during the turn”, we would test any units within 12” of an eliminated friendly unit, and add the number of removed models to the test’s roll when comparing it against their Bravery statistic.

“The story so far… Determined to win the favour of the Blood God, Clomp the Mighty has dared to lead a party of Bloodletters into the toxic Nurgle land of Rotwater, in an attempt to establish a Khorne foothold on the region. Realising the threat to his dominion, the Plague God has dispatched a unit of Plaguebearers to intercept the savage invaders, and entrusted his realm's sanctity to their leader, Pusmire the Putrescent..."

THE TABLETOP - ROTWATER

Before the game started a couple of swamps and forests were positioned about the battlefield, and five favour points identified. These objectives would not be revealed until a unit had captured them, and then could only be secured by a free-standing model. At the end of six turns the winning force would be the one who held the most favour points. Finally, we rolled for which corners the two hosts would enter the area from, and found that the Plaguebearers arrived from the northeast and the Bloodletters from the southeast; it was clear that battle would commence a little sooner than had been anticipated.

CLOMP LEADS HIS BLOODLETTERS FORWARD INTO NURGLE'S SWAMPLAND

Taking the initiative, and making use of their faster speed [Move 5"], Clomp the Mighty led half of his invading party north towards Objective Three, whilst the remaining Bloodletters, including his Icon Bearer, moved west along the south bank of the large swamp. Somewhat slower than his opposition [Move 4"], Pusmire accompanied five Plaguebearers and his Piper south towards Objective Three, and dispatched his Iconbearer west, alongside two Plaguebearers, west towards Objective Two. 

With the scent of his savage, blood-mad foes already in his decaying nostrils, Pusmire and two Plaguebearers moved further south towards Objective Three and prepared to charge their opponents. Skirting past them the Piper made his way to the eastern edge of the small forest. Whilst to the north, the Nurgle Icon Bearer almost reached Objective Two. With a roar the Putrescent one urged his Plaguebearers forward towards the oncoming Bloodhunter, but soon realised that their target was beyond their wheezing waddle and quickly brought his warriors to a halt.

AS PUSMIRE HEADS SOUTH TO FACE CLOMP, SOME BLOODLETTERS DECIDE TO MOVE WEST

Sensing the lesser daemons of Nurgle were ripe for an assault, Clomp motioned for some of his Bloodletters to join him in an advance northwards, and readied his Hellblade for their own charge. Behind him, one of Khorne's foot-soldiers acquired Objective Three and revealed the location was worth four favour points to their Blood God. A mighty prize indeed.

To the west the Bloodletter Icon Bearer and Hornblower continued their trek towards Objective Four, accompanied by three more of their brethren. Behind them their heard the roar as a Slaughter-kin's charge reached a Plaguebearer stood on the southern edge of the small forest. The Bloodletter's Hellblade [To Hit 4+] cut into the pallid green flesh of its prey, and wounding the blighted soul [To Wound 3+ and Rend -1], dispatched the boil-covered creature.

Disconcertingly however, the red-skinned daemon's howl of triumph was short-lived as the Nurgle force rolled for Battleshock and threw a one; causing reality to blink and another Plaguebearer to appear back at the Plaguebearer's deployment point...

WITH NURGLE'S PIPER PLAYING TO THEIR NORTH, THE BLOODLETTERS SCOUR THE LAND FOR PREY 

Unaware of Nurgle's 'magic', a Bloodletter to the south of the fighting, strode to Objective Four and revealed it to be worth two favour points. With a seemingly unassailable lead already in their grasp, the rest of his Khorne companions fanned out with the Hornblower making towards Objective Five in the far west and the Icon Bearer heading north with their eyes upon Objective One.

Meanwhile, as a Bloodletter defended Objective Three, the rest of Clomp's forces in the east readied themselves to charge into their pot-bellied opponents. Incredibly, the Mighty one failed to reach any Plaguebearers himself, but watched with satisfaction as two of his hooved brethren crashed into Nurgle's nearby cyclops'. Hellblades and Plagueswords flashed, and at the end of the conflict both a Bloodletter and Plaguebearer had fallen. Cursing, the Bloodhunter saw that despite being 'wounded' the misshapen Nurgle Piper had been saved by being "disgustingly resilient", and had therefore merely had some of his rancid flesh sloughed away.

JUST SOUTH OF THE SMALL FOREST, BLOODLETTERS AND PLAGUEBEARERS BRUTALLY CLASH

To the north the Nurgle Icon Bearer took Objective Two and revealed it was worth three favour points. The two Plaguebearers accompanying him immediately headed south towards Objective One and the remaining "Tallymen of Nurgle", led by Pusmire, prepared themselves to attack the Slaughter-kin surrounding Objective Three. With a ghastly gurgle the lesser daemons, dragging their intestines behind them, charged into the Bloodletters guarding the easternmost objective, and laughed gleefully as their Plagueridden hacked down one of their foes.

Khorne however, was clearly still very much in ascendancy, as the Blood God's warmongers retaliated by hewing a Plaguebearer into pieces, and causing the Nurgle Piper to once give thanks to his lord and master that he was "disgustingly resilient".

In the centre of the battlefield a Bloodletter managed to claim Objective One, and discovered it was worth just a single favour point. Clomp scratched his head momentarily, and realised that he could still win the day if he gave up Objective Three, took Objective Five, and rallied his forces against Nurgle at objectives' One and Four; a cunning plan which would rely upon the Slaughter-kin uncharacteristically turning their backs to their hated foe in a momentary retreat.

CLOMP ATTEMPTS TO OUTWIT HIS BOIL-COVERED FOES BY HEADING WEST TO ROTWATER'S CENTER

As a result the Bloodhunter and his dwindling numbers rushed towards the northern edge of the large swamp, and headed west towards the centre of the Rotwater in order to try and make a last stand for the glory of the Blood God there. Meanwhile the Hornblower and Khorne Icon Bearer prepared to charge the Plaguebearers who were approaching Objective One, but with a roar of disgust failed their respective rolls... Perhaps the tide was starting to turn in favour of the Lord of Decay..?

With Objective Three now unprotected a Plaguebearer rushed south and took the location for Nurgle. Nodding approvingly, Pusmire lead the rest of his sore-infested pack west after the fast-disappearing Bloodletters. Up ahead of him the Plagueridden could see more of his disgusting brethren approaching Objective One, and with a cry of "Praise be to Nurgle!" charge into the Chosen of Khorne guarding the central location. Frustratingly for the Plaguebearer leader, the attack seemed to have little impact upon the Khak'akamshy'y stood there, and so the Putrescent one decided to vent his fury upon Clomp instead...

THE PLAGUEBEARERS CHARGE INTO THE CLOSEST BLOODLETTERS 

Nurgle looked down upon the grisly glade just north of the large swamp and chortled to himself as his Plaguebearers smashed into the Bloodletters' rear. Clomp was quickly brought down with a few cuts from a Bilesword, and despite the Lord of Decay's own Piper being slain amidst the slaughter, the god was mightily pleased with his Tallymen's efforts.

Believing that there was still a chance for Khorne to win the day, the Bloodletter running west came ever closer to Objective Five, whilst both the Icon Bearer and Hornblower charged into the Plaguebearers skulking around Objective One. Incredibly, despite their superior attacks, the Slaughter-kin proved ineffective, and if not for their [5+] save, they would both have been massacred by their opponents. As it was, the lone Bloodletter who had witnessed Clomp's demise, was also killed, leaving eastern Rotwater free of the Blood God's influence.

Seeing that victory was at hand, the Plaguebearer who had appeared as a result of reality blinking finally approached Objective Two and allowed the Nurgle Icon Bearer there to waddle south towards the central objective in aid of his maggot-covered colleagues. In front of him, Pusmire urged his nearby bloated brothers to undergo a valiant charge against the outnumbered Bloodletters and witnessed Khorne's Icon Bearer finally fall. Further south however, Pusmire the Plagueridden had decided to try and gather as much favour from the Lord of Decay as he could, by winning back Objective Four. 

ONE OF KHORNE'S FAVOURED APPROACHES OBJECTIVE FIVE, AS BATTLE ERUPTS IN THE CENTER

With the battle entering its final stage, the Plaguebearer's Icon Bearer charged into the melee around Objective One, whilst Pusmire leapt at the Bloodletter guarding Objective Four. With a cry the Slaughter-kin by the central objective gorily died, but Khorne's Icon Bearer remained alive to contest the location.

To the west, a Bloodletter took Objective Five, to reveal it was worth five favour points, and bring the battle's current standing to seven apiece. Pusmire realised if he could just take down the Khak'akamshy'y before him, he would win the day for Nurgle, yet his plaguesword failed to strike home despite the Plagueridden having two attacks.

PUSMIRE DESPERATELY TRIES TO WIN THE DAY FOR THE PLAGUE LORD BUT FAILS

Finally, battered and broken, the Blood God's Hornblower finally fell to the Plaguebearers around Objective One. The battle was over, and neither side had attained a resounding victory for their respective deities... this opening skirmish was a draw...