WMHC2: Grim Tidings 750pts

by Chris “Gdaybloke” Miller

A couple of Winter Guard snack packs and Horatio was as good as new. This heartened Ernie somewhat, as the Winter Troll and Bradley had become something approximating friends – Bradley had, of course, carried Horatio during the thaw, and Horatio had been able to numb Bradley’s jaw long enough for Ernie to pry out a Winter Guard combat knife that had gotten lodged between molars.

Moon over Broadway?

Ernie’s brothers were missing.

The pygs of the Knockr tribe were few in number, but a very close-knit bunch; Ernie was in fact the only one of their membership who hadn’t taken up a rifle and joined  the Tommyknockrs, the tribe’s “elite” squad the Trollbloods referred to as Bushwhackers. This would normally have resulted in shame for Ernie’s immediate family, but considering Ernie had returned with Bradley, the Knockrs were quite well respected by the other pyg tribes working with the local kriels.

The Tommyknockrs had been scouting ahead of the Tubthumpers, but hadn’t been heard from since they had reported the Khadoran caravan where Grim’s group had liberated Horatio.

 

Now they were in Cygnaran lands, and Ernie was getting worried.

**********

Elsewhere…

Through his telescope, Tommy scowled at the sight of the great creature in the pit. So much for “civilised” humans. They destroyed everything they touched, hated anything they didn’t understand, and made a tortured mockery of Dhunia’s finest at every opportunity.

The Tommyknockrs: Don't like 'umans much.

Right now, down in the camp, a massive pit ringed with spikes held the groggy form of a great bear.

Trappers had caught the beast with tainted meat, thinking to sell it either for fur and meat and trinkets, or to be imprisoned and tamed and taught to “dance” for the entertainment of the rabble.

They had no idea just what they had caught, or what vengeance was about to be unleashed upon them.

Tommy felt a little uncomfortable being out of contact with Tub and the Thumpers, but the Knockrs had long-standing relations with the Rhulfolk, and this Brun Cragback was of a very similar frame of mind to Tommy when it came to the humans. The bear, Lug, belonged to Cragback, and the Tommyknockrs were only too willing to aid the warlock on retrieving his pet.

None of this sat well with Horthol, sitting astride his steed.

This was not their fight, he had argued. Grim would be waiting, he had argued. Tommy had remained adamant that the Knockrs would help Cragback, and with everyone on the forums talking about how crap Bushwhackers are, how Chris should have spent his points on Burrowers if he really wanted pygs, Horthol wasn’t confident that the little riflemen would survive the encounter without help, despite there only being half a dozen trappers.

“If they didn’t have a threat range longer than your charge, Brun, you could do this all on your lonesome. If nothing else,” muttered the Long Rider Champion, “This is certainly very Page 5.”

Brun: Doesn't have a particularly long charge range

Tommy and Cragback looked back at Horthol with confused expressions, before shaking their heads.

“We go!”

Tommy barked the order and the Knockrs rolled out of the darkness like a well-oiled machine. Paired up, they concentrated on pre-designated targets and let loose with withering volleys upon the hapless trappers.

Horthol thundered down the left flank while Cragback ran down the right, blunderbuss discharging its deadly payload into the surprised face of a bearded hunter.

Shots pinged off of Horthol’s armour as he closed in on the last standing trapper; with a great sweeping arc he brought his long hammer around, driving it hard into the human’s shoulder and sending him staggering.

“Whoo! Critical Hit!”

Horthol, Breaker of the Fourth Wall.

Everyone stopped and stared; even the wounded trappers stopped still, hands still reaching for their weapons, and stared, bewildered, at the Long Rider.

“What? Look, he staggered. I rolled doubles, okay?”

The fight resumed as if it had never stopped and it was only a matter of moments before the last shot rang out and the hunters were no more.

Lug: Spent the entire fiction drugged. Don't eat tainted meat.

 As they hauled the still-woozy Lug out of the put, Tommy finally cornered Horthol away from the rest.

“Look, yer’n big and yer’n strong and yer’n famous, orright? So’s we’s glad to have ye along… but ye’s be yellin’ the wierdest t’ings.”

Horthol just shrugged.

“I don’t expect you to understand, Tommy. There are things I’ve seen, understandings I’ve reached, that would blow your mind. There are bigger things in play here than you, I, or even Madrak and the other warlocks realise. We’re being guided by hands unseen… but don’t worry, as long as I have a few health boxes left, I’ll do whatever I can to keep your brothers safe. In the end, my diminutive little friend, it’s all just a game.” 

Tommy just stared and shook his head.

“You’s an odd one, tell that for free. We be gettin’ to Grim now. Mush.” 

This brings me to a fully painted 750pt list (though, yes, the pics were taken before I based and sealed the Bushwhackers). Not in the picture, and bringing my total painted Trollbloods and Troll-allied models to just shy of 1000pts, are Neil the Axer, Grissel Bloodsong, Gudrun the Wanderer and Saxon Orrick (painted as part of WMHC1).  

Grim Tidings 750pts
21 models, 25VPs

Grim Angus
- Dire Troll Blitzer (Bradley and Ernie)
- Winter Troll (Horatio)
- Troll Impaler (Vivian)
Horthol (um… Horthol)
Fell Caller (Hugh)
Trollkin Champions (5) (Tubthumpers)
Pyg Bushwhackers (6) (Ernie’s tribe)
Swamp Gobber Bellows Crew (Winkin & Nod)
Brun & Lug (themselves)

Click to see it all big and stuff