Warhammer's origins stem from a tabletop miniatures game in which two or more players battle each other by using one of over a dozen different armies available to them. The game is played on model terrain boards with the outcome of their troop’s actions being decided through a cunning use of strategy and the luck of the dice. Note however, that Warhammer is much more than just a game, it’s a hobby. Once a player chooses his army, he has a myriad of troop types to choose from to suit his tactics. Once the makeup of his forces is determined, a player can then begin to collect his miniatures and paint them in the color scheme of his choice. It doesn’t stop there though, as the player can build scenery and terrain on which to make his game playing experience that much richer.
In an effort to bridge the gap between tabletop miniatures games and the realm of online gaming, John Shaffer of Games Workshop, U.S. built a scale model of one of the WAR in-game environments; the lofty and ancient Gates of Ekrund. Using raw materials, like insulation foam, plastic sheeting and foam core, John recreated the imposing structure with help from some in-game screenshots. Two weeks after a meeting with EA Mythic staff, the gates were finished, and it was only right that a heated battle between the Dwarfs and their rivals, the Orcs and Goblins be waged amongst the shadows of Ekrund’s walls.
Two of the EA Mythic staff, Adam Gershowitz and John Rudy were up to the task since they are veterans of the miniature gaming hobby that WAR is faithfully based upon. They made the trip up from Fairfax, VA to Glen Burnie, MD to play at a Games Workshop Battle Bunker, a place full of terrain boards and models with which to play tabletop war games. To find a Games Workshop store near you in the US, visit http://us.games-workshop.com/shopping/gw-stores.asp
Then it came time for the two players to each choose their armies. To ensure that both sides were even, each model in an army has a point value based on their abilities in the game. With 2000 total points for each player to spend on their armies, there was a lot of variety and customization that could be achieved with their forces.
Adam chose a melee combat-ready army full of stalwart Dwarf infantry. To support his forces, he added the swift and useful Gyrocopter and two warmachines, a Bolt Thrower and the devastating, multi-barreled Organ Gun.
John’s greenskin horde consisted of large blocks of Orc and Goblin melee troops, supported by some Goblin Archers, two Stone Throwers and the ferocious might of a towering Giant. Night Goblin Fanatics are a key component of John’s battle plan. These ball and chain wielding nutters hide in their Goblin units, waiting to surge forward, laying low both friend and foe alike in their path of destruction. John also took three Goblin Shamans, whose magical abilities would undoubtedly prove useful in the battle to come.
Each player then took turns setting up their forces, one unit at a time, responding to the threats their opponent placed on the tabletop. In this battle, it was important to control sections of the table. The ramparts atop of the gates was one such area, and the field in front of the gates was divided into quarters, making a total of five table sections the players would fight over. Whoever controlled the most sections of the board by having only their own models in an area at the game’s end would be the victor. The players each rolled a dice, and John won, meaning he got to take the first turn.
The greenskins took the initiative and rushed their units forward, eager to close the distance with their hated enemies. The Giant moved to the center of the battlefield, bellowing a challenge to the Ironbreaker unit across from him. The Goblin Shamans released volleys of offensive magic, but much was resisted by the resilient Dwarfs, with only a single Bolt Thrower crewman falling beneath their sorcerous might. The two stone throwers missed their mark, but allowed their crew to better estimate their ranges to make more accurate shots in the later turns.
The Dwarfs began the game with a cunning use of their Gyrocopter. The flying contraption moved up close enough to release the Night Goblin Fanatics from their units prematurely, and then the flying contraption bathed the greenskins with a gout of scalding vapor from its steam cannon. The Thunderer unit on the ramparts used the firepower from their finely crafted rifles to cause the Goblin archers to fall back in disarray. With The Orcs now in range, The Organ Gun opened fire with multiple barrels, killing 6 of the fearsome Black Orcs who were now closing in on the Dwarfen line.
With their hatred as their guide, the Goblin unit and their Shaman leader successfully rally themselves at the start of their turn, allowing the Shaman to use his abilities once more (because he is no longer frantically running away from gunfire). With gritted teeth, he released a sorcerous blast of magical power at the Dwarf Hammerers on the ramparts, killing three. The Giant closed the distance to the Dwarf Ironbreaker unit, ensuring a bloody melee in the coming turns. The rest of the greenskins continued their advance, getting dangerously close to the Dwarfen lines.
With their enemies closing in, it was time to unleash the full firepower of the Dwarfen gun line. Taking steady aim, the Dwarf Thunders unleashed another salvo, dropping six Orcs dead in their tracks. The Organ Gun pivoted in place, and unleashed its fury on the approaching Goblins, slaying 8 of their number in a hail of powder and shot. With little choice, the Ironbreakers steeled their resolve and charged the Giant, and wounding the behemoth, but losing three of their number in the Giant’s retaliatory strikes.
Losing their courage after sustaining so many losses in the previous turn, the Shaman and his Goblin unit on the ramparts fled the field of battle, which would lessen the magical potency of the Greenskin army. More Goblin Fanatics were released on the Dwarf’s left flank, threatening the Dwarfen Bolt Thrower and the Ironbreaker unit locked in combat with the Giant. In the fierce combat with the Giant, The Dwarfen hero leading the unit rained blow after blow at the Giant legs, severely wounding the towering monstrosity. The greenskin’s luck was taking a decided turn for the worse, but the game was far from over!
With the Black Orcs within their charge range next turn, The Organ Gun was forced to let loose with everything it had. After the smoke cleared, only the Warboss stood defiant, his elite bodyguard sprawled out dead at his feet. With the Giant on the ropes, the Ironbreakers pressed their advantage, and finished off the beast with a flurry of hammer blows.
Bloodthirsty and seeking revenge, the Warboss joined a nearby unit of Orcs in a savage charge against the Dwarfen line. Their attacks drop a rank of Dwarfs, but the implacable resolve of the bearded ones kept them rooted in place and ready to fight back. Even more Fanatics were released onto the field, and this time, they broke through the Thunderer’s formation, dropping three with their wild swings.
On the ramparts, the Dwarf Hammerer unit takes the opportunity to charge the unit of Orcs, who had overextended themselves and exposed the flank of their unit. Charging in against the side of the unit, the Hammerers make quick work of the beleaguered greenskins and send the survivors fleeing over the ramparts! Seeing victory in sight, The Dwarfs set themselves up for their next turn to perform a devastating, dual flank charge against the Warboss and his unit.
Things looked grim for the Greenskins, and there was little sign of improvement. The Warboss and his unit fought ferociously, trying to break their opponents and get out of the unfolding trap that was now pressing in on all sides. Unfortunately, their casualties weren’t enough to shake the courage of the Dwarf unit they were engaged with, and the end seemed inevitable. In a last ditch effort, the Fanatics barreled through nearby units of Dwarf Warriors, taking a few down in spite.
The time for the finishing stroke had come, and with a shout, both units crashed into the sides of the Warboss’s unit. The Dwarf Thane leading the Ironbreakers bellowed out a challenge and fought a bitter battle with the Warboss in single combat, while the battle raged around them. Both sides suffered heavy casualties, but it was the Dwarfen flank charges that broke the Orcs and sent them fleeing.
Defiant to the end, The Orc Warboss rallied his defeated troops to fight one last time. With three sizeable units of Dwarfs nearby, they would surely make their last stand here in the shadows of Ekrund.
With pure hatred of the invaders in their hearts, The Dwarfs charged in to finish off the Warboss and his unit once and for all. Once again steel crashed together as the foes met in combat. The sheer weight of numbers of the Dwarfs carried them to win the combat, but the stubborn nature of the Greenskins once again came to the fore. By rolling double-ones on his Morale Check, John managed against all odds to keep his Warboss in the fight, and alive to exact his revenge!
And with that, our bloody battle had come to a close, with the Dwarfs securing a decisive victory. The garrison of Ekrund had defended the hall of their ancestors with honor, but with revenge boiling in their veins, the Orcs would assuredly be back to challenge the Dwarfs once again, but next time, with reinforcements!
