New Kids on the Block (Round Eight - The Loan Squad (BN) verses the Hunters (HM))

"New Kids on the Block"

The Lone Squad / Gunnery School of Nuln / Lure of Fortune verses the Hunters / Reiklander Mercenaries / Celestial Protectorate

Traces to Emprise

"Tell me where I can find I can find the caravan route!" Senior Gunnery School Officer Benedict von Neale yelled as he shoved the old Cathayan villager up against the wall. His caravan had somehow wandered off the 'well traveled' route and was seriously lost. Benedict was desperate to get back on route and to the 'safety' of the silk road. The old man just shook his head and there was sadness more than fear in his eyes. The temporary burst of anger quickly fled and Benedict slowly put the man down.

"What am I becoming," he thought sadly. His squad and caravan were desperate but at that moment he realised that no amount of desperation justified torture. They would ask for help but he would not resort to violence. He fled the small house and the piercing gaze of the villagers. The sound of gunshots welcomed him as he returned into the raging blizzard. "What now?" he groaned.


Captain Ivan of the Hunters shook his head and rolled to his hands and knees and then slowly to his feet. He had been knocked senseless by a gunshot that had come unexpectedly out of the swirling snow. The damn blizzard had prevented his squad of Reiklander mecenaries from realising that there was a hostile force in the village. They had simply come to the small village to gather whatever information they could get to track down a band of marauders that had been raiding some caravans over the last few weeks. He had not expected it to turn into a battle.

"Climb up on the roofs and shoot back!" Ivan yelled when he noted that the opening volly of gunfire had killed one of his marksmen. Some of his men shot back to give cover to the marksmen trying to climb. The shooting battle was vicious and another of his warriors quickly succumbed to the gunfire. Under the cover of gunfire, two enemy warriors charged out of the swirling snow into Ivan's two champions. Mace was dispatched in a heartbeat by a fearsome warrior with brightly coloured tattoos. Dace also went down after his leg was smashed by the mace of the other enemy warrior.

The walls of the cottages were slick with ice from the blizzard and one of his marksmen gave up trying to climb. As the marksman approached Ivan the ground gave way and he disappeared from sight. It was probably a well and Ivan hoped that it was an old well and only shallow. Meanwhile the other marksmen must have finally manged to get up on the roof as crossbow bolts finally started to rain down from the roof of the cottage behind him. The brightly coloured man was quickly taken out of action by a well placed shot. BOOM! An explosion suddenly ripped through part of the roof and took out two marksmen. "May the gods help us" he silently prayed.


Senior Gunnery Officer Benedict von Neale clapped his marksman on the back as two of the enemy marksmen fell from the roof. The pigeon bomb had been timed perfectly. The battle was fierce and another enemy warrior was shot down by Deadeye Danny who was a marksman second only to Benson the squad's instructor. As he watched the battle his best duellist, Danno, was taken by surprise by a marksman who had dived off the roof of the cottage and Benedict knew that Danno was out of action. Meanwhile the captain of the enemy squad took Benedict's other duellist out of action before charging down Deadeye Danny who was trying to reload his handgun. Benedict decided it was time to pull back. He was getting no information from the villagers and this battle was starting to turn for the worst.


Captain Ivan looked around at the men in his squad and then over at Senior Gunnery Officer Benedict von Neale. The battle was several days ago now and the village was long behind them. One of his men was dead and Dace would be out of action for quite some time with his smashed leg. However, they had been given some useful information from the villagers and also had captured one of the enemy warriors. The enemy squad had just handed over 50 gold crowns for the return of their warrior. He couldn't call the expedition a worthwhile endevour but at lesat his marksman would not have died totally in vain. The two squads were aligned opposite each other and the tension was still high. "You can keep the weapons and items as mentioned before, we are not total enemies after all..." Ivan said to Benedict as his Mace came forward and dropped a sack of equipment beside him. "Best we part company now though."


Senior Student Reuben trudged along in chains that were bound together with several other men who he did not know. He had been separated from his squad after the battle. He blamed the blizzard. When the villagers had seen him they grabbed pitchforks and old rusty swords and chased him out of the village. He swore again under his breath at the mutation that had stricken him with brightly coloured skin. Things had got worse though as several days later he had been run down by a band of marauders. They laughed at him when they saw his mutation and took him before their seer who also laughed as he spoke some cursed tongue and placed 'the mark' on his forehead. He stopped thinking about the past and looked ahead to see what was to come. They had just entered a camp and were approaching a large tent.

He was the first to be released and as he was led into the tent he realised that inside there was a barbarian ring. The marauders where yelling and howling as the biggest man he had ever seen climbed into the ring. He had a sword and a shield and Reuben could see the heavy armour worn by the man under his furs. "So I am going to die at the hands of a warrior of chaos..." Reuben thought grimly. His captors forced him to climb into the ring and then surprisingly threw down his two maces and his lucky charm at his feet. He quickly snatched them up not once taking his eyes of his opponent.

As soon as he had a firm grip on his maces, Reuben dashed forward. He new that he had surprised the warrior when he saw a flicker of fear in his eyes. The warrior of chaos parried Reuben's blows and followed up with a counter attack that hit Reuben. It was only a shallow cut though and Reuben shrugged it off. The warrior of chaos lunged forward again and the crowd roared. Reuben scrambled back quickly and almost lost his footing. In desperation he struck out again with his maces. The warrior once again easily parried Reuben's blows with his sword. They faced each other in the middle of the ring as they slowly circled and then the warrior of chaos charged forward again. Reuben was ready this time though and he deftly sidestepped the sweep of the sword from the warrior of chaos. He then brought his mace around and slammed it into the back of the head of his enemy. The warrior of chaos dropped to his knees and Reuben landed another solid hit in his face. It was done. He had won! The marauders were roaring their approval. Suddenly Reuben felt a slight and familiar tingle over his body. The red blood that was slowly seeping from his arm turned black and started to sizzle as it touched the sleave of his shirt. "Oh great, another mutation" he thought in dismay.


Senior Gunnery Officer Benedict von Neale sighed. His squad had found Reuben earlier that morning. It had been thirteen moons since they had lost him. Some of his squad had quickly welcomed Reuben back but others were keeping their distance. He agreed with them that the mark on Reuben's forehead was offputting but he still wanted to trust Reuben, believe his story and welcome him back. They needed all the men they could get. Benedict had tried to talk to his men but many were unconvinced. First the brightly coloured skin, now a mark and black blood. They had convincing arguments also. "What if our gods turn their back on us for harbouring a mutant?" "What if Reuben wasn't 'released' but has joined the marauders and is planning to lead them to us and our caravan?" Danny was the loudest. The duelist spoke morbid tales of how the dark gods would take interest in their squad and send wave after wave of their minions against them. It was all getting too much and his will was wavering.

"Enough!" Benedict said in a loud and firm voice. "Those who believe that our Reuben can come back to fight beside us come to me." Danny was the first to step forward and then he spat at the feet of Reuben and walked away. One by one the others followed him. In the end it was only Reuben and Benedict standing there. Benedict looked at Reuben and saw the fear in his eyes. He pointed down the road. "Go. You cannot come back to join this squad. Take your weapons and equipment but go." Reuben stood for a moment in shock and then spat at Benedicts feet before turning and walking away. Benedict just stood there and watched him leave.


This was the first battle for the Hunters who won and ended the game with 6 information points meaning that the warband gets to choose one of their next scenarios. The Hunters found 3 treasures and received 1 campaign point.

The Lone Squad ended with only 1 information point. The Lone Squad also found 3 treasures and received 2 campaign points (bonus campaign point was received by Reuben winning "Get in the Pit" against the Warrior of Chaos). Reuben was stripped of his position in the squad and left behind as an abomination.