Saturday 7 September 2024

They came from the jungles

 

Things are looking up for us after the recent defeat of the vampire sorcerers to the north, and with high spirits I've led my men further south to seek battle with the vile skaven than make their lairs there. The noisome ratmen have nested in the ruins of a temple city, and I intend to take its riches for the glory of Altdorf and to reward my soldiers for their efforts.
Journal of kriegsmarshal Kaspar van Gelt
Alas, in our haste to reach the ruins we fell into an ambush prepared by the ratmen, my army was taken between two fires and the situation looked dire
The first shots began to rain on our ranks, and in the chaos of those first moments me and my men stumbled on a patch of quicksand that swallowed our mounts and almost drowned me. I could claw my way out from the pit, but most of my guards were lost in the mire, may blessed Sigmar have mercy on their souls
A nefarious flame belching contraption had roasted some spearmen from the Hoch und Burgmeister, and the survivors started to run for dear life dragging the harquebuisers with hem. Luckily father Johann managed to rally them in time, his steely faith proving once again its worth
Thank the gods the skaven were content with bombarding our lines without moving, my men were quick to react, opening fire in return while the flaming machine fell prey to the local fauna
The mortar got a bullseye on a big blob of rats
And spearheaded by the Viktoria, our counterattack began in earnest

The dastardly ratmen then deployed all their foul sorcery, electrocuting the crew of the mortar
And taking out of action lady Yennefer with a magic bolt
The local pest added to the toll, swarms of critters biting the legs of my men and dragging some to a fate too dreadful to imagine
But not even such losses could stop the valiant men of Altdorf, and the steam tank routed their wizards with a fearsome charge followed by precise shots from its volley gun
By then the attack on our front had been mostly blunted, and my attention turned to the huge rat mutants that were bearing on our rearguard
Which were routed by shot and cannonball

Without stomach for the fight, the ratmen ambushers ran for it and lost themselves in the jungle
Only one regiment of rats was left, and all the might of the expedition turned to face them

Lord Albrecht's halberdiers charged into them
But the presence of a hideous champion turned the tide, and they retreated back to our lines
However it was too little too late for the ratmen, who having lost the battle slunk back to their dens



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