21. MONSTROUS CONFRONTATION

Given the power and ferocity of the many monsters that inhabit the dark corners of the old world, it is no surprise that generals of all races seek ways to bind such creatures to their control. When the storms of magic thunder it is not just by force of arms and arcane will, but by the ferocity of their monstrous thralls that armies succeed.

dragonThis scenario enables players to incorporate monsters into an otherwise normal battle by using ‘Binding Scrolls‘, which can be found in the the ‘Storm of Magic’ and ‘Monstrous Arcanum’ supplements.

Armies: Agree a points value, to which both players add an extra 25% that is used to purchase Binding Scrolls. eg. 1000pts army + 250 pts scrolls each.

Battlefield: Standard rules.
Deployment: Standard rules.
First Turn: Standard rules.
Game Length: Standard rules.
Victory Conditions: Standard rules.
Special Rules: None.
Source: Monstrous Arcanum (2012) p86.

20. STORM OF MAGIC

When the eight Winds of Magic collide they create a Storm of Magic, an event of such magnitude that mighty wizards, towering monsters and huge armies from across the Warhammer world will march for hundreds of leagues to harness the unbridled magical energy.

SoMThis scenario has such extensive additional rules that it has its own rulebook. Put simply, players are allowed to add extra monsters, wizards and magic items to their normal army in order to fight for control of ‘Arcane Fulcrums’ that rise up from the earth during magic storms. Wizards have to hold fulcrums, supported by the rest of their army on the ground, while monsters try to knock them off.

Armies: Any size plus an additional 25% of the army value to be spent on Scrolls of Binding (adds monsters and wizards), Sorcerous Pacts (add a contingent of Daemons, Vampires or Tomb Kings), and Mythic Artefacts (choice of 13 powerful magic items to give to your characters).

Battlefield: Set up as terrain as normal then add one Arcane Fulcrum to each of the four table quarters. They must be 18″ apart and at least 6″ from the table centre and edges.

Deployment: Players roll off and place wizards on the fulcrums in their half of the table. Then they roll off again to deploy their armies as normal. All units must placed within 12″ of your table edge or 6″ of a friendly-controlled fulcrum.

First Turn: Roll off.

Game Length: Six turns or until pre-agreed time limit.

Victory Conditions: The player who holds the most fulcrums at the end is the winner. If this is tied, then calculate victory points as normal.

Special Rules:
Magical Flux – Use the magical spinner that comes with the book to see which kind of magic is in ascendency each turn. This gives a bonus to casting spells from the relevant lores.
Wild Magic – 4D6 rolled each turn for power dice and 24 may be used each turn.
Arcane Fulcrums – Treated as buildings that only one model can occupy and one can attack at a time. Wizards sat on fulcrums get a 3+ ward save and other immunities. Wizards who miscast on a fulcrum have to roll on a special miscast table as well as the normal one.
Cantrips – All wizards know these three extra spells: 1) Teleport your wizard to an empty fulcrum 2) Duel fulcrum-to-fulcrum with an enemy wizard 3) Unbind enemy monsters.
Cataclysm Spells – Every lore and race has access to additional uber-spells depending on how many fulcrums you control. All wizards also know the ‘Seven Secret Sigils of Summoning’ spell which allows you to summon pretty much any unit from any army book to join you (no specials or monsters). The value of the unit depends on your level of fulcrum control.

Notes: Dwarfs get special rules for striking magic runes on fulcrums, so they don’t feel left out; Additional bound monsters are being created by GW, so players aren’t limited to the original list of 45; The book also includes extra magical rules for ordinary terrain.

Source

Storm of Magic rulebook available to buy from GW here.

16. BATTLE FOR MAUGTHROND PASS

You are the Eltharion, leader of the defenders of the village of Maugthrond. It is early morning and your lookouts in the watchtowers are guarding the village from attack on each of its four sides. This morning the unit in the Eastern watchtower, looking over the pass towards the wooded hills to the east, suddenly sees a horde of Goblins emerging from the mist that shrouds the trees and hillsides. They must warn the village garrison before the Goblins attack… 

4th - Battle for Maughtrond PassThis is the introductory scenario outlined in the 16-page booklet that came with the (now discontinued) 4th edition starter boxset. The scenario uses the plastic High Elf and Goblin armies included in the box, plus terrain and cardboard placeholders for larger models.

!!WANTED!! – Does anyone have this booklet? Can you convert it into an 8th edition scenario? Please get in touch!

Source:
- The boxset (released 1992) is now out of print.

13. BATTLE FOR THE ISLAND OF BLOOD (starter)

On an island outpost beyond the borders of the High Elf homeland lies a magical artefact known as the Phoenix Stone. A Skaven warlord has gathered an army and infiltrated the island through secret tunnels, seeking the amulet for himself. The elven garrison finds itself heavily outnumbered as Prince Althran Stormrider rushes to their aid.

8th - The Island of Blood
This is the introductory battle outlined in the starter booklet that comes with the 8th edition boxset, “The Island of Blood”. It represents the historic conflict between the ‘Glittering Host’ of Prince Althran Stormrider and the ‘Verminous Horde’, led by Skreet Verminkind, but is more of an example battle setting (using the standard 8th edition rules) than a unique scenario in itself. See the ‘IoB’ tag on this site for other scenarios based upon the ‘Island of Blood’ setting.
Armies: Players use the miniatures from the “Island of Blood” Warhammer starter set.
Battlefield: See BRB.
Deployment: See BRB.
First Turn: See BRB.
Game Length: See BRB.
Victory Conditions: See BRB.
Special Rules: N/A

Source:
- The boxset (released 2010) is available HERE.
- The starter booklet does not contain the rules or characteristics for the models included, but a reference sheet is available to download from the GW site. NB: The High Elf roster comes to 104pts more than the Skaven roster, and it breaks army composition rules.
- White Dwarf 369 contains a battle report using expanded armies based upon those in the boxset, using the Blood and Glory scenario from the BRB. The magazine also gives a summary of the events of the historic battle that the boxset represents, as well as descriptions of the armies etc.
- There is also a short NOVEL available to accompany the boxset.

10. WOODLAND AMBUSH

“They attacked in silence, like ghosts from the woodland and I regret, sir, that half the regiment was struck down with black-shafted arrows before we were even aware of the danger. Yet it was when they closed with us, quicker than my eye could follow, that the real killing began…”

The wood elves have sprung a deadly ambush on a travelling army in the borders of Athel Loren. The surprised defenders must attempt to see off the attack.

Armies: Wood Elves vs. any other army. The defender may have twice as many points as the attacker. 1000 vs 500 is suggested.

Battlefield: The bulk of the board is covered in small 6″ woods, with a clear 12″ channel in the centre between the long edges, to represent route of marching army.

Deployment: Defender deploys in the channel down the centre, attacker deploys all units at least 20″ away.

First Turn: Attacker (Wood Elves)

Game Length: Six turns.

Victory Conditions: Normal victory points, plus bonus 50pts to Wood Elves for each time an enemy unit fails a panic test and flees.

Special Rules: Defenders suffer -1 Ld penalty for first two turns due to the shock of the ambush.

Notes: Additional guidance is included for using the scenario as precursor to a larger battle.

Source

Published in the 6th-7th edition Wood Elf armybook, 2005 (pp.76-77). Compatible with 8th edition rules.

9. BATTLE FOR SKULL PASS

A horde of vicious goblins is attacking the Dwarf mine at Skull Pass, intent on slaughter and looting. The Dwarfs rally around their general to defend their precious gold.

7th - Battle for Skull PassThis is the introductory scenario outlined in the starter booklet that came with the (now discontinued) 7th edition boxset, “The Battle for Skull Pass”. The scenario is a scaled-down (by a factor of 10) re-enactment of the historic battle fought between the forces of Big Boss Dagskar Earscrapper from the Crooked Moon tribe and those of the dwarven Clan Byrnik, led by thane Godri Thunderbrand.

Armies: Players use the miniatures from the “Battle for Skull Pass” boxed game.
Battlefield: Use standard terrain setup rules (BRB p.142), but include the terrain pieces from the boxset as obstacles.
Deployment: Players deploy the two armies at least 18″ apart using standard deployment rules.
First Turn: Goblins.
Game Length: Continue until one army is wiped out or surrenders.
Victory Conditions: The side that manages to wipe out all of the opposing force wins the battle.
Special Rules (Optional): Use appropriate rules for each terrain piece. eg. Idol of Mork = Idol of Gork (or possibly Mork); Kings Wall = Blessed Bulwark; Grudge Cart = all units within 6″ are stubborn. Also integrate the ‘Battle for the Pass’ scenario rules to represent the location of the battle.
Notes: In the booklet, Godri Thunderbrand is the Dwarf general (Thane with hand weapon and shield). The Dragon Slayer is called Borri Graniteskin (naked). Dagskar Earscrapper is the Goblin general (Big Boss with great weapon). His advisor is the shaman Nazbad Wartfinger (Shaman, level 1 fire wizard). They are joined by Slugdrool the Troll (a troll). All units use their standard rules and equipment, and have no command groups.

Source

- The boxset (released 2006) is now out of print but can be seen HERE.
- Additional scenarios using the contents of the boxset used to be available on the GW website, but have now been taken down. They were designed to progressively introduce the basic rules of Warhammer.
- There is also a short NOVEL to accompany the boxset, which gives background details about the setting, characters and terrain. Skull Pass is a valley in the south of the World’s Edge Mountains, occupied by Clan Byrnik, who moved there seeking refuge after the fall of Karak Eight Peaks. The year is c.-413 in the Warhammer timeline, because it is about a century since the fall of Karak Eight Peaks. The Dwarf keep is called Karak Grom, and is still under construction when the goblins attack.
- WD321 pp.56-7 has a slightly modified version of starter booklet scenario.

6. THE WATCHTOWER

Core Scenario

Wise warlords often build garrisoned watchtowers at strategic locations designed to hold off attackers until their main army can arrive. The general that holds the tower wins the day.

Sixth of the six core scenarios for use in Warhammer 8th Edition games. One player gets to deploy a single unit in the watchtower in the centre of the map. The side that controls the watchtower at the end of the battle is the winner.

Source

p.150 of the BRB

5. MEETING ENGAGEMENT

Core Scenario

Two armies sometimes encounter each other on the march and fighting will start before all units have reached the battlefield. There is little time for careful planning.

Fifth of the six core scenarios for use in Warhammer 8th Edition games. Armies are deployed corner to corner, with a dice rolled for each unit to see if they arrive on time. Latecomers are deployed during the battle using the ‘Reserves’ special rule.

Source

p.149 of the BRB

4. BLOOD AND GLORY

Core Scenario

The battles fought in the Warhammer world are bloody affairs. Eventually, worn down by destruction, one of the battlelines will break and flee.

Fourth of the six core scenarios for use in Warhammer 8th Edition games. The goal is to break the morale of the enemy army by taking out their standard bearers and general. Each army has a fixed ‘Breaking Point’ based on its size, and a ‘Fortitude’ level that must be kept above the breaking point to avoid defeat.


Source


p.148 of the BRB

3. BATTLE FOR THE PASS

Core Scenario

The Warhammer world has many mountain ranges, whose narrow passes and valleys present the perfect location to confront an invading army.

Third of the six core scenarios for use in Warhammer 8th Edition games. The battle is fought down the length of the table instead of across the width. It also uses a ‘Bottleneck’ special rule for the long table edges to represent the steep cliffs of a mountain pass.

Source

p.146 of the BRB.