Bill's Greenskins II: The Legend Continues

 

After OWAC IV, I still have a lot of Orcs and Goblins left over awaiting paint. In preparing for OWAC V, I really only had to buy a few more figures to round things out, which I think decided me on the path of continuing the Waaagh for another year. 

This year I'll be placing an emphasis on areas of the army list I either didn't touch on at all last year or just barely included; namely, I'll be doing cavalry and magic-users, adding more archers and war machines to my army, and potentially adding to my Hobgoblin Mercenary contingent. In some ways it's a more ambitious plan than what I went into OWAC IV with; I've got a few wizardly point-bombs to help out but I'm still looking at 17 cavalry figures, 35 infantry and some miscelleous crews and such. I've bounced a few ideas around for a second Baggage Cart but nothing really stuck and I'm not sure I'll have the time for it this year anyways. It might end up being a project for the off-season. 

 

Anyways, on to this year's army, story-wise...

Once the screaming died down, Yorzolg and his orcs emerged from the ruined keep they'd been besieged in for weeks to greet their rescuers. His piggish little close-set red eyes swept over the scene before him: Warboars the size of oxen grazed on the bodies of the slain, occasionally squabbling over a particularly juicy bit; between them wound lean, vicious-looking wolves picking at the remains and leaner, more-vicious looking goblinoids plucking greedily at bits of armor or rifling through pockets.

These weren't the fat, dopey orcs Yorzolg was familiar with and saw reflected when he looked into a polished shield; these were cruel, ugly creatures, hunched and snickering as they made their rounds. And many of them were older, creatures of gristle and scar-tissue that had seen more fights than Yorzolg had hot meals. With them came stunted, almost pygmy-like orcs, dressed in tigerskins and armed with flint-tipped arrows. They barely spoke, even among themselves, but Yorzolg could see the fire of madness in their eyes. 

"Oi. You Yorzolg?" rumbled a query from the depths of a blackened iron helm bedecked in horns and tassels. Its wearer sat astride a four-tusked Warboar as big as a rhinoceros, a bearskin cloak draped across armored shoulders. He was without a doubt the biggest orc Yorzolg had ever seen.

"Y-yeh, dat's me. Who'z askin'?" Yorzolg managed to reply, trying to force himself to sound braver than he was feeling.

"Name'z Gorechunk. Heard you wuz throwin' a Waaagh. Came ta find yez hidin' from da Humies."

The rider leaned down, bringing his face close to Yorzolg's. Rancid breath hissed between cracked and yellow tusks as the rider chuckled cruelly.

"Looks like dis 'ere's my Waaagh now. Yez can follow me, so long as yez don't slow us real fightin' Orcs down."

***

List I'm going with is as follows:

• 1 Level 25 Orc Hero, Heavy Armor and Shield, War Boar (163)
• 1 Level 20 Orc Wizard (240)
• 1 Level 15 Savage Orc Shaman (163)
• 14 Orc Big'uns, Standard and Musician (152)
• 1 Level 15 Orc Hero, Light Armor and Shield (91)
• 2 Units of 10 Savage Arrers (75 apiece; 150 total)
• 10 Snortas, Standard and Musician (324)
• 6 Gobbo Wolfboyz, Shortbows (60)
• 1 Goblin Spear Chukka, 4 Crew (37.5)

For a total of 1380.5 points. Now, if I'm extra productive or get some extra time, I'll add to my Hobgoblin Contingent as follows:

• 1 Level 15 Hobgoblin Shaman (155)
• 1 Hobgoblin Contingent Standard Bearer, Heavy Armor (83)
• 1 Hobhound Handler, Light Armor, 5 Hounds (62)

Which will add an extra 300 points. This might be chancy; the Shaman and Hobhound handler are primed and ready to go, but the Contingent Standard hasn't been converted, based and primed yet. So we'll see what happens with that towards the warmer months. 

And finally, my price of admission: A mid-90s Heartbreaker Orc Champion from the hands of Kev Adams. Instead of my usual Goblin Green basing, I went with a suggestion from my better half; noting that this orc looked like he was dressed very warmly, she asked if I was going to do a snow base. I liked the idea enough to go with it, and I think it worked out well.