50. Assault on the Rock
Source: Town Cryer #22
Setting: Mordheim
Author: Grayson Gaudreault
Description: Warbands infiltrate the Sisters’ rock and attempt to steal a magical tome. Warbands must search through buildings/rooms to find the tome. Meanwhile, a growing number of random nuns (well it makes a change from zombies) – controlled by a referee – attempt to repel the invaders. For 2-4 warbands plus the referee.
The Rock is the fortress abbey of the Sisters of Sigmar, the only building to survive the holocaust caused by the comet. It is said that the Sisters survived the holy wrath of Sigmar through their penitence and prayer (and hiding out within the deep catacombs beneath the abbey!). From the Rock these fanatical daughters of Sigmar patrol the ruins of the Cursed City fighting the heathen followers of the Shadowlord and collecting shards of Wyrdstone to be later destroyed within the holy confines of their abbey. Many arcane and heretical items are held within the bowels of the Rock, guarded from the prying eyes of those who would misuse their power. It is the rumour of these treasures that lure the greedy and the power-crazed to attempt to infiltrate the heavily guarded abbey. The catacombs of the Rock are extensive and barely explored, with miles of tunnels leading off in every direction. Just recently a long forgotten tunnel has been discovered that leads into the crypts of the Rock and rumour of a powerful magic tome has brought all manner of scum running like moths to a candle flame. This scenario can be played by up to four warbands of any type and requires a referee.
terrain
The referee sets up the board in a town-like setting with narrow streets in an orderly arrangement (the more adventurous amongst you could use the rules for fighting underground from TC 17). The referee should place as many markers to represent sewer gratings as there are attacking warbands equidistant apart and then note down which building/room contains the magic tome.
set-up
The invading warbands set-up their entire warband wherever the referee places them, subject to the scattered placement of the sewer grates. The referee should take care that warbands start no closer than 12" of each other.
starting the game
Each player rolls a D6 with the highest scoring player taking the first turn.
special rules
Sisters of Sigmar: On the referee’s turn (after all the other players have moved) he rolls a D3. This indicates the number of basic Sisters of Sigmar he is allowed to put into play. He is allowed to place these patrolling Sisters wherever he wishes but no closer than 8" to a member of an attacking warband. He is only allowed to put a maximum of two Sigmarite Matriarchs into play during the battle. All Sisters are armed with either two Sigmarite warhammers or a Sigmarite warhammer and a steel whip (the referee may decide which but has to declare what they have when they are placed). The Matriarchs have one randomly selected prayer (generated by the referee) and heavy armour (as well as any of the weapons already stated). The Sisters never rout and will automatically pass any fear test or All Alone test they are required to make due to a combination of their fanaticism and being within the hallowed ground of their abbey. A Sister of Sigmar warband (if one happens to be playing) in this scenario has the special ability to set up wherever they wish as they are here because they have also heard rumours and wish to stop the heathens from stealing the magic tome. They are able to conscript up to two Sisters from each patrolling band they encounter as long as it is not led by a Matriarch. They are then able to control the Sisters — not the referee. To do this the player’s Matriarch must pass a Leadership test for each Sister she wishes to conscript as she is trying to convince them to follow her.
Looting: A member of any warband (apart from Sisters of Sigmar) may spend an entire turn doing nothing when in a building/room searching (this means not moving, fighting or casting magic). At the end of his turn the player may then roll a D6 for each member of his warband that is searching and consult the following table:
| D6 | Item |
|---|---|
| 1-2 | Nothing of any value. |
| 3-4 | Blessed Water |
| 5 | Any common item from page 146 of the Mordheim rulebook. |
| 6 | Holy Relic (after the game any chaotic or evil warband may choose to desecrate the relic and gain an unholy relic. To do so the leader must pass an Initiative test.) |
The Objective Building: When a player finally reaches the objective building where the tome is being held, the referee is allowed to automatically set-up 2D3 Sisters in front of the warband that are the keepers of the book. They may charge automatically but may never move further than 12" from the objective. These Sisters are subject to frenzy. They will not attack a Sisters of Sigmar warband but will demand confirmation of their authority to take the tome. The Matriarch of the Sisters warband is allowed to make a single Leadership test each turn and if successful the Sisters guarding the tome will hand it over to their care.
Any warband may rout at any time as long as they have lost at least two members.
ending the game
The game ends automatically when a warband manages to defeat the Sisters guarding the tome and leave the building (as they are able to readily find a sewer grate anywhere and get away).
experience
- +1 Survives. If a Hero or a Henchman group survives the battle they gain +1 Experience.
- +1 Winning Leader. The leader of the winning warband gains +1 Experience.
- +1 Per Enemy Out of Action. Any Hero earns +1 Experience for each enemy he puts out of action.
- +1 for capturing the Tome. Any Hero or Henchman who leaves the board with the magic tome gains +1 Experience.
rewards
The book is a tome of magic that allows the user to gain two spells from the lesser magic list or two new spells from his own list or any combination thereof.
Any warband is able to use the tome except for Sisters of Sigmar & Witch Hunters (it is considered heresy). Also any warband containing a priest of Morr is unable to use the book.
The Sisters gain 100gcs (a tithe from high up for a job well done) and +2 Experience points for the Matriarch. Also, any Sisters they conscripted during the battle may join the warband permanently (as they are impressed with the Matriarch’s Leadership) along with whatever weapons they had.
Witch Hunter warbands and any warbands containing a priest of Morr destroy the book and gain +D6 Experience points to distribute amongst the warband. Due to their hatred of the Sisters, Witch Hunters earn +2 Experience for every Augur and Matriarch that they take out of action. They also gain 50gcs (money for a job well done from high up).
Other warbands may use the book as they wish.