Skip to main content

24: The Lair of the Snake

Source: Town Cryer #9
Setting: Mordheim
Author: Christian Ellegaard
Broheim notes: Four player scenario. Each player must take out his randomly specified enemy.

Throughout the centuries, Mordheim has been known as a big and wealthy city. Displaying beautiful architecture and with proud, resourceful inhabitants. From the banks of the river Stir, merchants and traders arrived in impressive boats and barges to trade rare goods from all over the world that would be sold in the market squares and the stores of the city. However, after the catastrophe in the Year of Our Lord 1999, Most of the market squares were utterly destroyed, apart from only a few that became so warped and twisted that no one who had seen them could recognize them again.

One of these proud marketplaces, the Hunter’s Square, collapsed completely as the gigantic blow from the comet struck the city. And the Wyrdstone shards spread by the comet were buried deep below the surface. Mysterious rumour and legend tell of small worms that lived under the square growing up to frightening proportions and multiplying by their thousands. Their mutated and twisted minds drew them upwards, towards the dark rays of the moon Morrsleib and where they could smell the flesh of men. Thus the dreaded Lair of the Snake was born...

In this scenario, four warbands have clashed over the Lair of the Snake, unaware of the many dangers hidden under the ruins. In the middle of the Battleground. Is a large platform of marble that has somehow resisted the Hellfire of the comet without even suffering a single crack.

info

This is a Multiplayer scenario. See Chaos in the Streets multiplayer rules.

warbands​

Unlike other scenarios this battle is specifically written for four Warbands to participate in. Any Warbands may be used in this scenario, regardless of race and experience.

terrain​

The scenario is played over any suitable table, preferably a 4’x4’ table. Set it up with a centrally placed tomb/platform in a sort of square with a lot of buildings around the edges, and with fewer buildings in the middle, perhaps a couple of old tents, barricades or other ruins. In the very middle is the marble stone that should be approximately 1”x1” or 2”x2”.

set-up​

All players flip twins, roll dice, or whatever to decide who deploys first. The winner chooses a corner to set up and and he starts with deploying his warband within a triangle no further than 8” From the corner. As shown on the map. Turns are taking clockwise amongst the players until all players have deployed.

The primary objective is to reach the marble platform, wherefore the warbands must start the cleanse and finally enter the platform again. Victory points are achieved during the battle as described later.

starting the game​

The player who deployed first gets the first turn.

special rules​

The first thing all Warbands must do is to reach the tombstone and the very middle of the battlefield. Here the Warbands will get secret information about which opponent they must take out. The Warband that gets to it first is rewarded with a victory point bonus as described later, and in addition he will be allocated a random opponent. Make four cards and write Players 1-4 on the back of the cards and let the Warband captain draw a random card. The opponent that he draws is the opponent that he must eliminate.

These cards are kept secret. However, at some time all players will discover which Warband is their enemy as they suffer from continuous attacks. But keeping the card secret adds even more excitement and tactics to the game (should a player draw a card that indicates his Warband, he should draw again).

The Tail-Biting effect​

A very interesting thing that may happen in this scenario is the Tail-Biting effect where player 1 attacks player 2, player 2 player 3, player 3 player 4 and player 4 must take out player 1.

If you use the method with drawing cards, there are 50% chance of achieving this Tail-biting effect but alternatively you can use a moderator. He will allocate the information in the right way so that this very interesting effect happens.

Snakes!​

As the battle draws on the Mutant snakes will be awakened and they will slowly penetrate the surface to attack the warriors. Every time a warrior Routs, place a Snake Counter at the spot where the warrior lost his nerve. The snake can be represented by a cardboard token or, even better, a Serpent swarm.

All servants are moved before Player one's turn. They move 2D6" In a random direction decided by Scatter dice.

Lair of the Snake​

If a Snake Counter touches the based of any model, then the model will suffer an automatic hit with Strength 2 with no armour saves.

ending the game​

Once one of the Warbands achieves its objective by Routing its chosen foe, the battle ends.

experience​

  • +1 First to reach the platform. The first member of the Warband that reaches the platform and gets an opponent gains +2 experience.

  • +1 Defeating Chosen Enemy. Every surviving Hero and henchmen group in the Warband that completes its objective gain a further +1 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. A Hero earns +1 Experience for each enemy he puts out of action.

tactics​

This scenario, being a four-player, may last for an entire afternoon, if not more. As you play it more and get used to the conditions, you will discover that there are a few basic tactics that can be applied.

Firstly, consider the strengths of your warband. It is not necessary to be the fastest to reach the tombstone as the first warband - even slow regular warbands have a good chance of reaching the tombstone even when facing warbands that are much faster such as Skaven. When an enemy 's warriors get too close to the stone, then just pepper them with missile fire and see them collapse only a few feet before their goal.

To counter this ranged attack, it is important to take use of all possible cover. In addition, a small group can be sent over to the enemy Archers to pressure them and cause a distraction.

Once the real fights have started, then remember that even though the battlefield may look very chaotic, you have only one enemy that is truly against you so concentrate on them.

Therefore, keep calm and don't panic. The goal is plain now: Kill all of the warriors in your enemy warband! You must try to score as many points as possible, while your opponents should be hindered in doing this so try to get within close combat range with them and throw down the gauntlet.

A very dirty trick is to keep one or two warriors lurking in the ruins far from all of the fighting. So that the warband, which has to put you out of action, must hunt them over the entire board. This keeps them from winning at least. Mind you, though, only the most desperate Warband captains are going to attempt this.

Overall, the most important thing in this scenario is to keep surveying the battlefield. Be focused on your opponent and don't get distracted by all the other war cries around the battlefield.