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65. The Rat's Lair

Source: Town Cryer #28
Setting: Mordheim
Author: Aaron Ishmael
Broheim notes: Designed for several warbands to ally against a pack of Skaven run by a moderator. The warbands descend into an ingenious multi-leveled underground lair.

All ye freemen of Miragliano of great courage and skill are requested by Governor Maximo to attend a recruitment of such brave souls. Ye will be paid handsomely if ye act quickly and destroy this plague of vermin which blights this fair city once more

Your warband has found itself in need of employment in the Principality of Miragliano. The most profitable work in the city is to be hired as rat catchers. The pay is very good at five gold crowns per ‘bag o’ rats’. Your warband has proved its worth at vermin killing in the past few weeks. Because of this the Governor has requested your services, along with some other mercenaries, to clear a small area in downtown Miragliano which has recently been overrun by vermin. All of the citizens have fled or died in these diseased ridden streets and the Governor is anxious to rid the city of this of vile and diseased terror before it spreads to other districts throughout the city!

terrain​

sewer network terrain board was especially constructed for this game (see the pictures). This terrain board was fairly narrow (approximately 6") and had six levels to it, with each level accessible at either end by holes. The top represented street level, where the warbands started out. The second level was the sewers and below that were the caverns and catacombs of the vermin.

special rules​

Multi-player: This scenario is specifically designed to be played by several players working together (come on now — you can do it!) against the games master who controls all of the bad guys.

Tunnel Fighters: Each warband taking part may have a maximum of three characters nomore and no less! Animals are not counted towards this maximum so you may include a horse or a dog — even a fighting monkey if you so wish! Each warband may spend 300 gold pieces to hire characters and buy equipment. The optional rules for upgrading heroes can be used if you so wish. All characters must follow the rules of what you see is what you get unless they are carrying small items, of course.

The Dark Beneath the Streets: The sewers and catacombs beneath Miragliano are pitch dark and very dangerous. Warriors may see a distance of their own Initiative in inches when in the sewers. Being equipped with a torch or lantern will double the distance that characters may see.

Elves are able to see double their Initiative in inches and Dwarfs are able to see treble their Initiative in inches (this is multiplied by a lantern in the usual way). Players are advised to equip their characters with lanterns and grapples & rope if they intend on living through the scenario!

Vermin: All of the bad guys are controlled by a games master for this scenario. He decides whereabouts the vermin are in the catacombs and deploys them when they can be seen by the players. The games master commands the following vermin taken from the Skaven Warp Hunters warband:

1 Assassin Adept, equipped with a pair of weeping blades 2 Night Runners, each equipped with a pair of weeping blades 10 Verminkin, equipped with swords and shields (four also have slings) 2 Black Skaven, equipped with swords and shields and wearing light armour 1 Rat Ogre. 20 Giant rats. 1 Skaven Breeder Queen (cannot move — same stats as a Rat Ogre)

Tactical Note: Make this a fun adventure, lure the warbands down into the dark catacombs and give them a few vermin to contend with at each turn of the corridor. Don’t just throw your lot in on the first level and try and massacre them — that just results in a boring battle of attrition!

starting the game​

All players roll a D6, with the highest scoring player going first and then in descending order of players.

ending the game​

The game ends when either all of the tunnel fighters taking part fail their Rout tests or all of the vermin have been killed.

experience​

  • +1 Survives. If a Hero or a Henchman group survives the battle they gain +1 Experience.
  • +1 Per Enemy Out of Action. Any Hero earns +1 Experience for each enemy he puts out of action.
  • +2 Putting Skaven Breeder Queen Out of Action. Any Hero earns +2 Experience point for putting the Skaven Breeder Queen out of action.

rewards​

Each warband earns itself 5 gcs for each vermin it takes out of action (the head of each rat killed).