Nuln 1707-1712
WAAAGH! GORBAD
Gorbad Ironclaw was the most famous of all Orc
Warbosses and lead what is arguably the most
impressive of all Waaaghs!
Gorbads Waaagh! covered much territory and many
different enemies. It would be an ambitious undertaking to
recreate the entire great green crusade, but it is eminently
possible to refight some of the key battles. Here then is our
take on what those battles were and how you can go about
fighting them for yourselves.
Using Gorbad: Gorbad rides a warboar and wields the axe,
Morglor the Mangler. A powerhouse in close combat, what
really makes him unique amongst Orcdom are his
tremendous leadership skills. Gorbad is Leadership 10, has
an 18" Inspiring Presence range and counts as a Battle
Standard with an 18" range as well. If this wasnt enough,
Gorbad allows you to upgrade any number of Orc Boyz or
Boar Boyz units into Big Uns, potentially meaning your
entire force could be made up of WS 4, Strength 4 Orcs!
KEY BATTLES OF WAAAGH! GORBAD
Battle for the Iron Rock 1705
Gorbad leads Orcs only to capture rocky highland fort
from opposing tribes. This is a relatively small-scale
affair, featuring Gorbad's Orcs attacking a well
defended hill. Although the defence featured several
Spear Chuckas, Gorbad softened them up with a Rok
Lobber before sending in his waves of Boyz.
Stunty Stomps 1706
Gorbad's Waaagh!, now comprised of Orcs and Night
Goblins fight many battles against the Dwarfs of the
Worlds Edge Mountains.
This is really innumerable battles and sees Gorbad's
army take onboard loads of Night Goblins, who joined
the Ironclaw Orcs out of fear of being crushed and also
for a chance to 'give it to' the hated Stunties.
Battle of Grunberg 1707-1712
Battle of Black Fire Pass 1707
Gorbad leads his entire Orc & Goblin horde to
overwhelm the Empire garrison that defends the pass.
To recreate this fight, use the Battle for the Pass
scenario (Warhammer rulebook page 146) only
allow the Empire side to place two Watchtowers (as
per the Watchtower scenario in the rulebook on page
150) in their deployment zone. The Greenskins should
have 50% more points and get the first turn.
Slaughter on the Aver Down 1707
Massive Orc & Goblin horde fights Empire army
dominated by Knights Panther and Halflings.
The greenskins are all assembled now and their
onrush slaughters the outnumbered Empire forces.
Greenskins should enjoy a 2 to 1 advantage and be
allowed to 'recycle' casualties that is, re-use slain
units (but not characters, Monsters, or war
machines). The Empire gains a victory if they can
have any models on the table by the end of turn 6.
Out Come the Jackals 1707-1712
Gorbad's Waaagh! at the height of its powers uses
This siege goes back and forth and ends when
the greenskins a 25% points advantage.
The Moot 1707
This is not really a battle, but more like target
practice. Hold a shooting contest to see which Rock
Lobber can splat the most Halflings. Try sinking their
makeshift rafts as they attempt to escape by floating
down the river Aver.
Averheim 1707
Gorbad's Waaagh!, larger than ever, besieges this
walled Empire city. Many tribes of Forest Goblins
riding Giant Spiders emerged out of the forest to join
Gorbad. Fight a siege, but Averheim starts the battle
with several holes already knocked in the walls (Rok
Lobbers). Also, all spider-riders (including
Arachnarok Spiders) can climb over the walls.
artillery, boats and finally a floating bridge to launch
wall assaults to take down Nuln. It is a
masterminded assault, pulled off in the most difficult
of positions. Nuln is not a city easy to take and
Gorbad levelled it.
injury (a Runefang to the chest) but is victorious,
Gorbad builds a floating bridge out of boats and
wreckages. The river is only crossable by boats or the
specially built bridge.
The Razing of Solland 1707-1712
Gorbad divides his forces into seven separate armies
and sends them to spread terror across the length and
breadth of Solland and Wissenland.
The Raze and Ruin scenario in the Warhammer
rulebook (page 398) will work wonders here. Allow
Battle of Solland's Crown 1707-1712
The Elector Counts of Solland and Wissenland
mount a hopeless counterattack, hoping to catch
Gorbad's army as it crosses the River Aver. It
almost works and many Orcs die in the crossing,
but they establish a foothold on the far bank just as
an all cavalry army (Wolf Riders and Boar Boyz)
arrives to flank the Empire forces. The disciplined
retreat turns to slaughter and Count Eldred (the
Elector Count of Solland) is slain by Gorbad and
his crown and Runefang taken.
This will work well using the River of Death. The
greenskins gain +25% of their starting force with a
flanking army of Wolf Riders and Spider Riders.
The Empire has not one, but two Elector Counts.
Yet More Razing 1707-1712
Inspired by his new crown and angered at the river
ambush, Gorbad orders yet more razing until the
smoke of Solland's burning can be seen from the
peaks of Karaz-a-Karak
Gorbad heads north and is met by a small but elite
Empire army, composed of Reiksguard, Knights
Panther, and Knights of the Blazing Sun under the
Elector Count of Wissenland. Rather than wait for
his whole army to reunite, Gorbad forges ahead
with an all-cavalry force. Gorbad sustains an
ripping the arm off of an Elector Count.
One of the most exciting of battles, both sides are
composed of mounted troops, with only the odd
infantry unit or monster joining the outriding forces.
The Siege of Altdorf 1707-1712
Gorbad's Waaagh! assaults Altdorf, but the attack
lacks any of Gorbad's previous cunning. From now
on Gorbad cannot use his Da Great Leader rule
and his Inspiring Presence and Hold Your Ground
range is reduced from 18" to the standard 12".
Gorbad tries massed Rock Lobbers, then a massed
flight of Wyverns but nothing works. As the siege
grinds on, many greenskin tribes drift away, tired
of the growing defeats. Eventually the siege is lifted.
Probably better broken down into component battles
rather than a single siege. Wyverns versus the
ground troops, assaults upon main gates, duels
between cannons and Rok Lobbers or the shooting
galleries that the attacking greenskins presented
when they foolishly launched frontal assault after
frontal assault through the mire.
The Waaagh! is broken and only the Ironclaw
Orcs and the Broken Tooth Orcs remain loyal to
Gorbad. They are beset by other greenskin tribes,
notably the Wolf Riders of Bloody Fang tribe, the
Red Eye Night Goblins, and Orcs of the
Skullhacker tribe.
Gorbad's dwindling armies are ambushed and
their baggage (mostly spoils) is cut out from them.
Battle of Blood Peak 1712
Much reduced, the Orcs under Gorbad are attacked
just south of Black Fire Pass by the revenge-minded
Dwarfs of Karaz-a-Karak. Seeking retribution for
the slaughter and desecrations Gorbad inflicted upon
them, the Dwarfs surround the Orcs in an ever
tightening circle. Never before had Morglor the
Mangler been so wielded, hacking down any Dwarf
who approached. yet it is unknown what befell of
Gorbad, for it is said that a handful of Orcs fought
out of the massacre and fled into the night. Perhaps he
survived or maybe he was finally brought low by the
Dwarfs, but whatever the truth, none now know.
The Dwarfs should encircle the Orcs and have a
50% points advantage.