T H E E M P E R O R ’ S W R AT H

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®

TM

A’S
THE EMPEROR’S
WRATH

• THE EMPEROR’S WRATH •

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CREDITS
Writer: Michael Duxbury
Editor: Brian Johnson
Producers: Dave Allen, Pádraig Murphy
Cover: Sam Manley
Illustration: Alessandro Boer, Dave Gallagher, Sam Manley
Cartography: Kyle Latino, Andy Law
Layout: Michael Fitzpatrick
Proofreader: Lynne M. Meyer
Cubicle 7 Business Support: Tracey Bourke, Anthony Burke,
Elaine Connolly, Jennifer Crispin, Andrena Hogan,
Donna King, Kieran Murphy, and Cian Whelan
Cubicle 7 Creative Team: Dave Allen, Emmet Byrne,
David F Chapman, Walt Ciechanowski, Tim Cox,
Zak Dale-Clutterbuck, Runesael Flynn, Tim Huckelbery,
Dániel Kovács, Elaine Lithgow, TS Luikart, Dominic
McDowall, Sam Manley, Pádraig Murphy,
Ceíre O’Donoghue, and JG O’Donoghue
Creative Director: Emmet Byrne
Publisher: Dominic McDowall
Special thanks to Games Workshop
CONTENTS
Introduction............................................................. 3
Adventure Summary ............................................... 3
Steel Behemoths....................................................... 3
The Eight Wonders of the Empire �������������������������� 3
Tank Hunters........................................................... 6
One of Our Tanks Is Missing................................... 6
Just Dropping Inn.................................................... 7
Bogged Down.......................................................... 8
Wrath Rescinded...................................................... 9
A Cold Reception..................................................... 9
The Excavation....................................................... 10
Dig the Wheels Out............................................... 10
Strip the Tank......................................................... 10
Improve the Wheel Grip........................................ 11
Power-Flush the System......................................... 11
Supercharge the Boiler........................................... 11
Fix an Anchor........................................................ 11
Give It a Push......................................................... 11
Meet the Team....................................................... 12
Swamp Things........................................................ 15
Back in the Driving Seat........................................ 17
The Battle of Schattenlas........................................ 18
Approaching the Village......................................... 18
Tanks for Your Help............................................... 21
Basic Operations Manual....................................... 22
Steam Tank Mishaps.............................................. 23
Tank Combat......................................................... 24
Steam Tank Weapons............................................. 25
New Weapon Qualities or Flaws............................ 27
Battling Against a Steam Tank............................... 28
Improving on Genius............................................. 29
Main Weapon Modifications................................. 29
Turret Modifications.............................................. 30
Boiler Modifications............................................... 30

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Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay 4th Edition © Copyright Games Workshop Limited 2022. Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay 4th
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Last Updated, 26 April 2022

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 T H E E M P E R O R ’ S W R AT H
• THE EMPEROR’S WRATH •
INTRODUCTION
The Emperor’s Wrath is an adventure following the
disappearance of an Imperial Steam Tank, one of the
great technological marvels of the Empire. The search for
the Steam Tank will take Characters into the marshes
of the Furdienst along the Reikland-Middenland border,
where the war machine is immobilised and assaulted by
Bog Mummies. If the Characters free the Steam Tank,
they may become embroiled in a scheme to steal the pay
chest of a tyrannical mercenary captain from a nearby
village. They may even end up crewing the Steam Tank
themselves whilst embarking on this heist!
At the end of the adventure is an Appendix, describing
how to use a Steam Tank in games of Warhammer
Fantasy Roleplay. It is best for GMs to familiarise
themselves with this before running the adventure, as
Steam Tanks are complicated mechanisms.
Adventure Summary
Ludwig von Uberdorf, former engineer commander of
the Emperor’s Wrath Steam Tank, recruits the Characters
from his sickbed at the Imperial School of Engineers
in Altdorf. Two weeks ago, the Emperor’s Wrath and
her crew headed north to reinforce Graf Todbringer’s
campaign against the Beastmen of the Drakwald. No
one has heard from her since. Von Uberdorf wants the
Characters to discover what became of the tank and her
crew and rescue his comrades before the reiksmarshal has
them court-martialled for desertion.
Following the trail of the Emperor’s Wrath leads the
Characters into the Furdienst, a patch of marshland along
the northern bank of the River Reik in Middenland. The
tank’s crew are suspicious of new arrivals, but accept the
Characters’ help out of necessity. The Emperor’s Wrath
is stuck in the mud, and Bog Mummies are closing in to
finish off the crew if they can’t get moving soon.
After escaping the swamp, the engineers cut the
Characters in on their scheme. A mercenary deserter
has tipped them off about her former employer, who
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has set himself up as despot in the nearby village of
Schattenlas. The crew intend to liberate Schattenlas, steal
the mercenary captain’s pay chest, and continue on to
the northern front. If the Characters sign up to the plan,
they’ll earn themselves a generous cut of the loot — and
enjoy a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to wage war from
inside a Steam Tank’s metal shell!
Steel Behemoths
Steam Tanks are amongst the deadliest weapons in
the Empire’s arsenal: thickly armoured, fully enclosed
vehicles, each driven by the piston-pumping power of
its internal steam boiler. This water pressure also fuels
the Steam Tank’s complement of heavy weaponry, the
very best Imperial engineers have to offer. The noise and
belching smog of a Steam Tank’s advance are so terrifying
that many armies flee at its mere appearance. This is
just as well, because Steam Tanks are temperamental
machines, liable to break down or overheat in prolonged
engagements.
The Steam Tanks are the magnum opus of Leonardo de
Miragliano, founder of the Imperial School of Engineers.
Though each tank is a potent military resource, they are
also rare and precious technological achievements, and
the school is always hesitant to risk them in combat.
When a Steam Tank is wrecked or disappears, it is an
immediate cause for alarm, and search parties are hastily
assembled to recover whatever remains of the machine.
In The Emperor’s Wrath, the Characters undertake such
a search.
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The Eight Wonders of the Empire
Only twelve Steam Tanks were fabricated by Leonardo
de Miragliano, and that number has dwindled since his
disappearance five hundred years ago. Four of the original
Steam Tanks are lost or irreparably wrecked, and all
attempts by Imperial engineers to replicate Leonardo’s
genius have met with failure. The most promising
reproduction, by a rival school of engineers based in
Nuln, was thwarted in the year 2499 IC, when the
school and their Steam Tank prototype were razed to the
ground under suspicious circumstances. Nonetheless, the
engineers of Nuln are working on a new version known as
‘Old Red’, which has yet to be field tested.
Tracing the 500-year histories of the remaining eight
Steam Tanks is no easy prospect. Each has been repaired,
refitted, and rebuilt so many times they scarcely resemble
Leonardo’s originals, and many have been renamed to
commemorate battlefield victories or improvements
made by gifted engineers. The record below is the
Imperial School of Engineers’ best understanding of the
mechanical marvels remaining under their stewardship.

THE EIGHT WONDERS OF THE EMPIRE

Current Name Current Configuration Current Commander Current Status

Conqueror Steam cannon with Feinkopf the Tormented Patrolling the villages
steam gun turret of the Reikland.

Notable History — Believed to be the first Steam Tank completed (in 2025 IC). Shares its name with the
‘steam cannon and steam turret’ weapon configuration, which Reiksmarshal Helborg has commanded all
Steam Tanks to adopt within the next five years.

Deliverance Steam cannon with Albrecht Sturn, the On campaign against

steam gun turret and vampire slayer the Necromancers
additional boiler carriage of Sylvania.

Notable History — Earned its name and the Imperial Cross for services rendered in the Great War Against
Chaos. Demolished the Terracotta Wall of Ramhotep the Visionary during the Quatar campaign of 2041
IC, which lead to the sacking of Ubersreik and Grünburg in reprisal 200 years later. Destroyed the vampire
lord Davargos the Tainted at the Battle of Dalvern Hill.

Emperor’s Wrath Helblaster tri-gun with Lena von Zeppel Disappeared whilst
steam gun turret travelling to reinforce
Graf Todbringer’s
war in the Drakwald.

Notable History — Earned the everlasting right to conduct repairs within Nuln at the city’s expense, after
escorting refugees from the city following its razing by Waaagh! Grom in 2420 IC. Recently aided the
Grudgebringer mercenary company in liberating the Blighted Towers of Stirland from Orc occupation.
Implacable Open-topped variant Gunther Maybach Undergoing weapons
with mortar cannon testing at the
Imperial Gunnery
School in Nuln.
Notable History — Regarded as a vengeful deity by the Orcs of the Black Mountains. Ended the rampages
of the Night Goblin Warboss Spinny Backstab across Middenland in 2510 IC, by crushing the Goblin under
its wheels at the instruction of Middenmarshal Kurt Heinwald.

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Current Name Current Configuration Current Commander Current Status

Indomitable Steam cannon with Kristina ‘the Crusher’ Completing repairs

steam gun turret Woolendurst in Altdorf, after
malfunctioning at a
parade marking the
aborted wedding of
Prince Wolfgang and
Princess Katarina.
Notable History — Formerly known as Sigmar’s Hammer. Infamous for victories against the Marauders of
the north whilst stripped of guns and operating entirely as a ramming vehicle. Recently rechristened and
refitted in the Conqueror configuration, over the strenuous objections of its crew, in preparation for departure
to Volganof, Ostland.
Miragliano Bazalgette gun-ring turret Baron von Helsing, Undergoing testing
cousin to the elector by engineers in
count of Stirland Altdorf, who are
working to improve
the main weapon’s
reload time.
Notable History -— Formerly known as Unrepentant prior to its purchase by Baron von Helsing of
Wurtbad, generous patron of the Imperial School of Engineers. Has undergone countless refits and weaponry
experiments at the Baron’s instruction, enacted by h is dubious team of rogue engineers.
Old Reliable Helblaster tri-gun with Kurt von Meinkop Awaiting an
steam gun turret engineering escort
to deliver her
from Ostland to
Altdorf for repairs.
Notable History — Commanded for the last decade by von Meinkop, recipient of the Medal of Outstanding
Martial Service, and the most experienced Steam Tank commander in the Empire. Von Meinkop was recently
awarded a minor title and deed to an estate outside Altdorf, for his tank’s decisive action against Chaos raiders
at the Battle of Kriegfield Castle.
Von Zeppel Hull-mounted Geralta Buring Returning to
fighting platform Altdorf, ostensibly
to be refitted with
the Conqueror
configuration.
Notable History — Named for the inventor of the horse-drawn ‘war wagon’, a mobile fighting platform the
engineer later adapted to be mounted upon this Steam Tank. Renowned as the personal mount of the late
sharpshooter general Helmut the Black.

ONE OF OUR by carrier pigeon, or by a young engineering student, he

TANKS IS MISSING
Ludwig von Uberdorf, combat engineer and former
Steam Tank commander, requires seasoned warrior-
investigators to help him with a sensitive matter. If the
Characters are experienced adventurers (especially if they
have completed The Enemy Within campaign), von
Uberdorf specifically seeks them out. In a letter delivered
offers a profitable opportunity concerning the security of
the Empire, best discussed face-to-face. Von Uberdorf
is currently convalescing from battle wounds within his
lodgings at the Imperial School of Engineers in Altdorf.
He encourages the Characters to meet him there.
If the Characters have yet to make a name for themselves,
their connection to von Uberdorf could be more personal
than professional.

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If they have a friend or family connection to the Imperial
School of Engineers, or a military unit that has fought
alongside the Emperor’s Wrath before (such as the
‘Grudgebringer’ mercenary company), their mutual
associate recommends them to von Uberdorf. Or the
Characters may simply be one party of many the engineer
recruits for the job — the ‘quantity over quality’ solution!
The Imperial School of Engineers is forever a bustle of
activity. Groups of students, clustered around dormitories
and lecture theatres, compete with the adjoining foundry
in animation and volume. The upper storeys of the
building, where von Uberdorf ’s lodgings are located,
include personal workshops of the school’s faculty,
and mechanical wonders litter the halls. A clockwork
suit of armour jerkily waves at the Characters, before
immediately malfunctioning (to its handler’s red-faced
frustration). Characters with blackpowder weaponry
become an immediate source of fascination and are
offered all sorts of dubious modifications.
When the Characters reach von Uberdorf ’s quarters,
the porter escorting them takes her leave. The floor of
von Uberdorf ’s chamber is invisible beneath a covering
of paper correspondence, parchment sketches, and the
refuse of a man who has seldom left his bed in recent
weeks. Von Uberdorf himself is a middle-aged soldiering
type, with an elaborate moustache, cleft chin, and cross-
scar cut into his left cheek. His arm is in a sling, and
his head is bandaged. He thanks the Characters for their
attendance, and requests they speak up to overcome his
hearing loss.
Von Uberdorf introduces himself as the former engineer
commander of the Emperor’s Wrath Steam Tank. All
but the most unschooled Characters should know what
a Steam Tank is — they are renowned treasures of
the Empire’s military might — but von Uberdorf can
illuminate the ignorant, providing any of the information
given previously about the history of the celebrated war
machines. Recently he was forced to forfeit his command,
after suffering injuries battling Orc boarders at the Battle
of the Blighted Towers.
When the reiksmarshal commanded the Steam Tank be
deployed to Drakwald Forest two weeks ago, to support
Graf Todbringer’s war against the Beasts of Chaos, von
Uberdorf felt confident he was leaving the Emperor’s
Wrath in safe hands. Unfortunately, reports from the
north indicate the tank never reached the Drakwald.
The Emperor’s Wrath has disappeared, and the Imperial
School of Engineers wants the tank returned or set back
on course.
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Von Uberdorf furnishes the Characters with any
information that might aid their search, which isn’t much:
0 The new master of the Emperor’s Wrath is Lena
von Zeppel — a descendant of the inventor of
the von Zeppel configuration of Steam Tank. She
is a capable engineer commander with a full crew
of four others at her disposal. Von Uberdorf likes
and respects von Zeppel’s team, and is as concerned
about their welfare as he is about the Steam Tank.
0 The Emperor’s Wrath was fully operational when
she left Altdorf, but Steam Tanks are temperamental
devices. It’s entirely possible she’s stranded
somewhere due to mechanical failure.
0 He can’t think of a good reason for the crew to go
AWOL voluntarily but stops short of denying that
they could have done so. Should this prove to be the
case, he’d be grateful if the crew were put back on the
job, with a plausible, alternate explanation presented
for the reiksmarshal’s benefit: ‘No sense in good
engineers going through a court martial!’
0 Von Zeppel planned to take the Altdorf-
Middenheim Road to the northern front (if the
Characters completed Power Behind the Throne,
they know the route well). The first stop was at The
Wolf ’s Head coaching inn in Kutenholz, just north
of the Reikland-Middenland border. Von Uberdorf
recommends the Characters start their search there.
0 Von Uberdorf promises that the Imperial School of
Engineers will pay each Character 2 Gold Crowns
if they can deliver the Emperor’s Wrath to the
Drakwald, return it to Altdorf, or provide news of
its whereabouts (if it requires salvage). On a personal
note, he’ll owe them a favour and a debt of thanks if
they rescue his friends too.
Just Dropping Inn
Kutenholz is a 63-mile journey north of Altdorf, a day’s
ride if travelling by coach or horseback, but closer to three
days on foot. The Characters will find plentiful evidence
of the Steam Tank’s passing along the road: paving stones
cracked by her weight, deep furrows in dirt trails, and
discarded mechanical components. Halfway along, the
Characters can stop at the village of Frederheim, and
make enquiries at The Dove coaching inn. The serving
staff remember the Steam Tank’s recent visit (it was quite
the event!) but have nothing useful to report about her
whereabouts. The Steam Tank continued onwards along
the northern road, exactly as expected.
 T H E E M P E R O R ’ S W R AT H
More useful information awaits at Kutenholz. The Wolf ’s
Head, an inn sponsored by Castle Rock Coaches, sits at
the centre of the village. Its landlord, Erik Gastwirt, is a
round, gregarious and patriotic host, proud to welcome
outsiders across the Middenland border. He’ll probably
mention excitedly the recent visit of the Emperor’s
Wrath before the Characters have a chance to ask — he’s
committed every moment of the once-in-a-lifetime event
to memory.
0 Gastwirt reports the Steam Tank arrived at Kutenholz
late in the day, with a crew of five exhausted souls.
Gastwirt put them up for the night, and bargained
with a local farmer to temporarily empty his barn, so
the Emperor’s Wrath had shelter from rain.
0 When Gastwirt returned from the barn, the engineers
had been joined by a sixth person. Gastwirt had
spotted the newcomer earlier in the day — he wasn’t
sure what to make of the woman, other than that
she was some kind of irregular soldier, and clearly
not from anywhere local. The newcomer made a
proposal to the engineers, which they debated in
heated whispers. Gastwirt didn’t hear any details.
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0 Beyond that stretch of the Drakwald, the Steam
Tank’s course would take it into the Furdienst: an
expanse of swampland that smothers both sides of
the River Reik between Carroburg and the Altdorf
Flats. Gastwirt warns that the Furdienst is haunted
by Bog Mummies, long-dead creatures animated
by pooling dark magic, who are utterly inimical to
the living. Such creatures are not capable of fear.
They would attack the Emperor’s Wrath without
hesitation… and any travellers who went looking for
her too.
If the Characters visit the barn where the Steam Tank
sheltered for the night, they find armour plating, extra
ammunition, and less-identifiable components littering
the site, indicating the engineers had stripped non-
essential weight from their vehicle.
Gastwirt offers the Characters a night at The Wolf ’s Head
at competitive rates, which the Characters would be wise
to accept. They have a taxing journey ahead of them, and
such hospitality will not be available for some time!

0 The engineers barely slept that night, instead

working on their Steam Tank in the barn. He had
complaints from some patrons about the noise.

0 All six men and women left aboard the Steam Tank
early next morning. Interestingly, they didn’t take the
north road into Middenland, but the west road that
ultimately bends south to Carroburg. They didn’t
keep to the road for long — they turned south-west,
back towards the Reik, taking an untracked route
that would lead away from prying eyes.

If the Characters indicate they are searching for the

Steam Tank, Gastwirt may offer additional warnings. This
is contingent on the Characters having done something
to make a good impression, such as visiting the nearby
Ulrican shrine, or spending a lot of money in his inn.
Otherwise he keeps his opinion to himself.

0 The Emperor’s Wrath disappeared directly into

the Drakwald, ever the haunt of the Beastmen
and other monsters that menace Kutenholz with
periodic raids. Recently though, the Beastmen have
been forced onto the defensive by Graf Todbringer’s
campaigning. Gastwirt can’t imagine the creatures
reacting to the Steam Tank with anything but fear
and flight!

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Bogged Down
Pursuing the Emperor’s Wrath through the Drakwald
is not difficult. The Steam Tank carved a path straight
through the wood, felling trees and demolishing
obstructions. Thanks to Graf Todbringer’s purges and the
Steam Tank’s terrifying advance, there are currently no
predators in this stretch of the forest, but overly-cautious
parties may choose to advance slowly and carefully
anyway. If they do, the Characters have one fewer day to
search the Furdienst for the Emperor’s Wrath before the
Bog Mummies attack (see below).
After two days in the forest, the Characters reach the more
hostile terrain of the Furdienst. Between the subdivided
channels of the River Reik lies a misty, treacherous,
odious, unnavigable bog. Though the mud tracks of the
Emperor’s Wrath are initially obvious, shallow puddles of
brackish water soon swallow them up, making it difficult
for the Characters to determine their quarry’s route.
Following the Steam Tank’s trail in the Furdienst is an
Extended Test, requiring 8 Success Levels. The Testing
Character makes Average (+20) Track Tests, which other
Characters with the Skill can aid with Assistance. If no
Characters have the Track Advanced Skill, one Character
8
can make Challenging (+0) Perception Tests instead,
but cannot receive Assistance. The Characters can Test
once per day, and if they achieve 8 Success Levels before
the end of the fifth day, will have a chance to help the
engineers work on the Steam Tank before the Bog
Mummies attack. Otherwise, the Characters stumble
onto the Steam Tank in the evening of the fifth day, when
the Bog Mummy assault is underway.
Between each step of the Extended Test, GMs should
choose a Character to face a Hazard. Possible Hazards
for Characters to confront in the Furdienst include:
0 Swarms of mosquitoes, many infected with blood-
borne diseases. The Character must succeed on an
Easy (+40) Endurance Test or gain a Festering
Wound.
0 Pools of sucking mud, much deeper than they seem.
The Character must succeed on a Challenging (+0)
Dodge or Perception Test or fall in. The rest of the
party can help them out, but the unlucky Character
loses one of their possessions in the extraction.
 T H E E M P E R O R ’ S W R AT H
0 Cloying mist, which restricts visibility, and confounds
the search for the Emperor’s Wrath. The Character
must succeed on an Average (+20) Navigation Test,
or the Characters lose 2 Success Levels from their
Extended Track Test.
0 The absence of warm or stable ground to rest
upon, resulting in miserable nights of camping. All
Characters must make a Challenging (+0) Outdoor
Survival Test to avoid exposure and take care of
themselves — each SL allows a Character to protect
an extra person. Exposed Characters must make a
Challenging (+0) Endurance Test, or receive the
Fatigued Condition.
The Furdienst is not entirely a morass of reeds, rushes,
and slurping marsh. Every now and again, the Characters
discover a leafless tree, rock formation, or sunken ruin,
which helps to orient them in the bog. Towards the end of
their journey, the Characters pass the remains of a stone
watchtower, curiously intact given its obvious age. Shields
are affixed to the crumbling battlements, their faded
heraldry pledging allegiance to a long-dead chieftain.
Characters with the Second Sight Talent perceive the
swamp as a sink of dark magic, pooling beneath the
stagnant surface around the remains of submerged
peoples. With a Difficult (–10) Perception Test, those
with the Sight can even view magically-animated
constructs in the distance, stalking the Characters at a
slow but purposeful pace…
WRATH RESCINDED
Within five days of entering the Furdienst, the
Characters discover the Emperor’s Wrath and her crew,
either through skilful tracking or sheer fluke. The rest of
this section assumes the Characters succeeded on their
Extended Test, and therefore have a chance to meet the
Steam Tank engineers and help with their work before
the Bog Mummies attack. If the Characters failed their
Extended Test, proceed to Swamp Things (see page 14),
and read the No Time for Introductions sidebar for how
to proceed.
When the Characters find the Emperor’s Wrath, her
wheels are sunk deep into a pool of sludge, and it’s clear
the vehicle has been stranded for some time. A team
of five Humans swarm around the mechanical wonder,
attempting to devise a solution whilst snapping at each
other and the circling midges. The Characters can listen
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to the engineers debate technical solutions for a while,
between recriminations of ‘Told you this was a bad idea!’
When the Characters finally introduce themselves, they
immediately attract the attention of the Steam Tank’s
whole crew.
A Cold Reception
The Emperor’s Wrath crew react to the Characters with
cautious distrust. On one hand, they’re stranded, starving,
exhausted, and under attack from undead horrors, so a
helping hand is not unwelcome. But they’re also AWOL,
and intent on seizing a prize they don’t necessarily want
to share with newcomers.
The Steam Tank’s engineer commander, Lena von Zeppel,
speaks on behalf of her crew. She’s a steely, scrutinising
leader, her blistered lips fixed in a polite smile, and her
wooden right leg precisely balanced on the uneven
terrain. She demands the Characters explain who they are
and what they’re doing in the Furdienst. The conversation
isn’t going anywhere until she gets a good answer.
0 If the Characters admit they were sent to rescue or
assist the Emperor’s Wrath, von Zeppel does not
relax — this only confirms her suspicions. However,
if the Characters mention Ludwig von Uberdorf
sent them, she is visibly reassured.
0 Von Zeppel introduces herself by name and verifies
she has been tasked with leading the Emperor’s
Wrath to support Graf Todbringer’s campaigns
in Middenland. If the Characters point out she
is a hundred miles from her expected course, she
curtly explains she cannot discuss specifics of her
classified marching orders with those outside the
reiksmarshal’s office.
0 Obviously, the Emperor’s Wrath has run into
problems whilst crossing the Furdienst. Von
Zeppel reluctantly admits she would be grateful for
assistance removing the Steam Tank from the bog,
sooner rather than later.
The Characters can use social skills to defuse the obvious
tension. An Opposed Charm/Cool Test against Von
Zeppel (see page 13 for her profile) convinces her crew
the Characters are here to help, not snitch on them to
the reiksmarshal or School of Engineers. Alternatively,
an academically minded Character can endear themself
by showing off their engineering skill. Persuading the
engineers that the Character’s technical knowledge is
indispensable is an Average (+20) Lore (Engineering) or
Trade (Engineering) Test.
0 WA R H A M M E R FA N TA S Y R O L E P L AY
The Excavation
The most pressing concern is to dig out the Emperor’s
Wrath and get her moving again. When the Characters
have a chance to talk with the crew, it becomes clear why
they’re in such a hurry. The engineers have already lost
one of their number to creatures lurking in the swamp.
The Bog Mummies will be back, it’s just a matter of how
prepared the Steam Tank is to move when that happens.
The Characters have many options to help move the
Steam Tank. Some ideas provide only minor assistance
but can be attempted with only a single Action — they are
a good choice when the Characters are effecting repairs
under fire. Other options provide more substantial aid
but require a whole working day to undertake. Whether
they are viable depends on how many days the Characters
spent locating the Emperor’s Wrath.
Below are suggestions for how the Character can help
lever the Emperor’s Wrath out of the mud. Each option
can only be selected once, but multiple Characters
working on the same option can provide Assistance
to the Character making the Test. GMs can use these
options as guidelines for any other plausible ideas the
Players imagine.
Dig the Wheels Out
By dredging back all the mud and filth encasing the
Steam Tank’s undercarriage, a driver might get the
wheels spinning again. This has occupied most of the
crew’s attention so far — extra hands would help them to
excavate faster than the dirt trickles back in…
0 Day’s Work: If a Character spends a day digging
out the wheels, the Steam Tank gains +10 on the
Drive Test to escape the mud. The Character must
also succeed on a Challenging (+0) Endurance Test
or gain the Fatigued Condition. If the Character is
using a bucket, spade, pans, or some other conveyance
or digging tool, the Steam Tank instead receives a
+20 modifier, and the Character’s Endurance Test is
Average (+20).
0 Action: A Character using digging tools who
succeeds on a Challenging (+0) Endurance Test
provides +5 to the Steam Tank’s next Drive Test to
escape the mud.
Strip the Tank
Removing weight from the tank reduces the pressure
crushing it down into the mud. Most of what the engineers
felt they could afford to lose was already ditched back at
Kutenholz, but desperate times call for desperate measures.
10
0 Day’s Work: If a Character spends a day stripping
the Emperor’s Wrath, and succeeds on an Average
(+20) Trade (Engineering) Test, they can remove
the tank’s steam gun turret entirely, and cover the
gap with repurposed armour plates. This provides
the Steam Tank +20 on its Drive Test to escape the
mud.
0 Day’s Work (Alternate): A Character who
succeeds on an Average (+20) Trade (Armourer
or Engineering) Test can spend a day removing
armour plating from the Steam Tank’s exterior. For
every 10 Wounds the Character chooses to remove
from the Steam Tank, it gains +5 on its Drive Test to
escape, up to a maximum of +20.
0 Action: The Emperor’s Wrath is still carrying enough
ammunition to fire three full volleys of its Helblaster
tri-gun. As an Action, a Character aboard the Steam
Tank can dump one volley’s worth of ammunition,
providing +2 to the Steam Tank’s Drive Test.
Improve the Wheel Grip
Sliding a stable platform under the Steam Tank’s
wheels could provide them with enough grip to pull the
Emperor’s Wrath out of the swamp.
0 Day’s Work: If the Characters recall the shields they
spotted on the ruined watchtower whilst travelling
here, they can undertake an expedition to recover
them. It’s a rush to make it back in time, but at
the end of the day, the platforms provide a +10
modifier to the Steam Tank’s Drive Test to escape.
The Character must make a Challenging (+0)
Endurance, Navigation, or Outdoor Survival Test
to avoid gaining the Fatigued Condition from their
hurried journey.
0 Action: If a Character spent a day stripping the
tank of armour or its turret, or two Characters have
shields they are willing to lose, these items can be
placed beneath the wheels as an Action, providing a
+10 modifier to the Steam Tank’s escape Test.
Power-Flush the System
A Character with the confidence to get ‘under the hood’
of the Empire’s most technologically advanced creation
could rig up a system to blast through the Steam Tank’s
pipes and pistons with high-pressured water. Forcing
out all the marsh-gunk should improve the system’s
efficiency, and give the Emperor’s Wrath the boost she
needs to propel herself to freedom.
 T H E E M P E R O R ’ S W R AT H
0 Day’s Work: A Character spending a day fiddling
with the Steam Tank’s plumbing can make an
Average (+20) Trade (Engineering) Test. If they
succeed, the Emperor’s Wrath gains +10 on her
Drive Test to escape the mud.
Supercharge the Boiler
By flipping open all the safety valves, an engineer can
generate a sudden burst of acceleration — at the risk of a
total systems malfunction!
0 Action: A Character operating the boiler of the
Emperor’s Wrath can make a Challenging (+0)
Trade (Engineering) Test to crank as much pressure
as possible to the Steam Tank’s locomotive pistons.
If the Test succeeds, the Emperor’s Wrath gains +20
to any Drive Test it makes to escape the mud, before
the end of the Character’s next turn. A few minutes
after the Emperor’s Wrath escapes the mud, her
engineer commander must succeed on a Hard (–20)
Trade (Engineering) Test or suffer a Steam Tank
Mishap (see page 21).
Fix an Anchor
Not far from the sunken Steam Tank is the lifeless husk
of an old tree. The engineers linked the Emperor’s Wrath
to the tree with the Steam Tank’s winch but snapped the
11
0
chain in one of their failed escape attempts. Characters
who prepared for this eventuality might be equipped to
try again.
0 Action: A Character with a rope or chain can link
the Emperor’s Wrath to the tree husk. It costs one
Action to securely fasten the link to the Steam Tank,
and a separate Action to secure the link to the tree.
Once fastened at both ends, the Emperor’s Wrath
gains +10 on the Drive Test to escape the mud.
Give It a Push
If all else fails, a Character can rely on brute force to
provide the Emperor’s Wrath an extra boost.
0 Action: A Character may push the Emperor’s
Wrath from behind — or pull her from the front,
by heaving on a rope or chain — to provide a bonus
on her Drive Test to escape the mud equal to half
the Character’s Strength Bonus. Characters of Size
Large or greater provide a bonus equal to their
whole Strength Bonus. This is the only option that
can be selected multiple times: up to two Characters
can push, and up to two Characters can pull, if they
have the necessary equipment.
0 WA R H A M M E R FA N TA S Y R O L E P L AY
Meet the Team
Working alongside the Steam Tank’s crew provides an
opportunity to ask questions. The Characters will surely
want to know why the Emperor’s Wrath veered off course,
how the Steam Tank got stuck in a bog, and what the
engineers intend to do once the Steam Tank is excavated.
At first, the engineers are hesitant to confide in
the Characters, mumbling excuses about classified
instructions. Earning their full compliance requires the
Characters to achieve at least two of the following:
0 Succeeding on a Charm Test to appear trustworthy
— ideally during the initial meeting in A Cold
Reception (see page 9), though this Test can be
reattempted after a day of working together on the
Emperor’s Wrath.
0 Succeeding on a Day’s Work Action to help the
Emperor’s Wrath out of the bog.
0 Confronting the engineers with the testimony Erik
Gastwirt provided back in Kutenholz, which already
implicates them somewhat.
When convinced to come clean, each engineer tells a
slightly different version of the story, but the basics are
as follows:
0 Whilst stopping in Kutenholz on their journey
north, the crew were approached by a Tilean hired
sword named Alberta Tavella (see page 14). She had
recently deserted a company of mercenaries-turned-
brigands under the command of one Matthias Haile
(see page 20).
0 Haile and his cronies have set themselves up as petty
tyrants in the nearby village of Schattenlas, eating
through the stockpile the villagers prepared to feed
themselves in winter. They are also sitting on a
substantial pay chest, a mix of wages Haile owes his
soldiers, and plunder stolen from across the Empire.
0 Alberta convinced the engineers to divert from
their course, and bring the Emperor’s Wrath to
Schattenlas. One Steam Tank should be enough
to rescue the village and get revenge on her former
employers. And retaking the village with just a small
crew means fewer ways to split up the loot…
0 Since the engineers plan to help themselves to
the booty, they couldn’t let military command
know where they’re going. They took a shortcut to
12
Schattenlas through the Furdienst, hoping to get
back on track to the Drakwald faster and avoid
suspicion. Unfortunately, they got stuck. Two nights
ago, they lost one of their crew to a Bog Mummy
attack. Another one could strike at any time.
0 They fully intend to continue northwards and
reinforce the graf ’s war in the Drakwald once their
business in Schattenlas is concluded.
At this point, the Characters may want to cut themselves
in on the liberation of Schattenlas — or shut down the
unsanctioned operation and get the engineers back on
course. Either way, the crew postpone the discussion for
now. It’s academic until the Emperor’s Wrath is moving.
Alp Batbayar (tank driver)
Alp is from Ostland and his Ungol heritage is obvious. He
is one of many students from distant lands and provinces
drawn to study at the world-renowned Imperial School of
Engineers. Since earning recognition as a skilled engineer,
he specialises in the dangerous work of test-driving
experimental vehicles. Alp is a handsome daredevil who
struggles with impulse control — it was his idea to take a
shortcut through the Furdienst, though he’s embarrassed
to admit it. He needs a cut of the Schattenlas loot to pay
off his considerable gambling debts.
Ingrid von Schrepp (turret weapon operator)
The steam gun of the Emperor’s Wrath is operated by a
red-haired, bespectacled introvert, who prefers to keep a
distance from the crew’s squabbling. When at rest, she
scribbles beautiful and intricate sketches for new Steam
Tank weapon designs. Her latest vision for a turret-
mounted, multi-distributing, micro-explosive shell
projectile launcher could revolutionise the field of Steam
Tank warfare, but she needs cash to turn her idea into a
working prototype.
Alrick Waller (main weapon operator)
Helblaster operators tend to have a short life expectancy,
but Alrick has survived this far with a healthy dose
of restraint and caution. More than the others, he is
struggling with the loss of his friend and main weapon
loader Hans, who was lost to the Bog Mummies two
nights ago.
lrick is very close to Alp and they often look to guard
each other when trouble occurs. He has promised to help
Alp with his debts, which are so substantial it’ll take both
of their shares from the Schattenlas job to repay them.
 T H E E M P E R O R ’ S W R AT H
Lena von Zeppel (engineer commander)
The master of the Emperor’s Wrath is new to her
command but comes from a distinguished family of
Steam Tank engineers — she claims to have steam for
blood. She’s wary and tough, with a wooden leg of hissing
hydraulics she built herself.
She has no need for money and is fully content to just
perform her duty of leading the Emperor’s Wrath against
the Empire’s enemies. But she knows her crew need the
windfall, and out of love for them, agreed to Alberta’s
plan against her better judgement.
13
0
LENA VON ZEPPEL
MASTER ENGINEER (SILVER 2)
M WS BS S T I Ag Dex Int WP Fel W
4 34 48 32 41 41 35 35 52 37 36 12
Traits: Armour 2, Ranged (Repeater Pistol) +8 (10),
Weapon (Sword) +7
Skills: Skills: Consume Alcohol 51, Cool 52, Drive
55, Dodge 40, Endurance 56, Language (Classical
67, Khazalid 67), Leadership 46, Lore (Engineer) 72,
Melee (Basic) 44, Navigation 51, Perception 51, Ranged
(Blackpowder) 63, Trade (Engineer) 72
Talents: Doomed (Tarry at thine own risk, and be wary
the resentment of Princes), Orientation, Read/Write, Savvy,
Super Numerate, Tinker
Trappings: Sword, Repeater Pistol, Powder and
Ammunition for 18 shots, Open Helm, Breastplate, Trade
Tools, Tank Commander’s Baton
0 WA R H A M M E R FA N TA S Y R O L E P L AY
ALP, INGRID, AND ALRICK
STEAM TANK ENGINEERS (SILVER 2)
M WS BS S T I Ag Dex Int WP Fel W
4 30 40 30 30 35 30 35 45 30 30 12
Traits: Armour 1, Weapon (Sword) +7
Skills: Consume Alcohol 40, Cool 40, Drive 40,
Dodge 35, Endurance 40, Language (Classical) 55,
Lore (Engineer) 60, Melee (Basic) 35, Navigation 40,
Perception 45, Ranged (Blackpowder 50, Engineering
50), Trade (Engineer) 45
Talents: Orientation, Read/Write, Savvy, Tinker
Trappings: Sword, Open Helm, Leather Jerkin, Trade
Tools, Hammer and Spikes, Spare Components
Alberta Tavella (mercenary deserter/
substitute main weapon loader)
Alberta is a career soldier from Tilea, who was lured into
Matthias Haile’s company when mercenary work was
profitable during the Empire’s recent chaos. When the
Turmoil ended, and Matthias’s company resorted to stealing
from honest countryfolk, Alberta stood up to them — and
for her trouble, she was forced out of the company without
recompense for her year of service. She wants revenge against
her former comrades and figures the Emperor’s Wrath is her
best chance of getting it. She doesn’t know anything about
Steam Tanks but is clumsily working as a Helblaster loader
following Hans’s death.
ALBERTA TAVELLA
MERCENARY (SILVER 3)
M WS BS S T I Ag Dex Int WP Fel W
4 50 40 34 40 33 33 34 31 40 34 15
Traits: Armour 1, Weapon (Sword) +8,
Ranged (Crossbow) +9 (60)
Skills: Athletics 38, Climb 49, Consume Alcohol 45,
Cool 50, Dodge 43, Endurance 50, Gamble 35, Gossip
35, Language (Battle) 40, Melee (Basic) 60, Outdoor
Survival 36, Play (Fife) 39, Ranged (Blackpowder 45,
Crossbow 45)
Talents: Drilled, Warrior Born
Trappings: Sword, Leather Jack,
Crossbow and a Quiver with 10 Bolts.
Swamp Things
Five nights after the Characters enter the Furdienst,
Bog Mummies attack the Emperor’s Wrath — this time
in sufficient numbers to overwhelm her crew entirely.
Hopefully the Characters discovered the Steam Tank in
time to help with her excavation, so they can escape before
the undead overwhelm them.
14
NO TIME FOR INTRODUCTIONS
If the Characters failed their Extended Test to track down
the Emperor’s Wrath within five days, fate intervenes
on their behalf. The sounds of the undead advance on
the fifth night alert the Characters to the Steam Tank’s
location. The Characters arrive as the second turn of
combat begins, meaning the Characters already have a
substantial number of Bog Zombies and Bog Mummies
to confront. Since the Characters had no days to work on
the Emperor’s Wrath, the Drive Test to escape the mud
will be much tougher, but they can still help by taking
Actions during the battle (per The Excavation, page 9).
The undead encircle the Steam Tank and attack in waves.
With the darkness and the marsh fog concealing their
advance, the undead enter combat just 20 yds. from the
Emperor’s Wrath, but must appear at least 10 yds. away
from a Character. More undead arrive each turn the
combat continues, in escalating levels of threat:
0 On the first turn, the Characters are attacked by one
or two Bog Mummies (see page 15), and as many
Bog Zombies as Player Characters. Bog Zombies
are revived remains of the recently deceased —
the Steam Tank’s crew recognise their friend Hans
amongst the Zombies’ number. Use the profile of
Zombies (WFRP page 328), with the Infected,
Infestation, Swamp-strider and Territorial Traits.
0 On the second turn, an additional Bog Mummy per
Character joins the fight.
0 On the third turn, a Bog Liche (see page 15) and
two Bog Mummy bodyguards appear and take
command. From this point, the undead fight with
more intelligence — instead of surging towards the
nearest threat, they gang up on exposed Characters,
and actively impede repairs to the Emperor’s Wrath.
0 On the fourth turn, a pair of colossal Fenbeasts
(WFRP page 319) crash into the battle, singling out
those Characters who are the lynchpin of resistance.
0 From the fifth turn onwards, additional Bog
Mummies surge into battle until the Steam Tank
escapes, the Characters abandon the vehicle, the
Characters kill five times their number of Bog
Mummies, or the whole party is butchered and
reanimated as Bog Zombies.
 T H E E M P E R O R ’ S W R AT H
As an Action, Characters may take a Challenging (+0)
Perception Test to hear what danger is approaching in
upcoming turns, before it lumbers into sight.
THEY KNEW THE RISKS…
The crew of the Emperor’s Wrath do not take turns
during this fight, except to make Drive Tests to escape
the mud (if this isn’t attempted by a Player Character).
Instead, the GM narrates their actions abstractly, as they
attempt last minute repairs, or battle the advancing horde.
It’s entirely possible for some (or all!) of the NPC crew
to die whilst fighting the Bog Mummies, and GMs
should not hesitate to narrate this unfortunate end for the
engineers. Not only do these deaths sell the intensity of
the battle, but more pragmatically, they create vacancies
in the Steam Tank’s crew which can be filled by Player
Characters later. The engineers might even fall before the
battle starts — perhaps whilst accompanying Characters
on a journey to the ruined watchtower, or assisting a
Character who scores an Astounding Failure whilst
operating the Steam Tank’s boiler.
0
Bog Liche
Bog Liches are the reanimated remains of sorcerers that
once inhabited the Furdienst. Their understanding of
necromancy was sufficient for them to retain a glimmer
of self-awareness following their death. Millennia-long
entombment within the marsh’s depths has invested
them with a maddened hatred of all life, and their control
of undead servants is invariably directed towards this end.
BOG LICHE
M WS BS S T I Ag Dex Int WP Fel W
4 35 35 25 55 25 20 25 30 45 20 16
Traits: Breath 1 (Poison), Corruption (Minor), Dark
Vision, Fear 3, Infected, Infestation, Painless, Spellcaster
(Necromancy), Swamp-strider, Territorial, Undead,
Unstable, Weapon +6
Skills: Channelling 60, Cool 55, Language (Magick) 60,
Perception 45
Spells: Petty Magic Spells: Marsh Lights, Sounds
Arcane Spells: Bolt, Entangle
Trappings: Sword

That said, if the Players take successful Actions to protect

the crew, GMs should reward that success accordingly. The
battle against the undead will not be the only opportunity
for NPC crew to be replaced by Player Characters (see
Swamp Fever, page 16, for further details).

During the battle, the Emperor’s Wrath does not use

any of her weapons, as the crew are saving all available
steam power to try to escape the mud. Once per turn,
a Character operating the Steam Tank’s locomotion can
make a Very Hard (–30) Drive Test to repair the vehicle’s
Immobilised Mishap. If the Test succeeds, the Emperor’s
Wrath is free! Actions taken during the fight, or in the
days leading up to it, can provide substantial modifiers
to this Test (see The Excavation, page @@). Given that
Astounding Failures may result in the Steam Tank
suffering even more severe damage, the engineers only
attempt this Test after the undead attack begins, when
there is no time to wait for additional repairs.

Once the Emperor’s Wrath is running again, surviving

Characters and crew are advised to make their way onto
the Steam Tank as fast as possible. Escaping the undead
aboard the Steam Tank is not difficult when it moves at
full speed, and the Bog Mummies do not pursue once the
Characters leave their territory.

15
0 WA R H A M M E R FA N TA S Y R O L E P L AY
Bog Mummy
Bog Mummies are the preserved remains of ancient pre-
Imperial Humans, sucked deep beneath the mud, and
regurgitated by waxing winds of necromantic magic.
Unlike the carefully interred mummies of the desert
south, they have no true sentience, reacting to intruders
upon their burial sites with instinctive hostility.
BOG MUMMY
M WS BS S T I Ag Dex Int WP Fel W
4 35 – 25 50 5 10 15 – – – 14
Traits: Armour 2, Breath 1 (Poison), Construct,
Corruption (Minor), Dark Vision, Fear 3, Infected,
Infestation, Painless, Swamp-strider, Territorial, Undead,
Unstable, Weapon +6
Skills: Melee (Basic) 55
Trappings: Sword, Decaying Ancient Bronze Armour
BACK IN THE DRIVING SEAT
After the Emperor’s Wrath escapes the Bog Mummies,
a difficult conversation may ensue between the surviving
crew and the Characters. If the party already learned
about the prize waiting in Schattenlas, and helped the
engineers escape from the Furdienst, the Characters are
invited at this stage to join the off-the-books mission.
Alberta reports her former captain Haile is sitting on
a pay chest of 2000 silver coins. Even splitting the loot
evenly between all engineers and Characters, it promises
to be a substantial pay-day.
If the Characters met the engineers mid-battle, they will
still be completely in the dark about the Schattenlas job.
Play out a variation of the scenes A Cold Reception
(see page 9) and Meet the Team (see page 11) once
the Emperor’s Wrath is safely out of the Furdienst.
Assuming the Characters helped save the crew from the
Bog Mummies, they gain a +40 modifier on social Tests
made in these scenes. If the Characters convince the
engineers to confide in them, they are invited to join the
Schattenlas mission. Otherwise, they are kept in the dark,
and asked to leave the Steam Tank before it (allegedly)
continues north.
If the Characters Join the Schattenlas Job…
Schattenlas is 42 miles west, another 14 hours of travel
if the Emperor’s Wrath sticks to a sustainable speed. The
length of the journey can be shortened by risking more
pressure on the Steam Tank’s boiler (see Travel Speed,
page 21).
16
The engineers are tempted to take the risk — the
reiksmarshal has already noticed they’re AWOL, and the
longer it takes them to get back on course, the harder
it will be to explain later. Ultimately, they defer to the
Characters’ advice.
If any of the Characters seem interested in operating
the Steam Tank, the engineers are happy to indulge
their curiosity, and explain the basics. Characters who
receive this tuition gain 1 free Advance in either Trade
(Engineering) or Ranged (Engineering), allowing them
to make Tests of that Advanced Skill.
Characters may alternatively choose to spend the journey
ranging ahead to scout for danger, planning their assault
on Schattenlas, or just focusing on recovery from injuries.
SWAMP FEVER
It is possible enough of the engineers survived the undead
attack that there are insufficient vacancies for Characters
to occupy aboard the Emperor’s Wrath during combat.
Happily, GMs have one more trick up their sleeves:
swamp fever! The engineers spent a week trapped in
an unhygienic morass, breathing foul air, and swatting
away stinging mosquitoes. It is entirely plausible for the
engineers to fall seriously ill just as the Emperor’s Wrath
is approaching Schattenlas, forcing the Characters to take
up their positions out of necessity. Depending on the
group’s taste for tragedy, the fever may be fatal, or the
engineers may recover after the conflict.
Again, these GM machinations are not strictly necessary.
If the Players would prefer their Characters fight the
upcoming battle on foot, they can still make rolls for the
NPCs crewing the Emperor’s Wrath as well. GMs should
be sensitive to the group’s preferences, and conspire to
provide the most satisfyingly dramatic conclusion to The
Emperor’s Wrath.
If the Characters Demand the
Emperor’s Wrath Turns North…
The engineers are loath to walk away from the bounty at
Schattenlas, especially given the sacrifices they’ve already
made. That said, they are grateful to the Characters for
helping them out of the Furdienst, and would not eagerly
choose them as enemies.
How the engineers react to the Characters’ order
ultimately depends on whether they expect the Characters
to report them for desertion — they will not willingly
drive to their own court martial. If the Characters
plausibly claim they will cover for the engineers if they
 T H E E M P E R O R ’ S W R AT H
get back on course, they bitterly accept. If the Characters
offer no such reassurance, the engineers try to escape, on
foot if necessary. Either way, the Characters would be
advised to personally accompany the Emperor’s Wrath
to its intended destination, or the crew might simply turn
around once the Characters are out of sight.
GMs may choose to end the adventure here, or if that
feels insufficiently climactic, may improvise one last
combat encounter as the Steam Tank journeys north.
Many dangers still await the Emperor’s Wrath in the
Drakwald, from Gor ambush traps, to Minotaur charges!
If the Emperor’s Wrath is Wrecked...
The Steam Tank may have been abandoned in the
Furdienst, or break down mid-journey. Assaulting
Schattenlas without the Emperor’s Wrath is possible,
but much more dangerous. If the engineers and the
Characters cannot recover the Steam Tank or get her
operational, they’ll have little choice but to return to
Altdorf and seek aid at the Imperial School of Engineers.
The Characters will get their payment, but Schattenlas
remains under Haile’s control, and the Drakwald front
suffers a significant loss. On the way home, the engineers
scheme with the Characters to get their story straight, or
disappear if they expect the Characters to snitch on them.
The Battle of Schattenlas
The village of Schattenlas is little more than a dozen
family farmhouses and a granary, built atop a rare patch
of high ground protected from flooding. Wood rots fast
this close to the Furdienst, so the buildings are raised
on stone foundations, and their roofs thatched with
reeds. At the base of the hill, 80 yards from the village,
a community jetty affixes a couple of fishing boats, and
a ferry that helps travellers cross the Furdienst for a fee.
Though south of the Reik, the village’s allegiance is to
Middenland, and to Leopold von Bildhofen in nearby
Carroburg. Recently stripped of his elector count status,
von Bildhofen has more pressing matters to tend to than
the criminal occupation of this minor settlement.
Alberta warns that her former company’s resources are
considerable:
0 A small cannon and crew, set up atop the hill with a
commanding view.
0 32 mercenary footsoldiers, a mix of pistol-toting
skirmishers and crossbowmen. Alberta correctly
predicts that half the company will be abroad
scouting or foraging and won’t take part in the
battle. The remaining 16 are split between the village
17
0
(8 crossbowmen and 4 skirmishers) and the jetty (4
skirmishers). After a month of eating through the
village’s winter provisions, their morale is high.
0 Matthias Haile himself, a wily mercenary
commander. Haile has evicted the village elder
from her home to use it as his office. The pay chest
is hidden inside and will be much easier to find if
Haile is taken alive.
Besides the mercenaries, Schattenlas has a native
population of 54 souls, terrorised into serving Haile’s
crew as subjects. The villagers are hungry for liberation,
but do not have any weapons of their own. Haile will
employ the civilians as human shields, if he thinks it will
give him an edge.
Approaching the Village
Schattenlas may be approached from multiple angles.
The engineers say that the best way to approach the
village is through the Furdienst, to attack it from the east.
However, Alberta says that when she left the village the
cannon had been placed so as to overlook this route, as
Matthias felt that any force from Altdorf would likely
arrive from the east.
Any Character can take a Hard (–20) Lore (Reikland)
Test. Those who pass may be shown the map in order to
decide how best to approach the village.
From the East
The shortest route to the village is to continue through
the Furdienst. The road through the mire is actually fairly
good ground for the Steam Tank, having been reinforced
over the years with stones and wooden walkways.
Haile’s cannon is well-positioned to bombard the
Emperor’s Wrath as it climbs the hill, but the thick fog
that often drifts across from the Furdienst can be used
for cover. To fully take advantage of this, the Characters
must correctly predict the timing of the fog (an Average
(+20) Outdoor Survival Test), and quietly dispose of
the skirmishers garrisoning the jetty, before beginning
their approach. If the mercenaries hear the Steam Tank
coming, they will assume that a hostile force is moving
against them and prepare accordingly.
Alternatively, the Characters can rely on speed, pumping
as much steam power to locomotion as they dare in
order to ascend the hill quickly. If the Characters are
unsentimental about demolishing the villagers’ homes,
they can gain an incredible shock-and-awe advantage
against Haile’s cronies.
 WA R H A M M E R FA N TA S Y R O L E P L AY
5
7

6
3 1

5
THE
VILLAGE OF
4 SCHATTENLAS
2 1. Ferry
5
2. Pond
3. Cannon
4. Granary
5. Marsh
6. Forest
7 7. Fields
6

From the North or South The Pond

The Steam Tank could be driven into the mire to attack
the village from the north or south. This will reduce the
risk of cannon fire, but the Emperor’s Wrath will have to
be driven over a swathe of bog to get into a good position.
However, to reach this position six separate Average
(+20) Drive Tests are required. Should any of these
fail, the Steam Tank becomes bogged down. To free the
Steam Tank a total of 10 SL must be accumulated on an
Extended Difficult (–10) Drive Test, and actions used to
make this Test easier can be employed as before (see The
Excavation, page 9).
However, every turn that the crew take freeing the Steam
Tank, make a Perception Test based on the Mercenaries’
Perception of 30. If this is passed the soldiers in
Schattenlas become aware of the Steam Tank and start to
take appropriate measures to prepare for an attack.
From the West
Attacking from the west is not a good idea. Not only does
the Steam Tank risk becoming mired as explained above,
but it must be driven through a stretch of woodland. The
crashing noise it makes as it does so automatically alerts
the mercenaries to the fact that an assault is imminent.
To the south-east of the village is a deep pool that the
villagers draw water from. It would be disastrous for the
Steam Tank to be driven here. Should the Steam Tank
enter the pool, it requires an Extended Difficult (–10)
Drive Test to a total of 10 SL to steer clear. If this Test
is not made within 5 turns, water floods the engine and
the Steam Tank becomes irrevocably mired. Freeing it
now will be a serious engineering problem beyond the
immediate means of the Characters.
From More Than One Direction
Finally, the Characters may attempt a pincer attack. A
small infantry force may draw the cannon’s fire, so the
Emperor’s Wrath can advance in greater safety; conversely,
the Steam Tank might stage an elaborate distraction at
the base of the hill, so that a team of infiltrators can enter
the village and take Haile hostage.
Either stratagem involves greater risk, as the mercenaries
already have a considerable numbers advantage, which
will be more pronounced if the Characters divide their
forces. A small copse of mangled trees, halfway up the
hill on the opposite side from the jetty, may provide
additional cover to warriors approaching on foot.

18
 T H E E M P E R O R ’ S W R AT H
In any case, Haile’s mercenaries will flee the village long
before their company is wiped out. Capturing Haile,
the cannon, or the pay chest all trigger a slow trickle of
deserters from the fight; this retreat is accelerated if half
of the company have become casualties. The mercenaries
are more likely to hold their ground if Haile is still
around to command them. Haile himself will attempt to
recover the pay chest from its hiding place before fleeing
the village, but if pressed, will prioritise saving his skin
over retrieving the silver.
Matthias’s Mercenaries
Haile’s crew began life as a Free Company, supplemented
with travelling sellswords from Tilea and the Border
Princes. They were mustered to patrol Middenland and
guard against Sigmarite aggression, an easy job they
found much to their liking. With the Turmoil resolved,
jobs on offer now revolve around Graf Todbringer’s
expedition into Drakwald Forest, much more dangerous
work. Most of the mercenaries required little persuasion
to follow Haile into brigandry instead, and those that
objected (such as Alberta Tavella) were cruelly ejected
from the company weeks ago without pay.
MERCENARIES (SILVER 3)
M WS BS S T I Ag Dex Int WP Fel W
4 50 40 35 40 30 30 30 30 40 30 15
Traits: Armour 1, Weapon (Sword) +8, Ranged (Pistol)
+8 (20) or Ranged (Crossbow) +9 (60)
Skills: Athletics 35, Climb 45, Consume Alcohol 45,
Cool 50, Dodge 40, Endurance 50, Gamble 35, Gossip
35, Language (Battle) 40, Melee (Basic) 60, Outdoor
Survival 35, Play (Fife) 35, Ranged (Blackpowder 45,
Crossbow 45)
Talents: Drilled, Warrior Born
Trappings: Sword, Leather Jack, Mercenary Contract.
Half of the crew carry a Pistol with Powder and
Ammunition for 12 shots, the other half carry a Crossbow
and a Quiver with 10 Bolts.
19
0
TANKS FOR YOUR HELP
With the battle to liberate Schattenlas won, the surviving
mercenaries flee into the surrounding countryside.
Cowering villagers slowly emerge from their homes,
unsure if the Steam Tank’s arrival indicates salvation.
They have already lost so much, and dare not hope for
their situation to improve.
After tending to wounded, and confirming the Emperor’s
Wrath is still intact, the Characters can turn their
attention to the mercenaries’ pay chest. If they have
captured Haile, they can interrogate him and learn its
secret location, buried under the back porch of the village
elder’s house. If Haile died or escaped, the Characters
must conduct an arduous search whilst hounded by the
villagers’ pleas, and enduring the nervousness of Steam
Tank engineers eager to get back on the road. If the
elder’s home was demolished in the battle, recovering the
pay chest is impossible within a realistic time scale.
If the pay chest is recovered, the Characters must consider
whether they will share their prize with the Schattenlas
villagers. With their stored provisions exhausted, the
villagers are unlikely to survive the winter without aid,
especially if their homes were destroyed in the fighting.
To ensure the village’s 54 inhabitants have enough money
to restock and rebuild their livelihoods, the Characters
would have to give up the entire pay chest. Torn between
compassion and self-interest, the engineers will defer to
whatever resolution the Characters’ find acceptable.
If the engineers have any vacancies aboard the Emperor’s
Wrath, and the Characters helped them win the battle,
then Characters with the relevant skill set are invited to
join the Steam Tank’s crew on an official and permanent
basis. If the Characters accept, this could be the start
of a whole new campaign arc, in which the Emperor’s
Wrath finally joins the northern war against the Beasts of
Chaos. If the Characters refuse, the engineers nonetheless
promise to put in a good word for them at the Imperial
School of Engineers. Perhaps the Characters will get the
opportunity to crew another Steam Tank in the future!
0 WA R H A M M E R FA N TA S Y R O L E P L AY
Matthias Haile
A former sergeant in the Middenland state army,
Haile’s amorality and selfishness served him well after
transitioning into a career as a mercenary captain. His
silver tongue attracted a loyal following of Imperial militia
and Tilean hired swords, and the tense confrontations of
the Turmoil offered a plentiful source of employment.
As the political situation calmed, and opportunities for
legitimate work became less attractive, Haile switched
careers again, and set himself up as a bandit chief. He
knows that sooner or later the von Bildhofens will force
him to abandon Schattenlas, but for now he’s enjoying
the power trip of unconditional rule over a tiny little
kingdom.
20
MATTHIAS HAILE
SERGEANT (SILVER 3)
M WS BS S T I Ag Dex Int WP Fel W
4 60 52 42 45 53 35 35 48 40 45 16
Traits: Armour 2, Ranged (Pistol) +8 (20), Weapon
(Sword) +8
Skills: Athletics 55, Climb 57, Consume Alcohol 60,
Cool 60, Dodge 50, Endurance 60, Gamble 58, Gossip
55, Heal 53, Intuition 63, Leadership 50, Language
(Battle) 58, Melee (Basic) 75, Outdoor Survival 58,
Perception 63, Play (Fife) 40, Ranged (Blackpowder 62)
Talents: Combat Aware, Drilled, Suave, Very Strong,
Warrior Born
Trappings: Sword, Two Pistols, Powder and Ammunition
for 24 shots, Mail Shirt, Hat, Large Wooden Chest
containing 2000 silver shillings
 T H E E M P E R O R ’ S W R AT H
APPENDIX: STEAM TANK RULES
This section provides rules for operating a Steam Tank,
and how to reduce one to scrap.
Basic Operations Manual
The first step in learning to pilot a Steam Tank is coaxing
the boiler’s steam pressure to propel locomotive systems.
Outside of battle this is far less taxing, but never without
risk, even for veteran engineers.
Steam Tank Capacity
The interior of a Steam Tank is extremely cramped, but
if all occupants are cooperating to share the space, it can
fit up to five Characters of Size Medium or smaller. Five
additional Size Medium Characters can ride atop the
Steam Tank’s exterior.
If the Steam Tank is without a turret, only four Size
Medium Characters can fit inside the Steam Tank, but
six Size Medium Characters can ride on top of it.
Despite their formidable locomotive power, Steam Tanks
are rarely used to transport cargo, to avoid placing stress
upon their delicate systems. If obliged to do so, a Steam
Tank can transport 2 Encumbrance inside the vehicle
(usually Trade Tools and replacement components), and
up to 50 Encumbrance on top of it.
Steam Tank Systems
Whilst inside a Steam Tank, a Character has access to the
following systems:
Locomotion (for driving the Steam Tank).
Weaponry (for operating one of the Steam Tank’s
weapons, as a gunner or loader).
Engineering (for working the Steam Tank’s boiler to
build up Steam Points).
Each of these Steam Tank systems can only be used
once per combat round, even if multiple Characters
are operating the system. The exceptions are the Steam
Tank’s weapons, each of which can only be fired once per
round but can be loaded by any number of Characters
whether the weapon fired that round or not.
During combat, swapping places with an allied Character
operating a different Steam Tank system, or taking up
position beside an unoccupied Steam Tank system,
requires a Character to use their Move for the turn.
21
0
Travel Speed
Undertaking a journey aboard a Steam Tank requires
at least one Character to have Advances in the Trade
(Engineering) Advanced Skill and fulfil the role of
engineer commander. Whilst so occupied, a Steam Tank
can move at a speed equivalent to the walking speed for a
Character with M of 4, for up to 12 hours, without placing
undue stress upon its boiler. Steam Tanks may not run.
After every 12 hours of travel, the engineer commander
must make a Challenging (+0) Trade (Engineering)
Test. If they fail, the vehicle suffers a Steam Tank Mishap
(see below).
When time is of the essence, a Steam Tank can move
up to five times this speed, assuming the engineer
commander can manage to regulate the boiler pressure.
After an hour of moving at accelerated speed, the Steam
Tank commander must succeed on a Challenging (+0)
Trade (Engineering) Test, or the vehicle suffers a Steam
Tank Mishap. The difficulty of this Test increases to
Difficult (–10) if moving the equivalent of M 5–6, Hard
(–20) if moving M 7–8, or Very Hard (–30) if moving
M 9–10. Again, these Movement scores only relate to
walking speed; Steam Tanks may not run.
If a single Character is operating a Steam Tank as both
driver and engineer commander, the vehicle’s maximum
movement speeds listed above are reduced. In this case
the difficulty of this Test increases to Difficult (–10) if
moving the equivalent of M 5, Hard (–20) if moving
M 6, or Very Hard (–30) if moving M 7. Again, these
Movement scores only relate to walking speed; Steam
Tanks may not run.
Difficult terrain and bad weather can also slow a
Steam Tank’s travel speed, though some environments
obstructive to travellers on foot (such as light foliage and
urban ruins) can be demolished by a Steam Tank without
slowing down.
Steam Tank Mishaps
A Steam Tank suffers Mishaps from battle damage or
system stress. When prompted, roll a d100, and consult
the chart one page 22 for the Mishap’s effects. Note that
Mishap effects which injure all Characters inside the
Steam Tank also injure Characters riding on top of it.
For this reason, warriors do not usually ride atop a Steam
Tank once battle begins!
0 WA R H A M M E R FA N TA S Y R O L E P L AY
MISHAP TABLE
D100 Roll Effect
01-24 Out of Control
25-49 Leaking Steam
50-74 Overheating
75-94 Weapon Disabled
95-99 Immobilised
00 Meltdown
Out of Control
A rocking jolt shakes the Steam Tank, and its locomotion
systems jerk into overdrive. At the start of the driver’s turn
(or at the end of the turn, if no Character is occupying
the locomotion systems), the Steam Tank spends all
available Steam Points to move in a direction of the
GM’s choosing. GMs are encouraged to sadistically
direct the Steam Tank towards an unbreakable obstacle,
towards unsuspecting allies, away from support, or over a
cliff edge. If the Steam Tank has no Steam Points when
making this involuntarily movement, it instead grinds
its gears, and suffers an additional Steam Tank Mishap
(re-roll additional Out of Control results). The driver
cannot move the Steam Tank of their own accord until
they spend an Action and succeed on a Challenging (+0)
Drive Test.
Leaking Steam
The Steam Tank’s pipes violently vent a thin, uncontrolled
stream of water vapour from out of the closed system. A
random Character inside the tank suffers +d10 Damage
from the sudden discharge, reduced by Toughness and
Armour. At the end of each combat round, the Steam
Tank loses 1 Steam Point per Leaking Steam Mishap.
When moving outside combat, the tank reduces its speed
1 mph per Leaking Steam Mishap suffered. Repairing a
Leaking Steam Mishap requires an hour of work and a
successful Challenging (+0) Trade (Engineering) Test.
Overheating
The boiler buckles against its restraints, and scorching
water gushes from the container, suffocating the tank’s
occupants in a cloud of steam. Every Character aboard
the tank suffers +d10 Damage, reduced by Toughness
and Armour. The Steam Tank’s Maximum Pressure
22
(see page 23) is reduced by 1 per Overheating Mishap.
When moving outside combat, the tank reduces its speed
1 mph per Overheating Mishap suffered. Repairing an
Overheating Mishap requires an hour of work and a
successful Challenging (+0) Trade (Engineering) Test.
Weapon Disabled
The pipes connecting one of the Steam Tank’s weapons
to the boiler shears off. Choose one of the Steam Tank’s
operational weapons at random. Every Character
operating the weapon as a gunner or loader suffers +d10
Damage from the steam backwash, reduced by Toughness
and Armour. The weapon becomes unusable until the
Mishap is repaired, which requires 12 hours of work and
a successful Challenging (+0) Trade (Engineering) Test.
If the Steam Tank does not have any operational weapons
when this Mishap is rolled, re-roll until you receive a
different Steam Tank Mishap.
Immobilised
The pistons that turn the Steam Tank’s wheels explode,
bringing the vehicle to a screeching halt as its prow
buries itself in the dirt. Every Character operating the
Steam Tank’s locomotive and engineering systems
suffers +d10 Damage from the blast of searing vapour,
reduced by Toughness and Armour. Whilst Immobilised,
the vehicle cannot move, and any Out of Control and
Immobilised results on the Mishap table are re-rolled.
Repairing this Mishap usually requires days of work in
a dedicated workshop, but ingenious engineers may jury-
rig a solution in the field.
Meltdown
The pressure on the boiler proves unsustainable, resulting
in a catastrophic explosion that douses the crew in boiling
water. All Characters aboard the Steam Tank suffer +2d10
Damage, reduced by Toughness and Armour. The vehicle’s
Steam Points are reset to 0, and the Steam Tank’s systems
can neither generate nor spend Steam Points. The vehicle
is Wrecked (see page 27), and must be returned to an
engineering workshop before it can be repaired.
Tank Combat
Steam Tanks do not take their own actions in combat,
but Characters crewing the vehicle can use its systems on
their turn: to manage the boiler pressure, drive the tank
forward, and fire its assortment of artillery.
Steam Points
To move a Steam Tank and use its weapons in combat,
the vehicle must spend Steam Points, which are built up
within the steam boiler and directed to relevant systems.
If at the start of combat a Character with Advances in the
 T H E E M P E R O R ’ S W R AT H
Trade (Engineering) Skill is operating the vehicle’s boiler,
that Character may choose how many Steam Points the
vehicle begins with. Otherwise the vehicle begins combat
with 0 Steam Points.
Steam Tanks have a Maximum Pressure rating, which
determines the highest number of Steam Points the
Steam Tank can store without suffering a Mishap. By
default, a Steam Tank’s Maximum Pressure is 10. Mishaps
or modifications can affect this rating.
Steam Points can drop below 0 (into negative numbers)
and have no upper limit (they can exceed the tank’s
Maximum Pressure). However, if during a Character’s
turn a vehicle’s Steam Points are reduced below 0, or
become higher than the tank’s Maximum Pressure rating,
it immediately rolls for a Steam Tank Mishap. A Steam
Tank also suffers a Mishap if, at the start of a combat
round, its Steam Points are lower than 0, or higher than
the tank’s Maximum Pressure rating.
Working the Boiler
Once per round, a Character operating the Steam Tank’s
engineering systems can spend an Action to adjust the
boiler pressure. Before making their Test, the Character
must declare exactly how many Steam Points they want
the vehicle to gain or lose.
Increasing the number of Steam Points is a Challenging
(+0) Trade (Engineering) Test. Decreasing the number
of Steam Points is an Average (+20) Trade (Engineering)
Test.
If the Test succeeds, the vehicle gains the number of
Steam Points specified. If the Test generates positive
SLs, the Character may optionally choose to increase or
decrease the Steam Point adjustment beyond what they
originally specified, so long as the value of this adjustment
does not exceed the number of SLs generated.
If the Test fails, the Character still adjusts the number
of Steam Points, but the value of this adjustment is
modified by the number of negative SLs generated. GMs
may choose to increase or decrease the amount of Steam
Points generated, so long as the value of their adjustment
does not exceed the number of negative SLs generated.
Tests which fail but generate 0 negative SLs are assumed
to generate 1 negative SL for purposes of this adjustment.
No matter how badly the Test fails, an attempt to increase
Steam Points can never result in a net reduction of Steam
Points, and an attempt to decrease Steam Points can never
result in a net increase of Steam Points. Enough negative
23
0
SLs can however reduce the effects of the Action to 0
Steam Points gained or lost.
As usual, if a Character working the boiler adjusts the
vehicle’s Steam Points so they are less than 0, or greater
than the Maximum Pressure rating, it suffers a Steam
Tank Mishap.
Combat Movement
Once per round, a Character operating the Steam Tank’s
locomotion systems can spend Steam Points to move
the vehicle as an Action. The driver declares how many
Steam Points are being to spent to move the vehicle;
they cannot choose to spend more Steam Points than the
vehicle currently has.
For each Steam Point spent, the vehicle moves 3 yards
directly forward. After each section of 3 yard movement,
the driver may choose to rotate the vehicle 45 degrees
in either direction. Alternatively, for each Steam Point
spent, the vehicle can move 2 yards directly backwards,
and the driver can choose to rotate the vehicle 45 degrees
after every 2 yards reversed.
If driving through terrain that impedes the Steam
Tank’s movement, such as marshland, the Steam Tank’s
speed is halved. GMs may rule that many inanimate
obstacles, such as fences, walls, and foliage, can simply
be demolished by the Steam Tank as it moves through
without slowing.
If a Steam Tank is driven through any enemy Characters
as part of this movement, the driver resolves a melee attack
against each target. This is an Opposed Drive/Dodge
Test — the driver makes a single Drive Test that applies
against all targets, but each defender Tests to Dodge
separately. If the defender succeeds, they avoid the Steam
Tank’s rampage. If the defender fails, they suffer Damage
as usual, with the Steam Tank’s Weapon Damage rated
at +10. Because Steam Tanks have Enormous Size, this
Damage may gain Qualities or be multiplied per the rules
for Size (see WFRP, page 341). Attackers do not gain
or lose Advantage during a ramming Action, and do not
have to Disengage to leave a rammed Character’s melee
range.
Whilst multiple Characters can be attacked as part of a
Steam Tank’s movement, a single Character can only be
targeted once per turn. If a Character would be impacted
multiple times, all subsequent attacks are assumed to be
dodged without Testing.
0 WA R H A M M E R FA N TA S Y R O L E P L AY

If a Steam Tank drives into an ally (most likely due to
the Out of Control Mishap), the target is attacked as
above, except the driver does not Test themself. Instead,
the attack is assumed to automatically score 0 SLs. If the
defender’s Dodge Test also scores 0 SLs, ties are resolved
in the defender’s favour.
enjoying the benefit of hard cover (–30 to Tests made
to target them with missiles) from any return attacks.
However, if a Character standing within the turret hatch
is incapacitated, enemies who climb atop the Steam Tank
(a Challenging (+0) Athletics Test) can attack crew inside
the tank directly through the open hatch.

Using Steam Tank Weapons
The Emperor’s Wrath is equipped with a Helblaster tri-
gun (main weapon) and a steam gun (turret weapon). Any
Character operating a weapon can attack with it, though
each weapon can only be used to attack once per combat
round. All Steam Tank weapons belong to the Ranged
(Engineering) group.
Firing a Steam Tank’s main weapon costs 4 Steam Points.
Firing a Steam Tank’s turret weapon costs 2 Steam Points.
A gunner cannot choose to use a Steam Tank weapon
if attacking would reduce the vehicle to below 0 Steam
Points.
As part of making an attack with a turret weapon, the
turret can be turned to face in any direction. Main
weapons can only be fired at targets directly in front of
the Steam Tank.
Opening the Top Hatch
A Character inside a Steam Tank may spend a Move to
open the hatch on top of the turret and climb halfway
out. From this position, a Character can make an attack
with any ranged weapons they are carrying, whilst
A Character who appears from the top hatch may spend
a Move in future turns to climb back inside and close the
hatch.
Steam Tank Weapons
Steam Tank weapons are all large and powerful, but
their operation is dependent on pressurised steam- and/
or water-driven systems integral to the Steam Tank
on which they are fitted. As such they cannot be used
if removed from the Steam Tank, or if the boiler of the
Steam Tank is not operational.
Because they are designed to be carried about upon a
Steam Tank these weapons are often lighter and shorter
than serious artillery weapons of the same type, and the
range and force of projectiles fired by such weapons is less
than optimal.
Note: Steam Tank weapons must use special ammunition
as detailed in the table below.

WEAPON PRICE ENC AVAILABILITY RANGE DAMAGE QUALITIES AND FLAWS

ENGINEERING

Steam-Powered 100 GC 45 Exotic 120 +12 Blackpowder, Dangerous,

Cannon (medium) Reload 6, Crewed 2

Mortar 50 GC 45 Exotic 160 — Blackpowder, Reload

4, Crewed 2

Swivel Gun 20 GC 5 Rare 60 +14 Blackpowder,

Dangerous, Reload 4

Steam Gun 50 GC 10 Exotic 20 +6 Dangerous, Blast 5

Helblaster 500 GC 75 Exotic 130 +9 Blackpowder, Dangerous,

Tri-Gun Reload 4*, Salvo 3

*Reloading a weapon with the Salvo Quality is a laborious process. The Reload number does not fully reload the
weapon, but it increases the Salvo number by 1 each time it is achieved (so an empty Helstorm Rocket Battery
would be Salvo 0, requiring Reload 6 to reach Salvo 1 and 9 times Reload 6 before it was fully loaded and Salvo 9).

24
 T H E E M P E R O R ’ S W R AT H
0
WEAPON PRICE ENC AVAIL. RANGE DAMAGE QUALITIES AND FLAWS
STEAM-POWERED CANNON
Ball and Powder 8/– 1 Scarce As Weapon — Blast +2, Damaging

Grapeshot 6/6 0 Exotic Quarter Weapon -5 Spread +5

and Powder
MORTAR
Bomb 3 GC 0 Rare As Weapon +12 Blast +5, Dangerous, Impact

Incendiary 1 GC 0 Scarce Half Weapon Special* Blast +4, Dangerous

SWIVEL GUN
Bullets and 2/2 0 Common As Weapon +1 Impale, Penetrating,
Powder for 1 shot Spread +3

Small Shot and 2/2 0 Common As Weapon — Spread +6

Powder for 1 shot
HELBLASTER TRI-GUN
Ball and Powder 8/– 1 Scarce As Weapon — Blast +2, Damaging

*An Incendiary gives every affected target +1 SL Ablaze Condition.

Helblaster Tri-Gun Mortars

The Helblaster tri-gun has three separate barrels fixed on
a circular crank. As the crank is turned, a clever system
of cams ignites each charge in turn, propelling a flurry
of lethal projectiles from the gun. The advantage of the
Helblaster is that it can fire several shots at once in a
devastating volley. A full volley will rip through the
toughest regiments, causing immense casualties in the
blink of an eye. A disadvantage is that it is inclined to
jam or misfire, and once it has misfired it is almost always
useless until repaired. The chances of being able to fire for
a prolonged time are slim, as the weapon is quite likely to
malfunction given the complexity of its firing mechanism.
Steam-Powered Cannons
The largest cannons are restricted to fortresses or well-
prepared battlefield positions, but small and medium
weapons can be mounted on boats or wagons. On
battlefields, cannonballs inflict Damage on ranks of
troops by bouncing through them. Given that most
combat situations in Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay
will be smaller skirmishes, the Blast 2 Quality is used
to represent Damage to those nearby, but if targets are
arranged in a line the GM should consider that the ball
could conceivably hit multiple consecutive targets.
A mortar is the blackpowder equivalent of a catapult,
firing a heavy ball or bomb in a high arc. On the battlefield,
they are used mainly in sieges, throwing explosives over
castle walls. 
Steam Gun
A steam gun vents super-heated water from the tank’s
boiler in an arcing spray. The attacker designates a single
target within 20 yards. All Characters within 5 yards of
the target, or between the Steam Tank and the target, are
struck. The attacker Tests against each struck Character
with an Opposed Ranged (Engineering)/Dodge Test
— the attacker rolls once, and compares their result to
each defender in turn. Each defender who fails to Dodge
suffers +6 Damage, modified by the attack’s SL and the
defender’s Toughness Bonus, but ignoring deductions
from AP. Attackers do not generate or lose Advantage
when making an attack with a steam gun.

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0 WA R H A M M E R FA N TA S Y R O L E P L AY

Crew Crewed 2 Weapon Crewed 3 Weapon Crewed 4 Weapon

4 N/A N/A N/A

3 N/A N/A Double Reload Time

2 N/A Double Reload Time Gain Imprecise Flaw

1 Double Reload Time Gain Imprecise Flaw Gain Dangerous Flaw

New Weapon Qualities or Flaws
Crewed
A weapon with the Crewed Flaw is so large, heavy, and
complex that it benefits from being managed by a team
rather than a single operator. This team all need to possess
the relevant Ranged Skill to crew the weapon. However,
they may nominate one of their number to make the
relevant Ranged Test to see how well the weapon performs.
Most weapons have a crew of 2, 3 or 4. Larger crews are
often assembled, but extraneous crew members do not
impact the efficiency of the weapon itself, though they may
help move it or make up for casualties among the crew.
If a weapon requiring a crew is not fully crewed it is
impaired as explained in the table below.
Penalties from reduced crew are cumulative, so a Crewed 4
weapon with a single crewperson will suffer from double
reload time, the Imprecise Flaw, and the Dangerous Flaw.
If a weapon gains a Flaw that it already possesses, impose a
further penalty of –10 to any Ranged Tests made to shoot
the weapon.
When reloading a weapon with the Crewed Flaw, one of
the crew may assist with any Tests made to determine
how long the reloading process takes.
If a weapon with the Crewed Flaw suffers a misfire, all
members of the crew are affected.
Example: Von Meinkop is trying to fire a Steam-Powered
Cannon without the assistance of any additional crew. Von
Meinkop can use his impressive Ranged (Engineering) Skill
of 92 to fire the weapon. However, because he is the sole crew
member of a Crewed 4 weapon, it doubles the reload time
(from 8 to 16) and gains the Imprecise Flaw. The weapon
ought to also gain the Dangerous Flaw, but it already has
this Flaw, so Von Meinkop’s Ranged (Engineering) suffers a
penalty of –10 when shooting the cannon.
Salvo
A weapon with the Salvo Quality has the potential to
launch missiles either one at a time or in batches. The
number of times the weapon can be fired is indicated by
the Salvo number. Each time the weapon is fired reduce
the Salvo number by 1. The weapon does not need to be
reloaded until it reaches Salvo 0. 

SALVO ARTILLERY MISFIRE TABLE

D10 Roll Effect

1–4 All crew suffer full Damage to their primary arm location using the units
die as the effective SL for the hit. The artillery piece is destroyed.

5–7 All crew suffer full Damage to a randomly generated location using the units
die as the effective SL for the hit. The artillery piece is destroyed.

8–9 For each remaining point of Salvo, all crew suffer full Damage to randomly generated
locations using the units die as the effective SL for the hit. The artillery piece is destroyed.

10 For each remaining point of Salvo, a shot is fired in a random direction for a distance of
D100 yards. Any characters standing in between the artillery piece and the points where
shots land must make a Very Hard (–30) Dodge Test to avoid being struck by a missile.

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 T H E E M P E R O R ’ S W R AT H
A Salvo weapon can be fired more than once in a turn,
but each time the weapon is fired after the first firing,
impose a cumulative penalty of –10 to the Ranged Skill
used to shoot with the weapon.
If the weapon misfires at any point in the process, work
out the effect of the misfire and then roll on the following
table.
Example: The crew of a Helstorm Rocket Battery benefit
from its Salvo 9 Quality. Potentially, they could fire the
weapon nine times in a single turn. The first turn, they
shoot the weapon four times. The first shot is resolved
with the Ranged (Engineering) Skill of the nominated
crew member. The second shot is resolved with a penalty of
–10 to the Ranged (Engineering) Skill of the nominated
crew member. The third is resolved with a penalty of –20,
and the fourth with a penalty of –30.
The following turn, the crew fire the weapon five times.
This is worked in the same way as the previous turn, but
the fifth shot is resolved with a penalty of –40 to the
Ranged (Engineering) Skill. The weapon is now empty
and must be reloaded before being fired again.
Battling Against a Steam Tank
Steam Tanks are cacophonous, smog-belching
monstrosities of industrial warfare, the likes of which are
rarely seen in the Old World. They cause Terror 1 in all
enemies who confront one in combat.
If an enemy can overcome their fear, they may attempt to
destroy a Steam Tank. Attacking a Steam Tank is resolved
like an attack against a Character, except a Character
operating the Steam Tank’s locomotion systems defends
against melee attacks using their Drive Skill. If no-one is
operating the Steam Tank’s locomotion systems when it
is attacked in melee, or if the Steam Tank is attacked by
a Character who successfully boarded the vehicle with a
Challenging (+0) Athletics Test, the Steam Tank counts
as automatically scoring –10 SL on its Drive Test.
Because Steam Tanks have Enormous Size, ranged
attacks against them gain a +40 modifier, and melee
attacks against them by Characters of Size Large or
smaller gain a +10 modifier.
For purposes of absorbing Damage, Steam Tanks have
80 Toughness (reducing all incoming Damage by their
Toughness Bonus of 8), and 80 Wounds. Steam Tanks
do not have Hit Locations and have special rules for
resolving Critical Wounds (see below).
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0
If a Steam Tank is reduced to 0 Wounds, it is Wrecked. It
cannot use or generate Steam Points and is functionally
unusable until it is returned to an engineering workshop
for repairs.
In addition, if a Steam Tank suffers 20 or more Wounds
from a single attack (after deductions from its Toughness
Bonus), or if it would suffer a Critical Wound on an attack
that inflicted at least 1 Wound, it must immediately roll
on the Steam Tank Mishaps table (see page 21).
As part of an attack against a Steam Tank, an attacker
may make a called shot (–20 attack modifier), to single
out a vulnerable target. If a called shot attack successfully
inflicts a Steam Tank Mishap, apply the additional effects
below, corresponding to the targeted component:
0 Wheels: If you roll a Weapon Disabled Mishap,
count it as an Immobilised Mishap instead.
0 Weapon (choose one): If you roll an Out of Control
or Immobilised Mishap, count it as a Weapon
Disabled Mishap instead.
0 Rear Boiler: If you roll a Leaking Steam or
Overheating Mishap, count it as applying the same
Mishap twice.
0 External Access (top hatch or side door): Instead of
rolling for a Steam Tank Mishap, the attack destroys
the access panel, allowing other enemies to make
attacks against the Steam Tank’s crew directly.
Repairing a Steam Tank
Outside of combat, a Character can make a Challenging
(+0) Trade (Engineer) Test to repair a Steam Tank as
long as they have access to relevant materials and tools. A
repair Test takes one hour, with successful Tests restoring
(1d10+SL) Wounds.
Each Steam Tank Mishap (see page 21) provides guidance
for how to undo its negative effects.
If a Steam Tank is Wrecked, the vehicle must be towed
to an engineering workshop to undergo repairs. For
purposes of transportation whilst Wrecked, a Steam Tank
has an Encumbrance rating of 450.
0 WA R H A M M E R FA N TA S Y R O L E P L AY

Improving on Genius Reinforced Prow

The engineers of the Empire are tinkerers by nature,
and every Steam Tank in their care has been modified
countless times over its long, glorious history. Where
possible, these alterations are undertaken with great
care inside the School’s extensive workshop facilities in
Altdorf — arranging for modifications is less a matter
of expense or engineering skill than a social challenge to
secure consent from the School’s leadership. However,
circumstances may force Characters to modify a Steam
Tank ‘in the field’, which will surely require tools,
materials, and an Extended Trade (Engineering) Test,
assuming it is possible at all.
This crude weapon, little more than a glorified battering
ram, is typically only used when all available steam-power
artillery has been destroyed or run out of ammunition.
Nonetheless, it has a celebrated history, first adopted
by Leonardo’s favourite student Heinrich Woolendurst
centuries ago. Nowadays, this variant of Steam Tank is
known as the Sigmar’s Hammer, after the most recent
Steam Tank to adopt the configuration.
Steam Tanks with a reinforced prow gain +10 Toughness,
and increase the Weapon Damage for ramming attacks
to +12.

The alternate Steam Tank load-outs listed below can be
used for making modifications to the Emperor’s Wrath,
or to represent the configurations of other Steam Tanks
listed on pages 4-5.
Main Weapon Modifications
Aside from swivel guns,which are mounted to the sides,
each of these weapons replaces the Helblaster tri-gun
installed on the Emperor’s Wrath by default. Steam
cannons and steam mortars are described in the table on
page 25.
Swivel Guns
If a Steam Tank is open-topped, it may install two guns
atop its side barriers, as an additional form of anti-
personnel protection. Unlike other main weapons, swivel
guns do not cost Steam Points to fire, do not replace the
Steam Tank’s existing main weapon, and can be turned to
fire in any direction.
Turret Modifications
Each of these modifications alters the top of the Steam
Tank, where the steam gun turret of the Emperor’s Wrath
is usually installed.

STEAM TANK MODIFICATION TABLE

Modification Requirements

Main Weapon Modifications

Steam cannon Replaces Helblaster tri-gun

Steam mortar Replaces Helblaster tri-gun, requires open-top (below)

Reinforced prow Replaces Helblaster tri-gun

Swivel guns Requires open top (below)

Turret Modifications

Bazalgette gun-ring Replaces steam gun

Remove turret and steam gun

Install fighting platform Replaces turret and steam gun

Open top Replaces turret and steam gun

Boiler Modifications

Emergency vent

Additional boiler carriage

Self-destruct system

28
 T H E E M P E R O R ’ S W R AT H
Bazalgette gun-ring
Properly known as ‘Bazalgette’s exalted-velocity fusillade
of ultra-rotary unleashment’, this extraordinarily
impractical weapon consists of a circular mount with 24
handguns in concentric circles, all fired within seconds
by turning a crank which spins the firing mechanism.
Its devastating rate of fire cannot compensate for its
appalling reload time, but the maverick engineers under
Baron von Helsing labour tirelessly to devise a solution.
Bazalgette gun-rings use the profile of a handgun
(WFRP, page 295), with the Blast 2, Impact (replaces
Damaging), Repeater 2, and Reload 12 (replaces Reload 3)
Qualities and Flaws.
Remove Turret
A Steam Tank’s turret may be removed to reduce its
weight, remove a target for boarders, or improve its
exterior transport capacity (at the cost of interior
transport capacity — see page 21 for details).
Fighting Platform
Inspired by the design of the horse-drawn Imperial war
wagon, a fighting platform erects a defensive perimeter
around the edge of a Steam Tank’s topside. As well as
providing cover, it gives mounted engineers something
to brace against, allowing them to stand atop the Steam
Tank without falling off when it moves.
Characters riding upon a fighting platform gain the
benefit of hard cover (–30 to hit) from enemy attacks.
Characters atop a fighting platform cannot make melee
attacks against an enemy on foot unless they are wielding
a weapon with Reach Long or greater, but gain +20 to hit
when using those weapons.
Open Top
Removing the roof of a Steam Tank entirely exposes its
crew to much greater dangers, but also permits the vehicle
to mount indirect-fire weaponry that shoots in a high arc.
This modification reduces the Steam Tank’s Toughness
and Wounds by 20, and permits enemies to make attacks
against its crew directly. Crew targeted by attacks
from outside the Steam Tank gain the benefit
of hard cover (–30 to hit).
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0
Boiler Modifications
Each of these modifications applies tweaks to a Steam
Tank’s boiler, its most essential component.
Emergency Vent
Instead of directing excess steam through the vehicle’s
chimney (producing its signature ‘whistle’), this
modification blasts superheated water out the Steam
Tank’s flanks, leading to screaming, scalding death for
any foe who gets too close. When a Character operating
the Steam Tank’s engineering systems successfully Tests
to reduce the Steam Tank’s Steam Points, all creatures
within 3 yards of the vehicle (including those on top, but
excluding those inside) suffer d10 Damage, modified by
the defender’s Toughness Bonus, but ignoring deductions
from Armour.
Additional Boiler Carriage
This modification, most renowned for its attachment to
the Steam Tank Deliverance, couples a second carriage to
the back of the vehicle. This carriages contains an overflow
water tank, allowing the Steam Tank to consume greater
quantities of steam power for the operation of more
powerful weaponry.
A Steam Tank with an additional boiler carriage raises
its Maximum Pressure rating by +5, but reduces its
movement speed (in and out of combat) by 50%. In
addition, called shots against the Steam Tank’s boiler do
not suffer a –20 penalty on attack Tests.
Self-Destruct System
This tool of last resort is used by vengeful engineer
commanders who are determined to take as many foes
as possible with them, and to protect the Empire’s
technological secrets from falling into enemy hands.
As an Action, a Character operating a Steam Tank’s
engineering system may make a Challenging (+0) Trade
(Engineering) Test to immediately inflict the Meltdown
Steam Tank Mishap on the vehicle. The Damage inflicted
by this Mishap is also inflicted on all creatures within 3
yards of the vehicle.
One of the most highly regarded roleplaying campaigns ever written,
Every Gamer should play the Enemy Within

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