Song of Chaos & Vengeance: A Solo Campaign

I recently wrote about solo wargaming, and running some sort of narrative campaign has been on my mind for a while now.

I’d been looking at the miniatures I’ve bought and painted over the past year. I’ve got a few chaos warriors, beastmen, and goblins, along with a few other chaos-y types. Mainly from the excellent Knightmare miniatures range.

I began to come up with the idea for an eclectic and dysfunctional warband of outcasts, misfits, and disgraced heroes. Admittedly, I’ve not come across greenskins allying with chaos since the days of Battlemasters, but if it’s good enough for Battlemasters, it’s good enough for me.

As well as playing through the telling of a story, this was also an opportunity to make some nice cards on MTG Cardsmith. Okay, so my efforts aren’t quite that of the legendary 1980s Citadel Combat Cards standard, but you can see the influence here. Incidentally, the cards have been created for Song of Blades & Heroes, which you can read more about in my miniature agnostic games roundup.

So let’s dive in and meet my anti-heroes, starting off with their leader, Tebaud the Butcher…

Tebaud the Butcher: Chaos Champion

A fearsome and brutal champion, Tebaud was once at the speartip of a mighty regiment of chaos warriors.

Following the death of their leader in battle, Tebaud put himself forward as the unit’s natural successor. Unfortunately for him, he was challenged by his old friend Jötum Redmane. The two fought to the death for the right to lead their brothers into a new era. Redmane came out on top leaving Tebaud for dead, with wounds that would’ve finished off any mortal man.

But Tebaud did not die. He made his way south to seek refuge, healing, and strength. Tebaud would bide his time, rebuild his forces, and one day return to take what was rightfully his.

Points: 86

Quality: 3+

Combat: 4

Special: Hero, Heavy Armour

Purchased from: Ebay – Old Citadel miniature

Mallüs Bloodaxe: Chaos Warrior

Altdorf-born Bloodaxe was once one of the finest warriors in the imperial army. That was many centuries ago.

How this talented soldier fell victim to the ruinous powers, nobody knows. But fell he did. The Empire’s loss was the Dark Gods’ gain, as Bloodaxe slaughtered untold numbers in their name.

The veteran warrior was loyal to Tebaud the Butcher during his failed leadership challenge and had been poised to become his second in command.

The pair travelled south together, with Bloodaxe defending his wounded master on many occasions. They would go on to assemble and lead this small band of misfits and outcasts, with the longer-term aim of returning north to seize control of their former regiment.

Points: 66

Quality: 3+

Combat: 4

Special: Combat Master, Heavy Armour

Purchased from: Knightmare

Khongor: Beastman Shaman

Little is known about this sinister beastman shaman, other than the fact that he is ancient beyond comprehension, not to mention ruthless and deadly.

Even Tebaud himself is wary of the dark and malevolent powers possessed by Khongor. Whether he is blessed or cursed by the Dark Gods, who can really say. Perhaps they are one and the same?

It seems like Khongor is driven by a desire to destroy and despoil everything in his path, and joining forces with Tebaud gave him ample opportunity to do just that. There’s no loyalty or trust here, just a shared love of violence and vengeance on a weak world and its petty inhabitants.

Points: 38

Quality: 4+

Combat: 2

Special: Magic User

Purchased from: Knightmare

Bogshadow: Chaos Familiar

When Khongor joined Tebaud’s warband, he didn’t do so alone. The creature known as Bogshadow appears to act as some sort of familiar to the shaman.

This disturbing walking mushroom is said to have grown on a rocky plateau of warpstone, high up in the Realm of Chaos. A small, gibbering, and likely insane creature, its lack of size and fighting prowess is made up for by the fact that it can be highly poisonous to anyone in its vicinity.

Bogshadow does not leave its master’s side, so any foe wishing to pick it out as an easy target will also have Khongor’s magic staff to contend with.

The fungi also seems to be invincible, having once been hacked to pieces in a battle on the outskirts of Kislev. By the time the fighting was over, Bogshadow had completely repaired and regenerated itself, continuing on as though nothing had happened.

Points: 13

Quality: 5+

Combat: 2

Special: Poison

Purchased from: CP Models

Uglag Woodenleg: Goblin Archer

A once legendary goblin archer. Uglag was famed for the amount of dwarves he’d slain at range during long campaigns under the World’s Edge Mountains.

But as his renown grew, his guard lowered, and he was caught by surprise and nearly killed by a particularly angry Slayer. Uglag escaped from the frenzied axe-swinging minus one of his legs.

The impairment didn’t affect Uglag’s skills with a bow and arrow, but his inability to keep up with the rest of his raiding party made him a liability. A drunken has-been, he was relegated to training young and unruly goblins to take up the bow.

Dreams of fame and glory never left Uglag, though, and he slinked off into the darkness one night, never to return. He found an unlikely kindred spirit in Tebaud the Butcher, a fellow fallen hero who invited him to join his fledgeling warband. Uglag was only too glad to accept, and to get back to doing what he does best.

Points: 39

Quality: 4+

Combat: 2

Special: Shooter (Medium), Assassin, Short Move

Purchased from: Knightmare

Grotti Gutsticker: Goblin Archer

A former pupil of Uglug’s, Grotti Gutsticker is an unremarkable archer with a remarkable appetite for gold.

When his old mentor drunkenly announced that he was off to chase the deeds and glories of his past, Gutsticker begged to tag along.

After a few years of working in-tow with his mentor, Gutsticker can shoot an arrow where it needs to go – most of the time. However, his real passion is in the looting of bodies once the dust has settled. Sometimes even before the dust has settled.

This greedy goblin is barely tolerated by those he’d call his comrades. Aside from Uglag, who relies heavily on him to keep his supply of alcohol flowing.

Points: 18

Quality: 4+

Combat: 2

Special: Shooter (Medium), Greedy

Purchased from: Knightmare

Jakub Daemonhands: Mutant Raider

Born to God-fearing peasants who left him in the woods to die, it was clear that little Jakub had the attention of somewhat darker Gods than those of his parents.

But this four-armed mutant was discovered and raised by a herd of beastmen, who worshipped him like some sort of diety.

Daemonhands was bigger and stronger than most men by the time he reached his thirteenth summer. His temper was explosive, and he murdered most of the herd that had raised him during one particularly violent tantrum.

The mutant became a loner and raider, ambushing and slaughtering everyone from travelling merchants, to entire warbands.

Tebaud’s party were one such warband to be targetted by Daemonhands. And, although he was defeated, the Butcher was so impressed with the fight put up that he spared his life in exchange for his oath.

Points: 35

Quality: 4+

Combat: 4

Special: Free Disengage

Purchased from: Knightmare

Festus the Flea-bitten: Beastman Mercenary

An old Nurgle-worshipping mercenary, Festus the Fleabitten is a diseased and pestilent beastman.

Though the others in the warband often joke that his smell is a more potent weapon than his skill with a blade, Festus is tough.

His swordwork may be slow and steady, with no flair and certainly no finesse, but Festus is rarely phased by any wounds he takes in the process.

Even the sharpest swords and axes seem to do little damage to his thick mangy hide, and he soon tires his opponents out with his relentless stamina.

Festus claims he once lead his own band of warriors to glory many aeons ago, but the rest of the warband take this claim with a pinch of salt.

Points: 45

Quality: 4+

Combat: 3

Special: Tough

Purchased from: Knightmare

What’s Next?

In my next post I’ll be talking more about the campaign story – where they’ll be fighting, who they’ll be fighting, and why. The aim is for each battle to reveal a bit more about each character’s backstory too, as well as spin the web of their fate going forward. SoBaH campaign rules mean that some of them might not make it all the way to the end…

Update: Check out the warband’s first encounter on the tabletop – The Massacre at Middensbury

In the meantime, check out my recent posts on solo wargaming, miniature agnostic games, and populating a Lovecraftian dungeon.