Whilst going through some old documents on a thumb drive I found this background I had written for an Army I took to The Battlemasters Tournament 2018, the Oldest independant Kings of War Tournament in the UK, both myself and my Partner took Ogre Armies and having 5000 points of my army on the Table was impressive.
The Background was written to try and show that my armies have more thought put into them than just picking Meta units. Also I enjoyed doing it even then , when it wasn't even really a "Thing" for Kings of War. Still I hope you enjoy a blast from the past.
The open Steppe, two days ride North West of Skirnirak.
Kalnar turned in his saddle to wait until the rest of his patrol caught up with him , their heads bowed to the eternal wind that blew across the bleak steppes , He waited patiently until the young Nobleman in command of the small body of the Border Legion realised he was there and looked up , reining in his horse as he did so , “something to report Kalnar ?” he asked with an eyebrow raised and a quizzical lilt to his refined voice. Kalnar shifted uneasily and then pointed to the small pile of stones daubed red and white and garnished with a grotesque skull , The Nobleman merely stared at the sight and sidestepped his horse to look at the other side , as he did so the patrols Sergeant behind him saw the Cairn “Bollocks” he spat “That’s a Mahou warning marker, we must be in their Mammoth hunting grounds Sir , time to turn back” The Nobleman jerked his gaze away from the skull topped rockpile and gave the Sergeant a withering stare “ abandon two days of tracking and let those slave taking Twilight Kin scum free ? I rather think not Sergeant, we won’t be put off by painted rocks and a whatever it is skull!”
“Moloch” said Kalnar quietly “I beg your pardon?” the Nobleman said rounding on the Patrols Scout “What did you say?”
“Moloch, Sir, it’s a kind of Abyssal Warrior and the Mahou want you to know they can deal with them”
“Never the less we will continue to follow the Twilight Kin Slavers and recover the Townsfolk they took in their raid, it is our sworn Duty to ensure that ….What ?” he broke off as he realised the members of the patrol were staring beyond him , at that moment he became aware of a rumbling noise accompanied by a vibration he could feel in his backside coming up from the ground through his mount “what the ?” he said swinging round in his saddle , his mouth dropped open and he stared in awe at the sight of several huge Mammoths striding towards them , in front of them came the source of the rumbling as a dozen or so gigantic warriors rode chariots in advance of the mammoths, in the dust cloud could be seen the shapes of smaller mammoths laden with cargo , it was as if the whole steppe was moving.
“I think we should , err , return to Skirnirak” the Nobleman bleated “I think the Twilight Kin won’t be causing us any more problems” the patrol nodded and murmured their assent , they to had seen the bodies of the Evil Elf raiders dangling from the Mammoth’s Howdahs along side the fearsome Harpoon throwers they carried, without need for further orders the patrol turned their horses and raced away from the Ogre lands.
The Mahou Tribe Mammoth Hunters
Those of the Mahou Tribe that don’t travel South to seek employ as mercenaries take their place in the ranks of the Tribes other source of riches , the Mammoth Hunting Parties , these powerful groups of Ogres travel the Steppe in search of the Herds of wild Mammoths that graze there. Mammoths provide nearly everything the tribe needs, skin for clothes and tents, meat for food, Ivory for trade to get weapons and armour and, when tamed, transport and heavy lifting.
The Hunter parties are highly mobile as Mammoth herds can roam hundreds of miles across the trackless steppe. They consist of advance parties of Fleabag mounted Red Goblins that scout out the Herds location , then the Chariot mounted warriors will surround the herd and drive them towards the waiting Harpoon carrying Mammoths , thinking they are safe the Mammoths go happily towards the trap and it is only when the first Mammoths fall to the harpoons that they panic and try to escape , then the chariot warriors close in to finish off the herd, young mammoths are spare and domesticated while occasionally bull Mammoths are captured rather than killed for Ogre Chieftains to ride on. The butchering of the carcasses is carried out by the ever-present Red Goblin slaves who also carry the baggage and keep the chariots repaired and running, man (goblin?) the Mammoth mounted Harpoon guns.
This Force is typical of such a Hunting Party.
Red Goblin Scout Troops to find the Mammoth Herds, Chariot mounted Ogres to Corral the Herd and Hunters on foot to follow any stragglers into terrain the Chariots cannot negotiate, Harpoon carrying Mammoths to bring down the adults and Red Goblins ( complete with baggage animals) to butcher and store the results of a successful hunt.
