The oppressive heat of the Lustrian jungle clung to Piere the Young like a damp shroud. He wiped the sweat from his brow, his eyes straining against the encroaching darkness. Around him, the ruined temple-plaza of Huatl was a chaotic scene of men and horses. Instead of mounting up and riding for the coast, the Duc d’Lorrain had ordered his knights to dismount and pry the shimmering jade and gold artefacts from the moss-choked obelisks.
"My Liege, we must leave," Piere urged, his voice hushed but desperate. "The canopy grows too thick. The sun has set. We are blind here."
The Duc merely laughed, a harsh, greedy sound that echoed off the ancient stone, as he hoisted the magnificent Staff of Jade. "A few more moments, Piere! The King will shower us in glory for this haul!"
But Piere wasn't looking at the gold. He was looking at the treeline. The shadows between the vines seemed to be shifting. A low, rhythmic hissing filled the air, accompanied by the cold, reptilian scent of the deep jungle. They had lingered too long. The jungle had come alive, and they were completely surrounded.
Welcome, Warhammer fans, to what promises to be an absolute cracker of a Battle Report! Today Erik "CountOfVeronna" (Bretonnia) will fight Thomas "Tzunki_Tom" (Lizardmen) in our first battle report here on the blog!
Both generals wanted to start with a tribute to the 5th edition starter box, which will be the first step to build their armies for this match.
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| Although the campaign is played in 6th, we venerate the old gold |
Without further delay, here is the battle of today.
The year is 1847, and the haughty Duc d’Lorrain has financed an ill-advised expedition to the Lustrian coast. Forgoing any form of reconnaissance, the greedy Bretonnians plunged into the jungle, eventually uncovering the ruined pyramid city of Huatl. Distracted by the prospect of boundless booty, the men split up to pry shimmering jade and gold artefacts from the moss-choked obelisks, completely unaware of the doom closing in around them. High above, the planets have moved into a rare conjunction, flooding the Warhammer world with magical energy. Harnessing this power, the great Slann Mage-Priest Lord Mazdamundi has decreed that the warmbloods must be eradicated and their stolen treasures returned. As night falls over the oppressive, damp shroud of the jungle, the Lizardmen make their move.
DESCRIPTION OF THE SCENARIO
The battlefield is a claustrophobic 4x4 jungle board, dominated by a ruined temple-plaza in the centre. The oppressive heat clings to the knights like a damp shroud as they dismount to pry loose the last of the gold.
Then came the terrifying moment for the Bretonnians: rolling for the Escape Edge. The dice clattered across the tabletop and came up South. The psychological dread the Bretonnian player felt was palpable as the Lizardmen sprang their ambush, deploying their forces on the North, East, and West edges!
The peasant Hunters of Bordeleaux desperately try to hold the eastern flank near a ruined obelisk. Up on the South-Western Hill, the Western Jaw unit of Skink Skirmishers looms over the western escape route, joined by Xiin the Skink Priest, ready to rain poison over the jungle canopy.
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| Deploy zones in the map of the scenario |
SPECIAL SCENARIO RULES:
Under the Cover of Darkness (Storm of Chaos): At the start of each game turn, roll an Artillery dice and multiply the result by 3 to find out how far in inches the troops can see through the darkness. If you roll a Misfire, then the moon is bright enough for normal warfare for that game turn. You cannot shoot, charge, or cast spells at targets you cannot see.
Securing the Loot: For each objective marker held at the end of a player's turn, the controlling army is awarded 25 Victory Points.
THE GENERALS' BRIEFINGS
Both generals will build their armies from the 5th edition starting box plus a couple of heroes each, reaching the size of ~700 pts per army. This is perfect for a claustrophobic, heavy-terrain filled introductory jungle scenario.
CountOfVeronna (Bretonnian Commander): "These steaming jungles are a foul, uncivilised place, but the gold we have prized from these ruined stones will make us richer than the King! The frog-men buzz in the night like mosquitoes, but they are no match for the flower of Bretonnian chivalry. My expeditionary force is a hard-hitting, compact sledgehammer. I am relying on the absolute devastating power of our Lance Formation to shatter whatever primitive ambush they attempt. I have deployed a skirmish screen of Peasant Bowmen to pepper the undergrowth and draw out their beasts. We shall ride them down, claim our rightful plunder, and set sail for glory!"
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| Army list of the Bretonnian Expedition (created with NewRecruit). For a text version see end of the post |
Tzunki_Tom (Lizardman Commander): "The warmbloods defile the sacred plaques of the Old Ones, and tonight, they pay the blood price. My plan revolves around using the dense jungle terrain and the Night Fighting rules to my absolute advantage. With their vision and charge ranges limited in the dark, I can creep my forces perilously close without eating a dreaded Bretonnian lance charge. The true anvil of my force, Quntael's block of twenty Saurus Warriors, will deploy carefully on the open grass to block the southern escape route. I will lead the rage of the heavens from the North, baiting them with my Skinks, tarpitting their knights in a prolonged melee to strip away their charge bonuses, and letting the jungle do the rest."
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| Army list of the Guardians of Huatl (created with NewRecruit). For a text version see end of the post |
DEPLOYMENT
The battlefield was a dense 4x4 board dominated by a large, overgrown temple complex in the dead center. The Bretonnians deployed first, clustering tightly around the four Loot Tokens scattered across the ruins. The Peasant Bowmen formed a loose perimeter, peering into the gloom.
The forces deployed exactly as the spatial sequence dictated, anticipating the bloody breakout:
- West Ruin: The Bowmen of Bordeleaux (BoB) garrison the crumbling stonework.
- Center [TEMPLE]: The Looters of the Duc (LotD) face South-West with Pière the Battle Standard Bearer, while The Duc's Vanguard (TdV), led by the Duc himself, faces South-East.
- East Ruin: The Hunters of Bordeleaux (HoB) hold the eastern flank.
Then came the terrifying moment for the Bretonnians: rolling for the Escape Edge. The dice clattered across the table and came up South. The psychological dread the Bretonnian player felt was palpable. With the escape route determined, the Lizardmen sprang their ambush, deploying their forces on the North, East, and West edges.
- South-West Hill: The Southern Riders loom over the western escape route. Xiin the Skink Priest is with them.
- North: The Northern Riders advance from the northern edge.
- South-East Grass: The Saurus Warriors deploy in the open, ready to march into the gap.
The cold-blooded guardians materialised from the shadows of the tree line, perfectly cutting off the southern escape route. The trap was sprung; the Bretonnians were entirely encircled by cold-blooded killers.
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| Initial deployment: Bretonnians in the ruins of the middle, the jaws of the jungle in north, east and west. |
TURN-BY-TURN ACCOUNT
TURN 1: THE TRAP IS CLOSING
Under the Cover of Darkness: The first roll of the game comes up as a 2, meaning visibility is restricted to a mere 6" (15cm)!
Bretonnians: Ignorant of the creeping doom, the greedy Bretonnians keep looting the temples! The peasants hastily pivot to face the rustling in the northern undergrowth but hold the heavy cover of the ruins, while the proud knights face south, refusing to acknowledge the threat of mere skinks.
Securing the Loot: Lingering at the ruins pays off in gold; the Bretonnians hold 4 markers this turn, generating a solid 4x25 Victory Points.
Lizardmen: The cold-blooded ambush springs into action! The Northern Jaw marches through the dense vegetation, gaining soft cover. The Western and Eastern Jaws close the distance, unleashing a rain of poisoned darts. Despite the darkness and dense jungle severely hampering their aim, the skinks score several auto-wounding Poisoned Attacks. However, the magnificent heavy armour, shields, and barding of the Bretonnian warhorses provide an impenetrable 2+ Armour Save, and the darts harmlessly ping off their steel plates!
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| End of turn 1: The Bretonnians loot, the Jaws close the trap around them. |
TURN 2: RAINFOREST OF ARROWS... AND POISONED DARTS!
Under the Cover of Darkness: The moon breaks through the canopy! A spectacular roll of 6 increases the visibility to a massive 18" (45cm).
Bretonnians:
The Duc scoffs at the ambush: "That’s it? That’s all you can do? Buzzing in the night like mosquitoes? Let me grab more gold and jewels, for the glory of the Lady, and we will be richer than the King! Go forth and show them!"
While the Duc remains looting, the Vanguard Knights thunder into the Bronze Shields of Yermict to cover his inevitable retreat. The Gallant boldly challenges the Scar-Veteran Quntael, drawing first blood, but Quntael's Biting Blade strikes back with lethal force, inflicting two wounds and instantly killing the Gallant. The remaining knights fell two Saurus, lose the combat, but pass their Break Test thanks to the Battle Standard Bearer.
Securing the Loot: The Looters of the Duc secure 3 markers this turn to generate another 3x25 VPs.
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| Turn 2 of the Bretonnian players: shoots, charges and the first blood is spilled! |
Lizardmen: From the shadows, the Skink Priest Xiin calls upon celestial magic, successfully casting The Comet of Casandora right in the center of the Looters of the Duc! A second volley of poisoned darts from the Western Jaw finally finds a weak spot, dragging one knight from his saddle. In the swirling melee, Quntael cuts down another Vanguard knight. Overwhelmed, the Bretonnian Vanguard fails a devastating Break Test and flees north!
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| Turn 2 of the Lizardmen: the Vanguard of the Duc flies north! |
TURN 3: THE HEAVENS FALL
Under the Cover of Darkness: Visibility drops slightly to 15" (40cm) as it begins to rain. Then, the storm clouds gather, and the Comet of Casandora strikes! The flaming celestial impact causes 4 wounds, bypassing heavy armour and instantly killing two more Looters of the Duc.
Bretonnians:
"We will not die here, my men! Not while we have a mission! This gold must reach the beautiful Bordeleaux, and by my sword it shall!"
Realizing the temple is a death trap, the Looters run south, charging the Western Jaw skinks, running them down and destroying them entirely. The Hunters of Bordeleaux march into the deep forest to bravely block the Saurus warriors.
Securing the Loot: Grabbing the last of the treasure before fleeing, the Bretonnians claim 2 markers this turn, adding a final 2x25 VPs to their running hoard (for a massive total of 9x25 VPs from objectives).
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| Turn 3 of the Bretonnians: the Comet of Casandora falls over the Looters of the Duc, which run and destroy the annoying Skinks of the Southern Jaw! |
Lizardmen: Xiin unleashes his wrath again, casting a second Comet of Casandora over the Bowmen of Bordeleaux. The Eastern Jaw charges the Hunters in the jungle, but the peasants unleash a brutal Stand and Shoot reaction, dropping three skinks in their tracks. The peasants win the ensuing melee, sending the surviving reptiles fleeing into the dark!
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| Turn 3 of the Lizardmen: Action in the south-east. The brave Skinks attempt a suicide charge against the Hunters, which becomes a dissaster. |
TURN 4: CLEANING THE JUNGLE
Under the Cover of Darkness: Visibility remains at a clear 18" (45cm). Suddenly, Xiin's second Comet impacts the ruins! Flaming stones crush four peasants, and the Bowmen of Bordeleaux fail their Panic Test and run in absolute terror.
Bretonnians: To avenge their tarnished honor and cover the escape, the Vanguard Knights charge back into the Lizardmen. It is a bloody clash where another knight is devoured, but the distraction works perfectly. The Hunters and the Duc abandon the jungle at a fast pace, running to the southern beach with their hard-won loot.
Securing the Loot: The treasure is now mobile! The objective markers are abandoned as the Bretonnians focus entirely on escaping with what they've already secured.
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| Turn 4 of the Bretonnians: The Knights of The Duc's Vanguard comes back! This second charge buys time for the rest of the Bretonnians prepare the escape with the loot. The Bowmen of Bordeleaux rally in fear. |
Lizardmen: The Eastern Jaw rallies from their panic. In the grinding central combat, a desperate knight's lance (surely guided by the Lady) strikes true, bringing the mighty Scar-Veteran Quntael crashing into the mud with a primal roar! Vengeful Saurus warriors immediately massacre the last of the Vanguard. The rain stops.
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| Turn 4 of the Lizardmen: The Skinks of the Northern leaded by Xiin pursue the terrified Bowmen, while the Saurus slaugher the remaining Knights of the Vanguard. |
TURN 5: RUN TO THE BEACH
Under the Cover of Darkness: Darkness completely envelops the jungle, reducing visibility to a mere 9" (24cm).
Bretonnians: Under the stifling black canopy, the Looters and the Duc make their final push to the edge of the jungle. A lone, frenzied Skink blocks their path, but the Hunters unleash a swift volley of arrows, sending the creature sinking into a pool of mud.
Lizardmen: The remaining Saurus warriors can only watch as the warmbloods slip away toward the shore...
TURN 6: THE END
"As Turn 6 begins, the sun rises, bringing the smell of salt and water. A cannon shot from the waiting Bretonnian fleet signals salvation. Dozens of cold-blooded silhouettes emerge from the treeline, roaring in rage at the profanation of their sacred vaults. The Bretonnians have paid a terrible price in blood, but it is time to leave Lustria once and for all."
RESULT & AFTERMATH
As the dust settled in the humid ruins, the points were tallied based on standard 6th Edition rules and the custom scenario conditions.
VICTORY POINTS TALLY (Final Ledger)
Scenario: The Greed of Huatl (Prologue)
Victory Conditions: Standard 6th Edition Victory Points + Scenario Objectives
| Target / Objective | Mechanical Condition | Victory Points (VP) |
|---|---|---|
| The Loot (Scenario Markers) | Scenario Objective (Held 4 in Turn 1, 3 in Turn 2, 2 in Turn 3) | 225 |
| Scar-Veteran Quntael | Slain Character (Close Combat) | 142 |
| Western Jaw Skinks | Destroyed Unit (Run down in Close Combat) | 60 |
| Eastern Jaw Skinks | Below Half Strength (Casualties from Stand & Shoot and Melee) | 30 |
| BRETONNIAN TOTAL | 457 | |
| Target / Objective | Mechanical Condition | Victory Points (VP) |
|---|---|---|
| The Duc's Vanguard | Destroyed Unit (Massacred in Close Combat) | 168 |
| The Duc's Vanguard | Captured Standard (Acquired during Close Combat) | 100 |
| Looters of the Duc | Below Half Strength (Casualties from Poison and Magic) | 84 |
| Bowmen of Bordeleaux | Fled the Battlefield (Panicked by Comet of Casandora) | 77 |
| LIZARDMEN TOTAL | 429 | |
[Archivist's Note]: The final Victory Point difference is only 28 points in favor of the Bretonnian Expedition. Under standard 6th Edition tournament rules, a VP difference of less than 10% of the total game size (less than 200 pts in a 2,000 pt game, or less than 70 pts in this 700 pt skirmish) constitutes a Draw.
PLAYERS' CONCLUSIONS & LEARNING POINTS
CountOfVeronna (Bretonnian Commander): "A victory? It feels more like a slaughter! The dice were absolutely horrible when it mattered most, and those accursed peasants fleeing at the first sign of a celestial bombardment left my flanks totally exposed. The Lance Formation is a sledgehammer, but a sledgehammer is useless when swung in a swamp. We secured the gold, yes, and that final, miraculous lance thrust against their scaled General saved our honour, but at what cost? My magnificent Vanguard is gone, my men are exhausted, and we still have to march through miles of this wretched, hostile jungle just to reach the safety of the fleet. We are rich, but I am dreading what lurks in the shadows ahead..."
Tzunki_Tom (Lizardman Commander): "Just as the Old Ones planned! The warmbloods may think they have won a 'victory' today, but they are utterly blind to the reality of their situation. Using the terrain to funnel them into a restricted escape route worked perfectly, and we successfully tarpitted their deadly knights, bleeding them dry in the dark. Yes, they managed to flee the ruins with the sacred plaques and the Staff of Jade, but that heavy burden will only slow their retreat. They are battered, their numbers are shattered, and they are still deep within our domain. Let them run. The fury of the jungle is awake, and Sotek's hunger is not yet sated. We will claim the stolen gold before they ever see their ships!"
Man of the Match: Hunters of Bordeleaux. Despite being lowly peasants, this unit performed incredibly well and exceeded expectations. They bravely marched into the deep forest to block the deadly Saurus warriors. When charged by the Eastern Jaw skinks, they unleashed a brutal Stand and Shoot reaction that dropped three attackers, won the ensuing close combat, and sent the surviving reptiles fleeing into the dark. Finally, under the stifling black canopy, they cleared the last obstacle for the Bretonnian escape by shooting down a lone, frenzied Skink blocking the path to the beach.
REPLAYING THE SCENARIO
Both army lists were built and mathematically validated using the Karak Norn New Recruit 6th Edition repository. The raw lists are archived below.
For the complete version of the report, including the raw dice math and Combat Resolution calculations, review the Archive audit: The Greed of Huatl in the vault.
The Campaign Begins: This is the first battle of the incoming campaign, A Dark Conspiracy, which will be played throughout 2026 by the Karak Norn Wargaming Club… and all the players worldwide who wish to join the quest! Visit the Campaign Hub to log your own games.
Army Rosters (700 Pts)
Expand Expedition & Guardian Forces
Bretonnian Expedition
- General: Paladin (134 pts) - Heavy Armour, Shield, Barded Bretonnian Warhorse, Sword of the Quest, Questing Vow.
- Hero: Paladin Battle Standard Bearer (74 pts) - Heavy Armour, Barded Bretonnian Warhorse, Knights Vow.
- Core: 6 Knights of the Realm (168 pts) - Lances, Heavy Armour, Shields, Barded Warhorses. Full Command (Gallant).
- Core: 12 Peasant Bowmen (84 pts) - Long Bows, Defensive Stakes. Skirmishers.
- Core: 12 Peasant Bowmen (77 pts) - Long Bows. Musician.
Guardians of Huatl
- General: Skink Priest (100 pts) - Level 2 Wizard. Spells: Second Sign of Amul, Comet of Casandora.
- Hero: Saurus Scar-Veteran (142 pts) - Light Armour, Biting Blade, Battle Standard Bearer, Blessed Spawning of Sotek.
- Core: 20 Saurus Warriors (270 pts) - Hand Weapons, Shields. Full Command (Spawning Champion).
- Core: 10 Skink Skirmishers (60 pts) - Blowpipes.
- Core: 10 Skink Skirmishers (60 pts) - Blowpipes.
- Core: 12 Skink Skirmishers (72 pts) - Blowpipes.
