Ironweld Arsenal: Faction Expansion (Narrative and Warscrolls)

[Turin Turambar]

Since I think the weld are supposed to be fairly well-educated members of a city, in that the Ironweld has spent a fair bit of resources teaching them duardin, and most like how to read and write, as well as how to make and operate their relatively expensive equipment. I, therefore, think Ironweld should not get any real chaff units (middling units at worst), why would the Ironweld use their relatively expensive members as chaff when free guild is both cheaper and more willing (and free guild are already a gunpowder armed chaff army anyway). However I do think there is a possibility for Outriders and a new unit which are basically dismounted outriders to have both Free guild and Ironweld keywords, the fluff being they are free guild members given the necessary training to use more complex weapons and thus are honorary Ironweld members and are more likely to fight alongside Ironweld.

 

Pure Ironweld…

 

For Battlelines;

• the first should be ‘Ironweld sappers’ (or perhaps called ‘combat engineers/pioneers’), armed with repeater handguns, regular blunderbuss, and grenade launching crossbows (like in ww1), as well as sachel/demolition charges (which could be thrown in the hero phase) and entrenching tools (sharpened shovels and pick-axes). Armor should be decent but not too good (5+ at best), standard battle line if Ironweld. These gies are a mixture of humans and duardin, though mostly human. These gies are young Ironweld members deployed to build defencive works and blow up obstacles (includeing the enemy). A ‘caster’ type unit, it could use casting type mechanics to summon/build terrian features (in a similar way to wild woods), but its not magic so it can’t be blocked, but had to be placed very close to the unit. The sprue can also be made into the Ironweld’s other infantry unit (which I’ll call Ironweld grenadiers).

Terrain they can ‘build’ can be trenches/gun pits which add cover to friendly units (adding to any existing cover they may also be useing), aswell as laying ‘minefields’ (can blow up any units/etc that enter it, even friendlys [unless an engineer or sapper is within x inches])and ‘barbwire and cowtrop fields’ (which just slow the enemy a lot, but can give them a wound per model on 6/5+/-/1), this unit’s main benefitt is the ability to possibly change the battlefield, aswell as an ok (if a bit slow due to the weight of equipment and short range) infantry unit.

Basically fantasy version of this gie.

• The second should be ‘light gun sections’, basically 1-3 light artillery pieces. A new kit, allowing for a Gatling gun type, a light mortar type (or perhaps light rocket), a infantry cannon type and velocity cannon. Small crews and overall low wounds, these gies allow a player to make a true gunline/artillery park army. The gattling gun will basically be a handgun with more shots (16” range, 3+ to wound, -1 rend, 1 damage), rocker/mortar will be a weaker hellstorm (2 shots instead of 3, and 4+ to wound, D3 max wounds), infantry cannon will be hellblaster stats but less shots (as its more like a small organ gun, D3 shots, rather than D6, also 4+ to wound), the velocity cannon meanwhile will a low caliber high-velocity cannon, designed to kill monsters, 1 shot, 3+ to hit (high velocity guns are generally quite acurate), 3+ to wound with -2 rend (designed to pen the armor of monsters and dragons) 2 damage (as its a small shell). The unit (well crew) will be combined with the gun (in the stats like modern artillery) and be armed with pistols (both for regular shooting an melee) can be ungraded for crew to be armed with repeating pistols or handguns.

Conditional battle line:

• ‘Light steam tanks’, i have always been a fan of 1930s to early 40s light tanks and armored cars, this is basically it. Not normally battleline but if  you take a steam tank hero it becomes battle line. Units of 1-4. For a description its basically a sentinel sized (as it will allow some nice 40k kitbashing) steam tank with only the turret (which is the same turret as the normal steam tank), sort of like a steam C&C scorpion tank. 7 wounds (as its small enough to get cover in terrian) and 4+ save. Weapons can be steam cannon, gattling gun (for mass rend -1), infantry cannon (or high explosives), or velocity cannon (for monster killing) the regular steam tank will also have these options (but gains the rule, large ammo racks, which allows it to re-roll ones), tank commander will be armed the same as current tank but also has the option to get a lance (as its turret is closer to the ground). This is probably small behemoth scale. Can add front mounted blade (for extra melee attacks) Tracks or wheels options (tracks are slower but get more melee attacks and can run in terrian, wheels can’t run in terrian but otherwise faster) orginal steam tank gets upgrade sprue added (for general mount, new weapons and track options)

Scorpion tank for referance, imagine something roughly like this, but with steam tank turret and a steam engine in the bask...

Steam tank tracks can look like this...

• Gyrocopter, same as is but with upgrade sprue for more weapons options (rockets), becomes battleline if general’s mount is a gyrocopter.

So you can be like...

Units

• Gun section (compiling existing 4 artillery into 1 unit same gun stats, crew now have pistols and upgrades), each section gets 1-2 guns of the same type) can add extra crew (5+ to shoot again, battalions that have 6 to shoot twice, become 4+), still counts as artillery so limited 4 units (but now can have 8 guns)

• Gyrobomber, same as before but now gets more weapon options

• Steam tank, changes already detailed in ‘light steam tank’ for turret, and tracks/wheels. Also more options for hull cannon, new upgrade sprue also adds option for assault tank.

• mining/siege drill, new steam tank kit. siege drill tank, which allows units to undermine and pop up anywhere (with restrictions)

Steam powered version of this

• Assault tank, steam tank but no turret and a larger hull gun.

• Duel kit with light tank, Ironwld carrier transport (10 passengers), can take in units (so a unit of 3 can carry a unit of 30 infantry, or tow 3 guns).

• New duel kit, builds machanical beast cavalry, 1 shooter and 1 charger. Heavier then outriders, not as tough as the steam tanks (but faster) and not as dangerous as demigryph (can’t think of good stats right now)

• Lastly the 2nd part of the sapper’s kit, Ironweld grenadiers. Smaller backpacks and perhaps different heads. They are armed with the same weapons (but can also take long rifles [all models], blunderbuss grenade launchers, steamthrowers (like flame throwers but steam). Also have pistols and all have swords for melee. Still have demolition packs. Basically more elite sappers with less kit to lug around but no terrain abilities. Slightly more duardin then sappers.

• Last unit, behemoth ‘artillery’ see picture below...

 

4 heros, all have engineer keyword, and thus all give buffs to all the war machines (entire army save for the infantry), can ‘generals’ also give buffs to all units

Human engineer (gunmaster)

Duardin engineer (cogsmith)

Human ‘general’ (Ironmaster), can mount in steam tank (or mechanized beast?)

Duardin ‘general’ (runesmith?), can mount in gyrocopter (or light steam tank?)

 

this allows for mass tank, mass helicopter and mass artillery builds, aswell as mixed forces.



 

[Melcavuk]

Those seem interesting but radically different to what I am trying to do here. I think it would be interesting to see what you can come up with in regards to those plans but in general the concept of more Industrial Nobles/serfs has been largely well received and I am proud of what we have managed to create. To take such a divergent approach into armoured company (40k term but apt) at this stage would move me entirely in the opposite direction of where I would like to be.

 

That is not to say the approach we have taken is “right” but it is our imagining of the Weld.

[Aden]

Hmm, I've been thinking War Machine minis might make decent proxies for anybody looking to imitate this work without converting. I hope that Army Bundle don't sell out when I get more hobby money...

[Melcavuk]

With 12 models left to paint before my 1500 point test play force is ready for the table I figured it was time to look into the concepts behind the list and options I have taken in order to get the broadest feedback possible:

THE MIDNIGHT TOLL

Allegiance: Ironweld Arsenal
House Allegiance: Midnight City

LEADERS

The Midnight Aspirant (220)
My named character build and the personality behind the Midnight City I'm excited to see what the Midnight Aspirant can do on the battlefield, a decent force buff in terms of resilience she is pivotal in getting the army across the battlefield.

Ironsworn Templar (260)
My original monstrous walker for the army, felt like the most natural of generals as its the model that started it all.
General
Command Trait: Artisan Engineer - Allows the model to repair a unit per turn as though he were an engineer, this can be used on any Cogwork unit including himself (also the Ironduke, Cogstriders)
Heraldry of the Midnight City - Allows friendly Weldguard within range to ignore wounds or mortal wounds on a 6.

Master of Shot (80)
A decent backfield general able to provide buffs to the less mobile units within the army, his command ability works well with the Riflemen unit within the army and he makes a good choice to occupy the Cogfort.
Masterwork Design: Refinced Ocular Artifices - Allows friendly units nearby to ignore the cover bonus granted to enemy units in the shooting phase
Command Trait: Leader of Men (Second character granted a command trait from city of midnight allegiance) - Add to the save rolls of friendly Weld Guard units within range as they lock into formation

Ironduke Coghauler (300)
A steamtank hero, able to provide a sizable amount of shooting down the field whose command trait increases the speed of all Cogwork units
Artificer Cogwork: Ironbark Bulwark - Granted in the same manner as mount traits this allows him to ignore the first point of rend from any attacks
Heraldry of the Midnight City - Allows friendly Weldguard within range to ignore wounds or mortal wounds on a 6.

BATTLELINE

Weld Militia x 10 (90) - The first of the infantry warscrolls I had devised, they are a back field support unit who can be used to replenish wounds on the Helblaster, lacking in armour save but cheap and with reasonable firepower they will form a gun battery alongside the Helblaster.

Weld Riflemen x 20 (200) - Biggest unit in the army and the last one to be painted, their pressure rifles provide a short optimal range but when combined with the Master of Shot can be a serious threat.

Weld Phalanx x 10 (100) - The only infantry unit in the army that wants to join the Cogworks in combat, best on the defense their aim is to secure an objective an repel any chargers seeking to take advantage of the other units weakness to melee.

OTHER

Cogstrider Lancers (120) - Midspeed assault unit with some pistol shooting, they are the flanker unit of the army able to run and shoot in the same turn. These will provide the combat support for the Templar and Aspirant when they reach combat. Lethal on the charge but not much after that they are meant to finish a combat in the turn they charge.
Heraldry of the Midnight City - Allows friendly Weldguard within range to ignore wounds or mortal wounds on a 6.

ARTILLERY

Ironweld Helblaster Volleygun (120) - A classic unit of the Empire, now with a redone Ironweld Arsenal scroll able to put serious fire down the field without risking its crew dying and leaving just an expensive paperweight.

 

[Melcavuk]

New temporary cover for the battletome borrowing on some existing Hammerhal artwork, and considering the potential for purchasable defensive scenery in lieu of endless spells, from palisades to embedded spears, gyrocopter scouts and field surgery etc.  What do people think?

[Melcavuk]

New full colour 2.0 warscrolls

[Melcavuk]

Reworked the Cogsmith warscroll including a new command ability to summon in air support from a Gyrocopter, his revised scroll now clocks in at 120!
 

[khadgar567]

you know adding a bit of color to war scroll works magnificently new versions of the war scroll looks like it's one or two steps be ready for publishing nice f ing work for just one man job.

[Melcavuk]

Adding to background:

 

When God of Gods, Master Craftsmen and Smithy of Azyr Grungi first stoked the fires of the foundries he started an industrial revolution that spread like wildfire across the Realms. From every corner of the far flung reaches came a tide of craftsmen, smithies and artisans that they might study beneath the master and learn even a sliver of his prowess to take their peoples innovations forward into the new age. Mortal and God alike, and all those that fell between made the pilgrimage to the forges of Grungi, toiling hard day and night as apprentices to take the smallest amount of the Duardin Gods workload away from him that he might have time to vital impart knowledge to their kin.

 

Whilst many  left Azyr once more having learnt enough to provide their people advancements to serve them over the coming centuries there were those who instead sought to stay behind. They were the most loyal, most dedicated of the apprentices of Grungi, yet even their number began to dwindle as age or ailment wore down once deft and skilful hands and dulled their minds to the new learnings to be imparted. Amongst those remaining but a handful could resist the attrition of age, those born of divine heritage of possessing power enough to rival the demi gods of the Realm, it was then as the numbers of the mortals grew ever slimmer that these divine beings came into power of their own. In each other they found a strength of unity of purpose, to have toiled alongside each other the long centuries there was a certain (if at time begrudging) respect shared between them. And though none could rival the true master of the forge they came together to pool their knowledge into a Pantheon unto themselves, that they might travel where Grungi could not to share his learnings with those they had deemed worthy. It was in this Golden Age that the Pantheon of the forge was formed, born of Duardin, Men and Aelven demi-gods and artisans of their craft.

 

Though such timeless beings called Azyr home they often travelled beyond the city under many guises , each seeking out different cultures and known under a hundred names their teachings can be used to perhaps shed some light on who these divine artisans had once been.

 

To the scholars, philosophers and warrior mages came Askror, the Golden Prince. Once hailed as the Demigod of Hysh and credited to be the found of the Factory City of Cor Temporis. His teachings focused around the arts of Metallurgy and Alchemy, it is said that his visage inspired the golden idols found in the now forsaken pyramids of the tribes of Ghur before their wild and unruly ways slighted the more scholarly of god. It is perhaps this rebuke by the ignorant savages of the greater realms that lead him to seek refuge amongst the monks and scholars that made up the populace of Hysh.

To the innovators who sought progress without hinderance of morality or mortality came Dammik-Morr, Demigod of Shyish. It is said he had once founded the fortress empire  of Cor Maledictus before the headsmen of Nagash sought to claim him as their prize, it was this then that spurred the darkened God to seek refuge in Azyr, ever looking over his shoulder for the armies of Death seeking to drag him to the Oubliette. His talents focused around the macabre arts of Bonecraft engineering., utilising the one thing in abundance in all the Realm to engineer his creations, death. Known to be cold and distant, ever paranoid since his banishment from Shyish by Nagash, though he sought sanctuary within Azyr but never fully integrated. At odds with both the living and the dead his followers share his sense of isolation when outside of the heavy mists and comforting macabre atmosphere of Shyish.

In the hardy and desolate plains of Chamon came Rok, the Mason of the Iron Mountains. Hailed by the Duardin as one of the lesser Demigods of Chamon, and founder of the mountain refuge of Cor Esoteris. In all his guises Rok has been depicted as  volcanic in appearance and temperament, ever coursing with the power of the Esoteris volcano in which is shrine had been founded. He built up a fierce reputation for acts of violent destruction to rival the titans of destruction, able to harness the volcanic energies to create magma cannons and explosives to rival even the hammer blow of Sigmar.

The roaming nomadic tribes of Aqshy speak of the god Grongar, the Living Flame. Known to them as the Light of Aqshy, and founder of the artisan spires of Cor Insendires. One of the more arcane inclines of the gods it is said he imparted the powers of Fire shaping to his followers, able to summon and entrance elementals of the flame to do their bidding and fight wars without have risking their own live. An arcane smithy  and master of the runic forges the beating Forgeheart of the cities of the modern Ironweld still bear the mark of Grongar, a reminder to a distance past that for many has slipped from memory.

Perhaps one of the most remarkable came the Aelven demi-god Marak, The Steel Vinelord. One of the many Demigods of the vibrant landscapes of Ghyran, founder of Cor Vivistus. Able to coax and grow metal as though it were a living thing without ever leaving the scar of industry on the fragile skin of the realm he could conjure whole cities that weaved and coursed through the forests in blissful synergy. The chronicles of the Living City claim he was once to be a suitor to the Goddess Alarielle herself but instead was rebuked as she found him to be as cold an imitation as the metallic vines he cultivated. It is rumoured this heartbreak shattered the fledgling demigod, falling to his knees amongst the forest he buried his hands amongst the dirt and wept tears that coursed as a river of metal. Many credit the Ironbark forests having sprung up from the tears shed in his years of mourning, coursing with the power of the young god, indeed even in the modern realms shrines to Marak can be found in many of the Ironbark groves, a testament to his lasting legacy amongst the populace of Ghyran.

Finally came Emmanuel, The Forgotten One- Human Demigod of Azyr, Shepherd of the lost and unloved. Founder of the Fractured Welds he sought to unite hundreds of states abandoned by the other gods those his kin had once taken under their wing only to be disappointed by their failures and left to fend for themselves defenceless against the many dangers of the realms. In this modern realms Emmanuel is the only demigod who still shows his face, and even then only at the most dire of times.  Seen in many a guise from the haggard traveller to the lone soldier defending caravans of refugees, it would seem he has never truly relinquished his task of shepherding those most needy of souls.

 

 

For an age the divided empires of the Ironweld each grew and flourished, though once formed of a common school of thought each god sought to impart their own personal teachings on an empire that would stand testament to their greatness and a legacy that might outlast them within the realms. This petty rivalry between the pantheon spurred each to spread their knowledge far and wide, imparting all they could to any they saw as worthy in order to outdo their kin and gain and following the dwarf any of the rest of the Pantheon. Such thoughts however were simply short sighted, the competition between the gods did not go unnoticed by the growing cultures that they had cultivated, their mortal empires instead interpreting the rivalry as another of their divine teachings, each seeking to outdo those who might encroach on their growing kingdoms, it was then unfortunate that conflict had bored its way into the very central foundations of the fledgling Ironweld empire, bestowed from flawed divinity there seemed little to steer their followers from an increasingly hostile road.

 

In this Age the pantheon continued to flit from Azyr to the outer reaches of the Realms, often spending years away from the forges of Heaven that they might wander amongst those who revered them above all else. These trips served little more than to please the egos of the divine and yet with immortality there is often little more to do than service ones own ego. It was then, when news of the passing of Grimnir reached the Azyrite city that the Pantheon of the forge were all found to be absent and perhaps fortunately so, in his rage and mourning the great god Grungis wrath seemingly knew little bounds. Some claim that the Duardin Gods howl of grief shook the very mountains of the realms, coursing as though a hurricane through every gate that led to the Realms of Heaven. Legends even tell of the first Cogforts of the Ironweld straining against this relentless force of sorrow, bending against the wind before pulling themselves from the very earth that held them that they might escape it. Grungis wrath erupted upon the blossoming factory districts of Azyr that had sprung up around his mighty forge, tearing through timber and masonry as a force of nature as his very footfalls shattered the cobbled paths that wound through the district.

 

When sorrow overtook wrath the wounds the God of forge had wrought upon the forges of Azyr were grievous, once the heart of an Ironweld empire there was little to be found but grief and devastation in the city of Heaven. From their distant travels word reached the Pantheon of the Forge of Grungis act, perhaps interpreting the devastation as some personal slight, or fearing reprisal for their absence during his grief, each knew that their return to the Azyrite city was no longer possible indeed with so little remaining of the forges they had built there the city was simply no longer the home they had once forged. It was with heavy hearts that the Pantheon instead retired to the capitols of their Factory Empires, each choosing to take seat upon the greatest shrines to their glory that they might steer their empires individually as all thought of unity had been shattered in the forges of Azyr.

 

In these days, with heavy hearts the Cogforts came to dominance, each God fearing the wrath that Grungi might still bring down upon them could never truly feel safe in cities that great God had known of. Instead they cultivated mighty fortresses of stone and steel that might wander the Realms, ever gaining distance from the heart of Azyr and the God they had abandoned in his time of need. Whilst to the Gods these ingenious innovations were a method of flight from sorrow to their mortal descendants the Cogforts were weapons of immense strategic value, fortifications able to carry garrison and armaments to distant battles and deployable within mere hours rather than the weeks it would take a foe to assemble a ramshackle defence.

 

Each of the young empires sought to use their new arsenal to fuel rapid expansion, in the shifting plains of Hysh the young House of Oran founded the city of Cor Temporis, formed of hundreds of Cogforts walking in tandem, towering high above the mountains as it made it way across the Realm. In Shyish Dammik-Morr sought to raise an empire that might protect him from the ever growing forces of Nagash, surrounding himself with Cogforts in their dozens that they might form some bulwark to slow the advance of the ever patient God of death. With every passing decade new cities and empires sprung up in the name of the Pantheon of the Forge, each a legend and innovation in their own right, yet in Azyr once heart of the Weld there were those who sought to restore the workshops that had been destroyed, under the teachings of Grungi alone the Azyrite houses of the Ironweld were formed.

 

 

 

[Melcavuk]

Played some fantastic test games of my work in progress Ironweld Battletome against a flesh eater courts army today. In the first match I managed to get utterly savaged by my opponent, baited into spending far too long fighting ghouls and horrors who kept respawning and blocked out of range of his courtiers (16 inch range average in a shooty army is incredibly limited) we did note however that my initial Riflemen scroll was a worse and more expensive handgunner, increasing the to wound to 3+ for subsequent games making them far more effective for 100 points.

 

Having found my footing after the first gamed and played around with artifacts the units began to synergise well, with my Master of Shot utilising his (freeguild generalesque) command ability to buff the riflemen into a fieresome barrage and not being afraid at throwing the Lancers, Ironsworn Templar and Tank all into combat.

 

Lacking mortal wound output is somewhat worrying but the army seems to be working toward something great! Here's some of my favourite photos from the day

[Melcavuk]

Reworking the unit roster slightly the Tinkerer on Cogstrider has now been replaced with the Duardin Gyrosmith, bringing the Gyrocopters back to the fore.

[khadgar567]

well, this helps one of the problems as clean access to flying artillery makes pushing much easier but I still don't know how ironweld gonna be effected on melee as I still don't know the main unit of close combat guys so we can ground-based push to target.

[Melcavuk]

33 minutes ago, khadgar567 said:

well, this helps one of the problems as clean access to flying artillery makes pushing much easier but I still don't know how ironweld gonna be effected on melee as I still don't know the main unit of close combat guys so we can ground-based push to target.

Melee in and of itself doesnt neccessarily need a large push, not every faction is overly competant in every field of battle so having a lesser Melee presence makes sense for an artillery/shooty faction. However the current roster of Melee units is competant:

Ironsworn Paladin - Combat hero, medium fast, mortal wound output in melee with the ability to inflict mortal wounds at both start and end of combat phase. Mid weight, non monster, capable of both a 3 up save and being repaired by engineers.

Cogstrider Lancers - Impact unit, medium fast, high damage on charge weakening to a lessened state in subsequent turns, used to break lines but will need to win a combat fast as they dont do well being bogged down for long periods of time.

Weld Phalanx - Defensive unit, mortal wound output when charged, respectable armour save with rerolls, combined with the right command trait nearby they can be a 4+ save rerollable with a 6 up ward save

and whilst not a combat unit

Coghauler (all 3 varieties) - Impact mortal wounds on a charge, in a pinch are more than capable of running over lesser foes or performing a combined charge to flatten midweight foes but dont do well in prolonged combat. 

[Melcavuk]

And with Tournament done I'm back at it for the Ironweld. Revising Batallions, adjusting layout and tweaking artefacts for the new activation wars meta. Rather than swing in with the "always first," "make them last" I'm instead looking at abilities to play around that rather than within it.

To do this I've introduced the following:

- A move after shooting effect for Riflemen in the batallion, this allows you to keep all the bonuses for not having moved in the movement phase, whilst backing away from oncoming threats

-Revised the charge defense mechanism on the Halberds to ensure it deals impact hits reliably when charged.

-Tweaked Lies and Deceit on the aspirant to slow enemies hit, allowing the Weld faster reaction times.

I'm also tweaking relics and artefacts to provides some resilience in this regard and looking at concepts of Sappers as a command point purchasable pre game effect to help mitigate unfriendly terrain.

 

Keeping track of the full sized, high quality photos of pages here on my blog to track progress being made:

https://artisansofsigmar.home.blog/2019/07/08/revisiting-the-weld/

Edited July 8, 2019 by Melcavuk

[Melcavuk]

Tweaking more of the Warscrolls for my Ironweld Arsenal, I have simplied the defensive abilities of the Phalanx and transplanted them across onto the Riflemen scroll aswell. In doing so they lost the ability to reroll 1's to hit but have gained large unit bonuses in terms of hits generated. Additionally the engineers apprentice now grants and additional 2 inches on pressure rifle range instead of +1 to wound. Both units are currently listed at 100 points and primarily form defensive roles within the army. Feedback always welcome.

[Melcavuk]

Barebones PDF with revised allegiance abilities, leaner warscrolls and an adjusted Cogfort for the 2019 handbook.
Battletome(barebones).pdf