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Credits
President: Sherry Yeary Chief Creative Officer: Matthew D. Wilson
Publications Director: Michael G. Ryan Creative Director: Ed Bourelle Director of Business Development: Will Shick
Director of Operations: Jason Martin Art Director: Mike Vaillancourt
Lead Developer: Jason Soles Playtest Coordination: Jack Coleman Graphic Design Director: Laine Garrett
Studio Director: Ron Kruzie Hobby Manager: Stuart Spengler Editorial Manager: Daniel Henderson
Writing Manager: Matt Goetz • • •
Editor-in-Chief: Lyle Lowery Editing: Kelsey Fox, Lyle Lowery, Cal Moore,
Michael G. Ryan
Proofreading: Jack Coleman, Matt Goetz, Will
Hungerford, Ron Kruzie, Cal Moore, Dan Roman, William “Oz” Schoonover, William
Shick
Continuity Editors: Matt Goetz, Douglas Seacat,
Jason Soles
Graphic Design: Laine Garrett, Jessy Stetson,
Ainsley Yeager
Photography: Matt Ferbrache, Alex Smith, Jessy
Stetson, Gil Surepi
Studio Miniatures Painting: Matt DiPietro,
Geordie Hicks, Dallas Kemp, Ron Kruzie • • •
COntriButOrS
Michael Archer, Josh Colón, Steen Comer, Jason Enos, Matt Goetz, Doug Hamilton, Will Hungerford, Adam Oligschlaeger, Micah Scott
Ralston, Dan Roman, Aeryn Rudel, Michael G. Ryan, William “Oz” Schoonover, Douglas Seacat, William Shick, Tim Simpson, Jason Soles,
Mike Vaillancourt • • •
iLLuStrAtiOnS
Andrew Arconti, Carlos Cabrera,Oscar Cafaro, Jeremy Chong,Johan Grenier, Mariuez Gandzel, Nikolay Georgiev, Mateusz Ozminski, Luis Gama, Grzegorz Rutkowski, Brian Snoddy, Ben Lo, Néstor Ossandón, Andrea Uderzo, Mike
Vaillancourt, Matthew D. Wilson
All content copyright 2001–2016 Privateer Press, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privateer Press®, Iron Kingdoms®, The Witchfire Trilogy, Monsternomicon, Five Fingers: Port of Deceit, Full Metal Fantasy,
Immoren, Unleashed, WARMACHINE®, Forces of WARMACHINE, WARMACHINE High Command, Steam-Powered Miniatures Combat, WARMACHINE: Tactics, Convergence of Cyriss®, Convergence, Cryx®, Cygnar®, Khador®, Protectorate of Menoth®, Protectorate, Retribution of Scyrah®, Retribution®, warcaster®, warjack®, HORDES®, Forces of HORDES, HORDES High Command, Monstrous Miniatures Combat, Circle Orboros®, Circle, Legion of Everblight®, Legion, Skorne®, Trollbloods®, Trollblood, warbeast, War Room, Lock & Load®, Steamroller, Hardcore, Iron Gauntlet, No Quarter, Formula P3, Formula P3 Hobby Series, Monsterpocalypse®, Bodgers, Heap, Infernal Contraption, Infernal Contraption 2: Sabotage!, Scrappers, Zombies Keep Out, Grind, Skull Island eXpeditions, SIX, Dogs of War, Exiles in Arms, Called to Battle, The Warlock Sagas, The Warcaster Chronicles, Privateer Pins, and all associated logos and slogans are trademark property of Privateer Press, Inc. All other trademarks appearing
On the COver
Cygnar vs. Skorne by Néstor Ossandón and Andrea Uderzo
Even Vikings could have used a Juggernaut by their side as they raided up and down the coast. Granted, Juggernaut’s are more about pillage than plunder . . .
—Photo by Gil Surepi
Juggernaut’s JOurney
New Releases
4
Editorial
10
Community Spotlight
11
News from the Front: European Masters Series
12
The Gavyn Kyle Files: Major Elizabeth Maddox
14
Inside the Art Director’s Studio
24
Battle Report: Double Rumble
35
Skull Island eXpeditions Plots a Course into the Future
49
Skull Island eXpeditions: Tales of the Invisible Hand
52
Grandmaster Painting Competition: Lock & Load
58
TABLE oF CoNTENTS
Basic Terraining Rough Terrain
Theme Force
The Kingmaker’s Army The Gavyn Kyle Files
Major Elizabeth Maddox
Battle Report Double Rumble
80
74
35
14
Iron Gauntlet Terrain Showcase
64
Courage at the Crossroads: Season one
68
Theme Force: The Kingmaker’s Army
74
Grandmaster Painting Competition: SmogCon
77
Basic Terraining: Rough Terrain
80
Historical Scenario: Capturing Vinter’s Son
88
Peace of Mind
90
Iron Kingdoms Uncharted: Part one
94
Player Gallery
111
Painting Challenge
112
Grandmaster Painting Competition Lock & Load
Historical Scenario
Capturing Vinter’s Son
88
Iron Kingdoms Uncharted Part one
58
Grandmaster Painting Competition
New Releases
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sculptor: doug hamilton • painter: dallas kemp
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Cygnar
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Khador
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Convergence of Cyriss
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Mercenaries
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Trollbloods
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Circle Orboros
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Legion of Everblight
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Locked and Loaded
I’m writing this editorial with Lock & Load GameFest 2016 barely in the rearview mirror. What an event! It was a spectacular way to usher in the new editions of WARMACHINE and HORDES, and it was awesome to be able to dig into all the new rules and stats with so many excited people. In this issue, you’ll get a little taste of Lock & Load GameFest—you’ll find some great articles covering the likes of the Grandmaster Painting Competition and the spectacular terrain showcase that was the table used in the Iron Gauntlet Championship.No Quarter #67 also presents a lot of firsts. It has the first
theme force for the new editions; Magnus and some of his Mercenary allies get some enticing new options in “The Kingmaker’s Army.” Speaking of kings, have you read Skull Island eXpeditions’ The Blood of Kings by Douglas Seacat? If you have, you’ll enjoy the historical scenario within. If you haven’t, what are you waiting for?
Then there’s the new-edition battle report, which premieres the recently released small-table Rumble format. You can also learn a lot about Cygnar’s new warcaster Beth Maddox in the newest “Gavyn Kyle Files.” If building terrain is your thing, this issue also includes the first of a new series that will lead you through building an entire table of useful terrain types.
Iron Kingdoms Uncharted also kicks off in this issue. It’s a
pirate-themed expansion for the Iron Kingdoms Roleplaying
Game presented in serial form. You’ll find lots of information
about life on the Meredius, offering a new perspective on the people of the Iron Kingdoms. If you like the IKRPG, you won’t want to miss this series!
There’s much more, of course, but I’ve nattered on long enough. Let’s get to it.
Lyle Lowery
Editor-in-Chief
No Quarter
Do you have a question for No Quarter or the crew at Privateer Press? Send us a letter with your question or any other
suggestions or comments you have! Email your letters to [email protected], tweet @privateerpress using
the hashtag #NQLetters, or send us a message on the No Quarter Facebook page.
To many, WARMACHINE and HORDES are more than just games. They represent a community to share experiences with, a world to immerse in, and a hobby to express themselves through. Community Spotlight celebrates the incredible artistic work of the community, whether it is manifest through models for the tabletop or in fantastic creations beyond the tabletop.
Aaron Gordon Braaten of Everett, Washington, brought the Iron Kingdoms to life by building two exquisite, life-sized Rathroks!
Braaten made the axes as a raffle prize to support a WARMACHINE event called “Battle for Breath” that raised funds for Cystic Fibrosis Canada. The event, organized by Fraser Belfour, raised over $4,000 for the charity.
Said Braaten: “Rathrok was created to give back to a community that likes to help others. I am always impressed by the willingness of the WARMACHINE/HORDES community to help those in need, and I like being a part of that culture. I am not a tournament-level player, so I may not be able to teach gamers how to win, but there is a creative side to WARMACHINE and HORDES, and it is in that creative side that I feel I can contribute. I also hope very much to inspire others to show off what they can make from the Iron Kingdoms.”
His craftsmanship is another example of how WARMACHINE and HORDES continue to give passionate people a creative outlet to express themselves for big causes, whether it’s with their mastery of the game, their painting skills, or by making fantastical weapons a bit more real. We can’t wait to see what you create next!
I not only saw Prague and Brno, but I also got to take a train across the country to really experience what a different place I was in. All because of WARMACHINE!
Black Oil Gaming & Social Hub was an excellent choice for this initial European Masters Championship. Our host, Vladimir Kokolia (original Czech Press Ganger!), and his staff went above and beyond welcoming every single attendee. I was not going to go all the way to the Czech Republic and not throw dice! I was able to get a couple games in and had an absolute blast. My opponents, Gary Moore and Ondřej Wachsmuth, were great sports, and I know they’re both eager for a rematch.
Saturday was the first day of gaming, and as you might imagine, all the champions were eager to play. The first games were for a last-chance qualifier—a simple knockout event to earn one final place in the championship tournament. In the finals, Kévin Maeder managed to squeak out a victory over Andreas Holm by deathclock. Andreas just needed a few more seconds to roll the damage on his assassination run when he suddenly ran out of time. This put three French men in the Championship—certainly a good showing!
The theme of the event was centered around the national champions, so each was given a series of button pins as
European Masters Series Crowns
the First European Champion
By Jason Enos
For many years now, Privateer Press EU has been developing a hugely ambitious Organized Play concept spanning the continent: officially sponsored WARMACHINE and HORDES National Masters tournaments in countries across Europe. After many years, we have reached the point where 16 countries hold their own National Masters events, so we were finally ready to unveil what our efforts had been leading up to: the European Masters Series, an invitational for all the champions of European Nationals in one tournament to crown an official European Masters champion.
The champions were invited to Brno, the second largest city in the Czech Republic, where the excellent Black Oil Gaming & Social Hub hosted the first European Masters Championship. Obviously, the champions came from all across Europe, but some surprises awaited us, like Martin Hornáček (of Skorne and Slovakia fame) coming as champion of Ireland, and the French earning two invitations. Black Oil provided the champions free food and beer for the weekend, and the players happily indulged while discussing the upcoming event and the new editions. We were lucky to have Privateer Press sculptor Doug Hamilton visit all the way from Seattle, bringing models, images, and stories for the attendees. Doug also had a lot to say about some of the Factions in the new editions and managed to play a few games over the weekend.
Doug Hamilton says:
Visiting the Czech Republic for European Masters was an absolute privilege. Never in my wildest steam-powered dreams did I think I would end up in Brno as guest of honor for such an event. The opportunity to represent Privateer Press in such a unique location was an amazing experience.
News from the froNt
News from the front
“wound markers.” The other attendees could challenge the champions to games and earn a wound marker if they successfully defeated the champion. Prizes were awarded to the attendees for the wound markers they earned, and any undefeated champions could likewise claim a prize. After a day of gaming and wound marker claiming, everyone enjoyed a Q&A session with Doug. During the session, Doug showed off a Lys Healer and a new character warpwolf. Afterward, it was time for a barbeque in Black Oil’s Courtyard before the mayhem of the painting competition.
Doug Hamilton says:
One of the most exciting moments for me was the opportunity to show off some new WARMACHINE and HORDES sculpts that had not been seen outside of the studio. After doing a Q&A session with all of the attendees, I was able to share new models, which included two new character beasts for Circle Orboros and Legion of Everblight’s Loki and Azrael. Also shown were two solos, the Nyss Warlord and the Lyss Healer.
A Black Oil tradition, the painting event is like no other. Competitors paint a provided model in the given time, similar to a speed painting competition, but every time a competitor cleans his or her brush, he/she must take a shot of rum. After some fantastic painting and much agonizing over the time needed to clean a brush, I can say—with some
certainty—all participants had a good time.
Luckily, all the players recovered from the big first day by the morning! On Sunday, our champions were raring to play for the European title. As we had an odd number of champions, Black Oil provided a “local champion,” Jiří Kareš (who likes to go by the name Mr_Out). Unexpectedly, Kareš triumphed over one of the favorites, Martin Hornáček. World Team Championship-winning team member Tatu Purhonen also lost his first-round game.
By the third round, Swedish champion Christoffer Wedding and his Retribution Army had finally recovered from the previous night’s painting competition to knock out French
Master Mathieu Tamagne and his Cryx Army.
In the final round, it was the Netherlands champion Sascha Maisel against Florian Hartman, the Czech champion, in an all-Legion final.
Sascha Maisel
Lylyth, Shadow of Everblight Naga Nightlurker
Nephilim Bolt Thrower Ravagore x2
Zuriel
Spawning Vessel Strider Deathstalker x2 The Forsaken
Blighted Nyss Shepherd x2 Totem Hunter
Florian Hartman
Vayl, Consul of Everblight Angelius x3
Ravagore x2 Seraph Shredder Spawning Vessel
Blighted Nyss Shepherd x2
Many thought the matchup favored Sascha’s Lylyth 2 list, but Florian made some bold and aggressive plays to make a fight of it. In the end, Sascha’s battle of attrition was too much, and Florian conceded after losing most of his army. With the victory, Sascha was crowned the first official European Champion!
With Florian Hartman, Mathieu Tamagne, and Christoffer Wedding all sitting at one loss, it came down to strength-of-schedule to determine their final placing. Mathieu Tamagne placed second and Black Oil hall-of-famer Christoffer Wedding finished third, with Florian Hartman ending up with a fourth-place result.
If you want to play in the European Masters Championship next year, you can earn an invitation by winning any of the European National Masters events. You just might be the next European champion!
Doug Hamilton says:
Congratulations to Sascha Maisel on his win and to all of the competitors of this first European Masters Series! I look forward to next year’s tournament, and I cannot wait to see my European friends again. With the assistance of Greek champion Panagiotis Ntemiris, I have already had my nationality changed...“We are Greek.” Massive thanks to Bob Watts for not only making this event possible but also a great success and for helping this WARMACHINE player’s dream to see Europe come true.
Major ElizabEth
Maddox
By Aeryn r
udel • Art
By néstor
ossAndón, gzegorz rutkowski &
MAtthew d
. wilson
Major Elizabeth Maddox is a fascinating figure in the Cygnaran military, and her recent rise to prominence has been quite unusual. Your request for information about her past is not surprising, given the way Cygnaran authorities have been making use of her story as a prisoner of war of the Protectorate of Menoth.
Major Maddox only recently escaped from the Protectorate, and though she has been returned to active duty, she is serving a significant secondary role as a recruitment tool for the Cygnaran military.
She is the central figure in a propaganda campaign aimed at increasing the army’s positive perception among the Cygnaran people. Why the monarchy and military leadership in Cygnar feel this is necessary is a question I will endeavor to answer. The question might arise whether this atmosphere has resulted in an exaggeration of her capabilities, or whether any of her accomplishments might have been fabricated altogether. This, too, is a question worth answering.
—GK
576 AR: Elizabeth Maddox is born to Jacob and Carolyn Maddox in a small farming community between King’s Vine and Eastwall.
591 AR: At the age of fifteen, Maddox joins the local militia. A skirmish with a group of farrow results in an incident that draws the attention of the Inquisition.
593 AR: At the age of seventeen, Maddox qualifies for training as a member of the Stormblade infantry. She completes the training that same year and is inducted as a Storm Knight.
595 AR: Promoted to sergeant. 599 AR: Promoted to lieutenant.
602 AR: Receives the Star of Valor for bravery for her actions in a skirmish with Cryxian raiders. Promoted to captain.
Late 604–early 605 AR: Warcaster ability manifests amid border tensions before the beginning of the Llaelese War. Maddox is sent to the Strategic Academy in Point Bourne to undergo warcaster training. She completes her training early in the new year.
605 AR: Maddox is assigned to Captain Vanin Harkus for her journeyman tour and redeployed in
Llael with Commander Stryker’s Storm Division. Her journeyman tour is declared completed after Cygnar’s withdrawal from Llael midway through the year, at which time she is promoted to full warcaster. 606 AR: Involved in the vicious fighting within Sul during the first half of the Caspia-Sul War. Elements of her company are ambushed by Protectorate warcaster Thyra, Sorrow of the Flame, and almost completely wiped out. Maddox is taken prisoner. 606–610 AR: Briefly held and interrogated at an internment camp southeast of Sul where she was subjected to torture and interrogation at the hands of Protectorate scrutators. Transferred several months later to a temple prison called Guhrsin in Varhdan province.
Late 610 AR: Maddox breaks out of the temple prison and evades Protectorate patrols to get closer to the Black River and the Cygnaran border. Her escape comes to the attention of Scout General Bolden Rebald, who dispatches agents to aid her return, including Captain Jeremiah Kraye.
611 AR: Maddox is promoted to major and becomes the central figure in a propaganda campaign aimed at improving the Cygnaran public perception of the military.
Suspecting this girl might be a sorcerer, I immediately went to her family’s farmstead to submit her to our testing protocol. I interviewed her family first, and they did not attempt to hide the fact that the incident occurred, though they seemed legitimately surprised that it had and were frightened for their daughter. I believe they were honest in suggesting this was the first time anything like this had happened. There was some uncertainty as to whether Elizabeth was the source of the lightning. Under additional questioning, it was admitted that something akin to runes may have appeared around Elizabeth at the same time this “miraculous intervention” took place. This correlates with sorcerous awakenings we have encountered in the past. Despite her parents’ fears, I was given full access to Elizabeth, and she was instructed to cooperate with my testing. The results were not what I expected. I was unable to elicit the typical sorcerous outburst despite applying emotional pressure, a good sign that something else was at play. Utilizing techniques I know are practiced by the Strategic Academy, I exposed Elizabeth to a minor mechanikal apparatus, in this case the optical assembly taken from a laborjack. During the most intense portion of the interview, this device briefly glowed despite being disconnected from its accumulator, suggesting a connection. While I was unable to replicate this effect, I believe this suffices to strongly suggest Elizabeth has the warcaster talent and is not a sorcerer. The talent may rest dormant within her. This is an opportunity I recommend we seize. I intend to remain in contact with the family and Elizabeth and will attempt to unlock this dormant talent. I have studied the Strategic Academy’s methods closely and believe my methods should bear fruit. If successful, I will lay the foundation to recruit Elizabeth into the Inquisition, where she could be a powerful asset to our organization. —Hasper Dray
Elizabeth Maddox was born in a small farming community called Hallow Field located between the city of King’s Vine and the fortress of Eastwall on the eastern border of Cygnar. Her father was a wheat farmer whose crops were largely sold to the garrison at Eastwall, and Maddox grew up working the family stead with her father and two younger brothers. The land outside of King’s Vine and Eastwall can be a wild place—bandits, marauding bands of farrow, and even hostile kriels of trollkin are an ever-present problem. Not surprisingly, the many small communities in this area have learned they cannot rely solely on protection from King’s Vine and Eastwall, and a well-trained and disciplined militia was established to protect the farms and homesteads in and around Hallow Field.
The Maddox extended family kept up a tradition of serving in the local militia, clearly a matter of pride. This tradition extended to Elizabeth’s grandfather, several aunts and uncles, and her father, Jacob Maddox, who also encouraged all of his children to join. Able-bodied farmhands and other laborers also frequently assisted, making this a significant communal bond. Jacob trained his daughter and two sons in the basics of swordplay and small-unit tactics. Elizabeth put this training to good use and joined the militia at the age of fifteen. There is evidence she partook in a number of violent exchanges with bandits and farrow as part of the militia.
It is important to note that Maddox’s warcaster abilities did not fully manifest until she was much older, though there were signs of her gift—which drew potentially dangerous attention—as the following letter suggests.
—GK
date: Trineus 12th, 591 AR
To: Senior Inquisitor Vernon Manderly From: Inquisitor Hasper Dray
Manderly,
I have recently received a report from Militia Lieutenant Dayle Osmer concerning an incident with a young volunteer from the community of Hallow Field. I will summarize the lieutenant’s report. A small force of soldiers was sent from Eastwall to assist local militia in Hallow Field that was attempting to root out a marauding band of farrow. They managed to corner the farrow in a small ravine and a pitched battle ensued. The lieutenant states that one of the daughters of his neighbor, a young woman named Elizabeth Maddox, “unleashed a cloud of lightning” to strike down two farrow warriors threatening her father, also a member of the militia. He was not the only witness.
Inquisition records suggest Dray was given tentative authorization to proceed with his plans, so long as it did not affect his other duties. He visited Maddox more than two-dozen times over the next two years. He was allowed to attempt his unorthodox mentoring, and clearly the Inquisition hoped to secure a warcaster for their use.
Oddly, his reports adopt a familial tone in the second year, and I believe he became genuinely interested in the wellbeing of Elizabeth Maddox. I was almost disappointed to see nothing sinister in his approach. Perhaps this is why he failed, as from all accounts it seems Maddox did not manifest arcane abilities during this period. Near the end, Elizabeth Maddox decided to enlist in the Cygnaran Army, and Dray encouraged this decision in the hope that the stresses of training for battle might awaken the talent he was convinced she possessed. His superiors were initially in favor of this, but their patience was soon exhausted. As the next letter indicates, they were also not pleased that she qualified for the Cygnaran Storm Knights, an organization the Inquisition suspected of harboring improper loyalties.
date: Cinten 3rd, 593 AR To: Inquisitor Hasper Dray
From: Senior Inquisitor Vernon Manderly
Dray,
I have read your recent reports regarding the progress of Subject E. Maddox and your request to continue monitoring. I am dismayed to find that you have yet to produce the least shred of evidence of her ability, despite two years of effort. Worse yet, she has apparently qualified for training as a Storm Knight. I need not remind you that this organization has proven its loyalties and goals are not necessarily aligned with the interests of our king.
In short, you have failed to sufficiently prove this girl even has the warcaster talent, and, in the unlikely case she does, you have failed to foster in her the aspiration to join the Inquisition, as had been initially proposed. Your request for continued monitoring is denied, and you are hereby summoned to Caspia for an immediate inquest into your activities over the last two years.
—Vernon Manderly
I can find no record of Inquisitor Hasper Dray beyond this date, leaving me to wonder if he returned to Caspia as instructed. It is interesting that Dray, by all accounts a skilled inquisitor and one who had studied the work of others within the Cygnaran military, was unable to awaken her talents. This may simply suggest the elusive nature of the warcaster ability. We know that each nation expends considerable efforts to locate, secure, and train such individuals, but they are not always successful.
Still, the tone of his later reports leads me to an interesting, if largely unsupported, conjecture. Is it possible Dray developed an attachment to Maddox that compelled him to hide evidence of her ability and direct her toward what he saw as the safest path? Did he have a falling out with his peers and change his mind on encouraging her to join the Inquisition? Given the timing, this might indeed have saved her from a potentially disastrous fate. Within the year, Prince Leto would commit to the Lion’s Coup and soon thereafter the Inquisition was disbanded, at which point its members were either arrested or went underground. The fact that Maddox joined the Stormblades at the age of seventeen largely insulated her from being caught up in any of this.
—GK
Over the next six years, Maddox distinguished herself as a member of the Stormblade infantry. She climbed the ranks quickly and was promoted to sergeant in 595, following the Lion’s Coup, and then to lieutenant four years later in 599. These years before the start of the Llaelese War were relatively quiet ones for Cygnar, making Maddox’s rapid ascension that much more impressive. Records indicate she was part of numerous small skirmishes with Khador along the northern border early in her career. Here she acquired a reputation as both a skilled warrior and an effective battle leader. There is nothing during this time similar to the incident that drew attention from the Inquisition, no further manifestations of her ability. In fact, further research only unearthed one account that might indicate her future as a warcaster, a protracted skirmish with Cryxian forces on the western coast of Cygnar, north of Highgate.
date: Doloven 24th, 602 AR To: Major Ellery Foster From: Captain Garvin Tews
Major,
As you are aware, elements of my company were recently called into action to defend the coastal town of Langmore against a sizable force of Cryxian raiders. I was personally in command of the Stormblades defending Langmore, and as you know, our intelligence did not account for the presence of a necrotech and a Slayer helljack among them.
You have read the action report which details the extreme courage and valor of Lieutenant Elizabeth Maddox, but such reports often fail to communicate the gravity of such events. I tell you, Lieutenant Maddox charged that Slayer without regard for her own safety with the sole intent of defending her men. She went toe-to-toe with the helljack, fighting it alone and keeping it occupied while those it had injured were dragged away to safety. She somehow managed to damage the thing badly enough that we brought it down without further casualties. I’ve never seen the like.
I hereby recommend Lieutenant Elizabeth Maddox for the Star of Valor in recognition of her extreme courage and valor in the face of the enemy. Lieutenant Maddox has served at her present rank for three years, and during that time has proven herself one of the most capable officers under my command. I believe her exemplary service is deserving of early promotion and that she should be entrusted to lead a company of her own. —Captain Garvin Tews
As this letter attests, Maddox’s bravery and skill at this time are uncontestable. The report is remarkable given it is difficult to imagine a single Stormblade engaging in an extended battle with a heavy warjack and surviving, let alone critically damaging such a machine. I would suggest it likely this victory was made possible by a subtle manifestation of Maddox’s latent warcaster abilities. I have reviewed enough reports of those with this talent to suggest there are times such individuals draw on these powers without realizing it. It seems no one else in the Cygnaran military made this same connection, and there are no further records of the incident.
—GK
Maddox was, indeed, promoted to captain after this incident and served at that rank until her recent promotion. Two years later, she was deployed with the rest of the Storm Division to Llael in the weeks
leading up to what would become the Llaelese War. It was only at this time—eleven years after Inquisitor Dray first suspected its existence—that her warcaster talent manifested. The incident is similar to the one that initially drew the attention of the Inquisition. Prior to the full invasion, there were a number of skirmishes along the border as patrols encountered Khadorans. During one of these, Maddox unleashed a barrage of lightning that momentarily disrupted the cortex of a Khadoran warjack.
Just as full war broke out and even as Llael’s western border defenses collapsed, Maddox was sent to the Strategic Academy in Point Bourne to undergo accelerated warcaster training, which she completed early in 605 AR. As is typical in a time of war, her training was expedited to get her on the battlefield as quickly as possible. She began her journeyman tour and was redeployed back to Llael, where the fighting had been going poorly for both Cygnar and its allies in the Llaelese Army.
During her journeyman tour, Maddox frequently came into conflict with her warcaster supervisor, Captain Harkus. This prompted the following letter to Commander Coleman Stryker, his own superior. —GK date: Casteus 12th, 605 AR To: Commander Coleman Stryker From: Captain Vanin Harkus Commander, Attached to this letter is a formal reprimand of Captain Elizabeth Maddox for insubordination. We are at war, and Captain Maddox’s incessant questioning of my training methods and battle plans is both counterproductive and dangerous. Captain Maddox is the third warcaster that has served a journeyman tour with me, and my experience in this area is, I believe, well established.
Furthermore, I would like to request Captain Maddox be transferred to another warcaster as I do not believe this assignment is achieving the desired effect.
—Captain Vanin Harkus
As this next letter suggests, Commander Stryker took a different view of Maddox’s conflict with Captain Harkus.
date: Casteus 16th, 605 AR To: Captain Vanin Harkus
From: Commander Coleman Stryker
Captain,
I have read your official reprimand of Captain Maddox, considered the events you describe as insubordination, and spoken with third party witnesses. It is my determination that Captain Maddox’s actions do not constitute insubordination, and there will be no formal reprimand. I also deny your request to have Captain Maddox taken off your hands. You need to find a way to come to a better working accord. I believe the friction between you and Captain Maddox stems from your lack of respect for her tenure and experience. She is a combat veteran with over ten years of distinguished service with the Stormblades, and though she is new to the role of warcaster, she is hardly new to the role of soldier and battlefield commander. I advise you to consider her opinions and advice as you would an officer’s of equal rank and superior battlefield experience. Her manner is different from your own, but I have seen her in action and find no fault in her leadership.
—Commander Coleman Stryker
Stryker’s clear admiration for Maddox’s abilities and service in this letter marks the beginning of a strong relationship between the two warcasters that appear to have served them well during this conflict. Maddox earned recognition as a full warcaster just before Cygnar’s withdrawal from Llael, completing her journeyman tour. This was once again an abbreviated term, but this is not unusual for someone of her experience.
—GK
Like many in the Storm Division, Maddox joined Lord Commander Coleman Stryker in ongoing conflicts versus the Protectorate of Menoth to the south. Major Brisbane breached the walls of Sul under Stryker’s orders, and the Cygnaran Army soon invaded the Menite city. This marked the beginning of the Caspia-Sul War, a conflict that would eventually have tragic consequences for Elizabeth Maddox.
Captain Maddox was front and center in the vicious street-to-street fighting within Sul. Records indicate she led her battle group supported by Storm Knights to assault a number of heavily fortified Protectorate positions. Late in 606 AR, while on a mission to reclaim several contentiously defended streets, Maddox was ambushed by the Protectorate warcaster called Thyra, Flame of Sorrow. The following report to Lord Commander Stryker details the aftermath of the battle.
date: Rowen 14th, 606 AR To: Commander Coleman Stryker From: Captain Garvin Tews
Lord Commander,
Captain Harkus led a reinforcing force of Stormblades and Storm Guard to the area where elements of the 33rd Storm Knight Company were ambushed by a Protectorate warcaster. Despite our best efforts, we failed to reach Captain Maddox’s position in time to change the outcome of the battle, thwarted by Protectorate forces controlling the region. There were a handful of survivors whom we eventually recovered. They said Captain Maddox was fighting the Menite warcaster personally when she was last seen. There were no witnesses to her fall, and no body was recovered.
It is my belief that Captain Maddox was most likely captured. We can’t be sure until we can do a thorough search of the area, which doesn’t seem likely in the near future.
We can’t give up on her yet, sir. We both know Maddox is tough; we must proceed with the expectation that she survived.
—Captain Garvin Tews
My research shows that Lord Commander Stryker believed Captain Tews’ report and conclusions, and the search for Captain Maddox did not end. Unfortunately, the state of the conflicts combined with the difficulties of searching inside hostile territory resulted in the failure of these searches. Eventually, they were scaled back, as more pressing matters took priority. From reports I saw, the Cygnaran Reconnaissance Service remained on the lookout for clues but adopted a largely passive approach.
—GK
After Cygnar’s retreat from Sul and the subsequent invasion of Caspia by Protectorate forces led by Hierarch Voyle, the search for Captain Maddox was largely abandoned, and most senior officers gave her up for dead. Of course, it is now established she was captured and sent to be interrogated by scrutators and eventually sent to the temple prison of Guhrsin deep within the Protectorate interior. I need not recount the terrible methods used by the scrutators to extract information from political prisoners, but suffice to say, they were used upon Captain Maddox. The following report from the scrutator in charge of her interrogation reveals she resisted the awful ministrations of her captors longer than anticipated.
date: Khadovus 9th, 606 AR
To: Senior Scrutator Sovereign Taro Ad-Vaka From: Scrutator Potentate Gaius Shorn
Sovereign,
The Cygnaran warcaster captured in the recent conflict in the holy city of Sul has proven unexpectedly resistant to my interrogation. The woman shows an inordinate degree of both physical and mental fortitude, and, I must say, impressive strength of will. Would that she had found the true faith and fought in the name of the Lawgiver rather than adhering to lesser doctrines.
I believe she has information that could be crucial to future war efforts, and I will begin a more concerted effort to draw it out. I will turn to more extreme methods of interrogation, including more invasive mortification of the flesh. I will endeavor to keep her alive during this more strenuous phase, as I know she is a prisoner of considerable value.
I will immediately pass on any useful information gained as I proceed with my interrogations.
The letter above certainly paints a dire picture of the time Maddox spent as a prisoner of war, but it is the next report, the last I could find about her, that truly brings home the misery she endured.
date: Tempes 7th, 607 AR
To: Senior Scrutator Sovereign Taro Ad-Vaka From: Scrutator Potentate Gaius Shorn
Sovereign,
I believe I have all that the information the Cygnaran warcaster has to give. The last two interrogations produced nothing of use, and the woman’s sanity may not withstand further questioning. I will cease further interrogation, and I believe she is strong enough to recover from the measures we used to extract information. I suggest relocating her to Guhrsin Temple Prison in Varhdan, where we can keep her imprisoned indefinitely. I believe she will be worth the cost of sustaining, in case there arises a future need for her knowledge or should we need to negotiate some future prisoner exchange.
We know Maddox languished in a Protectorate cell for over three years. Her own account of this time states she was not subjected to further torture, though being shut away in the dark, alone, and surrounded by other dejected prisoners is a torture all its own.
Of course, one must ask if she gave up state secrets to the Protectorate at this time. I think there is no doubt she did, and who could blame her? Scrutators have untold centuries of experience at their ghoulish work, and no one could resist their expert attentions long. Only the skorne paingivers exceed the scrutators in this field. As it required months to break her spirit, it seems unlikely the Protectorate gained any advantage from this. The relevance of military reports would have been diminished by this time. Certainly she would have known little else the scrutators could bend to their advantage. This fact at least afforded her escape from additional torture, though I doubt that was much comfort during her long imprisonment. A lengthy stay in a Protectorate prison is a fate I would not wish on anyone.
By late 608 AR, all but a few believed Maddox long dead. Luckily, one of the strongest advocates that she had been captured instead of killed was Lord General Coleman Stryker. He used his considerable pull with King Leto Raelthorne to maintain the search for Maddox, albeit it appears only limited resources were actually allocated.
The search fell to the overworked Cygnaran Reconnaissance Service, though it is clear they lacked the manpower to commit to it fully. Scout General Bolden Rebald adopted the strategy of assigning the search for Maddox as a secondary goal for all agents and contacts in the Protectorate of Menoth. Therefore, spies and other sources of information in the region on other tasks were instructed to keep an ear out for anything that might hint at Maddox’s presence or other prisoners of war. It was not until late 610 AR that the following report from a CRS agent in the field was sent, which has been decoded for your ease of reading.
date: Ashtoven 1st, 610 AR To: Scout General Bolden Rebald From: Lieutenant Nora Yewfield
Sir,
It has come to my attention through a contact living in the town of Hala in Varhdan Province that the nearby temple prison of Guhrsin has experienced some sort of crisis. Despite efforts to keep this quiet, I have learned there were casualties, and several prisoners escaped. While we have never gained access to this prison, it has received closely guarded transfers in the past. This may be just the break we had been looking for. Given the security measures at such places, the escape strikes me as noteworthy.
There is an unconfirmed rumor that one of the escaped prisoners is an arcanist of some skill. Based on existing intelligence and considering our list of high profile subjects MIA or thought possibly captured for the Vassals of Menoth, this arcanist might be one of the following: Illuminated One Jascin Piers, Koldun Sergey Vikoth, or Captain Elizabeth Maddox. I will seek additional information and await further orders. —Yewfield
While I was not able to secure definitive intelligence on what happened next, I was able to piece together scattered and vague reports to reconstruct what I believe to be the likely chain of events. It would seem these prisoners managed to evade Protectorate patrols and somehow made it nearly two hundred miles from their former prison to reach a village closer to the Black River and the Cygnaran border. While this was transpiring, it seems Captain Jeremiah Kraye was dispatched with limited support into the Protectorate interior to find them. Kraye came upon the scene of a battle in progress between Temple Flameguard and the escaped arcanist. Despite her emaciated and ragged appearance, the warcaster recognized Captain Elizabeth Maddox. Kraye aided Maddox in dispatching the Protectorate forces and helped escort her and several other prisoners back across the river to arrive safely in Cygnar.
When she had recovered from her harrowing ordeal, Maddox was debriefed in Caspia. There is mention of this debriefing, but I could secure no official transcript. From what I have unearthed, Maddox engineered her own escape—the details are murky—and made her heroic crossing of the barren Protectorate interior. It is remarkable that Maddox not only escaped Guhrsin on her own but was also able to cross half the Protectorate and then fight off her pursuers long enough to win her freedom, all without benefit of warcaster armor, her mechanikal weapons, or warjacks. Warcaster or no, this was quite a feat, one that is—as far as I am aware—unprecedented.
—GK
Maddox remained in Caspia after freeing herself from the Protectorate. Shortly after her escape, she began sending formal requests to her superiors that she be allowed to resume active duty. All of these requests were denied on the grounds she was not mentally prepared for the rigors of active duty. Maddox was not alone in the belief that she should be allowed to resume her career. Stormblade Captain Garvin Tews, who seems to know her better than anyone—there is evidence of a romantic relationship from before her capture—sent the following letter to Birk Kinbrace. As commander of the Strategic Academy, it fell to Kinbrace to evaluate her mental condition and readiness to return to duty.
date: Glaceus 14th, 611 AR
To: Commander Adept Birk Kinbrace From: Captain Garvin Tews
Sir,
I know you have denied Captain Maddox’s previous requests to return to active duty, and, if I may be so bold, sir, I think this is a grave mistake. Whereas Captain Maddox’s body has healed, her mind has not. I know you agree with me, and I know that is why you have denied her requests, but as one soldier to another, I tell you what is best for Captain Maddox is to return to what she had devoted her life to: protecting Cygnar from its enemies.
I have served with Captain Maddox for over a decade, and I may know her better than anyone. I ask that you give her what she needs to heal, serving alongside the men and women she nearly gave her life to protect.
—Tews
Captain Tews’ letter seems to have had some of the desired effect, in that it began a discussion among the upper echelons of the Cygnaran military regarding Captain Maddox. The result of this discussion is likely not what Tews and certainly not what Maddox had in mind. This address read to the Cygnaran Royal Assembly by Scout General Bolden Rebald on Casteus 2nd, 611 AR, outlines their plans for Captain Maddox.
Lords and Ladies,
Many of you are aware that one of Cygnar’s finest soldiers and warcasters was returned to us after a harrowing ordeal as a Protectorate prisoner of war. Her name is Captain Elizabeth Maddox, and the suffering she has endured in the name of our great nation cannot be overstated. Now, only a few months after her escape from the torturous ministrations of Protectorate scrutators, she wants nothing more than to return to active duty and once again risk life and limb in the defense of Cygnar.
How can we deny such a noble request? We cannot, and I am happy to report Captain Maddox will be immediately returned to active duty and also promoted to the rank of major. I speak to you today because I believe Major Maddox has more to offer than her service. Her story is a beacon of hope and strength for all of Cygnar. The people of Cygnar have grown weary of war, and their attitude toward the military has shifted unfavorably. I believe we can win back their trust and favor by showing them the very best the military has to offer, to introduce them to a woman who signifies the courage and nobility inherent in so many of our soldiers.
Before we send Major Maddox back to the front lines, I believe we should send her home. Let her travel through our great nation, tell her story, and show the Cygnaran people they are protected by men and woman of unbreakable character, will, and courage.
This address to the Royal Assembly kicked off a propaganda campaign that sent Maddox around Cygnar to meet and speak with the general populace. Its aim was quite clear. Unceasing war both at home and abroad had soured the nation’s view of their military, and Maddox’s inspiring story was a chance to win back some of that favor. If you will recall the question I posed at the beginning of this dossier, one must ask why Rebald and the leaders of the Cygnaran military felt it was vitally important to change the people’s perception of the military. Unfortunately, I do not have a concrete answer, but if I were to guess, I would say Cygnar is gearing up for a significant military endeavor that will require the support of its people.
Rebald’s campaign has been incredibly effective, and Major Maddox has become a celebrated war hero throughout Cygnar. From the numerous letters and reports I have read, it is quite clear Major Maddox resents her role as a propaganda piece. Despite this, voluntary enlistment in the military has apparently increased since she began her tour.
One question I think I have ably answered in this dossier is that Major Maddox’s military prowess is not in any way overblown. This is a soldier and warcaster possessed of great skill, intelligence, and will. Of course, what effect her imprisonment might have upon these abilities is hard to predict. For the moment, it appears as though Maddox’s experiences did not break her but in fact only strengthened her fighting resolve. Still, I am certain countless scars remain, and only time will tell whether she was returned to active duty prematurely.
By Mike Vaillancourt
In the last issue of No Quarter, I discussed the visual evolution of art between the different editions of WARMACHINE and HORDES, primarily looking at art for WARMACHINE: Prime. Now I’ll dig into the new art for HORDES: Primal to explain the processes and work that went into updating the art for the Factions of HORDES. We’ll begin with a quick look at one of the biggest pieces of art for the new editions, which features one of WARMACHINE’s newest warcasters, Major Elizabeth Maddox, and HORDES’ Lord Xekaar.
Cygnar v Skorne
For the new editions, one of our biggest goals was to show how WARMACHINE and HORDES work together. With that in mind, we created a poster with an epic clash between the Trollbloods and Khador, which I discussed in the previous issue of No Quarter. For the second big art piece, we pitted Cygnar against skorne with the goal to show a range of characters. We wanted to be able to crop the piece in a variety of ways, each capturing a different perspective and story each time. The focal point of this work is Cygnaran warcaster Major Beth Maddox and the Skorne warlock Lord Xekaar. This second piece took so much work that it nearly broke our artist Néstor Ossandón.
The visual development process for Major Maddox started with Matt Wilson delivering a finished concept for her character. Next, we fleshed out her poses. Matt sketched up a few and I contributed a few alternates that incorporated Tempest, the new weapon Matt had designed for her.
The pose process for our characters tends to be fairly collaborative where the original artist and I will sketch up a few options. Drawing dynamic poses is a bit of its own art form and something I learned as an aspiring comic book artist. For the miniature, we used pose C, but Andrea used one of Matt’s original pose sketches for Maddox in the final illustration, and it turned out quite nicely.
On the opposite side of the battle is Lord Xekaar, fighting alongside his skorne army. Xekaar went through the traditional feedback cycle, and we started with the following initial sketches from Andrea Uderzo.
In this sketch, you can see Andrea’s first three versions. The fourth is my mock up, where I took my favorite elements and combined them. The only downside to my version was the helmet, which had too much of a Legion of Everblight feel. Aside from the helmet, other changes included adding armor to his abdomen, removing armor from his shoulders so they would be bare, and notes for his whips and gauntlets. Matt also suggested keeping the armor on his arms just up to his armpits. Andrea incorporated these changes and sent us back the following:
The winner was #2, but we eliminated the horizontal bead around each of the separating links, covered the ball joint near each tip, and tapered the design so the whip was thicker toward the gauntlet.
At this point, we moved on to the final line art and poses. Pose #2 was picked as the winning pose, and in the end, I think we learned a valuable lesson with Xekaar: whips take a lot of careful consideration.
At this point in the process, Andrea began exploring the segmentation of the whips. I absolutely loved the bladed chain-whip idea, but it would have been a nightmare to cast. I knew that would need to be changed. Matt sketched some alternate whip ideas on a flight to Seattle. After describing the whip/chain adjustment to Andrea and sending him a quick sketch, Andrea sent us this:
Trollbloods
Now, I’ll move on to the Faction that required the largest amount of new art in Primal—the Trollbloods. Their large volume of legacy artwork was nearly ten years old, and it gave me the opportunity to bring more life to our unit illustrations and to show the unit is more than just a couple of figures in a nebulous environment. This was the first Faction I tackled for HORDES, and the kriel warriors were my first priority. If I had my way, Andrea would illustrate all the trollkin, but we live in the real world of deadlines. I immediately assigned Andrea the kriel warriors for Primal. There are very few artists who I trust as much as Andrea, and this is the perfect example of how far that trust goes. Andrea sent me two sketches, and I picked one and received the final a few days later. Yes, he’s that good.
Primal Kriel Warriors
Legion of Everblight
For the Legion of Everblight, Roberto Cirillo helped evolve the concept art for the full-fledged warlock version of Fyanna the Lash. Roberto had designed several warlocks and warcasters for us over the years, and I knew he would be the perfect fit for this one. I sent Roberto our concept design description, and a few days later, I received the following sketches:
Just like Xekaar, I combined all the elements I liked most and created sketch D. Then from D, we changed the barbed tail on the head to hair, shrank the spikes on her shoulders and forearms, and adjusted the shape of her kneepads. For her weapon, #4 was selected. The only real challenge for this piece was finding her pose. Having learned our lesson with Xekaar, we opted to keep the weapon in her hand to avoid any casting issues.
Now we could update her illustration. To tackle that project, I looked to one of my favorite new artists to work with, Jeremy Chong. After Jeremy delivered an absolutely spectacular piece for the harrier art update (right), I immediately knew he had to be put on higher profile work.
For Fyanna’s illustration, I really wanted to see her paired with shredders because they have been in desperate need of representation. I hoped Jeremy would deliver, and he did. My illustration description was: “Flanked by a pair of shredders, Fyanna pauses briefly in the action, whipping her blade through the air. She looks furious and ready to tear apart anyone that gets in her way. The setting is in a lush swampy environment. A low fog and heavy cloud cover gives the appearance of an early morning.”
Primal Harriers
Jeremy Chong
In the thumbnail sketches above, you can see how details can be misinterpreted from written descriptions when a new illustrator isn’t familiar with the setting. Jeremy was under the impression that Fyanna was fighting the shredders. Sketch-wise, they are beautiful looking pieces that would be fantastic if she was fighting against shredders. The second problem with the shredders was their size. They were woefully undersized. We discussed these changes, and he created a new piece. With a few quick adjustments, I had a final in hand, and its energy jumped off the page. (For final piece, see next page.)
Circle Orboros
This next illustration was done as an homage to the old art. Unfortunately, in the final version of Primal we ended up losing the warpwolf that was teleporting due to the crop. So, here is the all-new shifting stones illustration in its undoctored format, side-by-side with the old illustration that it celebrates.
Minions
The last illustration I’ll be showing here is one that I’ve wanted to update since I first started at Privateer Press, the farrow brigands. I’ve always had a bit of a soft spot for the farrow, although I haven’t had many opportunities to give them attention over the years. Finally, I had my chance to give the farrow some love, so I enlisted the help of Carlos Cabrera to update their illustration. I didn’t want to overcomplicate this image; it wouldn’t take much to make the piece more dynamic. My simple illustration description was: “The farrow brigands charge across the field of battle, ready for action. The scene is lit by moonlight and the fires that surround them in battle.” Carlos sent me this sketch, and I immediately knew where he was going with it. Typically, I request three to five black-and-white thumbnail sketches. Carlos sent one, and I immediately knew it was going to be a winner. I responded to his email with a big thumbs-up.
Primal Shifting Stones
Oscar Cafaro MKII Shifting Stones
Next, he sent me the basic color palette establishing the lighting and mood of the piece (right). I was extremely happy with it, and I had zero revisions. I knew that Carlos would address any detail issues while he was working. His next pass and proposed final version looked great, but I really wanted to see the foreground figure get a higher level of rendering (more detail and sharper focus), so I requested that he sharpen the render/focus on the foreground and middle ground farrow and add a bit of a rim light (light around the edge of the figure) to help separate the figures and background from one another. The final piece is shown below.
Primal Farrow Brigands
The last piece I’ll leave you with is the illustration for the Trollblood Scattergunners. This illustration doesn’t appear in Primal, but it will replace the Scattergun artwork in the Trollbloods Command book.
These are only a few of the 50+ illustrations from Primal. As much as I’d love to talk about and share each illustration, you’ll simply have to pick up a copy of Primal to see the rest. Oh, and brace yourself for more all-new art—Prime and Primal are just the beginning.
Trollblood Scattergunners Andrea Uderzo
The fast and furious new Rumble format gives players a new way to play small games of WARMACHINE and HORDES in a small space and in no time flat! We pitted two players who were new to the format against each other to see how they liked it. Without giving too much away, they thought it was so nice they played it twice! Read about their experiences here, and download the Rumble rules at privateerpress.com/NQ67.
This battle report uses the Rumble format and the Patrol scenario. These can be found in the Steamroller 2016 rules document at privateerpress.com.
By Dan Roman anD micah Scott RalSton chRonicleD By lyle loweRy
A
s much as I love the spectacle of a massive clashing of armies, I don’t always have the time or space for such a game. I like to play smaller skirmishes, and the new Rumble format caters to just that. I toyed with the idea of fielding my beloved Convergence army for this battle report, but I ultimately settled on something simple, self-sufficient, and straightforward. Enter Orsus Zoktavir, the Butcher of Khardov.The Butcher has been one of my favorite characters on and off the tabletop since I first heard of WARMACHINE. I love a high-casualty attrition game that ends with one warcaster or warlock killing the other. Zoktavir’s offensive and defensive spells epitomize Khador’s strategy of heavy armor and high melee damage. Full Throttle pairs nicely with the new Power Up mechanic, and Fury remains a great way of cracking enemy heavies. And once your army has carved a swath through the enemy, the Butcher is more than capable of killing almost anything he sets his rage-clouded mind to.
For his battlegroup, the Butcher brought along a Decimator and a Kodiak. Thanks to Power Up and the changes to ROF, the Decimator is a threat in melee or at range, especially on the Butcher’s Feat turn. The Kodiak is quite simply my favorite warjack in the game. It’s focus efficient and relatively maneuverable, at least for a Khadoran ’jack. I rarely take to the field without one.
The Winter Guard Infantry are another mainstay of my army. These brave sons and daughters of Khador laugh in the faces of the warpwolves and necrotite-fueled horrors against which I so regularly send them to die. But hey, they’re cheap and pack a wallop.
Finally, the Butcher brought along his War Dog to increase his survivability in melee. It is customary for it to say, “Bark bark bark,” as it advances.
Model/Unit Points
Orsus Zoktavir,
the Butcher of Khardov +28 WJ
Decimator 16
Kodiak 13
Winter Guard Infantry (10) 11
War Dog 3
