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 N o Qu a r t e r
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Issue 01

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Contents

04 ESCALATION TO WAR
THE FIRE & THE FORGE

22 DEMONHEAD PASS
COMPANY OF IRON

34 TOWER JUDGMENT
HOSTILE TERRITORY

40 THE TRENCHER CID

AFTER ACTION REPORT

48 TABLE READY IN 5 STEPS

PAINTING & HOBBY

52 THE HAUNTING OF BLACKWELL HALL

IRON KINGDOMS RPG

74 FORCES OF CYGNAR–THE TRENCHER CORPS

THEME FORCE
 THE FIRE & THE FORGE

Vol. 1: The Invasion of Llael, 604 AR

ESCALATION TO WAR
by Douglas Seacat

“The Fire & the Forge” is a feature examining pivotal moments in the recent history of
western Immoren and its groups battling for supremacy or survival. It is intended to allow
newer readers to become familiar with what has come before and to serve as an engaging
reminder to veteran readers.

E scalation to War, the first series in “The Fire & the Forge,”
will be chronicled in six parts and goes back to the era of
WARMACHINE: Escalation, covering a pivotal turning point
Fortress, and Elsinberg. If these three vital positions could be
seized, Irusk knew he could rapidly advance into the interior
and gain an insurmountable advantage before Llael’s allies
starting at the end of 604 AR and going through 605 AR. These could gather sufficient forces to stand against him.
conflicts launched six brutal years of turmoil and war that
Llael had been a kingdom long coveted by Khador—with wealth
reshaped the region and saw the rise of powerful competing
accumulated from its fertile soils and from its geographical
factions. Escalation to War will include the Llaelese War and the
position as a centralized market for trade. The Black River
onset of the Protectorate’s Great Crusade, as well as the start of
running through its center served as the primary artery for
Cryx’s mainland ambitions. It all began with an invasion of a
goods exchanged between Rhul and Cygnar, and Llael’s
vulnerable nation caught between rival superpowers.
markets had long benefitted from trade with Ord and even Ios
before their seclusion. Llael’s northern mountains near Rynyr
War Begins are one of the Iron Kingdoms’ most abundant sources of the
minerals required to make blasting powder, a vital military
In the final weeks of 604 AR, Khador launched a three-pronged
asset. The Order of the Golden Crucible—headquartered in
assault against its eastern neighbor, the kingdom of Llael. The
the northeastern city of Leryn—had exploited these mines to
attack on Llael’s western border was masterminded by the
become a powerful and wealthy organization famed for its
brilliant Kommandant Gurvaldt Irusk, who sent his nation’s
premier alchemists.
finest warcasters to overwhelm the garrisons at Laedry, Redwall

4 No Quarter PRIME
The Khadoran High Kommand, at the behest of Queen Ayn
Vanar, intended to seize all of Llael’s many assets for their
exclusive use. This was to be but the first step in a longer
campaign to restore Khadoran supremacy: to return the lands
and strength it had boasted as the Khardic Empire before being
broken apart by the Orgoth. The Khadorans believed they were
fighting to reclaim what was theirs by right.
By 604 AR, Llael suffered from a troubled government. The
rift between the poor and the wealthy had become vast, with
scheming nobles living lives of excess while many of their
citizens starved. The last king had died under mysterious
circumstances nine years earlier and had not been replaced.
While he sired a large number of sons and daughters—both
legitimate and illegitimate—his heirs perished amid a series
of assassinations and “mishaps.” Into this power vacuum rose
Deyar Glabryn, Archduke of Southryne, who seized power as
prime minister.
Glabryn became preoccupied with internal politics, seemingly
oblivious to the vulnerable state of his nation. The Llaelese
Army suffered years of neglect, their numbers diminishing
as the treasury reduced spending on salaries and armament.
The men and women in uniform along Llael’s western border
proved to be patriotic and determined soldiers, willing to
give their lives to protect their homeland, even without the
support of their nobles and the prime minister who led them.
Llael increasingly looked to mercenaries to supplement its
army while making demands of Cygnar, its longstanding
ally, for support. Llael’s major garrisons—particularly at
Redwall Fortress—relied on the presence of a large number
of Cygnaran soldiers to protect their border. On these walls,
strong friendships were forged between the soldiers of both
nations. Some of the Cygnarans stationed in Llael had brought
their families into the kingdom and had come to view it as a
second home.
These defenders did not anticipate a Khadoran assault as the
end of 604 AR neared. Conventional wisdom suggested that
launching a military campaign at the onset of winter was the
height of folly. Winter is a time when supply lines are difficult
to sustain, and the weather favors the defender. Hundreds
of years of tradition insisted the campaigning season should
be after the thaw in the spring. Yet if there was any military
force conditioned to endure the hardship of launching a war
in winter, it was the Khadoran Army. When the first mortars
and rifles fired against Llaelese garrisons on Ashtoven 15th,
the attack took everyone by surprise. The battles that followed
would be shaped by and would inspire ongoing advances
in military technology, forcing an evolution of tactics and
No Quarter PRIME 5
 THE FIRE & THE FORGE
F&F Intel: Umbreans
Umbrey was an ancient kingdom
once joined to the Khardic Empire.
Its descendants, Umbreans,
were divided between the newer
nations of Khador and Llael. There
remain familial ties and a shared
culture between them, though
some are proud Khadorans and
others are patriotic Llaelese.
6 No Quarter PRIME
strategies. This period also saw an alarming rise in
the intensity of supernatural forces, including both
profane and holier influences.
The Cygnaran Reconnaissance Service, arguably the
most skilled and well-funded intelligence network
in western Immoren, was caught off guard by the
invasion of Llael. There were reasons for this failure.
Scout General Bolden Rebald’s agents had, in fact,
been following a number of interesting leads related
to the movement of military forces inside Khador.
When the conspiracy-minded Rebald and his senior
officers evaluated these facts, however, they came to
the wrong conclusions.
Signs pointed to the possibility that Great Prince
Vladimir Tzepesci, an esteemed Umbrean warcaster,
was gathering an army of his loyal retainers. He
also appeared to be accumulating, in secret, an
unprecedented number of old and unstable heavy
warjacks, ones removed from the High Kommand’s
active duty roster. These and other movements of
armed forces inside Khador were evocative and
noticed, but they were interpreted incorrectly.
The conclusion seemed obvious to Rebald—Great
Prince Tzepesci, whose line had once sat on the
Khadoran throne and had long been a thorn in Queen
Vanar’s side—was making a move to depose the
queen. The notion of internal civil war between the
Vanar dynasty and Tzepesci’s allies delighted the
head of the CRS, and he concluded Cygnar need not
worry about a threat from the north for some time to
come. As the new year neared, CRS agents toasted the
imminent turmoil in Khador’s capital…even as mortar
shells began to fall on the defenders at Laedry.
The Tactician, the Spy,
and the Black Prince
Just outside Laedry, northwestern Llael
Kommandant Gurvaldt Irusk walked carefully
through the dark tunnel, his gauntleted hand tracing
along the stones of its wall. Night had fallen, and the
overcast sky had shrouded the area in darkness, even
beyond the old bridge beneath which the warcaster
had found the passage to the tomb where he would
meet with his most cunning protégé. His adjutants
had not wanted him to go alone, so far from his
army, but he ignored their pleas and left them with
his horse at the road. They had already taken too
many risks of discovery. The outer graveyards of
Laedry were uninviting and ominous, but patrols
did sometimes roam the paths. The city itself was
very near, its outer wall topped by occasional
flickering torchlights.
He stopped for a moment and listened; he felt
confident no one had followed him. He wore his
warcaster armor but had set its turbine to its lowest
setting, giving forth the smallest wisps of smoke.
The armor felt heavy on his frame without its field
empowered to lift its weight, but its joints had been
oiled, and it fit him like a second skin. He found the
weight comforting.
He rapped on the tomb door lightly twice, harder
twice, and then once after a pause. It creaked open,
revealing a dim orange light within, and a hand
beckoned him in.
“Kommandant, well met. Care for a cigar?” The
man spoke in perfect Llaelese inflected by a distinct
eastern Umbrean accent.
Irusk froze for a moment, as the voice was not
familiar. The thought crossed his mind he might
have been somehow betrayed or tricked into
ambush. But then his eyes adjusted, and he saw a
familiar smile.
He walked into the small damp chamber and
waved away the offered cigar. Standing before him
was a well-built younger man in the armor of a
Llaelese officer. His short-cropped black hair and
goatee, together with his larger frame, immediately
suggested he was Umbrean. This was not uncommon
among the western border forces; Llaelese Umbreans
dominated their officer corps, particularly in Laedry.
Despite that, they were underpaid compared to their
Rynnish counterparts. The insignia on his shoulder
marked him as a Llaelese colonel.
“We are in position,” he said, now in Khadoran.
Impressively, even his return to his native tongue
maintained the Umbrean and Llaelese accent. He
raised a match to light his own cigar, the flame
revealing a self-satisfied expression and eyes Irusk
knew well. “I await your go-ahead.”
“You startled me,” Irusk said with a low chuckle.
“A convincing accent. And disguise. You have a
remarkable talent, Oleg Strakhov.”
“Please, let’s not use that name here,” the other man
said. “I’d prefer to stay in character.”
“Of course, Colonel,” Irusk said. “Our forces are
very nearly ready. Two or three days, and we begin.
I need you to accomplish your mission just before
we move. Can you get to Archduke Vladirov by
then? This will go much more smoothly if he were to
disappear. Preferably by tomorrow, or the day after
at the latest.”
The Khadoran warcaster pretending to be a Llaelese
colonel gave Irusk a steady look and then nodded,
drawing on his cigar. “No problem. I will also
remove a substantial number of his command staff.
Chances are I will lose two-thirds or more of those I
brought with me during my extraction. Unavoidable,
given the timeframe. They are skilled, well trained.
A costly loss.”
Invasion of Llael Battles
Beginning Ashtoven 15th,
604 AR

Battle of Laedry
Attackers:
3rd Division, 2nd Khadoran Army,
led by Kommandant Irusk
House Tzepesci Forces, led by
Great Prince Tzepesci
Defenders:
Laedry Garrison, Llaelese Army
Thunderhelm Irregulars

Battle of Redwall
Fortress
Attackers:
4th Division, 2nd Khadoran Army,
led by Kommander Zoktavir
Defenders:
Redwall Garrison, Llaelese Army
Llaelese Brigade, 2nd Division,
1st Cygnaran Army

Battle of Elsinberg
Attackers:
2nd Division, 1st Army,
led by Kommander Kratikoff
Defenders:
Elsinberg Garrison, Llaelese Army
Llaelese Regiment, 2nd Division,
1st Cygnaran Army

Khadoran Army Advance

Cygnaran Army Advance

No Quarter PRIME 7
 THE FIRE & THE FORGE
“As you say, unavoidable,” Irusk said without flinching. “Should
this operation succeed, each of their deaths will potentially save
the lives of hundreds of their countrymen.”
The other warcaster nodded, and his expression suggested he
understood the stakes. In a lighter tone, he said, “If you will
allow me to speak freely, Kommandant…”
Irusk waved a hand. “Please do. We are alone.”
“I have been thinking about it, and I am surprised you wish
to eliminate Vladirov like this. He is a great general. A famous
tactician. Not as esteemed as you, of course, but his books are
also studied. I had thought you might wish to defeat his army
conventionally in order to prove your superiority. It would be a
blow to the Llaelese morale.”
Irusk shook his head. “It would do nothing but feed my pride.
No. Vladirov is a man I respect too much to play games with.
In this campaign, we must plan for the long haul. Every soldier
we lose here is one who will not join us at Rynyr, at Riversmet,
at the siege of Merywyn. If I can secure a swift victory by being
underhanded, by cheating, then so be it. Vladirov is the only
general in Llael worthy of the rank. Therefore, we remove him.”
The younger warcaster chuckled morosely, gesturing with his
cigar. “So, you respect him too much to give him a good death?
Great Prince Tzepesci would not approve.”
The Rampant Stallion and Crossed Spears of Umbrey
8 No Quarter PRIME
“Tzepesci is not here to complain. Vladirov has earned a good
death, but he will not get one at my hands.”
“Very well. It shall be as you command.”
Irusk shifted slightly. Strakhov would perform his task without
any explanation, but then again, Irusk had spent considerable
time molding him into the weapon he had become. He wanted
Strakhov’s understanding.
Irusk said, “The Umbreans are proud, even the eastern ones. If
the archduke lived and escaped, they would rally to him. They
would plague us, even after we took Laedry from them. His
vanishing will hurt his army far more. No one will know how or
why. It will sow seeds of paranoia and panic. When I give them
a target to attack, one that seems easy, they will not hesitate as
Vladirov would. They will expose themselves. I do not expect a
bloodless victory here. But I will do everything in my power to
defeat them before they fire a single shot.”
“A solid plan. I will do my part.” Strakhov said this with a more
genuine smile. “I intend to be away before the explosions begin.
By that point I’ll have accomplished my task—or died trying.
Here, share this with me.”
He offered a bottle of Llaelese vyatka, an expensive one. Irusk
hesitated but then took it and tipped it back for a long swallow.
“To fortune, and courage,” he said. “You have always had more
than your fair share of both.”
Strakhov did not sip his portion like a Llaelese noble and officer
but rather threw it back with the gusto one would expect of a
brave son of the Motherland. They shared another look, and
each nodded. They left the tomb and went their separate ways,
passing through the wrought-iron fences of graveyards that
would soon be more crowded with fresh dead.
—●—
Flurries of snow fell from the sky, though winter’s full strength
had yet to be felt. It might have been a particularly cold autumn
day. There were no further incidents before Irusk returned to
the main column, there to take his place among its van. The
long military column stretched out behind him, making its
slow but steady way through the foothills of what had once
been Umbrey but was now the outskirts of northern Llael.
It was an impressive force, their red, gold, and black armor
leaving no illusions as to their identity, though the weather
and cold had so far conspired to allow them to close on the city
without attracting attention. This had also involved the hard
work of Widowmaker snipers and manhunters working on the
periphery of the army’s advance, spotting any potential patrols
and working to either evade them or silence them.
Despite the strength of the army accompanying him, including
among them the peerless Iron Fangs, a sizable number of newly
built artillery pieces, and an impressive arsenal of battle-ready
warjacks, Irusk was being cautious. Timing was everything, and
for this first assault he intended that everything should fall in
his favor—not just for this battle but for the other prongs of the
invasion advancing on the border farther to the south.
A massive force of heavy armor and wall-breaking warjacks
accompanied Kommander Zoktavir, better known as the
Butcher of Khardov. This was the axe and hammer that would
shatter the strongest fortification of Llael’s western border,
Redwall Fortress. Irusk expected that fortress to be annihilated
utterly, and he had dispatched the proper weapon to see it
done. Laedry and Elsinberg were different—large and occupied
cities, each with useful assets and with citizens who might be
conquered and joined in time to Khador. Irusk had chosen to
deal with Laedry personally, since the northern attacks were the
most crucial to his long-term plans. Elsinberg, he left to the very
capable Kommanders Kratikoff and Harkevich with orders to
take that town as intact as its defenders allowed them.
When Laedry was seized, they would plunge onward to seize
Rynyr and then, most important, Riversmet. Gaining control
over the Black River would put them in a position of strategic
supremacy for all subsequent conquests within Llael. They
could prevent any smuggled supplies or goods from Rhul. They
could advance across the river to move on Leryn, when they
were ready to do so, and to pressure Merywyn itself, the capital
of Llael, located downriver from Riversmet. So long as they
could quickly seize Riversmet, the other prongs of Irusk’s attack
might falter or be delayed and he should still come out ahead.
The army marched on toward their assigned positions while he
double-checked the maps in his command tent before directing
his adjutants to pack them up and prepare to reposition. The
bulk of the army would not yet close on Laedry; instead, they
would stay back enough that their full strength would not be
revealed, even when the city’s lookouts realized an enemy
approached. His intelligence suggested the large mercenary
force joined to the Llaelese Army defenders would be wary
unless convinced of their numerical superiority. They were
positioned at an encampment east of the city amid the hills. He
needed to draw them forth.
He double-checked the detailed city maps and written orders
intended for his artillery crews. These were soon sent by runners.
Irusk stepped out into the cold air for a walk, surveying the lay
of the land, his mind filled with the markers representing his
soldiers and their positions. For a moment he was left alone, and
he savored it, as he always did when battle neared.
A solitary figure in dark armor broke from the tree line just
south of his position and approached. Irusk frowned but felt no
alarm. His power was at his fingertips and his warcaster armor
was on him, its arcane turbine fueled and fired. His warjacks
were not far. Several of his senior officers were also nearby,
and he knew at least two squads of Widowmakers watched his
position. They would not allow an assassin to get so close.
The tingling sensation at the back of his head told him it was a
warcaster who neared just moments before he recognized the
distinctive and archaic armor worn by the other man. There
were no smokestacks on his back; at his side were the sheathed
blades passed down through his family line for generations.
“Great Prince Tzepesci,” Irusk said. “This is a surprise.”
He offered the man a slight bow, as was proper for someone of
his station when speaking to one of the highest-ranking nobles
in Khador. But just enough. Irusk’s military rank put him at a
higher echelon when it came to decisions of war, not that he’d
expect the great prince to obey him.
“Kommandant Irusk,” Vladimir Tzepesci said with a small
smile, inclining his head a bit less than he should have. Irusk
expected no less.
Interactions with the great princes involved many layers of tricky
protocol, and none more so than the controversial Umbrean
standing before him. Many in the High Kommand and in the
capital believed Tzepesci to be more than a loose cannon. They
thought him a legitimate threat to the throne, a rival of the queen.
Irusk did not consider it his place to dwell on such matters,
though the great prince’s sudden presence here was unnerving.
He had no doubt the man had his own forces with him nearby,
yet Irusk’s own scouts had clearly seen no sign of them.
“I believe the queen had requested you protect the border we
share with Cygnar,” Irusk said. “She is a dangerous woman to
defy, even for a prince.”
“I do not defy her.” Vladimir’s eyes flared. “But she allows me
some liberty interpreting my orders, so long as the interests of
the Motherland are served. I will be where she wishes me to be,
once we are finished.”
“And what brings you here? Do you offer me some special
wisdom pertinent to my campaign? Or did you intend to wish
me good fortune? If so, it is appreciated.” Irusk inclined his head
again, his smile only slightly sardonic.
“Laedry belongs to the Umbreans. In time, I will unite them.
Meanwhile, I will assist you in seizing this city, so long as it
does not become rubble. Old Korska once stood not far from
here. It was the eastern capital of the Khardic Empire. And
it was razed and forgotten. Khador turned a deaf ear to the
Umbreans, leaving them destitute. The Ryn did what the Khards
would not—they rebuilt this city as Laedry, as a promise that in
Llael they would always have a home. It is for this reason that
half my people abandoned the Motherland. Destroying this
place will only seal their resolve against us.”
Irusk considered those words, trying to restrain the annoyance
he felt at the prince’s assumptions and his scholarly tone as he
lectured. “I do not intend a protracted siege. Nor is it my goal
to raze Laedry. It will suffer some inevitable collateral damage,
but pains will be taken to seize it as quickly and as intact as
possible. Its industry will serve the Motherland.”
Vladimir stared at him intensely, perhaps trying to gauge his
sincerity. Finally, he said, “That is good. With my help—and my
warjacks—this outcome can be assured. Without my aid, you
will be bogged down fighting in the streets. Inevitably, you will
feel the need to resort to superior firepower. I offer my help to
avoid this. And once we are finished here, you and your troops
can advance on Rynyr while I go to seize Riversmet. Our goals
are aligned. If done quickly enough, I can hasten to Ravensgard
to answer the queen’s orders, as promised.”
There was a sound of rumbling engines and the crashing and
snapping of trees and underbrush being torn apart. Behind the
great prince, a number of hulking shadows emerged from the
No Quarter PRIME 9
 THE FIRE & THE FORGE
trees, striding forward with postures of eagerness. Warjacks,
more than a dozen of them, most with axes in each hand. A few
had shields and swords; others had pointed wedges in place of
hands. Where the paint had not been scraped off, their armor
was red, but each chassis bore the scars of battle in long gouges
and hastily repaired rents and armored plates that did not
quite match. One of the double axe-wielding machines directly
behind the great prince glowered at Irusk with malevolent
ferocity, its glowing eyes a baleful red. It howled and shook an
axe, and the kommandant saw chains dangled from it, including
several with skulls attached, strung like trophies.
Irusk was taken aback. They were mostly Berserkers but also a
few Mad Dogs and Ragers, all old and largely outmoded warjack
designs from previous centuries. None of them were widely used
by the military. He held his ground and his tone was steady.
“Such machines are highly unstable and dangerous. They might
cause as much damage to you as to your enemy, if pushed.”
“I know how to handle them.” Vladimir folded his arms and
smiled as the deranged Berserker with the skulls came up
beside him and stopped at his smallest gesture, like a dog made
to heel. “The mercenaries in Laedry fear them with just cause.
They will have greater impact than the newer machines already
at your disposal.”
“How many did you bring?” Irusk asked, feeling growing
disbelief as he realized there were yet more of them behind the
others, obscured by the weather and the trees.
“All of them,” the Umbrean warcaster said. “At least, all those
remaining that I could seize. I have spent long months acquiring
them. They had been neglected—but no more.”
“No one can control so many!” Irusk said, shocked. Yet, almost
against his will, he was also impressed. No wonder the prince
had been able to muster such an army in secret. These older
chassis had been steadily abandoned, many of them given
up for scrap. A few old military commanders saw them as an
interesting curiosity, but their usage had fallen outside the
normal supply lines, leaving them untracked and unchecked.
If Vladimir actually had several dozen of them here, they
might indeed make quite a difference against the tenacious
Thunderhelm Irregular mercenaries, a company noted for
having an impressive stockpile of its own old but still battle-
ready warjacks.
“They listen to me,” Great Prince Tzepesci said, “and fight
quite well without needing to be guided. They can be deployed
in waves. Each serves the Motherland and is as willing to be
sacrificed for victory as the Motherland’s most courageous sons
and daughters. They are patriotic, in their own simple way.”
Behind him, the machines shifted and stepped forward,
several clapping their axes together as if they understood the
Umbrean’s words.
From the trees came men as well, mostly in black armor that
was touched here and there with a hint of red. Umbreans, their
officers wearing the sigils of the Tzepesci family and of others
loyal to him. Iron Fangs, both infantry and cavalry, plus squads
of riflemen. It was an impressive force, one that grew as Irusk
watched. It was sobering to consider how easily the great prince
10 No Quarter PRIME
had brought them here unseen. That he had all the Berserkers
on display suggested his own supply lines, perhaps even the
help of eastern Umbreans.
Could he have moved such a force as easily into the heart of
Khador? Was his army large enough to threaten the garrison at
Korsk, depleted as it was while the armies marched into Llael?
It seemed likely, Irusk thought. Yet this dark prince, whom the
nobles feared, had not threatened the queen but had come to
help Irusk instead. He had no illusions that Tzepesci would
follow his orders, given how cavalier he was with the queen’s.
He was a formidable warcaster, a master of unique sorceries. His
presence here might just make all the difference.
Irusk stepped forward and offered a hand to the other
warcaster. “Let us do this together.”
Vladimir smiled and took his hand in a firm clasp. “Yes, let us
show our enemies a new type of war—one the Iron Kingdoms
has not seen before!”
Aftermath: Laedry
The swift seizure of Llael’s northwestern city was an accomplishment
of supreme strategic and tactical ingenuity.
Irusk initiated a long-ranged bombardment of the outer walls by
mortar and cannon, firing from an elevated position among the
hills northwest of the city. His artillery was expertly coordinated
to eliminate defensive batteries that would otherwise have been
able to retaliate. Additional shells exploded in the streets of Laedry,
creating panic and chaos. Industrial centers were avoided to focus
on military barracks and government buildings that might have
been useful to the defenders. A number of residences were also
demolished, and hundreds of civilians were killed. Given the size of
Laedry, these deaths were considered quite low in number.
The Khadoran artillery battery was protected by a carefully chosen
battalion of Winter Guard and Man-O-War soldiers. Their numbers
were commensurate to represent a real threat to Laedry’s army
garrison but inadequate to overwhelm the sizable mercenary force
joined to the city’s defenders. It is unlikely the famous Lord General
and Archduke Alreg Vladirov would have fallen for this gambit, but
he and most of his senior staff had disappeared two days before the
Khadoran attack, leaving their subordinates in disarray. They relied
upon the expertise of Commander Jakob Scull of the Thunderhelm
Irregulars, who was confident his force could drive off the Khadorans
and eliminate the artillery battery in a show of overwhelming force.
These efforts appeared to be successful initially. The 28th Assault
Battalion of Khador’s 2nd Army withdrew before the disciplined
and well-ordered Thunderhelm forces and their warjacks, forced to
abandon most of their artillery pieces. However, the true strength of
the attacking army was soon revealed when the mercenaries were
encircled and subjected to an even more concentrated barrage of
cannon and mortar fire. As their lines tattered and collapsed, they
were set upon by the rest of Irusk’s 4th Assault Legion, which
crushed them utterly. The remnants fled to Laedry and were soon
set upon by Vladimir Tzepesci’s forces.
A full Llaelese Army battalion and three Cygnaran companies put up
a brave fight but were disordered. Lacking central leadership and
thrown into disarray as the invaders came from multiple directions,
the defenders were unable to establish a coherent defense. They
briefly rallied at the government offices at the center of the city,
but Tzepesci’s Berserkers annihilated the warjacks kept in reserve
while Widowmaker snipers atop the rooftops prioritized anyone
ranked sergeant or higher. Soon thereafter, what remained of the
city’s leadership surrendered. Laedry’s walls and the archduke’s
compound took down banners and flags showing the crown and
stars of Llael to be replaced with the Khadoran Anvil.
The Butcher’s Bill His lieutenant was not far away, though the lieutenant’s own
expression was less determined. He seemed to be very pale
Redwall Fortress, western Llael and was watching the shuddering wall with his mouth slightly
open as if hypnotized. Redwall Fortress was as stout as they
Sergeant Jylle Ryvesh of the 13th Heavy Pistoleers stood in
came—its walls of heavy stone reinforced with steel. The
position alongside his brothers and sisters in arms, in a ready
surface facing had been alchemically treated and soaked to
stance with his gleaming pistol in his right hand and resting
add to its resilience, letting it shrug off explosive blasts. Yet all
steady atop his left arm. They were inside the Redwall Fortress
such measures had limits. Clearly, Jylle’s lieutenant felt those
courtyard, back from the main wall and prepared for what
limits had been reached.
seemed an inevitable breach. His ears were already ringing from
the continuous sound of rifle and cannon fire from atop the In front of the line of pistoleers were several rows of pikemen
battlements. Bodies fallen from above were scattered across the with their long weapons lowered and ready, veteran soldiers
open ground ahead of him. Those atop the wall were still firing adorned in plated armor and steel helmets, refined in their
valiantly at the approaching foe, but they had clearly already purple tabards with gold trim. Pikes were admittedly a slightly
failed in keeping the enemy from closing. outmoded weapon in the modern era but were still useful,
especially in close quarters. Were the wall to be breached, they
The gatehouse was still intact, but both its towers were shorn off,
could surge against anyone foolish enough to charge through
exploded in earlier fire from Khadoran Destroyers. Smoke rose
the gap. Even a warjack could be crippled if enough sharp
from the stout northern tower, though several of its cannons
implements could hit vulnerable pipes or wedge steel points
were still firing periodically. The number of infantry atop the
into exposed joints. Intermixed among the forward ranks were
battlements was less than it was, having endured constant
several platoons of Cygnaran trenchers, though many of those
withering fire from those without. Few of the crenellations
allies had already perished beyond the walls. Behind Jylle’s
were intact, and the courtyard was littered with stone, blood,
position and up along several elevated platforms were both
shattered rifles, and other debris. They had thwarted the foe’s
Llaelese riflemen and Cygnaran long gunners, all in position
first drive at the main gates, leaving the wreckage of warjacks
and ready to deliver a torrent of bullets.
piled up beyond, but this had come at a cost, including the
fortress’ senior warcaster—Marshal Hayser d’Kiellion, who had Everything was still where Jylle stood, as though each of them
bravely sallied forth alongside his battlegroup to confront the waiting could barely remember to draw a breath, frozen with
enemy vanguard. Though his efforts had taken a toll, the heavy fingers on triggers and hands gripped upon weapons. Yet
armor of the Khadoran assault had been too much for him. around them was chaos and shouting, the hustling of dozens
of soldiers trying to heed the commands of their superiors.
Jylle’s position among the fortress’ inner defenders had not
There was a great deal of movement up on the walls to either
given him a direct view of that clash, though rumor had soon
side of their position, as the defenders sought to find some
spread. The marshal had negated and stalled the front line
method to thwart the breach. They knew heavy armor could
of heavy Khadoran warjacks and Man-O-War, but that was
be penetrated in time. The men within Man-O-War rigs were
when a line of Shocktroopers had parted to let an axe-wielding
mortal, made of flesh, blood, and bone. They could be rattled to
maniac through. With a single heavy blow, the Khadoran giant
death or wounded badly enough to withdraw. The Khadorans
had ended him. They said the strike had ruined the man,
could not have a large enough army to continue the pace of this
almost cutting him in twain.
onslaught. The defenders only had to hold until word could
The defenders had worked hard to barricade and block the reach Merywyn, and reinforcements were sent.
gate, using their own wreckage to hinder any approach, but
It was already too late. With another booming thud the stones
the enemy was undeterred. Rather than continue against that
of the wall gave way at last and tumbled down. The smashing
blood-soaked and entrenched area, they went to the thick
of metal against stone escalated, and giant hunks of rock came
adjacent wall instead. Man-O-War Shocktroopers with shields
as tall as a man flanked specialized heavy warjacks with
piston-rams for hands. These were followed by members of
the Demolition Corps, each wielding a huge mechanikal maul,
perfectly engineered to shatter metal or stone. They had set
against the great outer wall with the enthusiasm of miners
following a gold vein.
Jylle watched the wall shudder and shake, occasionally
booming like some giant’s heartbeat. Two soldiers who had yet
to abandon the top lost their balance and fell, screaming, to
land with sickening thuds in the courtyard. One stared with
unblinking eyes in Jylle’s direction as if beseeching him to run.
Jylle gritted his teeth, sweat beading against his forehead, but
stood firm. He was an elite heavy pistoleer, not some weak-
kneed town militia. His friends were to his right and his left,
and he gave those nearest a reassuring look, nodding slightly. The recently invented Khadoran mortar played a key role in
Kommandant Irusk's invasion plans.

No Quarter PRIME 11
 THE FIRE & THE FORGE
flying back from the wall, instantly crushing to death a number
of soldiers near the fore. Their sergeants shouted and the lines
reformed, even as the dust began to clear amid the clangor. A
wide V-shaped wedge was torn through the thick wall. And into
that gap came a roaring sound, as of engines and wild beasts
blended in some maddened combination.
The Marauders came first, ponderous Khadoran heavy warjacks
with their wedge-shaped fists; they had likely done the majority
of the work battering through the wall. Their armored plates
were already pocked and riddled with the impact of countless
bullets from the defenders above, and as soon as they stepped
from the clearing dust, a new barrage from inside the courtyard
impacted them. Jylle’s hearing was drowned out by the
explosive reports. He could feel the thud as one after another
fell, but they had withstood enough damage to allow the Man-
O-War Demolition Corps to close.
They too were met with a barrage of fire, enough to pierce
through even their heavy armor to kill several, but the others
reached the line of pikemen, and the melee was on. Jylle fired
over the heads of the men before him with his pistol, choosing
his shots with careful expertise, aiming for the small slits in the
Man-O-War helmets. In great smashing swings, the frost-rimed
hammers obliterated anyone they hit, sometimes battering
through two pikemen at once or sending a man at the fore
crashing back through those behind him.
There was a cadence to the fire but with a slight lull as more
of them reloaded, and it was into this slight pause that the
Khadoran giant revealed himself. He followed behind two
newer massive warjacks, hunched and growling, their postures
akin to the bears after which they had been named. Their
shovel-like armored fists battered the nearest defenders to
bloody scraps of meat, similarly breaking through the pike
hafts as if they were twigs. Kodiaks, sophisticated but brutal
machines. They just cleared the way for he who followed.
The giant warcaster’s eyes were shining with their own light—
filled with tangible arcane power as he let loose a roar that did
not sound human. He seemed eight feet tall and as thick and
wide as an ogrun, his bald head gleaming with a strange sheen.
The armor he wore seemed hardly less encumbering than what
the Man-O-War troopers endured, but he moved with a swiftness
that belied his size. Gripped in his oversized gauntleted hands
was an axe that a warjack might have swung, a brutal and
inelegant weapon with an edge that gleamed silver. He was a
warcaster—but more. This was the Butcher of Khardov, a living
monster. Khadoran brutality given flesh. Behind him rushed a
number of doom reavers, their horrific fellblades in hand, chained
to their wrists. An inhuman and throat-rending howling rose up
from them that drowned out all other sounds.
Jylle had fought in several battles and no less than four duels.
He had faced certain death more than once. He liked to think he
had nerves of steel, but now they failed him. He raised his pistol
and felt startled to see his hand shaking badly. A dizziness
had come over him, and he felt almost apart from his body, as
if he were a puppet on strings. His bullet fired, and despite his
shaking, it should have hit true, but the Butcher’s power field
flickered into brightness. The bullet was deflected away.
12 No Quarter PRIME
Then the giant and the doom reavers behind him were amid the
men, like incarnations of slaughter. The warcaster’s great axe
swung in terrible killing arcs. It did not slow for steel or bone
but tore through both, leaving a wash of bloody gore behind
it. His power field became a glowing and shimmering dome
around his person as incoming fire failed to penetrate. Jylle saw
a few holes open in the Butcher’s armor where individual bullets
had landed. Blood oozed from a shoulder wound and another
on his side, yet the maddened giant did not slow. He did not
register a single injury. His mouth hung open, his scowl deep as
if inscribed in his brow by a sculptor’s hand. Carnage lay about
him, and there was a great deal of screaming and shouting,
though it felt muffled to Jylle’s already deadened hearing.
Jylle holstered his pistol and drew his sword. There was
nothing but empty air and piles of the dead between him
and the Butcher. His brothers were at his side, and they too
were screaming, trying to muster their courage to charge this
monster. He did not need to look at them to know their eyes
were filled with fear.
“Charge! Take him!” he yelled, forcing his terror into courage.
He ran forward, his sword raised above him in both hands.
They had chosen their moment well, or so they thought. The
Butcher had just finished a sideways sweep and was extended,
recovering from the effort. It seemed like a moment when he
had left himself open. But then his head turned to face the
charging pistoleers. His smile was horrible to behold. His teeth
and lips were covered with blood. His eyes flared and runes
formed around his body. The ground across which they rushed
lurched and was torn asunder. All was thunder and explosion
and pain before Jylle felt the wetness of the blood-drenched
and muddy ground against his face. Darkness took him.
Aftermath: Redwall Fortress
There were very few firsthand accounts to provide details as
to what transpired at the Battle of Redwall Fortress. This fight
soon became known as the Massacre at Redwall, for the losses
endured here by the defenders were tremendous. Kommander
Orsus Zoktavir, known as the Butcher, led the attacking force and
appeared to have been bent on obliterating it utterly, along with
those who defended its walls.
Subsequent Khadoran military records confirmed the rumor
that orders were to give no quarter here. When the terrified
and surrounded soldiers inside the inner keep tried to
surrender, Zoktavir set his warjacks and the Demolition Corps to
demolishing the support walls, collapsing the keep upon itself.
The only survivors were some few who fled earlier in the battle
and had evaded any pursuit. They spoke of Zoktavir as an infernal
fiend, an immortal terror. The most lucid of these survivors was
later institutionalized for a variety of mental afflictions.
These tactics stood in stark contrast to the almost simultaneous
attacks on both Laedry and Elsinberg, where surrender was
accepted with aplomb, and prisoners were treated humanely.
It seems quite clear that Kommandant Gurvaldt Irusk sought to
demonstrate to the rest of the Llaelese the two possible fates
awaiting them. They might hope to be treated fairly by their
conquerors, by the civilized officers of the Motherland. But they
might instead be confronted by the Butcher of Khardov, in which
case only Morrow and Menoth could comfort their shorn souls.
No Quarter PRIME 13
 THE FIRE & THE FORGE
F&F Intel:
March of the Dead
Elsinberg is most famous for a
recurring haunting that happens
every year in autumn, when
hundreds of spectral soldiers
parade through the town as if
marching to war. This unusual
manifestation draws crowds of
visitors seeking a glimpse of these
doomed ghosts.
14 No Quarter PRIME
Small Mercies
West of Elsinberg, western Llael
Briefly encamped in the unsettled region called
the Willow Barrens west of Elsinberg, the three
Khadoran kommanders gathered in the primary
command tent. Though younger than the two men
with her, it was Kommander Sorscha Kratikoff who
had command of the mission. The raven-haired
warcaster showed no hesitation in directing the
others, though she did give Kommanders Izak
Harkevich and Negomir Tarovic due respect, given
their lengthy service records and accomplishments.
She said, “Gentlemen, do not be fooled by the
apparent simplicity of our task. There are several
ways this could go wrong.”
Tarovic grunted. He was oldest of the three, a
veteran campaigner who had long served the
Motherland and had slowly risen to his position.
His beard was grey and his body a bit soft, though
still fit for service. The man was not a warcaster,
but his long experience leading the Winter Guard
under his command recommended him. Sorscha had
worked with Tarovic on several occasions and found
him efficient and reliable, if moody. With a sour
expression, he eyed the maps spread before them.
“There will be no glory for us here,” he said. “Two
warcasters is two too many. I could have handled
this by myself.”
“We could take our warjacks elsewhere, if you’d
prefer,” said Harkevich mildly, his chest rising as he
chuckled to himself. With his thick beard and ample
girth, he took up more of the tent than the other
two combined. Despite his friendly demeanor, he
was also a proven warcaster noted for his numerous
victories and unusual ease of control over large
numbers of warjacks.
“No,” said Tarovic with a shrug, “I suppose since
you are here, we might as well avail ourselves of
your machines.”
“Too bad we didn’t come months ago,” Harkevich
said wistfully. “We missed the March of the Dead.”
When Sorscha had first been given command over
Harkevich, she had thought there might be tension
between them. Indeed, she had asked Kommandant
Irusk if it were even proper. Certainly by right
of seniority, Harkevich should have been the one
in charge. Irusk insisted he wanted her to direct
the attack. And then, to her surprise, the older
warcaster had taken it well. He seemed comfortable
being one piece in a larger mechanism. He had
established a quick rapport with Tarovic—the two
had been sharing stories during the march over
cigars and uiske.
“Militarily, Elsinberg stands no chance,” Sorscha
said, giving a detailed assessment of the city’s
garrisons on the map and the positions of various
defenders, according to their most recent intelligence.
“The reason we are all here is to make sure that they
learn this swiftly and that they comprehend the
folly of needless death. Kommandant Irusk made it
quite clear he wants the city intact. That is its own
complication, as it will severely limit our modes of
engagement. Yet we will need to move swiftly into
the interior afterward. We have not been given much
time for this operation.”
She assessed them both. “There is no margin of error.”
Harkevich sighed. Sorscha looked at him sharply,
expecting to see a look of disappointment. She knew
a number of senior officers who would have reacted
this way. She blinked as she realized he was actually
relieved. He saw her look, smiled, and said, “I have
never enjoyed being the bully. I am glad not to
partake in slaughter.”
She frowned at him. “Be prepared to be as
intimidating as possible. They must be convinced
resistance will be met with terrible consequences.
This is no time for making friends.”
He scratched one of his bushy eyebrows as he
answered. “With all respect, Kommander, they will
find our ’jacks intimidating enough. Better if the
civilians see our restraining hand and know there is
a chance we might offer mercy, if they ask nicely.”
Tarovic had been staring at the map. He pointed to
a pair of large buildings at the heart of town and
looked up earnestly at Sorscha. “The Monastery
of Ascendant Angellia and the adjoining library
should not be touched. Not a whit. It is vital it
remain unharmed.”
The older kommander had clearly braced himself
for argument, but Sorscha relented with a small but
disarming smile. “I have no intent of performing
sacrilege. I am sure in time the Greylords will
want to investigate the library. But by the time we
reach it, most of the city’s defenders should have
surrendered to us.”
Harkevich said, “Temples and churches sometimes
fall in war. There are no guarantees. Bombards are
not entirely accurate, despite best intentions. Besides,
what if some of our enemies take shelter there?”
Statue of "the Fighting Spirit of Umbrey"
in Elsinberg's central town square
“This place holds the remains of the ascendant
herself. She built the library with her own hands. It
is very holy.” Tarovic was clasping his Morrowan
symbol that dangled on a chain around his neck.
Sorscha did not think he realized it. She knew him
to be a pious officer, more than was typical, even
among those who attended services.
Sorscha held up a hand between them. “Should any
soldiers take shelter there, we will deal with that
problem as we must. Otherwise, we will give those F&F Intel: Ascendants
grounds a wide berth.” In the Morrowan religion, both
Morrow and his twin sister Thamar
Harkevich finally nodded. “Well, I have no wish to are served by a few saint-like
wake up any ascendants. Besides, harming such a ascended souls, each a hero of
the faith who transcended into a
place would cement the resolve of any in the city
powerful spiritual being prayed to
who are pious to fight us to the death.” and revered as an intermediary for
their god. Those serving Thamar
“Assuming the Llaelese are even capable of that are called scions.
much resolve. I have my doubts,” said Tarovic.
“They are a cowardly people. Still, I’m glad we
are in agreement. The library has stood for over a
thousand years. I would not have its destruction on
my conscience.”
“Then let us be about this business,” Sorscha said.
“We will attack at dawn and neutralize the hard
targets as swiftly as possible. Harkevich from the
north, I will enter from the west. Tarovic, you will
proceed with your men to seize the central garrison
after Harkevich has the gate. We have signal
flares should anything transpire that requires our
attention. Do not embarrass me in my first major
command, gentlemen.”
She gave them a look, and saw their eyes crinkle
with amusement at the acknowledgement of her
youth. They returned respectful nods.
—●—
“I am surprised to see you so patiently enduring
being shot at, Kommander Harkevich,” Sorscha said
as she approached the outer wall of the headquarters
of the Elsinberg Royal Fusiliers.
The other warcaster was standing back from the
main gate, his warjacks at the ready, one of them
standing between him and the broken windows
from which the occasional rifle shot came. Several
bullets bounced off the nearby wall and another
off Black Ivan, his rumbling warjack. Near his foot,
the flare that had drawn her attention petered out,
giving its last wisps of reddish-pink smoke.
“These ones appear determined to die in battle,
Kommander Kratikoff.” Harkevich looked sad as he
took another puff from his cigar. “We knew they’d
be trouble. I have to admit, I admire them. They’re
soft and pampered Llaelese, but they have grit. Not
a single warjack, firing old-fashioned rifles, and they
still won’t surrender.”
No Quarter PRIME 15
 THE FIRE & THE FORGE
In just two short days, they had swiftly neutralized the majority
of the soldiers of Elsinberg. But in several places within the city,
the defenders had fought with surprising tenacity, ignoring the
orders of their already surrendered leaders.
Sorscha found herself admiring the rank and file soldiers more
than their so-called superiors. Especially Archduke Cherydwyn
of Wessina. One of Tarovic’s first targets had been his estate,
where they had expected his household to put up at least a
token defense. Instead, as soon as Khadoran boots stepped on
his lawn, he had scrambled to surrender. It was soon clear his
sway over the local military was limited, regardless of his title
or standing in the capital. Pockets of resistance continued to
fight despite the odds against them.
“What are you waiting for?” she asked Harkevich. “We need to
secure this building, one way or another.”
He jerked his head to indicate the open gate. “Tarovic went in to
see if he could talk reason to them. He asked me to stay back. I
think he’s going to get a bullet for his trouble.”
Sorscha gritted her teeth and strode past, summoning
her arcane power to cloak herself in shrouding fog while
maintaining her armor’s power field at its highest intensity. She
moved swiftly through the exposed lane and past the side of
the building to where a tense standoff was taking place between
two groups, each with firearms pointed at the other. Atop a
flight of steps and taking partial cover behind the stone pillars
of an ornate front porch were a number of royal fusiliers. Their
rifles were more like works of art than proper weapons, each
engraved and decorated, their barrels so long they required
crutch-like rifle rests to steady them. Apparently leading them
was a tall woman with long black hair and a fierce expression,
dressed in finery. She looked Umbrean to Sorscha’s eye.
Nearer to Sorscha were Tarovic and his Winter Guard escort,
hunkered down amid the statuary and among the neatly
trimmed and squared-off hedges. Tarovic had his rifle pointed at
the opposing leader, but he seemed reluctant to pull the trigger.
Sorscha watched him lower his weapon, a strange look on his
face. Clearly his adversary had no similar compunction as she
fired back at him, narrowly missing his head. Chips flew from
the marble arm of the statue of a soldier he was behind. Then
the two of them were occluded from one another as the fog
Sorscha brought with her filled the space between them.
“Kommander,” she said, startling him. “Is there a problem you
need me to resolve?”
Tarovic’s familiar scowl returned. “I’m trying to talk her into
surrendering! She’s a baroness, they say. Stubborn, though, as
are the rest of these idiots. We’re at a bit of a stalemate.”
16 No Quarter PRIME
“A baroness,” Sorscha said thoughtfully. She turned back in the
direction of the fusilier compound. “Yes, I suppose we should
try to keep her alive, if possible. Thank you, Tarovic.”
Without waiting for a reply, she gathered her magic again, this
time to accelerate her movements. She kept Frostfang behind
her and drew her hand cannon in her right hand. An icy wind
surrounded and blew through her, carrying her swiftly across
the yard and up onto the porch in an instant. Those hunkered
there seemed stunned by her sudden appearance from the
midst of the inexplicable fog. Two of them had the well-drilled
instincts to begin turning their rifles in her direction.
Blazing bluish-white runes surrounded her in concentric rings,
and a mystically powerful cold poured outward, freezing all of
the fusiliers where they stood. Each was coated in a thin layer of
constricting ice. It would not last long, but she did not need it to.
“You will surrender to me,” she said, speaking directly to the
tall black-haired woman who had shot at and missed Tarovic.
“Or all of you will perish.”
Sorscha squeezed the trigger of her weapon, sending a heavy
bullet through the head of the nearest frozen fusilier, a very
young man. Sorscha could see from the widening eyes and
shock of the woman that the leader was watching him, even if
she couldn’t move. Sorscha reloaded and fired a second shot to
kill the man to her left. Then they began to thaw.
“Lay down your arms. Now!”
Each face she saw was ashen and terrified, and they hastened to
drop their rifles. The woman—the baroness—was calmer and
retained her dignity, but she too let her firearm go. Sorscha did
not exchange a word with her as she brought her prisoners back
to Tarovic and delivered them into his custody.
Aftermath: Elsinberg
Of the initial attacks along Llael’s major western garrisons, the
victory at Elsinberg was the swiftest and least bloody, though
more than three hundred Llaelese soldiers perished in the clash.
The wisdom of seizing this city largely intact would prove itself
in the coming weeks and years, as there was considerably less
hostility to the occupiers in Elsinberg than was the case in other
corners of the war-torn kingdom. Kommander Kratikoff was
credited with the victory here, though she commended both
her peers and recommended Negomir Tarovic to govern the
occupied city. After the war, this became his focus, though until
then he continued to actively lead invasion forces, performing
admirably in the subsequent Siege of Merywyn. Baroness Rashel
Ganelyn, better known as the “Willow Baroness,” remained in
Elsinberg and argued often with Kommander Tarovic, all the
while secretly supporting the eventual Llaelese Resistance.
Most of the surviving Royal Fusiliers also joined the Resistance.
The Beleaguered Cygnus
Things had not exactly been peaceful for Cygnar and the other
nations of the Iron Kingdoms even before the invasion of Llael.
Border conflicts had been common—with clashes between
Khador’s 5th Border Legion and Cygnar’s First Army taking
place regularly along the Thornwood Forest. Such bloodshed was
thought to be an inevitable consequence of longstanding grudges
between nations. Yet to those governing the southern nations, the
possibility of all-out war seemed remote, for they could see no
profit in it. They were also distracted by other concerns.
The year before, early in 603 AR, Cygnar saw one of its major
cities assailed by invaders from across the eastern wastes—
Corvis was briefly occupied by hostile forces from eastern
Immoren. An army of the Skorne Empire led by the ex-
Cygnaran King Vinter Raelthorne IV crossed the Bloodstone
Marches on a mission of conquest. Vinter hoped to seize
this northeastern Cygnaran city and use it as a mustering
point for further incursions into the Cygnaran interior,
eventually intending to besiege Caspia. The fulfillment of an
old Morrowan prophecy prompted the rise of an army of the
restless dead to drive these foreign invaders back into the
wastes. The threat from Corvis was averted, though by the
narrowest and strangest of margins.
The western seaboard also experienced an escalation of raids
and attacks by ships from the Cryxian Empire. To the east, the
Protectorate of Menoth had shown every sign of arming itself
for war. The Harbinger of Menoth emerged from a small village
in the Protectorate near the end of 603 AR and went before the
Synod. Soon proclaimed Hierarch Voyle’s personal advisor
and confirmed to speak with Menoth’s voice, she endorsed the
coming crusade, vowing to bring all humanity to the worship of
the Lawgiver, by fire and sword if need be.
Contact between the theocracy and the government of Cygnar,
ostensibly its parent state, was increasingly strained as it
became obvious the Sul-Menites were in flagrant violation
of agreements against maintaining a standing army. The The Crown and Stars of Llael
stockpiles of weaponry accumulated by the theocracy were
impossible to completely hide, as were its warjack foundries and
the escalating numbers of citizens taking up arms as Temple
Flameguard and Knights Exemplar.
King Leto Raelthorne had previously had some difficulties
The Cygnaran crown and its intelligence arm were preoccupied with Llael during his reign, and he was never especially fond
by these alarming signs. Earlier in 604 AR, King Leto ordered his of Prime Minister Glabryn in particular. Still, he feared the
war council to present military proposals for proactive measures potential consequences of a Khadoran victory and felt honor
against both Cryx and the Protectorate, clearly intending to weigh bound to live up to longstanding promises to this ally. The
the cost of fighting one or the other. Whether this might have difficulty of defending Llael immediately became a challenge of
turned into an actual plan of attack is unknown, as the choice logistics as the army attempted a rapid redeployment, relying
would soon be taken from him. All eyes turned north. on Cygnar’s well-established railways as well as the vital river
conduits connecting to Llael.
Word of the simultaneous attacks along Llael’s western
border soon reached Northguard, the closest major Cygnaran The first priority was to get the most capable and battle-ready
fortification, and from there it spread to other Cygnaran of the nation’s veterans and military leaders into the fight,
commanders and generals. This news shocked the upper before it was too late for them to make a difference. The only
command and jolted them into action. All who served the First hope of buying the allies time to shore up their position rested
Army in particular were eager to join the fight, as some had with Cygnar’s seasoned and talented warcasters, together with
friends or brothers or sisters stationed at Redwall Fortress, battlegroups including the most advanced military hardware in
Laedry, or elsewhere in Llael. the Iron Kingdoms.

No Quarter PRIME 17
 THE FIRE & THE FORGE
Roused to War
Corvis, Cygnar
Commander Adept Sebastian Nemo had been around long
enough to know that insistent knocking on his door late at
night was never a good thing. On this occasion, he was glad
he was not already asleep, as he had been kept up in his office
going over summaries of reports attached to the main garrison
in Corvis. He felt considerably less glad after he talked to the
visitor, a babbling mercenary who had apparently ridden from
Laedry with urgent news.
He had accompanied the king to Corvis from Caspia along with
several members of his senior council, as King Leto was eager
to check on the progress of fortifying the northern city and
allocating a stronger garrison there after the unfortunate series
of events more than a year before. The king had been speaking
with the warmaster general about putting Nemo in charge of
the new garrisons at Corvis, a matter he remained uncertain
about. Much depended on whether he would be able to create
a similarly expansive and elaborate laboratory here in Corvis
as he had in Caspia. He had also been expecting he might be
needed more by the Strategic Academy, to which his Caspian
facilities were attached. It was a matter under negotiation.
All of those thoughts had been scattered from his mind
on hearing the harrowing story of one Cullyn Lopryssti
of the Thunderhelm Irregulars. Or rather, the now former
Thunderhelm Irregulars.
He bade the mercenary to get some well-deserved rest and went
to inform the king. He realized he had neglected to eat dinner.
Then again, at his age he’d found his appetite wasn’t what it
used to be. His mind was often more hungry than his belly. And
now he couldn’t even imagine eating.
—●—
When he ran into the captain of the Royal Guard, the man did
something of a double take. “I was just about to come get you,
Commander. Come with me.”
It seemed the king was already gathering several of his key
personnel, which led Nemo to believe he was not the first to
hear of what had transpired with their northern ally. They
gathered at the borrowed estate of one of Leto’s vassals, a
location that had been loaned to the king during his visit. Nemo
was not surprised to see Warmaster General Turpin was in the
dining chamber before him, sitting in a large chair, while the
king stood nearby. Both the king and warmaster looked slightly
disheveled, indicating to Nemo that he was not the only one
summoned hastily.
He had barely walked into the chamber before Scout General
Rebald came in behind him, looking more or less like his normal
self with his lean frame and nondescript dark clothing. Nemo
was fairly certain Cygnar’s spymaster didn’t bother sleeping.
“Let’s get right to it,” Leto said without preamble. “We’re now at
war with Khador. They’ve invaded Llael.”
18 No Quarter PRIME
Turpin looked morose, and Nemo noticed he had cupped in his
right hand a large round-bottomed glass with a reddish-brown
liquid at its bottom. He was staring into its depths with a deep
frown. He had clearly already heard the news.
“Can I have one of those as well?” Nemo asked and then
proceeded to pour himself one from a flask offered by Turpin.
“Thank you. I’d thought to bring you the news. I had a visit from
a member of the Thunderhelm Irregulars who survived the
attack on Laedry.”
He told the others what he had heard. He saw the king’s hands
tighten on the edge of the table, but Rebald was not surprised.
The king nodded to the scout general, who added what else he
knew. Nemo felt his spirits sinking even further as he heard
the details of the attacks on Redwall and Elsinberg as well. He
could hardly contain himself. “All three at once? At the onset of
winter? Unbelievable. Damn the reds! That takes some nerve. I
didn’t think they were ready for anything like this.”
“Casualty numbers are still being accumulated, of course,”
Rebald said. “But I have it on good authority we lost nearly
everyone stationed at Redwall. That was Zoktavir.”
Nemo shook his head. “The Butcher,” he said under his breath.
“That son of a bitch. Thamar take him.”
“Elsinberg and Laedry fared better, from my reports. Though
everything is relative.”
“Is Elsinberg still besieged?” Nemo asked. “Any chance we can
get to them in time?”
It was Leto who answered, his voice betraying his anger. “Not
besieged. Taken. I had hoped Laedry might hold out longer.
What your mercenary described suggests a complete defeat.”
“Irusk handled Laedry personally,” Rebald added, “together
with Great Prince Tzepesci. I don’t have confirmation of who led
at Elsinberg, but it might have been the Iron Wolf, Harkevich.”
Nemo felt compelled to pull out and sit in a chair. He gripped
its arms. “Redwall, you said? Wasn’t Commander Stryker there?
And Haley with him . . .”
He fought against a sinking feeling. He would have thought
himself immune to that brand of dread after so many years and
so many friends lost in battle, but there it lurked, waiting.
King Leto paled and looked sharply to Turpin.
The warmaster general seemed to have been lost in his own
thoughts, but he quickly collected himself, straightening in his
chair. “What’s that? Coleman Stryker? No. He’d done a number
of patrols together with forces out of Redwall but then returned
to Northguard. I believe that’s where he is now, though I’d have
to check with my clerks. As for Captain Haley, she might also
be at Northguard or sent back to Highgate. I can’t recall. But not
Redwall, no. Not there.”
He said the last more firmly, as if convincing himself. “No
warcasters of ours were lost in that fight, though a number of
other good soldiers and officers were. I’ll have the full list soon.”
Rebald turned to Leto. “This puts us in a very difficult position,
Your Majesty. Such casualties demand a response, but—”
Leto glowered at the scout general, looking angrier than Nemo
could remember seeing him in years. “Of course it demands a
response! And we must give it at once!”
“Your Majesty, let’s not be hasty,” Rebald said, holding up a
cautioning hand.
Leto continued talking over him. “We need to get our forces on
the move with whatever speed we can manage. We’ve already
lost too many hours, too many days. If Llael’s western defenses
collapsed that rapidly, things are going to become dire and
quickly. We have to hope the decision to invade in winter will
still hinder them, regardless of their preparations.”
“We can’t hasten our forces into Llael in winter!” Turpin said
it perhaps more sharply than he intended, and he appeared to
have startled himself. One did not speak like that to the king.
He swallowed and lowered his voice. “Forgive me, Your Majesty,
but consider this carefully. With reason, not emotion. We do
not have a proper assessment of the threat. Nor a good estimate
of what it will take to try to counter it. The closest forces are
at Northguard, but those soldiers are vital to the defense of
our northern border. We’ll need to reallocate from Fort Falk,
Point Bourne, Stonebridge, Corvis, possibly even Eastwall and
Highgate. It’ll need to be staggered. That will take time.”
“Enough!” Leto said, his face red. “I will not have us sit idly by
while our ally of the last three centuries is overrun.”
“Yes, Your Majesty,” Turpin said, though he did not look
convinced or enthusiastic.
Leto turned on Rebald. “You said they’d be preoccupied by civil
war. That Tzepesci was gathering an army to march on Korsk.
Now we have the great prince marching into Laedry alongside
Kommandant Gurvaldt Irusk. How is that possible?”
Rebald’s face was impressively impassive. He calmly said,
“Clearly, mistakes were made. We misread the facts. There are
no certainties in my business.”
“Clearly,” Leto said. He took a moment and stared between
them as if slightly embarrassed by his outburst. He then turned
to Nemo. “What’s your assessment, Commander?”
Nemo frowned and looked down, his eyes narrowing as he
focused on his hands, running scenarios through his mind.
“We need to get as many warcasters as possible into Llael. You’ll
need to start with the forces at Northguard. We’re lucky Stryker
is still there. They’ll need to be wary of interference from
Ravensgard, but Merywyn is close and in friendly hands. That
can be our headquarters. We’ll want Lieutenant Caine with us,
as well as Captain Kraye. Their expertise in covert operations
will be vital. We will also require discretionary funds for
mercenary support. Any we hire will be unavailable to Irusk.”
No Quarter PRIME 19
 THE FIRE & THE FORGE
F&F Intel:
Warcaster Retirement
Many warcasters swear oaths
binding them to the military for
life. Retirement may happen
when age takes a toll, but these
rare assets are expected to
contribute if possible, such as by
training the next generation. They
may be recalled to active service
in times of war.
20 No Quarter PRIME
Turpin had focused on him and was clearly listening
with his full attention. King Leto inclined his head
and asked, “What else?”
Nemo considered. “Irusk will strike for Riversmet
as soon as he can. He’ll want to control the Black
River. We’ll need to be sure they can’t cut it off
from the south. Forces need to hasten up from here,
Fort Falk, and anywhere else they can be spared.
We’ll have to be sure to leave proper support at the
northern border, but it can be thin for a little while.
The Thornwood is itself a powerful barrier, as was
proven back in five-eleven. Be sure to get Lord
General Duggan from Fellig. Have him coordinate
with Stryker. No one knows the reds better than
Duggan. They’ll need to march with as much
ammunition and fuel as they can carry, as supply
lines will be vulnerable.”
Turpin nodded. “A solid assessment. I concur. I will
do some juggling to keep the home garrisons intact.
We will need to return to Caspia at once. We can’t
have the king so far north.”
Rebald said, “I’ll set things in motion.” His tone
suggested he was less than enthusiastic about this
direction, but he did not allow his feelings to interfere
with efficiency. It was a trait Nemo admired.
King Leto’s eyes lingered on Nemo’s face. The older
warcaster cleared his throat and said, “If I can be of
any service, Your Majesty, just say the word.”
Leto gave a small but knowing smile. It reminded
Nemo of when they were both younger. “I need you
to go to Northguard, old friend.”
Nemo felt his mouth go dry, though he had felt it
was coming. “Very well. I guess that means I won’t
be staying here in Corvis or transitioning to the
Strategic Academy.”
It wasn’t fear he felt, just weariness. Age and bone-
deep weariness. He’d not been young during the
Scharde Invasions, a war that had almost been the
end of him. And that had been twenty years ago.
Leto had been his general then—a young prince, not
yet the king. They shared a look.
Leto said, “Coordinate getting what you need to
Northguard, then to Merywyn. Let Stryker take
the active combat lead. I’ll leave it to you what you
want to do after. If you think you can’t sustain the
rigors of battle, I’ll respect that. We all will. But
leave that decision until you get there and see the
situation firsthand. I’d feel a lot better if you were
taking point on this for the generals, together with
Commander Stryker. Your experience is something
we can’t replicate.”
“Of course, Your Majesty,” Nemo said, rising. He
gave his king a salute, just as he used to, his mouth
quirking into a sardonic smile.
“Enough of that,” Leto said, extending a hand, which
the old warcaster took and clasped firmly. “Be safe.
Preserve our men. As many as you can. Send my
regards to Coleman Stryker. Tell him I’m counting on
the both of you to boot the reds from Llael.”
“We’ll do our best,” Nemo said, not feeling
optimistic. He bowed and turned to leave. A member
of the Royal Guard was waiting for him, and they
took him to where his warcaster armor and weapons
had been collected so he could arm up.
—●—
It was not such a long trek between Corvis and
Northguard, and it was a route Nemo knew well,
his duties having frequently required him to go
from one corner of the kingdom to the other, often
accompanying recently invented prototypes. The
sight of him was a welcome one, as if he were a rich
uncle on Giving Day. The stormsmiths who were the
inheritors of his work and his peers in the voltaic
sciences were always the most eager to see him and
to hear of his latest discoveries.
This time he was accompanied by a substantial
military force, as formidable as their leaders were
able to gather from the Corvis garrison without
depleting it completely. Corvis would be receiving
additional troops from Fort Falk and elsewhere,
some of whom would also be sent north to join them.
His force included a substantial outlay of heavy
hardware, including a number of light and heavy
warjacks, some fresh from the factory floors of the
Cygnaran Armory.
The onset of war would force the other garrisons
to give up a great deal of their own hardware. Lord
General Vincent Gollan of the Third Army had sent
a number of requests after complaining of increased
Cryxian activity. He would have to be disappointed
yet again, though the leader of the Third Army knew
how to make do with what he had. Times would
be lean for Cygnar’s other armies in the immediate
future and perhaps longer. And where there was
vulnerability, their enemies might strike.
They made their way up the Black River by boarding
a number of riverboats, including several purchased
hastily from merchant organizations in Corvis. The
one Nemo stood on still reeked of the caged chickens
it had once held. The river flowed along the edge of
the dense Thornwood on one side, the outskirts of
the Bloodstone Marches on the other. Even moving
as hastily as they could, the entire process still took
several long days, during which Nemo was all too
aware that horrible things might be happening in
Llael. The cold of the onset of winter had begun.
Temperatures dropped noticeably the farther north
they went, making Nemo’s bones ache.
War was a game for the young, not the old, he mused. He
had almost believed they would let him retire. He had almost
believed he would accept it. But as the miles passed by under
the churning of the steamship’s paddlewheel, his resolve
hardened. Old instincts returned. He could not sit idly by while
those he had mentored fought and died. Would he sit safely
behind a high wall of a Cygnaran city, content to read the
incoming reports, as he knew Warmaster Turpin must?
For a moment Nemo could not help but imagine his old protégé
dead on Llaelese soil, struck down by the Butcher of Khardov.
He took in Cygnar’s youngest commander with a critical eye.
Not yet thirty, he mused, doing a quick calculation in his head.
Coleman was twenty-nine. Extremely young for his position,
arguably too young, he thought. King Leto had his reasons for
advancing him up the chain. I’m still more than twice his age,
Morrow help us!

No. He did not begrudge friends and peers who had stepped
down, acknowledging their age, finding other roles to serve.
Friends like Chancellor Birk Kinbrace, also a warcaster, who ran
the Strategic Academy in Caspia. Kinbrace focused on training
the next generation, a task that occupied a portion of Nemo’s
time as well. But he had never felt right teaching a warcaster in
a classroom. True learning happened in the field, along the front
lines or a threatened border.
The last and shortest segment of any trip to Northguard
was usually the worst—crossing a portion of the swampy
Bloodsmeath Marsh to reach the towering fortress complex
surrounded by its array of trenches and bunkers. This was one
region where the onset of cold weather was a help rather than
a hindrance, as it hardened the soil and made supply roads
easier to maintain. Before he could even step off the boat, he was
startled to see a sizable force gathering amid the trees along the
eastern shore of the Black River. The military docks built into
the broadest section of the river were choked with transport
ships, already busily loading soldiers.
He had imagined addressing Stryker in the halls of the castle,
perhaps even given a chance to speak to his friend General
Hagan Cathmore, Earl of Bloodsbane and Lord of Northguard.
But, of course, word of their arrival would have been sent ahead,
and it was by the Black River that the bulk of their army would
be taken into Llael. Northguard already knew of the fighting in
Llael. They needed to get as many boots and warjacks there as At the mention of the Llaelese fortress, Stryker’s face darkened.
quickly as they could be spared. “I was just there a few weeks ago. I knew many of the soldiers
and officers there. Good people.”
Among the dozens of knights in blue armor lined up and
awaiting their call to board, Nemo saw a familiar face. He He swallowed and added, “Morrow forgive me, but I left
directed the captain to set him ashore, and it did not take long Lieutenant Jayne Kates with them. Thought it’d be good if she
before a small flat-bottomed landing boat was set in motion. forged relationships with our allies.”
As Nemo stepped onto the docks, Commander Coleman
He stopped as his voice caught.
Stryker saw him approach. The younger man’s frowning face
brightened into a smile. Nemo felt his own heart lighten, Nemo felt his blood chill. Jayne Kates was one of their young
though he kept his expression stern. Best not to show too much journeymen, a promising young warcaster whom Kinbrace had
familiarity while among other officers and soldiers, though the spoken of highly. Cygnar couldn’t afford to lose anyone with
truth was he sometimes thought of the red-haired warcaster as the gift, but he did not let his feelings carry to his face. Instead,
akin to an adopted son. he said, “Don’t jump to any conclusions, Coleman. We don’t
know what happened up there. She might have been on patrol
“Nemo!” Stryker exclaimed, striding up and seizing his hand
elsewhere. We’ll find out.”
with more than proper enthusiasm then slapping him on the
shoulder with his other hand. The junior commander was Stryker nodded and gritted his teeth. “We’ll repay the reds for
taller than Nemo by almost half a foot and was broad of frame, this. There will be justice done. I swear it.”
particularly in his heavier warcaster armor. “There is no justice in war, Coleman,” Nemo said, but then he
So much for decorum, Nemo thought. gave a small smile. “But we can try for victory. Come, let’s get
underway. Kommandant Irusk is waiting, and we wouldn’t
“Easy, boy,” he said. “I’m not getting any younger. Good to see
want to disappoint him.”
you. I worried you might be at Redwall.”

No Quarter PRIME 21
 COMPANY OF IRON
DEMONHEAD PASS
by Matt Goetz
Lt. Gwen Keller stared at her commanding officer, Captain
Vanway. “Demonhead Pass?”
The captain turned a map of the Cloutsdowns Province
around so she could see it and tapped a gauntleted finger at
a confluence of several roads. “Correct. It’s the main overland
route between here, Ceryl, Orven, and damn-near all of western
Cygnar. The caravans are complaining about farrow coming out
of the mountains and making off with all their goods, and Earl
Mosley has informed my superiors he wants something done
about it. Major Trecklan delegated the task to me, and I am in
turn passing the responsibility on to you.”
“You want me to establish a presence in the wilds and
eliminate farrow,” Keller said, “so our company can watch over
some frightened miners instead of joining the army’s advance
on Merywyn.”
“Try not to sound so disappointed. Don’t forget, the rest of the
company will be joining you once you’re in place at Bryson
Hill. Also, Mosley didn’t mention you by name, but he did talk
at length about ‘the one with the grenades’ when asking for
this particular favor.”
22 No Quarter PRIME
“He did, sir?” Keller asked, astonished. She hadn’t heard that
the earl of the Cloutsdowns knew her by reputation.
“Of course not. But you can be damn sure he’ll know your
name if his latest request isn’t fulfilled to the letter and quicker
than is physically possible. So, select teams from your platoon,
get them geared up, and have the remainder report to me. You
and your teams will head out at morning muster. When you
reach Demonhead, Swift Sergeant Lukas of the Reconnaissance
Service will update you with any new intel. The rest of us will
be joining your platoon as soon as we can gather supplies for
the long term.”
Keller saluted and moved to the door. Before she left, she
turned back to the captain and said, “I want you to know that
you’re wasting my talents, sir. I should be fighting, not playing
exterminator to some farrow tribe so Earl Mosley can look good
in front of the merchant guilds.”
“I am aware. Now with your permission, lieutenant, I’m going
to go back to being your commanding officer and ignore that
little breach of protocol.” Captain Vanway pointed to the door.
“Enjoy the hike, Keller.”
 —●—
Nearly a month later, Keller stood atop one of the foothills of the
Watcher Peaks, staring up at the mountaintops. Greasy columns
of smoke rose from the forests on a nearby peak.
“You think that’s her?” asked Sergeant Horas. The Storm Knight
still had three broken fingers from their last encounter with
the farrow champion called the Queen of Carnage. His other
wounds were less visible but no less lingering. Horas made no
secret of his desire for a rematch.
“Who else? She’s been holed up ever since Bryson Hill,” Keller
said. After being assigned to the region, she and Agata had
waged a war of skirmishes across the valleys and byways of the
Watcher Peaks. Both had lost plenty of soldiers in the fighting,
and unless the farrow madwoman was brought to heel, they
would lose many more.
“What’s our next move?”
“Good question. Trying to fight her on her own terms is
suicidal. She’s bound to have a new hideout somewhere in the
mountains, and she knows the terrain better than we ever will.”
“Too bad about the rangers,” Horas said. “They’d have been a
help.”
Keller nodded in agreement. “Would have. I’m sure more will
come in time. But until then, we play the hand we’re dealt.”
—●—
Agata, the Queen of Carnage, sucked on her teeth and stared
between the trees at the low hills to the west. Though they were
distant, and despite the smoky cook fires her band of brigands
had lit on the mountainside, she could still smell the humans
on those hills. Sour sweat and earthy leather mixed with oil and
the tongue-numbing tang of electricity. The lightning knights
were waiting.
The knights had been a thorn in her side the entire raiding
season. She and the human leader had clashed nearly a dozen
times across the entire pass, neither one quite getting the upper
hand over the other. She pointed one of her bladed gauntlets at
the nearest brigand behind her, a mangy and aged sharpshooter
named Moulthide. “How many warriors I got left?”
Moulthide regarded her in silence. The quiet farrow was
different from her previous second-in-command, Gorlick; he
was calmer and less likely to rush off in the hope of winning
her favor. One of his eyes was cataract blue and would not stop
watering, leaving a glistening streak in the fur on half his face.
After a prolonged silence he responded. “Not enough.”
Agata snorted and snapped off a tree branch in frustration.
“Get me more warriors. Drive ’em knights off, get that woman’s
head on a stick.”
“Get more spoils. Enough to make the Flintknife tribe bow to
the queen. To buy their loyalty,” Moulthide countered.
“Flintknife loyalty is cheap,” she snorted.
The old farrow sniffed and shrugged. “So’s mine. Doesn’t mean
I fight worse for it.”
—●—
It was a clever enough plan, Keller thought. Convincing the
miners in Breckton to send a caravan off to New Larkholm
with the immediate threat of a farrow attack wasn’t easy, but
her offer of a personal escort for anyone brave enough to do so
did result in a volunteer. Likely the man just wanted to escape
the forthcoming violence of a farrow attack and thought this
was his best chance to do so.
Lt. Keller and the Storm Knights marched on either side of the
wagon. Sgt. Horas and his own group were fanned out to the
southern side of the Twelve Day Road, while Keller and her
knights stayed to the north, closer to the mountains. She had the
mine caravan head out just before dusk, when the blue voltaic
glow of her knights' storm glaives would be the most obvious.
Now, the glowing cores of their blades cast long columns of
shifting light and shadow on either side of the road.
She began to fidget with one of the storm grenades hanging at
her belt. It was taking too long for Agata to take the bait.
That’s when Private Nuse shouted in alarm. “Lieutenant, look!
Back at Breckton!”
She spun, snatching the grenade from her hip and bringing
her weapon into a guard position. The little mining town
was distant but still visible; she could make out the shape
of another wagon tearing down the Twelve Day Road in the
opposite direction, west to where the road rose into the pass
through the mountains.
“Dammit. You idiot.” She realized whoever was fleeing the town
probably assumed Keller’s own caravan would distract Agata
and give him a window to escape.
The wagon fleeing Breckton made it a good distance down the
road when there was a ripple of gunfire. Clouds of smoke rose
from the rocky cliffs on the north side of the pass. The wagon’s
horses screamed in pain and went down. The wagon smashed
into their bodies and flipped over, hurtling the driver and his
goods over a dozen yards through the air.
Keller could barely make out the farrow that emerged from the
clouds of smoke, screaming cries of victory as they threaded
down from their vantage points for the overturned wagon.
Among them was an unmistakable figure, taller and broader
than the brigands who surrounded her.
“Agata,” Keller hissed through clenched teeth. She turned to
her knights and pointed at the distant farrow. “Storm Knights,
to me!”
No Quarter PRIME 23
 COMPANY OF IRON
SCENARIOS
Company of Iron is designed to be a narrative experience. The
missions that come in the core scenario book each tell a story,
and they can be played in a series to tell a bigger story. It can
be a lot of fun when playing or creating your own scenarios
to imagine how they form a bigger story. One of the most
interesting aspects of writing a series of scenarios is creating
ways for the results of a game to influence the next game. While
there are no official rules in Company of Iron that enable the
results of one game to affect another, it is fairly easy to come up
with small benefits linked to the idea of a scenario.
This series of new scenarios is based on the models included in
the Company of Iron box, and the result of each scenario affects
the following one. After you play these scenarios, you can use
them as inspiration when creating your own scenarios to make
winning a game grant the winner a benefit in the next game.
24 No Quarter PRIME
Demonhead Pass
Farrow raiders have been preying on the caravans going
through Demonhead Pass in the Watcher Peaks of northwestern
Cygnar. The sparsely populated region is home to many small
communities, none of which are large enough to have standing
garrisons. The area is also too far from any of the contested
areas of western Immoren to have any sizable fortresses, but
as luck would have it, a platoon of Stormblades is in New
Larkholm, assisting in training maneuvers with the local forces.
Cygnaran high command has dispatched the Stormblades to
hunt the farrow down and make the area safe for civilian traffic.
The farrow tribe that is the target of the Stormblades is new to the
area. These farrow have found that the lack of strong defenses
makes the folk of the region easy victims for their raids. As a
result, the farrow have grown fat and happy taking what they
want when they want it, but all of that is about to change.
company of iron Scenario 1
Run the Jewels
Agata stomped her hoof down on the human’s skull with a satisfying
crack. Around her, several of the brigands were on their hands and
hocks, scooping spilled gemstones into their sacks.
Moulthide crouched by the overturned wagon, pointing his long
rifle at the glow of the approaching Storm Knights. Without looking
at her, he called back a warning. “We got less than a minute.”
Without enough gemstones to show to the Flintknives, she might not
convince their warriors to join her cause—and then she would have
to kill them for that defiance. She would lose the chance to wipe out
the human knight and her soldiers. Agata squealed and lashed out
at the nearest unlucky brigand in frustration. “Not good enough.
Work faster, runts!”
The farrow hastened to comply, shoving fists full of diamonds and
dirt into their sacks. When there were only a scattered few gems
left in the dirt, Moulthide opened fire. His bullet caromed off plate
armor—the knights were within his rifle range and would be upon
them in moments.
“Pick up what you got. Let’s get out of here,” Agata bellowed. She
grabbed the largest sack of gemstones she could find and slung it
over her shoulder. She hoped she would get a chance to beat the lead
knight’s face into a pulp with it.
Gameplay Overview
Raiders are attempting to escape with the spoils from an
ambushed caravan. A force has been dispatched to intercept
them and make sure they don’t return.
Setup
In this scenario, one player is the attacker and the other is the
defender. After terrain is placed but before the game begins, both
players roll a die, rerolling any ties. The player who rolled higher
chooses to attack or to defend. The defender begins the game
with priority.
The defender chooses a table edge and deploys their models
completely within 2˝ of that table edge.
After the defender deploys, the attacker divides their army into
two forces with as even a number of models as possible. One of
these forces is then split into two groups with as even a number
of models as possible. One of each of these groups is deployed
completely within 2˝ of each side of the table and completely
within 8˝ of the table edge opposite of the defender’s models.
Attacker Defender
Advance Deployment Limit * 1
Ambush Limit 0 1
*All attacking models lose the Advance Deployment
advantage in this scenario.
by William “Oz” Schoonover
Special Rules
After deployment is complete, the defender assigns up to eight
mission markers to their models. A model can carry a number of
markers equal to its STR –4.
Mission markers represent loot. A battle-ready model in contact
with any number of mission markers can gain any number of
those markers as long as no enemy model is within 1˝ of the
marker. A model carrying two or more mission markers suffers
–1 MAT and –1 RAT. Mission markers cannot be passed, and a
model cannot drop a mission marker voluntarily.
After a model carrying a mission marker completes a movement
in which it ran, roll a die for each mission marker it is carrying.
If the result is 1 or 2, the model is knocked down. If a model
carrying any number of mission markers fails a charge, it is
automatically knocked down before its activation ends. While
carrying a mission marker, models cannot be affected by special
rules that prevent them from being knocked down and lose any
special rules that prevent them from being knocked down.
If a model with a mission marker is knocked down or injured, the
controlling player places the marker on the table in contact with
the model’s base. If a model with a mission marker is destroyed
or removed from play, the defender replaces the model with the
mission marker.
At the beginning of the second round, the attacker can deploy
up to half of their remaining models completely within 2˝ of
the sides of the table and completely within 8˝ of the table edge
opposite of the defender’s deployment zone. At the beginning of
the third round, the attacker can deploy the remainder of their
models following the same restrictions.
Defender Scoring
If a defender’s model with mission markers contacts the table
edge opposite of the defender’s deployment zone, the model is
removed from the table and the defender scores 2 points for each
mission marker the model has.
Victory Conditions
The game ends at the end of the fifth round or when only one side
has models in play. The attacker gains 1 point for each mission
marker being carried by one of their models.
The player with the most points at the end of the game wins.
No Quarter PRIME 25
company of iron Scenario 2
Seek & Destroy
“Never send a knight to do a ranger’s work,” Lt. Keller muttered. She
and her knights were fanned out, stalking forward through the woods.
The steep incline, combined with her heavy armor, made each step
laborious as she wove between trees. The mountainside was thick with
black-barked pines, and somewhere among them Agata and her farrow
were waiting for her.
Ahead of the knights, Keller made out shapes moving in the dim light of
early night. She raised a mailed fist to signal her soldiers to halt. She and
the other knights moved for the closest trees and boulders to take cover
while she assessed the situation.
Three farrow waited outside a small box canyon carved into the side
of the mountain. One was seated and clumsily devouring the charred
carcass of a wild grouse while the other two performed an approximation
of sentry duty. If these three were here, no doubt more waited within the
canyon. Possibly this was what she had been waiting so long to find:
Agata’s latest raiding camp.
Keller gestured twice with her sword to get her Storm Knights to draw
a line abreast of her. Horas moved to her right and lifted his visor so he
could see better.
“Take the second team west, near that deadfall,” Keller whispered.
“When you see my signal, charge their flank.”
“What’s the signal?” Horas asked.
Keller lifted one of her grenades. Flipping her glaive around so she could
see the controls set into the pommel, she began to tune the potential effect
of the grenade. A galvanic blast field would do nicely.
“You’ll smell bacon.”
Gameplay Overview
Having done its best to disrupt the most recent raiding party,
the force tasked with defending this region turns its attention to
finding the source of the raiders.
Setup
The attacker and defender in this scenario are the same players
as the previous scenario. The attacker begins the game with
priority. If the attacker won the last scenario, that player draws one
Command card at the beginning of the first round of this game.
After terrain has been set up, the defender chooses a table
edge and must place two objective markers and a flag marker
on the table. Any terrain that interferes with flag and objective
placement should be moved the least amount possible to allow
for the markers.
The objective markers are placed 10˝ from the defender’s table
edge and 6˝ from each side of the table. After the objectives are
placed, divide the mission markers scored by the defender in
the last scenario as evenly as possible and place them on each
objective. If no mission markers were scored by the defender in
the last scenario, place d3 mission markers on each objective.
26 No Quarter PRIME
by William “Oz” Schoonover
The flag marker is placed in the center of the table. The dark side
of the flag marker should be face up.
Once the flag and objectives have been placed, the defender
deploys their models completely within 5˝ of the defender’s
table edge. After the defender deploys, the attacker deploys their
models completely within 2˝ of the opposite table edge.
Attacker Defender
Advance Deployment Limit 1 1
Ambush Limit 0 1
Special Rules
Models in this scenario can forfeit either their Normal Movement
or their Combat Action to perform a mission action.
When a defender’s model performs a mission action while in
contact with an objective that has mission markers, and there are
no enemy models in contact with the objective, the defender can
remove one mission marker and draw one Command card. Only
one card can be drawn in this way each round.
When a model performs a mission action while in contact with
the flag, flip the marker over. If the flag’s light side is face up at
the beginning of a round, the attacker can draw one card.
The attacker’s models can make melee attacks against objective
markers as if they were models. Objectives have DEF 5 and
ARM 16. If an objective with mission markers would suffer
damage from a melee attack, remove one mission marker instead.
If an objective without mission markers would take damage from
a melee attack, remove the marker from play.
Victory Conditions
The game ends at the end of the fifth round, when both of the
objective markers are removed from play, or when the attacker
no longer has models in play.
The attacker wins if both objective markers are removed from
play.
The defender wins if they have models on the table when the
game ends and at least one objective marker is still in play or if
all of the attacker's models have been destroyed or removed from
play.
The game ends in a draw at the end of the fifth round if the
defender has no models in play and at least one objective marker
is still in play.
company of iron Scenario 3
Payback
Moulthide idly scratched at the crusty bandages that covered the stump
of his left arm. The Queen of Carnage would have left any other one-
armed brigand to die in the ruins of her camp, but the older farrow
proved useful. He led her to a passage that emerged behind the human
village, to a perfect place from which to launch her assault.
The Queen of Carnage threw back her head and roared. Her brigands
picked up her battle cry until it echoed off the Watcher Peaks. It was the
sound of doom coming to the pathetic humans in the village below.
Her snout and throat still burned from the soot of her ruined encampment.
The lightning of the knights had claimed many, but she was not worried.
The Flintknife tribespeople’s eyes sparkled when they saw the gems her
scouts had offered them. She had more than enough warriors to secure
her revenge.
As the sound of the farrow war cry faded into faint echoes, a patch of
blue light in the center of Breckton caught her eyes. Down in the hovels
of the village, a knight in battered blue armor stood, her sword held in
ready position.
“She’s tryin’ to bait you again,” Moulthide said, matter-of-fact. Propping
his rifle against a rock with his remaining hand, he looked through the
cracked lens of his scope. “Prolly got the rest of the knights waitin’ for
you to come rushin’ in.”
Agata snarled and scraped the blades of her gauntlets together, releasing
a shower of sparks. “Good. They come to me. Easier to kill ’em.”
Moulthide shrugged. “Y’know, you’re right at that.”
Agata didn’t care. She left the wounded farrow behind, bounding down
the rocky slope in great leaps. She hit the ground in a sprint and rushed
for the woman in the town square, leaping forward and bringing both her
blades up for a decisive blow.
Gameplay Overview
Angered by the destruction of their base of operations, the raiders
lash out at a nearby village, intent on causing as much mayhem
as possible.
Setup
The attacker and defender in this scenario are switched from the
previous scenario. The attacker begins the game with priority.
Before setting up terrain, the defender chooses a table edge and
must place six obstructions, to represent village huts, completely
within 15˝ of that table edge. The huts cannot be placed within
3˝ of each other or a table edge. These obstructions should be no
smaller than 3˝ x 3˝ but no larger than 5˝ x 5˝. After the huts are
placed, six more pieces of terrain are placed on the other half
of the table. The remaining terrain cannot be place within 2˝ of
another piece of terrain or a table edge.
by William “Oz” Schoonover
Once terrain has been placed, the defender deploys their models
completely within 8˝ of the defender’s table edge. After the
defender deploys, the attacker deploys their models completely
within 2˝ of the opposite table edge. The winner of the last
scenario gains +2˝ of deployment range.
Attacker Defender
Advance Deployment Limit 0 1
Ambush Limit 0 1
Special Rules
After deployment is complete, the attacker chooses eight of their
deployed models to be given a mission marker. If the attacker has
fewer than eight models deployed, multiple mission markers can
be assigned to the same model, but markers must be assigned as
evenly as possible.
Mission markers represent torches in this scenario. If an
attacker’s battle-ready model contacts a mission marker, it gains
the marker. The attacker’s models with mission markers can
forfeit either their Normal Movement or their Combat Action to
perform a mission action.
When a model performs a mission action while within 3˝ of a hut,
place one of the mission markers from that model on the hut.
At the end of every round, roll a d6 for each hut that has at least
one mission marker on it and is not already set ablaze. If the roll
is equal to or under the number of markers on the hut, it has been
set ablaze. In this case, remove all of its mission markers.
Victory Conditions
The game ends at the end of the fifth round, when four huts are
set ablaze, or when the attacker no longer has models in play.
The attacker wins if four huts have been set ablaze by the end of
the game.
The defender wins if they have models on the table when the
game ends at the end of the fifth round or if all of the attacker's
models have been destroyed or removed from play.
The game ends in a draw at the end of the fifth round if the
defender has no models in play and fewer than four huts have
been set ablaze.
No Quarter PRIME 27
 COMPANY OF IRON

Companies of Renown
While every Storm Knight company is esteemed and has a history of service, some are
particularly noteworthy, either having performed with special distinction or having been
attached to the service of specific highly placed Cygnaran nobles and officers.

“Courage and Honor” “Strike Like Lightning” “Bringing the Thunder”

Storm Knight Standard Storm of Vengeance The Storm Division

Thousands of brave soldiers go to battle
wearing the blue and gold of Cygnar’s
army. The vast majority of Storm Knights
clad in this standard military scheme
take great pride in bearing its colors.
The 4th Company of the 9th Division,
once known as the Stormbound, fought
alongside Lord Commander Coleman
Stryker in the Thornwood Forest against
a massive contingent of Cryxians in
609 AR. The sheer number of Cryxians
present was not known during the
initial onslaught, and the 4th Company
was nearly eradicated during the first
assault. Worse, the souls of many fallen
were siphoned away by foul Cryxian
technology. The 4th now wears armor
of funeral black in remembrance of
the losses that day and as a pledge to
eradicate Lich Lord Asphyxious.
The famous Storm Division fights under
the command of Lord General Coleman
Stryker. Formerly the 6th Division of
the First Army, these knights are now
a unique element of Cygnar’s fighting
strength. The knights of the Storm
Division are the most veteran, with many
having fought at the forefront of Cygnar’s
conflict in multiple engagements as
diverse as the Caspia-Sul War and the
recent efforts to drive Khador out of Llael.

28 No Quarter PRIME
 “Noble Deeds, Noble Hearts”
The Brazen Hart
The knights of the Brazen Hart comprise
the personal honor guard of Duke
Keilon Ebonhart IV, warmaster general
of Cygnar and heir of the Northern
Midlunds. Distinguished by the bronze-
and-black armor of their master and
ward, the knights of the honor guard are
individually selected for their displays
of bravery and virtuous actions done in
service to Cygnar. Many of them are the
sons and daughters of prominent noble
families with ties to Duke Ebonhart, and
service among the knights of the Brazen
Hart is prestigious and desirable.
“Faithful and Brave”
Thunderbolts
Stationed at the mountain stronghold of
Fort Whiterock in the Upper Wyrmwall
Mountains, the Thunderbolts keep watch
over the snow-capped mountain fortress.
These knights defend the fortress against
a diverse array of threats—from angry
mountain trolls and dragonspawn to
gangs of wandering farrow and river
pirates on the Banvick River.
“By Steel and Lightning”
The Black Saints
The knights of the 12th Company have
a dark reputation among their brethren.
Many fought with the 4th Army in the
attempted coup to overthrow King Leto
Raelthorne. In order to create a special
task force unlike any other company of
Storm Knights, King Julius offered these
men and women the chance to avoid
imprisonment and redemption by joining
the Storm Knights. At present, the 12th
remains a part of the 4th Army, though
they receive orders directly from Castle
Raelthorne to perform tasks falling outside
the normal purview of the Storm Knights.
No Quarter PRIME 29
 COMPANY OF IRON

Infamous Farrow Tribes

The warlords and fighters of nearly every farrow tribe are prone to exaggerating their deeds
and accomplishments, but some few have earned legitimate fame and infamy that reaches
beyond their own villages, envied by other farrow and hated by their enemies.

“Will Work for Food” “Glory Never Dies” “Cheat to Win”

Farrow Tribes The Invincible Horde Brokentusk Tribe

Farrow tribes often eke out a living as
wild mercenaries fighting for plunder.
Most farrow wear a patchwork of leather
and armor comprised of whatever can be
scavenged or stolen. They are a diverse
and varied people, though, and often
forge unique identities as tribes or bands
of violent brigands.
Garbed in black-enameled armor covered
in serpentine white runes thought
to grant protection, the large farrow
warband known as the Invincible Horde
marches from the hills surrounding
the Castle of the Keys. The blight of
Pyromalfic has granted this aggressive
tribe an unusual resilience and earned
their warlord, Shattertongue, renown
among his counterparts in other tribes.
Dwelling in the foothills of the
Helmsreach Mountains, the Brokentusk
tribe is a mangy pack of curs that prey
along the fringes of New Larkholm and
Orven. Known for being a flea-bitten mob
of backstabbing raiders, the Brokentusks
are strangely proud of their reputation.
Their warriors believe that a life lacking
the comforts some other farrow enjoy
makes them tougher, and they deride
other tribes that they perceive as soft as
being “human-like.”

30 No Quarter PRIME
 “As a Storm in the Desert”
Bristleback Raiders
The raiders of the Bristleback tribe
emerge from the ochre sands of the
Bloodstone Marches wearing reddish
rags that blend in well with the
surrounding desert. Bristleback brigands
often swathe themselves in draped rags
to protect against the beating sun, but
most have burned, peeling skin due to
constant exposure on the desert flats.
The Bristleback Raiders are known for
launching assaults from the heart of
great desert storms, using the blowing
sand and grit to cover their approach.
Protectorate encampments in the Erud
Hills are their preferred target of choice,
as the diamonds mined there can fetch a
handsome reward.
“Never Eaten”
Padpork Tribe
Wearing leather armor turned green by
layers of mold and algae, the Padpork
farrow live on the northern rim of the
Fenn Marsh. They are akin to the human
swampies of the Widower’s Wood, living
on flat-bottomed barges. Their fur often
has spots of mildew growing in it, giving
them a distinctive greenish tint. This
layer of bitter funk also helps protect the
Padporks from their rivals, the many
gatormen of the swamp. The taste of it
fouls the farrow’s meat, making them a
gatorman’s last choice of a meal.
“Triumph Through Plunder”
The Golden Hoof
Laden with all manner of fancy baubles
and trinkets, the Golden Hoof are a
pack of gold-mad farrow that adorn
themselves with jewelry gathered in
dozens of raids. A warrior in their tribe
proves merit and earns acclaim through
exorbitant displays of wealth. Earrings,
nose rings, and necklaces of gold coins
are a visual testament to the raids a
warrior has launched and the spoils
gathered as a result. The most veteran
warriors go so far as to have intricate
patterns of gold inlaid into their tusks
and hooves, working the trophies of war
into their very bodies.
No Quarter PRIME 31
 COMPANY OF IRON

TACTICS
by James Arbuthnot

Company of Iron is a fast-paced way to experience brutal combat in the Iron Kingdoms.
Taking command of an army in Company of Iron, however, requires a different mindset from
that of leading the personal fighting force of a warcaster or warlock, as in WARMACHINE
and HORDES. The primary adaptations you need to make as a commander here are in
the selection of your Commander Upgrade and in the careful marshaling of your stock of
Command cards. With that in mind, let’s take a closer look at our two premier Companies
of Iron, Keller’s Stormblade army and Agata’s Brigand army.

Keller’s Stormblades
This Stormblade army excels in melee combat but can have
a difficult time weathering ranged attacks from a foe. To
compensate for this, it is helpful to pick a Commander Upgrade
card that lets you get the most out of your Command cards.
Selecting the Master Strategist Commander Upgrade not only
allows you to have two battle plans in play, but it also allows
you to cycle a less useful card in your hand out for a new one.
Ultimately, taking advantage of your Command cards will
allow you the flexibility to outmaneuver your opponent on the
battlefield. Further, your Stormblade Infantry Leader makes an
excellent choice of commander. The extra boxes granted by your
Commander Upgrade provide additional survivability, and
your Command cards naturally work alongside both the more
powerful weapons and the Electrical Arc ability, which gives
additional power and range to your other Stormblade Infantry.
Stormblade Infantry represent the elite of the Cygnaran military
and boast a wide variety of tactics. Strong armor makes them
highly resistant to blast damage while their storm glaives cause
devastating damage in melee combat. Given that Stormblade
Infantry are capable of dismantling even the heaviest of warjacks
and warbeasts in close combat, one of the keys to fully utilizing
them is getting them into melee—in the end, this is where their
abilities are the strongest. Command cards such as Defiant Zeal
(for additional ARM) or On the Double and Trailblazer (for
additional movement options) are strong first-round plays that
let your troops get into position for devastating attacks on the
following round. Combined Melee Attack allows Stormblades
to gain even more accuracy and power if they focus on a single
target, allowing them to tackle high defense and armor models
without the need to expend multiple Command cards.
Stormblade Infantry Storm Gunners are just as capable as
Stormblade Infantry grunts but come with the added benefit
of a much longer range. When benefitting from Electrical Arc,
they boast a 12˝-range gun that leverages a POW 14 damage roll.
Follow-up attacks with other storm glaive blasts by Stormblade
Infantry will also automatically hit a target struck by a storm
thrower, heightening the added benefit to spending valuable
Command cards to boost attack rolls with them. A Storm
Gunner can strike from far away, and paired with cards like
High-Velocity Rounds, that gunner can provide a surprise
ranged threat to a traditionally melee-based force.
Lieutenant Gwen Keller works best on her own, operating on a
flank or in heavy terrain areas. Possessing the signature storm
glaive, she also brings the advanced arsenal of storm grenades.
She has a strong defensive ability in Force Barrier, which
combines with strategic use of concealment or cover to take
her defense against ranged attacks so high that even boosted
attacks have a high likelihood of missing. Being a combat
solo, she makes an excellent target for Command cards such
as Overpressure Ammo that provide powerful single-target
benefits. Her training with her high-tech weaponry is second
to none, and unlike many grenade weapons, Gwen’s storm
grenades do not have cumbersome restrictions, allowing her to
make an attack with both of her grenades and her storm glaive
blast in the same turn. Combined with Quick Work, Gwen is
capable of taking out multiple models in a single turn while
leveraging the control abilities of her grenades.
When you deploy, try to keep your Leader and Storm Gunner
models relatively close together in order to use the extra range
on the Storm Gunners to get the first strike. Gwen has the
flexibility to deploy near other models or farther out on her
own. Look for terrain that grants concealment or cover, make
careful use of cards like Defensive Positioning, and plan to
move into terrain that provides defense bonuses during the
first round of the game, all to force your opponent to expend
as many Command cards as possible just attempting to damage
you. Gwen’s defensive abilities make her an excellent choice
for mission actions, given that she is less reliant on terrain to
protect herself. Once your superior weaponry has earned you
an advantage in the battle, you can turn your focus to scenario
objectives in order to accomplish your mission.
Keller’s Stormblades
Model/Unit Points Requisition
Stormblade Infantry 10 0
Stormblade Storm Gunner x3 6 0
Lieutenant Gwen Keller 4 0
Commander Upgrade
Stormblade Infantry Leader Master Strategist

32 No Quarter PRIME
Agata’s Brigands
Agata's army focuses on having a lot of flexible models on the
table. Part of your force will be dedicated to holding off the
enemy while the remainder work on the scenario. Mission
Specialist not only gives you an extra mission action—letting
you accomplish more in a single turn than normal—it also gives
you +3 to your CMD stat, giving your commander a wider range
of influence for unit benefits and the abilities of Command cards
such as Combined Effort. The Farrow Brigand Leader can take
the best advantage of this, allowing him to spread the Hog Wild
order to a larger area of the battlefield. The additional boxes
also give some much-needed additional survivability to the
Leader, helping preserve his special abilities for longer if he is
preoccupied with combat.
Farrow Brigands are jacks of all trades. With both moderately
strong melee and ranged attacks and Dig In for defensive
potential as well the special order Hog Wild, they provide a
number of options every turn even without specific Command
cards. Pathfinder is an extremely useful ability that allows
Brigands to take full advantage of forests and navigate rubble
as they maneuver around the battlefield, easily able to take
advantage of cards like On the Prowl. While the Brigands’
defensive stats are poor, Dig In allows them to have access to
cover even when out in the open, though you forgo the ability
to make any attacks if you do so. The strongest ability in the
Brigands’ arsenal is Hog Wild. Staying within the command
range of the Leader will allow a Farrow Brigand to make a
ranged attack with a pig iron, followed by a charge or run.
While this forces your models to group together more, the
ability to launch two attacks in a single turn makes it far more
likely that a Brigand will manage to successfully kill its target.
While this generally leaves your model out in the open and
vulnerable to counterattack, Tough lets you be more reckless
than most infantry, giving you an extra chance to survive your
casualty rolls.
Agata, the Queen of Carnage functions best in melee combat, so
your goal will be to get her up close and personal. Command
cards such as Tactical Repositioning and Bodyguard let her
her name, Agata excels at causing carnage and taking targets
completely out of the game. Having two melee attacks gives
her an extremely high chance of killing a model she attacks,
as even a successful casualty roll will allow her second attack
to either automatically hit or to remove an injured model from
the table outright. Taking advantage of her Side Step ability in
combination with cards like Outmaneuver can also enable her
to easily take down multiple models in a single activation.
This army works best when its forces are deployed close
together in order to give access to the powerful Hog Wild
order. Terrain matters significantly less in your battle plan, as
Pathfinder gives you the ability to cross rough terrain without
penalty, and Dig In allows you to gain cover anywhere on the
battlefield. Agata can be held back in reserve for later rounds or
pushed out early in the game to draw your opponent’s attention.
Using half of your army as a distraction lets you take advantage
of Mission Specialist to accomplish the scenario goals while
your opponent is too busy with the rest of your force. While you
will doubtless take losses, you should be able to buy enough
time to accomplish the mission.
All that being said, it is important to keep in mind a few key
tactics when using any Company of Iron force. While it is
tempting to throw out Boosts, Rerolls, and more from your hand
whenever possible because you refill your Command cards at
the start of each round, a true master of Company of Iron will
know when to hold a key card back for future turns. Having
a vital card in reserve can easily make the difference between
triumph and disaster. Also, keep an eye on which of your
opponent’s models have yet to activate, and focus your efforts
on disabling those models to give you a tactical advantage,
taking away future actions from your opponent. Keep in mind
the tides of battle can shift suddenly, and always be ready to
improvise. After all, no battle plan ever fully survives contact
with the enemy.
traGRte gist
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No Quarter PRIME 33
 HOSTILE TERRITORY
TOWER JUDGMENT
by Matt Goetz & Douglas Seacat
R ising above the desolate sands of the Bloodstone Marches,
Tower Judgment is a massive fortress of stone that serves
as a physical reminder of the authority of the scrutator caste.
Oppressive in its sheer size, the tower is both garrison and
prison, extending the military might of the Protectorate of
Menoth far beyond its cities. In the subterranean prisons that
sprawl beneath it, important prisoners suffer torture at the
hands of veteran scrutators. Above, hosts of Temple Flameguard
and Exemplar knights stand guard against any heathen armies
that would imperil the Protectorate interior.
Since its construction, Tower Judgment has played a prominent
role in the defense of the Protectorate of Menoth, both physically
and spiritually. The soldiers garrisoned there are a first line
of defense against invasion from the north, and the scrutators
within root out corruption and heresy with branding irons and
bladed instruments.
Architecture
The tower is a single spire of stone standing just over five
hundred feet tall. Several blocks of buildings surround
the tower, extending into the Boar Hills to the west and
spreading into the Bloodstone Marches to the north and east.
The main tower and surrounding buildings are made of cut
34 No Quarter PRIME
stone reinforced by iron beams. The large interior spaces put
incredible strain on the structure, so eight massive buttresses
help support its incredible weight. Each buttress also acts as a
defensive structure and is home to faithful warriors.
The floors within the main tower are large and vaulting,
designed to be as much sacred spaces as practical areas for
garrisons, storage, or other purposes. The majority of the tower’s
interior is given over to barracks, dormitories for priests, and
ceremonial spaces. Wards for the Temple Flameguard take up
much of the lower levels, with shrines and wards for scrutators
and their Exemplar protectors dominating much of the upper
levels. The private chambers and shrine of the tower’s overseer,
presently Visgoth Enjorran Sollers, occupy the top level. These
chambers are surrendered to the hierarch if he has reason to be
in residence.
While the interior garrisons were sufficient to house the military
presence at Tower Judgment in its earlier days, the importance
of the tower as a fortress caused the number of warriors there
to grow significantly. To accommodate a garrison of over fifty
thousand soldiers of the faith, a full complex of barracks and
support buildings was constructed and expanded over a period
of decades. Now the tower is a veritable city with several dozen
temples, over a hundred barracks, and numerous armories,
storehouses, and foundries.
Beneath Tower Judgment is a sprawling complex of tunnels and Construction of the tower was halted several times due to
cells. Used to house criminals and heretics, these chambers setbacks. Early during the construction, a prolonged sandstorm
are seldom filled but can imprison several thousand should prevented progress for several months, and the workers
the need arise. Often the unused cells are relegated to storage, who toiled to erect Tower Judgment were forced to labor at a
which includes stockpiles of weaponry. The dungeons contain dangerous rate to make up for lost time. Deaths from accidents
many different types of cells, from larger dormitories to and exhaustion were common in the early days of construction.
lightless chambers barely larger than a human body. In 538 AR, the upper spire of the tower collapsed under its
own weight, crushing a portion of the western wall. While
Amid these cells are numerous elaborate torture chambers.
those stones were recovered and put to use in other buildings,
Several dozen scrutators are assigned to these chambers at
expeditions into the Boar Hills and Bloodstone Marches for
any one time. Protected by a preferential caste of guards, the
replacement stone had to be launched immediately in order to
scrutators work both night and day to extract information from
gain sufficient resources to resume work.
prisoners housed at Tower Judgment, and the sounds of this
torture can be heard echoing throughout the lower levels of Despite these setbacks, construction of the tower was finished
the building. before 540 ended, due in large part to the number of zealous
workers from nearby Sul and the conscription of Idrians as
All of these practices involve as much religious ceremony as
forced laborers. The construction of the tower was said to have
they do pragmatic applications of pain. For this reason, shrines
played a large part in the swift conversion of the Idrians beyond
to the Creator can be found in close proximity to each torture
Sulonmarch. Not only was it a terrifying testament to the
chamber. Many of the instruments utilized for these tasks are
Protectorate’s martial strength, but those Idrians who laid its
considered holy relics, having been in the possession of revered
stones did so in the presence of constant sermons and hymns to
scrutators who have since passed on.
the Creator of Man.
The elderly Turgis was said to have visited the tower often
History of Tower during the construction and adjusted his vision for it many
times during the process, refining the structure in his mind’s
Judgment eye and forcing the stonemasons to match his singular vision.
When it was complete, the hierarch was said to have declared
The tower has stood as a reminder of the Protectorate’s might
it a testament to the Creator of Man. His work was expanded
for over seventy years. Construction of the initial structure was
upon by each of his successors, with the larger garrison complex
completed in 540 AR during the reign of Hierarch Turgis, just
instigated by Ravonal during his twelve-year reign, with
five years after the onset of his reign. The hierarch required
additional facilities to support warjacks added by Hierarchs
a means to protect the northern border of his nation but also
Voyle and Severius in recent decades.
desired a place that could house enemies of the faith and where
his fellow scrutators could gather information about corrupt Over these years, the importance of Tower Judgment has only
persons within the Protectorate. Some of the underground increased. Its garrisons have protected the vital Menoth’s Fury
aspects of this structure predate the tower—the first cells and refineries at Kregor Rock to the north. An increased need for
tunnels were excavated on the orders of Visgoth Dorvol Pholt local Protectorate warjacks caused the construction of the
in 524 AR during the struggles for power after the death of Factorium, a vast manufacturing center for the production of
Hierarch Luctine. These would soon be greatly expanded. warjacks. Despite the expanded garrisons and facilities, the
sheer number of workers and soldiers at the tower sometimes
When Turgis put his plan in action, thousands of laborers toiled
exceeds its capacity. A number of semi-permanent tents have
to quarry its stones from nearby hills and mountains. Much of
been erected around and between the buildings of the tower
the stone was acquired from the nearby Boar Hills, but several
complex to accommodate its more transitory personnel.
massive stones came from as far away as the Rotterhorn deeper
in the desert. Dragged across the sands by teams of laborers
and consecrated laborjacks, these stones became the foundation
of the tower. Every surface was inscribed with passages of the
Site of Holy
Canon of the True Law, and hundreds of priests joined Hierarch
Turgis in prayer as they were lowered into place.
Excruciation
To the scrutators of the Protectorate, Tower Judgment is a
As construction began on the tower to expand its sprawling
holy place, rivaled only by such ancient sites as Icthier. The
dungeons, teams also began working on secret bunkers in
interrogation of prisoners there has a sacred, ritual quality to
the nearby Boar Hills. At the time of this construction, the
it. The Sul-Menite’s dark protectors preserve the sanctity of
Protectorate was still subject to periodic inspections by the
their work in the underground prison through the religious
oppressive Cygnaran government to assure they were not
act of torture. They do not revel in this aspect of their work but
breaching the terms of treaty imposed upon them, terms
consider these acts inextricable to their purpose and the long-
that disallowed a standing army. These bunkers allowed the
term survival of the theocracy. Forcing confessions from those
Protectorate to stockpile warjacks away from the cities of Sul
who have been wayward is seen as a method of cleansing their
and Imer and were expanded in later decades by Hierarchs
souls and readying them for the Lawgiver.
Ravonal and Voyle.

No Quarter PRIME 35
 HOSTILE TERRITORY
Those taken for interrogation are subjected to a ceremonial cycle
of treatment, being excruciated, starved, questioned, then fed,
healed, cared for, and given time for prayer and introspection
before beginning the cycle again. It is common for those who
break down amid this process to volunteer to be wracked on
the hills beyond the tower, seeing this as a way to purge their
transgressions. This will be allowed, given the scrutators are
satisfied with the confessions and information attained.
Tower Judgment is a gathering place for the scrutator caste.
Large assemblies of scrutators happen here often, and the
scrutator in charge of Tower Judgment is always selected
from members who stand in the highest esteem. Prior to his
elevation to hierarch, Grand Scrutator Severius made frequent
visits to Tower Judgment. The grand scrutator came not only to
inspect the factories attached to the tower but also to personally
interrogate prisoners for information vital to the war effort.
Its current warden is Visgoth Enjorran Sollers, a powerful
scrutator and one of the leaders of the Sulonmarch province, as
well as a key voice on the Synod. Sollers was a firm supporter
of Severius and of the Northern Crusade, which allowed him to
advance his own agendas while Severius was hierarch. He was
present for Severius’ final moments and attended his funerary
rites. Following the hierarch’s death, Sollers’ position is more
uncertain, as the Synod is rumored to be divided over the
best course of leadership. Sollers has prioritized maintaining
the strength of Tower Judgment, knowing it to be vital to the
theocracy’s defense, as was proven in the skorne attacks that led
to Severius’ death. He perceives his role in the defense of the
Protectorate as a sacred duty, both to the Sul-Menite people and
to the Creator of Man.
36 No Quarter PRIME
Visgoth Sollers’ influence has earned him many rivals, though
Feora of the Flameguard Temple is no doubt the most influential
and dangerous. But while he maintains control of such a potent
symbol of the scrutator order’s authority and the significant
garrison within it, few would dare oppose Sollers openly.
Current Affairs
Tower Judgment continues to be a vital bastion of Protectorate
military might. The foundries of the Factorium produce
warjacks and colossals at a steady rate, and the interrogation of
its political and religious prisoners continues apace.
The tower’s role in defending the northern border of the
theocracy has become increasingly important in the last few
years. When the exiled Vinter Raelthorne IV returned from
eastern Immoren, he brought with him the conquest-minded
skorne race. For a time, the skorne were content to attack
Vinter’s former nation of Cygnar, but when Vinter lost control
of their armies, they lashed out across the Bloodstone Marches.
As the skorne seek new conquests, attacks have become more
frequent and far deadlier.
So, too, has Tower Judgment’s significance increased in its
efforts against Cygnar. The tower acts as a perfect staging point
for attacks across the Black River and to discourage Cygnaran
forays into Protectorate territory. The size of its garrison has
grown to be one of the largest within Protectorate territory.
The tower is not unassailable, however. A recent attack by the
skorne threatened the destruction of Tower Judgment and
the death of all present. The timing of this attack worked to
the skorne advantage, as the tower’s garrison had recently
been reduced on the orders of the Priestess of the Flame. Lord
Arbiter Hexeris, the foremost master of the skorne’s black magic
called mortitheurgy, led a significant cohort in an attempt to
capture the tower. The energies of the place as a sacred site
for interrogation and excruciation have created powerful
mystical forces, most of them latent but that are very tangible
to mortitheurges in particular. The appeal of this enormous
mortitheurgical reservoir, as well as the strategic importance of
the place, drew the skorne.
Were it not for the timely arrival of Hierarch Severius, the tower
and its defenders would have fallen to the skorne. Even still,
victory there was not without consequences. The hierarch fell
in battle, expending the last of his life in a potent display of
Menoth’s blessing to drive back the would-be conquerors.
Following this attack and subsequent ones deeper into
Protectorate territory, the skorne have maintained a hostile
presence in the region. Skorne warriors from Kortar Fastness
at the Rotterhorn make frequent assaults on Tower Judgment.
Whether these assaults are meant to whittle down the defenders
there or to test its defenses are yet unknown to the Protectorate,
but the skorne seem set on claiming the tower as their own.
Its pious defenders stand resolutely against this, though the
uncertain state of the Protectorate’s leadership troubles all who
look to this tower to keep invaders at bay.
Hostile Territory Scenario
No Man’s Siege
Exemplar Errant Elias Gade sent a crossbow bolt sailing at the
approaching skorne. His quarrel buried itself in one of the warrior’s eyes
and vanished into his skull. His fellow errants followed his example,
unleashing a volley of blessed bolts at the skorne. A few found their
marks, but most thudded into the armored wall of siege equipment
creeping toward them.
The skorne attackers had built these mantlets to avoid incoming fire as
they approached the northern border of the Tower Judgment complex.
Each rolling shield concealed several skorne. While a pair of invaders
labored to roll one forward, behind it three of the slingers or venators
could attack from safety. “Aim high, and may Menoth guide your shots,”
Gade called down the line of his errants as he ducked behind cover to
reload. The row of errants fired into the air, and their bolts began to hiss
down upon the skorne like an iron rain.
Gameplay Overview
"No Man’s Siege" is a multiplayer team scenario. Two teams go
to war, one team defending a fortified position and the other
trying to reduce it to rubble. The defenders will have to make
smart use of their defenses in order to survive the onslaught, as
the attackers are prepared with mantlets to weather the superior
firing positions of the defenders.
Setup
This scenario requires four players. Each player creates a 50-point
army. Divide the players equally into two teams: Attackers and
Defenders. Players treat their teammate’s models as friendly
models but not as friendly Faction models, even if they are the
same Faction.
Attackers can include Mantlet models (see Special Rules below)
in their army. Mantlets are treated as friendly Faction models to
the player controlling them.
Players on the same team take their turns simultaneously,
treating their simultaneous turn as a single turn for the duration
of spells and effects. The Attackers are the first players, deploying
and taking their turn first.
The Defenders place 6 Spiked Barricade terrain features (see
Special Rules below) completely within 20˝ of their table edge
and not within 3˝ of each other.
Next, starting with the Attackers, the two teams take turns
placing a single piece of terrain anywhere on the table until each
team has placed 4 pieces of terrain (these cannot be additional
Spiked Barricades). No terrain feature can be placed within 3˝ of
another terrain feature, with the exception of trench templates.
Both teams have a 10˝ deployment zone.
Special Rules
This scenario uses Spiked Barricade terrain features and Mantlet
models. See page 38 for these special rules.
by Will Hungerford
The Siege
The Defenders’ table edge represents the Front Gate of the
fortification they are trying to protect. This table edge can be
targeted and damaged as if it were a huge-based Construct
Defender model with DEF 5, ARM 20, and 75 damage boxes.
Note: This means that Defender models can cast spells that
affect friendly models onto the Front Gate, and similarly the
Attackers can do the same with spells that affect enemy models.
The Front Gate can be repaired by friendly mechaniks as well!
Tactical Coordination
Each team’s players gain access to a set of special abilities that
represents their capability of coordinating their efforts in order
to overcome the enemy. At the start of each team’s turn, both
players on the active team must agree on one of the abilities
below (both players choose the same ability) and declare which
ability it is using.
Coordinated Assault (Attackers)
• Distraction – For one turn, enemy models engaged with
a teammate’s model cannot target your models with free
strikes.
• Finish the Job – For one turn, your models gain +1 to
attack and damage rolls against enemy models damaged
by a teammate’s attack this turn.
• Right Behind You – For one round, your models can ignore
your teammate’s models when determining LOS. Your
models can advance through your teammate’s models
if they have enough movement to move completely past
them.
Coordinated Defense (Defenders)
• Bury Them in Ordnance – For one turn, your weapon crew
models gain boosted attack and damage rolls against
enemy models damaged by a teammate’s ranged attack
this turn.
• Spotters – For one turn, your models ignore Stealth
and their ranged weapons gain +2 RNG when targeting
an enemy model within 5˝ of a teammate’s model.
• Hold the Line – For one round, your warrior models gain
+2 ARM while B2B with a teammate’s model.
Victory Conditions
A team wins if it has the only models remaining in play. This
means the game will continue even after both warcasters or
warlocks on the same team are destroyed.
The Attackers win if the Front Gate is destroyed.
The Defenders win at the end of the seventh game round if
the Attackers have not successfully destroyed the Front Gate.
Reinforcements arrive just in time to rout the Attackers!
No Quarter PRIME 37
 HOSTILE TERRITORY

Battlefield Element Rules

Mantlet Spiked Barricade
This scenario uses the Spiked Barricade
MANTLET 2017 v1 MANTLET terrain feature, which is an array of
WEApoN ATTAchMENT
AttAchment – This attachment can be added to a small- or defensive iron spikes or spears embedded
MANTLET
SPD STR MAT RAT DEF ARM CMD
medium-based unit.
in the ground. This terrain feature is a
0 0 — — 5 18 0 ESCORT
Girded – This model and friendly models B2B with it do not suffer wall template-sized obstacle.
blast damage.
hAnd cArried – This model is not a warrior model. It does not
activate but can advance during its unit’s Normal Movement. When it When a warjack or warbeast model without
advances, it can move up to 2˝ for each Grunt in this unit within 2˝ of
it at the beginning of its unit’s activation. This model is automatically Flight contacts a Spiked Barricade
hit by melee attacks. It cannot become stationary or knocked down
and never suffers Blind. during a charge, slam, or trample power
roAdblock – This model provides cover to friendly models as if it
were an obstacle. This model loses Roadblock while it is Incorporeal
attack, its movement immediately ends.
or knocked down. When a warrior model without Flight
Shield GuArd – Once per round, when a friendly model is directly
hit by a non-spray ranged attack during your opponent’s turn while contacts a Spiked Barricade, it suffers 1
within 3˝ of this model, you can choose to have this model directly hit
instead. This model is automatically hit and suffers all damage and point of damage.
effects. This model cannot use Shield Guard while it is Incorporeal,
knocked down, or stationary.

DAMAgE

PC FA Illus. by Néstor Ossandón © Privateer Press, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

2 u All faction names, logos, warjack®, warcaster® & warbeast are TM of Privateer Press, Inc.

BUILDING A PROTECTORATE SPIKED BARRICADE

By Dallas Kemp

A spiked barricade is a versatile terrain piece that can add some tactical variety to your
games. Follow this simple guide to build your own or use it as inspiration to create a
barricade of your own design.

1 2
Tools & Materials
Step 1: Prepare the Flame Spears
Air-drying Clay or
Epoxy Putty Use clippers to cut the spears just above
Basing Material the hand.
Formula P3 Clippers
Wall Template or Sheet
Step 2: Prepare the Base
Polystyrene Build up a mound of clay or putty along the
White Glue length of a wall template or 4˝ x .75˝ piece of
Parts from Temple sheet polystyrene. Embed the spears and any
Flameguard Officer & other parts you want to use into the clay.
Standard (PIP 32096): 3
* 0279 B Temple Step 3: Add Basing Material
Flameguard Officer & After the clay has dried, glue your basing material
Standard Bearer UA
to the clay.
flame spear x5
*These parts are available in the
Now all that’s left to do is paint your barricade
Privateer Press Online Store. and add it to your battlefield defenses!

38 No Quarter PRIME
BUILDING A SKORNE MANTLET
By Danny Samuels

Building your own mantlets for the “No Man’s Siege” scenario can bring an added touch of
immersion and storytelling to your game. Follow this simple guide to build your own or use
it as inspiration to create a mantlet of your own design.

1a 1b
Tools & Materials
Step 1: Convert the Support Beam
40 mm base
1a) Use a jeweler’s saw to remove the red-shaded
Formula P3 Clippers
parts from the catapult arm.
Formula P3 Files
1b) Use a file to smooth the edges so the joint Formula P3 Hobby Knife
will be flush. Formula P3 Pin Vise w/
.85 mm drill bit
Step 2: Prepare the Shield Formula P3 Super Glue
2a) Use a flat file to remove the nubs from the Jeweler’s saw
back of the shield. 2a 2b Nail file or sandpaper
2b) Place the shield on a piece of .040 sheet Pencil
polystyrene and trace the outer edge. Draw a line Ruler
where the red line is indicated on the photo; you Sheet polystyrene
won’t want to cut that part out. (thickness .020 and .040)
2c) Using a sharp hobby knife, cut the styrene Parts from Skorne Venator
Catapult Crew (PIP
out. It helps to make multiple passes rather than
74030):
trying to cut through it in one try.
* 3115 D Venator
2d) Glue the styrene shape to the back of the Catapult shield
shield. * 3115 E Venator
2e) Sand the edges flush with a nail file or
2c 2d Catapult arm
sandpaper until it all looks like one piece.   * 3115 F Venator
Catapult end cap x2
2f) Cut a thin strip from .020 sheet polystyrene
*These parts are available in the
and two small triangular pieces to add trim detail Privateer Press Online Store.
to the front of the shield.

Step 3: Attach Wheels and

Support Beam
3a) Using a pin vise and a .85 mm bit, drill holes
in the wheels and the sides of your shield. 2e 2f
3b) Add .85 mm brass rod to the wheels and glue
them to the sides of the shield.
3c) Glue the support arm to the back of the
shield so the hook faces down.

Step 4: Attach Model to Base

4a) Glue your mantlet to a 40 mm base.

Now all that’s left to do is base and paint your

model to match your army. Then it’s ready to lay 3a 3b
siege to Tower Judgment!

3c 4a

No Quarter PRIME 39
 AFTER ACTION REPORT

The Trencher CID

by Will Pagani

Trenchers have always been a popular choice for Cygnaran armies. Supplying a high-quality
troop force with some powerful abilities like Dig In, Smoke Bomb, or Stealth has made this
frontline option unique within the ranks of Cygnar. This article will explore some of the new
options available for the Gravediggers theme force as well as review the evolution of a few
already existing choices.

Gravediggers Trencher Warcaster

Lieutenant
Theme Force The Trencher Warcaster Lieutenant did not undergo many

T he theme force for Trenchers allows mostly what you would

think: Trenchers. Warjacks. Warcasters. All the goodies
you could want! And the benefits are quite potent in this theme
force. Gravediggers being able to take free weapon crews, solos,
and attachments opens up the list-building options within the
theme. Further, Rise is very powerful as a benefit when all of
your infantry have Tough innately, and the bonus to the first-
turn roll combines well with the many and varied Advance
Deployment options allowed in Gravediggers. But there’s even
more available to make this theme force roll with the best.
changes in the CID process, but don’t let that fool you—this
guy will still make it into a lot of lists. In both Gravediggers
and Heavy Metal, the Lieutenant controls both Grenadiers and
Chargers quite effectively. With Fire Group, he keeps these
’jacks safe by allowing them to fire from farther away. After
his warjacks have been destroyed, it’s time for him to leave
his foxhole and move up the board to supply support to his
army in the form of Rift, a powerful attack spell that, in the
proper situation, can really hinder enemy movement while the
Lieutenant lays down covering fire with his carbine.

40 No Quarter PRIME
 Colonel Markus “siege” BrisBane 2017 v1 Colonel Markus “siege” BrisBane
CygNAR WARCAStER

BRISBANE 2 BRISBANE 2
SPD STR MAT RAT DEF ARM CMD
5 8 7 6 14 18 9
ActivAte Rocket tuRRet – Once per turn at any time during
Brisbane’s activation, you can place a Rocket Turret anywhere
completely within 3˝ of him unless he already has a Rocket Turret in
Colonel
Markus “Siege”
play. The Rocket Turret cannot activate the turn it is put into play.
DespeRAte pAce [tRencheR] (HAction) – RNG CMD. Target
MAul friendly Trencher unit. If the unit is in range, Trencher models in the

Brisbane
RNG POW P+S unit gain +2˝ movement during their Normal Movement this turn.
2 7 15 Jump BAck – At the end of an activation in which this model made
a successful charge, you can place this model anywhere completely
within 5˝ of its current location and then its activation ends.
Rocket pAck – Once per activation at any time, this model can Siege has undergone quite a
spend one focus point to be placed completely within 5˝ of its
current location. This model cannot use Rocket Pack during an transformation in his second
activation in which it charges. When this model uses Rocket Pack,
the damage roll for its next melee attack during that activation is incarnation. His theme and
automatically boosted.
MAul suite of abilities changed from a
FOCuS
RAm – When an enemy model is hit by this weapon during this
ranged-focused warcaster who
6 model’s Combat Action, it becomes knocked down and can be
pushed 1˝ directly away from this model. If the model hit is pushed,
was designed to be the man who
this model can immediately advance 1˝ directly toward it.
breached the walls of Sul into a
frontline invasion force leader. In
his new suit of armor, his mobility
is unrivaled, his melee threat
DAMAGE is substantial, and his support
WJ FA Illus. by Andrea Uderzo © Privateer Press, Inc. All Rights Reserved. abilities in battle are varied and
+28 C All faction names, logos, warjack®, warcaster® & warbeast are TM of Privateer Press, Inc.
notable. He did not, however,
begin the CID cycle this way. At
Colonel Markus “siege” BrisBane 2017 v1 Colonel Markus “siege” BrisBane the start of the cycle, Siege was
SPELLS COST RNG AOE POW DUR OFF
powerful, but as we received more
Battering ram 2 8 – 12 – Yes
Feat: PerFect Position and more feedback on him, we
realized he was not very much
An enemy model hit by Battering Ram can be pushed 3˝ directly away
from the spell’s point of origin. With a shouted order and the weaving of a spell,
Col. Brisbane reshapes the field of battle to his advantage.
FurY 2 6 – – uP no His warjacks plow through enemy lines on a tide of arcane fun to play. Changes to how his
Target friendly Faction model/unit gains +3 to melee damage rolls force while his own soldiers exploit the gaps the ’jacks
but suffers –1 DEF. create to rush forward and take new ground. rocket pack functions, coupled
Hallowed avenger 2 6 – –
Target friendly Faction warjack gains Righteous Vengeance. (If
uP no
Small- and medium-based friendly Faction warrior with some additions to his feat
and spell list, really opened up
one or more friendly Faction warrior models were destroyed or models currently in Brisbane’s control range
removed from play by enemy attacks while within 5˝ of a model with immediately advance up to 3˝ and then gain Dig In.
Righteous Vengeance during the last round, during your Maintenance
Phase the model with Righteous Vengeance can advance up to 3˝ and
Warjacks in Brisbane’s battlegroup currently in his
control range gain Bulldoze for one turn. (A model
this warcaster and made him a far
make one basic melee attack.) with Dig In gains cover, does not suffer blast damage, more interesting support model.
HigH ground 2 Ctrl 4 – uP no and does not block LOS. The model remains dug in
Place a 4˝ AOE anywhere completely within the spellcaster’s control until it moves, is placed, or is engaged.) (When a model
range. The AOE is a hill that remains in play as long as its upkeep with Bulldoze is B2B with an enemy model during
is paid. its Normal Movement, it can push that model up to
razor wall 2 Ctrl wall – uP no 2˝ directly away from it. A model can be pushed by
Place the wall template anywhere completely within the spellcaster’s Bulldoze only once per activation. Bulldoze has no
control range where it does not touch a model’s base, an obstruction, effect when a model makes a trample power attack.)
or an obstacle. When a model enters or ends its activation in the wall
template, it suffers 1 damage point.

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All faction names, logos, warjack®, warcaster® & warbeast are TM of Privateer Press, Inc.

Rocket tuRRet 2017 v1 Rocket tuRRet

CygnaR SOlO

ROCKET TURRET ROCKET TURRET

SPD STR MAT RAT DEF ARM CMD CirCular Vision – Models never gain a back strike bonus against
0 6 0 6 5 18 0 this model.
Companion [Colonel BrisBane] – This model is included in any
army that includes Colonel Markus “Siege” Brisbane. If Brisbane is
destroyed or removed from play, remove this model from play. This
ROCKET model is part of Brisbane’s battlegroup.
RNG ROF AOE POW
Created – This model does not begin the game in play.
12 1 4 14
Gun platform – This model can make ranged attacks even while in
melee.
paCk it up – If this model is in play during your Maintenance Phase,
you can remove it from play.
sentry fire – Once per turn, when an enemy model advances into
and ends its movement within 8˝ of this model, this model can
immediately make one basic ranged attack targeting that model.
turret – This model cannot advance except to change facing.
This model cannot become knocked down or be pushed and is
automatically hit by melee attacks. This model does not suffer blast
damage.
ROCKET
HiGH-explosiVe – Blast damage caused by this weapon is POW 10.

DAMAGE

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All faction names, logos, warjack®, warcaster® & warbeast are TM of Privateer Press, Inc.

No Quarter PRIME 41
 AFTER ACTION REPORT Trencher commando officer
CygnaR COmmand attaChmEnt
2017 v1 Trencher commando officer
AttAchment [trencher commAndos] – This attachment can be
OFFICER
SPD STR MAT RAT DEF ARM CMD
added to a Trencher Commando unit.
6 6 8 7 13 13 9 OFFICER

Trencher
AnAtomicAl Precision – When this model’s melee damage roll
fails to exceed the ARM of the living model hit, that model suffers
1 damage point. A model disabled by a melee attack made by this
gREnadE model cannot make a Tough roll.

Commando
RNG ROF AOE POW
GrAnted: rePosition [3˝] – While this model is in formation, models
6 1 3 12
in its unit gain Reposition [3˝]. (At the end of an activation in which it
did not run or fail a charge, a model with Reposition [3˝] can advance

Officer CaRbInE
RNG ROF AOE POW
up to 3˝, then its activation ends.)
mission objective – Once per game at any time during its unit’s
activation, this model can use Mission Objective. When it does,
10 1 — 10
When a mission calls for stealth,
choose an enemy model/unit in this model’s LOS. This activation,
models in this model’s unit gains +2 to attack and damage rolls
against the chosen model/unit.
the Commandos move in, and tREnCh KnIFE tActics: Quick Work – Models in this unit gain Quick Work. (When

the Officer is a new addition to RNG

0.5
POW
3
P+S
9
a model with Quick Work destroys one or more enemy models with a
melee attack during its Combat Action, immediately after the attack
this classic unit, granting it some
is resolved the model with Quick Work can make one basic ranged
attack.)
powerful new abilities. Reposition GREnadE
cumbersome – This model cannot attack with this weapon and with
[3˝] lets the Commandos clear another weapon on the same activation.

a screen of infantry and then

move out of the way of the rest
of the force or skirmish favorably DAMAGE

with their carbines and Stealth

against many other infantry
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units. Mission Objective allows

the Commandos to choose a Trencher Blockhouse 2017 v1 Trencher Blockhouse
target and gain +2 to hit and Cygnar StrUCtUrE

damage against it, allowing the BLOCKHOUSE BLOCKHOUSE

SPD STR MAT RAT DEF ARM CMD
Commandos to crack light armor — — 0 6
with ease and mow down entire
Forward deployment – This model can be deployed up to 6˝ beyond
5 20 10 your deployment zone.
Girded – This model and friendly models B2B with it do not suffer
blast damage.

units with the Tactics: Quick Work

reinForcements [trencher] – During your Maintenance Phase,
HEavy CannOn
return d3 small-based friendly destroyed Trencher Grunts to play.
RNG ROF AOE POW
special rule. Finally, add in Scatter
Models return with 1 unmarked damage box. Place the returned
15 1 4 15 Grunts completely within this model’s command range, in formation,
and completely within 3˝ of another model in their unit. Returned
Gunner weapon attachments —
Grunts must forfeit their Combat Actions the turn they are returned
to play.
to taste. In the end, the Officer trench network – Immediately after placing this model during

underwent very few changes

deployment, you can place up to two trench terrain features on the
table. These trench terrain features must be placed either in base
through the CID cycle, remaining
contact with this model or in contact with a trench terrain feature
that is in base contact with this model. These trench terrain features

a strong anti-infantry option.

cannot be placed in contact with a non-trench terrain feature.
HEavy CannOn
hiGh-explosive – Blast damage caused by this weapon is POW 10.
Quake – Ona direct hit against an enemy model, all models hit
become knocked down.

LEFT FIELD OF FIRE RIGHT FIELD OF FIRE

MiLitary rifLE MiLitary rifLE

RNG ROF AOE POW RNG ROF AOE POW
10 1 — 11 10 1 — 11
L R

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DAMAGE 14 2 All faction names, logos, warjack®, warcaster® & warbeast are TM of Privateer Press, Inc.

Trencher express Team 2017 v1 Trencher express Team

CygnaR WEaPOn CREW UniT

SPOTTER SPOTTER
SPD STR MAT RAT DEF ARM CMD Cautious advanCe (order) – Each affected model must make a full
6 6 6 6 13 13 5 advance as its Normal Movement and perform the Dig In special
action, then can make a normal ranged attack as its Combat Action.
dig in (HaCtion) – This model gains cover, does not suffer blast
damage, and does not block LOS. The model remains dug in until it
CaRbinE moves, is placed, or is engaged. It can begin the game dug in.
RNG ROF AOE POW
10 1 — 10 GUNNER
dig in (HaCtion) – See above.
trollkin – This model is a Trollkin model.
TREnCh KnifE RaEvhaN ExPRESS GUN
RNG POW P+S grievous Wounds – A model hit by this weapon loses Tough and
0.5 3 9 cannot have damage removed from it for one round.
range Finder – While B2B with the Spotter in this unit, this model
gains boosted attack rolls with this weapon.
gUnnER thunderbolt – Enemy models hit are pushed d3˝ directly away from
SPD STR MAT RAT DEF ARM CMD the attacking model. On a critical hit, the enemy model becomes
6 7 6 5 13 15 5 knocked down after being pushed.

RaEvhan ExPRESS gUn

RNG ROF AOE POW
14 1 — 14

TREnCh KnifE
RNG POW P+S
GuNNER’S DAMAGE
0.5 3 10

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PC Spotter & Gunner 5
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42 No Quarter PRIME
Trencher combaT engineers 2017 v1 Trencher combaT engineers
CyGNAR MEChANik UNiT

LEADER & GRUNTS LEADER & GRUNTS

SPD STR MAT RAT DEF ARM CMD Dig in (HAction) – This model gains cover, does not suffer blast
6 6 6 6 13 13 6 damage, and does not block LOS. The model remains dug in until it
moves, is placed, or is engaged. It can begin the game dug in.
RepAiR [d3] (HAction) – RNG B2B. Target friendly Faction construct
model. If the model is in range, remove d3 damage points from it.
CARbiNE
SAbotAge (HAction) – Target enemy warjack or battle engine B2B
RNG ROF AOE POW
with this model suffers d3 damage points and cannot have damage
10 1 — 10 removed from it for one round. When damaging a warjack, choose
which column suffers the damage.

MoNkEy WRENCh
RNG POW P+S
0.5 2 8

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PC Leader & 2 Grunts 5
3 All faction names, logos, warjack®, warcaster® & warbeast are TM of Privateer Press, Inc.

Trencher WarcasTer LieuTenanT 2017 v1 Trencher WarcasTer LieuTenanT

CygNAr SoLo

LIEUTENANT JOURNEYMAN WARCASTERCOST RNG AOE POW dUR OFF

SPELLS
SPD STR MAT RAT DEF ARM CMD Fire group 2 SelF Ctrl – turn no
6 6 6 6 14 14 7 While models in the spellcaster’s battlegroup are in its control range,
their ranged weapons gain +2 RNG. Fire Group lasts for one turn.

Commander
riFt 3 8 4 13 rnD YeS
CArBINE The AOE is rough terrain and remains in play for one round.
RNG ROF AOE POW
10 1 — 10
Anson Hitch
LIEUTENANT
Battlegroup Controller – This model is not a warcaster but has
the following warcaster special rules: Battlegroup Commander, Focus
MEChANIkAL TrENCh BLAdE Manipulation, Power Field, and Spellcaster. This model must have at
RNG POW P+S
least one warjack in its battlegroup at the start of the game.
Dig in (HaCtion) – This model gains cover, does not suffer blast
Hitch brings a huge bump in
0.5 5 11
damage, and does not block LOS. The model remains dug in until it
moves, is placed, or is engaged. It can begin the game dug in.
utility to any Gravedigger list
MEChANIkAL TRENCh BLAdE that includes him, but many of
his options changed throughout
Brutal Charge – This model gains +2 to charge attack damage rolls
FOCuS
with this weapon.

4 this CID cycle. Originally able

to give Trenchers Reposition [2˝],
Hitch led some rather industrious
testers to find a way to use this
with the Trencher Infantry special
DAMAGE rule Smoke Bomb, creating walls
of clouds that opponents could
PC FA
not draw line of sight through.
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4 1 All faction names, logos, warjack®, warcaster® & warbeast are TM of Privateer Press, Inc.

Swapping this ability out for Press

Commander anson HitCH the Advantage, which grants
2017 v1 Commander anson HitCH
Cygnar TrenCHer Solo
Swift Hunter, instead allowed
Hitch an excellent ability to use on
HITCH 1 HITCH 1
SPD STR MAT RAT DEF ARM CMD Battle Plan – This model can use one of the following plans at any
6 6 7 6 13 13 10 time during its activation. A friendly Faction model/unit can be
affected by only one plan each turn. Trencher Commandos, Maxwell
• Press the AdvAntAge – RNG CMD. Target friendly Faction
Trencher model/unit. If the model/unit is in range, it gains Swift
Finn, or even the Trencher Long
Gunners. Target Priority, which
Heavy PISTol Hunter. Press the Advantage lasts for one turn. (When a model
RNG ROF AOE POW with Swift Hunter destroys one or more enemy models with a
8 1 — 12 basic ranged attack, immediately after the attack is resolved it can
advance up to 2˝.)
grants Combined Arms, makes the
• tArget Priority – RNG CMD. Target friendly Faction Trencher
unit. If the unit is in range, it gains Combined Arms. Target
Trencher Infantry and Trencher
Sabre
RNG POW P+S Priority lasts for one turn. (When a model with Combined Arms
misses an attack roll for a combined ranged attack, it can reroll that
Long Gunners very accurate with
1 4 10
attack roll. Each attack roll can be rerolled only once as a result of
Combined Arms.)
their combined ranged attacks.
• tenAcity – RNG 5. Target friendly Trencher model/unit. If the With the theme force granting
model/unit is in range, it gains Feign Death. (A model with Feign
Death cannot be targeted by ranged or magic attacks while knocked Rise and the Trencher units all
down.)
Foxhole Buddy – While B2B with a friendly model that is dug in, having Tough, Tenacity provides
this model gains cover, does not suffer blast damage, and does not
block LOS. a nice benefit in the form of Feign
Death, making the models that
tActiciAn [trencher] – While in this model’s command range,
friendly Trencher models can ignore other friendly Trencher models

have successfully survived a hit

when determining LOS. Friendly Trencher models can advance
through other friendly Trencher models in this model’s command

via Tough the opportunity to avoid

range if they have enough movement to move completely past them.
Sabre
DAMAGE
BrutAl chArge – This
with this weapon.
model gains +2 to charge attack damage rolls being gunned down while they lay
on the ground.
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4 C All faction names, logos, warjack®, warcaster® & warbeast are TM of Privateer Press, Inc.

No Quarter PRIME 43
 AFTER ACTION REPORT Patrol Dog
CyGnar TrenCher SOlO
2017 v1 Patrol Dog

DOG DOG
SPD STR MAT RAT DEF ARM CMD AnnoyAnce – Living enemy models within 1˝ of this model suffer –1
7 4 5 0 14 13 3 to attack rolls.
DoDge – This model can advance up to 2˝ immediately after an enemy
attack that missed it is resolved unless it was missed while advancing.
It cannot be targeted by free strikes during this movement.
BiTe
Foxhole BuDDy – While B2B with a friendly model that is dug in,
RNG POW P+S
this model gains cover, does not suffer blast damage, and does not
0.5 3 7 block LOS.
leADership [Trencher] – While in this model’s command range,
friendly Trencher models gain Dodge.
noisy (HAcTion) – While within 8˝ of this model, enemy models lose
Stealth . An enemy model making an attack targeting a friendly
model within 5˝ of this model cannot gain a back strike bonus. Noisy
lasts for one round.
Bite
criTicAl KnocKDown – On a critical hit, the model hit becomes
knocked down.

Trencher Long
Gunners
& Officer
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The fire support of every Trencher 2 1 All faction names, logos, warjack®, warcaster® & warbeast are TM of Privateer Press, Inc.

platoon, the Long Gunners are

among the most highly trained, Trencher Long gunner officer 2017 PRE Trencher Long gunner officer
well-armed, and most-feared CygnaR COmmand attaChmEnt

units on the battlefield. Their rules

AttAchment [trencher Long gunners] – This attachment can be
OFFICER
SPD STR MAT RAT DEF ARM CMD
added to a Trencher Long Gunner unit.

look fairly basic, but they pack 6 6 7 7 13 13 9 OFFICER

DuAL shot – If this model uses its Normal Movement to aim, it can
quite a punch with Combined make one additional ranged attack this activation.
go to grounD – This model can use Go to Ground once per game
Ranged Attack and Dual Shot.
REpEatIng LOng gun
RNG ROF AOE POW at any time while in formation during its unit’s activation. For one
round or until they move, are placed, or are engaged, models in this
The Officer grants Marksman, 14 1 — 10
unit that are currently in formation gain cover, do not suffer blast
damage, and do not block LOS.
allowing his soldiers to choose the grAnteD: Precision Fire – While this model is in formation, models
tREnCh KnIFE
column they damage; combined
in its unit can reroll ranged attack damage rolls. Each attack roll can
RNG POW P+S be rerolled only once as a result of Precision Fire.
0.5 3 9
with Grievous Wounds from tActics: mArksmAn – When a model in this unit damages a warjack
or warbeast with a ranged attack, choose which column or branch
the Express Team, this creates a suffers the damage.

very credible ranged threat that

can destroy weapon systems and
aspects with no chance to repair
or heal them. Many debates in
CID focused on the role of such
models, specifically as to whether
they were costed appropriately DAMAGE

and over what type of defensive

abilities they should have. We
PC FA Illus. by Néstor Ossandón © Privateer Press, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
4 2 All faction names, logos, warjack®, warcaster® & warbeast are TM of Privateer Press, Inc.

ended up with the once-per-game

ability Go to Ground (which Trencher Long gunners 2017 v1 Trencher Long gunners
provides Dig In for a single round) CyGNAR UNiT

because many other tested options LEADER & GRUNTS LEADER & GRUNTS
Dual Shot – Ifthis model uses its Normal Movement to aim, it can
SPD STR MAT RAT DEF ARM CMD
were simply too powerful and 6 6 6 6 13 13 8 make one additional ranged attack this activation.

made the unit far too resilient to

enemy fire throughout the game. REpEATiNG LoNG GUN
RNG ROF AOE POW
14 1 — 10

TRENCh KNifE
RNG POW P+S
0.5 3 9

Leader & 5 Grunts 11 FA Illus. by Néstor Ossandón © Privateer Press, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
PC Leader & 9 Grunts 18 2 All faction names, logos, warjack®, warcaster® & warbeast are TM of Privateer Press, Inc.

44 No Quarter PRIME
Triumph
We couldn’t talk about Siege 2 without bringing up his trusty
pal, Triumph. As an existing model, Triumph was modified to
become a more appealing choice, especially in combination with
its bonded warcaster, Siege. And speaking of this bond, replacing
the old bond (which mimicked the spell Explosivo) and replacing
it with boosted ranged attack damage rolls created a very nice
synergy with Rapid Fire, a special rule introduced to Triumph
in the new edition. Adding in Dual Attack allows Triumph more
tactical flexibility, and a slight point decrease makes it a truly
delightful choice in any Siege-led army.
Jeremiah Kraye
Kraye went through a major overhaul during this CID cycle. A
completely new feat, an almost total rework of his spell list, and
a few ability reworks rocketed this warcaster through a flurry of
playtest and discussion. His new signature spell, Horsepower,
gives incredible threat ranges to his melee warjack options.
With Admonition and Iron Horse granting Reposition [5˝], it’s
very hard to pin down his battlegroup. Countermeasures really
ties into his reconnaissance theme and is a very powerful spell
for a warcaster who is susceptible to ranged assassinations. His
new feat, Light ’Em Up, further increases the threat range of
Kraye’s battlegroup by giving all weapons Beacon. The portion
of the feat that grants Flare allows for some very interesting
ranged list options and gives his army a way to ignore Stealth,
essentially marking targets for the remainder of his force.
Patrol Dog
This scruffy little fella is the mascot of every Trencher force.
Bringing solid utility abilities, he helps support his allies by
sniffing out the location of hidden enemies or by warning of
incoming artillery blasts, allowing troops to deftly dodge out
of the way. Patrol Dog started out with a much larger area of
effect for all of his rules, but testers showed how this was not
a reasonable thing for such a low-point model. But we wanted
to keep him at 2 points, so reducing the effectiveness of his
abilities allowed us to keep his point cost while retaining the
flavor and vision we had for the Patrol Dog from the start.
Trencher Express Team
One trollkin. One man. One very, very large gun. One much
smaller gun. The Express Team’s concept is that of a mobile
fire support unit bringing utility to the field. With its Raevhan
Express Gun, it can provide many different effects that are not
normally available within Trencher forces, such as the ability
to push enemy models away, the option to cause Grievous
Wounds, or even just a highly accurate high-POW ranged attack.
Entering CID, the Express Team was labeled as “bland and
boring but effective.” Adding rules to it based on the feedback
we received and tweaking the team’s point cost brought in
Grievous Wounds, Pathfinder, and Advance Deployment, giving
the unit a solid range of effects and ensuring it’s always a useful
one to have on your list.
TRIUMPH
Gained Gained boosted
Dual Attack
ranged attack
damage rolls when
bonded to Siege
Decreased
Point Cost
Trencher Combat Engineers
The Combat Engineers keep the machines running. With Dig
In and carbines, they are some of the most combat-oriented
mechaniks in the game. After testing, people wanted to
see a little more flavor added to the unit, so Sabotage was
included after the cycle had ended. This rule lets the Engineers
potentially cripple the warjack that just trashed their most
recent assignment!
Trencher Blockhouse
As our first structure, the Blockhouse was a very exciting
addition to CID. It provides a solid anchor to many Gravedigger
armies with a long-ranged, high-power attack with some
potent special rules. Add in some nifty rules like Girded and
Reinforcements [Trencher], and you’ve got a solid support piece
to hide your warcaster behind while replenishing the ranks of
Trencher units close by. Being a structure is cool and all, but
what would Trenchers be without . . . trenches! The Blockhouse
allows the player to build a Trench Network on the table,
bringing additional terrain features with it. As the Trencher
Blockhouse is FA: 2, this allows the player to bring up to four
trenches in addition to any terrain that started on the table.
When the CID cycle started, this rule allowed for three trenches
per Blockhouse, but the developers as well as the players ended
up believing this was simply too much additional terrain.
Conclusion
That’s it for our first real CID cycle for the new theme forces.
Finding a place for every model that went into the process and
creating a powerful, thematic, and well-focused theme force
shows the exciting results we can achieve with the help of the
community. With the direct implementation of community
feedback and ideas, we can continue to enhance the game with
a diverse set of options that are balanced, compelling, and most
important, fun!
No Quarter PRIME 45
 PAINTING & HOBBY

Table Ready in 5 steps

By Lyle Lowery

Playing with a fully painted army is simultaneously one of the most rewarding yet
intimidating aspects of the WARMACHINE and HORDES hobby. It’s not hard to paint
an army to tabletop standard—a level of quality that looks good on the table and at arm’s
length. Here is a variety of styles that will help you get your army table ready in no time!

MODELS O n these pages, you will find some

Cygnar Stormclad by William Shick
Protectorate Indictor
by Luke Sheridan
Khador Mad Dog by Lyle Lowery
Cryx Seether by Lyle Lowery
Retribution Hemera by Lyle Lowery
Convergence Conservator
by Dallas Kemp
Trollbloods Dire Troll Mauler
by Lyle Lowery
Circle Shadowhorn Satyr
by Lyle Lowery
Legion Carnivean by Brendan Roy
Skorne Aradus Sentinel
by Luke Sheridan
of the Privateer Press crew’s takes
on the classic Faction colors. Some of
the styles are streamlined approaches to
the studio scheme, while others take the
studio scheme as inspiration for a similar
but personalized palette. For example,
you’ll see how to use zenithal priming for
fast and beautiful white armor, or how
to use ink glazes over a silver basecoat to
make a glossy showroom finish.
Follow the instructions for your chosen
Faction to ready your army for the table.
But you might want to read through
them all—you just might pick up a new
tip or trick to incorporate into your own
painting repertoire.
Once you’re finished painting, it’s time
to base your model. You should base it
to match the rest of your army, but if
you haven’t picked a basing scheme yet,
you can use the technique used for all of
these models. Use white glue to attach
sand or ballast to your base. When that
is dry, wash it with Umbral Umber. Let
that dry thoroughly and then drybrush
it with Rucksack Tan and then a lighter
application of Menoth White Highlight.
Finally, use white glue to add patches of
static grass. You’re table ready!

46 No Quarter PRIME
 cygnar – Stormclad
Step 1: Basecoat the whole model with Cold Steel.
Step 2: Glaze the armor plates with 1:2 Blue Ink and Mixing Medium. Build up
the color with several thin coats.
Step 3: Paint the cloth Cygnar Blue Base and the gold metals Rhulic Gold.
Step 4: Wash the steel and blue cloth with Armor Wash and the gold areas with
4:2:1 Brown Ink, Umbral Umber, and Mixing Medium.
Step 5: Drybrush the silver metal with Cold Steel and the gold metal with
Solid Gold. Highlight the blue cloth with 1:2 Cygnar Blue Base and Cygnar Blue
Highlight.
1 2
3 4
5 5
protectorate of menoth – Indictor
Step 1: Basecoat the armor plates with Menoth White Base and the trim
with Sanguine Base.
Step 2: Shade the armor plates with Bastion Grey and the trim with Exile Blue.
Step 3: Basecoat the bare metals with Pig Iron and Rhulic Gold.
Step 4: Wash the silver metals with Armor Wash and the gold metals with
Umbral Umber.
Step 5: Highlight the trim with Sanguine Highlight, the silver metals with Cold
Steel, and the gold metals with Solid Gold.
1 2
3 4
No Quarter PRIME 47
 PAINTING & HOBBY
Khador – Mad Dog
Step 1: Drybrush the bare metals with Pig Iron and Molten Bronze.
Step 2: Paint the armor plates Khador Red Base.
Step 3: Paint the trim Thamar Black. Shade the armor plates with Exile Blue.
Wash the bare metals with Armor Wash.
Step 4: Highlight the armor plates with Khador Red Highlight, the black trim
with Coal Black and Frostbite, and the gold metals with Rhulic Gold.
Step 5: Paint the eyes and vents Heartfire. Glaze the armor and the corners of
the eyes and vents with Red Ink.
1 2
3 4
5 5
48 No Quarter PRIME
cryx – Seether
Step 1: Paint the bare metals Pig Iron and Blighted Gold.
Step 2: Paint the armor Cryx Bane Highlight. Paint the bone spurs ’Jack Bone.
Step 3: Shade the armor plates with thinned Cryx Bane Base. Wash the silver
metals with Armor Wash and the gold metals and bones with Umbral Umber.
Step 4: Paint the vents Menoth White Highlight. Drybrush the bones with
Menoth White Highlight.
Step 5: Glaze the vents with Yellow Ink. Glaze the corners of the vents with
Green Ink.
1 2
3 4
 Retribution of scyrah – Hemera
Step 1: Prime white over black from a high angle, leaving some black showing
in the shadows. This is called zenithal priming.
Step 2: Basecoat the bare metals with Thamar Black.
Step 3: Glaze the glowing areas with 1:1 Frostbite and Turquoise Ink.
Step 4: Paint the bare metals Cold Steel. Paint the tabard 1:1 Trollblood Base
and Traitor Green.
Step 5: Highlight the armor plates with Morrow White.
1 2
3 4
5 5
Convergence of cyriss – Conservator
Step 1: Basecoat the entire model with Cold Steel. Paint the gold metals Brass
Balls.
Step 2: Wash the silver metals with 2:1 Greatcoat Grey and Armor Wash. Wash
the gold metals with 2:1 Thornwood Green and Brown Ink.
Step 3: Wash the deepest shadows with Armor Wash.
Step 4: Paint the glowing areas Frostbite. Wash the area you just painted with
2:2:4 Arcane Blue, Mixing Medium, and water.
Step 5: Highlight the silver metals with Quick Silver and the gold metals with a
mix of Brass Balls and Radiant Platinum.
1 2
3 4
No Quarter PRIME 49
 PAINTING & HOBBY
trollbloods – Dire Troll Mauler
Step 1: Basecoat the skin with Trollblood Base, the growths, teeth, and cloth
with Bootstrap Leather, the metal with Pig Iron, and the quills with Skorne Red.
Step 2: Shade the skin with 1:1 Trollblood Base and Sanguine Base, the growths,
teeth, and cloth with Umbral Umber, and the quills with Exile Blue.
Step 3: Highlight the skin with 1:1 Trollblood Base and Trollblood Highlight.
Drybrush the skin rocks with Beast Hide and the quills with Khador Red Base.
Step 4: Paint the eyes Menoth White Highlight and the tongue and gums
Sanguine Base.
Step 5: Highlight the teeth and nails with Menoth White Highlight.
1 2
3 4
5 5
50 No Quarter PRIME
circle orboros – Shadowhorn Satyr
Step 1: Drybrush the armor plates with Rhulic Gold.
Step 2: Basecoat the skin with Beast Hide, the cloth with Bastion Grey, and the
straps with Bootstrap Leather.
Step 3: Wash the skin and straps with Umbral Umber and the cloth with
Armor Wash.
Step 4: Drybrush the skin with 1:1 Beast Hide and Menoth White Highlight.
Drybrush the horns and cloth with Trollblood Highlight.
Step 5: Glaze the recesses of the armor plates with water and a little Green Ink.
Highlight the armor plates with Brass Balls.
1 2
3 4
 legion of everblight – Carnivean
Step 1: Basecoat the skin with a 1:1:1 mix of Frostbite, Exile Blue, and Skorne
Red. Basecoat the chitin with Gun Corps Brown.
Step 2: Basecoat the bone areas with ’Jack Bone, the gums with Carnal Pink,
and the tongue with Khardic Flesh.
Step 3: Drybrush the chitin with ’Jack Bone. Wash the gums and the tongue
with Sanguine Base.
Step 4: Shade the chitin with Brown Ink and the skin with Exile Blue and Skorne
Red. Shade the teeth and bones with Battlefield Brown.
Step 5: Highlight the bone with Menoth White Highlight and the skin with Morrow
White. Shade the chitin with Umbral Umber and the gums with Sanguine Base.
1 2
3 4
5 5
skorne – Aradus Sentinel
Step 1: Basecoat the skin with Gun Corps Brown and the chitin with Bloodstone.
Define the edges of the muscles with Sanguine Base.
Step 2: Shade the skin with Battlefield Brown and the chitin with Umbral Umber.
Step 3: Basecoat the armor with Rhulic Gold.
Step 4: Glaze the armor with Red Ink.
Step 5: Highlight the skin with Rucksack Tan, the armor with Solid Gold, and the
chitin with Sanguine Highlight.
1 2
3 4
No Quarter PRIME 51
 IRON KINGDOMS RPG

THE HAUNTING OF
BLACKWELL HALL
by Josh Colón & Matt Goetz

52 No Quarter PRIME
Life as an agent for the Strangelight Workshop is a dangerous and complicated one. Using
unpredictable technology, quick thinking, and sheer luck, these everyday men and women
confront powerful supernatural entities of all types. Often this work is done without fully
understanding such creatures’ abilities or motivations. Those who investigate and oppose
these beings often receive little reward beyond the gratitude of those whose lives they’ve
saved and recognition within their own strange organization. Those who fail are likely to
lose their lives, to be remembered by only the teammates who survive them.

T he Haunting of Blackwell Hall is an adventure for new

recruits to the Strangelight Workshop with 0 XP who have
decided to throw their lot in with this unusual organization.
The Workshop exists in multiple cities, but Blackwell Hall
in Ceryl is its central headquarters and where its primary
field team is located. This veteran team gets first pick of case
files and assigned the most important tasks, but the work is
dangerous and unpredictable. One or more backup teams
are kept ready to handle lower priority cases and to learn the
ropes. The PCs have earned a place as one such field team,
but they still have a great deal to prove. The leadership of the
Strangelight Workshop is an insular and secretive bunch, so
the PCs have a ways to go if they’re going to one day be given
the most interesting and rewarding jobs—or to be privy to the
strange agenda of the Strangelight Workshop and its enigmatic
founder, Jacob Strathmoore.
Adventure Synopsis
The adventure begins when the PCs, an up-and-coming team of
Strangelight Workshop field agents, are given a simple task by
the organization’s premier field team: bring the trapped spirit
of a captured ghost to the tunnels below Blackwell Hall until
the primary team returns from an urgent task. This is a menial,
almost petty task, but someone has to do it.
Naturally, it all goes wrong. The captured ghost escapes from
its containment before the PCs can get it to the quartermaster
(and thus wash their hands of it), and it flees into the walls of
Blackwell Hall. The PCs need to discover where the spirit is
hiding and do whatever they can to contain it before the spirit
causes irreparable harm to Blackwell Hall, or worse, to their
reputations. Making matters worse, several important and
influential members of the organization are still in the hall
and will no doubt look down upon the PCs if they discover the
escaped spirit. For a junior team, this can have far-reaching
consequences, such as being split up and sent to far-flung
operations or even kicked out of the organization.
As the PCs pursue the ghost through Blackwell Hall, they learn
the spirit was once a member of their own organization and is
fighting to preserve the memories of its deceased teammates.
The spirit creates Echoes of these lost companions, which haunt
the rooms of Blackwell Hall that were special to them in life.
Each encounter the PCs have with the spirit eliminates one of its
former companions from its memory, however, driving it to rage
and madness. Once all the Echoes of its team are dispersed, the
spirit descends into the boiler room of the manor in an attempt
to obliterate Blackwell Hall and everyone within it.
Preparing for the
Adventure
Make sure to download and read the free rules pdf at
privateerpress.com/NQP1 to become familiar with the basic
rules of the roleplaying game. Note the additional rules unique
to games involving the Strangelight Workshop. These new rules
begin on page 68.
Take a look at the character sheets in the pdf so you are familiar
with their different skills and abilities. The adventure will offer
suggestions for which characters might excel in a situation, but
the other players may wish to use their abilities in brilliant but
unorthodox ways.
Next, read the background of the adventure’s only real enemy,
the spirit of the caller Reeve Gabbot. Understanding the former
Strangelight agent’s situation and motivations will help a great
deal in depicting him during the course of the adventure.
Similarly, the information on Blackwell Hall will give you a
sense of the headquarters of the Strangelight Workshop.
Reputation
Strangelight Workshop teams have a Reputation within the
organization. The team’s Reputation score is adjusted by a number
of different things during this adventure.
If, at any point, the team’s Reputation score falls below 0, the
team is in big, big trouble. If interaction with an NPC caused the
reputation to fall below 0, that NPC informs Commander Banning
Keller of the PCs’ actions. When the adventure is complete, Keller
informs the PCs that their days with the Strangelight Workshop are
over and shows them the door.
If the PCs managed to recapture the spirit of Reeve Gabbot after
falling below 0 Reputation and ask for a second chance, Keller
reluctantly concedes that they’ve cleaned up after themselves and
says he will consider giving them a chance to redeem themselves,
which can lead to further adventures.

Baxter Roan (Investigator), Sydney Wright (Bouncer),

Emmett Cohen (Mechanik), Evalyn di Mattys (Caller),
and Dalton Thatcher (Jammer) standing outside Blackwell Hall

No Quarter PRIME 53
 IRON KINGDOMS RPG
Reeve Gabbot
In life, Reeve Gabbot was a gentle and empathetic man. Born
with the ability to sense and talk to spirits that lingered on
Caen, he had great difficulty finding or keeping work. He had
difficulty distinguishing between the living and the dead and
would often act irrationally because he was trying to help a lost
spirit complete some unfinished task. When the Strangelight
Workshop discovered the talented young Gabbot, he was living
on the streets of Point Bourne as a beggar.
Membership in the Strangelight Workshop changed his life. His
fellow field agents were his close friends, his family. His work
gave him a clear purpose, allowing him to help lost spirits move
on to the afterlife far better than he could hope to do alone.
After witnessing the loss of his team and enduring his own
death, the specter of Reeve Gabbot has gone insane and is
hostile toward the Strangelight Workshop. It perceives the
Workshop as directly responsible for the suffering it and its
companions suffered.
The specter is no longer fully Gabbot. In an effort to preserve
the other obliterated members of its team, the specter takes on
their appearances and personalities. It is almost as if the specter
is trying to keep the team together by not acknowledging their
absence. Confronting the specter with the truth of this incenses
it and causes it to become even more violent.
For more about the abilities of Reeve Gabbot’s ghost, see p. 73.
Blackwell Hall
Blackwell Hall is an enormous mansion-turned-headquarters.
Many of the original rooms have been repurposed to suit
the needs of the Strangelight Workshop, such as luxurious
bedrooms that have been converted into alchemical laboratories.
The hall has many dozens of rooms, and few members of the
organization are permitted within all of them. Several areas are
restricted to only a handful of individuals, such as the armory
and the archives. Others are accessible to only two persons: the
Strangelight Workshop’s founder, Jacob Strathmoore, and his
second in command, Commander Banning Keller.
The mansion has other unusual qualities that make it useful to
the agenda of the Workshop. Blackwell Hall stands atop a deep
and elaborate network of tunnels and subterranean chambers
carved out by the Orgoth during the Occupation. Not only do
these expand the Workshop’s storage capacity, but the tunnels
have the ability to trap spirits within them, acting as a sort
of inescapable labyrinth where spirits can be contained and
prevented from passing to Urcaen until the Workshop is ready
to move them along. The tunnels give the Workshop the ability
to temporarily house captured spirits for study until the ghosts
can be peacefully sent on to the afterlife.
54 No Quarter PRIME
Layout
Blackwell Hall has two main wings: the east wing and the west
wing. Within those wings are numerous labs, dormitories,
storerooms, kitchens, parlors, and other chambers. The
headquarters building is large enough and complex enough that
even those with experience can still get lost among its numerous
similar rooms.
During the adventure, don’t worry overmuch about the specific
layout of Blackwell Hall. Important encounter locations are
listed, as are some of the nearby rooms.
Assume the PCs are familiar enough with Blackwell Hall’s
layout to get around. They have all spent a decent amount of
time here in the last several weeks, and places they haven’t
visited yet are likely to be off limits to them anyway. They still
may get turned around due to Blackwell Hall’s complexity, but
basic navigation will not be a problem.
If you need to quickly generate a random room when the PCs
are chasing ghosts, or if they decide to duck into a doorway to
avoid the notice of some important NPC, roll 3d6 and consult
the following table. Note that some rooms are unique and
should only be used once during the adventure.
Room Generator
3d6 Roll Result
3 Great Hall
4–6 Bedroom
7 Kitchen
8 Garden
9 Gymnasium
10 Parlor
11 Dining Room
12 Library
13 –14 Study
15–16 Bedroom
17 Quartermaster’s Office
18 Ballroom
Ballroom (Unique Room): This ornate ballroom in the west wing
is now used as a storage space and for Strangelight teams to
prepare before heading out on assignment. It is cluttered with
stacks of wooden crates containing food and similar supplies.
Bedroom: Blackwell Hall has many different bedrooms. Most
are unoccupied, but a few are used as dormitories of Workshop
members currently residing at Blackwell Hall.
Study: There are several small studies scattered throughout
Blackwell Hall. The various investigators for the Strangelight
Workshop have taken them over as private offices where they
can research topics relevant to an active case.
Library (Unique Room): The multi-story library on the second
floor is home to a collection of books on the occult and other
topics. During the adventure, there is a haunting in the library.
Dining Room (Unique Room): The grand dining room in the
west wing could accommodate hundreds of guests, but now it
rarely sees use. Someone recently used the long, baroque dining
table to disassemble a piece of Strangelight technology and then
left a few scattered spare parts behind.
Parlor: There are a handful of small parlors in Blackwell Hall.
Most are on the second floor between adjoining bedrooms.
Great Hall (Unique Room): The great hall is attached to the
grand staircase, and its foyer is a frequent gathering place
for members of the Strangelight Workshop. Mementos from
cases past are stored in locked glass cases lining the walls,
transforming it into a museum for the organization.
Quartermaster’s Office (Unique Room): The quartermaster’s
office and its attached armory are where the powerful and
experimental devices used by the Strangelight Workshop
are housed. The devices are kept under lock and key and
are accessible only to Quartermaster Cronan Bailey and his
assistant, Jennet Gainsbrook.
Gymnasium (Unique Room): The gymnasium is a training space
where Strangelight Workshop field agents drill in the use of
their equipment as well as practice basic self-defense. During
the adventure, there is a haunting in the gymnasium.
Kitchen (Unique Room): The kitchen is large enough to prepare
a feast for hundreds, but it is mostly out of use. During the
adventure, there is a haunting in the kitchen.
Greenhouse (Unique Room): Attached to the south side of the
great hall, the greenhouse is a large enclosed space with walls
of glass and filled with plants. During the adventure, there is a
haunting in the greenhouse.
Significant NPCs
During the course of the adventure, the PCs are not the only
members of the Strangelight Workshop present; many senior
members of the Workshop go about their own business within
Blackwell Hall. Should these senior members catch wind of the
free specter, it will negatively affect the team’s Reputation in
the organization.
Each NPC has a routine they undertake, provided the PCs don’t
interfere with them or draw their attention. If the PCs cause
a commotion when an NPC is in a nearby area, the NPC may
come to investigate, potentially affecting the team’s reputation.
Commander Banning Keller
Commander Keller is the head of the day-to-day operations of
the Strangelight Workshop. He is the highest-ranking member
PCs could conceivably meet, but meeting with him should
be rare without considerable proven experience. He is often
preoccupied with reviewing reports and organizing conclusions
based on multiple cases, but he keeps his thoughts on these to
himself. He is a stern and distant figure who seldom speaks and
never engages in idle chitchat.
Commander Keller spends most of his time in his private study
upstairs. If a room is adjacent to a study, Keller may be drawn
by any commotion.
Cronan Bailey, the Quartermaster
Gruff and to the point, Cronan Bailey is the quartermaster of the
Strangelight Workshop. He is responsible for the management,
maintenance, and development of the Workshop’s technology.
He views field agents as expendable test subjects for his devices.
Cronan Bailey spends the majority of his time in the
quartermaster’s office, though he is not there during the first
scene—the quartermaster steps out for a moment to grab food.
Jennet Gainsbrook, the
Quartermaster’s assistant
Depending on when the PCs approach the storeroom, Bailey’s
assistant Jennet may be working in his stead. Jennet is not as
strict as her superior and much more likely to work on the PCs’
behalf, but doing so always comes with a catch.
Mathius Halebran, the Librarian
Halebran curates the Strangelight Workshop’s records, libraries,
and storehouses. Among the more controversial hires on staff,
he is an open Thamarite and a methodical researcher.
As librarian, Halebran spends the majority of his day in the
archive attached to the library.
Sandrea Garsea, the Instructor
Sandrea Garsea, a former Ordic military captain, is the
Workshop’s chief instructor. She trains new recruits in basic
procedures, the use of the organization’s most common pieces
of equipment, and self-defense. While a great deal of learning is
expected to take place on the job, Sandrea attempts to prepare
recruits to survive their first case. She is rough with new
recruits and expects results. Some personnel enlisted to help the
Workshop may not benefit from her training at all if tasked with
the simplest chores, such as carrying gear.
Sandrea Garsea spends most of her time in a small study
attached to the gymnasium.
No Quarter PRIME 55
 IRON KINGDOMS RPG
Part One:
A Small Favor
Let the players get familiar with their characters and with one
another’s. Let the team know they start the game with 3 Dread
and d3 Reputation. Then, roll a d6 and consult the table below to
determine what the team is doing back at Blackwell Hall at this
time. Let each player describe how their PCs respond to these
circumstances.
d6 Roll Result
The team’s last investigation turned out to be a bust. A
woman was convinced that the spirit of her recently killed
husband was trying to communicate the identity of his
1 murderer. Turns out the old guy moved across town to be
with his mistress and thought faking his death would be
easier than splitting up with his wife. (Deduct 1 Reputation
from the team.)
The team helped clear a ’jack mechanik’s shop from a
particularly nasty gremlin infestation. He couldn’t offer
much in the way of payment for the service, but he has
2–3
offered to repair, free of charge, anything the PCs bring
him. (Give the team the connection “Chief Mechanik,”
which they may be able to use in later adventures.)
The team’s last job was to clear a moaning spirit from
crossroads south of Ceryl. The ghost wasn’t anything to be
worried about—just the shade of a traveler who fell asleep
4–5 on horseback and broke his neck when he toppled out of
the saddle and hit the ground—but the frightened locals
appreciate the team putting it to rest. (Give the team +1
Reputation.)
The team’s last job was a doozy and a close call to boot.
They had to break into an old Morrowan graveyard to put
a pair of specters to rest. The specters came from feuding
families. One hired the Workshop for help, and the other
6
put the call out to the Church. The team was barely able
to take a few spectrapgraphs and get the spirits moved on
before a pair of nasty-looking priests showed up. (Give the
team d3 Reputation.)
Once the team determines any results from their last job, the
action begins.
READ: The wide double doors of Blackwell Hall are
thrown open. They reveal five living legends of the
Workshop, the team led by Investigator Abigail Thorpe.
Each one of them stands triumphant but bloodied,
having just returned from a recent adventure.
This team is the premier group of field agents within the
Strangelight Workshop. Make it clear to the players that earning
the favor of this team all but guarantees increased fame in the
Strangelight Workshop (in the form of increased Reputation),
which in turn yields many other benefits like increased access to
special assignments and equipment.
56 No Quarter PRIME
Blackwell Hall's great hall, featuring a sizable
portrait of the Strangelight Workshop's founder,
Jacob Strathmoore, with his wife and daughter
John Kincaid, the team’s mechanik, approaches the PCs with
a frosted containment vessel in his arms, the sort that keeps
powerful spirits trapped. The vessel is large, nearly the size of
a rucksack, with metal bars mounted to the side for carrying.
Kincaid puts it down before the PCs. Being careful not to get
any of his blood on the PCs, he then wraps an arm over a
PC’s shoulder and indicates the containment vessel. Kincaid
describes the situation as follows.
READ: “Getting hold of this guy was a pain, let me tell
you. Little guy just didn’t know when to give up the . . .
uh, ghost. We’ve gotta get back out there and deal with
the other half of this gig, though, so . . . here.”
He slides it toward the closest PC and asks if they’d do him a big
favor and take it down to Quartermaster Bailey for storage.
Interaction
If any of the PCs try to get additional information from Kincaid
about the spirit, he looks flustered, as if he’s eager to get back
outside and continue with his assignment. Clever roleplaying or
a Negotiation roll against a target number of 11 causes Kincaid
to hesitate. He can provide the following information:
• The Workshop has been after this particular spirit for
a while. Commander Keller himself gave them the job,
which is unusual.
• The spirit put up a hell of a fight—hence the wounds
on Kincaid and the others. It has the ability to possess
people and inanimate objects.
• His team’s caller, Elliot Foss, said there was something
familiar about the spirit, but they were too busy trying to
get it in the containment device to worry about it.
If the PCs press Kincaid for information, he acts impressed with
their inquisitiveness, granting the team +1 Reputation. In either
case, he’s grateful and even apologizes a bit for imposing. He
then says he’ll put a good word in for them and jogs back out to
rejoin his team to ride off to another dangerous job.
The PCs are left standing there holding the bag, though in this
case the bag is a hazardous, experimental device designed to
contain a powerful and dangerous ghost.
When the containment device is handed over, the Caller gets the
sense of the vessel’s occupant. The spirit within is violent and angry
but also confused. The Caller also detects strange Echoes, as if other
voices are crying out to be heard but are lost beneath the insensible
rage of the contained spirit. These are the Echoes of Gabbot’s
former teammates.
Story Development
Once the PCs have possession of the containment device,
Commander Banning Keller emerges from his room and moves
to the top of the grand staircase in the foyer. Keller asks the PCs
if it was Thorpe’s team, and he accepts whatever answer they
provide. Upon spotting the containment device, he becomes
focused and instructs them to take it to the quartermaster’s
office immediately.
To do so, the team must travel from the front room of the hall
through the vast foyer and past the large dining room and
ballroom on the main floor to reach Quartermaster Cronan
Bailey’s workshop in the basement.
As the team travels, it is a good opportunity to have the PCs
see or interact with some of the other senior members of the
Strangelight Workshop. Mathius Halebran can bump into them
in the hall as he returns to work after a quick bite to eat, for
instance. It should be clear the PCs are not alone in Blackwell
Hall, but almost everyone present commands a great deal more
authority than they do.
These NPCs offer additional complications later on in the
adventure as the PCs try to deal with the haunting. See the NPC
descriptions in “Blackwell Hall” to get a sense of each NPC’s
personality and behavior.
While the PCs travel, Reeve Gabbot’s ghost manages to, from
within containment, unlock the physical locks attached to his
soul cage. Gabbot’s spirit must possess whichever PC holds
the device to do this. Secretly have the PC holding the device
make a Willpower roll and roll for Gabbot. (The other players
shouldn’t be privy to this interaction.) If Gabbot’s roll is higher,
he manages to do so without the PC being any wiser. If the
PC rolls higher, that PC feel a strange sensation, like blacking
out for a few seconds, as Gabbot controls their body. None of
the other PCs notice anything out of the ordinary during this
exchange—Gabbot’s familiarity with the device combined with
his powerful will allow him to perform the task swiftly.
In any case, the PCs should be encouraged to make their way to
the quartermaster’s office and Part 2.
No Quarter PRIME 57
 IRON KINGDOMS RPG
part TWO:
Checking In
The quartermaster’s office is a small space with a locked
receiving area behind a wire fence. Within it the PCs can
see dozens of bizarre contraptions, the prototypes of the
Strangelight Workshop.
Behind the wire, instead of Cronan Bailey is his assistant Jennet
Gainsbrook. The young woman is sitting on a stool in the
armory section flipping through a broadsheet. She looks bored.
She instructs the PCs to place any Workshop gear on the counter
for check in.
When they hand over the prototype containing Gabbot, Jennet
takes one look at it and says, “All right. Checking in one empty
containment unit?”
Investigation
Jennet’s comment should immediately prompt a reaction from
the PCs. There was a spirit in the vessel when they acquired it,
and that was just a short walk down the hall from here.
If the characters ask what she means, Jennet shows them the
containment device. There is still some residual ectoplasm on
the exterior of the device, but as far as Jennet can tell, there’s
no ghost within. Jennet expresses her concern by saying, “This
is really bad, you guys. You can’t just let a ghost roam free in
Blackwell Hall. Think about our reputation.”
The PCs are free to examine the device themselves. Every
character can spot a few drips of ectoplasm on the outer housing
without a roll.
Caller Examines the Device: The Caller can spend a moment in
contact with the containment device and focus her attention. If
she does, she realizes that the voices she heard from the device
earlier are no longer present. The device is completely empty.
The Caller can make a PER roll against a target number of 10. If
she succeeds, she can hear a faint echo of one of the voices from
somewhere deep in Blackwell Hall.
Appariscope Gauntlet prototype
58 No Quarter PRIME
Other PCs Examine the Device: Any PC can examine
the containment device and make a PER roll to look for
something out of the ordinary. The Mechanik is more familiar
with Strangelight prototypes and can instead make an
INT + Mechanikal Engineering roll. If the roll is 13 or higher,
the PC realizes that the device’s physical locks are not in place.
This prompts Jennet to comment on how unusual this is and
that the physical locks can only be unlocked by someone
familiar with the Strangelight Workshop’s own technology. If
asked to clarify, she says, “Only a field agent, or someone who
used to be, can open these things.”
Story Development
Once the PCs examine the device, Jennet mentions how bad
it will be if the PCs don’t recover the ghost before anyone
comes around asking for it. If the PCs are lucky, they’ll only
get drummed out of the Strangelight Workshop and driven
back to regular, menial jobs. Since she was in contact with
the containment device, Jennet is worried her own boss will
reprimand her as well.
She tells the PCs to hang on to the device and offers to equip
the team off the books—just this once—with ghost-hunting
gear if they promise to round up the missing spirit and bring it
back. She impresses upon them the importance of not getting
caught and that time is of the essence. She then hands over a full
complement of Strangelight Workshop gear (the gear on the PCs’
sheets). She also hands over a single prototype, the Appariscope
Gauntlet (see below).
If the PCs ask for any additional technology, Jennet lets them
know she has a device called the Autoquill. It’s useful for
speaking with ghosts, allowing the user to autowrite what a
spirit thinks or feels.
The Autoquill is a prototype that costs the PCs 3 Reputation.
During any haunting encounter, the bearer of the Autoquill can
use it to transcribe the words of an Echo or of Gabbot without
needing to make a roll. The Autoquill is useful even if an Echo
has become hostile or been destroyed.
Part THREE:
Ghost Chasers
The hunt for Gabbot makes up the bulk of the adventure.
Gabbot’s fragmented spirit sinks into the structure of Blackwell
Hall and spreads out like the roots of a tree. The construction of
the mansion prevents him from accessing certain areas, such as
the lower catacombs, but this does not concern him.
Instead, Gabbot’s hauntings focus on rooms that were
significant to his teammates in life. A fragment of Gabbot’s
attention is committed to each of these rooms. Until the PCs
expunge Gabbot’s manifestations from each room, the spirit
cannot be returned to containment or sent to Urcaen.
In each haunted room § is one Echo of Gabbot’s former
teammates. The PCs will not be able to see these Echoes unless
they have a Strangelight projector powered on and their goggles
in place. As they draw close to a haunted room §, the Caller will
begin to feel a slight trace of the spirit’s presence and hear faint,
indistinct sounds of the Echo’s voice.
The Echo of Gabbot’s teammate in each room is the focus of
his power there, but Gabbot can also spread his attention to
possess inanimate objects in the rooms. If the PCs manage to
cause damage to the Echo in a room, it dissipates and causes all
the animated objects to become inert again. Note that this can
present its own challenges, such as an animated lit candelabra
falling to the floor in a room full of scattered books and paper.
Locating the Spirits
Discovering which areas are haunted is the first task the PCs
must undertake. Fortunately, the gear they’ve received gives
them a great advantage. Methods the PCs can use to find a
haunting hot spot include the following:
Call and Response: The Caller can put on her sensory
deprivation hood (ghost hood) and listen for the spirits. This is
a full action, so she won’t be able to move around or perform
other actions while doing so.
For each turn the Caller spends listening for spirits, add 1 Dread
to the Game Master’s pool. The Game Master should choose a
haunting site from those listed below and roll 1d3, consulting
the “Nearby” section of the haunting site to determine which
room the Caller is drawn toward. This gives the PCs a general
area of Blackwell Hall to investigate, though they will have to
check rooms in the vicinity to locate the actual haunting site.
Appariscope Gauntlet: The gauntlet is a special prototype that
improves on the standard Ghost Compass device. The needle
on the Gauntlet climbs as proximity to a specter increases. The
Gauntlet has a limited range, however, and requires the PCs to
be in a room nearby the actual site of a haunting.
Because it is a prototype, each time the Gauntlet is used, roll
2d6. If the number rolled is higher than the current Dread, the
Gauntlet continues to function normally. If the number rolled
Random Haunting Fun
Blackwell Hall is large, and the PCs might not immediately discover
an Echo haunting. Even if the PCs don’t discover one of the “real”
haunting sites with an Echo present, feel free to have them
encounter some oddities wherever they go. Gabbot’s spirit saturates
the entire manor, and his violent resentment causes strange things
to happen. Some options include:
• As the PCs leave a room, they hear scraping noises behind
them. Turning back, they see the furniture in the room stacked
into a precarious tower.
• A painting the PCs have seen a dozen times before has
changed to depict the violent and bloody murder of the
subjects in it.
• A mirror on the wall shows anyone who looks in it as an old
corpse with blood flowing from their eyes and mouth.
• A clock in the room chimes once and then the hands spin
backward.
• Faces and hands seem to press at the wallpaper before
vanishing.
• The sound of dripping water is heard. If followed, it leads to
a closet where a pool of blood on the floor appears to drip up
to the ceiling. If the blood is touched, the closet door slams
shut, and the liquid disappears.
• A soft voice calls to the PCs, trying to draw them into a room.
As they approach, the door slams in their faces, and the voice
laughs as it fades down the hall.
is lower than the current Dread, the Gauntlet malfunctions and
cannot be used until the Mechanik spends a full action trying
to repair it and makes a successful Mechanikal Engineering roll
against a target number of 14.
Needle in a Haystack: The team can simply move from room to
room, sweeping each with a Strangelight projector, until they
spot something unusual. This method is inefficient, however,
and the likeliest to draw attention to the PCs’ strange behavior.
Feel free to have significant NPCs show up as the PCs attempt
this method and start asking some uncomfortable questions.
If the Caller leads the rest of the group to one of the rooms with
a haunting, add 1 Dread to the Game Master’s pool.
Echoes
Each Echo reflects Gabbot’s memories of a single lost team
member. They are projections of Gabbot’s impressive will.
In many ways, they are similar to shades—weak ghostlike
manifestations of people. As such, these Echoes are visible
under Strangelight and register on other Strangelight
Workshop devices.
They are different from normal spirits, however. When they spot
an Echo, have each character make an INT + Lore (supernatural)
roll. On a result of 12 or higher, the character notices something
off about the Echo, something that is unlike other spirits the PC
has encountered before.
The Caller can try to communicate with these Echoes, but when
she does, she notices that they feel wrong, as if their voices are
No Quarter PRIME 59
 IRON KINGDOMS RPG
not in or of themselves. The Caller will be able to have certain
conversations and gather hints from the Echoes that would not
be discernable to anyone else, though these are reliant on proper
use of the Caller’s gear.
Spectragraphs of Echoes
One of the key roles of the Investigator is to capture images
of spirits with a device called the lumitype. The images,
spectragraphs, can offer insight into the nature and specific
energy of a supernatural entity.
If the Investigator captures lumitypes of Echoes haunting
Blackwell Hall, the team discovers that the energy signature
of all the Echoes share the same signature, because they are all
effectively Gabbot.
Traces of Gabbot
Because Gabbot is the only actual spirit haunting the manor,
each haunted room will have a sign of him in it. While the Echo
in each room should be the most obvious haunting—after all,
Gabbot on some instinctual level wants his companions to be
seen and remembered—Gabbot himself is much more cautious.
He worked with the Strangelight Workshop for many years and
knows it will attempt to trap him again or send him to Urcaen.
He is not able to fully conceal himself, though. Traces of his
spiritual essence will appear under Strangelight like threads of
a spectral spider web. These threads link together all his Echoes,
any objects he possesses, and Gabbot’s spectral form itself.
Spotting these strands can lead the PCs to other haunted rooms.
Gabbot lurks out of sight in most rooms as the PCs enter them.
The Caller feels his presence, but he is not easily seen. He sinks
into the floors or the walls and waits. But at least once during
the adventure before confronting him, the PCs should see him
peering over the shoulder of an Echo, looking directly at them.
He is a thin man, a sad man, and he looks at the PCs with a
combination of loathing and pity—loathing because they are
living agents of the Strangelight Workshop, and pity because he
expects their fates to some day match his own.
§ Archive and Library
READ: This circular library soars upward to a skylight
above. Each of its many floors contains hundreds of
books ranging from folktales about grymkin to firsthand
accounts on some of the most dangerous spirits ever
encountered. Mathius Halebran, the librarian, works
here, placing a small placard on the locked iron door to
the archive to indicate his desire not to be disturbed.
Blackwell Hall’s extensive library is a tall chamber split into
multiple floors. Each floor is round and about 72 feet (12˝) in
diameter. Upper floors have a 24-foot (4˝) balcony surrounding
an open central space. The main floor and balconies have chairs,
small tables, and other furniture scattered about them.
60 No Quarter PRIME
Books line all the walls from floor to ceiling, covering topics on a
wide range of subjects. Books on supernatural creatures, folklore,
and secret cults are clearly favorites. Attached to the main
library is a restricted archive where detailed information about
Strangelight Workshop members past and present is contained.
Nearby Rooms
d3 Result
1 Bedroom
2 Parlor
3 Study
Interaction with Mathius Halebran
Halebran is quick to inform the PCs that he intends to get some
work done transcribing records in the archive, and he tells
them of his desire not to be disturbed. If the PCs ask him about
anything strange in the library, he says, “It’s a bit cold. That’s to be
expected with a bloody hundred-year old boiler in the basement.”
Halebran excuses himself from further conversation and locks
himself in the restricted archive attached to the library.
Sufficient noise will draw him out of the room. The amount of
noise is up to the Game Master, but the sound of a bookshelf
falling, furniture being destroyed, or similar are good examples.
First time a loud noise occurs in the library: Halebran cracks
the door and reminds the PCs that a private library is still a
library. If they don’t keep it down, he’ll ask Keller to revoke their
research privileges.
Second time a loud noise occurs in the library: Halebran shouts
through the door that the PCs are no longer welcome in his
library. The PCs suffer –1 Reputation, and any further noises
cause him to emerge from the locked archive.
If Halebran emerges and spots signs of the haunting, the PCs
need to distract him, come up with a convincing story, or
otherwise get the librarian to not immediately take note of
their actions. Failure to do so results in a further deduction
of 1 Reputation.
Echo: Investigator Drake Rodder
On the third floor of the library, an Echo of the Investigator
Drake Rodder pantomimes looking through the books and
selecting a volume from the shelf. Drake’s Echo wears civilian
clothes, not the gear of a Strangelight Investigator, but bears
the gruesome wound that killed him, a deep rip through his
throat and chest.
The Echo mutters to itself in a soft voice. Without the proper
equipment, this voice sounds distant and indistinct. If the Caller
wears the ghost hood, she can hear the Echo normally, and the
Game Master adds 1 Dread to the pool. The Echo speaks with
Gabbot’s voice about his deceased friend Drake Rodder.
The Caller can interact with the Echo by making a Rapport roll
against a target number equal to the Echo’s current Willpower.
If the roll fails, the Echo becomes increasingly angry, and after
three failed attempts becomes hostile (see below).
If the roll succeeds, the Echo communicates the following:
• “Drake Rodder. That man was always reading. Always
looking for answers.”
Books of Blood (Minor Dilemma): Every book in the library
begins to bleed, making the shelves appear to weep with blood.
Characters in the Library must make a Willpower roll against a
target number of 14 or suffer 1 point of Willpower damage.
Rewards
The potential rewards for this scene include:

• “He didn’t have books about the thing that killed us. They Capturing the Echo’s image with a lumitype: +1 Reputation
didn’t want us to know they were out there. Not yet.” Did not disturb Halebran: +d3 Reputation
• “If they let us see all the books, Drake would have found
something. He would have saved us.” Development
• “I wonder if the librarian wrote about us in that damned If the PCs have the name of any of the lost team members,
archive.” they may consider asking Halebran if he knows anything
A character can make a PER roll against a target number of 12 about them. Halebran isn’t eager to hand over records from the
to notice the book that the Echo of Rodder is trying to take off archive, but a PC can attempt to persuade him by spending 1
the shelf, a copy of History of Ordic Cults. The Investigator knows Reputation and making a successful Negotiation roll against a
the book from previous studies, which is an examination of target number of 12. If so, Halebran hands over a dossier on the
dangerous cults in rural Ord and their patterns of abductions lost team member(s).
and sacrifices.
Each dossier includes details about the role of the lost team
If the PCs pick up the book, a handwritten note in the pages member, as well as minor personal information like place
falls out, and the Game Master adds 1 Dread to the pool. and date of birth and number of months they spent with the
Rodder’s Echo waits for the PCs to retrieve the note before Strangelight Workshop. The dossiers are strangely minimalist
fading back into Gabbot’s subconscious, satisfied that they’ve and clinical, almost treating these people like replaceable
found what it wanted them to. Rodder wrote the note while equipment instead of individuals.
studying about his team’s upcoming mission. It reads:
Keller says the abductions are cult related. Maybe one of the more
nefarious Thamarite groups is responsible? Talk to Lorna about
getting special equipment from Bailey.
The Echo is not initially hostile and wishes only to repeat its
loop in the library. If, however, the PCs attempt any hostile
action, such as trying to force it to pass on or trying to capture
it in the containment device, Gabbot becomes angry and makes
the Echo attack.

Combat Encounter
Antagonists: Echo, 6 Tarantulabras, 3 Flying Book Swarms
The various possessed objects spread out and attack the PCs,
focusing on every character but the Caller. The Echo attempts to
attack the Caller, repeating, “He was trying to find a book that
would help us. A book to keep us safe.”

Dilemmas
During either the roleplaying or combat portion of the scene, the
Game Master can spend Dread points from the pool to add one
or more of the following dilemmas to the scene:
Blue Light Special (Minor Dilemma): The gaslights change color
and unleash unsettling moans. Randomly, some of the lights
dim or blaze brighter, adding moving shadows to the room. Autoquill prototype

During a combat encounter, this adds +1 DEF to all antagonists

in the room.
The Caller can spend a quick action and make an opposed
Willpower roll against Gabbot to remove this dilemma.

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 IRON KINGDOMS RPG
§ Greenhouse
READ: This liminal space between the manor and the
wild yards outside is a strange place. There is still a clear
sign of the beautiful greenhouse and garden it once
was, now given over to wild growth, strange weeds, and
dangerous plants. The near-jungle filling the huge glass
house gives the air a hot, sweaty quality.
The greenhouse is attached to the south side of Blackwell Hall.
At over sixty feet (10˝) wide and 48 feet (8˝) deep, it is a massive
space with a two-story ceiling enclosed by bronze and glass.
The interior was once a manicured garden divided by rows of
sculpted topiaries, but since the last senior gardener passed
away, these have been allowed to grow wild. Many of the roses
and lilacs have been replaced with much more unusual plants
useful in alchemy.
Nearby Rooms
d3 Result
1 Great Hall
2 Kitchen
3 Ballroom
Echo: Mechanik Lorna Pynchon
The greenhouse is haunted by an Echo of Lorna Pynchon, the
team’s Mechanik. In life, she enjoyed spending time among
the plants, admiring how they grew as they desired and with
a beauty distinct from the order or structure of machines. Her
Echo shows sign of how she died: a deep blast mark on her
chest that exposed her ribs and the black tissue of her organs
beneath. Her Echo sits near a rosebush, mechanically trying to
trim the flowers.
Lorna’s Echo mutters to itself in a soft voice. Without the proper
equipment, this voice sounds distant and indistinct. If the Caller
wears the Ghost Hood, she can hear the Echo normally, adding
+1 Dread to the Game Master’s pool.
Goggles with interchangeable alchemically
treated lenses designed to filter Strangelight
62 No Quarter PRIME
The Caller can interact with the Echo by making a Rapport roll
against a target number equal to the Echo’s current Willpower.
If the roll fails, the Echo becomes increasingly hostile and after
three failed attempts becomes hostile (see below).
If the roll succeeds, the Echo communicates the following:
• “Lorna Pynchon loved this garden. I think she was the
only one who did.”
• “She was so clever. If they had let her examine the device,
it never would have failed.”
• “She trusted her life to their tools.”
The Investigator can make a Forensic Science roll against a
target number of 11 to spot something unusual about Lorna’s
wound; on a successful roll, the Game Master adds 1 Dread to
the pool. The blast that killed her originated close to her skin,
almost as if it were on her body. If the Investigator mentions
this, the Mechanik realizes that it must have been a piece of
Strangelight tech: Mechaniks often wear such devices on straps
or harnesses to keep them close at hand, and certain devices are
known to suffer catastrophic failure.
The Echo is not initially hostile and wishes only to repeat
its loop in the greenhouse. If, however, the PCs attempt any
hostile action, such as trying to force it to pass on or to capture
it in the containment device, Gabbot grows angry and makes
the Echo attack.
Combat Encounter
Antagonists: Echo, 4 Hedge Monsters
The various possessed objects spread out and attack the PCs,
focusing on every character but the Caller. The Echo attempts to
attack the Caller repeating, “She thought she could trust their
tools. But their tool is what killed her.”
Dilemmas
During either the roleplaying or combat portion of the scene, the
Game Master can spend Dread points from the pool to add one
or more of the following dilemmas to the scene:
Keep Off the Grass (Minor Dilemma): Ivy creepers and thorny
vines snake out to grab a random PC each round. While the PC
is grabbed, they suffer –1 die on AGL rolls.
The Bouncer or Jammer can spend a full action and make a STR
roll against a target number of 12 to remove this dilemma.
Shouldn’t Throw Stones (Major Dilemma): Glass panels
overhead shatter into fragments, raining down at the PCs. Every
PC in the greenhouse must make an AGL roll against a target
of 10. If the roll succeeds, the PC manages to dodge the falling
glass with only minor cuts. If the roll fails, the PC suffers d3+1
damage points and 1 point of Willpower damage.
Rewards
The potential rewards for this scene include:
Capturing the Echo’s image with a lumitype: +1 Reputation
§ Gymnasium
READ: This large space looks like it was built by
knocking down the walls of several adjoining rooms.
Faded mats cover the wooden floors, and the walls
are lined with various training dummies, from normal
human mannequins to large and monstrous shapes.
The gymnasium is a large room built by knocking down the
interior walls of a dozen smaller rooms. At over 66 feet wide
(11˝) and nearly a hundred (16˝) feet deep, it is among the
largest single rooms in Blackwell Hall. The gymnasium is
where members of the Strangelight Workshop train to operate
in the field. There are multiple types of training dummies
here, as well as exercise equipment, mockups of Strangelight
technology, standing Strangelight projectors, and even a
modest firing range. Sandrea Garsea, the Workshop’s chief
instructor, oversees the gymnasium. She spends much of her
time in an adjoining office.
Interaction with Sandrea Garsea
When the PCs approach the gymnasium, Garsea pokes her head
out of her private study. If they’re carrying full Strangelight
gear, she might raise an eyebrow and ask if they’re trying to
get a little off-hours training in. A positive response earns her
approval and +1 Reputation.
Garsea is busy evaluating dossiers on new recruits, but says that
she’d be happy to join them in the gymnasium, asking them to
wait for fifteen minutes.
Let the PCs know once they encounter the Echo in the
gymnasium that they have 10 game rounds before the fifteen
minutes is up.
If Garsea enters the gymnasium and spots signs of the haunting,
the PCs need to distract her, come up with a convincing story, or
otherwise get the instructor to not immediately take note about
their actions. Failure to do so results in a further deduction of
d3 Reputation. Garsea is an eager instructor, however, and can
easily be distracted by a PC approaching her and asking for
suggestions on how to improve form in combat.
Nearby Rooms
d3 Result
1 Ballroom
2 Parlor
3 Study
Echo: Bouncer Dalen Malvo
The Bouncer Dalen Malvo enjoyed spending time in the
gymnasium, sparring with the trainer or fellow Strangelight
agents. His Echo goes through the motions of such a sparring
session, though his broken neck gives the spectacle a grisly air.
The Echo moves from one training area to the next, running
through the motions of a full day’s worth of drills.
Malvo’s Echo mutters to itself in a soft voice. Without the proper
equipment, this voice sounds distant and indistinct. If the Caller
wears the ghost hood, she can hear the Echo normally while
adding +1 Dread to the Game Master’s pool.
The Caller can interact with the Echo by making a Rapport roll
against a target number equal to the Echo’s current Willpower.
If the roll fails, the Echo becomes increasingly angry, and after
three failed attempts becomes hostile (see below).
If the roll succeeds, the Echo communicates the following:
• “Dalen Malvo trained every day he was here. He was the
most prepared of us all.”
• “What was the point of it all? So many sit-ups, pull-ups,
running. For what?”
• “They made us train here, but they hid so much. So much
of what mattered.”
• “I miss you, friend. You gave your life for me. I’m sorry I
didn’t survive.”
PCs who observe the spirit going through the motions of its
combat routine can make a PER + Unarmed Combat roll to
recognize the fighting style, adding an additional 1 Dread to
the Game Master’s pool on a successful roll. It is the style of a
bouncer trying to ward off attacks from multiple angles. If the
Bouncer notices this, she can discern that the Echo isn’t merely
drilling. This is an actual fight in which the bouncer was trying
to fight off multiple opponents that were fast, fierce, and deadly.
The Echo is not initially hostile and wishes only to repeat
its loop in the gymnasium. If, however, the PCs attempt any
hostile action, such as trying to force it to pass on or to capture
it in the containment device, Gabbot grows angry and makes
the Echo attack.
Combat Encounter
Antagonists: Echo, 5 Possessed Training Dummies
The various possessed objects spread out and attack the PCs,
focusing on every character but the Caller. The Echo attempts
to attack the Caller, repeating, “He gave his life for me. But I
still died.”
Dilemmas
During either the roleplaying or combat encounter, the Game
Master can spend Dread points from the pool to add one or
more of the following dilemmas to the scene:
Mat Versus DEF (Minor Dilemma): One of the padded wrestling
mats on the floor comes alive, bucking and thrashing. Make a
single melee attack against every PC in the gymnasium at MAT
6. If an attack hits a PC, that character is knocked down.
Rewards
The potential rewards for this scene include:
Capturing the Echo’s image with a lumitype: +1 Reputation
Didn’t draw Sandrea Garsea’s attention: +d3 Reputation
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 IRON KINGDOMS RPG
§ Kitchen and Pantry
READ: Blackwell Hall’s large kitchen has seen better
days. The long prep tables are each cluttered with crusty
dishes and unwashed knives. The room is full to bursting
with all manner of dried goods and other non-perishable
food. On the back wall, a wide iron stove fills the room
with warmth from a bed of coals.
The kitchen and pantry are attached to the impressive dining
hall in the east wing. Large enough for a staff of dozens to
prepare meals for hundreds of guests, much of the space is
given over to emergency storage. Most teams prepare their own
meals here, and the Strangelight Workshop has few people on
staff to clean up after them, so the knives, plates, and forks tend
to pile up in enormous stacks.
Nearby Rooms
d3 Result
1 Dining Hall
2 Great Hall
3 Parlor
Echo: Jammer Morgan Beaumont
Jammer Morgan Beaumont spent a great deal of his time in the
kitchens. The heavyset jammer not only enjoyed eating, but was
fond of preparing meals for his companions. Beaumont believed
that a good meal made the team closer and more of a family.
Gabbot’s Echo of him is in a loop of preparing one of those
meals. The Echo moves from station to station in the kitchen,
chopping, stirring, and plating up a phantom meal.
Beaumont’s Echo mutters to itself in a soft voice. Without the
proper equipment this voice sounds distant and indistinct. If the
Caller wears the Ghost Hood, she can hear the Echo normally,
while adding +1 Dread to the Game Master’s pool.
64 No Quarter PRIME
The Caller can interact with the Echo by making a Rapport roll
against a target number equal to the Echo’s current Willpower.
If the roll fails, the Echo becomes increasingly angry, and after
three failed attempts becomes hostile (see below).
If the roll succeeds, the Echo communicates the following:
• “Morgan Beaumont, I miss you. You turned us all into a
family.”
• “You were my protector. At least you tried to be.”
• “They said the suit would protect you. Nothing could
protect you from that thing.”
The Echo is not initially hostile and wishes only to repeat its
loop in the kitchen. If the PCs attempt any hostile action, such
as trying to force it to pass on or to capture it in the containment
device, Gabbot grows angry and makes the Echo attack.
Combat Encounter
Antagonists: Echo, 4 Food Piles
The various possessed objects spread out and attack the PCs,
focusing on every character but the Caller. The Echo attempts
to attack the Caller, repeating, “All their words were lies. We
still died.”
Dilemmas
During either the roleplaying or combat encounter, the Game
Master can spend Dread points from the pool to add one or
more of the following dilemmas to the scene:
Should Have Done the Dishes (Minor Dilemma): Plates and
knives from the stacks of filthy dishes begin to hurl themselves
violently around the room. At the start of each character’s
activation, roll a d6. On a 1, that character must make an AGL
roll against a target number of 10 or suffer a POW 8 damage roll
from a flying plate, pot, or knife.
Fire Hazard (Major Dilemma): The doors of the large oven slam
open and a column of flame leaps out, targeting a random PC.
The PC must make an AGL roll against a target number of 12. If
the roll succeeds, the character suffers a POW 8 fire damage roll.
If the roll fails, the characters suffers a POW 12 fire damage roll
and the Fire continuous effect.
By spending a full action and making a Craft (metalworking) roll
against a target number of 10, the Mechanik can jam the oven door
shut, preventing it from opening to remove the dilemma.
Part FOUR:
The Ghost of Reeve
Gabbot
Once the PCs have discovered and dealt with each of the Echoes
in Blackwell Hall, the ghost of Reeve Gabbot appears. His spirit
wears the ghost hood of a Caller. Gabbot keeps at a distance and
tries to get the PCs to follow him to the great hall.
Gabbot appears in the great hall next to a wall covered with
portraits of Strangelight Workshop teams, past and present. He
stands pointing to the portrait of Gabbot’s own team as they
appeared in life.

1. The Angry Ghost

If the PCs dealt with the Echoes peacefully, Gabbot is angry, but
his wrath is not directed at the PCs. Gabbot’s ghost points to
each of his teammates in turn. His ghost repeats statements the
Echoes said in their encounters.
If the PCs ask him what happened, Gabbot’s posture changes.
He seems less hostile and more defeated. The portrait changes
to reflect the mortal wounds suffered by each member on
Gabbot’s team. Reluctantly, the ghost speaks, though only the
Caller can understand his words. The other PCs will only get a
general sense of the spirit’s emotions—a mixture of fear, anger,
and loss. As the ghost touches the portrait, a dark shape, like a
massive black centipede, stains the wall around the image. A
PC can make an INT + Lore (supernatural) roll against a target
number of 14 to recognize the image: it is the shape of a soul
stalker, a dangerous kind of infernal beast.
If one of the PCs has the Autoquill in his or her possession,
that PC feels compelled to start writing and can transcribe
Gabbot’s message—if the character doesn’t have a notebook
handy, likely the PC will begin writing on the walls, a table, or
his or her own arm.
• Commander Keller sent his team to deal with a cult
without realizing the danger.
• When they confronted the cultists, they were not
prepared to face the infernal creature under the cult’s
control. The Workshop is often reticent to share its
secrets, even with its own field agents.
• Gabbot wanted to return to Blackwell Hall and felt
compelled to kill innocent people to lure the Strangelight
Workshop into capturing him.
• He wants the people most responsible for the death of
himself and his friends to pay. If that means destroying
Blackwell Hall and everyone in it, so be it.
If instead the PCs fought the majority of the Echoes, Gabbot will
be more unstable and furious. The destruction of the Echoes has
ripped from him most of the memories of his companions. His
A Caller's Sensory Deprivation Hood
(commonly referred to as a Ghost Hood)
ghost points to each of the teammates in turn, angrily asking,
“Why are they with me?” The Caller might be able to intuit what
happened by making a Rapport roll. On a result of 10 or higher,
the character notices how tattered and frayed Gabbot’s mind
is from the PCs’ own actions and comprehends that Gabbot’s
memories are affected.
The portrait changes to reflect the mortal wounds suffered by
each member on Gabbot’s team. Gabbot’s ghost becomes even
angrier, transforming into a strange and tortured thing. His
ghost hood warps to become the faces of each deceased team
member while the spirit shouts, “Who are we?”
The spirit begins to rise, causing a storm of debris to whirl
around the great hall.
In this instance, PCs may still have a chance to reason with
Gabbot’s ghost, but it will not be easy. They will need to have
collected the dossiers on each of Gabbot’s teammates from
Mathius Halebran, as the spirit no longer remembers anything
about them.
Interaction
The PCs have a chance to avoid conflict with Gabbot’s ghost.
There are many different ways to reason with the spirit, so
entertain any reasonable approach the PCs take with Gabbot.
They might bring up the names and roles of its lost companions
and try to get the ghost to recall the happier memories Gabbot
has of them. They might talk about how everyone in the
Strangelight Workshop understands the danger of the work and
assumes some responsibility for their own fate.

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 IRON KINGDOMS RPG
For each reasonable argument or plan a PC attempts, have that
PC make a contested Willpower roll against Gabbot. The Game
Master can spend 1 Dread to boost Gabbot’s roll.
Each PC should be allowed to attempt a single plan. If the PC
wins the roll, Gabbot suffers d3 points of Willpower damage. If
Gabbot’s Willpower is reduced to 0, the spirit becomes calm and
takes on a less gruesome appearance.
Each time Gabbot suffers Willpower damage, the Game Master
may spend 2 Dread to have him lash out at the PCs, changing
his visage in horrific ways that can rattle even the staunchest
operatives to their core. When a Game Master spends Dread
in this way, each PC makes a contested Willpower roll against
Gabbot. PCs who fail suffer d3 points of Willpower damage.
Once Gabbot’s Willpower is reduced to 0, the PCs can choose to
either urge Gabbot’s spirit on to Urcaen or attempt to capture his
spirit in the containment device. If they choose to send Gabbot’s
spirit on, go to “2. Gabbot’s Reward.” If they trap it instead, go
to “3. Gabbot Imprisoned.”
If the PCs fail to calm Gabbot’s spirit, it utters one last shriek
of rage and dives through the floor of the great hall. Almost
immediately, the radiators in the hall begin to vent boiling
clouds of steam, as Gabbot’s spirit possesses the ancient boiler
in the basement. Go to “4: The Thing in the Basement.”
An advanced Portable Lumitype, a device that captures
images on metal spectragraph plates that are sensitive to
Strangelight; includes a miniature Strangelight Projector
66 No Quarter PRIME
2. Gabbot’s Reward
Once the PCs have calmed Gabbot’s ghost, they can attempt
to make it pass from Caen to Urcaen. To do so, the Caller
must spend a full action and make a contested Rapport roll
against Gabbot. If the roll fails, nothing happens, as Gabbot
resists. If the Caller succeeds, Gabbot suffers damage equal to
the difference in the rolls as his calmed spirit begins to pass
from the world. When Gabbot no longer has vitality, he moves
on, vanishing in a flash of light. Any effects of his haunting
immediately cease. Note that this does not repair any damage
that might have occurred during the course of the adventure.
The adventure ends with the PCs having performed an act of
kindness for the tortured spirit but failing to do what they were
asked. It will take some time before anyone else in the Workshop
realizes the spirit has vanished. This may lead to some interesting
challenges later on in the PCs’ careers, but until that time, they
won’t have to deal with major consequences—provided they
didn’t burn anything down along the way.
Rewards
+1 Reputation, +3 XP
3. Gabbot Imprisoned
Once the PCs have calmed Gabbot’s ghost, they can attempt
to recapture it in the containment device. To do so, the Caller
must spend a full action and make a contested Willpower
roll against Gabbot to keep the spirit in place. If the roll fails,
Gabbot is free to dive into the boiler as if the PCs failed to calm
him in the first place (see “4. The Thing in the Basement”).
If the roll succeeds, Gabbot is held in place. The Jammer can
attempt to force his spirit into the containment device by
making a melee attack followed by a STR roll contested by
Gabbot’s current Willpower. If the Jammer wins, Gabbot’s spirit
is forced into the device. If the roll fails, the Jammer can try
again on his next turn.
The adventure effectively ends with the PCs having
performed their jobs, perhaps ignoring the torment a fellow
member of the Strangelight Workshop was forced to endure.
If they return Gabbot’s trapped spirit to the quartermaster’s
office, Cronan Bailey will take possession of the device
without question. He might raise an eyebrow in the future
and ask what took them so damn long in getting the spirit to
him, but that will be the end of it.
This may lead to some interesting challenges later on in the PCs’
careers. Down in the tunnels beneath Blackwell Hall, trapped
in the labyrinth with other angry ghosts, the spirit of Reeve
Gabbot waits, plotting. If it manages to escape from the maze, its
full fury will be directed at the PCs, and it may well manage to
bring other spirits along with it to help exact its revenge.
Rewards
+6 Reputation, +1 XP
4. The Thing in the Basement Dilemmas
Once Gabbot’s spirit descends into the basement and the There is only one dilemma that matters in this encounter:
heaters begin to spew steam, the PCs should have no problem Gabbot building enough pressure to detonate the boiler.
determining where he has gone. The path to the basement Under Pressure (Major Dilemma): To use this dilemma,
is clear, and the PCs will not encounter any of their fellow Gabbot needs to spend a full action and the full pool of Dread
Strangelight Workshop agents en route. available to the Game Master. Once Gabbot does so, his boiler
The doorway leading to the boiler room and basement level is body becomes stationary. If the PCs do not destroy his body
a heavy iron slab. Few people ever come down here, and none before the end of the next round, he detonates, blowing up
of the gas lamps in the stairwell function—they have become the boiler. Characters still in the basement when he detonates
tarantulabras that join Gabbot in the fight later. suffer a boosted POW 20 damage roll, and a significant portion
of Blackwell Hall goes up in a cloud of steam and debris. The
The stairs lead to a basement and utility area, nearly 120
extent of this damage is up to the Game Master, but it is a large
feet (20˝) to a side. The boiler itself should be housed in a
and robust mansion. Having a giant hole torn through its
claustrophobic side room off this main area, but when the PCs
middle requiring extensive repairs may suffice, especially if the
arrive, they discover that is no longer the case.
players are forced to help rebuild it.
READ: The basement’s large open central space has If Gabbot detonates, his spirit is weakened to the point that he
numerous side chambers, including the door to the boiler can no longer act. Upon their return, Abigail Thorpe’s team
recapture his spirit and throw it into the labyrinth of tunnels
room—or where it used to stand. Through the clouds of
below the damaged Blackwell Hall.
steam now filling the basement level, you see a massive
Should this occur, the PCs are dropped to 0 Reputation. Their
hole in the wall there. Then, you hear a sound like giant
membership in the Strangelight Workshop is in danger. Only
metal feet clanging in the darkness and see slats of fire helping to repair the damage they caused and then being sent
glowing like a hungry mouth in the darkness. on a risky venture (in the form of an unpleasant and dangerous
case assignment in the future) will prevent them from being
The boiler, possessed by Gabbot, descends from the basement
blacklisted or exiled to some remote and unpleasant branch office.
ceiling. It is shaped like an enormous metal spider, with crooked
metal struts for legs and glinting arrays of steam gauges
for eyes. The boiler’s firebox is the spider’s mouth, its doors Resolution
hungrily flapping like pedipalps. Gabbot trembles with rage, Once the PCs have defeated Gabbot, they have a choice to make.
and the PCs can hear the steady whine of pressure building They can either help his damaged spirit make the journey
inside the boiler-spider’s main tank. from Caen to Urcaen, or they can recapture his spirit with the
There is no bargaining with Gabbot once he’s in this state. The containment device and deliver it to the quartermaster.
PCs must weaken his spirit to drive it out of its metal body. In the first case, see “2. Gabbot’s Reward.” In the latter, see “3.
Gabbot Imprisoned.”
Combat Encounter
Antagonists: Gabbot the Spider, 6 Tarantulabras
Gabbot and his legion of spidery candelabras spread out and
attack. The smaller spiders attack in the first wave while Gabbot
hangs back to build pressure. He hopes to explode the boiler
and destroy as much of Blackwell Hall as he can.
Each destroyed Tarantulabra adds d3 Dread points to the pool.
Once the PCs destroy the Tarantulabras, Gabbot attacks in a
series of hit-and-runs using a slam attack. He slams the closest
target before skittering back onto a wall or the ceiling of the
basement, trying to stay out of reach. Gabbot cannot resist the
urge to attack the PCs, however, particularly those who goad
him or are separated from their companions.

No Quarter PRIME 67
 IRON KINGDOMS RPG
New Rules
Reputation
The Strangelight Workshop is an insular organization with
many secrets, and only members with proven loyalty and
worthiness are given the highest-priority cases and learn the
Workshop’s deeper secrets. Teams with greater reputation
are afforded more respect, which translates to access to new
prototypes, documents on the esoteric studies, and assignments
to the most fascinating—albeit most dangerous—cases.
In game, a team of characters has a collective Reputation
score. It is a measure of how well respected the team is by the
organization and acts as a resource in the game.
Different actions can affect this score positively and negatively.
When the PCs perform actions that align with the goals of the
Workshop, their Reputation goes up. When they do things
against the rules or that impair operations, it goes down.
Starting teams begin the game with a Reputation of 1.
The following are ways a team might gain or lose Reputation.
The amount of Reputation gained or lost should be within
reason for the severity of the action, from 1-3.
Negative Reputation Modifiers
• Allowing civilians to be killed
• Death of one or more team members
• Loss or theft of Strangelight gear or allowing Strangelight
gear or technological secrets to fall into the wrong hands
(any outsiders are considered the wrong hands)
• Failure to solve cases
• Flagrant disregard of Strangelight Workshop procedures
or failure to collect evidence
• Extorting money from clients beyond agreed fees
• Allegations of meddling with black magic
• Destruction of public or private property or buildings (in
a way that connects blame to the Strangelight Workshop)
• Damage to or destruction of Strangelight Workshop
buildings or facilities
Positive Reputation Modifiers
• Solving cases and dealing with supernatural entities
• Maintaining copious notes and records at the conclusion
of a case to be delivered to Blackwell Hall
• Significant discoveries and recovery of new evidence
• Successful use of a new prototype
• Confirming unconfirmed information (e.g., finding
evidence that supports existing theories)
• Making useful new contacts or attracting new clients
68 No Quarter PRIME
Using Reputation
Reputation can be used in several ways. First is as a kind of
currency. The PCs can lean on their reputations to convince the
stingy quartermasters of the Workshop to allow them access
to special gear. Loss of Reputation in this context indicates
the team “using up” goodwill to call in favors. This is not
detrimental to their standing but represents the need to work to
restore influence.
Reputation can also be used in Social encounters with fellow
Strangelight Workshop members. A character can spend a point
of Reputation to reroll a failed social roll or to boost a social roll
made against a fellow member of the Workshop, whether or not
the character is trained in the skill.
At the Game Master’s discretion, other actions may require the
expenditure of one or more points of Reputation.
Low Reputation Scores
If a team of PCs ever goes below 0 Reputation, it is in trouble.
There is no limit to how deep in the hole a team can dig itself, so
negative Reputation scores are possible.
When a team goes below 0 Reputation, it is on the verge of
being kicked out. For redemption, the team may need to take
on dangerous or unpleasant tasks. In some cases, a negative
Reputation may represent being indebted to a higher-ranking
member of the organization; while they may not face expulsion,
they have no influence and must do precisely as ordered.
The more negative the PCs’ Reputation, the worse off they
become. At –5 Reputation, the team will likely be booted from
the Workshop or be on probation with limited access, only able
to contact whomever they are indebted to.
At –10 Reputation and below, things get even worse. The PCs
are seen as enemies of the Workshop. Violence is possible should
they encounter active members, who will at the minimum shun
them. In addition, Workshop’s leaders will go out of their way to
discredit the team and tarnish reputations with other affiliated
groups, such as universities, secret societies, and even religious
groups. Teams with such a black mark may find it difficult
to gain employment anywhere, though this may make them
appealing for recruitment by enemies of the Workshop.
Dread
In Strangelight Workshop RPG games, Game Masters have a
new tool to add both narrative and mechanical tension to a
scene: Dread. As players work to investigate the supernatural,
they generate Dread points that the GM can use to add
Complications to the scene or to increase the difficulty of combat
or skill encounters.
Each time a Player Character succeeds at a task, whether
through a successful roll or careful roleplaying, the Game
Master places a token to represent a Dread point on the table
in plain view. During play, a Game Master can spend Dread
to add Complications, a variety of unforeseen obstacles for
the players to overcome. These Complications can range from
narrative setbacks (called Dilemmas) to a scene, increased target
Dread Cost
numbers for skill checks, allowing enemy NPCs to reroll attack
or damage rolls, and many other possibilities listed below.
The GM has both a limit to how much Dread they can store at
a time, based on the difficulty he prefers, and a minimum that
they generate if the PCs are stuck (or if the players are being too
timid). This range of Dread is determined by how difficult the
GM wants to make the adventure.
The minimum number of Dread is equal to the number of PCs.
The Game Master replenishes spent Dread, up to the minimum
number, at the start of a new scene.
Complication Description
Cause a piece of equipment to malfunction. This can require
1 a PC to spend a quick action unfixing a jammed mechanism
or a full action to reattach a component.
1 Allow an NPC to reroll all dice of one roll.
1 Increase the target number of a task by +1.
1 Force a player to deal with a minor environmental hazard.
Allow an NPC to make an additional full advance at the end
2
of any character’s turn.
2 Add a minor Dilemma to a scene.

Difficulty Dread Maximum 2 Activate a minor Dilemma in a scene.

Easy 3 Dread per number of players Cause a piece of equipment to shut off for a full round (or a
2
full minute).
Average 4 Dread per number of players
3 Add a major Dilemma to a scene.
Hard 5 Dread per number of players
3 Activate a major Dilemma in a scene.
Insanity 6 Dread per number of players Add an additional die to a single player’s roll. That player
3
must discard the highest die in the result.
For example: in an adventure with five players and an Average Allow an NPC to take an action at the start of another
3
difficulty, a GM may store a maximum of 20 points of Dread, character’s turn.
and the minimum for that adventure is 5. Allow an NPC to activate a second time during the game
5
round once all other characters have activated.
The following is a list of potential Complications and associated
Activate a creature’s Dread ability. A creature can use only
Dread costs. This list is neither prohibitive nor comprehensive. Varies
one Dread ability each activation.
The Game Master is at liberty to create all sorts of Complications
for their own adventures.
Dilemmas
Dilemmas are complications the Game Master can add to a
single scene. To introduce a Dilemma to a scene, at the start of
a round the Game Master spends a Dread amount equal to the
severity of the problem. Typically, minor Dilemmas cost 2 Dread
points while major Dilemmas cost 3.
Dilemmas add tension, complications, or drama by being
additional sources of potential danger. Often, it is best to allow
players to use their wits to overcome these setbacks or to trigger
the worst-case scenarios on their own.
Sometimes it can be more fun to turn up the heat. At any time
any of the PCs are in the vicinity of a Dilemma, the Game
Master can choose to trigger it at the beginning of a round.
Unless otherwise stated, the Dread cost to trigger a Dilemma is
the same amount to add it to the scene.
Example: In The Haunting of Blackwell Hall, the PCs battle
Hedge Monsters and an Echo in the Greenhouse. The Game
Master spends 3 Dread to add the “Shouldn’t Throw Stones”
Dilemma to the scene, informing the PCs that an errant strike
from a Hedge Monster hits the wall and sends a crack running
up to the glass ceiling. From that point on, at the beginning of
a round, the Game Master can spend 3 Dread to cause shards
of glass to fall from above, forcing the PCs to dodge out of the
way or be sliced to ribbons. After triggering the Dilemma, it is
resolved and cannot be used again.
Once a Dilemma has been triggered, it cannot be triggered
Strangelight Projector
again in that location.
with attached lens wheel

No Quarter PRIME 69
 IRON KINGDOMS RPG
Dormant Abilities
In addition to their standard special rules and abilities, certain
creatures have Dread abilities. These abilities can only be
triggered by spending Dread and are often more powerful than
the creature’s standard abilities, though some are unique or add
narrative components similar to Dilemmas.
Avoiding Dread Complications
If the Game Master introduces a Complication to a scene,
before any PC activates, the players can decide to avoid the
Complication. To do so, every PC must immediately spend 1
feat point and describe what action they are taking to evade
the Complication. If one or more PCs do not have a feat point to
contribute, the Complication proceeds as normal. Otherwise,
the Complication is avoided and the Dread points are returned
to the Game Master’s pool. The Game Master can accept PC
descriptions about what happened or create an alternative.
Willpower in Strangelight
Workshop
For those working for the Strangelight Workshop, dangers to
mind and spirit are just as common as dangers to the body. Field
agents must confront strange and terrifying things, and they
often bear mental scars.
To reflect this, Willpower has a larger role in Strangelight
Workshop games than the traditional Iron Kingdoms Full Metal
Fantasy Roleplaying Game.
Willpower Points
Each character has a number of Willpower points equal to their
Willpower score. This is the character’s mental fortitude and
ability to withstand madness brought on by horrifying things or
by the powers of supernatural entities.
Losing Willpower Points
When a game effect says so, or at the Game Master’s discretion,
a character may lose 1 or more points of Willpower, representing
their mind fraying as they struggle to comprehend horrific or
impossible things.
Losing Willpower points reduces the character’s total Willpower
score until they can recover lost Willpower (see “Regaining Lost
Willpower).
When a character loses a Willpower point, the character is
terrified or stunned by whatever caused the loss. The character
must forfeit either movement or action during their next
activation.
If a character’s Willpower reaches 0, they have reached their
Breaking Point.
70 No Quarter PRIME
Breaking Point
A character’s breaking point represents the character losing
control and reverting to instinctive behavior. When a character
reaches their breaking point, reset the character’s Willpower
score to normal and determine the character’s behavior based
on the character’s calling (see below).
After a character acts according to their breaking point, the
character can make a Willpower roll against a target number of
14. If the roll succeeds, the character can act normally during
their next activation. Otherwise, the character spends their next
activation acting on their breaking point. A player can choose
act normally by spending 1 feat point.
There are multiple different breaking points, each based on the
quality that drew the character to work with the Strangelight
Workshop in the first place, their calling. Further breaking
points will be covered in future installments of the Strangelight
Workshop RPG.
In The Haunting of Blackwell Hall, the breaking points of the
characters are:
Baxter Roan (Pantomath): As a pantomath, Baxter Roan has an
obsessive need to know everything. When he hits his breaking
point, he must spend his activation observing and taking notes,
spectragraphs, or otherwise recording his observations. This
may include moving to a better vantage.
Sydney Wright (Vendetta): Sydney has a vendetta against the
supernatural. When she hits her breaking point, she must spend
her action trying to attack a supernatural creature with the
highest available EP value.
Emmett Cohen (Survivor): As a survivor, Emmett Cohen will
save his own skin no matter the cost. When he hits his breaking
point, he must spend his activation trying to flee or hide from
any supernatural entities.
Evalyn di Mattys (Doomsayer): As a doomsayer, Evalyn di
Mattys is obsessed with having her companions—or anyone
else—listen to her. When she hits her breaking point, she must
spend her activation trying to convince another character that
she is right, either about her assessment of the situation or about
a course of action to address it.
Dalton Thatcher (Thrill Seeker): As a thrill seeker, Dalton
Thatcher needs to take physical risks. When he hits his breaking
point, he must end his activation closer to a source of potential
danger than he began it.
Regaining Lost Willpower
There are multiple ways to regain lost Willpower points. The
first is to spend a short time away from the supernatural. For
every full hour spent resting or recovering, a character regains
d3 lost Willpower points.
Alternative methods to regain lost Willpower include Evayln
di Mattys’ Reinforce Will ability and Baxter Roan’s Logical
Explanation ability. Other methods to regain Willpower will be
covered in future installments.
Antagonists paper cut
The Haunting of Blackwell Hall uses the following antagonists. MAT POW P+S Special
6 * * Targets hit by this weapon suffer d3
damage.
Tarantulabra[EP:2]
Skills
Small Possessed Object
None
Controlled by the spirit of Gabbot, the gas lanterns and chandeliers of
Blackwell Hall come alive like squeaking, creaking metal spiders with too Abilities
many legs tipped by sputtering flames.
Swarm – A book swarm is composed of dozens of individual volumes.
The book swarm is immune to free strikes and has the Circular Vision
PHY SPD STR AGL PRW POI INT ARC PER ability. A character attacking the swarm rolls one less die on non-AOE or
4 6 4 5 4 2 0 — 3 non-spray attack damage rolls.

Flying – This creature can fly. It can advance through other characters
INITiative 13 DEFense 14 WILlpower 4 if it has enough movement to move completely past them. This creature
ignores intervening characters when declaring a charge target. An effect
cmd RaNGe 0 ARMor 10 VITality 6 that would knock this creature down causes it to fall out of the air.

Engulf [Cost: 1 Dread] – The swarm encircles a single target, slashing at

CANDLESTICK the target’s flesh. The book swarm makes d3+1 attacks against a target if
it attacks this activation.
MAT POW P+S Special
6 4 8 This weapon causes fire damage.
On a critical hit the target suffers the
Fire continuous effect. Training Dummy [EP:3]
Small Possessed Construct
Skills
Armed with clubs and javelins, these featureless wooden mannequins
Detection [5], Sneak [7] normally take the punishment. Animated by ghostly will, now it is their
turn to dish it out.
Abilities
Dodge – When this character is missed by an enemy attack, it can PHY SPD STR AGL PRW POI INT ARC PER
immediately advance up to twelve feet (2˝) after the attack is resolved
6 5 6 4 5 3 0 — 3
unless it was missed while advancing. It cannot be targeted by free
strikes during this movement.
INITiative 13 DEFense 12 WILlpower 6
Spider Walk – This character can move at normal speed on walls or
ceilings. Anything that would knock this character down causes it to fall cmd RaNGe 0 ARMor 14 VITality 10
off a surface it is walking across.

Immolate [Cost: 1 Dread] – The tarantulabra bursts into blue flames that
javelin
spread in a wide area before flaring out. This character is immediately
removed from play. Any character within six feet (1˝) of this character RAT RNG AOE POW Special
suffers the Fire continuous effect. 5 6 — 9 Thrown – Modifiers to this
character’s STR also affect the
POW of this weapon.
Book Swarm [EP:1]
training weapon
Medium Possessed Object Swarm
MAT POW P+S Special
Be careful, the books are flying off the shelves—literally! Animated by
ghostly force, this flock of fluttering hardbacks acts like a bunch of angry 7 3 9 Blunt Force – A character incapacitated
by this weapon is knocked out. This
crows. weapon has a range of six feet (1˝).

PHY SPD STR AGL PRW POI INT ARC PER

Skills
3 5 2 4 4 1 0 — 4
Detection [5], Sneak [6]

INITiative 13 DEFense 13 WILlpower 3

cmd RaNGe 0 ARMor 6 VITality 10

No Quarter PRIME 71
 IRON KINGDOMS RPG

Abilities
Hard Body – When this character suffers damage, reduce the damage it Food Piles [EP:4]
suffers by 2, to a minimum of 1.
Small Possessed Object
Inanimate Object – While the training dummy remains still, it appears to
be an inanimate object. These gobber-sized piles of trash are made up of all the half-finished and
forgotten meals to litter the refuse bins of Blackwell Hall’s kitchen. Too
Ragdoll Whirlwind [Cost: 2 Dread] – The training dummy moves forward, mushy to identify individual meals, they are a clear sign that the Strangelight
its upper body spinning in place as it lashes out. The dummy makes a full Workshop needs to hire a new janitor.
advance. It can make a single attack against any character in melee range
during any part of the advance. PHY SPD STR AGL PRW POI INT ARC PER
8 4 6 2 4 1 0 — 3
Hedge Monster [EP:4]
INITiative 11 DEFense 9 WILlpower 8
Medium Possessed Plant
cmd RaNGe 0 ARMor 16 VITality 14
The untended hedges of Blackwell Hall’s greenhouse used to look like
panthers, eagles, and other impressive creatures. Now they mostly look like
big bushes. Possessed by the power of a ghost, however, they look like big foodopod
bushes that move.
MAT POW P+S Special
PHY SPD STR AGL PRW POI INT ARC PER 6 4 10 Nauseating – A living character hit by this
weapon must either spend 1 feat point or
7 6 5 3 5 1 0 — 2 make a PHY roll against a target number
of 12. If the roll succeeds, nothing
INITiative 13 DEFense 11 WILlpower 7 happens. If the roll fails, the character
must forfeit either movement or action
cmd RaNGe 0 ARMor 14 VITality 10 on their next activation.

Skills
thorn lash
Detection [6], Sneak [4]
MAT POW P+S Special
7 3 8 Abilities
This weapon has a range of six feet (1˝)
Cloud of Flies – Characters within six feet (1˝) of this creature suffer –1
to attack rolls.
Skills
Gooey – The creature’s body is a boneless, sticky mass. It can alter its shape
Detection [4], Sneak [5]
to a limited degree and fit in areas normally to small to accommodate it,
Abilities though it moves as if in rough terrain in those areas.

Camouflage – The creature gains an additional +2 DEF when benefitting
from concealment or cover.
In the Green – While this creature remains motionless in an area of plant
life, it gains boosted Sneak rolls.
Put Down Roots [Cost: 1 Dread] – For one turn, this creature can forfeit
movement to regain d3+1 lost vitality points at the start of its next
activation. If it is forced to move by a push, slam, or other effect, it does
not regain lost vitality.
Second Helping [Cost: 2 Dread] – When this creature is disabled, it
instead splits into two smaller, weaker versions of itself. Place another
Food Pile anywhere in base contact with the original creature. The
new Food Pile begins play with 5 vitality and activates on the original
creature’s initiative.
Echoes[EP:8]
Small Undead
Ghostly memories of friends now dead, Echoes are all the Reeve Gabbot’s
spirit has left. Each one is stripped of color and life and goes through a loop
of the things it did in life.

PHY SPD STR AGL PRW POI INT ARC PER

6 6 6 5 5 6 0 — 4

INITiative 6 DEFense 14 WILlpower 6

cmd RaNGe 0 ARMor 12 VITality 12

72 No Quarter PRIME
 Reeve Gabbot's presence
touch of the grave ripples through the walls.
MAT POW P+S Special
7 3 9 A living character hit by this attack
suffers 1 point of Willpower damage.

Skills
Detection [6], Sneak [7]

Abilities
Incorporeal – This character can move through rough terrain, solid
objects, and other characters. Blessed weapons affect it normally. Spells
and magical weapons can damage it but roll one fewer die on damage
rolls.

Invisible – Unless Strangelight illuminates this creature, it is not visible

to the naked eye.

Echo – Though not truly undead, this character is manifested by an

undead creature’s pathos and power. It is treated as Undead for the
purpose of any rules that reference the undead creature type.

Grim Visage [Cost: 3 Dread] – The countenance of the spirit becomes

ghastly. It may display the wounds that killed it, appear as a rotting corpse,
or conjure any other sort of terrifying manifestation. Any living characters
who can see the spirit must make a contested Willpower roll against it.
If the spirit wins, the character suffers 1 point of Willpower damage. For
each character damaged in this way, add 1 Dread to the pool.

Gabbot the Spider [EP:9]

Large Possessed Construct/Undead
Some people are afraid of spiders. What they should be more afraid of is an
insane ghost possessing a piece of industrial heating equipment that moves
like a spider.

Gabbot transforms into this creature by inhabiting Blackwell Hall’s main

boiler, an ancient iron vessel supported on metal girders and fed by burning
coal. Under Gabbot’s control, it transforms into a multi-ton metal spider
able to supernaturally skitter on the walls and ceiling of the basement.

PHY SPD STR AGL PRW POI INT ARC PER Claws
12 5 8 4 5 5 5 — 4 MAT POW P+S Special
7 3 11 Critical Knockdown – On a critical hit
INITiative 14 DEFense 12 WILlpower 14 with this weapon, the target is knocked
down.
cmd RaNGe 7 ARMor 16 VITality 24
Skills
Smog Belch Command [7], Detection [7], Sneak [3]
RAT RNG AOE POW Special Abilities
— 6 3 — Place a 3˝ AOE anywhere
Pathfinder – The character can move over rough terrain without penalty.
completely within this
character’s LOS and this Spider Slam – This character can perform slam attacks.
weapon’s range. The AOE is a
cloud effect that remains in play Spider Walk – This character can move at normal speed on walls or
for one round. ceilings. Anything that would knock this character down causes it to fall
off a surface it is walking across.

Dance the Tarantulabra [Cost: 2 Dread] – Gabbot’s giant body taps a metal
foot on the wall, summoning additional creatures to the fight. Add two
tarantulabras to the encounter at the beginning of the next game round.

Under Pressure [Cost: Full Dread] – See p. 67 for details.

No Quarter PRIME 73
 THEME FORCE

FORCES OF CYGNAR:

The trencher
corps
by Matt Goetz & Douglas Seacat

M ore than any other fighting force, it is the Trencher Corps

that represents the backbone of the Cygnaran Army.
Drawn primarily from among the common folk across the
to seize vital positions or hunkering down among improvised
fortifications to hold until reinforcements arrive. Their motto is
“first to battle, last to withdraw” for a reason.
kingdom, trenchers are forged in basic training into leather-
Trenchers are expected to endure without complaint in hostile
chewing, hard-as-nails, boots-on-the-ground soldiers who
conditions, including being dug in for days in the rain and mud,
are more than willing to spit in death’s eye. They hold their
starving from compromised supply lines, harassed by incessant
heads high even in the company of their nation’s elite troops,
artillery fire, and facing the looming threat of being overrun
having earned the respect of all for their courage, tenacity,
and left to bleed to death far from home. All trenchers know
and heroism. Trenchers confront the enemy on the front lines
they must rely on the men and women next to them to survive.
protected by little more than their rifles, their training, and a
Staying alive also requires trenchers to respond with alacrity to
thin wall of dispersing smoke, whether they are charging ahead
the orders of their sergeant and ranking officers.

74 No Quarter PRIME
It does not take long for a trencher recruit to become seasoned,
as they do not sit idle even in times of supposed peace.
Trenchers do not serve at secure interior garrisons but instead
are deployed to protect war-torn borders and to seize ground
from the enemy. In times of conflict, it is the tens of thousands
of trenchers who bear the brunt of keeping Cygnar safe against
the depravities of its numerous enemies.
Gear is a vital extension of every trencher, and they know every
aspect of their kit as well as their own hands and feet. Trenchers
have evolved over time, preserving their basic function while
diversifying their expertise, and they now serve as a well-tuned,
self-contained army within the Cygnaran armed forces. While
the basic trencher infantryman is essentially an army of one,
able to fulfill a wide variety of roles, they are doubly formidable
when fighting as a group. Together with their comrades in arms,
there is no enemy they cannot tackle. Among the trencher ranks
are dedicated riflemen, stealthy commandos capable of covert
missions, expert artillery crews and gunners, accurate snipers,
and experienced officers and warcasters trained to optimize
their mutual capabilities through advanced tactics.
No Quarter PRIME 75
 THEME FORCE
ORIGINS
The trenchers have their origins in the reign of Vinter
Raelthorne II, during his reform of the Cygnaran Army. The
king authorized the impressment of able-bodied prisoners into
a corps of frontline soldiers that would be sent into battle first
in the hope that they would mitigate casualties suffered by the
regular army in high-risk engagements. The first ragtag groups
of soldiers were a mix of conscripts and volunteers drawn from
hardened prisoners and disgraced troops with little hope of
regaining their freedom. The gear issued to them was cheap
and ill-fitting, chosen primarily to avoid straining the treasury.
They were offered the chance to earn a full pardon through
meritorious service, which in this case would require them to
risk almost certain death in battle. This arrangement gave a
second chance to many who otherwise faced certain execution
or a lifetime behind bars. The experiment succeeded beyond
expectations, but it would take time before these prisoner
companies became true trenchers.
76 No Quarter PRIME
The former prisoners initially selected for this program
underwent intensive and brutal training that built discipline
through constant drills, grueling physical conditioning, and
harsh punishments for any transgressions. This training
regimen was designed mainly to instill obedience in individuals
notorious for insubordination, but it also resulted in tough and
effective soldiers ready to face anything on the battlefield. This
was a contrast to Cygnar’s regular rifle corps, who had passed
through relatively easy training focused on instilling ordinary
military discipline and the proper use of their firearms. While
these riflemen were useful in the aggregate, they were far from
the skilled infantry Cygnar would eventually be known for. The
training, ruggedness, and unflinching resolve of the prisoner
soldiers would make all the difference.
The early battles fought by these men and women took place
along the northern border against Khador. Their sacrifices
went largely unmarked until an unexpected victory made
a lasting impression. A company of conscript infantry had
been sent to hold a remote border village near
Fellig—essentially a suicide mission, as these
soldiers were deployed directly in the path of a
Khadoran advance. The only expectation was
that they would slow the enemy before being
overrun. Two weeks later, rangers arrived to find
the town still held by the surviving conscripts.
Though half-starved and out of ammunition,
the company had fended off multiple Khadoran
assaults, including a harrowing night raid.
The troops had used picks and shovels taken
from the locals to dig an extensive network of
trenches and berms around the village. These
defenses proved key to their survival, as did
a courageous and desperate final charge that
forced the Khadorans to withdraw. They halted
the advance, and the trenchers were born.
In the years that followed, the Trencher Corps
would become a vital arm of the Cygnaran
Army. During the reign of Vinter III their
recruitment program was greatly expanded
to accept regular volunteer enlistment and
to allow for commissioned officers who
entered service as trenchers. Vinter IV, Leto,
and most recently King Julius each further
expanded the corps, and they now make up
the majority of Cygnar’s infantry.
Trenchers have proven their worth and
utility in every major conflict since their
inception. The general estimation of their
capabilities was tremendously bolstered
during the Scharde Invasions of 584–
588 AR, which involved coastal patrols and
subsequent grueling attacks on the outer
islands held by the Cryxian Empire. These
conflicts revealed the weaknesses of pure concentrated
firepower as represented by long gunners, as these soldiers could
be outflanked, closed upon, and eliminated by swift Cryxian the emphasis has shifted to conditioning a broader array of
forces. Trencher tactics proved decisive in seizing and securing soldiers to a similar level of fitness. Aspiring trenchers are
landing zones and pushing deeper into enemy territory, working expected to be physically stalwart but need not be at the peak
alongside other Cygnaran Army and Navy forces. Trenchers had of physical prowess to enter the ranks, so long as they can
similarly vital roles in the Llaelese War and its aftermath, as well achieve adequate performance with training. A broader range
as the multiple contentious conflicts within the Thornwood in of acceptable heights has allowed the corps to be more inclusive,
607–610 AR. They also served ably in the earlier Caspia-Sul War; also allowing more women to successfully volunteer and serve.
though that conflict is remembered more for the actions of the
Their kit has been improved and standardized over the years,
nation’s Storm Knights, hundreds of brave trenchers also lost
though trencher gear remains cost-effective and rugged,
their lives in the intense street-to-street fighting.
eschewing finicky mechanika. Modern trenchers have been
For several decades, joining the trenchers required passing an divided into broad but distinct roles, each with its own focus.
arduous physical screening that allowed only exceptionally Regardless of their role in the organization, each trencher is
tall, strong, and fit soldiers into the service—those capable of expected to be a well-rounded and versatile soldier capable of
enduring the brutal training to come. In recent years, however, independent thinking and adapting to multiple tasks.

Trenchers of the 47th Company fighting to

hold the flank against Khador in the Second
Thornwood War

No Quarter PRIME 77
 THEME FORCE
Training
Trenchers have one of the most rigorous training programs
of any line infantry in the Iron Kingdoms; their training is
extensive even by Cygnaran standards. Recruits are shipped to
one of many training grounds for an accelerated twelve-week
program. Each duchy houses at least one such training ground,
typically attached to a major fortification, with those at Point
Bourne and Stonebridge in the Western Midlunds, Highgate
in Southpoint, Northguard in the Northforest, and Eastwall
in Caspia being the largest and most prestigious. Friendly
rivalries exist among the various training camps and within
the units training at a single facility. The corps encourages such
competition as a means of pushing recruits to excel.
As an institution, the Trencher Corps highly values combat
experience. More so than in any other branch of the Cygnaran
military, officers are promoted from within after working
their way up through the non-commissioned ranks. Those
doing so are still expected to attend a short but intensive
course at either the Point Bourne or the Caspian branch of the
Strategic Academy, depending on where they are likely to be
stationed upon receiving their commissions. For trenchers,
Strategic Academy training focuses less on subjects like
history or philosophy and more on leadership, tactics, and
military planning. It is not uncommon for those promoted
to officer after serving as sergeants to defer attendance at the
Strategic Academy entirely so long as they demonstrate proven
competence through their service in the field. This means
freshly commissioned trencher officers are often less educated
than those in other branches but are also more likely to have
invaluable field experience and firsthand knowledge of life on
the battlefield.
Trencher basic training is a combination of strength building,
fundamental tactics, and marksmanship, along with combat
engineering designed to teach every recruit the essentials of
trench construction. This regimen is reinforced through intense
drills developed to improve physical and mental endurance.
Drill instructors push recruits with a nonstop routine of long
marches, runs, and arduous physical labor such as moving
earth and stones. The goal is to transform even the scrawniest of
recruits into toughened killing machines.
Field training include rifle drills while under duress and melee
combat instruction with the trench knife and bayonet. Recruits
who show special aptitude in marksmanship may receive
additional training as snipers, artillerists, or chain gunners,
while those with exceptional physical prowess and high marks
in field skills and melee combat may be considered to join the
elite commandos. Trenchers with technical aptitude and above-
average mental acumen might be slated for combat engineer
roles. These specializations each involve more in-depth and
focused training. Trollkin and ogrun recruits are likely to be
selected for special weapon support roles, which also entail
specialized training.
78 No Quarter PRIME
Recruits train while wearing full battle kit, with no exceptions
for illness or minor injuries. They are often sleep-deprived,
expected to drill in inclement weather, and forced to train
for prolonged periods with no rest or provisions. In the past,
training-related deaths were not uncommon, particularly in
the early days of the trenchers as penal conscripts. While such
losses are rare in the modern era thanks to the vigilance of
training sergeants, rumors persist to terrify new recruits.
Recruits are broken into discrete squads for the duration of
training to encourage teamwork and filter out poor candidates.
A training squad is evaluated by the performance of its lowest-
performing member. Recruits must work together to help
these weak links improve; failing that, such persons are forced
to drop out through peer pressure. Soldiers who wash out of
training are encouraged to transfer to other military branches,
including vital support roles without which the army cannot
function. Washouts are not disdained or discouraged by
their former squads or instructors; rather, the Trencher Corps
recognizes and respects the patriotic impulse that drove them to
enlist in the first place.
Gobbers and the Corps
No gobbers presently serve as trenchers, as they lack certain
required physical attributes—most notably, height and mass. There
are, however, many gobbers who serve the Trencher Corps in non-
combat support roles. Patriotic gobbers are encouraged to aid the
trenchers as army cooks, mechaniks, or supply clerks, and particularly
in munitions roles. Gobbers have long been acknowledged for their
invaluable aptitude for hand-packing ammunition and other aspects
of ordnance assembly. To meet the demands of active war, the
Cygnaran Army employs mobile munitions factory caravans that can
encamp relatively close to the front lines and help resupply active
companies with both ammunition and grenades.
Tactics
The fundamental tactical doctrine of the trenchers has long been
to capture and hold key ground. In the changing face of war
and the Trencher Corps’ evolving role in the army, new tactics
are always being tested. Trenchers serve as the backbone of
Cygnar’s infantry, and they stand ready to adapt to the ever-
changing needs of war.
At the outset of a conflict, a trencher company takes control
of a strategically valuable position and digs in, constructing
earthworks fortifications and expanding its trench line to
meet up with those of other companies. Together they hold
the line against the enemy long enough for the full force of the
Cygnaran military to come to bear.
Once the trenchers have established a bulkhead, they begin
advancing the line forward, claiming new ground to entrench
and extend existing lines. Alternating between defensive
holding actions and strong offensive pushes allows the corps
to dominate the battlefield. Even as the majority of a trencher
company might move ahead to a new position, a skeleton crew
Elements of a Trench Complex Communication Trench
Dugout with
Munitions Cache
Blockhouse Interior
may be left behind. A small number of trenchers manning chain
guns or cannons, supported by snipers and protected by barbed
wire, can do considerable damage against foes trying to flank
the main assault.
During an advance, specialists such as commandos supported
by ogrun trench busters will target enemy emplacements,
clearing them of soldiers to claim them in turn. If the enemy
holds no such emplacements, or if there are insufficient friendly
forces to maintain control once they are captured, commandos
will be sent to strike at key strategic assets like artillery
positions, coal depots, supply trains, and warjack repair depots.
Enemy assets that cannot be seized and claimed are destroyed.
As the battle progresses, trenchers further secure their positions
with fixed support elements like chain guns and cannon
teams, and where tactically viable they begin construction of
more permanent fortifications. The trenchworks that protect
vital assets like Point Bourne and Northguard are dotted with
defensive blockhouses, where trenchers stationed for extended
Parados
Parapet
Wire Obstacle
Sapper's Tunnel Beneath
No Man's Land
periods can weather enemy assaults. Built under the supervision
of combat engineers in the lulls between fighting, blockhouses
help the trenchers maintain control over key assets and create
lethal choke points where the enemy is trapped in overlapping
fields of fire. Over time these bunkers become part of the
Cygnaran Army’s greater supply network as a chain of heavily
defended positions reaching the front lines.
In the modern day, trencher tactical doctrine is undergoing a
gradual process of refinement to suit Cygnar’s military needs.
Additional commandos are being trained up to support larger
offensives, and the choice to train some trenchers as dedicated
long gunners provides the corps adequate fire support to be
self-sufficient, freed from reliance on other service branches.
This doctrinal shift is attributable in part to certain key leaders,
including officers like the notoriously aggressive Commander
Anson Hitch, who advocate for a swift and merciless approach
to crushing the enemy.
No Quarter PRIME 79
 THEME FORCE
Trenches & Defensive
Emplacements
The home of the trenchers is in the dirt and mud. Creating
earthen fortifications is central to their function and is one of
the first things drilled into new recruits. Any individual who
cannot bear the strain of heavy digging cannot be a trencher.
The first trenches were little better than ditches shielded by an
earthen berm, but as the corps developed and the value of the
fortifications was seen in repeated battles, a more sophisticated
discipline of earthen engineering arose to create more
advanced trenchworks.
Trenchers work in teams to establish their trenches. Under
ideal conditions, entire companies digging together are able
to excavate nearly three hundred yards of trench in a single
day, with single platoons devoted to creating twenty yards of
trench apiece. Yet often the trenchers must dig while under
fire. The strategy for doing so is for squads to break into
two-person teams who, as the trenchers put it, “dig their own
grave.” Alternating as required, one soldier provides cover fire
while the other digs a shallow foxhole, which is then enlarged
into a deeper trench. Once the required depth is reached, each
team saps out to connect to the one closest to it. When a squad
establishes a line, it then works to connect to the two closest
squads, and digging continues until the trenchers establish a
fortified network. The trenching process is greatly aided by
warjacks like the Grenadier that can readily perform the basic
task of breaking the earth. Grenadiers can break even compact
soil far faster than any soldier and can easily remove large
rocks, allowing trenchers to simply excavate the line behind it.
A trenchworks, once established, constantly undergoes a
process of expansion, reinforcement, and refinement. Combat
engineers reinforce trenches as necessary to prevent the walls
from collapsing. They construct both the parapet, which is a dirt
or sandbag wall facing the enemy, and the parados, a similar
wall to the rear to protect against shell fragments from shells
falling behind the trench. When possible, engineers also string
barbed wire ahead of the front line and build up firing positions
for chain gun and cannon crews.
While the engineers work, teams of trenchers sap lines back
toward already held territory to establish a second line and
eventually a third. The first, or front line, trench is a series
of fire bays connected by zigzagged or stepped lanes, which
mitigate the blast of a shell falling in the trench and prevent any
enemies in the trenches from having clear lines of sight. Smaller
channels called saps extend forward from the front line into
the no man’s land between Cygnaran trenches and the enemy
position. These saps serve as locations for small squads of
commandos to muster for counter-offensives, as listening posts,
and as protection for snipers and ’jack stokers.
Running behind the first trench is a long support trench. The
support trench is a second line of defense should the enemy
overrun the front line and contains supply and ammunition
storage, first aid stations, and the mess area. Blockhouses are
often built on the support trench to provide girded fire bays and
supporting fire in the event the enemy overruns the front line.
The rearmost line of trenches is the reserve line. The reserve
line is a mustering point for reinforcements at a safe distance
from the front line. It is home to soldiers who are rotated away
from the front following prolonged confrontations or who have
endured significant injuries. The reserve line is also home to the
command structure of a deployment, as well as often being the
site of heavier artillery, ’jack repair depots, and other critical
assets too valuable to be kept at the forward lines.
One such asset is communications—often in the form of swift
runners who can convey an officer’s orders to the troops.
Communication saps link all three lines to allow movement
safe from enemy fire. These communications channels are often
built in a deliberately meandering fashion to impede an enemy
unit from swiftly moving from the front lines to the rear. These
trenches can quickly become a bewildering maze to those who
are not living in them day to day.
Every line of trenches is dotted with numerous dugouts. Near
the front, these are often just reinforced holes in the trench
walls where soldiers can shelter from bombard or mortar fire
and sleep in limited comfort. Farther back, however, they can
be rather elaborate underground rooms. Sometimes, such as
in the defenses around Point Bourne, Northguard, and Fort
Falk, these dugouts are even reinforced with concrete and can
be several layers deep. Ammunition stores are often placed in
these deepest chambers for security and to safeguard against
potential unintended explosions.
Such emplacements are home to trenchers for weeks or months
at a time. Over time they are modified to suit the personal tastes
and needs of the men who live within them. Trenchers have
a tradition of naming their trench networks, often with glib
names like “New Caspia” or “Castle Raelthorne.” A common
tradition is for the battalion’s major to send a wooden sign with
the trenchwork’s name to the commanding officer on site, to be
hung proudly over the officer’s own dugout.
 THEME FORCE
Life as a Trencher
Daily life as a trencher in wartime is one of alternating combat
exhilaration, stoic misery, and mind-numbing boredom. These
soldiers live for weeks on end in muddy trenches, eating soggy
hardtack and drinking watered-down rum, sometimes while
enduring a constant barrage of enemy gunfire and artillery.
When not taking fire, they are expected to perform endless
backbreaking labor to improve their defenses, all the while
maintaining military discipline. Yet amid the screaming shells
passing overhead, water-logged boots below, and ever-present
fear and hunger, there is also a great deal of pride. Trenchers on
the front lines are hardened to this life, and some of them come
to embrace it, savoring the small pleasures and building an
unbreakable rapport with their comrades in arms.
Frontline duty under fire is not intended to be long-term, and
senior officers endeavor to rotate tired soldiers out and replace
them with fresher ones when possible. Those taken off the front
lines may be garrisoned at one of Cygnar’s many cities and
fortifications, where they perform routine patrols and aid in the
construction and maintenance of defensive structures. While
on campaign, trenchers are moved to active fronts to establish
strongholds and claim ground. Although trencher battalions
are meant to be rotated regularly to prevent battle fatigue, they
must be ready to hold positions for as long as the situation
necessitates, often with limited replenishment of supplies, relief
units, or reinforcements. There are times when commanders
rely on veteran companies to stay put well past ordinary limits
while withdrawing less seasoned soldiers to refresh their brittle
morale. This, too, is a matter of pride, particularly in companies
like the 95th Trencher Company, also known as the Northguard
Gravediggers. Soldiers in this company do not expect a reprieve
unless it is earned by taking a bullet and being carried away on
a stretcher.
On the front lines, soldiers tend to have firmly established
routines. Sleep comes in short stints, often only four hours
at a stretch, and any breakfast or coffee must be quickly
acquired and gulped down. Following morning inspection,
Standard smoke grenades
82 No Quarter PRIME
every trencher is assigned to defending the forward position,
expanding trenchworks, filling sandbags, or maintaining the
battalion’s weaponry. In the few hours of free time trenchers
have each day, they are prone to letter writing, swapping stories,
gambling, and similar diversions. Often members of different
squads gamble for one another’s personal possessions, rum
rations, or cigars rather than for coin. Such comforts are worth
more than gold on the front lines. Skilled gamblers are heroes
among their own units, as they can acquire much-desired
materials for their fellows. Stiff penalties exist for officers who
gamble with enlisted men, though on long campaigns this
prohibition is often overlooked.
The frontline role of trenchers often puts them in harsh
conditions that they must endure with little more than the kit
they carry with them wherever they go. When supply lines are
working as they should, trenchers receive a relatively generous
share of rations compared to other units due to the strenuous
physical labor required of them. Supply lines are often
interrupted in times of war, however, and every trencher stands
ready to either improvise meals through foraging or go without
food. Savvy veterans commonly squirrel away spare rations, as
well as any treats that will not spoil, for emergencies.
Disruption of supply lines can affect other necessities as well.
At any given time, a certain proportion of a company will have
holes in their boots and worn or even missing socks. When
soldiers have been on the march or holding remote positions
for extended periods, everything they own will be patchwork
and repaired. Some trenchers “will” a comfortable pair of boots
or a warm coat to a squadmate in the event of their death, but
otherwise such possessions are sacrosanct, and the corps has a
strict policy of sending them home with the fallen out of respect
for the soldier. Theft of a fellow trencher’s possessions is almost
unheard of, though this courtesy is not always extended to
fallen members of other service branches.
Knowing of the importance of small creature comforts, supply
sergeants often make contacts with locals in a region to secure
needed goods, including specific luxuries to distribute to the
men at regular intervals to maintain morale. Such items as
boxes of reliable matches, weatherproof containers to store
letters from home, and writing implements are highly prized.
Correspondence is important to the corps. Not everyone is
capable of writing letters home or reading letters from loved
ones, so platoons often gather at night to hear their letters read
aloud, and those able to write are tasked with scribing messages
on behalf of their fellow soldiers. Cygnaran Reconnaissance
Service officers screen letters both to and from the front, and
certain phrases or even whole sections may be redacted if they
contain details of time and place that could put the company at
risk if intercepted.
As trenchers press forward deeper into enemy territory, they
may relinquish built-up defensive positions to members of
other service branches that follow behind their advance. The
most fortified of trencher positions might come to serve as
field command stations for commanding officers needing to
be nearer the action but back from the front line. In such cases,
the trenchers frequently leave behind signs of their passing
for fellow soldiers to discover, in the form of mocking graffiti
dug into trench walls or mild pranks such as harmless smoke
charges rigged to the doors of latrines. Experienced officers
know these acts of “vandalism” serve as a relief valve for
combat stress and are willing to overlook them.
The constant stress of life on the front leads to a strong esprit
de corps. Lasting bonds are common, signified and solidified
through nicknames, tattoos of company emblems, and the
like. The trenchers consider themselves the best and toughest
troops in the Cygnaran military—a point which is hard to
contest. Once away from the field of battle, however, many
trenchers have been known to carry their wars home with them,
becoming sour and quick to violence. The corps keeps an eye on
veterans after they leave the service and encourages them to put
their experience to good use, often as members of local militias
or city watches. Many retired trenchers stand ready to return
to duty if required, and companies of these “veteran reserves”
have been called upon to don the uniform again on several
occasions, including during the recent civil war.
Anyone who survives a tour of enlistment becomes part of the
greater brotherhood of trenchers, which extends far beyond the
battlefield. Regional and social differences are erased by the
hardships they endure. Squadmates take it upon themselves
to ensure the dog tags and commendations of fallen comrades
are returned to their families, along with any unsent letters.
Families of veterans are extended the full support of the
trenchers in times of hardship, and few former trenchers are
buried without a full complement of their battalion’s members
paying their respects at the graveside. It is a standing tradition
among many trenchers for a veteran’s former unit to dig his
grave for him, often with the deceased’s own shovel.
Trencher express team taking a shot of
opportunity while their squadmates seize
some much-needed R&R
No Quarter PRIME 83
THEME FORCE
Trencher Units
Trencher Infantry
The men and women of the trencher infantry comprise the
toughened core of the Cygnaran Army’s enlisted soldiers. They
are at the fore of most Cygnaran advances and are expected to
seize enemy ground and then lock it down. Stationed across
sprawling trench lines and hastily dug emplacements, they
endure withering enemy fire while buying time for the rest of
the army to arrive and consolidate their gains.
The standard trencher weapon is a heavy military rifle with an
attached bayonet, supplemented by smoke grenades to obscure
the soldiers’ advance. Armored in hardened leather reinforced
with steel, they are well-protected from the shrapnel of
artillery blasts but rely on improvised fortifications to survive
direct enemy fire. Trenchers march to battle burdened by
heavy packs filled with the rest of their kit, which includes a
bedroll, an entrenching tool, field rations, extra ammunition,
and other supplies.
Trencher infantry represent the majority of the corps and trace
their origins back to the first prisoner conscripts. In the modern
army, they are a well-respected tradition boasting countless
decorated heroes among their ranks—and among the honored
roster of those killed in action. While some entry requirements
have been relaxed in recent years to bolster their numbers,
their grueling training turns every trencher into a resilient and
rugged soldier.
Most trenchers begin service with the infantry or among the
long gunners, and those who distinguish themselves may be
assigned additional training for special duties. Soldiers showing
superior skill with a rifle can seek to qualify as snipers, who
receive high-quality scoped rifles. Trencher infantry units are
supported by grenadiers outfitted with rifle-propelled explosive
grenades designed to break up massed enemy ranks.
Trencher Commandos
Trencher commandos serve as covert operations specialists,
trained to move unseen while closing on the enemy for the
kill. Honed by years of warfare in some of the most brutal
fighting in all of the Iron Kingdoms, these “best of the best”
are singled out for intense special training in a variety of
advanced skills, including infiltration, covert action, and knife
fighting. They are instructed both by senior commandos and
by veteran instructors of the CRS, and standards for joining
the trencher commandos are considerably more stringent than
for the regular infantry, requiring recruits with above-average
stamina, reflexes, and a capacity for ruthless pragmatism.
Adept at studying the terrain and making optimal use of their
surroundings, commandos are trained to be more mission-
focused than inflexibly obedient and are given considerable
operational discretion.
Trencher commandos may be called upon to operate behind
enemy lines and are adept at neutralizing advance threats,
whether that means crawling across a no man’s land to
eliminate enemy sentries or appearing out of nowhere to take
down units in key positions. They can clear even substantial
fortifications with coordinated grenade attacks, wreaking
deadly havoc among artillery batteries, advance command
posts, and other critical positions. At other times a squad may
spend weeks deep in enemy territory, where they disrupt
supply trains, sabotage rail tracks, and generally cause hell with
the enemy’s logistics and morale.
All commandos are trained in the use of knives, carbines,
and grenades as well as powerful scatterguns. On any given
operation, a portion of these soldiers will be outfitted with
these heavy guns, which are particularly useful when attacking
entrenched enemies. In a synchronized effort, the bulk of the
commandos will overrun the position and cut down sentries
up close while the scattergunners fire into concentrations of the
enemy. The blasts of grapeshot are remarkably lethal in such
close confines, leaving few survivors.
Trencher Long Gunners
Cygnar has fielded riflemen as a vital part of its armies since the
Rebellion. The effectiveness of these forces only increased with
the development of advanced repeating long rifles, which rely
on reloadable revolving ammo wheels for a significantly higher
rate of fire. For decades long gunners were one of Cygnar’s two
primary infantry services and fought closely alongside their
counterparts in the trenchers.
Now, however, the days of the long gunners as an independent
infantry force are nearing their end. Since Julius became king,
it was decided that traditional long gunners could benefit from
training alongside trenchers, and newly outfitted long gunner
companies have been established within the Trencher Corps.
Although trencher long gunners receive the usual training in
knife fighting and survival, their kit reflects the added weight
of their primary weapon and its ammunition, and they are
not outfitted with grenades, shovels, and certain other items
of standard trencher gear. As a result, these soldiers sacrifice
some flexibility in order to deliver sustained and concentrated
firepower in battle.
Trencher Helmet
of the Northguard
Gravediggers
 THEME FORCE

MODELS
1 Captain Victoria Haley
Warcaster
PIP 31096

2 Thorn
Light Warjack
PIP 31054

3 Grenadier
Light Warjack
PIP 31044

4 Trencher Infantry
Unit w/ Attachments
PIP 31105

5 Trencher Infantry
Officer & Sniper
Command Attachment
PIP 31047
5

6 Trencher Long Gunners

Unit w/ Attachment
PIP 31133

7 Commander
Solo
Anson Hitch

PIP 31132

8 Trencher
Solo
Warcaster Lieutenant 6

PIP 31134
4
9 Patrol
Solo
Dog
10
PIP 31139

10 Trench
Solo
Buster

PIP 31110

86 No Quarter PRIME
4
4 5
6
6

4
4

6
6

No Quarter PRIME 87
 THEME FORCE
Trencher Support, Artillery
& Special Weapons
While most trenchers serve in one of the primary infantry
roles, many serve in a variety of support roles. This support
includes the trencher’s own combat engineers, who both
maintain any warjacks attached to their platoons and help
coordinate the construction of more involved defensive
structures such as blockhouses.
Light cannons and rapid-firing chain guns contribute heavy
fire support to facilitate the advance of trencher companies
into enemy territory and aid in holding their defensive
emplacements against enemy onslaughts. Chain guns are
operated by crews of two—a gunner who fires the weapon
and an ammo feeder who keeps it well supplied with lead—
while cannons require three-man crews. In a given crew, all
members must be able to perform all roles and frequently
alternate responsibilities. These fire crews work closely together
to position their artillery where ordered, to deliver accurate
firepower where it is most needed, and to prevent the capture or
destruction of these valuable assets.
The vast majority of trenchers are human, but a small number of
patriotic Cygnaran trollkin and ogrun also serve among them.
Increasingly, the army has been developing customized gear
well suited to the unique qualities of these races, allowing them
to better fight in support of their peers.
Ogrun are ideally suited to serve as trench busters, specialists
equipped with heavy armor and weaponry that would quickly
overburden most humans. Akin to mobile armored artillery,
trench busters cover the advance of other trenchers in the field.
Trencher Chain Gun
88 No Quarter PRIME
With shields as heavy as they are broad and grenade launchers
with enough kick to dislocate a human shoulder, these brave
souls cross no man’s land under a hail of gunfire to obscure the
enemy’s view with explosive smoke bombs.
Trollkin have many traits that make them ideal trenchers,
particularly their legendary endurance and resilience to injury.
Human trenchers require extensive conditioning and intense
regular exercise to achieve the level of fitness that trollkin
possess without effort. Being larger and stronger also helps
trollkin bear firearms that would otherwise be unwieldy and
difficult to reposition in the field, such as the cannon-like
rifle employed by the gunner in a trencher express team. This
weapon was originally built to hunt the enormous Raevhan
buffalo and was traditionally fired from a fixed position, but the
trollkin find them no more onerous than a large rifle. To achieve
maximum effectiveness, express team gunners rely on their
spotter partners—specialists trained in gauging winds and
zeroing in on vital targets at a distance.
Not every trencher stands on just two legs. Among the most
appreciated “special weapons” that can be attached to a platoon
is a well-trained patrol dog. These canine soldiers go through
their own rigorous training and assist trencher infantry in
several ways, lending their keen senses and loyalty to a unit.
Highly valued for their alertness, these dogs are also more than
capable of defending their human masters by harrying the
foe and even tearing out an enemy’s throat if need be. Several
breeds have been successfully utilized by the trenchers, with
trainers prioritizing intelligence, responsiveness, awareness of
surroundings, and a calm temperament under pressure.
Major Markus "Siege" Brisbane,
Cygnaran warcaster, and battlegroup
 THEME FORCE

MODELS
1 Colonel Markus “Siege” Brisbane
Warcaster
PIP 31131

2 Triumph
Heavy Warjack
PIP 31083

3 Defender
Heavy Warjack
PIP 31062 4

4 Trencher Infantry
Unit w/ Attachments 7

PIP 31105

5 Trencher Infantry
Officer & Sniper
Command Attachment 7
PIP 31047
7

6 Trencher Chain Gun Crew

Weapon Crew Unit
PIP 31026 4
4

7 Trencher Cannon Crew

Weapon Crew Unit
6

5
PIP 31058 6

8 Patrol Dog
Solo
PIP 31139

9
12

9 Captain Jeremiah Kraye

Warcaster
10

12
PIP 31052

10 Sentinel
Light Warjack
PIP 31088
12 12

11 Minuteman
Light Warjack 12
PIP 31075

12 Rangers
Unit 8
PIP 31046

90 No Quarter PRIME
 4

8
1 1 5

13 Captain Jonas Murdoch

Command Attachment
PIP 31079

17 14
16 14 Trencher
Unit
Commandos

PIP 31064
11

14 14
15 Trencher Commando Officer
Command Attachment
14
PIP 31138

16 Trencher Commando
Scattergunner
12 Weapon Attachment
PIP 31066
13
18 17 Captain
Solo
Maxwell Finn

15
PIP 31040

18 Trencher
Solo
Master Gunner

PIP 31067

No Quarter PRIME 91
 THEME FORCE

HEROES OF THE TRENCHERS

Colonel Markus “Siege” Brisbane

He is the one warcaster trenchers gladly call their own.
Colonel Markus Brisbane is the most decorated and
INTEL: MARKUS BRISBANE
universally respected of Cygnar’s veteran battle mages, Birth Year, Place: 565 AR,Ceryl
a pure soldier through and through. He has never shrunk
from danger or responsibility and has earned a reputation 582 AR w/ the Trencher
Entered Cygnaran
for pragmatism and absolute dedication to the army. Corps, 565th Trencher
Military Service:
Add’l. Rockets Company (Fort Balton)
Superior Officer Lord General Stryker
Rocket-Powered
Promotion History Jump Pack
Brisbane has fought for three different kings, rising
Sergeant 583 AR through the ranks slowly and reluctantly, for he sees
his proper place as being in the muddy trenches
Lieutenant 583 AR
alongside his comrades in arms. Markus Brisbane’s list
Captain 585 AR of accomplishments is lengthy, including breaching the
walls of Sul at the outset of the Caspia-Sul War. In his
Major 597 AR
three decades of service, he has served in all four of
Colonel 609 AR Cygnar’s armies and fought in every quarter of
the realm.

Mechanika Maul
w/ Extended Haft

Siege is one of the only men

to survive a strike from the
Arcantrik Turbine
Butcher of Khardov, a blow
which destroyed Havoc,
his trusty hammer. He
replaced it with a powerful
mechanikal maul equipped
with an extended haft.
After he was attacked by Orsus Zoktavir, Brisbane
became the first casualty in the resumption of
hostilities between Khador and Cygnar in 609
AR, followed by a brief stint as a prisoner of
war. After his rescue, without waiting for his
wounds to heal, Brisbane rejoined King Leto to
fight in the Second Cygnaran Civil War, overseeing Centurion IV Heavy
the artillery batteries in the final Battle at Fharin Warcaster Armor
against the forces of Vinter Raelthorne IV. No sooner
had this war ended than Siege marched north to join
the ongoing fighting against Khador, and it was during
Handle
this conflict that he was promoted to colonel.
Brisbane is his nation’s foremost expert on the application
of force to achieve military objectives, and to such ends
he has employed a number of advanced weapons. Brisbane
is also an undisputed master of erecting formidable
defenses to protect his own forces and, conversely, rapidly
tearing down the fortifications of his enemies.
Siege’s professionalism and his implacability under fire
make him a hero that all soldiers in Cygnar aspire to
emulate. Serving alongside Siege is considered by many
to be the best training that seasoned trenchers can
experience, as his every action and order is a valuable
lesson in how best to dismantle and demolish the foe.

Storage for
Extra Rockets Rocket Turret
The Cygnaran Armory recently worked with Siege in
Armies Served Collapsible legs w/
the fabrication of an experimental piece of remote field
Armored Skirting
artillery, an immobile turret cannon he can control
similarly to the weapons of his warjacks.

92 No Quarter PRIME
HEROES OF THE TRENCHERS

Commander Anson Hitch

As stern and uncompromising a commander as they come
in the Cygnaran Army, Anson Hitch has so thoroughly INTEL: ANSON HITCH
internalized the trencher creed that it might as well be the
Birth Year, Place: 562 AR, Fisherbrook
air he breathes. His ingrained habit of putting everything
on the line and following his conscience has gained him few
Promotion History
578 AR w/ the Trencher Sergeant 581 AR
friends in the halls of power but has earned the respect of Entered Cygnaran
those who share his values.
Corps, 77th Trencher
Military Service: Lieutenant 584 AR
Company (Point Bourne)
Captain 591 AR
Major 599 AR
“You will fight to your last breath, The First Army
The Northern Army Colonel 604 AR
take no prisoners Commander 607 AR

and relinquish no ground.”

Senior Officer
Military Cap — Commander Hitch
From his beginning as a trencher infantryman out of Point
Bourne, Anson Hitch has made a name for himself
in numerous campaigns. A deserved reputation for
belligerence and insubordination has slowed his
rise as an officer, but he eventually earned patrons
among the higher command, most notably the equally
pragmatic and gruff Lord General Olan Duggan, who saw
his personality traits as an asset rather than a detriment.
It was in the service of such superiors that Hitch would
achieve higher ranks and put his mark on the shape of
the Trencher Corps. As a commander in the First Army, he
has earned the
grudging respect
"Regulation of the generals.
Moustache"
Though considered eminently professional and capable,
Hitch is not a likable man. He has a gruff demeanor and
a proven willingness to speak his mind regardless of the
consequences. He always gets results, and he has the
deep admiration of his subordinate officers as well as the
soldiers he leads. As a true trencher, he is always ready to
join his troops in the mud and on the front lines. He does
not tolerate cowardice in his brigade or indecisiveness in
his officers—or in himself. Soldiers under his command
are expected to fight to their last breath and press ever
forward, taking no prisoners and relinquishing no ground.

Service Medals

13th Brigade
of The First Army
Saber

Commander Hitch’s aggressive tactics put his brigade

among those first deployed to major offensive actions in
the north. He was active in the Llaelese War, helped defend
Point Bourne against Khadoran and Cryxian assaults,
and joined in all the major Cygnaran campaigns in the
Thornwood. When the Cygnaran Army advanced against
Khador in Llael, he led the 13th Brigade in support of the
rest of the First during Lord General Stryker’s campaign to
Heavy Pistol liberate Llael.

Hitch is experienced in leading mixed

Regulation Trencher Overcoat
w/ Chainmail Underlayer
forces, but his brigade is comprised almost
entirely of trenchers—proof of the fact
that his corps is an army unto itself. He has
little fondness for the knightly orders of
Cygnar, seeing them as too concerned with
outmoded ideals to grasp the necessities
of war. On multiple occasions Hitch has
found himself at odds with members of the
Cygnaran nobility for reprimanding their
knighted sons and daughters.

No Quarter PRIME 93
 THEME FORCE

HEROES OF THE TRENCHERS

Captain Maxwell Finn

High Ranking Kill Tally
Maxwell Finn is a fearless veteran of countless engagements. The skulls marked on
His scar-riddled skin serves as a reminder that the best Finn’s left shoulder
officers lead from the front. Finn charges forward to seize Hearthblend Brand designate Khadoran
key strategic positions ahead of his troops, and his soldiers Ordic Cigar officers above the
push themselves to emulate his example. rank of kapitan that he
has personally killed.
This includes two kovniks and one
kommander. He is eager to add more.

Promotion History
Corporal 594 AR Mini Slugger
Sergeant 597 AR
Staff Sergeant 600 AR
Northguard
Master Sergeant 604 AR Gravediggers
Lieutenant (skipped)
Captain 605 AR
Bracer

Where Finn fights,

the trenchers follow:
to hell or to glory,
Maxwell Finn joined the trenchers as
whichever comes first. soon as he was able and there was never
any doubt Finn would be a lifer. He was
assigned to Northguard and attached to
Finn earned his officer commission the prestigious 95th Trencher Company,
after the withdrawal from Llael, more widely known as the “Northguard
when several young soldiers Gravediggers,” where he served for
were separated from the nearly a decade before he rose to the
main column after a rank of master sergeant. He further
miscommunication. He distinguished himself fighting with the
personally went to track 95th in key engagements after Khador’s
them down and found invasion of Llael.
the squad taking sniper fire
from a pair of Widowmakers.
With half the unit slain and Brass-and-Canvas
the others under cover, Finn took Ammunition Belt

INTEL: MAXWELL FINN

Birth Year, Place: 578 AR, Point Bourne
594 AR w/ the Trencher
Entered Cygnaran
Corps, 95th Trencher
Military Service:
Company (Northguard)

The fighting at Northguard further

cemented Finn’s reputation among the In one early battle
trenchers as “the toughest bastard alive.” against Khador, Finn
Most of his company were killed in the tore loose an old
matters into his own hands. He detached battle, and he was knocked unconscious fixed-emplacement
his trencher knife from his rifle and stalked and listed among the missing. When he mini-slugger—a
the Widowmakers one after the other, precursor to the
taking a bullet in his shoulder before “the toughest bastard alive” chain gun that was
bringing down the second one. Then he led regained consciousness and realized that too cumbersome to
the survivors the five miles back to their the front had moved south, putting him be carried by most
column, bleeding the entire way. He would behind enemy lines, he wasted no time men—and charged
not allow his wounds to be treated until his in finding the other survivors. The story of forward, spraying the
soldiers were safe. how he and the ragged group of trenchers enemy with bullets.
rejoined the Cygnaran Army at Point Bourne
became the stuff of legend.

94 No Quarter PRIME
HEROES OF THE TRENCHERS
Captain Jonas Murdoch
Dangerous times bring difficult choices. Few in the Cygnaran
Army know that better than Captain Jonas Murdoch. Leading
the fiercest mercenaries available for hire, Captain Murdoch
ensures victory behind enemy lines—at any cost.
Captain Murdoch’s special role served Cygnar well in the
brief period of fighting that followed the nation’s
ill-advised alliance with Khador in 609 AR.
Khador’s fracture of the truce could not
have come at a worse time for Cygnar,
which was still recovering from losses at
Point Bourne and in the Thornwood as
well as the upheaval of a short civil
war and the disaster of dragons
fighting above the Wyrmwall
Mountains. Captain Murdoch’s
Trauma Kit
mercenary forces provided a
critical service in helping bolster the
nation’s defense.
His small army of mercenaries were promised
amounts of coin that Murdoch had no Ass't. Coinage
authority to offer. Many were also promised (For Bribes)
pardons for various crimes, as a number of
the companies under Murdoch were little
better than highwaymen. Were King Leto still on the
throne, Murdoch would likely have been imprisoned on
Bloodshore Island for his disregard of protocol.
INTEL: JONAS MURDOCH
Birth Year, Place: 565 AR, Fellig
583 AR w/ the Trencher
Entered Cygnaran Corps (Commandos),
Military Service: 9th Trencher Company
(Deepwood Tower)
Fortunately for him, the chaos of civil
war and calamity made it easy for his
unconventional actions to go unpunished. A
number of mercenary branches have been
embittered by his bookkeeping methods,
though Murdoch chose carefully who would
get paid and who would not. There are dark
alleyways in Five Fingers and other cities
where Murdoch is wary to walk alone.
Bullet
On one occasion he took a shot to the
head, and his position was captured by the
Khadorans; his superiors quite reasonably
assumed him dead. They learned not to give
up so easily after he escaped from the prison
camp and returned to his company, seemingly
unaffected by the bullet he claims is still
Thatcher
rattling around in his skull.
Trench
Carbine
It is a rare soldier who serves almost thirty years as a
trencher, and this grizzled veteran has earned a deep
respect tinged by fear. Murdoch is legendary both for being
unflappable even in the midst of a firestorm and for his
stubborn refusal to die.
“Gutter”
Customized
(Not Regulation)
Trench Knife
Promotion History
Corporal 584 AR
Sergeant 588 AR
6x Mag. Field Glasses
Staff Sergeant 593 AR
Lieutenant 603 AR
Captain 606 AR
After a lengthy career leading Cygnaran soldiers, Murdoch
was asked by the lord general of the First Army to bolster
Cygnaran numbers by finding veteran mercenaries to be
transformed into irregular fighting forces. These handpicked
teams of sell-swords bring with them an unusual
assortment of skills, honed by Murdoch to carry out the
bloodiest and most dangerous missions.
Despite the disapproval of his superiors,
Murdoch managed to hamstring Khador’s
soldiers time and again, and enemy dead
were often left piled on the sides of roads
through the forest to further erode Khadoran
morale. Murdoch is proud of his reputation
for getting the job done.
No Quarter PRIME 95
 THEME FORCE
Halls of Honor
Several highly decorated trenchers have become legendary for their deeds. These outstanding
Cygnaran warriors are often pointed to by training sergeants as examples of what all recruits
should strive to emulate.
Sgt. Sera “Glory” Holloway
Sergeant Holloway is a decorated sniper of the 94th Trencher
Company, 58th Battalion. As a corporal she fought at the battle of
Merywyn and distinguished herself as a counter-sniper, battling
with and defeating Widowmaker marksmen on two separate
occasions to earn the rank of sergeant. She is credited with two
hundred kills, including no less than fifteen Widowmakers.
At the Battle of Northguard, as Cygnaran forces withdrew from
the battlefield, Holloway remained after her unit fell back to the
muster point to watch over the 95th Northguard Gravediggers.
She downed Khadoran officers as well as numerous assault
kommandos armed with flamethrowers. Her efforts prevented
the kommandos from flushing the 95th out of their positions
long enough for medical teams to evacuate the majority of
injured soldiers.
SUPERIOR DEFENSE MARKSMAN
Khur Firebreak
Though he began as a private in a supply unit, the ogrun who
would be known as Khur Firebreak distinguished himself
during the early days of the trenchers. During a border clash
involving an incursion of Protectorate forces, his platoon was
nearly wiped out and faced an assault by hundreds of angry
zealots. Rather than retreating, Khur rushed toward the enemy
hauling a wagon filled with ordnance, shouting invectives
against the Sul-Menite faith. He was able to bring his payload
into the heart of the Protectorate lines despite having been
hit by multiple firebombs. When the ordnance he carried
exploded, it wiped out nearly two-thirds of the enemy’s
infantry. Khur was posthumously awarded the Star of Valor.
96 No Quarter PRIME
Lt. Darbin Hathcock
Darbin Hathcock and his platoon of trenchers hold the
distinction of being the first soldiers to land on Cryxian soil
during the Cygnaran retaliation to the Scharde Invasions.
Despite coming under heavy fire from massed helljacks and
bile thralls, Lt. Hathcock’s platoon and his trenchers were able
to establish a strong beachhead on the hellish Scarba Island and
held their position against waves of mechanithralls and worse.
Thanks to the covering fire Hathcock’s platoon provided, Cygnar
seized the island and used it as a staging point for subsequent
operations against Blackrock. Hathcock was severely injured
early in the landing, but he was taken off the field only when his
superiors finally realized he was delirious from fever. Hathcock
returned to battle as soon as his fever broke and participated in
the final push against the necrofactoriums on Blackrock.
JOINT SERVICE COMMENDATION
Lt. William Raddick
Lt. William Raddick has a storied career with the 87th Trencher
Company out of Point Bourne. As a commando, Raddick
operated extensively in the southern Thornwood Forest during
its occupation by the Khadorans after the fall of Northguard.
He and his platoon eradicated numerous resupply points in the
forest, leaving Winter Guard at the north bank of the Dragon’s
Tongue River choked off from supplies. He is best known for
leading a successful covert operation early in 608 AR against
Khadoran Fort Two, also called “Karchev’s Rest.” Raddick’s
commandos annihilated the crew of fifteen mortars and ten
field guns. His team then joined with the warcaster Captain
Kara Sloan to obliterate the fortress before it could be completed.
Notable Affiliates,
Past & Present
There are a number of well-known warcasters who began their
careers as trenchers or who are otherwise affiliated with the
corps. Included among these famous and powerful individuals
are some who have since left the Cygnaran Army—or left Cygnar
entirely, adding their might to rival factions. Nonetheless,
these warcasters have been strongly marked, and in some cases
defined, by their time fighting alongside the trenchers. While
Markus “Siege” Brisbane may be the most celebrated warcaster
linked to the corps, several others are worthy of note.
Jeremiah Kraye
Captain Jeremiah Kraye is the most
prominent warcaster who openly
serves the Cygnaran Reconnaissance
Service. Though not a trencher, he
is part of a longstanding tradition
of cooperation and mutual service
between CRS rangers and the Trencher
Corps. Trenchers frequently serve as the
primary manpower in larger CRS efforts, and
there are longstanding training operations with the rangers
and commandos in particular. While scouting and securing
Cygnar’s borders, Captain Kraye has been closely involved in
countless covert missions in which trenchers have played a key
role. He has developed close ties to veteran trencher commando
officers, particularly among the First and Second Armies.
Victoria Haley
Among Cygnar’s greatest arcane
powerhouses, Victoria Haley has
made no secret of her preference for
trenchers over soldiers from other
Cygnaran service branches. Their
tactics, training, and battle doctrines
have proved to be perfectly suited
to Haley’s partiality for rapid and
aggressive deployments. The evolution of
the warcaster’s powers that earned her the arcane rank of
“prime” enables her to literally be in multiple places at once.
Augmented by her powerful spells that can manipulate time
itself, her chosen trenchers reach a pinnacle of effectiveness
well beyond what they could accomplish on their own, either
protected from retaliation by a temporal bubble or accelerated to
augment their killing effectiveness.
The Lady of Deepwood
The Lady of Deepwood is a cannon that has earned fame and even
a certain reverence among the trenchers. This storied piece of field
artillery has served Cygnar longer than the trenchers themselves,
having initially taken the field at the end of the First Thornwood War.
At the founding of the corps, a number of cannons were added to
the trenchers’ arsenal as close-support artillery. The Lady was one
of these, and she was deployed in countless border skirmishes out
of Deepwood Tower before the fall of that fort in the spring of 605
AR. She has been retrofitted and refurbished so extensively that no
remaining piece of the cannon is original, but to the trenchers The
Lady retains the reputation—and impressive number of kills—she
has earned over a nearly hundred-year span.
Asheth Magnus
Asheth Magnus has rejoined the
military after a lengthy period of being
branded a traitor and enemy of the
state. Before becoming involved on
the wrong side of the Lion’s Coup and,
fourteen years later, helping to place
King Julius on the throne, Magnus was
a member of “The King’s Own,” the 23rd
Assault Recon Company—an elite mixed force
predominantly composed of trencher infantry and commandos
serving King Vinter IV. These trenchers were involved in brutal
attacks behind enemy lines inside Khador. Magnus is a brilliant
strategist known for unconventional tactics that have become the
hallmark of Cygnar’s trencher commandos. He still prefers to
rely on trenchers and also retains extensive mercenary contacts.
As a good number of veteran trenchers fought against Magnus
during his mercenary period, often losing friends to him, he
remains a controversial figure among the corps.
Gunnbjorn
Captain Gunnbjorn is the most
prominent trollkin to have ever served
as a trencher. While Gunnbjorn
is technically a deserter from the
Cygnaran Army, the military has not
had much success enforcing penalties
on this formidable warlock. He is now
firmly affiliated with the United Kriels
and has brought what he learned of military
organization and discipline to their armed forces. Gunnbjorn
left Cygnar after being ordered to take punitive actions against
his own people, though it is said he still has friends in blue,
most notably Jeremiah Kraye.
No Quarter PRIME 97
 THEME FORCE

Companies of Renown
While every trencher company thinks itself a legend and is proud of its stories, some few are
known across western Immoren. Several of these companies are considered among the best
of the best, with favored standing among the commanding officers.

“Without a Trace” “Penance through Pain” “Against All Odds”

The Ghost Dogs The Caspian Jailbirds The Furious First

15th Trencher Company,
18th Infantry Battalion
The trenchers of the 15th are a
distinguished group of soldiers
garrisoned at Fellig. For nearly three
years Fellig was cut off from the rest of
Cygnar while the Khadorans held the
Thornwood, forcing the Ghost Dogs to
stretch their supplies and personnel to
the limit in numerous stealthy nighttime
raids and hit-and-run engagements.
87th Trencher Company,
12th Infantry Battalion
The men and women of the 87th hold to
one of the earliest traditions of the corps:
with few exceptions, they are all penal
conscripts. Many of them had served as
trenchers in other companies and were
given the option to either join the 87th or
do a tour behind bars.
1st Trencher Company,
35th Infantry Battalion
The 1st Trencher Company has a long
and storied past, having been attached
to more than one army over the decades.
Now a part of the 35th Infantry Battalion
stationed at Westwatch, they help protect
Cygnar’s vulnerable coast from Cryxian
and pirate landings. The Furious First
often supports the marines of the Third
Fleet and receives cross-training to serve
aboard landing vessels striking at the
islands of the Broken Coast.

98 No Quarter PRIME
 “Now You See Me” “Dug In to Stay” “Last and First”

The Blackwatch The Northguard The Dead-Set

113th Trencher Company, Gravediggers 22nd Trencher Company,
6th Infantry Battalion 15th Infantry Battalion
95th Trencher Company,
The 113th is a distinguished company of 58th Infantry Battalion Stationed at Fort Falk, the 22nd holds
trenchers from Corvis that has fought in the distinction of being in one of the last
The 95th Trencher Company serves
repeated engagements against Cryx deep battalions to be driven from Llael by the
on the front line of Cygnar’s northern
in the Thornwood. Due to the rugged Khadoran Invasion and the first to hold
theater and boasts the longest and most
terrain they protect, they train closely ground in Occupied Llael following the
storied history of battle against Khador
with the CRS, with many having served most recent battle at Riversmet. It has
among the entire corps. Serving with the
as rangers prior to joining. Members become a common tradition of the Dead-
Gravediggers is a point of intense pride,
of the Blackwatch have sworn never Set to carry mementos of their fallen
and they are the example against which
to withdraw from the enemy if non- Llaelese allies in battle as reminders of
all other trenchers must be measured.
combatants are in peril. the sacrifices of the kingdom’s defenders
against the Khadoran menace.

No Quarter PRIME 99
 THEME FORCE

painting TRENCHERS
pauldrons Leather
SWATCH KEY b: Cygnar Blue Base s: battlefield brown

B: Base s: Exile Blue s: umbral umber

S: Shade h: Cygnar Blue Highlight b: hammerfall khaki

h: highlight
Armor
steel
b: Rhulic gold
b: pig iron
s: umbral umber
s: armor wash
h: solid gold
h: cold steel

Trench Coat britches

b: bootstrap leather b: blood tracker brown
s: brown ink + thamar black s: umbral umber
h: beast hide h: bootstrap leather

boots arm/leg wraps

INFANTRY
b: ironhull grey b: hammerfall khaki
s: thamar black s: battlefield brown
h: bastion grey h: jack bone

Skin tone VARIANTS TRENCHER COMMANDOS

Add character and realism to your units by painting different models in a unit Elite soldiers who specialize in covert operations, trencher commandos are
with variety of skin tones. Use photo reference and experiment to create a outfitted in different colors from other trenchers to reflect their status and need
unique unit for your force. for stealth. They feature a more muted palette.

FAIR skin WARM skin dark skin Armor Trench Coat britches
b: midlund FLESH + b: midlund flesh b: idrian flesh B: brass balls b: bastion grey b: bootstrap leather
Ryn flesh
s: kossite flesh wash s: umbral umber S: molten bronze s: ironhull grey s: brown ink +
s: caspian flesh wash thamar black
h: ryn flesh h: khardic flesh H: radiant platinum h: trollblood highlight
h: ryn flesh h: beast hide

STUBBLE
Add five-o'clock shadow to your
BATTLE Scars
mini by mixing Midlund Flesh Many models have wicked
and Bastion Grey with water. scars to reflect their rough
Apply in multiple thin coats on nature. Thin Red Ink with water
the chin, jaw, and upper lip. To in a 1:5 ratio and lightly glaze
create a more dramatic stubble the scar area after the skin is
effect, mix Thornwood Green fully painted. This will give your
and Midlund Flesh and glaze in models the battle hardened
the deepest recesses. look of a veteran.

100 No Quarter PRIME

COMPANIES OF RENOWN

The ghost dogs The furious first

Armor: Pig iron + thamar black Armor: molten bronze
pauldron: cryx bane base pauldron: khador red base
leather: battlefield brown trench coat: exile blue

The blackwatch The northguard

Armor: Brass balls
camo LIGHT: traitor green
camo DARK: thornwood green
leather: bootstrap leather
gravediggers
Armor: cold steel
pauldron: cygnar blue base
leather: bastion grey
trench coat: ironhull grey

The caspian jailbirds The dead-set

Armor: Pig iron Armor: brass balls
pauldron: pauldron: grave digger denim
khador red highlight + Underbelly blue
trench Coat: grave digger denim trench coat: exile blue
pants: exile blue

STRUCTURES

Mud and Grime

To add drama and the sense of
use to your models, Mix and equal
amount of Battlefield Brown and
Exile Blue together with lots of
water. Glaze this onto the low
areas of structures or coats of your
miniatures. Increase the effect
by doing an additional pass with
thin Umbral Umber. Additionally,
try some Thornwood Green on
concrete to add some moss on
buildings and structures.

No Quarter PRIME 101

 THEME FORCE

TRENCHER WEAPONS
& EQUIPMENT
Trenchers have always relied on simple,
rugged gear that can be produced
quickly and inexpensively, in contrast to
the highly specialized and complicated
equipment employed by groups such as
the Storm Knights or Arcane Tempest
gun mages. The quality of a trencher’s
basic kit is solid, typically drawing upon
uncomplicated but proven principles, and
some aspects of trenchers’ gear have not
changed since the corps began.
Because trenchers and their gear must
be able to endure extreme conditions
for prolonged periods, durability is
valued above any other quality. Rifles
preferred by most trenchers are those
with similarly proven reliability, and
they would rather stick with a well-
worn but familiar rifle than “upgrade”
to one whose qualities are untested by
time. A weapon unable to function after
spending days or weeks in the mud,
rain, or sleet is useless to the Trencher
Corps, as are those that require frequent
or intensive maintenance. This sort of
prioritization can be found in every
category of the gear preferred by the
trenchers, although several weapon
innovations have been adopted, if
reluctantly, when those technologies
have proven themselves quickly.

Trench Knife

Bedroll

Deck of cards

Rope

Mess Kit

Ammunition

Letters from
Mom Entrenching
Shovel

Canteen

Smoke Grenade

Armor & Battle Dress
The armor adapted by the trenchers is an evolved compromise
between protection, ease of movement, and the need to live
inside the armor continuously for long stretches of time.
Trenchers wear their heaviest armor on the upper portions of
their bodies, as those areas are most vulnerable to enemy fire
while entrenched. This protection includes a heavy helmet,
layered shoulder armor, breastplate, and armguards. The
trencher’s lower body is more lightly armored, with metal
knee plates and a skirt of chain built into a heavily padded
greatcoat—more important for the warmth it provides in cold,
wet weather than for its negligible protection from firearms. The
thick hood worn beneath the helmet can be buckled to shield
the soldier’s face in these same conditions.

102 No Quarter PRIME

Personal
Equipment
Each trencher carries a fifty-pound
pack intended to make the soldier as
self-sufficient as possible in the field.
The standard loadout includes tinned Bannfield Model 603 Service Rifle

rations and hardtack, water, a mess kit,

bedroll, oilcloth, ammunition, and an
entrenching shovel. The shovel is used
to create earthworks, to dig graves and
latrines, and as a backup melee weapon.
Many trenchers sharpen the edge of
their shovel to make it deadlier.

Bannfield Model 603 Bannfield Model 603SV Sniper Variant

Service Rifle
Prior to the development of the Bannfield
Model 603, trenchers used a variety of
heavyweight rifles made by different
Cygnaran gunwerks under contract with
the Cygnaran Armory. Now, however,
nearly every trencher carries a Bannfield.
Named for one of the most respected
gunsmiths at the Cygnaran Armory, the Bannfield Model 603 with Grenade
Bannfield line of firearms is primarily
manufactured by the Armory itself,
but several outside contractors produce
smaller numbers to meet military
demands and expedite outfitting far-
flung garrisons like Northguard, Fort
Balton, and Westwatch.
As the main battle rifle of the trencher
corps must be utilitarian, the Bannfield is a Bannfield Model 607LG Repeating Rifle
proven reliable piece of military hardware.
The basic configuration was fixed for
decades, with only minor modifications
made over time to refine the design.
Firing a .30 caliber rifle cartridge, this rifle
balances range and stopping power. While
it lacks the range or ammunition capacity
of the repeating rifle, it can weather
extended campaigns in unfavorable
conditions and endure seemingly endless
cycles of firing and reloading without Bannfield Model 515 Smoothbore
jamming. Other rifles evaluated for this
role suffered an unacceptable rate of
mechanical failures as mud and grit stuck

Raevhan Express

No Quarter PRIME 103

 THEME FORCE
their forgelocks or fouled their barrels. The weapon is thicker
and heavier than the military rifles of other nations, which helps
it stand up against the abuses common in the trenches, such as
being employed as an improvised club.
A locking ring on the underside of the barrel crown is designed
to accommodate the standard-issue trench knife. Trenchers
were never outfitted with swords, considered too bulky and
cumbersome when crawling through tight spaces, and over
time trenchers have come to take pride in their versatile trench
knives. Attached to a rifle, these blades have the reach of a
spear and can deliver a powerful impact on the charge. In close
quarters the knife can be removed and wielded by hand, and
most veteran trenchers become quite skilled as knife-fighters.
The trench knife is also a vital multipurpose tool, deemed as
useful for a wide variety of tasks as the ubiquitous shovel.
Bannfield Model 603SV Sniper Variant
The Bannfield Model 603SV is the sniper variant of the standard
rifle and is issued to trencher sharpshooters after they pass
advanced marksmanship testing. The sniper variant is machined
to more exacting specifications, has a longer barrel, and replaces
the standard open sights with a long eye relief scope.
Bannfield Model 603C
Manufactured in Ceryl under the supervision of Master
Alchemist Lyesse Pylus, the 603C is considered by some soldiers
to be superior to the standard-issue 603. Its supporters point to
the model’s improved breech lock, which they claim allows for
faster and smoother reloads. Having been produced in limited
quantity, the 603C is highly prized by those who have managed
to acquire one.
Bannfield Model 607LG
Repeating Rifle
Created for trencher long gunners, the 607LG features a rotating
ammunition wheel integrated with the rugged Bannfield
aesthetic. While it is not as reliable as the 603, trenchers insist
the 607LG is faster to reload and more durable than the long
rifles employed by their non-trencher counterparts.
Thatcher Trench Carbine
Thatcher Trench Carbines are shorter overall than the Bannfield
rifles and are the standard-issue weapon of the trencher
commando corps. They are also issued to trenchers in some
support roles, such as combat engineers and supply teams,
where a standard rifle would be cumbersome.
The Thatcher has a compact ammo wheel with a
five-round capacity, useful for prolonged firefights
and quick actions where reloading during combat
is unrealistic. Despite its shorter barrel, it boasts a
respectable effective range, sacrificing only some of its
accuracy at longer distances. The carbine uses the same
cartridge as the Bannfield rifle, allowing ammunition to
be shared between infantry and commando units.
104 No Quarter PRIME
Smoke Grenades
The smoke grenades used by trenchers are simple devices that
contain a pair of normally inert alchemical substances which,
when mixed, produce a heavy volume of obscuring haze to
cover advances on the enemy. Trencher infantry are issued three
smoke grenades as part of their standard equipment. Sergeants
and officers often carry colored smoke grenades as well, which
can be used to signal other units and mark priority targets.
Trencher smoke grenades are an adaptation of the earliest
gobber-produced smoke pots. Earlier models called hazers
were too large to be thrown and would be activated at trencher
forward positions when prevailing winds favored an assault on
the enemy. Gobbers are still an important part of smoke grenade
production in Cygnaran armories thanks to their familiarity
with the techniques required to create the volume and density
of smoke demanded by the trencher corps.
Rifle Grenades
Used as a support weapon by infantry squads, rifle grenades
have a longer effective range than their thrown counterparts.
Developed by demolition engineers, rifle grenades use fine-
grain blasting powder for their explosive payload. A receiver
locked to the end of a Bannfield rifle barrel holds the grenade,
which is propelled with a standard rifle cartridge. When fired,
the cartridge impacts a primer on the base of the grenade to
ignite its propellant, launching the projectile. Most grenades
are anti-personnel fragmentation devices, though the Cygnaran
Armory has also experimented with other payloads such as
incendiary and smoke, with mixed results.
Scatterguns
Issued in limited numbers primarily to trencher commando
units, scatterguns are effective in clearing the enemy’s advance
positions. These weapons fire a payload of grapeshot, the same
ammunition used to clear the decks of naval vessels. Trencher
scatterguns are open choke, causing a wide dispersal of shot
but limiting the effective range to approximately twenty yards.
Several different models of scattergun are in circulation, but the
most widely used is the Bannfield Model 515 Smoothbore made
by the Cygnaran Armory.
Cinder Bomber

Artillery &
Support Weapons
Trenchers employ numerous types
of artillery and heavy squad-support
weapons. One of the most extensively
used is the chain gun, a multi-barreled,
belt-fed, portable support weapon. A
two-person crew operates the chain
gun, each capable of alternating roles—a
gunner who aims and fires the weapon
and a loader who supplies ammo and
manages the feed. The chain gun is
used to suppress enemy infantry and
lay down covering fire in support of an
infantry advance.
To provide fire support for advancing
trencher forces and to attack hard
targets like warjacks and fixed positions,
trenchers employ a powerful breech-
loading cannon. This field cannon is
usually hauled to the front by a draft
horse or a ’jack, but it can be broken down
and hauled manually by a three-person
team when necessary. Trencher cannons
have rifled barrels and fire shaped
projectiles to increase both accuracy and
power at longer range, making them
superior to traditional smoothbore naval
cannons firing round shot.
The corps also uses several other portable
support weapons, most famously the
heavy cinder bomber and the Raevhan
Express rifle. Both are too large to be
easily carried by most human trenchers
and are therefore more often seen in the
hands of trollkin and ogrun soldiers. The
cinder bomber is an indirect-fire weapon
that launches incendiary shells to burn
Breech-loading Cannon
Warjacks
Most trencher companies are allocated two
to four light warjacks or, less commonly,
a single heavy warjack. The light ’jacks
most often deployed with trenchers are
Chargers, Grenadiers, and Sentinels; the
most common heavies are Defenders and
Cyclones. Grenadiers were specifically
designed to be deployed with trencher
squads, equipped with a reloading
mechanism that benefits from trained
infantry assistance. Some trenchers
consider such warjacks almost as full
members of their company, giving them
nicknames based on their personalities.
A company’s captain, as well as the chief
defenders out of fortified positions and
leave behind obscuring clouds of smoke.
engineer and certain skilled lieutenants
The Raevhan Express is a break-action
and squad sergeants, will learn to
marshal the company’s warjacks. There
double-barreled rifle adapted from the
is always the looming possibility that
heavy rifles used to hunt the enormous
the company ’jacks suddenly needed
Raevhan buffalo, and its immense caliber
elsewhere might be reissued to warcasters
makes it extremely unwieldy in human
in the field. The loss of a warjack is taken
hands. From the beginning, trencher
nearly as gravely as the loss of a fellow
recruiters searched for trollkin with
soldier, however, and callous or careless
proven marksmanship aptitude to handle
warcasters may find themselves at odds
these guns, taking advantage of their
with trencher companies whose warjacks
strength and endurance. As an added
they have “casually thrown away.”
benefit, a trollkin’s natural regenerative
abilities mitigate potential damage
caused by the weapon’s punishing recoil,
which can quickly cripple a human
operator on repeated firing.
Trencher reloading
a Grenadier warjack
No Quarter PRIME 105
 THEME FORCE

Company of iron

Dallas Kemp's Filthy Five face off against James Arbuthnot's

Grave Makers in a training exercise at a wilderness fort
New Trencher Models
Requisition Costs Solos Requisition
This table gives the requisition costs of the new Trencher Commander Anson Hitch 0
models useable in Company of Iron games. The cost for units
Patrol Dog -1
with a minimum strength and a maximum strength is divided
by a slash, with the first number corresponding to minimum Units Requisition
cost of the unit and the second number corresponding to the
Trencher Combat Engineers 0
maximum cost.
Trencher Express Team -1
Tables for all Factions are updated as new models are released
and can be found at privateerpress.com/rules. Trencher Long Gunners -1/-2

Attachments Requisition
Trencher Commando Officer -1

Trencher Long Gunner Officer 0

106 No Quarter PRIME

game rules
State of War: Trenchers
Trenchers fight anywhere Cygnar requires them to, but in short
order the battlefields they occupy become shell-cratered arenas
of churned mud and choking clouds of powder smoke. The no
man’s land between trencher earthworks and enemy lines is often
filled with tangled nests of barbed wire, ruined structures, hulls
of destroyed warjacks, and wounded soldiers screaming for aid.
For those ready to test their mettle, the terrain features described
in this section provide a variety of highly thematic terrain
options to use in any game of WARMACHINE and HORDES
set on a bitterly contested battlefield. The scenarios found on
pages  108–110 indicate the exact quantity of thematic terrain
to use for each scenario. When not using one of these scenarios,
discuss with your opponent how many pieces of thematic terrain
you wish to add to your table.
Tent
While on the march and before a trench network can be established,
trenchers often bivouac in simple oilcloth tents. While these tents
are lightweight and do little to keep out the elements, they are
better than sleeping in the open amid the rain and mud.
Effect/Rules: A Tent terrain feature is an obstacle that grants
concealment and should be no larger than 2˝ × 2˝. If a medium-
based or larger model contacts a Tent, immediately remove the
Tent from the table. Three tents count as one terrain feature when
placing terrain, and tents should be placed within 5˝ of each other.
Barbed Wire
Trencher combat engineers string miles of barbed wire to
maintain control of the battlefield. Barbed wire effectively slows
down enemy infantry and funnels them into the kill zones of
cannons and chain guns.
Effect/Rules: A Barbed Wire terrain feature is rough terrain
and should be no larger than 4˝ × 0.75˝ (standard wall template
size). Barbed Wire provides concealment as if it were an obstacle.
When a model enters or ends its activation within Barbed Wire, it
suffers 1 damage point.
Wandering Mist
Many trencher battles occur in foggy conditions or on battlefields
choked by rolling clouds of blasting powder smoke. Caught by
the winds, such clouds roll across the battlefield and make it
almost impossible to spot the enemy until they are upon you.
Effect/Rules: A Wandering Mist terrain feature is a cloud effect
represented by a 3˝, 4˝, or 5˝ AOE template. Starting at the end of
the second player's first turn, at the end of each player’s turn roll
a d6 for each Wandering Mist terrain feature in play. On a roll of
1 or 2, the Wandering Mist is caught by the wind and deviates d6˝
in a direction determined by the deviation template. Direction 4
on the deviation template should point toward the rear edge of
the active player’s deployment zone.
Crumbling Building
In urban areas, constant cannon and mortar fire reduces many
buildings to precarious heaps of bricks on the verge of collapse.
Caution must be taken around such buildings, as a single errant
rocket or grenade can be enough to make them collapse.
Effect/Rules: A Crumbling Building terrain feature is an
obstruction and should be no larger than 5˝ ×  5˝. A Crumbling
Building has DEF 5, ARM 16, and 30 damage boxes and can be
targeted, attacked, and damaged as if it were a huge-based model.
Continuous effects on a Crumbling Building do not expire and
are resolved during each player’s Maintenance Phase. When the
last damage box is marked, the building collapses and models
within 3˝ of it are knocked down. After a Crumbling Building
collapses, replace it with a rubble terrain feature.
Deep Mud
Huge warjacks, marching infantry, and artillery bombardment can
quickly turn a battlefield into a morass of sucking mud. Soldiers
can move through it with some difficulty, but heavier warjacks and
warbeasts can become stuck in and rendered barely mobile.
Effect/Rules: A Deep Mud terrain feature is rough terrain and
should be no larger than 3˝ × 3˝. Deep Mud provides concealment
to small-based models completely within it. When a medium-
or large-based warjack or warbeast begins its activation within
Deep Mud, the active player rolls a d6. On a roll of 1, the model
suffers –4 SPD and cannot run or charge for one round.
´Jack Trap
Warjacks and warbeasts are not as mobile as infantry. To prevent
them from overrunning vital points on the battlefield, modern
armies employ “’jack traps”—typically crossed timbers, cement
blocks, or other bulky structures designed to stop warjacks,
warbeasts, and other large attackers in their tracks. Built of heavy
and durable materials, ’jack traps can be negotiated by infantry
with relative ease but impede the progress of anything larger.
Effect/Rules: A ´Jack Trap terrain feature is difficult terrain and
should be no larger than 3˝ × 3˝. Non-small-based models without
Ghostly, Flight , or Incorporeal cannot enter a ´Jack Trap.
Small-based models treat ´Jack Traps as rubble terrain features.
Trencher Scenarios
The men and women of the Trencher Corps operate in many
different theaters of war. Since their inception, they have
served as the preferred Cygnaran vanguard. Holding crucial
ground against a litany of different foes with no guarantee of
reinforcement or resupply, these brave soldiers fight and die
to maintain the safety of Cygnar and the kingdom’s allies. No
matter the terrain or territory, trenchers pave the way to victory
for their brothers and sisters in arms. Without these soldiers,
unflinching and tough as nails, Cygnar would surely crumble in
the face of its many foes.
On the following pages are three exciting narrative scenarios
that allow players to experience the cold reality of trench warfare
across several different battlefields in Western Immoren.
No Quarter PRIME 107
Trencher Scenario 1
COASTAL ASSAULT
The Grenadier started firing from the landing boat even before it reached
the shore. Each blast rocked the craft, and its dozen other inhabitants
had to grip the gunwales to avoid being pitched into the sea. Sergeant
Allek MacNab chomped on his cigar and yanked the pin back on his
rifle to ready the weapon. When the shore thumped against the timbers
beneath him, he bellowed for his men to take the beach.
Trenchers spilled over the sides, rushing through the surf onto the sickly
looking Cryxian beach. A line of bloated thralls on a distant escarpment
opened fire, spraying thick streams of steaming bile in their direction.
A few men were hit, but the rest made for cover wherever they could
amid the tide pools and black rocks scattered on the beach. Some of the
trenchers immediately pulled out their shovels and got to work.
“We’ll have this place ready for the knights in no time,” Sergeant
MacNab said as he put a bullet in a thrall’s skull.
Gameplay Overview
One player is the Attacker, who must secure a foothold in enemy
territory. The other player is the Defender, who must hold off the
attacking army until reinforcements arrive.
Setup
This scenario features two distinct areas of the table: the Beachhead
and the Escarpment. The Beachhead is the half of the table the
Attacker deploys on. The Escarpment is the half of the table the
Defender deploys on and is treated as a 1˝-tall hill, in addition to
any rules associated with terrain features completely within it.
Place eight pieces of terrain on the Beachhead, chosen from
the following types: Barbed Wire, Deep Mud, and ´Jack Traps.
Place eight pieces of terrain on the Escarpment, chosen from
the following types: Obstructions, Barbed Wire, Trenches,
Crumbling Buildings, Forests, or Rubble. No terrain feature can
be within 3˝ of another non-trench terrain feature.
After placing terrain, the Defender places two 40  mm flags not
within 18˝ of their own table edge, not within 12˝ of each other,
and not within 10˝ of either side table edge.
by Will Pagani
Army Composition
Both players build 75-point armies. The Attacker’s army list
cannot include structures.
Deployment
The Attacker is the first player and has a 10˝ deployment zone.
The Attacker’s models lose Ambush, Distant Deployment, and
Advance Deployment.
The Defender is the second player and has a 16˝ deployment zone.
Special Rules
Bombardment: Starting on the Defender’s second turn, artillery
begins to bombard the battlefield. During each of the Defender’s
Maintenance Phases, the Defender player chooses a point
anywhere on the table for the bombardment to deviate from.
The bombardment deviates 2d6˝ from the chosen point in a
direction determined by the deviation template. Direction 4 on
the deviation template should point toward the rear edge of the
Defender’s deployment zone. Center a 3˝ AOE on the point of
impact. Models in the AOE are hit and suffer a POW 10 ranged
attack blast damage roll. The AOE is rough terrain and remains
in play for one round.
Victory Conditions
The Attacker wins if they control one of the Defender’s flags. A
player controls a flag if they control a model B2B with the flag at
the end of their turn and no enemy model is within 4˝ of it.
The Defender wins at the end of round 7.
Additionally, a player wins if the opponent’s warcaster or warlock
is destroyed or removed from play.
Trencher Scenario 2
TRENCHES AT NORTHGUARD
Khadoran rockets shrieked down, blasting huge rents in the parapet of
the trench. A few trenchers managed to dive clear before the explosions,
but many others were too slow to respond. Ears ringing, vision
swimming, trencher lieutenant Carton Adwinn picked himself up from
the duckboards lining the trench.
“Sir!” a nearby trencher cried, standing over a bloodied corpse wearing
a rucksack full of coal. “That blast killed our ’jack stoker!”
Adwinn swore under his breath. He’d been trying for over an hour to get
a load of coal into the platoon’s inert Cyclone, stranded in no man’s land
ahead of the front line trench. If he could get it up and fighting again,
maybe—maybe—one of the warcasters fighting closer to Northguard
would detect its cortex and feel the warjack’s distress before the entire red
army came into his trench for a visit. Shouting to be heard over the next
incoming volley, he called back to the trencher, “Then pick up his pack
and get over the top, private! We don’t have all day!”
Gameplay Overview
One player is the Attacker, and the other is the Defender. The
Defender’s forces are attempting to reactivate a warjack in hopes
of alerting a warcaster that they are in need of aid, while the
Attacker attempts to break the line before reinforcements can
arrive. At the same time, both sides are fighting for control of the
battlefield’s complex system of trenchworks.
Setup
Place a 50 mm base centered 20˝ from the Defender’s table edge
and 24˝ from both side edges. This marker represents the Inert
Warjack and is an obstruction.
Starting with the Defender, players alternate placing six trench
templates each. Players must place their trench templates within
14˝ of their own table edge but not within 9˝ of that edge.
Players then alternate placing three pieces of terrain each,
using only Barbed Wire, Deep Mud, or Wandering Mist terrain
features. These terrain features cannot be placed within 16˝ of
either player’s table edge. No non-trench terrain feature can be
within 3˝ of any other non-trench terrain feature or the Inert
Warjack marker.
Army Composition
The Attacker player builds a 50-point army as normal. The
Defender player builds a 75-point army as normal.
by Will Pagani
Deployment
The Attacker is the first player and deploys normally.
The Defender is the second player and deploys only non-
battlegroup models. The Defender’s battlegroup will enter play
via the Through the Eyes of the Fallen special rule as described
below.
Special Rules
Familiar Ground: Each player begins the game in control of the
trenches they placed during terrain setup. A player takes control
of a trench when they have a friendly model completely within
the trench at the end of a their turn and their opponent has no
models within the trench.
Reignite the Boiler!: After the first turn, any Defender warrior
model B2B with the Inert Warjack marker can forfeit its action
to attempt to reignite the warjack’s boiler. If it does, add a Spark
token to the Inert Warjack.
Through the Eyes of the Fallen: At the beginning of the
Defender’s Control Phase, if the Inert Warjack has any Spark
tokens, the Defender player rolls a die. If the result is lower than
the number of Spark tokens on the Inert Warjack, the Defender’s
warcaster or warlock senses the warjack’s reactivated cortex.
Place the Defender’s battlegroup in play completely within 18˝
of the Defender’s table edge and completely within 5˝ of a side
table edge.
Bombardment: Starting on the Attacker’s second turn, artillery
begins to bombard the battlefield. During each of the Attacker’s
Maintenance Phases, the Attacker player chooses a point
anywhere on the table for the bombardment to deviate from.
The bombardment deviates 2d6˝ from the chosen point in a
direction determined by the deviation template. Direction 4 on
the deviation template should point toward the rear edge of the
Attacker’s deployment zone. Center a 3˝ AOE on the point of
impact. Models in the AOE are hit and suffer a POW 10 ranged
attack blast damage roll. The AOE is rough terrain and remains
in play for one round.
Victory Conditions
A player wins if the opponent no longer controls any of the trench
templates placed by the opponent during setup.
The Attacker wins if the Defender’s warcaster or warlock is not
on the table at the end of round 5.
After round 7, the Defender wins if the Attacker controls fewer
than four of the Defender’s trenches.
Additionally, a player wins if they control the only remaining
models in play or if the opponent’s warcaster or warlock is
destroyed or removed from play.
No Quarter PRIME 109
Trencher Scenario 3
URBAN AMBUSH
Luc di Corbyn gripped his rifle tightly. A long column of Khadoran
soldiers approached, escorting supply wagons stacked high with coal—
fuel meant to power the warjacks of the occupiers. The Winter Guard
escort scanned the crumbling ruins of Maebyrn as they moved over its
deteriorated streets, wary of ambushers.
Ambushers like us, di Corbyn mused. His small team of Resistance
fighters was accompanied by a squad of hardened Cygnaran trenchers
on loan from the nation’s armies in Llael. The Khadorans outnumbered
them, but attacking from surprise could render that imbalance
meaningless. Already the trenchers lurked in the shadows of collapsed
buildings, behind bullet-pocked stone walls or the overturned wagons
scattered along the street.
To his left in the ruined plaza, the younger Rochaurd gestured at di
Corbyn and mouthed the word kovnik. Di Corbyn peered around his
cover. One of the cursed Khadoran officers rode atop the lead wagon, his
insignia polished to a brilliant gleam.
Di Corbyn thought that glinting symbol of Khador would make a perfect
target, and he loaded a fresh round into his dual magelock pistol as he
looked back toward Rochaurd, who nodded and readied his own weapon.
The trenchers sighted in their targets with their military rifles.
“For Llael!” di Corbyn cried. As he rose from cover, so too did a handful
of his countrymen and Cygnar’s soldiers. Before the echo of his battlecry
had faded, the bullets had already begun to fly.
Gameplay Overview
One player is the Resupply Column, representing the Khadoran
occupiers; the other player is the Ambusher, standing in for the
Llaelese Resistance. Each side vies for control of the Supply Cache
while trying to destroy the opposing army. Players can either roll
off to determine sides randomly or decide between themselves
which side they will play.
Setup
This scenario uses only the following terrain types: Deep Mud,
Wandering Mist, Crumbling Building, obstacles, obstructions,
and rubble. Place ten to twelve pieces of terrain on the table,
including at least six Crumbling Building or rubble terrain
features. All terrain features must be placed completely within
20˝ of the side table edges. Place two additional Wandering Mist
terrain features not within 20˝ of the side table edges. No terrain
feature can be placed within 3˝ of another terrain feature.
110 No Quarter PRIME
by Will Pagani
Army Composition
The Resupply Column player builds a 50-point army consisting
only of non-warcaster, non-warlock, non-cavalry models.
The Ambusher player builds a 40-point army with the same
restrictions.
Deployment
The Resupply Column is the first player and chooses their table
edge first. The Resupply Column player deploys all of their
models completely within 10˝ of their table edge and not within
16˝ of the side table edges. After deployment, the Resupply
Column player chooses a friendly model on the table to start the
game with a 30 mm Supply Cache token.
The Ambusher is the second player and deploys within 20˝ of
their table edge. All of the Ambusher’s models must be deployed
in contact with a terrain feature if possible. Models that cannot
be deployed in contact with a terrain feature must be placed B2B
with the Ambusher’s table edge.
Special Rules
Supply Cache: A model can forfeit its action while B2B with
the Supply Cache token to pick it up. The Supply Cache token
is dropped if the model holding it is destroyed, removed from
the table, or removed from play. When the Supply Cache token
is dropped, place it completely within the area of the base of
the model that was holding it. A Supply Cache token cannot be
dropped voluntarily.
Devil’s Gasp: In this scenario, Wandering Mist terrain features
are also Devil’s Gasp terrain features. Devil’s Gasp terrain
features are cloud effects that cannot be removed from the table
by any spell or effect, and spells or effects that ignore cloud effects
when determining LOS do not ignore Devil’s Gasp cloud effects.
Models entering or ending their activations within a Devil’s Gasp
terrain feature suffer 1 damage point.
Victory Conditions
The Resupply Column wins if a friendly model with the Supply
Cache token begins its activation within 3˝ of the Ambusher’s
table edge.
The Ambusher wins if a friendly model with the Supply Cache
token begins its activation within 3˝ of a side table edge.
Additionally, a player wins if they control the only remaining
models on the table.
 Cygnar Theme Force

Gravediggers
Trenchers are men and women of grit found at the forefront of every battlefield. The first on the field and
the last to leave, it is the trenchers’ duty to form the vanguard of Cygnar’s military might and seize the
battlefield against all opposition. Trenchers dig in and hold the line, proud to spill their blood for their
countrymen and seeing the battlefield as the only proper gravesite.

Army Composition

An army made using this theme force can include only the following Cygnar models:
• Cygnar warcasters • Ranger models/units
• Non-character warjacks • Trencher models/units
• Triumph

Special Rules

• This army can also include one Mercenary solo and one Mercenary unit that will work for
Cygnar. These models/units can be included even if they have the Partisan [Cygnar] special
rule. Mercenary units in this army can include attachments.
• For every full 20 points of Ranger or Trencher models/units in this army, you can add one
Trencher weapon crew unit, Trencher command attachment, or Cygnar solo to the army, free
of cost. Free models/units do not count toward the total point value of Ranger or Trencher
models/units in the army when calculating this bonus.
• Trencher warrior models in this army gain Rise. (If a model with Rise is knocked down at the
beginning of your Maintenance Phase, it stands up.)
• You gain +1 to your starting roll for the game.
 ISSUE 01

THE FIRE & THE FORGE

ESCALATION TO WAR
COMPANY OF IRON
DEMONHEAD PASS
HOSTILE TERRITORY
TOWER JUDGMENT
AFTER ACTION REPORT
THE TRENCHER CID
PAINTING & HOBBY
TABLE READY IN 5 STEPS
IRON KINGDOMS RPG
THE HAUNTING OF BLACKWELL HALL
THEME FORCE
FORCES OF CYGNAR
THE TRENCHER CORPS

US $9