Once upon a time there was a home-brew world with orcs. Not stupid, senseless orcs, but orcs that remind one very much of humans. There were merchant orcs that trafficked with humans. There were wild orcs, territorial and war-like. And then there were the feudal orcs, whose society produced weapons and armor that could only be reproduced in 25mm by sculptor Nick Lund. I pulled a box of these beauties out of my husband’s dead lead stash around 1993, knowing they would be just perfect for our Great Northern Orcs. Painting those led to a decades-long obsession with Lund’s orc sculpts.
Recently we started to put together a small army of Lund orcs, and came across his wargame Fantasy Warriors. We’ve been looking for a more satisfying way to resolve mass combat in our role-playing game, and since his orc sculpts fit our world so well, it made sense to give the game they were made for a try. We liked how Fantasy Warriors played, we just needed to make a few tweaks for our game. My husband converted the system from d6 to d10, and made us all cheat sheets with the most relevant rules for ease of play:
Besides the rules, we needed a few things before we could play Fantasy Warriors. Our gaming tabletop is “only” 4 ft x 4 ft 4 in, so we had to build a new tabletop.
Of course, one needs terrain to go on that tabletop so we built hills.
The rules call for standard bearers so we needed some humans. (We already had the orcs.)
With the terrain ready and the armies complete (for now!), we have enjoyed many great game nights of Fantasy Warriors!
First Fantasy Warriors Weekend - For our first scenario, husband against wife, we simply had humans against orcs and urogs, who would win the field? My husband took the orcs. The orc faction had 1 Continued...
Fantasy Warriors Urogs vs. Heavy Cavalry - For our second day of Fantasy Warriors gaming our scenario had a small twist: my husband’s orc forces were entirely urogs, whose stats are the same as cavalry. I played Continued...
Grunevaldians vs Kildarians in Fantasy Warriors - Earlier that night: Gautrians vs Kildarians We had our buddy bring an old friend with him for our Saturday night gaming. My husband and the guys played D & D Continued...
Gautrians vs Kildarians in Fantasy Warriors - Our guests were greeted on arrival Saturday night with a selection of armies. For our first battle, our long-time gaming friend who plays our Jarl in our sword & sorcery Continued...
League of Nil-ith Horn Orcs vs Vangen Orcs - We had the pleasure of hosting old gaming friends this week for a couple of Fantasy Warrior throw-downs. One played the Vangen orc faction ruled by Valden the Ruthless, a Continued...
Raid on Larbro - The first scenario featured our daughter as battle leader of the human village Larbro defending her people against the raiding orcs. She had to get a unit of women and Continued...
Skirmish on the Northern Plains - Some of the League of Nil-ith Horn troops crossed over the mouth of the Torgova river and marched overland in an attempt to link up with the landing parties. King Continued...
Battle of Turlin - The men of North Gautria gathered outside the town of Turlin to meet the massed forces from the League of Nil-ith Horn. For this battle, my husband did double duty Continued...
Jevenkah Battles Teshub at Fantasy Warriors - We wanted to play-test some special abilities we’ve been researching/developing to bring mass combat Fantasy Warriors wargaming in line with the Conan D20 rules for RPGing, so we took to Continued...
Ambush on the Road to Kednvald - This Fantasy Warrior battle featured a father-daughter team as a League of Nil-ith Horn Orc relief force ordered to the Vangen capital of Kednvald. They were attacked en route by Continued...
Gautrian Games - In the next Fantasy Warriors battle, 2 of our junior players fought against myself in a Gautrian (Red banners and Blue banners) versus Kildarian exercise with equal forces. The girls Continued...
Being Thankful- A Fantasy Warriors Battle - Over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend we had the opportunity to introduce another player to “Fantasy Warriors.” Our experienced League of Nil-ith Horn Commander took her smerdi and valdgrafs against our Continued...
Birthday Battle - A Birthday Battle with all three of our gaming groups! Continued...
Some of our story-based RPG adventures with Fantasy Warriors battles can be seen here:
Sagas of the Gautrian Kings #40- Prologue - This is the climactic fight Kvig Melgarson has been looking- some say unwisely- to have out with Valden the Ruthless and his horde of Vangen orcs. Continued...
Sagas of the Gautrian Kings #40- The Battle of Skarken River - The armies of Gautria launch their attack on Valden the Ruthless and orcs of the Vangen tribe. Continued...
Sagas of the Gautrian Kings #40- The Battle of Skarken River Conclusion - After the Gautrian champion Bleddyn Yorath defeated the urog Untak in single combat, our Jarl Kvig was quite enthused, and rallied his men. The orcs deployed to meet our forces Continued...
Sagas of the Gautrian Kings #49- Siege on Larbro - Who will lead the siege on the last League of Nil-ith Horn stronghold in North Gautria? Can one man command enough power to rule all of Gautria? Continued...
Sagas of the Gautrian Kings #50- Sword and Sorcery - When Kvig Melgarson seeks to seal his alliance with the Queen of North Gautria, will King Magnus let Kvig stand unchallenged? Continued...
League of Nil-ith Horn Chronicles #4 – Ottarson’s Ambush - Eskander and party must travel the ever-dangerous Silver Road from the Mines of Rostok to Rostok Hold. Continued...
Legend of the Volsung #2- Wolves in the Hills - Orcs are massing in the forest, but there are other dangers lurking in the hills for Melkor and Aedelfrid. Continued...
Sagas of the Gautrian Kings #52- The Battle for Hellgate Mines - West across Lake Tagova, King Kvig drove the orcs from their fortress of Dakagog. However, the Varak orcs still hold the silver mines taken from Kvig's vassal Vester Vastar. How will Kvig reclaim his lands, and deal with his vassal's inability to rule? Continued...
Sagas of the Gautrian Kings #53 – Battle of Hellgate Pass - King Kvig looks to secure his western borders against the Varak orc threat, but it will take new allies and vassals for a successful campaign. Continued...