The Official OG Games 2012 Advent Calendar

[cunningmatt]

OG Games 2012 Forgotten Special Characters Advent Calendar Saturday 1st December 2012



Welcome to the annual OG Games Advent Calendar, for those of you who have clicked on this exiting thread unsure what to expect, I can only apologise. No keep reading it's good! I'm Matt and I spend a large part of my life boring people to death over on the (most read thread on the forum – thank you!) Procrastination by Numbers blog.

Every December I'm let out of my little metaphorical padded cell on the forum to present the Forgotten Special Characters Advent Calendar. Every day we look at a neglected Warhammer Special Character, a Forgotten Special Character is either a named character in an existing army book with no model, or a named character who has fallen by the wayside as newer editions come out.

Now to be fair and honest all these characters featured on the Procrastination by Numbers in blog in December 2011, however they have been shuffled and updated for 2012, and if that's simply not good enough there's a brand new set of 24 coming up on over on the Procrastination by Numbers blog for you to check out in the run up to Christmas!

So let's get things started just click on the Spoiler below to see who we've chosen. I'd really love to hear your feedback and thoughts on the characters so don't be shy leave a comment!

Here's Day 1:

[spoiler]
1st December: Lothlann the Brave

Name: Lothlann the Brave, Battle Standard Bearer

Original Points Cost: 158 points (including Standard of Athel Loren)

Background: Lothlann earned his nickname "the Brave" when he picked up the battle banner from the slain Athryn the Strong in the Battle of the Creaking Yew. He then rode into battle leading an inspiring charge against the Skaven who were then hunted out from Athel Loren. Since then Lothlann joined Rentokil and was presented with The Battle Standard Bearer of Athel Loren a magical banner woven from the hair of countless Elven maidens, which undoubtedly stank and was infested with nits.

Original Appearance: Warhammer Armies: Wood Elves - 4th Edition, no model released.



Last Appearance: Warhammer Armies: Wood Elves - 4th Edition

Special Rules: Lothlann has no special rule himself (other than being the Battle Standard Bearer). He bares the The Battle Standard of Athel Loren, any spell targeted (or template that drifts) within 12" of the banner (doesn't say just enemy player's spells), "fizzles out" on a D6 roll of 5+ (I think "fizzles out" means "is dispelled").



My Memories of the Character: None. I never had Warhammer Armies: Wood Elves - 4th Edition at the time of release (I bought it recently on ebay for the bargain price of £4 simply for this feature, aren't I good to you?). And as he was never released or featured in White Dwarf, I never knew of him.

Person most Reminds me of: A flag waving tit from Last Night of the Proms

Inclusion in 8th Edition: Go for it! There are similar magic items/special abilities out there (such as Morghur's immunity to spells), perhaps overprized if we say it includes both friendly and enemy spells. You'll need a model, you could use this Battle Standard available on the Games Workshop website...



...although he is supposed to be riding an Elven steed. Conversion work or get rid of the horse. Hmmmm... get rid of the horse would be a lot easier!

2012 Update: Sadly not much to report here, new Wood Elves releases are about as rare as sympathy for Jimmy Saville.
[/spoiler]

Remember to check back tomorrow for another character, in the meantime head to Procrastination by Numbers for more Advent fun:

http://ogforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=2370.msg49562;topicseen#msg49562

[cunningmatt]

OG Games 2012 Forgotten Special Characters Advent Calendar Sunday 2nd December 2012



Welcome back to Day 2 of the OG Games 2012 Forgotten Special Characters Advent Calendar, where every day each door contains a new Special Character languished unused in the made-up world of Warhammer. As I said yesterday this is a reversioning of last year's calendar, still fun, but if you want something brand new get your bad ass over to Procrastination by Numbers!

Love to hear your comments and thoughts on the models featured either here, or on Twitter #warhammeradvent, or even just give us a retweet and spread the word. And soon the Warhammer nation will be loving the Advent Calendar!! Haha! Enough of me, here's Door 2:

[spoiler]
2nd December: King Alrfik Ranuflsson


Maybe I should get round to opening and assembling this model sometime?

Name: King Alrik Ranulfsson



Original Points Cost: 425 points, including magic and runic items.

Background: King Alrik Ranulfsson is King of Karak-Hirn after his great grandfather founded the city following the great quakes. Being a member of the Green Party his army does not include any of the modern polluting war machines such as Gyrocopters and Flame Cannons. In the current Warhammer Armies: Dwarfs book he is listed as having cleared the Silver Road of Goblins and attacking Mount Gunbad during the Storm of Chaos, but since current Warhammer history tends to ignore the Storm of Chaos we can presume that never happened.

Original Appearance: Warhammer Armies: Dwarfs – 6th Edition (first release), model released White Dwarf 255 (March 2001).




Last Appearance: Warhammer Armies: Dwarfs – 6th Edition (first release), though mentioned in the background of Warhammer Armies: Dwarfs – 6th Edition (second / current release).



Special Rules: King Alrik Ranulfsson has just a couple special rules. In Warhammer Armies: Dwarfs – 6th Edition (first release) King Alrik Ranulfsson was the first to ride on Shield Bearers, which boosted the range of units that could use his leadership to 18". Alrik must lead your army and Gyrocopters, Organ Guns and Flame Cannons cost twice the points and you must have more crossbow armed Dwarfs than handgun armed Dwarfs. Alrik has a number of magic items: The Axe of Retribution is inscribed with the Grudge Rune – wielder can nominate one monster/character at beginning of battle and may reroll misses in close combat against this target, the Master Rune of Breaking if Alrik hits a combatant with a magic weapon, the weapon is destroyed. Hrappi-klad Armour confers a 4+ Armour Save and is inscribed with the Rune of Shielding 2+ Ward Save against shooting attacks. Kurgaz's Shield gives Alrik and shield bearers a 5+ Ward Save. Helm of Eagles at the beginning of each Dwarf turn nominate one enemy unit who must reveal all magic items and hidden troop types. King-Hirn's Book of Grudges all enemy units within 12" may re-roll failed break tests. Well done if you've remembered all that.









My Memories of the Character: I wasn't really playing Warhammer during the 6th edition, so I don't really have many memories of those. Though I do remember seeing the model on my return and being intrigued/impressed.

Person most Reminds me of: Someone who's carried wherever they go, how about Lauren Laverne on 10 o'Clock Live*

Inclusion in 8th Edition: The model is still available from the Games Workshop website, listed as King Alrik Ranulfsson, but more often used as a Lord on Shield Bearers.



Special rules-wise you'd need a lot of runes to make Alrik like he is listed above. The Grudge Rune and the Master Rune of Breaking still exist to make the Axe of Retribution, Gromril Armour with the Rune of Shielding and two Runes of Iron gives the same defensive bonuses as the armour and shield. The other runic items and the special rules don't have direct equivalents in the book. But most of the rules probably carry across, let's cost them at 84 points, because it's a nice number.

*poor Lauren I actually quite like her really.

2012 Update: 2012 promised a Dwarf update... but it didn't deliver, poor old Alrik hasn't even made Finecast!

[/spoiler]

There's a brand new special character over on Procrastination by Numbers! Check it out:
http://ogforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=2370.msg49579;topicseen#msg49579

[The Trampoline]

Matt, he always reminded me of this guy.

[cunningmatt]

Haha that's a lot better than my suggstion for likeness (dam you!)

[cunningmatt]

OG Games 2012 Forgotten Special Characters Advent Calendar Monday 3rd December 2012



Perhaps you weren't around at the weekend, no worries here's a recap it's the traditional Forgotten Special Characters Advent Calendar as sponsored by those lovely people at Procrastination by Numbers – whoever they might be! Every day between now and Christmas we'll be looking back at a Forgotten Special Character, maybe they were lost in an army book update, maybe they have rules in the current book but no model, or maybe they were just a footnote in a White Dwarf. Doesn't matter so long as they're a special character you can't use then you'll find them here.

For those of who remember this last year, this calendar is a reprise of the 2011 Calendar in Procrastination by Numbers, albeit updated and shuffled up. If you want brand new characters then there's a second Advent Calendar running over on Procrastination by Numbers with all new old characters (if you get my drift).

Anyway here is Door Number 3, as always we welcome your comments, feedback and friendly mentions on Twitter – go on you know you want to:

[spoiler]
3rd December: Morglum Necksnapper



Name: Morglum Necksnapper

Original Points Cost: 150 points, may carry additional magic items.

Background: Morglum Necksnapper is a famous Black Orc Warlord famous for crushing a Bretonnian army at Death Pass (well if you're going to call a pass that what do you expect?). He's a bit of an orator by Orc standards with the following quotes attributed to him "Let 'em tell da King. Da east belongs to da Orcs. Da east belongs to Morglum. Da east is green." – which is true if you travel on the District Line. He also said "The only good stunty is a dead stunty, and the only thing better n' a dead stunty is a dyin' stunty who tells yer where to find 'is mates." And his other famous quote "Education, education, education".

Original Appearance: Warhammer Armies: Orcs & Goblins – 4th Edition, model released White Dwarf 177 (September 1994).







Last Appearance: Warhammer Armies: Orcs & Goblins – 4th Edition, though mention in the background of the 7th and 8th edition books.

Special Rules: Immune to psychology. That's it. Seriously that is it. Oh except he has to be your general and you have to include a unit of Black Orcs if you field him. But that is it. Not even some special magic items.



My Memories of the Character: Many, he was one of the first special characters I ever owned and regularly lead my Savage Orc Boar Boyz in glorious charges where they died in droves (shocking as it may seem, I was worse at Warhammer back then, than I am now!). Him Skarsnik, Grom and Gorfang Rotgut often led my green hordes.

Person most Reminds me of: Jack Dee, just because he has the word "glum" in his name, maybe we can cheer up Morglum with a selection of inspirational self-healing seminars?

Inclusion in 8th Edition: Pretty simple, Black Orcs are immune to psychology as standard now. So any Black Orc boss on a war boar will do. Go on do it now, go, quick!

2012 Update: 2012 was never going to be Morgulm's year given he didn't make the 2011 re-release of Warhammer Armies: Orcs & Goblins. Oh well, there's always 9th edition!

[/spoiler]

Here is a helpful new link to this year's brand new Calendar over on Procrastination by Numbers:

http://ogforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=2370.msg49603;topicseen#msg49603

[fatolaf]

Ah the OG Games advent calendar, the only thing that makes the build up to my least favourite day of the year bearable....

[cunningmatt]

Ah the OG Games advent calendar, the only thing that makes the build up to my least favourite day of the year bearable....

Glad to be of service! 

[cunningmatt]

OG Games 2012 Forgotten Special Characters Advent Calendar Tuesday 4th December 2012



I'm hoping you've got the hang of this now, so just click away for Day 4:

[spoiler]
4th December: Marius Leitdorf


What an eclectic range of models released this month?

Name: Marius Leitdorf, Elector Count of Averland



Original Points Cost: 140 points, including Runefang.

Background: Marius Leitdorf is known as the Mad Lord of Averland, given to bouts of screaming rage during which no one can reason with him (this is perfectly normal isn't it?). His madness has meant he is no longer welcome in any other courts of the Elector Counts or Altdorf, still nice to get to spend some time at home. He is expertly skilled in a range of abilities from poet, to painter, to inventor.

Original Appearance: Warhammer Armies: The Empire – 4th Edition, model released White Dwarf 184 (April 1995).





Last Appearance: Warhammer Armies: The Empire – 4th Edition, though mentioned in the background of the 6th and 7th edition books. However a new model was released for him in White Dwarf 354 (June 2009), though no new rules were released from him.





Special Rules: Marius Leitdorf is subject to Frenzy. He is armed with a Runefang – no armour saves, not even magic armour against wounds inflicted by Marius. Undead wounded by a Runefang suffer two wounds. Marius wields his Runefang alongside an additional hand weapon, giving him a further attack.



Special Rules: When I played 4th edition Warhammer there just seemed to be hundreds of special characters, combined with their thousands of wizard models (for each College, mounted and on foot). This made it feel impossible to keep up with who they all were, especially all the Elector Counts – and made me jealous with my other armies with their more modest collections of special characters.

Person most Reminds me of: Prone to fits of madness and never invited out anywhere – god it could be me?

Inclusion in 8th Edition: The model is still available, but for rules...Well a General of the Empire mounted on a horse would make a pretty good start, the Runefang still exists though it's Dwarfen runes have been pimped up as now it automatically wounds with no armour save (though it's less vicious on Undead now). You could add the special rule Frenzy for 15 points (the cost Chaos Lords pay for it under Mark of Khorne) though he won't be as vicious in 4th edition – where Frenzy doubled attacks, it actually says in the book he has 7 attacks, not bad for an Elector Count!!

2012 Update: NO LONGER FORGOTTEN!!! Marius Leitdorf returns with new rules in Warhammer Armies: 8th Edition, he's even been upgraded to Finecast. The downside is we find out that he died at Blackfire Pass during an Orc invasion – you win some, you lose some!   

[/spoiler]

As always there's another special character on Procrastination by Numbers for you to enjoy, just this way:

http://ogforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=2370.msg49658;topicseen#msg49658

[Dave]

Pff, current rules, what a cop out!

[fatolaf]

RIP Marius