JUGGER WARP PLAY
PREFACE
Warp Play = Warpspawn Roleplaying.
Roleplaying universe.
Work in progress.
Readers are encouraged to submit material.
INTRODUCTION
Fantasy Setting.
Mighty Juggernaughts do battle.
MINIATURES RULES
Click here for the tactical rules.
ORIGINS OF THE JUGGER AGE
In the year 4835 A.F. two Orc tribes, the Gurak Blood Spitters and the
Hurga Snaggle Tooths joined forces to lay siege to the Meddian city of
Findel. Reinforcements for Findel were at least two weeks away. The city
was defended by only a stone wall and a small garrison. The orcs had
excellent engineers in both camps. The war chiefs decided to attack using
a combination of mining, sapping, artillery, and siege towers. Within
days the walls were breached in several places and plans were made for the
final assault. Things looked hopeless for the Meddians. The orc chiefs
then began to argue over who should get to keep the city when the siege
was over. Both tribes were nomadic and they originally agreed to help each
other capture a city. Orcs often use trial by combat to resolve disputes.
Champions were selected but Saggor, an engineer suggested they use siege
towers instead. This proposal was met with great enthusiasm. Two siege
towers were dragged away from the walls and brought to face each other.
Within minutes both were reduced to large piles of firewood. A tie being
unacceptable, both sides agreed to a rematch. Two days latter each side
revealed their new champions which were twice as large as the original
siege towers. The Gurak construction was filled with battering rams.
The Hurgas model had a multitude of arms with spiked fists. The titans
traded great shattering blows to the cheers of watching orcs and Meddians.
Both hulks were smashed to pieces. The shamans made burnt offerings to the
war gods and the chiefs agreed to yet another challenge. During the third
day of construction an unexpected relief force from Bonheim arrived and
drove the Orcs all the way back to Garu Gak. All over the continent
everyone was talking about the battle between these so called juggernaughts.
During the following months the surviving Guracks marched on Findel with
seven ‘juggers' and crushed it flat. The Hurga launched a similar attack
against the elves. These initial armies of juggers were defeated at great
cost. By the end of the conflict known as the first jugger war all of the
major races were building their own prototype war machines.
Excerpted from: "Modern Jugger Tactics" by Ulmon Ironshanks, Retired
captain & dwarven loremaster.
CHRONICLES OF THE JUGGER WARS
The new orcish monstrosities have been churning up the forest. Many tree
homes have been crushed under their giant wheels. It makes an elf look back
fondly on the days when the orcs merely tried to burn the forest down.
After all, its easy enough to summon a good size rainstorm. It took four
mages but we were finaly able to bring down one of the hulks. Lorith hit
the control chamber with a fireball and the whole thing exploded. I myself
have only enough strength left to cast another spell or two today. Korvis
was the most weakened so we teleported him to the city state of Ibion to
warn them. The rest of us will try to delay the cohort for as long as
possible before they find a shallow place to ford the river. Dorah grabbed
my arm. "I hear another one coming." The ground started to shake. I
could hear trees splintering. I readied my runestaff. Over the top of
the treeline I could make out a set of great sails. Lorith was first able
to speak. "I don't believe it!" Before us was an Ibion sailing ship set
on wheels. Aboard was Korvis grinning like a mad elf. "Ho wizards! Do
you think this will make a fine surprise for our orc friends?!"
"That was quick" said Lorith. Korvis's demeanor darkened a little.
"The archmage is unconscious" he said. I felt a catch in my breath.
The effort to get the Ibion vessel here as quickly as possible
meant that the archmage had risked a huge teleportation - at
considerable personal cost. "So Ibia is defenseless? whispered
Dorah. No-one replied. With the archmage recovering, with the
orcs becoming bolder and with their unprecedented use of machines
we all knew that within weeks the Ibion Council would fall.
Korvis was suddenly backlit by a powerful explosion. Another orc
machine burned with sinister green flame . I felt a sickening
certainty that one of our own had been seriously injured in this
small victory. Lorith and Dorah began climbing the rope ladder
into the vessel. Korvis was watching me as I new he would.
Would I fail him again ,as he believed I had the first time we
had attempted to enter the orc lands?
JUGGERNAUGHTS
Juggers or Jugs are giant war machines constructed with medieval technology.
They are built out of wood and iron. Jugs require large crews to operate
them. Historically, juggers are an evolution of the siege tower.
HISTORY OF PROPULSION
The earliest juggers used men and horses to propel them. The various races
of Lantasia quickly developed more sophisticated means of propulsion. The
men of Meddia use wood burning engines. The Garu Gak orcs burn coal.
The Shadudanese goblins use special mixtures of marsh gas produced by their
alchemists as fuel. The Durngard dwarf engines use coal heated steam. The
gnomes of Undell fuel their machines with alcohol. The desert men of
Zuranti use a black oil they find under the sands. The elves of Eliwyn
use a combination of sails and strong elemental magic. The Voorlock use
the muscle power of chained demons to drive their fearsome constructs.