Warstomper

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A Warstomper Mega-Gargant.

Warstomper Mega-Gargants are monstrosities that have become addicted to the din, gore and stink of war, and will cross hundreds of miles in order to 'get stuck in'. They are so proficient at fighting that flocks of carrion birds ollow them wherever they go, eager for the feast of fresh corpses to come.[1a]

Lifestyle

Warstompers do not take lairs in the same manner as Kraken-eaters, nor do they seek out specific prey as do Gatebreakers. Instead, they live out a nomadic existence, ever on the lookout for signs of conflict, such as smoke and distant screaming. If they encounter an army before a battle is joined, they may sell their services as powerful allies, caring little for which side they join so long as they fight either way. They willingly hire themselves to those on the warpath, and therefore possess a healthy respect for the forces of Chaos, whose society are based on war. Some amongst them will take payment to fight one foe, only to later turn upon their employer at the battle's end and begin the carnage anew, laughing with thuggish delight as their former allies flail and scream in denial.[1a]

Warfare

Warstompers are well-versed in the art of war, knowing the best ways to kill their foes, and to defeat various types of military forces likely to be arrayed against them. Should a line of archers darken the skies with arrows, they will use their clubs to shield their torsos and use their meaty hands to cover their faces, caring little if a few shafts pepper their arms and legs. Should an enemy artiller position draw a bead on them, they will pick up a nearby foeman and hurl the screaming unfortunate into the entrenchment in a crude, but efficient counter-battery fire. Where the enemy forms a shieldwall, they will either jump up and down on it or simply step right over it, kicking out the back ranks even their foe desperately attempts to redeploy.[1a]

While cavalry charges can be lethal to a gargant, for a lance driven by the force of a warhose can punch their a gargant's skin, a Warstomper knows that by stamping down and roaring in the face of their enemies, the steeds may swerve away or even buck their riders. Those who ride might drakes or volcanic Magmadroths find the Warstomper's hand around the throat of their warbeast. The Warstomper will throttle it and keep its snapping jaws at arm's length as the gargant brings down its club hard for the kill. Some have even learned to play dead or pretend they are more wounded than they are in truth, to draw the enemy close before rearing to their full heigh and unleashing the full measure of their wrath upon the foe.[1a]

Warmongering

The most cunning of Warstompers will actively work towards continuing the state of war that might otherwise come to an end. They will deliberately fight for a side that looks to be losing in order to prolong the conflict and stamp flat anyone holding the white flag of surrender. The may even hunt those honour-guard delegations that cross the wilderness so that their destination and links of harmony and commerce are never forged. Warstompers are more or less content so long as they get to enjoy the thrill of battle on a daily basis.[1a]

Since the epoch of the Age of Sigmar, Warstompers have found new and worthy targets in the Stormcast Eternals of Azyr. Wherever columns of dazzling lightning appear on the horizon, the Warstompers break into their signature loping run heading straight for the area where the gleaming Sigmar-worshippers have come to make a claim of dominance. This often results in them pitching straight into a clash between Stormhosts and worshippers of Chaos to fight alongside the warriors of the Dark Gods. This is not due to some pre-determined allegiance between the Warstomper and the Chaos hosts, but a temporary alliance against a common foe. Although a stuck down Stormcast will not leave behind a corpse to snack on, the Warstompers will reason that they can at least always be relied on for a good fight.[1a]

Craftsmanship

Warstompers tend to wear trophies as mementos of their most notable victories. The spears and swords that plunged deep into their hides are kept as talismans so that those weapons cannot hurt them again. Salvaged shields or plate metal, perhaps from armoured Chaos beasts or Ironweld war machines, the giants fashion primitive gauntlets of iron and steel that they can use to bat aside the blades and speartips of their prey. Some wear mantles of of salvaged wargear, or tusks and horns that they ripped from large and impressive enemies, all the better to increase their intimidating appearance. Although they are ham-fisted in craftsmanship, they have enough skill and patience to make crude but effective weapons, such as lashing a boulder onto the end of an ironbark tree or wrenching up a temple pillar with which to crush their prey.[1a]

Notable

Miniatures

Sources


Sons of Behemat
Units Mancrusher Gargants - Mega-Gargants (Beast-smasher - Bonegrinder - Gatebreaker - Kraken-eater - Warstomper)
Characters Big Drogg Fort-Kicka - Brawlsmasha - Bundo Whalebiter - Hradoth - King Brodd - One-Eyed Grunnock
Background Ymnog - Behemat - Gargants - Stomp
Artwork - Miniatures