It was a clear, crisp morning in early spring when a mule-cart creaked up to the entrance of Karak-Varn. Two guards looked suspiciously at the driver, a small hunched figure thickly wrapped in a variety of foul-smelling and flea- ridden blankets. It might be a Dwarf, but thery couldn't be sure. 'Who are you, and what's your business?' challenged one of the guards. The drive of the cart crackled softly. 'Come and see your king, I have,' it said, gathering the blankets around is as it shuffled down from the driving seat. 'Brought something for him.' The guards looked at one another, a little nervously. 'What is it, then?' asked one. The other moved towards the back of the cart, and started to lift the tarpaulin that covered its cargo.
'DON'T YOU DARE TOUCH THAT!' Surprised by the sudden power in the
drivers voice, the guard dropped the tarpaulin as if it had burnt him. 'It's had enough of
a messing with, just getting here,' the driver grumbled. 'And if you go a-poking and a-
prodding it about, it won't be fit for Goblins. And now, if you don't mind, I've had
enough of the oily rags and I'll talk to the mechanic.' Such a speech could only have come
from the lips of a Dwarf, so the cart was admitted to the Dwarfhold.
By the time the King arrived on the scene, a small crowd had gathered. A hush fell over
the crowd as the stranger deftly whipped the tarpaulin off the cart, revealing a large
barrel. 'Now I'm not guaranteeing how well it's travelled,' he announced, to no-one in
particular. He produced a grubby metal tankard from among his mass of blankets, drew off a
little of the barrel's contents, and peered at it critically. 'Hmmmm', he sniffed, 'Gone
cloudy.' He swigged noisily, then screwed up his face and spat. 'Worse than I though,' he
continued, 'It could really do with settling for a month or two. Still, it should give you
the general idea.'
He held out the tankard to the King. After a moment's hesitation, the King accepted the tankard, and, wiping the rim fastidiously with his cuff, took a swig. The effect was remarkable. His eyebrows shot up to the very rim of his crown, his eyes bulged and began to water as he was doubled over by a fit of coughing. After a few seconds the coughing subsided, and was followed by a deep, resonant belch. It was almost a minute before he was able to speak. 'I don't believe it!' he exclaimed, 'It can't be! It's ...... BUGMAN'S!'
There was uproar in the chamber. It was many years since the Battle of Bugman's Brewery. Joseph Bugman was just a memory, a name half forgotten and wreathed in legend, like the name of Bugman's Best Bitter. 'That's right,' said the stranger. 'The Goblins left me for dead. It's taken me all these years to work my way here - but hush now, I'm forgetting my manners.' He threw off his wrapping of blankets and stood revealed as an old, grizzled and heavily scarred Dwarf.
Joseph Bugman miraculously survived the Battle of Bugman's Brewery, and turned up years later at the Dwarfhold of Karak-Varn. He was not recognised at first, but when the King of the Dwarfhold tasted the beer that he brought with him, his identity was proved beyond doubt. Bugman's Dwarf Rangers were re-formed at Karak-Varn, and his reputation and his brewing skills brought Dwarves from miles around flocking to his banner. The expedition to reconquer and re-establish Bugman's Brewery assumed the proportions of a holy war.
Battlecry :TThe old Ranger battlecry, 'Mhinz Abeir', with the response 'Zyor Rond' was maintained by the new Rangers, but a new battlecry was also used, consisting of the cry, 'Ayt Peinz' and the response 'Khaari'. Both cries seem to be in an arcane Dwarven tongue, and their meaning is unknown.
Deeds : The story of Bugman's survival and his long journey to Karak-Varn is the subject of a number of epic poems and drinking songs. The development of Bugman's Castle XXXXXXXXX, a special brew to celebrate the reforming of the Rangers, is considered a great achivement, ranking alongside the Battle of Hangover Hill, when the Rangers destroyed a large Goblin ambush force despite the fact that an impromptu drinking match had finished scant hours before the attack.
Uniforms : Heavy brewers' coats over chainmail, heavy cloaks, buckskin breeches and heavy boots. The uniform is in various shades of buff, brown, green and blue.The shield design carries the Bugman family arms - a tankard on a blue field.
If you wish to include Bugmans Dwarf Rangers in your army you must take both Josef and
'Owd' Tom Thyksson
JOSEF BUGMAN.......................See the Dwarf Army Book
'OWD' TOM THYKSSON.......................56 points + 25 points Weapon Runes
'Owd' Tom Thyksson is Josefs best friend and bloodbrother. He lost a leg in the Battle of
Zhufbar but can fight just as well with the pegleg that he now wears.
Profile | M | WS | BS | S | T | W | I | A | Ld |
Tom | 3 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 9 |
EQUIPMENT : Tom is armed with a double-handed axe, crossbow, light armour and shield. The axe is a rune weapon, as described below
MAGIC ITEMS : Tom is armed with a double handed rune axe bearing a Rune of Breaking.
0 - 1 UNIT OF BUGMANS DWARF RANGERS......................16 points per model
Bugmans Rangers are the remnants of the dwarfs that used to work in Bugmans Brewery before it was destroyed by the Goblins.
Profile | M | WS | BS | S | T | W | I | A | Ld |
Ranger | 3 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 9 |
EQUIPMENT : Rangers are armed with a double-handed axe, crossbow, light armour and shield.
SAVE : 5+
OPTIONS : The Rangers may carry a Magic Standard or a Runic Standard
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