Animosity VII, Azyr Asunder - Part 8

Barrels and blasts

"So uncivilised!" Xal'ar'ap scoffed, its green tongue darting out between every word. "Staging a heavy cavarly charge during an underground siege..."
"Typical of Khornates and Pantheonites", quipped Vyzorak watching as Umbra, Ghargon and Shërbëtor took their places at the head of the column and disappeared down the largest tunnel leading to the Aetheric Bastion.
"And what are we to do in order to show them Tzeentch's superiority?" asked the Changecaster.
"They'll provide the distraction we need. While they get all the attention, we'll use the blastpowder bombs we recovered from the Wolfram Industries at the grot camp you mentioned."
"Did I tell you they fight for the Boltbreakers?"
"Then we'll make sure nobody sees us as we really are, and plant some of the Wolfram corpses on the battlefield."
"Blaming another enemy for your actions, Lorehoarder?"
"You're not the only schemer, Plotgibber", came Vyzorak's reply amidst a growling laughter.

The grots were camped around one of the outer structures of the old Stormfort, a massive rockgut troggoth shambling around, idly kicking up black ash.

Vyzorak had tasked the Tzaangors to act as sappers and assigned a small escort each to Kleok and R'tefcar. They were waiting, at the end of opposite corridors, for the rest of the Coven to provide a diversion.

It was up to Vyzorak, Xal'ar'ap and Inklineilis to provide that, and hidden under layers of glamours that made them look like Wolfram Industries' mercenaries, they launched themselves at the grots.

As the grot camp descended into a bedlam of high pitched screams and multihued fire blasts, the sapper teams advanced carefully, least a sudden movement triggered the volatile charges ahead of time.

Xal'ar'ap and Inklineilis had despatched half of the grot and pinned the rest in combat, though Zirithinion had fallen under their spears.

Vyzorak channeled all the sorcerous power he could into his staff and managed to smash aside the troggoth while Thalamyr took care of a grot and their squig snuffler. The way was open for the sappers.

But as the sappers prepared to close the distance to the Stormfort walls, the rest of the grot showed up, dangerously close.

Iridios and the Blue Horror Vyzorak had bound to his service leapt forward, blocking the mouth of the tunnel the grots were coming from while Kleok reached the first steps of the Stormfort.

But R'tecfar was held back. Though he and Ocladius dispatched a grot fanatic, the Loonboss stopped the Tzaangor from advancing.

Daemons and Acolytes continued to trade blows with the grots, their line holding firm.

Vyzorak and Talamyr rushed forward, pushing the Loonboss away from R'tecfar.

The two Tzaangors reached the battlements almost at the same time, lit the fuses and jumped away squawking for the others to run for cover.
Then the charges detonated, debris and oily smoke mixing with the Howling Abyss' ashes.
As the grots dispersed, the Coven of the Purple Flame moved onto the breach, tossing a couple of the Wolfram militia corpses into still burning fires.
As they entered the Aetheric Bastion, Vyzorak prayed to Tzeentch for the rest of the March forces to have been equally succesful. If not, they'd soon be inside an abandoned Sigmarite stronghold surrounded by enemies.

***
This time, I played The Fall of Snagglewart challenge battle from the Tome of Champions 2020. I have to admit the dice rolling I did for the grots was terrible, turning what should have been a difficult scenario into a rather easy one. I guess Tzeentch was smiling upon the Coven of the Purple Flame.