Mordheim

Mordheim is a skirmish game set in the Warhammer World. Similar to other skirmish games, Mordheim uses a small set of models (usually less than 20 per side) but introduces more narrative elements such as skill progression for models between battles. The setting of the game is the ruined city of Mordheim, located in the Empire of the Warhammer World. According to the story line, Mordheim was a city in its prime when it was hit by a comet that not only ruined most of the city but also carried large quantities of “Warpstone” (a mythical material loosely based on radioactive material). The mutating influence of the Warpstone has turned Mordheim into a veritable hell on earth but also made it an attraction to adventurers who aim to collect and sell the highly valuable material. The Mordheim game focuses on the development and clashes of such adventuring groups as they wander around the ruined city in search of Warpstone.

History: Mordheim was released in 90s and folded in the Games Workshop Specialist Games collection in 2004. Unlike most Specialist Games, Mordheim continued to have a printed rule book until 2009 alongside the conventional online “Living Rulebook” on the Games Workshop website. The core game mechanics were initially based on the Warhammer rule system but diverged over time as new editions of Warhammer modified several of the core concepts while the Mordheim rule remained comparatively static. Due to the high popularity of Mordheim in the hobbyist community, several full scale independent revisions of the rules can found online alongside the official Living Rulebook.

Scale: Mordheim uses 28mm models of the same size, style and theme as Warhammer. As a result, many of the Mordheim factions that did not receive dedicated models can easily be assembled from the Warhammer range.

Basing & Painting: The basing of Mordheim models and terrain is a split issue in the hobby community. Some prefer a stone based theme (e.g. cobblestone, flagstone) while others go with a mud or dirt based ground. My personal preference is towards dirt, augmented with the odd rocky/stone patch. While Mordheim is a city, it is based on the medieval theme of the Warhammer World and fully paved areas were exceedingly rare during those times. My bases are therefore a conventional layout with coats of sand (drybrushed Bestial Brown followed by Bleached Bone), patches of rocky gravel (drybrushed with Shadow Grey followed by Codex Grey), and patches of static grass. As with all my bases, the Mordheim bases are fully magnetized and filled with heavy vinyl spackle to add weight. The latter is particularly important for Mordheim as models often stand on very precarious ground (e.g. tilted building floors, etc.). Note that I am using round 25mm bases instead of the square 20mm bases originally prescribed for Mordheim. I simply find the round bases more suitable for a skirmish game. Mordheim doesn’t have a concept of front/flanks so there really is no need for square basing at all.

Game Accessories: As a Skirmish game Mordheim requires a number of on-board markers. To avoid spoiling the visual illusion with paper/plastic marker, I made a few models for the most common accessories.

Wyrdstone Marker: Gravel painted in Dark Angle Green followed by drybrushing Goblin Green and then Scorpion Green. They are gloss coated to add some shine.

Objective Markers: Some scenarios require specific central objectives. The two witches are made an old Reaper model and a spare Sister of Sigmar. The Other objectives are simple signs and a sword in a stone. Finally, a pack of treasure markers on cobblestone.

Death Marker: Models in Mordheim die and sometimes it is useful to mark where this happened. I got the little grave stones from some train store and just painted them up quickly.

Traps: Some models and scenarios allow you to place traps. The foot clamps are made from plastic card and the stumbling wire is just toothpicks and string.

Stage Coach: This is a simple MDF model to cover the scenario where the coach is needed.