Warband Variant: Defenders of the Iron Wall

"Whosoever fears defeat always remains defeated. Do you truly think the Iron Wall alone
protects Those Who Believe? For its iron extends into the very hearts of our warriors
wherever their duties take them."

-Sultan Selim of the Great and Invincible Iron Wall

Since assuming the throne in the year 1902, Sultan Malik (affectionately nicknamed the ‘Lion
Padishah’’ by his troops) has demonstrated a more aggressive policy in waging the Great War.
On an ocassion, even detachments from the the million-strong garrison of the Iron Wall are sent
on missions beyond the Wall, for the Sultanate has never relinquished the claim to the muslim
lands lost to the Heretics. Though the Great Wall still comes under continuous attacks as the
forces of Shaitan ceaslessly test the defenses of the Believers, the Sultan refuses to sit idle and
fight passively only in defense. Thus the regular troops defending the Iron Wall have sent into
missions far more regularly than in the past, hardening the raw recruits into veterans.

When the Defenders of the Iron Wall go into an expedition into No Man’s Land, they utilize their
unique way of war to its fullest extent. All warriors have been drilled ceaslessly in marksmanship
that takes advantage of elevated positions and using Siege Jezzails in two-man teams. These
skills are honed into perfection, and it is almost impossible to dislodge these troops from a
well-prepared high ground. Mighty Brazen Bulls form a lynchpin of the defense in close
quarters, and can push back even the greatest of enemy champions.

The core of any such warband is often formed around the Sultanate Sappers: experts at
demolition, mine-setting and veterans of the bitter battles above and below the Wall. They are
superb in the transportation and use of the Field Artillery, erecting defensive positions at a
speed that borders on supernatural, and using explosive charges to frustrate their enemies who
will be whittled into nothing before they reach the lines of Sultanate’s defenders finish them off
with ruthless efficiency.
Defenders of the Iron Wall rules
The House of Wisdom Warband has the following special rules:

●​ Silahdar: The commanders of the Iron Wall units come from amongst the personal
bodyguards of the Sultan known as Silahdar. Each Warband must contain one Silahdrar
when it is created. They use the Yüzbaşı characteristics, do not have the Mubarizun
Ability. Instead they have the Keyword STRONG and can use any Sapper Only choices
from the Armoury. They cost 70 ducats.
●​ Far from the Sublime Gate: The Warband may not include any Lions of Jabir, Yüzbaşi
or Assassins. They cannot buy the Cloak of Alamut or the Wind Amulet.
●​ Sipahi: Sipahi Automaton Cavalry often serves as infantry in the Iron Wall units to
reinforce areas under severe pressure. They use characteristics of Mamluk Faris
Mercenary. They cost 110 ducats. You cannot modify their equipment in any way. You
can have up to 1 Sipahi. Note that this does not stop you from recruiting a Mamluk as a
mercenary as well. Sipahi can be promoted as any other non-ELITE model.
●​ Janissary Officers: The Warband may include up to 2 Janissaries acting as officers.
They have Keyword ELITE. The Warband may not have any other Janissaries.
●​ Sappers Corps: The standard divisions assigned to the Iron wall have double-strength
Sapper detachment. This Warband may include up to 4 Sappers.
●​ Siege Jezzail Teams: All the members of the Warband are trained to use the Siege
Jezzails in pairs. When any model of this Warband shoots a Siege Jezzail and they are
within 1” of another member of the Warband, they add +1 DICE to their Ranged Attack to
hit roll with the Siege Jezzai.
●​ Marksmanship of the Iron Wall: All the members of the Warband practise
marksmanship from the dizzying heights of the Iron Wall against targets on the ground
below. The Elevated position Ranged bonus for this Warband is +2 DICE instead of the
usual +1 DICE.
Iron Wall Special Armoury

The following items are available to any Defenders of the Iron Wall Warband:

Iron Wall Kalkan ​ 30 ducats

It is rare that even the greatest artillery bombardments manage to even dent the Invincible Iron
Wall, but sometimes when the most powerful of enemy Sorcerers Such shards and slivers of the
divine metal are carefully gathered by the Alchemists and incorporated into mighty shields of the
Brazen Bulls, to be used solely by the defenders of the Iron Wall.

Rules: Takes always one hand to use in both melee and in ranged combat and cannot be
switched out. The target is always considered to be in Cover when shot, and counts as fighting
behind a defended obstacle when an enemy charges them. In addition, when the Brazen bull is
Activated and it is in combat with only 1 model on a 40mm or smaller base, the Bull can Move
normally (though not Charge or Dash), pushing its opponent in the same direction as the Bull is
moving and travelling the same distance as the Bull moves if it moves directly towards the
enemy that is in front half of its base. This can push the enemies so they fall as per Falling
rules), and if the Bull pushes the opponent against a terrain piece higher than 2”, both models
stop and the opponent immediately rolls on the injury table.

LIMIT: 1, Brazen Bull Only

Banner of Desert Wind​ 30 ducats

“This, then, is the parable of those who are bent on denying their Sustainer: all their works are
as ashes which the wind blows about fiercely on a stormy day: they cannot achieve any benefit
whatever from all that they may have wrought: for this is indeed the farthest one can go astray.”
-Surah 14:18
The alchemical compounds woven into this banner attract desert winds that make it impossible
for flying machines or winged creatures to overcome the Iron Wall.

Rules: This banner occupies one hand at all times and acts as Troop Flag. In addition, as long
as the model carrying this banner is not Down or Out of Action, all enemies with 24” have to
reduce their Movement Characteristic of by 1”.

LIMIT: 1

0-2 Sultanate Grand Cannon 60 ducats

Brazen Bull or stationary only
Mounted on the Great Iron Wall, these are the main artillery that the Sultanate produces in vast
numbers. Normally fixed in place, a variant suited for the massive hands of the Brazen Bulls has
been designed so the living field artillery of the Padishah can take on truly heavily armoured
enemies and vehicles.

NAME​​ ​ Type​ ​ Range​ Modifiers​ ​ ​ Keywords​

Grand Cannon​ 1-handed​ 48”​ ​ +2D Injury, Ignores Armour​ HEAVY

Rules: Add +2 DICE to all Injury rolls and ignore all armour. If this attack hits its target, but does
not take it Out of Action, the target is pushed 1d6” directly away from the attacker, stopping if
they hit another model or solid piece of terrain.

If the Cannon is placed as a Stationary object on the battlefield, it is deployed separately as one
of your standard units on a 50mm base in your own Deployment Zone or Table Edge. It is
immobile and cannot be damaged. Any model in the Defenders of the Iron Wall warband can
shoot it during their Activation as long as they are not in Melee combat, are within 1” of the
Cannon, and do not move in any way during their Activation. Alchemist Abilty Mastery of the
Elements does apply to the Cannon. As with any other Ranged Weapon, each Grand Cannon
can only be fired once per Turn. The Cannon cannot be lost as a casuality unless carried by a
Brazen Bull.

LIMIT: 2

Explosive Charges​​ 35 ducats

Sultanate Sapper Corps are experts at using explosive charges to overcome defended enemy
positions such as walls, bunkers, casemates and pillboxes. Experts at timing the fuses of their
bombs, many a battle has been turned thanks to a well-timed blast.

Rules: After deployment but before the battle starts select one piece of terrain that is not a
Scenario Objective granting Victory Points and no model is touching outside of the enemy
Deployment Zone. Write on a piece of paper which terrain piece it is. It can be no bigger than 8”
x 8” (an 8” section of trench, a wall, a tree, a building etc). The Sappers have placed explosive
charges here before the battle. Whenever you Activate one of your models you can declare you
are detonating the charges by revealing the name of the terrain piece. Roll on the Injury Chart to
see what happens to any model that is placed touching or on top of this terrain piece. The mine
has the Keyword SHRAPNEL. After this, the terrain piece is removed from the game. If any
model(s) are standing on top of the terrain piece when it explodes they will have to roll on the
Injury Chart immediately. If they are on top of the terrain piece and are more than 2” high, they
suffer Falling damage as per standard rules. Remove this terrain piece permanently from the
play.

CONSUMABLE, LIMIT: 1, Sappers Only

Anqā Guard​​ 10 ducats

Shaped into a likeness of the wondrous Anqā bird, and Created by the Imperial School of
Military Engineering in association with the House of Wisdom, these movable defensive walls
are light and extraordinarily resistant to all damage thanks to a richly-decorated ceramic layer
on their outer surface and a secret compound of aramic and alchemical steel at its core. A
Sapper can carry one on their back to battle, and with a single press of a button the guard
unfolds by spreading its metalling wings and revealing a face of beautiful yet frightening
countenance.
Rules: This transportable fortification is represented by a 1” high standing shield on 40mm
base. They can either be placed anywhere within your own deployment zone after all other
models are deployed. Alternatively, a sapper may carry one on their back, and then deploy it
with a +2 DICE RISKY ACTION during their Activation as long as the Sapper is not in Melee combat.
In this case, it must be placed within 1” of the Sapper. In either case, they count as both Cover
and a Defended Obstacle once deployed.

HEAVY, Sappers Only