Trench Crusade: Court of the Seven-Headed Serpent vs Trench Pilgrims 700 ducats game

Report & Story: Jakub Polkowski
The amazing battle mat comes from Torek.fr and pieces of terrain come from Urbanmatz
All the miniatures were printed by Roll3D

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Story

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Armies

Trench Pilgrims

Hear me, all! Our Lord and Saviour calls us to arms!

I am beyond excited to finally bring you the first battle report for Trench Crusade! This is a game forged in the minds of legends - Tuomas Pirinen, the same mastermind behind two of my all-time favorites: Warhammer Fantasy Battle 6th Edition and Mordheim. Add to that the artistic visions of Mike Franchina, James Sherriff, John Blanche, Paul Bonner, and Adrian Smith, who are breathing life into this universe. And to top it off, Andy Chambers is refining the rules? This is the perfect recipe for an absolute masterpiece of a game!

I’ve been following Trench Crusade since day zero, and when the Kickstarter launched, it was nothing short of monumental. I knew then that this was the game I had been waiting for. Clearly, I wasn’t alone. With over 70,000 members in the Facebook group and even more on Discord and Reddit, the hype was real. Convincing the rest of the Battle-Reports.org team was effortless. We divided the factions before the miniatures were even released, printed our warbands, and dove headfirst into painting. After some intense test games, we are finally ready. Mark my words-this battle report is only the beginning.

From the moment I saw them, I knew. Wearing iron capirotes, armed with bolt-action rifles and bayonets, wading through minefields and razor wire while singing hymns in His Holy Name - the Trench Pilgrims were everything I wanted. Their aesthetic, their grim resolve, their brutal faith-it was perfect. I didn’t even need to read their rules - I was already sold.
Then came the lore. The Meta-Christ, the Stigmatic Nuns, the Shrine Anchorite… Oh, blessed times to be a wargamer!

Painting them was a pure joy. Every brushstroke brought their grim devotion to life, and the level of detail on these miniatures is insane. By the time of writing this, I already have over 1,200 ducats worth of fully painted Faithful.

Now, back to the battle report!

This will be the first game in our campaign, meaning we start with 700 ducats and zero Glory Points. Also, no list optimization against the enemy - just raw, uncompromising faith and steel.

First, I had to choose a Patron for my warband. For me, the Warrior Saint was the only choice as it perfectly suits my force.
Building an army for a campaign means prioritising Elites from the start, as they will gain experience over time. Unfortunately, Trench Pilgrims are limited to three. My leader is Sister Estelle, the War Prophet. She wears reinforced armour, granting her a -2 modifier to injury rolls, and dons an iron capirote, shielding her from shrapnel and fear effects. Armed with a semi-automatic rifle and an anti-tank hammer, she is a force to be reckoned with. Between her ability to resurrect and heal, she is the backbone of my warband.

Next is Adam, her younger brother. A Communicant, armoured in standard armour and wielding a trench shield, giving him a -2 injury roll modifier. He carries a great weapon, which counts as a great sword, to crush the impure. He may not be the most dangerous warrior, but bringing him down should take considerable effort.

My third and final elite is Jonas, the Castigator. He has the zealot strength, making him a brutal executioner. He is armed with a great maul and a trench shield, wrapped in standard armour and an iron capirote. A Molotov cocktail completes his arsenal. His most valuable trait is his ability to stand up to all friendly models that are downed, a blessing that may turn the tide of battle.

In the troops section, I have a diverse mix of warriors.
One of my absolute favorite models is Sister Sophie, the Stigmatic Nun. She is a warrior straight out of an action movie - agile, equipped with a mountaineer kit, clad in standard armour and an iron capirote. Armed with a war cross, a flail, and a trench club, she is a swift and brutal killer, especially against unarmoured enemies.

My three Trench Pilgrims serve different roles, but all wear iron capirotes - how could I equip them with anything else? Tetrius, the most skilled of them, was granted zealot strength and wields a punt gun, along with a trench club and trench knife for close combat. Another pilgrim, Jules, carries a drum set, a trench club, and a Molotov cocktail, ready to ignite the battlefield. The last one is a classic rifleman, Eliah, armed with a classic bolt-action rifle with a bayonet.

I barely had enough ducats left for one last addition - a single Ecclesiastic Prisoner - Adolf. A sinner seeking redemption.

That brings my warband to eight models - a versatile force with a mix of speed, shooting and heavy hitters. I would have liked more firepower, but faith must suffice.

We do not yet know which scenario we will play, as we will use a random scenario generator. But my plan is clear: slaughter the weaklings in the Court’s force, drive them into despair, and shatter their morale. At the start, I should have the numbers advantage, but I know that a lurking Hunter waits in the shadows. Those odds will not be in my favor for long…

Who will win? It does not matter.
This is Trench Crusade.
And in Trench Crusade, only one thing is guaranteed - glory and suffering in equal measure.
Let the battle begin!

Court of the Seven-Headed Serpent

Standing before you is the Court of the Seven-Headed Serpent Warband, representing the Sin of Pride. As soon as I saw the models and their unnerving bloody aesthetic, I immediately knew I needed to join forces of Hell. The list was prepared after several single-test games and is not yet optimized for the 700-ducat campaign setup, nor for my opponent today. Nonetheless, it packs a strong punch with its Elite core and is definitely a force to be reckoned with. I have chosen the Sin of Pride as my warband variant because I believe the Goetic Powers it offers are incredibly powerful.

Let’s examine the list, starting with the big guy, the warband leader, Praetor. Totaling a hefty 256 ducats, he is an almost maxed-out killing machine. He dual-wields the Malebranche sword and a simple trench knife to maximize the number of blood markers he can generate in a single turn, thanks to his +3 melee stat. Additionally, we have the Ophidian rifle to take advantage of his impressive +3 dice to range attacks, forcing enemies to decide whether it’s wise to hide in cover. As he is prone to tight melee situations, I have equipped him with reinforced armour and the "Too Proud to Fall" power to help keep him alive for as long as possible. Finally, the Light of the Morning Star offers an extra action that can potentially kill an enemy model or throw it off ledges.

Next is the Hunter of the Left-Hand Path, a formidable model and infiltrator with the remarkable ability to teleport across the battlefield using blood markers. In my opinion, this is a key model in any Court warband, as it forces the enemy to carefully plan their deployment and movement. Any mistake can lead to an easy kill for the Hunter wielding Headtaker. This weapon grants a flat +2 to the Injury Roll when attacking a model that has not yet activated, significantly increasing the chance to kill an unarmoured model. Along with his bow, which has an assault keyword and allows him to choose between armour penetration or a flat +2D to the Injury Roll, he is a very lethal fighter. In risky situations, he also has reinforced armour to potentially save him from death.

The final Elite is the Sorcerer. This flying, fireball-throwing powerhouse is equipped with a musical instrument and reinforced armour to help avoid unfavorable positions. Finally, the Light of the Morning Star grants an additional auto-success action that can kill or, at the very least, push back any model within 24" range.

Along with the Hunter, he is the only other armour-penetrating option in the warband.

For the Troops, we need cheap cannon fodder. Two Wretched paired with two Yoke Fiends, equipped with Torture Instruments, serve as turn-one Blood Marker batteries. Afterward, their sole purpose is to hold objectives and continue accumulating Blood Markers.

My enemies today are the Trench Pilgrims. A warband I’ve faced three times before. In most of these games, I focused on testing the Court’s melee capabilities, which led to losing two of those matches due to VPs gained in a given scenario. This time, I hope to use my blood batteries for objective control and focus on eliminating as many units as possible in turn 1. Court warbands tend to be lighter on bodies, so it’s crucial to minimize that gap quickly, ideally by targeting units the enemy has not yet activated.

Let’s spill the blood of mortals !

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Pre battle

Scenario

Retrieve

Move the area of dense terrain (of at least 6" x 6" and that is closest to the centre of the table) so that it is in the centre of the table, and then place an objective marker on it, exactly in the centre of the table. This marker represents a small object, like relic or an artefact, lost experimental weapon etc.

During the game, any model that ends its move in contact with the marker picks it up. That model is now carrying the object and will carry it until it leaves the table or is destroyed. As long as it is carrying the object, the model cannot Attack and cannot Dash and no other method of movement (teleportation, Puppet Master etc.) can be used to move the model due the mystical effect of the relic! At the end of its activation, the model can pass the object to any friendly model within 1" range, as long as neither model is in melee combat with an enemy. The model receiving the object is considered to have ended their Activation this turn, if it has not have done so yet.

If the model carrying the object is taken Out of Action the object is immediately thrown D6" in a direction indicated by the opposing player, though never out of the battlefield. Stop if the object moves into contact with Impenetrable Terrain just outside it. If it lands on top of a model, the model immediately picks it up, except if there is also an enemy model in melee combat with it, in which case it is thrown again.

If the model carrying the object moves into contact with any table edge, it has escaped with the object and the player immediately wins the game.

If the game ends while a model is carrying the object, the players roll off with D6 one last time. If the player controlling the model carrying the objective wins the roll-off, they win the game. In any other case, the game is a draw.

Infiltrators must be deployed as normal troops.

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Glorious Deed

Sharpshooter: Take out an enemy in Cover while shooting from Long Range. Auto-hit weapons, grenades and weapons with a blast radius do not count.

Fickle Luck: Use 2+ BLOOD MARKERS on a single enemy to give one of their ACTIONS -2 DICE (or more).

Risk It All: Succeed in two or more RISKY ACTIONS with one model during a single Activation.

Show of Mercy: Retreat from Melee Combat with an enemy that is Down

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Deployment:

Fog of War

The players roll-off and the winner chooses which table side belongs to them. Their opponent gets the opposite table edge (see diagram) and both deploy normally. Not all models are set up on the table at the start of the game. Players must leave half of their models in reserve (rounding down).

On the first turn of the game, the remaining models enter the battle at random locations – when one of these models is Activated, the player rolls a D6 and consults the Fog of War Chart below. The chart details from which table edge the model enters. Models entering the battle cannot be placed directly into melee combat.

Fog of War Chart
Roll one D6 and consult the following chart:
1. Your opponent chooses one of the results below.
2. Enter from the centre of the North edge.
3. Enter from the centre of the East edge.
4. Enter from the centre of the South edge.
5. Enter from the centre of the West edge.
6. You choose one of the results above.

The players roll-off and the winner chooses which table side belongs to them. Their opponent gets the opposite table edge (see diagram) and both deploy normally. Not all models are set up on the table at the start of the game. Players must leave half of their models in reserve (rounding down).

 

Trench Pilgrims won the roll for the first activation.

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Game rules

In Trench Crusade, you can perform all the ACTIONS available to a miniature. This means you can move (MOVE or CHARGE), DASH, SHOOT, perform special ACTIONS and fight in any order, with some restrictions based on weapons and spells.
To perform an ACTION, you roll 2D6, and a result of 7 or higher means you succeed. If you fail a normal action, you can continue performing other actions. However, if you fail a RISKY ACTION (such as a DASH), your activation immediately ends.

The + and - DICE Mechanic
The game also features a mechanic that modifies your dice pool with + and - DICE. Here’s a simple example to explain how it works:

• You are shooting at an enemy in the open, but they are at long range (over half the weapon’s maximum range). Normally, you would roll 2D6, but shooting at long range applies -1 DICE. Now, you roll 3D6, but because there is a negative modifier in the pool, you must pick the two lowest results.
• On the other hand, if you are shooting from an elevated position at a closer enemy, you gain +1 DICE for being higher than your target. Now, you roll 3D6, but since there is a positive modifier, you pick the two highest results.
• If you are shooting from an elevated position at an enemy beyond half your weapon’s maximum range, the +1 and -1 DICE cancel each other out, meaning you simply roll 2D6 as normal.

This system adds a layer of tactical depth, rewarding positioning and battlefield awareness. In this battle report we will try to show you all the basic mechanic.

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Battle

Turn 1

The battle erupted as Adolf, the Ecclesiastic Prisoner, made the first move. With a determined sprint, he wove through the ruins, eyes locked on the relic. He dashed into the minefield, every step a gamble. Click. Silence. He exhaled. The mines stayed dormant. Reaching the relic, he snatched it up, completing the glorious deed - "Risk It All."

The Ecclesiastic Prisoner moved and then performed a risky DASH action. He has a special rule that grants him a +1 DICE to DASH, so 3D6 were rolled, and the two highest values were summed. The total was 7 or above, meaning the DASH was successful.
Next, he needed to test whether he had stepped on a minefield—another Risky Action, but this time with no + or - DICE. He rolled 2D6, and once again, it was a success!

The air trembled as the Praetor arrived. From the eastern flank, the monstrous warrior stormed onto the battlefield, his eyes burning with fury.

He darted behind a ruined building, raised his Ophidian rifle, and fired. The shot struck true, but Adolf, gritting his teeth, refused to fall. His grip tightened around the relic - he would not let go.

The Praetor is a true beast. From his profile you get +3 DICE for both ranged attacks and melee. This means that in this situation, he rolled 5D6 and picked the two highest results!
The Injury Roll was 2D6 without any modifiers, and the sum of the roll was a 4 - a Minor Hit. This means that 1 BLOOD MARKER was assigned to the prisoner.

On the opposite side, a Trench Pilgrim, rifle in hand and heart pounding with the rhythm of the war drums, scrambled to the top of a ruin. He took aim at a Wretched hiding in the bunker. Crack! The shot rang out, but the distance was too great - the bullet whizzed harmlessly past its mark.

The Trench Pilgrim is a basic trooper. When he fired at the Wretched, he gained +1 DICE for shooting from an elevated position but suffered -1 DICE for long-range shooting and -1 DICE because the enemy was in cover.
One +1 DICE negated one -1 DICE, but one -1 DICE remained. As a result, he rolled 3D6 and summed the two lowest results.

Inside the bunker, the Yoke Fiend turned on one of its own, tormenting a Wretched to siphon its suffering. The creature howled as two blood markers dripped from its twisted form.

Suddenly, Sister Sophie emerged, her path uncertain. The Court’s dark influence twisted fate, and she appeared from the south, near a towering cross.

Without hesitation, she dashed forward, leaping gracefully onto the first floor of a ruined building above the relic.

After completing her normal MOVE, the Stigmatic Nun performed a RISKY ACTION - DASH. Stigmatic Nuns gain +1 DICE when performing any DASH, JUMP, CLIMB, or DIVING CHARGE action. She succeeded, moved toward the ruin, and then had to climb — which can be part of the DASH as well. CLIMBING is a RISKY ACTION, but the Nun was equipped with a Mountaineer Kit, which grants +1 DICE to any CLIMBING ACION rolls. Combining these bonuses, she rolled 4D6 and picked the two highest results.

But she had walked into a trap.
From the shadows, the Hunter of the Left-Hand Path revealed himself. His Headtaker roared, sending a deadly shot straight at her back. But fate had other plans.

Against all odds (four ‘1s’ rolled!), she twisted out of the way, the bullet missing by a hair’s breadth.

The Hunter of the Left-Hand Path has +2 DICE to ranged attacks from his profile. This meant he rolled 4D6, selecting the two highest results. To hit the target, the sum needed to be 7 or above.

The Hunter sneered. He was not finished.
With blinding speed, he charged.

One fluid motion. One clean stroke. Steel met flesh-Sister Sophie’s head hit the ground.

The Hunter of the Left-Hand Path has +1 DICE to melee attacks from his profile. This meant he rolled 3D6, selecting the two highest results. He managed to hit and then rolled 2D6 for the Injury Roll. The result was 11. The Stigmatic Nun had Standard Armour, which reduced the result by 1, bringing the final score to 10 – Out of Action!

Elsewhere, Tetrius, the punt gun-wielding pilgrim, followed Sister Sophie’s ill-fated path, stepping onto the battlefield from the south.

The pounding war drums fueled his movements - he dashed forward, lowered his massive weapon, and fired at the Praetor.

The Pilgrim started his move next to another Pilgrim equipped with a Musical Instrument. This meant that any friendly model within 4” of the musician, as long as they were not Down, could add +1 DICE to their DASH actions. Thanks to this, he performed the DASH with +1 DICE, then moved. This allowed him to reach cover and avoid the -1 DICE penalty for shooting at long range.

Boom!
The blast sent the beast staggering. The impact should have taken him down, but with a snarl, the Praetor channeled his blood magic, spending two blood markers to invoke "Too Proud to Fall." He refused to go down.

The Pilgrim fired his Punt Gun, which grants +1 die to both hit and injury rolls. The Praetor was in cover, so the +1 DICE negated the -1 DICE penalty for cover. Even so, the shot hit, and for the Injury Roll, 3D6 were rolled, with the two highest results summed.

Meanwhile, another Wretched crawled from the bunker, throwing itself into the ruins and sprinting for cover.

Then came the War Prophet. With battle hymns blaring from the loudspeakers, she charged onto the battlefield, appearing just behind the Praetor.

She leveled her gun, took aim, and fired-another blood marker carved into the beast’s body. But she wasn’t done. Roaring in defiance, she charged him, her weapon crashing into his flesh. The Praetor staggered but held firm, his demonic resilience refusing to waver. She tried to heal herself from the backlash of the blast, but her prayers went unanswered.

The War Prophet has many additional special rules. She started with a Shoot Action, gaining +2 DICE from her profile. She rolled 4D6 and selected the two highest results. Then, she rolled 2D6 for the Injury Roll. The Praetor has Reinforced Armour, which grants him -2 to this roll. The result was 7 - 2 = 5, resulting in a Minor hit and another BLOOD MARKER.
After charging, the War Prophet attacked the beast. With +2 DICE from her profile, she rolled 4D6 and selected the two highest results. For the Injury Roll, she had +1 DICE from the anti-tank hammer and an additional +1 DICE from a BLOOD MARKER that was used. This resulted in a 4D6 roll, ignoring armour (due to the anti-tank hammer rule), where she selected the two highest results.

The battlefield continued to shift as the Yoke Fiend stormed in from the west.

He dashed to the minefield’s edge, waiting to strike.

From the north, Jonas the Castigator arrived like a wrathful storm.

He spotted the bunker, lit a Molotov cocktail, and hurled it inside. Flames erupted, scorching demon. Without hesitation, he charged the Yoke Fiend, but his righteous swing missed its mark.

The Castigator threw the Molotov cocktail, which is one of the many kinds of GRENADE-type weapons. When it hits, it automatically adds one more BLOOD MARKER due to the FIRE keyword. Unfortunately, the Yoke Fiend is immune to the effects of FIRE.

One of the Wretched, stumbled from the bunker, but its attempt to dash ended in failure.

Wretched failed a DASH, which is a RISKY ACTION. In that case the Activation ends immediatly.

Then Adam, the Communicant, fueled by the drum’s relentless rhythm, dashed forward and charged the Yoke Fiend by the minefield.

His chained bell swung with bone-crushing force, obliterating the lesser demon in a single blow.

The Sorcerer entered the fray, his dark form looming next to the bunker where Jonas battled the Yoke Fiend. He barely spared the lesser demon a glance-it was beneath him.

Instead, his focus shifted across the battlefield.
With a flick of his wrist, he soared atop a ruin and turned his gaze toward a Pilgrim standing across the field. The sorcerer whispered his unholy incantation - "Light of the Morning Star." A surge of foul energy shot forward, slamming into the Pilgrim.

The force sent him hurtling from the rooftop - he hit the ground with a sickening crunch. Dead.

When a model falls from a height, it rolls for Injury. If the height is over 3 inches, you add +1 DICE to the roll. This happened. 3D6 dice were rolled, and the two highest results summed to 9, meaning Out of Action.

A cruel grin split the Sorcerer’s lips.
But he was not finished.
His eyes burned with malevolence as he unleashed Burning Inferno upon the Communicant. The fire surged forward-only to be snuffed out mid-air. The holy aura of the Meta-Christ repelled the attack, leaving the Sorcerer seething in frustration.

The final activation belonged to the drum-wielding Pilgrim, who raced forward, closing in on the Communicant, steadying him for the fight to come.

Turn one was over. The battlefield lay in chaos. The war had only begun.

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Turn 2

With both forces now evenly matched in numbers, the next initiative roll would be crucial. The dice clattered. A tie. Again. Another deadlock. On the third roll - the Court seized control.

The Praetor wasted no time. He lunged at the War Prophet, his Malebranche sword slicing through the air. The Bloodbath rule should have guaranteed devastation, but the fickle gods of war decreed otherwise - only one Blood Marker landed.

The Malebranche sword grants it wielder a Blood Bath rule for every hit. It means that they roll 3D6 on the Injury Chart, ADDING the results together.

Snarling, he drove his dagger deep into the Prophet’s side, and this time, she collapsed to the ground.

Being DOWN means that your enemy gets +1 DICE to the Injury Roll, and he can activate Blood Bath using only 3 Blood Markers, not 6. Also, after standing up, your Movement is halved.

Adam felt his sister fall.
With a unspoken cry of righteous fury, he dashed across the battlefield and charged.

His chained bell swung in a brutal arc, cracking against the Praetor’s hide with a thunderous impact. A critical hit! The mighty demon was slammed into the dirt, his monstrous form writhing in pain

Rolling two "6" on a hit means that the hit was a CRITICAL. Thanks to this, you add +1 DICE to the Injury Roll. If your weapon has a CRITICAL rule, you add a further +1 DICE, totaling up to +2 DICE to the injury roll.

Meanwhile, the Hunter prowled forward, eyes locking onto Tetrius, the punt gun-wielding pilgrim. He leveled his Headtaker, and fired. This time, there was no escape. The projectile found its mark - Tetrius crumpled, unconscious before he hit the ground.

Jonas the Castigator was a storm of righteous vengeance. He turned on the Yoke Fiend, his double-handed mace crushing into its chest with a sickening crunch.

Not satisfied, he roared in fury and charged a Wretched attempting to flee.

The creature spun to fight back, but its clumsy claws met only air. It tried to break away, but Jonas was waiting. His mace came down like the hammer of a vengeful god- the Wretched’s skull caved in, spraying red mist.

Your model can try to perform the RETREAT from melee Action. The model moves up to its Movement characteristic and it may leave Melee Combat during this movement. Each enemy model in Melee Combat with the retreating model may immediately take a Melee Attack ACTION with a single melee weapon that it has. The result of this attack has to be resolved before moving the retreating model. In this case the Castigator hit and took the Wretched Out Of Action.

The drum-wielding pilgrim rushed forward. He dashed, then charged into another Wretched lurking on the ground floor of the ruin. His trench club swung wide-miss!

The Wretched retaliated - but missed as well.
Sensing an opening, the creature tried to flee - but the pilgrim was ready. His club struck with bone-crushing force, and the Wretched fell lifeless to the ground.

Groaning, the War Prophet pushed herself up, blood dripping from her wounds. She tried to heal herself - but her prayers went unanswered.
The Praetor still lay at her feet. This was her chance.

The War Prophet, in her activation, stood up. So she was no longer DOWN. The Praetor, on the other hand, was. If the War Prophet were to hit with +2 DICE, she could activate a Blood Bath. Thanks to the anti-tank hammer rule, she would have +1 DICE. She would also get +1 DICE for attacking a DOWN enemy. In total, she would roll 4D6, picking the three highest results, adding them, and ignoring armour!

High above the carnage, the Sorcerer surveyed the battlefield. The Blood Markers gathered on the War Prophet were just enough. He uttered the incantation of Burning Inferno and hurled it at Jonas the Castigator - but the flames fizzled into nothing. Cursing under his breath, he landed near the minefield, scanning for a way to shift the tides. His eyes fell on the objective. He dashed forward, reaching out- but failed the test.

Adolf gritted his teeth. The demons were closing in fast.
He tightened his grip on the relic, his heartbeat pounding in his ears. No time to hesitate. He moved - Click.
A mine detonated beneath him.
In an instant, Adolf was gone.

The battlefield fell silent for just a moment-then the war raged on.

At this point both armies suffered 50% of losses and were forced to do a morale check. First was the Court and they managed to pass it easily. Pilgrims rolled 8 and the battle continued into turn 3.

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Turn 3

Both sides were battered, bloodied, and barely standing. The battlefield was littered with the fallen. The Court of the Seven-Headed Serpent was down to three warriors. The Trench Pilgrims had four. But numbers meant little now - only sheer will would decide the victor.

The forces of hell struck first.

The Praetor - bruised but unbroken - raised his Malebranche sword and brought it down with savage fury upon the War Prophet. But once again, her reinforced armour held firm. The blade bit deep but failed to drop her. Snarling, the demon lashed out with his dagger, carving Blood Marker into the Communicant's flesh.

The Communicant snarled, shaking off one Blood Marker, and swung his bell with righteous fury.
The monstrous demon barely flinched. Its thick hide absorbed the blow, and only a single Blood Marker was added to the tally - now at four.

Nearby, the Sorcerer moved with eerie precision. He stepped into the minefield, deftly avoiding every deadly trap before seizing the relic. The artifact was in his hands. But could he hold it?

The War Prophet had no time for doubt. She inhaled sharply, focusing all her faith, hatred, and raw strength into a single, earth-shattering strike. She raised her anti-tank hammer. With +1 dice from the Blood Marker, +1 dice from the hammer, she swung with divine vengeance.
The result: 11.
The Praetor crumpled under the sheer force of the blow, his once-mighty form collapsing to the ground. The Tough rule - gone. But despite her triumph, the Prophet failed once more to heal herself. No matter. The beast was vulnerable.

Both Praetor and Communicant have the keyword TOUGH. If a TOUGH model would be taken Out Of Action, it is knocked Down instead. After a TOUGH model has been knocked Down in this way once, it can be taken Out of Action as normal. This means that if you want to kill them you have to roll Out Of Action twice on Injury Roll.

The Hunter knew better than to challenge the Prophet directly. Instead, he sought easier prey. He moved to the edge of the ruined building, lined up his shot, and let loose. The arrow whistled through the air and pierced the heart of the drummer hiding below. The pilgrim gasped, staggered - then fell, lifeless.

And then came Jonas the Castigator.

This was it. His moment.
His mace felt impossibly heavy in his hands, but his resolve burned hotter than ever. He dashed forward and charged, closing the distance in an instant.

Jonas raised his weapon, every muscle tensed.
This was an all-or-nothing strike.
He swung.
It was as if the hand of God itself guided the blow
The Praetor’s chest erupted, the sheer force of the attack ripping the beast apart. Its monstrous form was obliterated in an explosion of blood and ichor.

All four Blood Tokens were used in this pivotal moment. Sequence of Injury roll:
3 Blood Markers were spend to activate Blood Bath rule,
+1 DICE for attacking a DOWN enemy,
+1 DICE to Injury from Blood Markers,
+1 to Injury Roll from the weapon’s rule.
So 4D6 roll, adding 3 highest results and then adding 1.
The final injury roll: 11. Even with a -2 penalty from armour - it was enough!

With the Praetor dead, the battlefield fell eerily silent.

Only two demons remained. Thee Trench Pilgrims still had three warriors standing.
But before another blow could be struck, fate intervened.
The forces of hell faltered.
The Court of the Seven-Headed Serpent had to roll for morale.
The first die landed on a 2.
The second spun.
Time stretched.
It finally settled on a 3.
And with that, the demons broke.

The Trench Pilgrims stood victorious.

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Epilogue

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Post game

Trench Pilgrims

What a game that was!

When we rolled Fog of War deployment, I was sure the match wouldn’t last six turns. But I never expected that both of us would be making morale checks as early as Turn 2!

It was a brutal meat grinder from the start, with the early game clearly favoring the Court. Almost every one of their attacks took down one of my fighters. But my Pilgrims fought with grim, bitter determination. Taking out the lesser Wretches and Yoke Fiends early was crucial, as it forced the Court to make morale checks and denied them their vital Blood Marker generators, which fuel their Goetic powers. Without that support, Father Jonas-my absolute MVP-was able to land the final blow on the Praetor in a last-chance attack. With only the Sorcerer and the Hunter left, the Court fled back to their infernal domain.

At that moment, my warband was down to just three models. If we had both passed our morale checks and pushed into Turn 4, the outcome could have been very different. The Sorcerer held the objective, and I had no way to catch the Hunter, meaning the Court might have snatched victory from the jaws of defeat.

But in the end, the most important thing is that we both had an amazing time. The match was tense and filled with cinematic moments we’ll remember for a long time. If there’s one thing I’ve learned from Trench Crusade, it’s this: never assume anything.

Rolling with +2 dice? Here, have four 1s.
Bloodbath on 4 dice? Enjoy a sum total of 6.

But the gods of Cubics punished us both equally this time. I had some rotten luck with deployment (rolling two 1s), which meant I couldn’t fully utilize my warband’s potential and lost a Stigmatic Nun in a very foolish way. Meanwhile, Piotr couldn’t land a single real hit on my War Prophet despite always striking with the Bloodbath rule… and he suffered a chest wound on his winged demon. So I think we’re even in the bad luck department!

After the match, we checked our casualties, and to my great sorrow, Sister Sophie did not survive. She’s gone, and the 88 ducats she was worth are lost forever. Adolf also perished, but honestly… I don’t care too much about him.

On the bright side, my punt gun-wielding Pilgrim got promoted to an Elite! That was a fantastic surprise. Now he won’t die so easily… hopefully.

In addition to 140 ducats found, I managed to find Map & Document Bag, which gave me the Reroll Exploration skill. I’m torn on what to do next. Should I buy back a Stigmatic Nun and gear up my current warband? Or should I go all-in and recruit a Shrine Anchorite? Decisions, decisions…

Court of the Seven-Headed Serpent

The scenario generator threw a curveball at me, and the result was not what I had anticipated when building my roster. Having only half of my warband on my side of the battlefield was a major setback. My original plan was to keep my Blood Batteries safe and generate as many Blood Markers as possible on Turn 1 to fuel my Goetic powers.

To adapt, I grouped both Wretched and one Torture Yoke in a single bunker. It was a risky decision, but thankfully, it worked due to my opponent’s bad luck with rolls.

My strategy was simple: activate my cannon fodder troops first to gauge my opponent’s approach, then look for opportunities to punish key targets with my teleporting Hunter. Action economy is everything for the Court warband, and I still believe this approach is the way forward.

Unfortunately, I had to take an aggressive stance with my Praetor once my opponent’s Ecclesiastic Prisoner broke through the minefield and grabbed the relic. As a result, my Praetor ended up Out of Action, first facing a 2 vs. 1 assault, then a 3 vs. 1 onslaught. I could have played better around Light of the Morning Star and Too Proud to Fall to keep him safe. Still, I think all three of my Elites proved their value on the battlefield.

In the end, I lost the game, but the bloodbath was glorious-and I learned a lot.

Post-battle, I lost two Wretched, but they’re cheap, so it’s no big deal. The bigger issue? The Praetor suffered a nasty Chest Wound. That Battle Scar will force me to be much more cautious in future fights

Another lesson learned: kills don’t matter as much as Glorious Deeds. All of my Elites only earned 1 XP each for surviving. It was a rough outcome, but one I’ll take into account moving forward.

I earned 120 ducats, and I already have a plan. I’ll recruit a new Wretch and a Hell Knight. I’ll also move the Trench Knife from my Praetor to the Wretch and give the Ophidian Rifle to the Hell Knight, leaving my Praetor with just his Malebranche Sword.

This was only the first battle. The Court will rise again.

I can’t wait for Battle #2.