Poutiers V is definitely not anyone's ideal of a first campaign.



From the outside of the troop train's few windows, Poutiers is a dreary world. Hunchbacked figures in grey and brown work muddy fields by the side of the railway, bent over and oppressed by the endless rain and whip bearing enforcers both. A palpatable sense of misery rises of from them you can sense even from the railcar. An occasional town or facility passes by-many of them ruined or abandoned-but by and large there is only mud, peasants, and rain. No great cities or fortresses like home-little glory in mud. Even with the rumble of engines and axles and the mutter of your fellow troops, you can still hear the distant crash of falling artillery-you're getting close.



Your car is too small and uncomfortable-a platoon of men and women squeezed into perhaps half the space needed for their fifty. Your own squad is assigned to a corner near the door-so you are the first to know when the door opens and your Lieutenant enters. Lieutenant Savetier is a stocky man, clean shaven, young, his carapace shined as if it will not be soon be covered in mud. The rest of the platoon snaps to attention slowly as they notice the officer. As soon as everyone is paying attention, he begins to speak.



"As i'm sure you've all noticed, we're getting close to the front-regiment command has confirmed we're going straight to the trenches."-To his credit, the Lieutenant at least manages to look apologetic. "We're fighting the Archenemy-traitors and heretics-The Colonel has authorized dissemination of details." A murmur passes through the compartment at the mention of traitors. "They call themselves the Fallow-Peasants who have risen against the local nobility-under the banner of the foul Plague God." Another murmur passes through the compartment. "We can expect cultist light infantry-poorly trained and armed, but determined, in the cowardly way of traitors. Along with a few traitors from the local PDF-but given what we've seen, they can't be much better than the peasants."



The officer unrolls a map and places it on a table. It shows a small town on a hill, surrounded by trenchworks. "Our first objective is to to take this town-Scharberg-the PDF has been thrown back in every attempt they've made, so naturally, they've turned to us. It's on natural high ground-so it's a good first prize." The tiny town does not look like much a prize to any of you.


"Any Questions?"