Wolf Guard: Ask the Hunter

It sometimes amazes me how cheap Wolf Guard Terminators can be. This guy is a mere 33 points, and he can make himself a bit of a handful if he wants to. Change that power axe into a frost axe and he's still only 43 points. I'll be tempted just to leave him with the humble power axe when I run him though, unless I have a spare 10 points knocking around.

This was one of those models where I was somewhat indifferent to him until I finished painting him. Then everything just seemed to "pop" and it all came together.

This guy, Ask the Hunter, is the last of the Wolf Guard Terminators I have painted. Five more will follow in the upcoming months.

Read on for Ask's tale.

Ask is the most recent brother of Fyf to be elevated to the honoured ranks of the Wolf Guard. Only a few decades a Grey Hunter, Ask impressed his Jarl, Rikkard Threadcutter, during the conflict against the Demagogue of Hersa.

During the final assault on the Demagogue's palace, Ask and his packmates were tasked with attacking the foe through the underground tunnels below the palace itself. The Demagogue apparently did not expect the Rout to discover his secret tunnels, and once Rikkard found out about them desired to cut off his only route of escape. The tunnels were not as well defended as palace was on the surface but nevertheless, resistance was encountered.

The Grey Hunters ultimately prevailed against the inferior foe, but at an intersection in the warren of tunnels a crazed cultist who had somehow managed to obtain an ancient plasma gun landed several shots on Ask, firing until the gun exploded like a mini supernova in his hands. Ask, using the lightning reactions the Wolves of Fenris are blessed with, managed to turn away from the worst of the fire but some of the fiery plasma bursts struck home and melted large portions of his armour, welding the ceramite plating to his flesh. Ask's armour had saved his life, but it had been rendered an unsalvageable wreck and he bade his brothers leave him behind lest he slow them down.

Ask, using his one mobile arm and leg, dragged himself to his feet and began the painful process of removing the melted armour plates. This was no easy feat with only one useful hand, but Ask detested the thought of just lying there waiting to be retrieved after the battle as if he were some piece of battlefield salvage.

Just beginning to make headway in peeling the vitrified vambrace from the flesh of left arm, Ask's wolf-keen hearing heard an unexpected sound. He stopped and listened intently, his instincts telling him that something was not right.

Ask melted into the shadows in a niche in the wall and he heard the humming of power armour and heavy boots echoing round the corner from a parallel corridor. This was not the sound of warriors of Fenris; a son of Russ knows his own kin. Ask caught whiff of an unfamiliar tang in the air which sent the hairs on the back of his neck standing on end. His eyes caught the sight of four figures in dark coloured ancient power armour running down the parallel tunnel.

When he was convinced he would not be heard, Ask tried to alert his brothers but alas the plasma bursts had destroyed his armour's vox transmitter. The only known space marines on the planet were of Fenris and Ask knew something more sinister than a corrupted Imperial Governor must be behind this war. Ask had smelled the unmistakable stench of Chaos Space Marines before.

Ask made up in mind in an instant; he had to track these mysterious power armoured warriors. Steeling himself and gritting his teeth, Ask grasped hold of the vambrace he was working on and tore it free of his arm with a horrible ripping sound. His badly damaged armour tried desperately to pump pain suppressants into his bloodstream as Ask tore away the ruined armour plates on his left arm and leg to grant him some mobility.

Ask tracked the warriors by smell through the dark warren of tunnels, struggling to keep up on his wounded leg. Eventually, Ask came upon a door in the wall where the scent trail stopped and though which he heard the sound of deep bass voices in conference. Grasping his knife in his good right hand, Ask burst through the door.

The four mysterious warriors turned in surprise at the sight of this scarred warrior, half-clad in armour, suddenly bursting through the door. Their momentary confusion gave Ask the opportunity he needed to take the initiative. Never has a charge looked so ungainly, but somehow Ask managed to run at the nearest warrior, dragging his lame leg behind him. The warrior drew his blade and stepped towards Ask, and away from his fellows.

One of the traitorous warriors, apparently their leader, spoke a single word that hurt Ask's ears and a strange energy began to coalesce around the sinister three behind Ask's target. Ask struck out at the warrior and they locked blades, but without being able to bring his full strength to bear with just one arm and leg, Ask was overpowered and hurled to the ground, his blade clattering away out of reach. The warrior turned and walked towards the other three who were now enveloped by the madly coloured energies.

Ask, with speed that surprised even himself, hurled himself towards the retreating warrior and managed to grasp hold of his foot. Yanking as hard as he could he toppled the warrior to the ground. Ask scrambled over him, pinning him down, and the warrior bellowed in rage as in a flash his three companions vanished into thin air.

The dark warrior tried to bring his chainblade to bear but Ask leant on his arm with all his weight while trying to hook his fingers under the chin of the traitor's helm. Taking several bone-crunching punches to the face, Ask tore the helm free and, lacking any other weapon, sank his fangs into the warrior's jugular. The traitor trashed and kicked and flailed but Ask's jaws were locked and as the warrior's lifeblood spilled around Ask's chin his strength diminished. When the traitor finally stopped moving, Ask relented and spat a giant gobbet of flesh to the floor as he howled in victory.

Some time later, as Wolf Scouts attached to Fyf were searching the tunnels for Ask, they came across a most remarkable sight. Ask was doggedly stumbling along a tunnel dragging not only his injured leg and arm along with him, but also the fully armoured corpse of the warrior he had killed. Ask told his assembled brothers what had happened and for his inspirational feats he was raised to the Wolf Guard.

As to who the mysterious warrior Ask had killed was, none could fathom. The only distinguishing mark on his ancient black armour was a stylised "1" rendered on one of his pauldrons and on the other pauldron were the following words rendered in High Gothic:

A sundered empire.

A sundered legion.

A sundered world.

We seek vengeance.

Ask's relentless determination and sheer will to win has proved highly useful to his Jarl, turning many battles in the Rout's favour. Indeed Rikkard holds Ask in such high esteem that he is only the other warrior of Fyf besides Barungr Half-said to whom he has bestowed the honour of bearing his personal sigil, the Wolf that Hunts the Sun. Ask is indeed young for a Wolf Guard, but that only means he will be around for many years to come.

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Thanks for reading and looking at the photos. Hope you enjoyed this post. All comments are gratefully received.