Download - Mega Miniatures

By Howard Mousell
If you like the thrill of bears baited by bulls, and prides
of lions ripping into packs of wild dogs, then you are
going to love the latest arena craze scheduled to be
unveiled this weekend at the Skaven.com Coliseum.
Rat Mulder is the owner/trainer of the latest addition to
the Rat Ogre Pit Fighting Union (ROPFU). He says he
expects fans will pack the stands to see his Rat Ogres
do battle with those of other owners from across the
realm.
"This is blood and guts entertainment at its grimmest,"
said Mulder with a smile. "I am just excited about
being involved this season." Mulder, a local
entrepreneur who made his fortune when he found out
consumers would buy moldy cheese as a delicacy,
admits to being a long-time sports fan.
"I have always loved sports. I have been a season
ticket holder with the Saskratchewan Roughratters
team in the Parkland Bloodbowl Association since the
team joined the league," he said. "But, there was no
way I could get involved with such a costly sport.
"Then I came upon the Pit Fighting Union while visiting
family out east. I was totally hooked from the minute
the gates went up on the arena doors."
The ROPFU operates on a tightly controlled salary and
investment cap which endeavors to keep each owner
on an equal footing. Mulder said that was one of the
big draws for him joining the Union. "I like that I start
out on the same level playing field as owners who
have been in the league for a number of years," said
Mulder. "Each owner starts with an equal budget to
acquire and enhance talent."
The talent Mulder talked about includes Rat Ogres and
giant rats which make up a team that is sent into the
arena to battle other teams. "The key is finding talent
as cheaply as possible," said Mulder. "I have been
busy in recent months scouring slave auctions looking
for Rat Ogres I felt were worth the investment of
enhancement for the arena."
In Mulder's case, he has decided to go with only three
Rat Ogres, although the ROPFU allows a team to field
four. "I decided to focus on three, saving some
budget for enhancement," he said. Mulder will field a
team consisting of Ratsputin, Raticus and Big Rat
Bastard, a trio who will be backed up by a few giant
rats as arena victory earnings allow.
"The three Rat Ogres I purchased showed good size,
and when I checked their pedigrees, I found some noted
warriors in their lineage that I hope will translate into
ferocity in the pits," said Mulder. In the world of ROPFU
Mulder said breeding can be the only viable tool when it
comes to selection.
"You would be amazed at some of the terrible stock I
was offered this year," said Mulder. "I suppose because
I am new in the Union breeding farms felt they could
dump their bottom end Rat Ogres on me. "I was called
to attend one sale for a can not miss prospect. When I
got there the Rat Ogre had no teeth left, and its left arm
was crooked from a poorly healed injury. I bet the old
clod was 20 years old, and it had never had a natural
mutation."
While one might have thought all Rat Ogres were
created equal, that is not the case, he said. And, even
when a natural Rat Ogre is selected, after ROPFU
trainers are finished with them, they are anything but
average. "You are not likely to win in the pits with a
standard born Rat Ogre," admitted Mulder. "The Union
allows trainers to enhance their fighters, and I certainly
intend to use those rules to their fullest." Under ROPFU
rules, a Rat Ogre, or giant rat may be modified through
mutation, of biotechnological means, and owners take
advantage of both, often adding to the modifications of
their fighters between matches. The result leaves fans
always guessing exactly what their favorite fighters will
bring to the arena on any given fight card. "Sometimes
we get lucky as trainers as the big guys will mutate
naturally based on their diet of warpstone," said Mulder.
Like all athletes training and diet are important too.
"You wouldn't run your hounds after the fox without
feeding the hounds well," said Mulder. "It is the same
with Rat Ogres, you have to make sure they receive the
proper ration of warpstone and grits." Still, Mulder said
he never likes leaving fate to chance, so he is willing to
help mutations occur in his Rat Ogres. "A few well
placed radiation bursts can sometimes trigger mutations,
so that is an option I will utilize throughout the season,"
he said.
Mulder added that even pushing mutations is not
sufficient to guarantee Rat Ogres will stay competitive in
the pits. "The whole area of biotechnological adaptation
has too much potential to overlook," he said. "I can
have metallic claws surgically implanted, or a mechanical
arm grafted on, much easier than trying to force a
natural mutation.