Dreadwood | Twisted Brothers

Following their initial meeting, Myrddin advised Lord Constantine and the rest of  The Order to seek refuge with the Forest Spirits. Hoping to learn more of The Fulcrum from their masters, deducting that these beings may know something of The Fulcrum due to being able to communicate with them whilst on it!

Eager to learn more of these creatures, Myrddin invited the leader of the group aboard The Fulcrum.

"Tell me more of your people," Myrddin began.

"We are much changed since the return of Chaos, many of my brothers are broken, something has snapped in them. They are spiteful, likely to attack their allies as much as their enemies if it means the protection of our race."

"Hopefully they see the importance of this Fulcrum to our plans, otherwise we may be leading your people into great danger."

Sylvaneth | Building a Dreadwood Wargrove List

Continuing my thought process from the last couple of posts, here's my thoughts on the kind of list I intend to work towards for the Sylvaneth!

The wargrove that jumped out to me immediately was the Dreadwood Wargrove. I love the Drycha + Spite Rev models plus the wargrove grants some powerful movement-based abilities. To fulfill this wargrove I need 4 Spite Revenant units + anything else in the Battletome.

I also intend to include the Free Spirits Battalion to gain more movement abilities! For this one I need 1 Spirit of Durthu and 3 units of Kurnoth Hunters.

So, here the minimum I need to fulfill these two battalions points-wise;

Dreadwood Wargrove 100
5 Spite Revenants 100
5 Spite Revenants 100
5 Spite Revenants 100
5 Spite Revenants 100

Free Spirits 40
Spirit of Durthu 400
3 Kurnoth Hunters 180
3 Kurnoth Hunters 180
3 Kurnoth Hunters 180

Battleline
10 Dryads 120
10 Dryads 120
10 Dryads 120

Total: 1840

So sadly at 2000 points there isn't enough points left to get Drycha, but could add a Branchwych for a mini-Drycha Bomb (Unleash Spites + Silverwood Circlet), taking the total to 1940.

If I were to built it up to 2500, I'd include Drycha and a Treelord Ancient. Drycha to increase the alpha strike potential, and the Ancient to buff the non-teleporting units, which woud be one unit of Kurnoths (bows), the Spite Revs and the Dryads.

How would I build a 2000 point list using the ideas from these two battalions?

I definitely need the Dreadwood Wargrove's abilities to make this work, with the Free Spirits being a nice secondary bonus. Here's the bare bones for a 2000 pointer;

Dreadwood Wargrove 100
5 Spite Revenants 100
5 Spite Revenants 100
5 Spite Revenants 100
5 Spite Revenants 100

Drycha 280

Battleline
10 Dryads 120
10 Dryads 120
5 Tree Revenants 100

Total: 1120

That gives me 880 points to play with. To make the strategy work, I definitely need some big hitters to help Drycha with the alpha strike, but also something for redundancy in case the alpha strike somehow bounces / a null deploy or similar alpha strike list appears.

Option 1 - Defence

3 Kurnoth Hunters 180
3 Kurnoth Hunters 180
3 Kurnoth Hunters 180
1 Treelord Ancient 300

Total: 1960

I would send 2-3 units of Kurnoths in with Drycha, keeping the TLA back with the infantry. Same concept as the first list, minus the hitting power of the Spirit of Durthu.

Option 2 - Offence

3 Kurnoth Hunters 180
3 Kurnoth Hunters 180
Spirit of Durthu 400
+10 Dryads 120

Total: 2000

This would be more of a total offence list, with 10 Dryads added to one of the units. Spirit could take wounds off of Drycha using his Solomn Guardian ability if needed.

Option 3 - Bargain Bin Durthu

3 Kurnoth Hunters 180
3 Kurnoth Hunters 180
Treelord 260
Branchwych
+10 Dryads 120

Total: 1960

I'm liking this one as not only do you get a fair old bit of offensive capabilities in the alpha strike, you also bulk out the rest of the army a fair bit.

I like the idea of having 2 equal parts of the army, one right in the opponents face, one hanging back in your own deployment zone. I'm leaning toward Option 2 or 3 at the moment, but below is a left-field option...

Option 4 

Drycha 280
1 Treelord Ancient 300

Dreadwood Wargrove 100
5 Spite Revenants 100
5 Spite Revenants 100
5 Spite Revenants 100
5 Spite Revenants 100

3 Kurnoth Hunters 180
3 Kurnoth Hunters 180

Battleline
5 Tree Revenants 100
5 Tree Revenants 100
5 Tree Revenants 100

1 Treelord 260

Total 2000

This one forgoes the Dryads to get enough points for 2 treemen! Only the Spite Revenants have no movement abilities to speak of in this one. Not much staying power aside from the Treemen.

This is all theory-hammering at the moment, but hopefully in the coming months I'll be able to test out a couple of these, starting with a purchase of the Darkroot Wargrove box...

Dreadwood | A Strange Meeting

Myrddin sensed a new presence nearby. Continuing on their pilgrimage, assembled regiments of The Order had finally reached a break from the endless fields. Setting up camp in a dense forest, Myrddin, atop the Iron Fulcrum, began to hear some impossibly distant whispers. After deducing the whispers were benevolent, Myrrdin settled in for the night.

Waking to the sound of voices raised in anger, Myrddin rushed out of his quarters on the Fulcrum. In the centre of the camp, surrounded by Men-at-Arms, were five of the strangest things Myrddin had seen in his long life. The creatures reminded him of his Aelven aquiantances back in the College of Magic in Azyrheim, but with some obvious differences...

Remembering rumours of Forest Demons in the deep woods of Azyr, Myrrdin shouted; "What is your purpose here? knowing instinctively that he would be able to understand them.

"We have come to parley," replied the clear leader of the band.

Stepping down from the Fulcrum, Myrddin continued his questioning; "parley for who?"

Myrddin was shocked by the creatures response, as it spoke as though it were a light wind rustling through a leafy tree.

"How can you understand these creatures?" Asked Constantine.

"I could only understand as I stood on the Fulcrum!" replied Myrddin preposterously.

Returning to the pulpit of the Fulcrum, Myrddin repeated his question; "Parley with who?"

"Drycha Hamadreth."

Analysing Sylvaneth's Movement Shenanigans Part 2 - Arcane Treasures + Warscroll Battalions

For part 1 of this series, covering Battle Traits, Command Traits and Spells, click here!

Arcane Treasures

Acorn of Ages

Once per game, in your hero phase, set up a new SylvanethWyldwood (1-3 bases) anywhere within 5"of the bearer. The wood cannot be set up within 1"of any other models or terrain features.Your second way to generate an extra wyldwood and it doesn't require a successful casting roll like Verdant Blessing! But it will be your only magic item on the character who has it. Has the same uses as Verdant Blessing aside from this can also be used to block the enemy, making them move run / charge through the woods to get to your models, causing them considerable damage (particularly useful against multi-wound models! As on a roll of 1 they are gone no matter how many wounds they have) or to force enemy spellcasters to choose not to cast or to cast but take damage from the Roused by Magic Wyldwood ability! You can also use your own spellcasters to trigger this ability, good combinations including a treeman ancient or Branchwych who is in the wood, already benefitting from all the abilities / effects granted by being in the wood + spell damage from casting, + damage from the Roused ability.



















Moonstone of the Hidden Ways


Bearer knows the Treesong spell in addition to any others they have. Nothing else to say really, I guess the only reason you'd take this over the Acorn of the Ages is if you planned to cast Treesong more than once. Unless your opponent can destroy scenery, you'd soon have nowhere left to place your Wyldwoods.


The requirements for the Free Spirits battalion is 1 Spirit of Durthu and 3 units of any size Kurnoth Hunters. It grants a free move (no running) in the Hero phase, towards a chosen unit or terrain feature.

Warscroll Battalions

Free Spirits
This can be a free 5 inch move in the Hero phase, or you can use an ability that is meant to be used in the movement phase such as Navigate Realmroots! Used after a spellcaster uses the Acorn of Ages or (better range) Verdant Blessing, it can be quite easy to get a first turn charge off with the whole Battalion!

Forest Folk
This battalion consists of 3 units of Dryads and  Branchwraith, not the greatest requirements ever at a minimum of 520 points, but I think it has some potential. The ability granted for it is; once per game in your Hero phase, remove all models from the battalion, and place them anywhere in your territory, or within 3 of a Wyldwood.

I see this being useful in a couple of ways. Late game objective grabbing, if the objective is in your territory or you've got a Wyldwood in a favourable position. Also, dropping out of combat after having baited your opponents units, leaving them in a bad position or in a Wyldwood.
I see this being useful in a couple of ways. Late game objective grabbing, if the objective is in your territory or you've got a Wyldwood in a favourable position. Also, dropping out of combat after having baited your opponents units, leaving them in a bad position or in a Wyldwood.
Oakenbrow Wargrove / Heartwood Wargrove
Both of these wargroves have a similar ability for bringing back dead unit(s). Starting off with the more basic one, one unit of Dryads or Tree Revenants in an Oakenbrow Wargrove may come back within 6 inch of the board edge or in a Wyldwood, further than 9 from the enemy.

The Heartwood version is every hero phase on a roll of a 6 (5's if you have Kurnoths on the board) a unit of Dryads, Tree or Spite Revenants may come back in the same way as the Oakenbrow one. Pretty cool, if there's a way to further buff the dice roll for the Heartwood one that would be amazing! Not sure if there is though.
The Heartwood version is every hero phase on a roll of a 6 (5's if you have Kurnoths on the board) a unit of Dryads, Tree or Spite Revenants may come back in the same way as the Oakenbrow one. Pretty cool, if there's a way to further buff the dice roll for the Heartwood one that would be amazing! Not sure if there is though.
Dreadwood Wargrove
This is the battalion with the most movement potential, and some might say a hefty tax in the required 4 units of Spite Revenants. Within this Wargrove you can also include a set number of Forest Folk or Free Spirit Battalions and as these are part of the wargrove, also benefit from the Wargrove abilities.

The Subterfuge ability grants you 1-3 stratagems for the army, at the start of the first battleround, roll a dice, on a 1-2 pick one, 3-4 pick two and 5-6 pick all three!

Ambush - Any Dreadwood unit can be deployed anywhere on the battlefield, more than 6 from the enemy. 

This unit can be any unit from with the Sylvaneth keyword, which includes Alarielle, Drycha, Spirits of Durthu, Kurnoth Hunters etc. With you placing the army in one drop, this pretty much guarantees a first turn charge against a deployed enemy unit. Granted, it may be a suicide mission, but if you can kill a key hero or pre-buffed deathstar this can be very powerful...

Hidden Attackers - enemy shooting limited to 12 inch for the first battle round.

Fairly self explanatory, I think I'd prefer to take either of the other two in most cases, but there's a definite use for this against certain armies.

Sneak Attack - Up to 3 units can immediately move as if it were the movement phase (no running) 

This could be a useful ability if used "stock" getting an extra move with 3 units already deployed on the board. The real usefulness of it is when used in conjunction with either the above Ambush rule, to get that one unit up to 3 inch away from the enemy, guaranteeing a charge unless a double 1 is rolled! Or even better, in conjunction with the Free Spirits battalion. Moving as though it were the movement phase includes the use of the Forest Spirits allegiance ability, deploying in the (deemed) movement phase from a wyldwood. 
The Subterfuge ability grants you 1-3 stratagems for the army, at the start of the first battleround, roll a dice, on a 1-2 pick one, 3-4 pick two and 5-6 pick all three!
Ambush - Any Dreadwood unit can be deployed anywhere on the battlefield, more than 6 from the enemy. 

This unit can be any unit from with the Sylvaneth keyword, which includes Alarielle, Drycha, Spirits of Durthu, Kurnoth Hunters etc. With you placing the army in one drop, this pretty much guarantees a first turn charge against a deployed enemy unit. Granted, it may be a suicide mission, but if you can kill a key hero or pre-buffed deathstar this can be very powerful...
Hidden Attackers - enemy shooting limited to 12 inch for the first battle round.
Fairly self explanatory, I think I'd prefer to take either of the other two in most cases, but there's a definite use for this against certain armies.

Sneak Attack - Up to 3 units can immediately move as if it were the movement phase (no running) 
This could be a useful ability if used "stock" getting an extra move with 3 units already deployed on the board. The real usefulness of it is when used in conjunction with either the above Ambush rule, to get that one unit up to 3 inch away from the enemy, guaranteeing a charge unless a double 1 is rolled! Or even better, in conjunction with the Free Spirits battalion. Moving as though it were the movement phase includes the use of the Forest Spirits allegiance ability, deploying in the (deemed) movement phase from a wyldwood. 

Using this rule, the Spirit of Durthu + Kurnoths are deployed via the wyldwood (placed as close to the enemy as possible) before turn 1, due to the whole army being in the wargrove battalion, you're deploying in one drop pretty much getting the first turn, then the Free Spirits, along with the single Ambushed unit, can then move and charge - very damaging.

Analysing Sylvaneth's Movement Shenanigans Part 1 - Battle + Command Traits and Spells

I'm currently getting excited thinking about possible combos in the army, specifically the movement options available! In casual play I think this could potentially spoil the game for your opponent, particularly the dreadwood grove / forest spirits battalion combo. So I intend to eventually write a couple of different lists from both a casual and competitive standpoint. But first some analysis, lets start at the beginning...

Battletraits

Wyldwood Groves

This battle trait allows you to place a Wyldwood (consisting of 1-3 bases) anywhere on the board more than one inch from any other terrain. This is a guaranteed wood, with nothing your opponent can do about it (as far as I'm aware), although they can potentially set up / move their army close to the wood to deny any teleporting Sylvaneth. In casual play I'd limit the number of bases used here to 1 or 2 but in competitive do what you want!

When placing the wood you need to think about a number of things. A good rule of thumb is to place it as close to any objective as possible, enabling you to teleport some units straight onto the ob and begin stacking points ASAP. You have to be aware of your opponent's ability to deny you the teleport option by moving close to the wood. So you may want to place the wood somewhere near the middle of the table, rather than anywhere closer to the enemy, to try to ensure you can get some units teleporting! This of course depends your objectives (both battleplan obs and general army obs)

 Forest Spirits (Battle Trait)

This allows you to keep any unit or battalion (whole army!) off the board, and bring it on within 3 inch of a wyldwood in any of your movement phases. Great answer to alpha strike stuff, but you have to deploy next to a wyldwood, which could be somewhat limiting depending on where you deployed the initial wyldwood, or have the ability to generate more throughout the game.

Placing the wood close to the enemy allows you to get a potential first turn charge off, but used stock, the unit will need to make a 9 inch charge to get in! However there are a number of ways throughout the army to mitigate this. 

 Navigate Realmroots

This battle trait allows any Sylvaneth unit within 3 of the wood at the start of their movement phase to travel between 2 wyldwoods on the board. So this only comes into play if you build the ability to generate more into your army. Kind of situational due to the requirement to be within three at the start of the movement phase, I see this being used mainly for Dryads or treemen (who should be in the woods anyway due to -1 to hit  +1 save amongst other things) to teleport onto or near objectives that need claiming. 

If you get a 6 on the dice roll, you can move normally after teleporting , 2-5 you can't move, on a 1 nothing happens and you can do nothing else for the turn! So a 1 is potentially very damaging. Any kind of treemen who use this ability never get the 1 roll, which means these guys are a lot better for using this rule.

Command Traits

Realm Walker

If you choose this command trait for your general, he can add 2 to the Navigate Realmroots roll, allowing him to move after teleporting on a 4+. Particularly of use if that general is a Spirit of Durthu for combat damage.

Warsinger

This allows you to add 1 to the charge roll of Sylvaneth within 10 of the general. Use in conjunction with the Kurnoth Hunters ability to use the general's command ability anywhere on the board!

Spells

 Verdant Blessing

Casting value of 6, place a wood (1-3 bases!) within 18 of the caster and more than 1 inch away from enemy units and terrain. Here's the first way to get extra wyldwoods in the army, to use in conjunction with the Navigate Realmroots or Forest Spirits ability to teleport your units around the board.
Can also be used to block the enemy, making them move run / charge through the woods to get to your models, causing them considerable damage (particularly useful against multi-wound models! As on a roll of 1 they are gone no matter how many wounds they have) or to force enemy spellcasters to choose not to cast or to cast but take damage from the Roused by Magic Wyldwood ability! You can also use your own spellcasters to trigger this ability, good combinations including a treeman ancient or Branchwych who is in the wood, already benefitting from all the abilities / effects granted by being in the wood + spell damage from casting, + damage from the Roused ability.

Treesong

Casting value of 7, choose a wyldwood within 10 inch, can move it 2d6 in any direction, but cannot move within 3 of any enemy models or terrain. Units wholly within the wood (enemy or friend) are moved with it!

Potential uses for this are getting an extra move in the hero phase for units beginning the turn in the wood, moving enemy units, blocking enemy units, moving towards spellcasters to get the Roused ability or moving towards an objective. 

May be too unwieldy for a string of 3 bases? Although you could reform the layout of the string with this spell which could be useful.

The main reason for not taking this spell is probably that there are so many other good spells competing to be taken. But this is probably the most useful movement-based spell in the lore...

That's enough for one post I think, up next will be Magic Artifacts, Arcane Treasures and Warscroll Battalions!

Sylvaneth Initial Thoughts

I've decided to start collecting Sylvaneth! I was orignally going to do Death but my friend told me not to as he had just started them himself! So looking over the other options I decided to go with Sylvaneth due to the amazing models (Drycha in particular) plus the expanded Battletome certainly didn't hurt...

One of the coolest things for me in the book is the amount of movement options you can get, from the Forest Spirits rule right to the Dreadwood Wargrove or Forest Folk battalions. I've decided to focus on collecting a Dreadwood Wargrove due to the movement rules, which I think can also make them very competitive, as well as the modelling / painting opportunities and fluff! Here's a quick list of just about everything I'd like to collect (that may take a while!).

To get it down to 2000 points I could drop the forest folk battalion or some of the Treemen / Kurnoth Hunters. Although those guys are all really good!

LEADERS
Branchwraith (100)
Branchwych (100)
Drycha Hamadreth (280)
Treelord Ancient (300)

UNITS
Spite-Revenants x 5 (100)
Spite-Revenants x 5 (100)
Spite-Revenants x 5 (100)
Spite-Revenants x 5 (100)
Dryads x 10 (120)
Dryads x 10 (120)
Dryads x 10 (120)
Tree-Revenants x 10 (200)
Kurnoth Hunters x 3 (180) - Greatswords
Kurnoth Hunters x 3 (180) - Scythes

MONSTERS Treelord (260)

BATTALIONS
Outcasts (40)
Dreadwood Wargrove (100)
Household (20)
Forest Folk (60)

WOUNDS: 129 TOTAL POINTS: 2580

I've chosen a colour scheme I'm really excited about, something based off of one of the photos in the Battletome, one that's really bright and unlike anything I've done before, really excited to try some new techniques out on it! Not liking the hair on the Tree Revs, I've opted to fill in the gaps on their heads with greenstuff, a good side effect is visually linking them with the Spites, whilst still keeping the more Elven features!

The Order | Free Peoples Army

Been a while since posting, but here's my complete (for now) Free Peoples army, The Order!


Marshal Agravain

A veteran of Constantine's house, Marshal Agravain has served the Freeguild since before Constantine was born. Noone dare ask how one of such age keeps has hair from turning grey.

The Amber-Gilded Zweihanders

The Zweihanders are Constantine's very best troops, surviving many ordeals in the service of the Freeguild. 

They have half jokingly had the first part of their title added by the rest of the guild in reference to the state of their well-worn weaponry.

Knights of the Round

These three have loyally served Lord Constantine's family for as long as anyone could remember.

The peasantry of the Freeguild spoke of "Golem" in hushed whispers, however the truth may be far more disturbing...

Their livery and armament hints at their true nature for those who delve deep into mythical writings...

What is Karlfranz? The maker of the weapon? A bound spell?

Blub's Men

Blub was even more tired than usual. His regiment had been on the move for as long as he could remember. Even through absolute fatigue however, he knew each and every man would follow the Order to Aqshy and back to achieve their goal, even though it seemed unfathomable to these common men.With their lives on their backs, Blub's men were scouts of the assembled Freeguilds of Azyrheim, part of which had been attached to The Order long ago. Moving through the Realm of Beasts at the forefront of The Orders forces, they were tasked with tracking any signs of Chaos they could find, with particular importance given to that of the servants of the pus god Nurgle...

Lord Constantine

Lord Constantine was inducted into the Order after being gifted with armour plate and parchment from the Holy Stormcast after serving them in Azyrheim in his early years. Constantine brought his Freeguild detachment with him on his Pilgrimage with The Order. Only he of all the Freeguild is fully briefed in The Order's purpose.

Constantine rides his griffon Dimfeather into battle, raised by Constantine himself from an egg gifted to him by the griffon handlers of Azyrheim.

In smaller skirmishes, Constantine rides to war on an atrophied pegasus, found after a clash with the Beasts of the Forest.

Drafted Freeguild

Many Freeguild Guard followed Constantine and The Order out of Azyrheim, none understood the hardship they would face out in the Realms. Constant travel, war and fatigue soon took it's toll, only the hardiest of men still survive.

The Priest

Many priests of The Order give up their names and titles upon entry. They each adopt hoods to cover their eyes, needing only the light of Sigmar to guide them...

The Iron Fulcrum

Discovering this long-lost device amongst the ruins of a lost civilization, the wizard Myrddin sensed it's arcane power and took it for his own. In battle, Myrddin channels his power through the Fulcrum, augmented by it's natural meteorological energies.

Fast & Furious AoS One Dayer, Leeds

Attended my first AoS tournament last weekend, Fast and Furious in Leeds. It was a one dayer, but having 5 games of 1000pts rather than the standard 3 of 2000! I took my newly finished Freeguild list.

Order

LEADERS

Freeguild General (100)

- General

- Artefact : Relic Blade

- Command Trait : Reckless

Celestial Hurricanum With Celestial Battlemage (320)

Witch Hunter (60)

UNITS

Freeguild Guard x 10 (80)

Freeguild Guard x 10 (80)

Demigryph Knights x 3 (200)

Freeguild Greatswords x 10 (160)

TOTAL POINTS: 1000

My first game was vs. Ed Bennett's Stormcast. One of the more worrying lists I'd seen prior to the event, with 4 Fulminators!

Ed Bennett

Order

LEADERS

1x Lord-Cellestant on Dracoth 200

- General

- Trait:
- Artefact: 

UNITS

5x Judicators 160

5x Judicators 160

2x Fulminators 240

2x Fulminators 240

Total: 1000

Thankfully (or maybe not) Ed had to swap out 2 Fulminators to fit into 1000pts, replacing them with a Lord Relictor and Lord Castellant with Gryph Hound. This came in handy for Ed as the battleplan we played ended up being Three Places of Power!

He got first turn and rushed his heroes onto the 3 objectives where they all stayed for most of the game, he got a major win. I was too cautious in the first turn I think, should have ran up and tried to get the heroes off the objective ASAP. I did manage to kill his Lord Celestant with my hurricanum, Castellant with my Demigryphs, and one unit of Judicators, and actually nearly tabled him by the end! But I got no points for the Objectives.

Second game was against Matt Hinton with Bonesplitterz

Matt Hinton

Destruction

LEADERS

Wardokk (80)

- arcane treasure: Mystic Waaagh! Paint

- extra spell: Roll each game!

- Big Spirit Stikk

- extra spell: Roll each game!

- extra spell: Roll each game!

- extra spell: Roll each game!

UNITS

Wardokk (80)
Wardokk (80)
Wurrgog Prophet (140)
- General
- Trait: Waaagh Monger
- Artefact: Big Wurrgog Mask
Savage Orruk Morboys x 10 (120)
Savage Orruk Morboys x 10 (120)
Savage Orruks x 10 (100)
Savage Boarboyz x 5 (120)

BATTALIONS
Kop Rukk (100)
Drakkfoot Warclan (60)
Total: 1000 points

The battleplan this time was escalation. I managed to get the first turn and ran  units (sword and board guard and the greatswords) onto 2 of the objectives. The demis managed to briefly get on the 3rd objective before being smashed/blasted off by Matt's Orcs and powerful magic phase. I kept two units on objectives throughout the game for a major win! My hurricanum was the unit of the match here, with it's Storm of Shemtek damaging his boarboyz early on as well as other bits. 

I think Matt spent alot of points on wizards that didn't manage to do much in the game + two battalions that reduced the numbers in the army. Having said that there was still a whole load of orcs on the board! ice one to Matt for taking no shooting in a Bonesplitterz army too! Very characterful.

Next up on table 6 (!) was Jon Green Order alliance army. Another army that I looked at before the event and was very scared of... I just knew somehow I'd end up facing it!

Jon Green

Order

LEADERS

Auric Runesmiter (100)

- General

- Trait: Tenacious

- Artefact: Talisman of Blinding Light

Kraggi (20)

UNITS

Kurnoth Hunters x 3 (180)

- Scythes

Kurnoth Hunters x 3 (180)

- Scythes

Kurnoth Hunters x 3 (180)

- Greatbows

Kurnoth Hunters x 3 (180)

- Greatbows

Skinks x 10 (80)

Skinks x 10 (80)

Total: 1000

Kurnoth Hunters and Skinks running down to take my objective.

The battleplan for this one was Take and Hold. I tried to run my faster units down the flank to get him off his objectives, but didn't get past the Kurnoth Hunters! He ran one unit of Kurnoths down to my objective to kick off the defending Freeguild Guard, and ran a unit of Skinks down to claim it. I managed to kill the skinks with my other Guard unit, and thought I'd managed to get a draw (or at least on to kill points). 

My attempt at taking Jon's objective!

Last turn of the game Jon ran down his second Skink unit trying to get onto my objective. I charged in my Witch Hunter hoping to hold them up, but due to the Skinks run from combat ability, they managed to get onto my objective to get a major win for Jon! 

My last game was against Nigel Chorlton, probably the number one army I wished not to face! Ha.

Nigel Chorlton

Death

LEADERS

Vampire Lord (140)

- General

- command trait: Ruler of the Night

- Artefact: Ring of Immortality

UNITS

20 x Skeleton Warriors (160)

10 x Zombies (60)

2 x Morghast Archai (240)

BEHEMOTHS

Mourngul (400)Total: 1000 points

Oh Dear

The mission was Gift from the Heavens. Nigel had me go first, I put Mystic Shield on the Hurricanum for my turn. In hindsight I probably should have at least started to move up the board! But I was hoping to weaken either the Morghasts or Mourngul with the Hurricanum first. His turn he ran everything forwards apart from a unit of Zombies to hold his objective when it came down. Not sure who got the double turn but my objective came down on my right near my Demis, who ran onto it, his came down on his right next to his zombies. Unfortunately for me his Mourngul was very close to my objective at this point! It took a couple of turns but it eventually killed my Demis to claim my objective. 

More Oh Dear!

I pushed what I could up the left flank, Greatswords, General and Witch Hunter. The greatswords came up against his Vampire Lord, who quickly killed them all! My Witch Hunter shot his pistol at the Vamp Lord, doing 3 damage! Then I chardged in the Witch Hunter and my General. The Vamp killed the Witch Hunter to avoid his extra damage to wizards attack, then my general eventually managed to kill the Vampire Lord! The Vamp had the Ring of Immortality so came back with d3 wounds, and promptly charged back in to try finish off my General. In the moment of the tournament for me, my general fluffed all of his Damage 3 attacks, but his horse finished off the Vampire Lord! Major win to Nigel!

Cheers to all my opponents, had a great day and managed to get my first tournament win! Sorry to the guy I was meant to have in the last round, hope you didn't get too badly trounced by the ringer!

The Order - New Army Thoughts!

I've wanted to start a new army for a while, having done most of the things I wanted to do with the Nurgle army (although there is of course always more to do!). I decided to begin a Devoted of Sigmar army, as I liked the idea of Flagellants being buffed by a load of Warrior Priests! In typical fashion, I have so far painted exactly one Devoted model, my Excelsior Warpriest. I've instead focused on AoS-ing some spare Bretonnians. I felt these would fit the aesthetic of the Devoted more than the traditional Empire equivalents. I also had a spare Island of Blood elf on griffon I was dying to convert into a Freeguild Lord on Griffon, as well as needing to fill out the army until more Devoted of Sigmar stuff is released for AoS.

I'm beginning to stockpile stuff for the Devoted lot, but for now am building up my Path to Glory warband for Hobbyhammer's Realm Hoppers event. On the workbench currently are 3 Demigryphs and 10 Greatswords, which will act as the hard units for the force (if I ever get a game in!).

As I said before, up next on the blog should be a unit of Demigryph Knights, which I've come up with a pretty interesting backstory for!

Interspersed with the photos below are pieces of fluff written for the Realm Hoppers campaign for each unit.

Blub was even more tired than usual. His regiment had been on the move for as long as he could remember. Even through absolute fatigue however, he knew each and every man would follow the Order to Aqshy and back to achieve their goal, even though it seemed unfathomable to these common men.With their lives on their backs, Blub's men were scouts of the assembled Freeguilds of Azyrheim, part of which had been attached to The Order long ago. Moving through the Realm of Beasts at the forefront of The Orders forces, they were tasked with tracking any signs of Chaos they could find, with particular importance given to that of the servants of the pus god Nurgle...

The first unit I did for the army, old metal Bret Squires (hence the varnish)

Lord Constantine was inducted into the Order after being gifted with armour plate and parchment from the Holy Stormcast after serving them in Azyrheim in his early years. Constantine brought his Freeguild detachment with him on his Pilgrimage with The Order. Only he of all the Freeguild is fully briefed in The Order's purpose.

Constantine rides his griffon Dimfeather into battle, raised by Constantine himself from an egg gifted to him by the griffon handlers of Azyrheim.

This is the dude I converted from the Island of Blood griffon. I heavily underestimated the green stuff work needed after chopping off the elf rider! Doesn't look too bad from a safe distance though. I'm really happy with the rider however. I wanted to convey a more priestly look to the model, rather than the standard guy charging with lance and shield with a helmet on. I feel I achieved this with the less aggressive left hand and lowered lance, plus the bare face, which incidentally covers the eyes, something which I intend to do with all the priest type characters in the force as a narrative element.

Many priests of The Order give up their names and titles upon entry. They each adopt hoods to cover their eyes, needing only the light of Sigmar to guide them...

The hooded head came about as I wanted to really differentiate between this model and the stock Warpriest from the Silver Tower set. I also changed his weapon into something other than a hammer, to link him to the units in the army.

Many Freeguild Guard followed Constantine and The Order out of Azyrheim, none understood the hardship they would face out in the Realms. Constant travel, war and fatigue soon took it's toll, only the hardiest of men still survive.

These guys are standard Bret Peasants, now used as freeguild guard. Tried to do something different with their shields, as I felt such a large surface area of the model deserved something other than blank colour.

The colour scheme for the army is;

Reds: Mephiston Red, Agrax Earthshade, Wazdakka Red

Greys: Eshin Grey, Skavenblight Dinge, Adminstratum Grey

Bones: Bleached Bone, Agrax Earthshade, Bleached Bone + Skull White

Skin: Kislev Flesh, Agrax Earthshade, Kislev Flesh + Skull White

Metals: Leadbelcher, Agrax Earthshade, Mithril Silver 

Rust: Typhus Corrosion, REyza Rust, Mithril Silver

Weathering/Bases: Doombull Brown, Light brown (can't remember which!), Typhus Corrosion, Doombull Brown, Light Brown.