AOS28 | Tree Revenants

Here's my two completed  Tree Revenants for my AOS28 Sylvaneth warband! As the greens and blues of my chosen Sylvaneth paintscheme are so bright, I used only greys on their clothes to accentuate / not overpower these colours.

The idea behind these guys is that they've been disguised as humans, infiltrated into a city and gathering intel on enemies of the Dreadwood Sylvaneth. To fit into clothes they need to shave down their bodies, a form of flagellation that causes unintentional growth, as seen on their arms.

This Revenant is more of a traditional Tree Revenant, operating in a scouting role to secure information.

Whereas this Revenant has assumed a role as a wizard's apprentice, using his innate magical properties as a Sylvaneth to gain a more prominent position.

AOS28 | Tree Revenants WIP + Development Thoughts

Lack of a couple of paints has dampened any progress for a while, here's a WIP shot of two Tree Revenants built for the warband.

The idea behind these guys is that they've been disguised as humans, infiltrated into a city and gathering intel on enemies of the Dreadwood Sylvaneth. To fit into clothes they need to shave down their bodies, a form of flagellation that causes unintentional growth, as seen on their arms!

AOS28 | The Wych / Wider Warband Thoughts

Tonight was a particularly quiet night for the City Watch. Since Chaos had been ridden from the area by the valiant efforts of The Order, not much had occured of note. This was partly the reason why Alan didn't pay much heed to the small group entering the city from the marsh. The group appeared similar to every other group that had entered over the past few hours, clad in an array of indistinct cloaks and other clothes of the region.

Alan forgot the other reason he didn't pay much heed...

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The Wych entered the city with her seedlings intent on planting herself into the upper echelons of the city in order to ascertain information pertinent to the defence of the Grove. Her countenence was that of a light wind on the leaves, which suited her well for the trials ahead. 

Her followers were varied but each had their uses. It would take many cycles to reap their full potential.

Here's my first character for my fledgling AOS28 warband, a Branchwych!

Parts used are;

Base model - Wanderers Spellweaver
Head - Dryad
Weapon + arm - Tree Revenant
Left hand - Spit Revenant
Shoulder Pad - Kurnoth Hunter
Spites - various sources.

Painting wise I stuck to a limited colour palette, greens and browns in the main aside from the leaves and eyes, which I used to make the model pop, and a little more eye catching! Taking inspiration from one of the Pilgrym warbands, I added texture to the skin through use of the Typhus Corrosion technical paint.
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Moving onto the next few models in the warband, I'll be kitbashing them from scratch, rather than using an existing model as the basis like this first one.

Current influences on the warband included the Genestealer Cult, Aenur the Sword of Twilight and the Church of the Red Athenæum from the Wier Brothers! Here's a WIP shot of the next guy on the paint table!

Dreadwood | Conflicted Brethren

Since Drycha's rebirth, that malevolent one has held sway over the Dreadwood, herself and the Spite Revenants controlling what this once sombre grove will do. They know only war, and war is needed.

However, there is another view within the wood, those older beings remember.

Remember a time before this great war, a time when we lived in peace, at one with the land.

A time before we took up arms against the foul one, and began to cast him out of our land. Drycha fights for vengeance, we fight for peace...

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."