Warmachine-Hordes: 31 Flavors, pt. 2

It's been a long while since I've posted any updates. Since then, I've play tested a bunch of great armies, all at 50pts, and have begun a slightly different approach (yet again). Instead of ranking each warcaster with a yea or nay, I've paired them off in a single-elimination tournament format. The 'casters are listed just in alphabetical order, so there's no other logic to the pairings, but the decision-making process is MUCH easier this way. Here's a slick little graphic displaying where I am to date.

As you can see, Constance Blaize, Captain Caine, and Captain Haley have eliminated the competition. I'll continue winnowing these down until I get my Final Four for this faction. Each 'caster in the win column has its own unique flavor and I'm having a ton of fun. They are, from my opponents' assessments and feedback, MUCH more competitive than lists I'd been playing before this experiement. Blaize is melee-centric sword-to-mouth excitement, Caine2 has introduced me to my new love - long-ranged assassination vectors - and Haley1 has been a breath of fresh air, supporting the hell out of her army, with answers to a wide variety of problems. The Stormwall has been stellar with Haley1 and Darius, but I just enjoy Haley1 more. My Arcane Tempest Gun Mages are intense! None of my games have been bad, and all are enjoyable 'casters, but there can only be so many 'casters in my go-to stable. For the record, there will be a wild-card slot in these quarter-final rounds - my favorite 'caster from the eliminated ones will join the elimination line-up for determining the semi-final winners.

Winning lists thus far, all at 50pts:

Constance Blaize - Knights of the Prophet, Tier 4

Constance Blaize, Knights of the Prophet (-6pts)
^ Centurion (9pts)
^ Gallant (9pts)
Precursor Knights (Leader and 9 Grunts) (8pts)
^ Precursor Knight Officer & Standard (0pts)
Precursor Knights (Leader and 9 Grunts) (8pts)
^ Precursor Knight Officer & Standard (2pts)
Sword Knights (Leader and 9 Grunts) (6pts)
Sword Knights (Leader and 9 Grunts) (6pts)
Archduke Alain Runewood (3pts)
Harlan Versh (2pts)
Journeyman Warcaster (3pts)

Captain Allister Caine - Non-Tier

Captain Allister Caine (-5pts)
^ Ol' Rowdy (9pts)
^ Squire (2pts)
Arcane Tempest Gun Mages (Leader and 5 Grunts) (6pts)
^ Arcane Tempest Gun Mage Officer (2pts)
Black 13th Gun Mage Strike Team (4pts)
Greygore Boomhowler & Co. (Boomhowler and 9 Grunts) (9pts)
^ Captain Jonas Murdoch (2pts)
Lady Aiyana & Master Holt (4pts)
Rangers (5pts)
Archduke Alain Runewood (3pts)
Eiryss, Angel of Retribution (3pts)
Madelyn Corbeau, Ordic Courtesan (2pts)
Reinholdt, Gobber Speculator (1pts)
Stormsmith Stormcaller (1pts)
Stormsmith Stormcaller (1pts)
Stormsmith Stormcaller (1pts)

Captain Victoria Haley - Non-Tier

Captain Victoria Haley (-5pts)
^ Stormwall (19pts)
^ Squire (2pts)
Arcane Tempest Gun Mages (Leader and 5 Grunts) (6pts)
^ Arcane Tempest Gun Mage Officer (2pts)
Field Mechaniks (Leader and 3 Grunts) (2pts)
Precursor Knights (Leader and 9 Grunts) (8pts)
^ Precursor Knight Officer & Standard (2pts)
Sword Knights (Leader and 9 Grunts) (6pts)
Journeyman Warcaster (3pts)
Rhupert Carvolo, Piper of Ord (2pts)
Stormsmith Stormcaller (1pts)
Stormsmith Stormcaller (1pts)
Stormsmith Stormcaller (1pts)

As you can probably recognize, I've come to identify some most-beloved and go-to units and solos. I had the Storm Strider in that Haley1 list, but forgot it was in the list and left it at home during my recent play-testing. So I swap in some other stuff and really liked the results. All these lists have been beasts for my opponents thus far.

Can't wait for more!

Warmachine-Hordes: 31 Flavors

Doing some quick math, I realized I have a total of 31 warcasters and warlocks spanning my four factions. With having fairly complete collections of Cygnar, Circle Orboros, and Thornfall, with my chosen select core of Highborn and Four Star Mercs, I have a LOT of stuff - too much to reasonably play, including many pieces I've either never fielded or haven't played in Mk2. So, in struggling constantly with deciding what to play, I struck upon another idea similar to my old thought on Random Casters. Instead, I'll begin with my first faction and play two games with every 'caster and then every 'lock in alphabetical order. If I like their tiers, I'll use those at least once. Otherwise, I'll play what I want with the chosen 'caster or 'lock. I've also decided that 50pts are my new standard - forget 35pts. Most importantly, I'll decide whether each 'caster or 'lock gets a green card or a red card based on these two games - green cards means they stay in longterm rotation, red card means they get shelved for the time being. Maybe I'll revisit them later, but I'm trying to identify my "go-to" armies and favorite combos to play.

I'm starting to remember how much I dislike gunlines, and how much I enjoy in-your-face assault armies. So I'll list all the 'casters I plan to use here, and then edit with results as I play them. Today, I got three games in... and lost all three, but had the most fun with Blaize. So here goes:

June 23, 2012
Major Marcus "Siege" Brisbane: The Big Guns Tier 4: Red
Major Marcus "Siege" Brisbane: Non-Tier: Red
Constance Blaize, Knight of the Prophet: Army of Light Tier 4: Green

I had fun with all three armies I played today, though the Siege lists left something to be desired. As gunlines, I played too far forward. Something to think about as I move forward. It was nice to play Trencher-heavy and run with some guns, but the axe-to-mouth nature of Blaize took the cake and ate it too! Sword Knights, Precursors, and the Centurion all performed amazingly well. This was the only game where my opponent was truly on the ropes and pulled a Hail Mary for the win. I'll continue this list as I go, until I come out with my core warcasters and warlocks that will help me make best use of the armies I have. For the record, here is my discussion on the Privateer forums on this topic.

June 30, 2012
Constance Blaize, Knight of the Prophet: Non-Tier: Green
Lieutenant Allister Caine: Non-Tier: Red - had another go-around; fun, but not amazingly so.

July 14, 2012
Lieutenant Allister Caine: Tier 4: Red - really fun, but problematic; lucky victory
Captain Allister Caine: Non-Tier: Green - total blast with lots of kill potential and answers for everything

Next Up
Captain E. Dominic Darius: Non-Tier: HERE COMES THE STORMWALL!
Captain E. Dominic Darius: Tier 4: Less bells & whistles; we'll see.
Captain Victoria Haley: Non-Tier: More Stormwall fun!

Malus' Marauders

Apparently, I'm always thinking. For those of you that know me, this should come as no surprise. The one thing I like to think about a lot is army ideas for my various factions. After talking to PG_bulldog about Warhammer Fantasy last night, I decided to give my Dark Elves some love, particularly Malus Darkblade. Typically, I feel the named characters for Dark Elves are substandard - too expensive for what they grant you - but I'm determined to have fun with this army and to hell with making things competitive. That said, I've used this as an excuse to gather a force of models I like, are non-Khainite to go with Malus' storyline, and will utilize the core build I've experimented with already. In keeping with my personal stories and fluff for House Sirfalas, I imagine Malus, on his journey to free himself of the Demon Tz'arkan, has come seeking the aid of Lady Enlil, who with the aid of her Daughter Iseilven and their Man-at-Arms, Dantalion, have taken to the field with Malus' forces in an attempt to push deeper into the Spiteful Peaks surrounding Tor Sír, seeking the mysteries of possession for Malus' freedom and the glory of the Farstriders of Ghrond.

"...so we can agree that we'd both like to avoid any... regal entanglements..." 

Malus' Marauders
2498/2500pts

Lords:

* Supreme Sorceress (Shadow) Level 4 (290pts)
        Seal of Ghrond
     
Heroes:

* Malus Darkblade, Scion of Hag Graef (275pts)
        Heavy Armor, Warpsword of Khaine, Spite, the Cold One

* Master (161pts)
        Battle Standard Bearer, Heavy Armor, Sea Dragon Cloak, Shield
        Sword of Might, Pendant of Khaeleth

* Sorceress (Dark Magic) Level 2 (150pts)
        Tome of Furion

Core:
* 30x Dark Elf Corsairs (350pts)
        Full CMD, Light Armor, Sea Dragon Cloak, Two Hand Weapons
        Sea Serpent Standard

* 10x Dark Elf Repeater Crossbowmen (100pts)
        Hand Weapon, Light Armor, Repeater Crossbow

* 10x Dark Elf Repeater Crossbowmen (100pts)
        Hand Weapon, Light Armor, Repeater Crossbow

* 29x Dark Elf Warriors (233pts)
        Full CMD, Light Armor, Spears, Shields
        Standard of Discipline

* 29x Dark Elf Warriors (243pts)
        Full CMD, Light Armor, Spears
        Banner of Murder

Special:
* 10x Cold One Knights (310pts)
        Full CMD, Heavy Armor, Lance, Shield

* 9x Cold One Knights (282pts)
        Musician, Standard Bearer, Heavy Armor, Lance, Shield
        Banner of Swiftness

Pretty slick lay-out. The Level 4 goes in the back with the crossbows, the Level 2 will park with the Discipline spears, the BSB with the other warrior unit, and Malus will hang with the nine-man Cold One unit. Not sure on strategies yet, but the Cold Ones can come in on the flanks, with the spears and Corsairs manipulating the middle ground. We'll see - I'll probably be WAY out numbered compared to my usual opponents Skaven or Vampire Counts. Either way, should be a blast! 

Contemplation Escalation

So, there's a local Escalation tourney in a couple of weeks. The format is pretty neat. Each round increases the pt value of the army, but your army from the prior round must be included. So once something is set in your army, it stays there. No Tiers allowed. Round One is 25pts, Round Two 35pts, Three is 50pts, and Four is 75pts. Round Five, if necessary, will be randomly determined. My only concern is timed turns, since I've never played even a single game under a clock. But we'll see if they're using them, and how much time I get, when I hear back from the TO. That said, I've been considering my Piggies for this one, since I know them best and they have a small, compact force that works in a fairly straight-forward way. I'm also considering my other factions, since there are elements of them all that I know well - except maybe Circle, since I seem to have to do WAY too much thinking when I play them. Oh, I almost forgot - the neatest part - at 75pts, you add a second warlock/warcaster and his/her battlegroup, in addition to whatever else you wanna throw in. So, here's my list and I've color-coded it with ever-increasing threat level colors (yellow for additions at 35, orange for 50, red for 75).

25-pt Core

Lord Carver (*6pts)
* Gun Boar (5pts)
* War Hog (8pts)
* War Hog (8pts)
Farrow Brigands (Leader and 5 Grunts) (5pts)
Farrow Brigands (Leader and 5 Grunts) (5pts)

35-pt Additions

* Targ (2pts)
Farrow Slaughterhousers (Leader and 5 Grunt) (6pts)
Saxon Orrik (2pts)

50-pt Additions

Farrow Slaughterhousers (Leader and 5 Grunt) (6pts)
Rorsh & Brine (9pts)

75-pt Additions

Dr. Arkadius (*6pts)
* Gun Boar (5pts)
* War Hog (8pts)
* War Hog (8pts)
Farrow Bone Grinders (Leader and 3 Grunts) (2pts)
Farrow Brigands (Leader and 5 Grunts) (5pts)
Gudrun the Wanderer (3pts)

So, that's a solid consideration and there's not much wiggle-room here when it comes to Farrow. Makes the decisions easier and I don't have to sweat the process of list building, etc. It has the added benefit of being stuff I own and having some nice paint on 15-pts of it. Haha, ok that's not a lot, but it's something. And for something completely different...

25-Core

Ashlynn d'Elyse (*6pts)

* Mangler (8pts)
Cylena Raefyll & Nyss Hunters (Cylena and 9 Grunts) (10pts)
Greygore Boomhowler & Co. (Boomhowler and 9 Grunts) (9pts)
Lady Aiyana & Master Holt (4pts)

35-pt Additions

Horgenhold Forge Guard (Leader and 9 Grunts) (8pts)
Rhupert Carvolo, Piper of Ord (2pts)

50-pt Additions

Precursor Knights (Leader and 9 Grunts) (8pts)
* Precursor Knight Officer & Standard (2pts)
Eiryss, Angel of Retribution (3pts)
Harlan Versh (2pts)

75-pt Additions

Constance Blaize, Knights of the Prophet (*6pts)

* Gallant (9pts)
* Nomad (6pts)
Arcane Tempest Gun Mages (Leader and 5 Grunts) (6pts)
* Arcane Tempest Gun Mage Officer (2pts)
* * Mule (8pts)

Thoughts? Which would you take? I'm leaning towards Pigs because there's something elegant and simple about the army and it's composition. But the Ash/Connie combo would be pretty fun and brutal. 

En Masse Orboros Constructs WIPs

So, I've pushed forward with my new scheme for my Baldur2 list. This time out, I've decided to paint all the unpainted constructs in my list at once - that's right a Woldwatcher, a Wold Guardian, Megalith, and the Fulcrum! All in one fell swoop!

Two things to point out - I'd like to thank PG_bulldog (of Muse on Minis and the Four Horsemen fame) for inspiring me to start painting my first 120mm based model. He paid me a terrific compliment when I complimented him on his painted Fulcrum. He said mine will look a lot better than his... if I just painted it. Compliment on my painting skills + shame for fielding primed models all the time = En Masse Orboros Constructs (TM)!

Second thing, I've deviated from my Wold scheme from 2008, stream-lining the process, adding in the trick my friend Ray told me about in my last post, and going for an overall brighter scheme. Here's the process I used for the stone work across all four models:

• Prime black
• Heavy dry brushing/almost wet brushing of VMC Black Grey
• Slightly drier brushing of P3 Ironhull Grey
• Even drier brushing of P3 Cryx Bane Highlight* 
• Even drier brushing, used to highlight, of Apple Barrel Country Grey**
• Wash entire model with a light layer of Badab Black***
• Touch up, zenith dry brushing with Apple Barrel Country Grey
• Final dry brushed layers for highlighting and glow with VGC Dead Flesh

*Careful readers will notice I skipped the P3 Cryx Bane Base. I felt the color variation was too subtle from the previous step and didn't add much to the process when I did it on my rock wall. 

**Yes, I used a craft paint. Sue me! I lost my P3 Trollblood Highlight somehow in my recent move. Can't find it anywhere. This craft color was purchased to match P3TH as closely as possible for terrain work. Did well!

***This layer helped reclaim any obscured detail in the runes. 

As I move forward, I'll follow the Forces of Hordes: Circle Orboros guide for painting the Fulcrum's wood and metal bits, though I'll adopt it to my own guides for painting woods on Wolds and metals on Morvahna and my Wolves of Orboros. Finally the gems and such will follow my usual color scheme of turquoise as seen on my first Woldwatcher from FOUR years ago... Wow, I'm a slacker! Incidentally, I love how much BRIGHTER these are then my old constructs. It's tempting to go and redo my old models. But no turning back; I keep pushing forward. Progress > obsessing. To me, these look charged up... glowing from within. And the turquoise gems and basing will tie them to the old models just fine.

Anyway, without further ado... some WIP pics...

Group shot! Click pics to enlarge!

The Woldwatcher. He's got the first layer done on his wood sections.

Guardian. Also with woods started; see there on the far arm! 

Meggy is defendin' that flower pot! 

First huge-based model to receive paint. I'm so proud! Also note, I had considered leaving the Druids off the Fulcrum for some time. I really wrestled back and forth with the idea, esp. since I somehow messed up the assembly and one Druid wouldn't fit on the base (the one rock spire in the right foreground in the above pic is too close to the Fulcrum to fit the Druid model - I was going to pin him on facing outward, but I like the idea that it's a self-energized model without mortal controllers - beyond my Warlock, of course). Also, seeing PG_bulldog's without the Druids sealed the deal for me. So I brown-stuffed over all the foot holes and pushed on.

So, I'll continue painting as I have time. Hopefully tonight. This represents about five hours of work, which seems pretty good to me. I'm happy with them so far, and think they'll only improve as I add more depth, detail, and color to them.

Tell me what you think!

Custom Rock Wall: Scratch Built & Painted!

So I decided that for Baldur2, I needed a rock wall. And if I'm gonna do this right - getting back into Circle - I can't have some chincy paper cut out or piece of foam core, but a proper, to-scale, legally-sized rock wall. I had bought some Super Sculpey a while back when I was going to attempt to make Cassius' personal Celestial Fulcrum. The concept didn't pan out and was frankly a little too ambitious for the money invested in the model (if I screwed up) and the time it would require to finish (since I have only limited hobby time and a lot of armies; see sidebar to the right if you don't believe me). So I broke out the Sculpey and got to work...

First, I cut a 4" x 0.75" piece of 1mm sheet styrene to serve as the legal-sized base (per both Prime Mk2 and Primal Mk2). I then started making the rock wall. I wanted it vertical, of course, but layered from the side - to look like it was rising up from the ground as the Stonesoul cast his spell. So, first I made a long central wall of rocks, leaving space on either side. I used sculpting tools to create flat surfaces, ledges, and striations my fingers couldn't manage. Then, remembering how much Super Sculpey stinks when you bake it, I opted to boil it. Worked like a charm! About two minutes in boiling water and it was set solid. Then I added another row of rocks to one side, following the same procedure and covering up areas I didn't feel looked that great in the first row. Boiled that side (only one minute this time) and then did the same to side two (boiled closer to two minutes here). Then I did some gap filling with liquid green stuff and Gorilla Glue (the styrene had come away from the rocks here and there), carved some starker facets around the surfaces, and filed areas to be sharper. The result was three rough rows of nicely-faceted rocks making a game-legal wall.

My inspiration to paint comes in fits and starts, to be sure. In fact, I haven't painted much of anything this year, and nothing since I moved in February. As inspiration would have it, before priming, I had showed my wife this flesh- and green-colored rock wall, and she said, "I think I'd like to see it when you get it painted." Well, that planted the seed. So I set about priming the rock wall. I also primed my Fulcrum and Baldur2 while I was at it, using my trusty Duplicolor Sandable Black automotive primer. I love this stuff! Can't recommend it enough. I was especially struck with how smoothly it goes on after months of not using it. I've been using some cheap Wal-mart gray primer to mass-prime my Dark Elves (it's good stuff, too, just a little trickier - can't be beat for the price when you have so many models to prime).

After the wall was dry I went about painting it, following the scheme I had developed almost four years ago for my Circle constructs. I figure the wall should match, right? For you readers, I followed my own blog post on painting my Woldwarden, since he represented the most recent iteration of the scheme. Within an hour or so, I had it complete. However, I wasn't totally happy with it...

So, I texted a picture or two to my friend Ray. He's a talented and extremely prolific painter who sends me pics all the time, asking for advice on the use and placement of colors. I figured I may as well get him to return the favor. He agreed that it looked good, but needed a little something else. He immediately advised that I should add a light highlight of GW Rotten Flesh. Well, I conveniently had the VGC equivalent called Dead Flesh handy and snatched it up. I had some serious doubts though. This stuff looks pretty green. But Ray assured me it would work, that he'd been reading a bunch of stuff on color theory lately, and knew it would look great. I'll let you decide... here's the before picture, finished up to the point of my other completed Circle constructs.

Then I took a deep breath and went to work with the VGC Dead Flesh. Here's the result, this time with both front and back photos.

Tomorrow, the piece will get my usual layers of Krylon gloss varnish followed by matter varnish. Sorry if the less-than-ideal phone pics make the difference hard to see. But rest assured, in person, the added layer makes this wall really pop! It gives a depth to the over all image I was trying to convey, as well as a sense of scale that wasn't quite present before. It looks more... real... for lack of a better term. It also looks somewhat arcane, like it's truly spell-driven. Ok, I'm a dork, I know - but I can't help but be excited! 

Either way, I feel inspired! I want to paint my Celestial Fulcrum next. If this wall pops, then this method will certainly make that Fulcrum explode, baby!

Let me know what you think! I invited Ray to come check out my blog. If he's reading this, thanks man! I love learning new techniques when I paint. It's a real inspiration and it hasn't happened in a long time.

Coming Full Circle (Orboros)

So for a while, I suspected that it might be time that I part ways with my beloved Circle Orboros. In the last year since I played much Circle, I first picked up Thornfall, then got back into Malifaux, and added not one, but two, armies for Warhammer Fantasy. Something had to give and I figured the time had come to eliminate a faction from my Warmachine-Hordes stable. Just not enough time in my life for so many armies. Cygnar was my first love, so it's hard to part with them. Mercs, by extension, are an extension of Cygnar (sic), so parting with them would be difficult if not impossible. The pigs are my newest Privateer Press army and very self-contained and easy to collect, so Circle seemed the obvious choice. That said, my wife's favorite model of any I own for any game is the Lord of the Feast... how could I reasonably leave the Circle when that means a parting of the ways between my beautiful wife and the Feast Lord? I'm not a jealous guy, so the Lord poses no threat to me. Haha! But 86-ing one of the things my wife loves? Couldn't do it.

But for the last year or so, I've had next to no interest in playing Circle. I've talked to friends about it, all of whom have encouraged me to hold on to my stuff, that I'll regret selling or trading it, and to wait. The flavor of the gum will come back on the bed post overnight. I know - gross thought. But it's something my Dad once told me and it seems to apply. Another way to look at it - absence makes the heart grow fonder (and more delicious if the Lord of the Feast is to be believed).

So, it's finally come around. I've started reading the boards again. Getting interested in some of Circle's new toys. Also, got a small bonus for guest lecturing in a colleague's course, which will help fuel some purchases to get me up to speed on new releases. I've decided, like I did with Cygnar a couple years ago, that I'm focusing in on three warlocks for the time being - two old favorites (because it's a home-coming after all) and one new release (because his original incarnation was one of my very favorites in the Mk1 days). The latter therefore becomes an easy guess - Baldur the Stonesoul. The other two are the dynamic duo who love to hate each other (wait, that can be said for a lot of the Circle warlocks, esp. coupled with one of my choices). That's right - Morvahna the Autumnblade and Kromac the Ravenous.

The lists I've built for these three warlocks will highlight models I've yet to make much use of (purchases right before I took my hiatus from Circle, for example), combined with some of the best Circle has to offer. Also, I'll be playing them in the order presented because I don't own everything yet that I want to use. I've also decided that I'm pushing local players to the 50pts level from here on out. I just enjoy that level of game play with all the new toys - and I think Circle in general shines at that level.

I'll color code a bit, too. Normal text is just that, normal stuff I'm used to using. My faction color of choice - teal, used in much of my painting - will make note of stuff I own but have yet to field (maybe once or twice, if at all). And finally, red will denote stuff I don't yet own. It'll shift over to teal when I finally make the purchases.

So without further ado, here we go!


Baldur the Stonesoul (-5WBpts) Tier 4 - 50pts
^Megalith (11pts)
^Woldguardian (9pts)
^Woldwatcher (4pts)
^Woldwatcher (4pts)
Celestial Fulcrum (9pts)
Druids of Orboros + Overseer (9pts)
Shifting Stones + Stone Keeper (3pts)
Shifting Stones (2pts)
Lord of the Feast (4pts)


Morvahna the Autumnblade (-6WBpts) non-Tier - 50pts
^Megalith (11pts)
^Warpwolf Stalker (10pts)
^Gorax (4pts)
Tharn Bloodtrackers Full (8pts)
Wolves of Orboros Full + Officer & Standard (8pts)
Shifting Stones (2pts)
Shifting Stones (2pts)
Gallows Grove (1pts)
Gallows Grove (1pts)
Reeve Hunter (2pts)
War Wolf (1pts)
War Wolf (1pts)
Wolflord Morraig (5pts)


Kromac the Ravenous (-WB4pts) Tier 4 - 50pts
^Ghetorix (11pts)
^Feral Warpwolf (9pts) (really want a new sculpt to go with this list)
^Gorax (4pts)
Tharn Ravagers + Chieftain (9pts)
Tharn Ravagers + Chieftain (11pts)
Tharn Ravager White Mane (3pts)
Tharn Ravager White Mane (3pts)
Lord of the Feast (4pts)


Three very different styles - brick, spell-slinging shenanigans, and brutal axe-to-face. Considering some changes on the Morvi list, trying to figure out if a Blackclad Wayfarer and Swamp Gobs would help the overall functioning of the list. Otherwise, this gets some great new stuff (for me) on the table - Guardian, Fulcrum, Reeve Hunter with War Wolves, the Groves, and of course Ghetorix!

Please share your thoughts on my lists, or better yet on my journey coming back full circle to Circle. Have you experienced something like this? Did you end up trading/selling the army and later regret it? Or did you hold true and thank your lucky stars that you kept your stuff?

All and all, happy to be back!

Tor Sír, capital of Sirfaldris in the Spiteful Peaks

The Farstriders of Ghrond seldom find themselves in their ancestral homelands; more often they are raiding abroad, spreading their dominion over others and consolidating the base of their power. Deep within the Spiteful Peaks, however, lays a dark paradise. Nestled in a series of three valleys, left temperate and fertile by the warm descending winds off the Serpent’s Spine, lies Sirfaldris. As if to mirror the spiritual balance of the light and dark sides of the elven psyche, Sirfaldris often enjoys a respite from the typical harshness of Naggaroth’s weather. Balancing the forces of nature, truly this is a place of purity, dedicated to the cruel, natural laws of Kurnous. 


Nestled at the base of the central valley, is a mighty inland lake, fed by a central underway spring and empyting out into three strong rivers that cascade down out of the Peaks. Built on and around the shores of the lake lies Tor Sír. Built in the time just following the Black Arks and founded as a testament to the glories of Nagarythe of old, Tor Sír has grown in leaps and bounds despite its remote locale. Fueled by the more pleasant weather and bountiful natural resources from local mines and waterways, combined with the spoils of raids abroad, the city is a force to be reckoned with. Here Esakh and Enlil rule without question, holding court with their family, and celebrating the ebb and flow of the winds of fate.


Tor Sír is a natural citadel, surrounding on all sides by difficult terrain – the roads and waterways into and out of the city are easily-defended, natural chokepoints. The center of the city is dominated by tremendous twin spires, which serve as palace, home, and court of the Dreadlord and Lady. Dwarven slaves erected the megalithic structure through painstaking labor, gathering materials from the ample mines of the Spiteful Peaks. Smaller than any other druchii city, size is not everything, and House Sirfalas endeavors to keep beneath the notice of the Witch King by remaining steadfastly loyal to their oaths as Naggarothi while remaining frugal in their growth and exercise of power. 

A Conflicted Psyche: House Sirfalas, Nostromo, & Alith Anar

Not all Druchii dedicate themselves to the worship of Khaine and his bloody pursuits. As the pleasure cults of Ulthuan were once the undoing of the High Elves, leading to the civil war that was the foundation of Druchii society, so too do some few of the Naggarothi belong to cults dedicated to the more virtuous, though no less terrible, elven gods of old. Kurnous the Wolf, the god of the hunt, holds special, if staunchly secret, significance to House Sirfalas. The Rootseers dance a delicate waltz with the other dreadlords of Ghrond and Naggaroth beyond. Unlike their ancestors of old, the Sirfalases do not seek open rebellion or even a rejection of the Cytharai, like their Ulthuanii cousins. Rather, Esakh and Enlil would prefer balance between the light and dark sides of the elven psyche. This heresy would see their small empire destroyed, the foundation of their power swept away, were it to ever be known to those outside the family. This balance is the key to the family’s approach to all dealings with the broader world – fair negotiations, brutal honesty, and staunchly-preserved honor, rather than treachery, hedonism, and blood-thirstiness. There is a time for brutality, a time for forthrightness, and a time for pleasure – all are measured, balanced, and executed decisively whenever the exegeses of war and peace call for them. 


Though willing to enlist the services of Khainites, none of that god’s chosen serve as inner members of the Farstrider leadership, save one – the master assassin, Nostromo. Having sworn sacred oaths to House Sirfalas in generations past, Nostromo has stood by the family for millennia, to a time before the Sundering, and his duty is to Clan first, god second. Though even he is not completely trusted, especially by the children of Esakh and Enlil. When they arise to lead the Household, Nostromo’s role may change or be eliminated; for now, he serves his Dreadlord and Mistress with unswerving loyalty. To do otherwise, would invite decisive retribution and simple removal – from the family and from this plane of existence. 


The saying goes: “Never mistake Sirfalas prudence for weakness” – for they are seldom kind and always careful, but brutal in their effectiveness. Their network of spies and informants stretches to every corner of Naggaroth, and even to their ancestral home of Nagarythe. It is here that the Shades and Dark Riders of the Farstriders of Ghrond make contact with their ancestral counterparts – the Shadow Warriors, and their Shadow King, Alith Anar. Tensions between these hated foes are held in check by shared ancient oaths under the auspices of the god Kurnous. In his deepest dreams, Esakh longs for a time when the elves may reunite – but for now, the network of spies and the tense peace House Sirfalas enjoys with the armies of the Shadow King serve both parties well as the world moves ever closer towards Chaos. 

The Druchii are massing...

...brave warriors from across Nagarythe converge under the banner of House Sirfalas, the Rootseers, the Farstriders of Ghrond...

While not painted, I'm still proud of the fact that I was able to finalize assembly on my 103 Dark Elf spearmen. They were not easy, given that 75% of them came to me through a deal and were poorly assembled and somewhat painted. They needed often to be torn down to their base components, rebased, reassembled with new bits (mostly heads, arms, and shield emblems) and then primed.

And here's a close up of my favorite standard bearer. Thought I'd do something a little different... SKULLS!

I think now I can finally start playing some games... ironically, in reading the Sundering books by Gav Thorpe, I'm beginning to empathize more with the High Elves than the Dark Elves. Even considering building a Malekith of Nagarythe High Elf army (basically cavalry, spears, White Lions, and a Prince kitted out in a way reminiscent of Malekith in the books - magic sword, spell-casting, maybe a Crown of Command). 

Stay tuned for more!

Children of Sirfalas (Fragment)

This is certainly a work in progress and fragment, to be sure. But I've begun detailing the twin children of Esakh and Enlil, who serve as marshalls and generals on the various battlefields the Farstriders find themselves upon.

Elrohir Sirfalas, Praefectus Egregius of the Farstriders of Ghrond

Iseilven Sirfalas, Praefecta Maga of the Farstriders of Ghrond

Tasked with managing the martial and magical forces of the Rootseer Clan, the children of Esakh and Enlil have been instrumental in the rise of the Farstriders. Elrohir and Iseilven carry the family name of the Rootseers – Sirfalas – in respect to their parents and a concerted effort to restore the name to prominence. These twin Druchii mirror each other in many ways, even as their personalities and proclivities differ yet compliment one another. Among their earliest joint efforts was the establishment of a Cold One nursery and breeding program, resulting in hardy stock of nigh impervious mounts. Both are skilled riders and will often choose to ride to war atop their prize steeds; though they have won the fear and respect of their vassals through a willingness to stand shoulder to shoulder with them as well.

Dantalion, Standard Bearer of the Rootseers

Dantalion’s true name is lost in his own lengthy past. Faceless, he wears a helm and faceplate to cover the tremendous wounds suffered at the hands of the Death Hags of Har Ganeth. The exact circumstances by which Esakh came to preserve the life of this aged Druchii are likewise lost to history, but the life debt owed to the Rootseers has developed into a sincere and mutual respect between lord and retainer. Dantalion, bearing a demon’s name and a haunting visage, carries the battle standard of the Rootseers to war, rallying those troops beneath him through the widely shared legend of his salvation.

Some tell the tale of a daring raid by Esakh to rescue one who was harmed and disgraced by the family of the sibling couple. Some claim Dantalion was Esakh’s mentor and spark of his deeper lawful morality. Still others claim it was Enlil’s connection to the Death Hags and her desire to disgrace one Hag in particular that led to a political move that spared Dantalion’s life. Whatever the truth may be, the only fact that matters is when the Rootseers march to war, the banner of the army is held aloft by this handpicked Druchii warlord and woe betide any man or monster who stands in his way.

The Farstriders of Ghrond

A piece of fluff to inspire my Dark Elf army-building, design, and game play. Whatcha think?

The Farstriders of Ghrond, Army of the Rootseers of the Spiteful Peaks

Esakh Rootseer, Dreadlord of House Sirfalas, Prelatus of the Spiteful Peaks

Enlil Rootseer, Supreme Sorceress of House Sirfalas, Prelata of the Spiteful Peaks

Bound together by dread pacts and centuries of blissfully brutal marriage, the Rootseers have witnessed firsthand the folly of being too individualistic and self-serving, instead dedicating themselves to guile and manipulation of others while remaining staunchly dedicated to the family name, in deed and spirit. The couple has raised a staggering fortune, motivated by the tragedy and treachery of their parents’ embarrassment – reclaiming their highborn status by inches, and personally launching countless raids into the wider world. Any leader of the Farstriders must unwaveringly answer to the Rootseers, but ideally be directly of their bloodline. The siblings and children of Esakh and Enlil often lead smaller forces to war and raid, while the sister-bride and brother-groom personally lead from atop their specialized Cold One steeds, Dark Pegasus warhorses, or the family’s Black Dragon, Ahnubi. Despite being considered snobbish by the standards of even other highborn – not to mention the stain of their family’s prior indiscretions – a deal with the Rootseers is ironclad and almost always fortuitous for all parties involved. The pair has negotiated treaties that allow them to call up considerable numbers to war, and mass specialized forces from Naggarond to Har Ganeth; even the Harpies and Hydras of Karond Kar are answerable to their summons. Utilizing their unique bond and boundless trust – some would say incestuously so – the couple has earned the family its moniker, seeing the root of others’ treachery and infighting as weakness and capitalizing upon it for glory and fortune – at home and more often abroad. The simple truism of Clan Rootseer – that two united prevails against many divided – has stood the test of centuries and continues to bring success to the family as a whole.

Thoughts? I may write up more as I go, but this is pretty inspiring for me as I continue to build my army. Thanks for reading.

Porcine Inspiration

I've just realized, I never posted these pics anywhere. I managed to get 15 pts painted for a local journeyman league. I'm stuck now halfway through a min unit of Brigands. Hopefully, this will get me inspired to push further now that I'm moved and a have painting area set up. So without a lot of fanfare, I give you PIGS!

So, what do you think? Sorry for the less-than-professional pictures. Maybe a photo booth is in order. Either way, I realized I talk a lot of this blog without a lot of pics. So here ya go!

Druchii Uber Alles

So I've begun collecting Dark Elves (hence the new background image here on my blog) and I'm eager to finally get them on the table. The building is a challenge since I'm not used to these plastics, but I've gotten the hang of it. I love the feel of the Dark Elves; their merciless style is unlike ANYTHING else I play (or have played for that matter). So, without further ado, my first list:

20 Spearmen w/ Shields. Banner of Murder. Full Command = 180pts

10 Cold One Knights. Full Command = 310pts

20 Corsairs. Sea Serpent Standard. Full Command = 250pts

10 Repeater Crossbowmen. Guard Master. Musician = 110pts

1 Sorceress. Lvl2. Tome of Furion = 150pts.

That's 1000pts on the nose! Yes, I'm THAT OCD. So, I have a bit of this left to assemble and I'll be testing it out soon - learning this game by hook or by crook.

One question for the audience - any recommendations for good and inexpensive movement trays? What are the standard sizes I should be looking to buy?

Wish me luck as I sow merciless slaughter!