Cataphracts of Chaos

My Warriors of Chaos are nearly ready to invade the civilised empires now that I have completed the final unit of the army. These five Chaos Knights and their steeds are the most costly fighters in their warband, but they do pack a mean iron fisted punch unless they can be stopped by an artillery barrage before smashing into the enemy lines.

The Chaos Knights break into a charge

Since this cavalry is nearly completely covered in metal plates without any of the pelts that break up the Chaos Warriors’ colour scheme, I applied some flesh wash to the horse barding which gives it a different tone from the riders in their cold steel. Horns and fleshy bits on the shields do the rest with some bronze elements on the command group.

A demonic soul is bound into this shield

The diabolical horn comes alive in battle

Prying eyes from the Realm of Chaos

The steed is armoured in the skull of a defeated monster

The Doom Knight fights to earn glory in the eyes of the gods

Now what this force needs is a mighty and ruthless leader, backed up by a cunning practitioner of the dark arts to lead it into battle and glorious victory for the gods of Chaos.

Get out of the way or be trampled into the dust

Warriors of the Dark Gods

An army of the Warriors of Chaos needs a unit of these dreaded fighters themselves of course. As I am putting together a core force of just 1,000 points, a group of ten of these provides a hefty chunk of the army’s fighting strength.

Having conquered the wastes, the warriors head south

These warriors march under the banner of Chaos Undivided, clad in cold, chaos-infused steel and wrapped in heavy cloaks and shaggy furs. Their relentless assault on the civilised lands can only ever end in complete annihilation, be it theirs or their enemies’.

The eight pointed star of chaos proclaims their allegiance

No mere mortals could wield such heavy blades in each hand

The Aspiring Champion leading this band of merciless killers is a figure released for Games Day 2009. He fits the style of the plastic Chaos Warriors well but has enough additional detail and flourishes to make him stand out as their commander.

The champion seeks the favour of his sinister gods

Trophies of defeated enemies adorn these ruthless fighters

Long March South

I’ve been feeling the call of Chaos and decided to revisit some of the units I had previously raised but not quite finished. I have put together an army list for 1,000 points of Warriors of Chaos Undivided, using a no-nonsense black and metal colour scheme and consisting of Warriors, Marauders, Knights and a chariot.

First off I re-based the chariot, propping up the steeds on bits of slate while doing so to give them a little more height.

The chariot cuts a path for the warband

Next I touched up the bases for the Chaos Marauders and painted the remaining two in full, making it a mob of 20. This regiment started out when these sculpts were first released and they have a quick and dirty dry brush job for the skin.

Heavy flails will crush any resistance

Shortly before I had also completed this alien tree from Wargames Terrain Workshop. While I had envisaged it to be part of my Catachan jungle terrain, Captain Darling over on Discord pointed out its Lovecraftian qualities. With my eyes opened such, I can see it equally well as part of a Chaos landscape for Warhammer now.

Vegetation in the lands of Chaos is weird and often deadly

I’ve moved on to painting the Warriors next which will join this dark crusade in due course. Assuming they don’t get lost in the Chaos Wastes for another twenty-odd years.

Whipping their steeds towards the enemy

The Marauders throw themselves into the fray

Monstrous Hunger

I’ve added some more big beasts to my army of the Ghoul Kings in the form of three Crypt Horrors. As with the Ghouls, I wasn’t keen on the sculpts originally, but by choosing the parts I liked and painting them in my chosen pale colours I am now very happy with the result. Or whatever the equivalent of happiness is for a cold hearted necromancer like myself.

The Crypt Horrors turn the town into a charnel house

Mad hunger fuels these beasts

Crypt Horrors tower over other Ghouls

I still have the Terrorgheist to add to the force as well, but for now I’ll probably move on to other vampiric houses and practitioners of the necromantic arts. I do like the idea of adding a unit of human followers in the form of the Strigany to the Ghoul Kings though, eventually.

Searching for their next meal

Strength of Steel

My Oldhammer Dwarfs have called their warriors to war, and a solid regiment of 20 has been raised under the ancestral Banner of the Anvil. For the troopers I used plastic figures from the Fantasy Regiments box set. I equipped them with a mixture of axes and hammers but decided on plain helmets rather than horned ones to better fit in with the other regiments in the army. The champion in the metal command group is a random Norse dwarf from my collection, which I will eventually replace with an Imperial version. At that point I will obviously have to start a Norse mercenary force to put him to use.

Dwarf warriors line up to defend their land

Since these warriors are not part of a standing army but a militia, raised as needed from the local craftsmen, farmers etc., I gave them a mix of clothing and shields with various colourful, simple patterns. This still leaves me the option of later adding runes or symbols as the regiment distinguishes itself through heroic deeds. I think the variety in colours and shapes also helps break up the mono-pose look.

Each dwarf carries their personal colours

The banner is a freehand job, inspired by a version in Warhammer Armies. It’s simply painted on paper, with PVA glue between both sides that helps keep its shape.

An anvil symbolises the tough nature of these fighters

The warriors take their place in the dwarf battle line