Der Verlorene Haufen: The Mutated and the Dead

Captain Lukas Heinriksen quailed as Todeswunsch pulled the letter he had but two hours ago written, sealed and pressed in to the hand of a loyal runner. The paper was torn and judging by the bloody stains, the runner had met a sorry end too. Todeswunsch tossed the ripped missive on to the table before him and stared coldly at Heinriksen,

"I see you are not enamoured of the new additions to our little expedition Captain. Not only that but it would seem you seek to share your views with our masters back in Ostermark. Would you care to explain yourself..."

Going Viral...

Onwards they marched, tracking the Chaos deviant through the dead lands. A litany of woe and a trail of ruin marked the passage of the Cult they still hunted. Always they were too late and never were they welcomed by the local peasantry. Instead, beady eyes, glistening with fear and suspicion, glared out from make shift hovels as the weary throng trudged past the glowing embers of burned out villages. 

Der Verlorene Haufen: All Aboard the Arquebus!

Kurt Todeswunch was awake before his adjutant burst in to the tent - perhaps he had never actually slept. How was one to know where the border between dream and reality was in this accursed place.

"Sir - reports of movement along the line, just in from the forward pickets. They say the woods have come alive!"

Kurt silenced the panicky Captain with a glare. What new devilry was this?

Der Verlorene Haufen: A Healthy Dose of Nihilism and Morr Skullz!

The stagnant chill of the morning sat heavily amongst the pines. The silence that hung expectantly in the air gave way to the dull clank of rusted armour and harness. Slowly they came, forlorn and sombre, the mud sucking gently at their worn boots. One could have been forgiven for thinking the dejected throng a ghostly apparition or some other ethereal conjuration, for no word or groan escaped the visors of their dour helmet, save for the ragged clouds of condensed breath that hung about their heads in the cold air. 

Der Verlorene Haufen: Once more unto the breech Dear Friends!

“Where now are the horse and the rider? Where is the horn that was blowing?

Where is the helm and the hauberk, and the bright hair flowing?"

Nope - the Cult hasn't got them yet, but where indeed are they one might ask and my answer would be that they reside in numbers amongst my lead pile, waiting to meet this year's Old World Army Challenge! I've just realised I never published this post last month after it aired on the OWAC blog - oh well, better late than never!

BOYL 2014 - The Engines of Avalone: A Hasty Retreat!

The dust has settled, the internets are awash with pictures and the sacrifice of countless miniature heroes are but a memory. 

Yes BOYL 2014 has come and sadly gone.

Once more we are faced with the drab grey of reality. Our battles now are more concerned with staying sane in the real world rather than living vicariously through our miniature armies. Initiative no longer decides who strikes first in combat - only better chances of promotion if we choose to show we have some in the work place. The outcome to the many, varied and entirely dull encounters in life can no longer be decided by the roll of a D6.

Yes, dear reader, I am struggling to come to terms with life after BOYL. Not surprising really considering I have just immersed myself in three (three count 'em!) days of amazing gaming with an amazing, gentlemanly and thoroughly bloody good bunch of chaps.

Actually this is a little disingenuous of me as I am currently typing from the beautiful Lake District and have a few more weeks of School holidays to enjoy!

Clean Up in Eilnein

Ajax Van Ish met the piercing gaze of the Elven Sorceress with a hard stare of his own. The weariness of five days on the road was barely detectable in the Count's grim countenance as he thanked his new ally.

"Your assistance is greatly appreciated my Lady. The heretics we track are not far but travel in strength. If we are to rescue our countrymen, or avenge them... our best chance is to surprise them in the Woods of Eilnein."

"Our watchers have observed closely the progress of your enemy. Now that they have dared defile the sanctity of our domain we share a common foe. Their pestilence must not be allowed to corrupt this sacred realm."

Lenor Ambypure closed her eyes and shuddered at the thought of the presence of Nurgle's followers despoiling the woods. She rose from the table in one fluid motion and gestured towards the trees that surrounded the glade in which the small council of war had met,

"Count Van Ish, my Gladewatchers will direct your soldiers to a place of ambush. Together we will cleanse this stain from Eilnein."

In the gloom of the dawn, Man and Elf  crept stealthily to their positions. Harnesses were tightened, weapons checked and bow strings strung. The forest road lay still, a darkened artery upon which a terrible infection travelled inexorably on...

Welcome folks to another battle report - this time between a desperate Alliance of Men and Wood Elves and the dread forces of Nurgle that we played some weeks ago. This was also the first time I went down to my local gaming club, York Wargames Society - a great venue and friendly club that I hope to spend much more time at, real life permitting...

Gaj graced us with his convivial presence thanks to a business trip to York and Warlord Paul kindly stepped in as GM. Setting up was slightly unusual as Paul suggested I record my deployment on a sketch map to simulate my forces waiting in ambush. So it was left to Gaj to assemble his column of Chaotics and human prisoners on the road, nervously eyeing the trees!

The Nurgle column shambles along the forest road after a happy few week's of raiding and pillaging.

Ere, Gutrot - you 'eard them tales aven't you? It's always the buggerz at the back wot cops it furst...

Chaos Goblin warriors lead the order of march.. Behind them comes the heavy tread of a unit of Chaos Warriors, followed closely by their dread leader and his three pet Trolls. A unit of Chaos Goblin archers bickers ahead of the unfortunates that have been taken prisoner - best not to linger too long on their fate... The vanguard is led by the Chaos Dwarves and their infernal Bazuka while a second mob of Chaos Goblin archers brings up the rear.

Unseen eyes mark their progress and wait...

I know you can smell them already but wait till you see the reds of their eyes boys...

Empire Knights - Take Two

Hello again - more improved pics with my new camera.

This time the Front Rank (War of the Roses) mounted knights and General

And the Perry Pikemen led by a Citadel Fighter.

These guys will have to wait awhile for reinforcements - got a few other projects to get through first!

Front Rank... Charge!

My Round 5 entry for the LPL saw me delving into the small pile of historical minis I have to meet the requirements for the Civil War theme. There were extra bonus points on offer for providing both sides of your chosen conflict so I plumped for the War of the Roses (not at all topical for a Lancastrian living in Yorkshire!) as it was a good opportunity for tackling some minis I'd had for hanging around for a while.

After a little research on uniforms and heraldry I decided to represent the Yorkist forces of Richard, Duke of York and for the Lancastrians, knights of the retinue of Henry Percy, 3rd Earl of Northumberland. Both were present at the Battle of Wakefield and the fact that that was a Lancastrian victory didn't sway me at all! Of course both factions will eventually end up in my Old World Allied force - a mixture of veteran mercenaries hailing from the far reaches of the Empire, Bretonnia, Tilea and the Border Princes.

The pikemen were a purchase from a fellow LAF'er some time ago - I forget who but thanks anyway! Not sure if they're actually from the War of the Roses but their equipment looked about right. Leading them is a chap from the old Citadel fighters range.

These chaps received a fairly basic paint scheme - not only was I running out of time to get this entry finished but I was conscious that I have another 23 of them to paint up to complete the unit...

Now the Lancastrian knights are definitely from the War of the Roses - Front Rank's War of the Roses range in fact. These were an ebay bargain - something in the region of £6 or so!

In fact I may have to invest in some Front Rank minis as they scale up to old Citadel very nicely and there's a great range of Billmen, Halberdiers, Handgunners and Crossbowmen - not to mention the fact that they're about £1 a mini.

I think this unit could with rounding out to ten as well...

There are also some lighter armoured horsemen that come open handed so you have the option of equipping them with such things as crossbows - depending on your opinion of the aesthetics of open handed minis they could make good Kriegsritter?

 Being all metal these chaps also have a nice heft to them!

I've yet to decide who exactly these knights will be led by in my Old World Mercenary Army or what their background might be - a dispossessed noble and his retinue, a professional soldier who's rise through the ranks has been constrained by his low birth - followed nonetheless by a band of the disgraced sons of the Nobility...

Nice as it has been to delve into the Old World again - and I have many Men-at-Arms, foot knights and various knightly orders, including the Knights Panther and some old style (80's) Knights of the White Wolf, champing at the bit in the paint queue - I'll be sticking in the New World for now until my Lustrian adventure is finished...