Macarian

Amazing miniature and painting! 😍 What did you use to make the model turn around in the video? I would like to use that to showcase my miniatures.

Update time! The flames are coming along quite nicely after I found a really simple way of doing them here Plus, a closeup of the flames: I love how the model is coming together However, it does consume loads of Green Stuff, so as I wait for a new batch to be delivered I started work on the next unit for the army: The Ebon Cohort: The vampires of Lahmessos are elite warriors devoted in their service to the Red Empress who rules them. They are also a proud race, believing guard duties or policing mortals to be beneath them. And though useful tools in their own right, the average skeleton poses little threat to a determined thief or rabble rouser. To fill this role the Red Empress raised the Ebon Cohort, spirits created from those the Red Empress personally defeated in battle and deemed worthy of continued servitude. These spirit soldiers are used to guard certain places of power or police mortal populations. They are murderous, psychopathic spirits, with a singleminded focus on utterly achieving the task set before them. For instance, when a Chaos demagogue was discovered within one of the mortal districts the Ebon Cohort was tasked with terminating the cult before it could spread further. The spirits sealed the entire district and within a single day, the entire district was systematically put to the sword. Though the lives of many innocents were lost the cult was utterly eradicated before it could spread any further. Simple but effective conversion by leaving the headplate of. I love how dynamic these models are though I wished they did fit together more easily. I am working on a unit of 20 and they need lots of gap filling. Still great sculpts and I hope you guys like them as much as I do! Thanks for looking!

Thanks, I get what you mean Thankfully, progress has been made! The Spirit Host has been built and I have begun some small flames to cover up the cutting damage. Closeups: It is a surprisingly stable build and I think it looks really cool already Let me know what you guys think!

Thanks! Interesting idea, I will certainly use it as inspiration. To keep the dragon up I did have something else in mind. After a trip to the local crafts store I got a wooden rod about 1cm in diameter which fits perfectly in the dragon's mouth. This way I can actually have the dragon flying! I also found some Mortarch Mannfred bits lying around so I've decided he is my interpretation of Prince Vhordrai. I love the lore of this doomed knight but never liked that his miniature is just an unhelmed vampire lord. I think my conversion does him a bit more justice. Behold: Currently I have a little helper holding him up and it will likely need more than a few more layers of glue hold properly. The spirit host will grow up in height along with sculpted flames to hide the overflow of glue. I am also quite scared about adding the weight of the wings but that's a later concern I am really happy with the look so far, what do you guys think?

Initial work has begun on a Vampire Lord mounted on a Zombie Dragon: The idea is to have the Dragon's breath spawn forth a legion of ghostly knights. I am thinking using something of a hard plastic tube to connect the dragon to the base from its mouth. I could then use green stuff to mold flames on the tube. If anyone has any suggestions or a tutorial on how to sculpt fire breath I would be very grateful!

The Guild of Spellhunters As befits a place born of cataclysmic and volatile magic, the Shard has always been home to unstable and unbound spells. Since the early days of civilization Spellhunters have made a living from hunting down rogue spells before they reach civilized lands. As can be expected, the work is extremely dangerous so the earliest Spellhunters banded together as a Guild to cooperate and preserve magical knowledge over the Ages. These days their services are in high demand as the effects of the Necroquake are felt keenly in Shyishan parts of the Shard. ------------------------ Hey everyone, as I am waiting for the shipment of miniatures for the army proper I went into my pile of older miniatures and put together a Necromancer Spell Hunter: Though not necessarily part of the army he is part of the same world. As a Spellhunter he is a kind of Bounty Hunter who traps Rogue Endless Spells before they do damage to civilized areas. I really like the miniature and I hope you guys do too Also, my order just shipped so I hope to get to work on the first actual miniatures for the army this weekend!

Introduction to the Shard When the great Dragon Dracothion formed the Realms it was a cataclysmic process. Titanic energies were unleashed as vast tracks of land were molded into place. It was unavoidable that some parts of creation would break apart, flung into the void like the sparks from a blacksmith’s anvil. Most of these sparks died out into the void or became the first morsels of magic to be eaten by the Dark Gods. But some stabilised, hanging between the Realms in the Aetheric Void as minute islands within a vast Ocean. These Shard-Realms are as diverse as the realms they come from, often mixing magic of different Realms. Many are small and sparsely inhabited, if at all. A few, such as Baettomel’s Shard however, are the size of continents and home to many species and civilizations. Named after the Celestial Cartographer who first discovered her, Baettomel’s Shard was created from the magics of both Aqshy and Shyish. This dual nature is reflected by the people living on the Shard. Fiery passion and independence are tempered by a reverence for tradition and the finality of death. “Burn brightly in Life, Shine eternally in Death” ~ Popular saying, used both to wish Good Luck or say Farewell A brief history of the Shard The Shard is tethered to both Aqshy and Shyish through 2 Realmgates. During the Age of Myth colonists from both Aqshy and Shyish came to the Shard. From Aqshy came Humans, Ogors and Aelves. They built the great city of Aldranyte at the center of the Shard. From Shyish came a dynasty of Soulblight Vampires and their Orruk thralls. They founded the City-state of Lahmessos in the mountainous regions. For many years these great cities stood as beacons of civilization, science and magic as the rest of the Shard was explored and colonised. There was harmony and peace until of course, the Age of Chaos came. Though spared the initial onslaught, Aldranyte was the first city on the Shard to come under siege. Warbands and Demons had claimed the Realmgate in Aqshy and began to cross the gate into the city. Here they were met by the combined forces of the Shard, the living and the undead fighting side by side. For a time, they held the invaders at bay but their defeat was inevitable. A cabal of Chaos Sorcerers corrupted the Realmgate. Where once warm winds flowed, icy blizzards began to blow. Those who were touched by the wind found their lifeforce drained. The mortals, once energetic and passionate became lethargic and uncaring. Though the vampires were unaffected they could not stand alone against the renewed assaults. They abandoned Aldranyte and retreated into the fortified halls of Lahmessos. As the forces of Chaos laid siege to Lahmessos, they rampaged across the Shard. The surviving mortals were forced to live nomadic existences, constantly hunted by Blood Hounds and worse. This reign of terror and horror did not break the Shard-dwellers. Not once did the followers of Chaos set foot in the Sanguine Halls and they paid a toll of souls in battle for every day of the siege. Resistance mounted in the plains at the edge of the Shard as well. At first, only scattered embers smouldered but over time those embers lit into a blaze of rebellion that formed the Fire Kingdoms. One day, the lightning from Azyr touched even this distant realm, ending the Age of Chaos. The battles fought during the Realmgate Wars would come to shape much of the history of the Shard. But that’s a story for another time… ------------------- Hey everyone and welcome to my new army project. I am aiming for a 2000 point Soulblight army with some Undead friends. Here I will share the lore of the army and the world I am working on as well as pictures of the Vampires and other Undead. I hope you like it My first miniature for the army, a count-as Fellbat which doubles as a test for the colour scheme and base. Quite happy with the result but I would like feedback to improve if you have it! Thanks for looking!

I do I am making a conversion with the body of Demigryph Knights, the head of a Spite-Revenant and the shield of the Tomb Kings Tomb Guard. Pictures to follow this weekend hopefully In the meantime I would like to share some more lore with you guys for the army: The City State of Allurah During the Age of Myth, Allurah was a city-state in Shyish ruled peacefully by a vampiric nobility. A caste system provided order and prosperity to the city for many centuries. The living mortals were the city's craftsmen and artisans, their creativity spurring development and innovation. The eternal undead were the untiring laborers and unfailing administrators. They preserved the city's traditions and guided its inhabitants in noble veneration of Nagash. Above all stood the Immortal Vampires. They could perfect their skills over long centuries to become expert rulers, powerful Knight-defenders and knowledgeable Mage-Scholars. Allurah flourished through the development and trade in many wondrous magics and items. Throughout both the Underworlds and other Realms the ciy-state was renowned as a beacon of enlightenment and honor. The ruling family were among the select few vampires permitted to visit the Inner Palaces of Sigmaron itself to present their views on the Great Matters of the Realms in those mythical days. Alas, such beauty and harmony could not stand against the coming of Chaos. When Archaon the Everchosen came to Shyish, he dispatched three Champions to lay siege to the city. Known as the Three Kings, each was a mighty Lord of Chaos who send forth legions of daemons, cultists and black-clad warriors to break the city. Alltough the vampiric knights and sorcerers of Allurah held the city valiantly for decades, they could not stand against the oncoming hordes. Eventually, as very ground they stood on became corrupted and daemonic flames engulfed the magical walls of the city, Madness gripped mortal and undead alike and the city fell to the ruinous powers. It was Geneva Isidora, third daughter to the city's Prince-Regent who would see to the survival of Allurah. Though considered only a fledgling in those days, Geneva was already a potent Wizard, well-versed in magics of Obfuscation and well respected among vampires and mortals alike. When it was clear the city was lost, her father and the ancient Knight-Generals resigned themselves to a glorious last stand, preferring to see the city destroyed in a blaze of defiance rather than abandon it. Geneva convinced a group of younger Knights and Captains to join her and escape the city so that at least some Allurites would survive. Their daring escape was successful in no small part due to the sacrifice of the older warriors. As they escaped the burning city and left the screams of the damned behind them, the normally kindly and collected vampiress screamed her frustrations to the heavens and wept for her city and family. As she swore her eternal hatred and promised vengeance upon the Ruinous Powers the heavens roared with thunder.

Looks great, I like the fading from black to red

I think the Doppelganger Cloak is amazing on a VLoZD because it prevents them from being Alpha-striked so they can always do their damage. I don't have much experience with the Ethereal Amulet but obviously the unrendable 3+ save feels strong. A bit too strong for my personal tastet, so I don't use it. Though it does not protect from Mortal Wounds so you should keep that in mind. I would say neither is very efficient on non-combat heroes. If your Necromancer general ends up in close combat the battle is almost certainly lost. In my 1K Legion of Sacrament list my Necromancer General is protected with the Wristbands of Black Gold, a unit of Skeletons and a Wight King. As a support unit there should always be someone between him and the enemy.

Lovely idea and minatures! What's your method of painting for the greenish stone?

Thanks! I am going to stick to the Abyssal model. I like the model as is. Also, adding wings would make the model quite unstable again.

Hello everyone! After a short period away from my hobby desk I return with the first pictures of the second army I'm working on. I'd like to present to you all: Her Sanguine Majesty Blood Empress Geneva Isidora of New Allurah! Close-ups of Geneva herself: Close-ups of the base: Vampire Lords on Zombie Dragons make for a great general in Soulblight armies with the Mistform trait. However, with the Order of Allurah I am going for a clean look. So no rot, decay or broken equipment. This meant the traditional Zombie Dragon model, cool as it looks, was out. I love the Abyssal model from the Mortarch set but the model feels quite unstable out of the box. Using a broken pillar from the Stormvault Terrain set and a Spirit Host bit from the Mortarch box the model is a lot more stable. The Fay Enchantress is one of my favourite Oldhammer sculpts and combined with the Abyssal makes for a great Vampire lady on Zombie Dragon! Next step will be to use Green Stuff for some finishing touches and then I can begin painting this beauty Thanks for looking and let me know what you think!

They can't, though I think something along these lines would probably work:

Well, re-roll charges, extra attacks and re-rolls on hits & Saves are amazing in my opinion Still, it's probably overkill and with the restriction I'll just buy the one I can and be more selective in their usage. Question now becomes what to add. obviously another group of Vargheist would be good though I'm also thinking about dropping the Bat Swarms for another Vampire Lord and the Emerald Lifeswarm for some solid Healing. Good point and Chainrasps in Legion of Blood make for a compelling alternative, However I do have some thoughts regarding the comparison: Marauders are quite a bit cheaper per wound at 5 points vs. 7 point Chainrasps for units of 40. Offensively they are comparable, with the Chainrasps bringing more attacks but the Marauders having built in buffs. Defensively the Chainrasps are better with the 6++ but mostly they're better against weapons with rend. The cheapness of the marauders means you would effectively need to heal or save 16 more wounds on the Chainrasps during a match to make up the difference in cost. Not impossible for this force but certainly not what my force aims to do. The ability to bring back the whole unit I feel is not very realistic as your opponent can easily block the gravesite when looking for the space to bring back such a large unit. Reducing the unit size to compensate would increase the wounds to heal to make up the difference in cost. Lastly and most importantly for me, I like how the Mercenary Company brings a unique rule which cannot be found elsewhere. By moving the Marauders out of the deployment zone, the Blood Knights can deploy on the edge while still being screened by another unit. This gives them maximum movement while still keeping them screened. Despite that the Chainrasps are clearly the better tarpit option and I expect the Marauders to drop like flies. But I feel my force benefits from a cheaper screen more than a tarpit unit. Plus, I wouldn't be a Lord of the Night if I wouldn't smile at the thought of all those pawns sacrificing themselves for my glory. Mortal blood does shine so much brighter than Ectoplasm after all...

Some great ideas here, I' ve been playing Legion of Blood, but with Vargheists finally becoming battleline again I am looking to retool my new army into a Soulblight force. What are you guys' thoughts about the new mercenary companies. I was thinking adding the Rampagers to my list for some cheap bodies to complement the elite Vampires. I also like how their ability basically "extends" the normal deployment zone. I was thinking about something like this: Soulblight Allegiance (Necromantic Bloodline) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Leaders Vampire Lord on Zombie Dragon (General) ---- 440pts Mist Form / Doppelganger Cloak / Chalice / Sword / Shield / Amaranthine Orb Vampire Lord on Nightmare Steed ---- 140pts Chalice / Vile Transference Battleline 10x Bloodknights ---- 400pts 3x Vargheists ---- 150pts 3x Vargheists ---- 150pts Units 2x Bat Swarms ---- 80pts Allies: Rampagers Mercenary Company 40x Chaos Marauders ---- 200pts Axes / Shields / Damned Icon 40x Chaos Marauders ---- 200pts Axes / Shields / Damned Icon Endless Spelss Shards of Valagharr ---- 40pts TOT 1800pts / 4 CP

The Realm of Ulgu, City of Baleheim, 17th district communal cemetery. The Sigmarite priest had truly believed he was in the right, preventing him from calling the resting souls in this mausoleum to the service of the Supreme One. Nonsense off course, Ralazahr thought. When the Supreme Lord of Undeath called it was only natural to answer. These priests seemed to believe they could bring everyone to their way of thinking by slamming a mace into them. Despite the pain in his side Ralazahr found himself smiling. He did not need to resort to such crudeness to convince the priest. The divinity of the Supreme One would be evident to the priest after the ritual of awakening was complete. ~ Greetings all! Thanks for the great responses Absolutely! 😎 Thank you so much 😄 On the hobby front progress has been made. The first miniature for the army is officially done! Also, in between painting sessions work has begun on the Skeleton Warriors that will form the bulk of the Horde. These are the command miniatures with some minor conversions using left over Black Knight bits. These guys are a former knight and his squires that Ralazahr pulled out of a mausoleum.

The Great Task of Ralazhar Deathsworn Nagash had led the emissaries of the Anvils of the Heldenhammer to believe that he would join them in their assault upon the fortress of Gothizzar, the All-gate that guarded the Endgate. Nagash knew that the arcway leading from the Allpoints to Shyish must be shuttered, but he did not aid the Stormcast Eternals. Such an alliance did not suit the Great Necromancer; after all, Nagash still did not consider his long-standing grudge against Sigmar for the wrongs done to him repaid. From his throne of bones, he watched the Stormcast Eternals die at Gothizzar. When he was ready, Nagash’s assault upon that fortress would not fail. -Excerpt from the Freeguilder General’s Handbook, a history of the Age of Chaos Shyish, some days following the battle of Gothizzar during the Age of Chaos. What utter Heresy, Ralazahr thought as he left the Sanctum of his Master. An order of Blood Knights had defied the Supreme One to save a band of the Thief-King’s Stormcast at the battle of Gothizzar. He had never understood why anyone would not bow their heads in subservience to the glory of the Supreme One in the first place. But for the Order of Allurah, favoured servants who had fought in the Supreme One’s Grand Host for centuries, to defy their Master was a Heresy almost beyond belief. Still, Ralazahr smiled to himself as he walked out of the Black Tower. His place was not to dwell on such matters, his place was to see the Supreme One’s will be done. Currently that meant claiming the Vampires’ souls for their just punishment. And as one of the foremost Dark Acolytes to the Legion of Sacrament that would be precisely what he’d do. ~ Hello everyone and welcome to my painting log! I have been painting and modelling on and off over the last 15 years. I have been in love with all things vampiric and undead since the ancient days of the world-that-was. However, over those years I have never managed to complete a full army 😅 So, after switching to a new job I now have the money and time to start building not one but two armies! In this blog I will keep everyone posted about my progress and the developing lore for the armies. Starting with Ralazhar Deathsworn's Undead Horde. Ralazhar is one of Arkhan's most zealous Dark Acolytes, a devoted servant of Nagash and a powerful Master Necromancer. He has been tasked with reclaiming the souls of the Order of Allurah, a band of Blood Knights led by Geneva Isidora. Once favoured knights of Nagash, they believe that the only way to resist the tide of Chaos is to unite the living and the dead under one banner as equals, not slaves. Of course no blogpost would be complete without miniatures, so here are a group of fallen Warrior Priests. Once, these priests fought valiantly to destroy necromancers and other evildoers. Now, they serve as Ralazhar's Hexwraith trackers. More pictures behind the spoilers bar.

Well, the idea I had was to keep the Vampire Lord, Neferata and the Blood Knights relatively safe during the first turn. Maybe deploy them in a central position in the deployment zone and then move them up to whichever side of the opponent's army I feel is weaker. The Grimghasts put pressure on the other flank so it's more difficult to respond for my opponent. I suppose the Vampire Lord could do the same but that would limit the maximum distance I can place the Gravesite markers away from the Vampire Lord to 25" (10 move+6 run+9 distance from the marker). I must admit that writing it out like this, I kinda feel like that covers the area between both deployment zones on most tables 😅 So by cutting the Dreadblade I gain 2 command points and have a drop less. What are your thoughts on the general strategy of using the Grimghasts as a throwaway-pressure unit? Is it viable at all?

Has anybody tried the Dreadblades to taxi a big unit forward as an immediate threat using the Unquiet Dead? I have been toying with something like this: Allegiance: Legion of Blood LEADERS Neferata Mortarch Of Blood (400) - General - Lore of the Dead : Overwhelming Dread (Deathmages) Vampire Lord (140) - Nightmare - Artefact : Orb of Enchantment - Lore of the Vampires : Soulpike Dreadblade Harrow (100) - Allies UNITS 15 x Blood Knights (720) 30 x Grimghast Reapers (360) 5 x Dire Wolves (60) 5 x Dire Wolves (60) 5 x Dire Wolves (60) 1900 points Basically force your opponent to deal with the 30 Grimghasts as a distraction so the Blood Knights can move up unscathed. Neferata and the Lord should probably be swapped for a VLoZD. Simple but effective (?) Thoughts?

Thanks for sharing! Cool to see a fast list work so well Do you feel like you need the third small unit of wolves and what spells and artefact did you use?

Doh! All weapons are affected, so yeah its a good chunk more than four attacks. I stand by what I said though, the other Legions provide more buffs to large blocks of Skeletons so if that is the core of your force I think you get more mileage out of the other Legions. It looks like a nicely rounded force, let us know how it fares! I'm currently building up a speed-focused list: Leaders Neferata (400) - Overwhelming Dread Vampire Lord on Nightmare with Chalice of Blood (140) - Amulet of Screams / Spirit Gale Vampire Lord on Nightmare with Chalice of Blood (140) - Amethystine Pinions Bloodseeker Palanquin (320) - Soulbound Garments / Vile Transference Court of Nulahmia (110) Units 10 Blood Knights (480) 10 Chainrasps (80) 10 Chainrasps (80) 10 Chainrasps (80) Endless Spells Chronomantic Cogs (50) Malevolent Maelstrom (20) 2 CP (100) =2000 3 CP at start + 1 per turn A very unbalanced army looking to smash in melee combat. The added Command Points are used to re-roll charges, use Neferata's -1 to hit debuff and recycle the Chainrasps. With Chronomantic Cogs and the Court of Nuhlahmia the reach for Neferata and her Court becomes incredible: Neferata: 16 + 2 + 4 + 4-12 = 26-34 Bloodseeker Palanquin: 14 + 2 + 4 + 4-12 = 24-32 Vampire Lord: 10 + 2 + 4 + 5 + 4-12 = 25-33 The Blood Knights obviously also benefit quite nicely: Blood Knights: 10 + 2 + 8-12 = 20-24 Even the Chainrasp Hordes have a better chance to get their charges of when they emerge from the grave and thus have a better chance to tie up enemy units. The added charge distances puts the army outside of the range of quite a lot of shooting and harmful magic before it charges in. It's a very unbalanced list and it will probably suffer in some missions and match-ups as a result. But I do love the sight of so many angry Vampires zipping across the battlefield!

I think your list would benefit more from being either a Grand Host of Nagash for the extra regeneration on the Skeleton blocks or Legion of Sacrament for +1 to cast and the Wristbands of Black Gold on the VLoZD. Just 4 extra attacks on the Vampires doesn't really merit playing the Legion of Blood. The -1 Bravery I feel is something you have to either build around or largely ignore in your decision to play the Legion of Blood. I am wondering how much of the meta is going to revolve around Endless spells and how that impacts the value of the Amulet of Screams. How potent are you guys finding the Endless spells in practice?