Melcavuk

Adding to background: When God of Gods, Master Craftsmen and Smithy of Azyr Grungi first stoked the fires of the foundries he started an industrial revolution that spread like wildfire across the Realms. From every corner of the far flung reaches came a tide of craftsmen, smithies and artisans that they might study beneath the master and learn even a sliver of his prowess to take their peoples innovations forward into the new age. Mortal and God alike, and all those that fell between made the pilgrimage to the forges of Grungi, toiling hard day and night as apprentices to take the smallest amount of the Duardin Gods workload away from him that he might have time to vital impart knowledge to their kin. Whilst many left Azyr once more having learnt enough to provide their people advancements to serve them over the coming centuries there were those who instead sought to stay behind. They were the most loyal, most dedicated of the apprentices of Grungi, yet even their number began to dwindle as age or ailment wore down once deft and skilful hands and dulled their minds to the new learnings to be imparted. Amongst those remaining but a handful could resist the attrition of age, those born of divine heritage of possessing power enough to rival the demi gods of the Realm, it was then as the numbers of the mortals grew ever slimmer that these divine beings came into power of their own. In each other they found a strength of unity of purpose, to have toiled alongside each other the long centuries there was a certain (if at time begrudging) respect shared between them. And though none could rival the true master of the forge they came together to pool their knowledge into a Pantheon unto themselves, that they might travel where Grungi could not to share his learnings with those they had deemed worthy. It was in this Golden Age that the Pantheon of the forge was formed, born of Duardin, Men and Aelven demi-gods and artisans of their craft. Though such timeless beings called Azyr home they often travelled beyond the city under many guises , each seeking out different cultures and known under a hundred names their teachings can be used to perhaps shed some light on who these divine artisans had once been. To the scholars, philosophers and warrior mages came Askror, the Golden Prince. Once hailed as the Demigod of Hysh and credited to be the found of the Factory City of Cor Temporis. His teachings focused around the arts of Metallurgy and Alchemy, it is said that his visage inspired the golden idols found in the now forsaken pyramids of the tribes of Ghur before their wild and unruly ways slighted the more scholarly of god. It is perhaps this rebuke by the ignorant savages of the greater realms that lead him to seek refuge amongst the monks and scholars that made up the populace of Hysh. To the innovators who sought progress without hinderance of morality or mortality came Dammik-Morr, Demigod of Shyish. It is said he had once founded the fortress empire of Cor Maledictus before the headsmen of Nagash sought to claim him as their prize, it was this then that spurred the darkened God to seek refuge in Azyr, ever looking over his shoulder for the armies of Death seeking to drag him to the Oubliette. His talents focused around the macabre arts of Bonecraft engineering., utilising the one thing in abundance in all the Realm to engineer his creations, death. Known to be cold and distant, ever paranoid since his banishment from Shyish by Nagash, though he sought sanctuary within Azyr but never fully integrated. At odds with both the living and the dead his followers share his sense of isolation when outside of the heavy mists and comforting macabre atmosphere of Shyish. In the hardy and desolate plains of Chamon came Rok, the Mason of the Iron Mountains. Hailed by the Duardin as one of the lesser Demigods of Chamon, and founder of the mountain refuge of Cor Esoteris. In all his guises Rok has been depicted as volcanic in appearance and temperament, ever coursing with the power of the Esoteris volcano in which is shrine had been founded. He built up a fierce reputation for acts of violent destruction to rival the titans of destruction, able to harness the volcanic energies to create magma cannons and explosives to rival even the hammer blow of Sigmar. The roaming nomadic tribes of Aqshy speak of the god Grongar, the Living Flame. Known to them as the Light of Aqshy, and founder of the artisan spires of Cor Insendires. One of the more arcane inclines of the gods it is said he imparted the powers of Fire shaping to his followers, able to summon and entrance elementals of the flame to do their bidding and fight wars without have risking their own live. An arcane smithy and master of the runic forges the beating Forgeheart of the cities of the modern Ironweld still bear the mark of Grongar, a reminder to a distance past that for many has slipped from memory. Perhaps one of the most remarkable came the Aelven demi-god Marak, The Steel Vinelord. One of the many Demigods of the vibrant landscapes of Ghyran, founder of Cor Vivistus. Able to coax and grow metal as though it were a living thing without ever leaving the scar of industry on the fragile skin of the realm he could conjure whole cities that weaved and coursed through the forests in blissful synergy. The chronicles of the Living City claim he was once to be a suitor to the Goddess Alarielle herself but instead was rebuked as she found him to be as cold an imitation as the metallic vines he cultivated. It is rumoured this heartbreak shattered the fledgling demigod, falling to his knees amongst the forest he buried his hands amongst the dirt and wept tears that coursed as a river of metal. Many credit the Ironbark forests having sprung up from the tears shed in his years of mourning, coursing with the power of the young god, indeed even in the modern realms shrines to Marak can be found in many of the Ironbark groves, a testament to his lasting legacy amongst the populace of Ghyran. Finally came Emmanuel, The Forgotten One- Human Demigod of Azyr, Shepherd of the lost and unloved. Founder of the Fractured Welds he sought to unite hundreds of states abandoned by the other gods those his kin had once taken under their wing only to be disappointed by their failures and left to fend for themselves defenceless against the many dangers of the realms. In this modern realms Emmanuel is the only demigod who still shows his face, and even then only at the most dire of times. Seen in many a guise from the haggard traveller to the lone soldier defending caravans of refugees, it would seem he has never truly relinquished his task of shepherding those most needy of souls. For an age the divided empires of the Ironweld each grew and flourished, though once formed of a common school of thought each god sought to impart their own personal teachings on an empire that would stand testament to their greatness and a legacy that might outlast them within the realms. This petty rivalry between the pantheon spurred each to spread their knowledge far and wide, imparting all they could to any they saw as worthy in order to outdo their kin and gain and following the dwarf any of the rest of the Pantheon. Such thoughts however were simply short sighted, the competition between the gods did not go unnoticed by the growing cultures that they had cultivated, their mortal empires instead interpreting the rivalry as another of their divine teachings, each seeking to outdo those who might encroach on their growing kingdoms, it was then unfortunate that conflict had bored its way into the very central foundations of the fledgling Ironweld empire, bestowed from flawed divinity there seemed little to steer their followers from an increasingly hostile road. In this Age the pantheon continued to flit from Azyr to the outer reaches of the Realms, often spending years away from the forges of Heaven that they might wander amongst those who revered them above all else. These trips served little more than to please the egos of the divine and yet with immortality there is often little more to do than service ones own ego. It was then, when news of the passing of Grimnir reached the Azyrite city that the Pantheon of the forge were all found to be absent and perhaps fortunately so, in his rage and mourning the great god Grungis wrath seemingly knew little bounds. Some claim that the Duardin Gods howl of grief shook the very mountains of the realms, coursing as though a hurricane through every gate that led to the Realms of Heaven. Legends even tell of the first Cogforts of the Ironweld straining against this relentless force of sorrow, bending against the wind before pulling themselves from the very earth that held them that they might escape it. Grungis wrath erupted upon the blossoming factory districts of Azyr that had sprung up around his mighty forge, tearing through timber and masonry as a force of nature as his very footfalls shattered the cobbled paths that wound through the district. When sorrow overtook wrath the wounds the God of forge had wrought upon the forges of Azyr were grievous, once the heart of an Ironweld empire there was little to be found but grief and devastation in the city of Heaven. From their distant travels word reached the Pantheon of the Forge of Grungis act, perhaps interpreting the devastation as some personal slight, or fearing reprisal for their absence during his grief, each knew that their return to the Azyrite city was no longer possible indeed with so little remaining of the forges they had built there the city was simply no longer the home they had once forged. It was with heavy hearts that the Pantheon instead retired to the capitols of their Factory Empires, each choosing to take seat upon the greatest shrines to their glory that they might steer their empires individually as all thought of unity had been shattered in the forges of Azyr. In these days, with heavy hearts the Cogforts came to dominance, each God fearing the wrath that Grungi might still bring down upon them could never truly feel safe in cities that great God had known of. Instead they cultivated mighty fortresses of stone and steel that might wander the Realms, ever gaining distance from the heart of Azyr and the God they had abandoned in his time of need. Whilst to the Gods these ingenious innovations were a method of flight from sorrow to their mortal descendants the Cogforts were weapons of immense strategic value, fortifications able to carry garrison and armaments to distant battles and deployable within mere hours rather than the weeks it would take a foe to assemble a ramshackle defence. Each of the young empires sought to use their new arsenal to fuel rapid expansion, in the shifting plains of Hysh the young House of Oran founded the city of Cor Temporis, formed of hundreds of Cogforts walking in tandem, towering high above the mountains as it made it way across the Realm. In Shyish Dammik-Morr sought to raise an empire that might protect him from the ever growing forces of Nagash, surrounding himself with Cogforts in their dozens that they might form some bulwark to slow the advance of the ever patient God of death. With every passing decade new cities and empires sprung up in the name of the Pantheon of the Forge, each a legend and innovation in their own right, yet in Azyr once heart of the Weld there were those who sought to restore the workshops that had been destroyed, under the teachings of Grungi alone the Azyrite houses of the Ironweld were formed.

Reworked the Cogsmith warscroll including a new command ability to summon in air support from a Gyrocopter, his revised scroll now clocks in at 120!

As i wait to playtest the first iterations of the rules for my Ironweld Expansion I have been adding some borrowed Sigmar artwork to the cover and updating all warscrolls to version 2.0 Battletome(March).pdf Full version PDF (warning many blank pages as I fill out lore) Cover and Warscrolls

New full colour 2.0 warscrolls

Its the lascartridge on the gun that is the most notable of issues, I'd suggest shaving that segment off as its a bit of a glaring sign, other than that is shaving the imperial insignia off but he's pretty solid all around. For solar auxilia my Ironweld guys look like:

My entire Ironweld Fantome uses solar auxilia as the basis. Weapon swaps and paint jobs go a long way in changing how sci-fi they look

New temporary cover for the battletome borrowing on some existing Hammerhal artwork, and considering the potential for purchasable defensive scenery in lieu of endless spells, from palisades to embedded spears, gyrocopter scouts and field surgery etc. What do people think?

Unless you have Vostroyans already they'll be hard to get as I'm pretty sure theyre out of production, to add to that they're also metal single piece models so converting will be... challenging at best. There are some decent models in guard ranged that could be used as a basis, krieg and solar auxilia are my list of base models to use for Ironweld conversions. For command tanks you could simply transplant the hurricanum shrine in lieu of the turret for a team tank, maybe adding in some legs to make it a bit more steampunk going forward.

Thanks, I had looked into some air stuff but with it being fairly steam punk already I was concerned that adding in anything flying might make it too close to the Overlords in terms of aesthetic themes. The Duardin are in my background for the faction too, currently modellingwise their model count is limited in what I can do in terms of conversion, stage two of the army involved a massive Duardin walker and adding 10 duardin to the Weld Phalanx (Irondrake legs, the upper body remains the same as the humans, duardin heads). My limit on duardin additions is currently capped by how heavily stylised their existing kits are. And here some nicer photos of the army!

Definitely using those Halflings to crew my Cogfort

Now upto 1500 points of my Ironweld Arsenal expansion painted and ready to hit the table for playesting, missing a few grass tufts on the last of the stalkers bases but otherwise table ready!

Upto 20 Weld Riflemen now ready for the table, theres some touching up of detail I'd want to go back to later but for now they're good to go.

With 12 models left to paint before my 1500 point test play force is ready for the table I figured it was time to look into the concepts behind the list and options I have taken in order to get the broadest feedback possible: THE MIDNIGHT TOLL Allegiance: Ironweld Arsenal House Allegiance: Midnight City LEADERS The Midnight Aspirant (220) My named character build and the personality behind the Midnight City I'm excited to see what the Midnight Aspirant can do on the battlefield, a decent force buff in terms of resilience she is pivotal in getting the army across the battlefield. Ironsworn Templar (260) My original monstrous walker for the army, felt like the most natural of generals as its the model that started it all. General Command Trait: Artisan Engineer - Allows the model to repair a unit per turn as though he were an engineer, this can be used on any Cogwork unit including himself (also the Ironduke, Cogstriders) Heraldry of the Midnight City - Allows friendly Weldguard within range to ignore wounds or mortal wounds on a 6. Master of Shot (80) A decent backfield general able to provide buffs to the less mobile units within the army, his command ability works well with the Riflemen unit within the army and he makes a good choice to occupy the Cogfort. Masterwork Design: Refinced Ocular Artifices - Allows friendly units nearby to ignore the cover bonus granted to enemy units in the shooting phase Command Trait: Leader of Men (Second character granted a command trait from city of midnight allegiance) - Add to the save rolls of friendly Weld Guard units within range as they lock into formation Ironduke Coghauler (300) A steamtank hero, able to provide a sizable amount of shooting down the field whose command trait increases the speed of all Cogwork units Artificer Cogwork: Ironbark Bulwark - Granted in the same manner as mount traits this allows him to ignore the first point of rend from any attacks Heraldry of the Midnight City - Allows friendly Weldguard within range to ignore wounds or mortal wounds on a 6. BATTLELINE Weld Militia x 10 (90) - The first of the infantry warscrolls I had devised, they are a back field support unit who can be used to replenish wounds on the Helblaster, lacking in armour save but cheap and with reasonable firepower they will form a gun battery alongside the Helblaster. Weld Riflemen x 20 (200) - Biggest unit in the army and the last one to be painted, their pressure rifles provide a short optimal range but when combined with the Master of Shot can be a serious threat. Weld Phalanx x 10 (100) - The only infantry unit in the army that wants to join the Cogworks in combat, best on the defense their aim is to secure an objective an repel any chargers seeking to take advantage of the other units weakness to melee. OTHER Cogstrider Lancers (120) - Midspeed assault unit with some pistol shooting, they are the flanker unit of the army able to run and shoot in the same turn. These will provide the combat support for the Templar and Aspirant when they reach combat. Lethal on the charge but not much after that they are meant to finish a combat in the turn they charge. Heraldry of the Midnight City - Allows friendly Weldguard within range to ignore wounds or mortal wounds on a 6. ARTILLERY Ironweld Helblaster Volleygun (120) - A classic unit of the Empire, now with a redone Ironweld Arsenal scroll able to put serious fire down the field without risking its crew dying and leaving just an expensive paperweight.

As someone with a vested interested in the Human civilizations of the Realms (My Ironweld Project) I'm a huge advocate of free peoples/free guild with aesthetics beyond the original empire appearance. Moving into a more diverse look of humanity in the Realms would be a great way to add more depth (given the sheer number of Aelven factions both arrived and rumoured it makes sense that humanity could look equally diverse). I lack the attachment to the old empire aesthetic as I never played in the old world so I understand that some players are retiscent to see it go, but I'd prefer factions of humanity to dial their culture to 11 (Insectoid armoured barbarians, Industrial steampunk, overly ornate religious zealots etc) rather than the current cod piece lines.

Day three of the Steamforged Cogfort paintjob, with the rear smoke stack now attached and in its more vibrant colours I'm happy with the look, but should it be weathered down to the grimy colours of the lower stacks or kept suitably vibrant at the peak?

Day two in the Great Cogfort paintjob!

Somedays I feel like I need a bigger spray booth, just started putting some colours onto the Cogfort (rear tower removed for painting seperately). Mostly just blocking out the colours and applying base coats for chipping later when the toplayers of yellow paint are put over the metals.

First model for March ready for tabletop, there are some minor touchups around the face and flag I'd like to do when the rest of the army is to tabletop standard but pretty happy with him as he stands. Cogstrider Lancer for Ironweld Arsenal (Fantome)

That'll be Khorne, its likely the only one on this years roster that can foot atleast 21 units.

Those seem interesting but radically different to what I am trying to do here. I think it would be interesting to see what you can come up with in regards to those plans but in general the concept of more Industrial Nobles/serfs has been largely well received and I am proud of what we have managed to create. To take such a divergent approach into armoured company (40k term but apt) at this stage would move me entirely in the opposite direction of where I would like to be. That is not to say the approach we have taken is “right” but it is our imagining of the Weld.

Thanks for the feedback, personally I've moved away from an expanded the Weld as explored on the premise that the Ironweld we have seen so far are simply the Azyrite and Hammerhal houses, that is to say those houses whose practices were diluted and refined within the locked borders of Azyr during the seperate Age in which it was sealed By looking at those kingdoms who were outside of the walls of Azyr during the seperation I looked into evolving the armies of these as seperate factions rather than simply one minor facet of the Azyrite armies.

Still steaming on through painting my Ironweld conversions my Iron Duke Coghauler (Hero class Steamtank) and minimum unit size 10 Pressure Rifles are completed for table. With just 3 Cogstrider lancers and 10 more pressure rifles to paint before I start on the Cogfort they'll be ready to play by April for anyone willing to help with some test games at Warhammer world

Sounds good, its a slow progress but about a month away from playtesting so its exciting times.

The humble Steamtank has been a staple of the Ironweld since the inception of Age of Sigmar and a beautiful model in the Empire range in the world that was, it was only fitting then that when I came to revise the Ironweld into a new iteration that it found only only one new warscroll but three to reflect the myriad of designs that Ironweld Arsenal can mount on such a reliable workhorse of an engine. One thing I wanted to emphasis in the lore was how vital the fleets of Steamtanks (Now referred to a Coghaulers) were in the expansion of the early Ironweld, reliable and secure they can traverse landscapes hostile to the traditional horse and carts, moreover their ironhide shells can repel the weaponry of marauding tribes making them ideal escorts and transports for the arsenal of the Ironweld cities. With that in mind I translated the original Steamtank warscroll into the standard chassis dubbed the Coghauler Bombard, known for its lethal array of weaponry able to rain death down on a foe even as its behemoth weight hurtles towards them. With the initial Warscroll translating across well, as Ironsworn knights in their giant steeds riding across the battlefield it was time to determine how the Ironweld view and approach magic. From the outset I had been against them wielding magic itself as I do not believe every faction should cover every facet, indeed it would be far more in their nature to try and bring order to the unruly magicks that ravage the realms. With some feedback I was presented with the idea of the Reality Anchor, formed of harvested Realmstone kept in constant motion by the Coghaulers Steamengine it is able to produce localised stabilising effects much like proximity to the centre of a realm, despised by the college arcane for its obsene effect on those who seek to harness magic nearby it has been known to inflict agonising pain, even death to those who try and break through its arcane interference. Able to dispell a single spell a turn as though it were a wizard it is perhaps the secondary ability of the Anchor that is most potent, it creates a double layered aura to impede spell casters, with the outer ring providing a small debuff to casting with the inner ring far more lethal. Next, it was time to look at who leads the Cogstables into battle, not content to ride in some mere Coghauler each Iron Duke customises their own Coghauler to present their own unique take on their destructive potential, from the volcanic arsenals of Esoteris to the fletchette cannonade of Morghast each weapon is unique only sharing the desire to shoot more than their less noble kin. The Ironduke provides a fantastic centre piece for a Coghauler centric army, not only keeping to the theme but increasing the mobility of nearby Cogwork units (extending not only to Coghaulers but also Cogstriders and Ironsworn Templars) As the Ironduke is a character we can look into the Command Traits available, however first as his Coghauler is a mount it can take an Artificer Cogwork, the Ironweld variant of mount traits for their elaborate designs. Key to keeping him alive for prolonged periods on the battlefield perhaps the most immediately useful comes by way of the Ironbark Bulwark, able to ignore the first point of rend for lightweight attacks. And to ensure his own Coghauler and those around him keep going making his Command Trait the Artisan Engineer allows him to repair a single Cogwork unit a turn as though he were an Engineer! Here we would now have a fleet of Coghaulers speeding down the battlefield with their Ironduke at the helm steering them into a headlong charge at the enemy, able to make makeshift repairs to the fleet whilst his own robust Coghauler deflects feeble blows away. When themeing your army to Coghaulers one house in particular leaps out, the House of Rok are the original innovators of the Coghaulers of the Realms, still utilising the same core chassis as when first concieved their own Cogfleet is perhaps the longest serving and most reliable in all the Weld. Those playing as House Rok halve the damage taken on their Coghaulers when consulting the damage table, working at near optimal capacity even as parts begin to chip away.