Things are heating up in my mini Warhammer Fantasy campaign. Lorna has steamed ahead on her Vampire Counts building and has actually overtaken me in fully built units, for those wondering about the Halberdier unit I build last week, they are scrapped. I simply don't like the Empire States Soldier kit, they have been one of the most frustrating kits I have had to build and quite frankly I would rather spend more on Greatsword kits and convert them, than have more of those models in my army for now. Lorna is also so far ahead that she even has a list written; despite having never played Fantasy before; she has opted for what I consider to be a pretty strong list: Ghoul spam led by Heinrich Kemler (with plans to buy Krell next month). So with this in mind I have been busy writing a list of own. This is not only an attempt to be ready for our games, but also as a way of reigning in my expenditures - which have been quite high as I have been (naughtily) buying every Empire product in sight...
I have tried as much as possible to steer away from any form of conventional power list, I don't want to smash/annihilate my fiance's first Warhammer army (and all possible enthusiasm along with it), and so have opted for cool looking stuff outside the norm of halberdier blocks and Steam Tanks. Despite being a Nuln army, the list/my vision takes a more call of the wild approach, the story being that the forests around Nuln have seen a disruption in balance of life and death (due to necromancy naturally). Warning, below paragraph is fluff based story telling, if you don't like this sort of stuff, ignore the next paragraph to read the list directly.
Background
The Amber Order of the College's of Magic has felt this disruption and dispatched Vultan Crowfist to appeal to Countess Emmanuelle to gather her armies. Having been laughed out of her Court; mainly for his savage appearance and attire; Vultan lobbied for support with the Order of the Knight's Griffon. He cited that any threat to the forests, was a threat to their prized Demigryph hunting grounds, on this possibility alone, the Grand Master of the Order lent the aid of no less than members of the Inner Circle Knights to protect those most precious and noble of creatures.
With the support of the Knight's Griffon guaranteed Vultan returned to Countess Emmanuelle's court, stating that should the Grand Knights of Magnus the Pious himself, deem his request as serious, then she should take heed and follow suit. Infuriated at this unsubtle display of public embarrassment, Countess Emmanuelle's hand was forced in order to keep face in front of Nuln's dignitaries. To do nothing, would further alienate her attempts to annex Nuln as independent from Wissenland, but to fund a military campaign into the dark woods could result in high expenditures, even if Vultan was proved to be wrong. In a strange turn of events, Emmanuelle authorized the muster of no less than the Exchequer Guard. By summoning the most expensive regiment in Nuln, Countess Emmanuelle was positioning Vultan in a precarious position, if he was wrong about the threat in the woods, it would be he and the Amber Order that would be shamed and liable for the costs of mustering the most expensive regiment in Nuln. However, if he was right, then the Amber Order would 'owe' Countess Emmanuelle reparations and favours that would undoubtedly be used to push her own agendas in the future.
Not forgetting the public outburst and embarrassment a final stipulation was placed on Vultan, Countess Emmanuelle decided to place overall command not to the experienced Wizard, but to a unknown and in-experienced Sigmarite Priest known as Lothar Wilhelm; who came from Nuln's own Sigmar monastery. Emmanuelle surmised that should this vagabond conjurer actually be correct, she would receive full credit for victory and not the Amber Order, she would raise Lothar through the Cult Of Sigmar's ranks until he was high enough to manipulate the clergy in her favour. Of course Vultan was resigned to accept, understanding the plans within plans, however a more dire and immediate threat presented itself now. What ever agenda's Countess Emmanuelle had, Vultan would deal with in the future, should they threaten the Amber Order or the Empire itself. For now he was resolved to play Emmanuelle's game, but he could not help but lament how that even in these dark times, the vicious self centered agenda and greed of men would always reigned over the common good.
Vultan Crowfist Rider Of The Winds
Level 4 Amber Wizard on Griffon
The White Cloak, Lore of Beasts
Sigmarite Priest Brother Lothar Wilhem, Monastary of Nuln
Warrior Priest
Heavy armour, enchanted shield, talisman of preservation - Army General
Sigmarite Priest brother Pelanius Sigvalt, Monastary of Nuln
Warrior Priest
Heavy armour, great weapon, horse, barding, helm of the Skavenslayer
Kristoph 'The First' Bulbrecht, Captain Of the Exchequer Guard and bearer of the Flag
Captain of the Empire
Battle standard beaer, full plate armour, shield, talisman of endurance
Nuln Handgunners and Skirmishers
10 Handgunner
detachment - 5 Archers
detachment - 5 Archers
Knights of the Order of The Griffon
9 Inner Circle Knights
Full command, banner of swiftness
The Nuln Exchequer Guard
30 Greatswords
Full command, banner of discipline
detachment - 12 swordsmen
detachment - 12 swordsmen
Army total: 1746
Both my fiance and I love big fantasy beasties, and this was probably my biggest bugbear in regards to the more competitive lists out there. I found these so bland that I may as well of been playing Historical - NOT A DIG I love historical and own historical armies, but when I decide to play Fantasy, I expect my army to be...well...fantastical!
Veteran list writers and players will instantly see that this is a attempt at a beat down/melee list. At higher levels I intend to include the obligatory Celestial Hurricanum and second wizard (level 2 Life for either stack-able toughness, regeneration or unit restoration) and probably cannons to bring back the Nuln feel to the army as the campaign escalates. I really like the Amber wizard on Griffon model, there is so much I want to do in order to make it a eye catching centerpiece and from a game point of view, the lore is stacked with enough of the middle road magic abilities I want for my army, it can buff, it can hex and can do magical range damage. On top of this, being mounted on a Griffon, allows me the option of march disruption, flank/rear charges, artillery neutralisation and aoe psychology tests (not applicable to Vampire Counts but other armies), also there is the 'Wild Card' and amusing prospect of turning into a dragon, and as my fiance knows...I have a lot of dragon models to pick from, should I get the chance to do so!
So I hope this has been; at the very least; an amusing read for you all, please no derogative comments concerning the non-competitiveness of the list, I know it's flaws; but at this point in my life the rule of cool rules over the need to WAAC. If however you have any ideas on how to make the list look even 'cooler' on the table, then please fire away!
On a final note, since this weekend is a bank holiday, we should be finishing all but the most complex kits in out armies, so with that in mind we should have photos for you all early next week!
As always, thanks for reading,
DiStudios
The 14th Legion
