Tallarn Commander's Chaos (Night Lords & Blood Wolves Go To A Tournament)

[Dr_Ruminahui]

I thought they looked familiar.  They work better as noise weapons than their original purpose, IMHO - in their intended implementation, they are an even goofier part to an already goofy model.

Edited March 5 by Dr_Ruminahui

[Tallarn Commander]

Yes, that was a pretty poorly sculpted miniature. I had to heavily kitbash the model to make it decent. 

 

 

Buzzard the Daemon Prince

Spoiler

 

 

I finished another project. I upgraded a batch of 6 Warpborn Chaos Legionaries. Since the Warpborn were Dark Mechanicum slaves they were heavily augmented with bionics by their masters.

 

Warpborn Legionaries

 

 

Spoiler

 

 

■ Bone Picker, Chaos Aspiring Champion with plasma pistol and powerfist
   Bonepicker's call sign is derived from his slave duty before the war. His Chaos Technomasters tasked him with picking through vast piles of bones looking for exactly the right femur or skull. The Warpsmiths would then install the bones into their daemon engines. Bonepicker hated this job as much as he hated his Dark Mechanicum overseers.
  Bone Picker did yeoman's work during the revolution. He performed satisfactory spycraft against the Dark Mechanicum before the revolt. And he served admirably in the ambuscades and skirmishes that took place on Kai during the revolution. Talos rewarded Bonepicker for his loyalty and gave him command of the Liberators Legionary Squad, the Liberators.

 

The Old Bonepicker with normal leg

 

 

The new Bonepicker with bionic leg

 

 

■ Helhunter, chainaxe trooper
     Sometimes during Warpborn raids against loyalist outposts, Imperial officials or Imperial Guard officers flee into the hinterlands. The task of tracking and killing these oppressors falls to Helhunter. It is a job at which he excels.

 

Helhunter with new auspex

 

 

 

■ Diabolical, Reaper Chaincannon trooper
     Diabolical was a Word Bearer attache assigned to oversee Word Bearer contracts with the Dark Mechanicum on Kai. Diabolical did not sympathize with Talos and the slaves' plight per se. But he sided with them during the uprising nonetheless because he perceived Talos to be more faithful to the God's of Chaos than the Dark Mechanicum could ever be. Diabolical is now fomenting daemon and Dark God worship within the ranks of the Warpborn.

 

Diabolical with new mechatendril

 

 

 

■ The Conductor, banner and buckler trooper
     The Conductor earned his name for the derringdo he exhibited before the revolt. He would infiltrate Dark Mechanicum bases and free slaves. He would then escort the liberated souls to safety on the Warpborn's "underground railroad." The Conductor is seen as a folk hero among the Warpborn's camp followers and Cultists.

 

The old Conductor

 

 

The Conductor with new back banner, new mechatendril arm, and new banner

 

 

I cribbed an image off of the internet for a banner. The original can be found here:

https://lifeartbyjanine.wordpress.com/2013/11/13/art-as-a-practice-of-liberation/

 

The accompanying essay about how art can be liberating is quite fascinating. I was inspired by the article and artwork. The Conductor's banner is supposed to evince a similar tone of freedom.

 

 

 

 

 

 

■ Swordhiss, chainsword Legionary
     For some reason, when Swordhiss swings his dual chainsword blades the engine is not audible. The enemy does not hear the whirring of the chainblades, they only hear a brief hiss of metal blades cutting through the air. Often, the hissing sword is the last thing the enemy ever hears.

 

Swordhiss got a new robotic head

 

 

 

■ Argument of Blood, dual chainsword trooper, now a 2-handed axe/heavy melee weapon trooper
     When he was a slave Argument of Blood built cannons for the Dark Mechanicum. His overseers told him how in the days of the ancients on Sol, cannon makers would inscribe their barrels with the phrase "Ultima Ratio Regum" (Last Argument of Kings). This phrase struck a chord in the young slave. When it came time to rebel, he took up an axe, dubbed the axe "Last Argument of Blood" and used the weapon to behead his cruel masters.

 

 

The Old Argument of Blood

 

 

The new Argument of Blood with a new axe, arms, and mechatendril

 

 

I now have 14 completed Warpborn models, about 225ish points

 

14 Completed Warpborn, "Death to the Dark Mechanicum!"

 

 

 

 

 

I hope to finish up 2,000 points of Warpborn Chaos Marines by early December so I can take it to the Ocean Shores December tournament. I dub this effort "Operation Kai," named after the Warpborn's original planet, well Kai is really a moon that contained Dark Mechanicum facilities.

 

 

Operation Kai

Spoiler

 

JANUARY TO FEBRUARY 2026
-Revna Irontamer, Warpsmith [COMPLETED]
-D85, Chaos Reaper Chaincannon Legionary [COMPLETED]
-IG89, Chaos Cultist [COMPLETED]
-Moravec, female Chaos Legionary Aspiring Champion [COMPLETED]
Total Number of Warpborn Models & Points Completed: 7 models & 70 points

MARCH 2026
-Upgrade 5 already painted Warpborn models: 2 GW Legionaries, 1 Cultist, 2 Possessed [COMPLETED]
-1 Gal Vorbak Warpborn Possessed Marine, kitbashed with a Defiler Scourge [3]
-2 5th Column Warpborn Cultists [3]
Total Number of Warpborn Models & Points Completed: 16ish models & 220ish points
 

APRIL 2026
-Upgrade Talos Slaughtercall, Warpborn Warlord & Master of Possession [1]
-1 Ravaged Star female Warpborn Chaos Marine with banner and chainsword and melee weapon and bolt pistol [3]
-2 5th Column Warpborn Cultists [3]
Total Number of Warpborn Models & Points Completed: 19ish models & 280ish points
 

MAY 2026
-Upgrade Valkia the Bloody, Warpborn Sorceress [1]
-1 Ravaged Star female Warpborn Chaos Marine with Reaper Chaincannon and melee weapon and bolt pistol [3]
-2 5th Column Warpborn Cultists [3]
Total Number of Warpborn Models & Points Completed: 24ish models & 370ish points

 

JUNE 2026
-Upgrade 1 Warpborn Neverborn Possessed Marine [1]
-1 Gal Vorbak Warpborn Possessed Marine, kitbashed with a Necron bottom half[3]
-2 5th Column Warpborn Cultists [3]
Total Number of Warpborn Models & Points Completed: 32ish models & 420ish points
 

 

JULY 2026
-5 Gal Vorbak Warpborn Possessed kitbashed with a Necron Canoptek Circle Kill Team [ETL pledge]  [20ish hours]
Total Number of Warpborn Models & Points Completed: 39ish models & 540ish points
Total Number of Night Lords Models and Points Completed: 56ish models and 2,200ish points
 

AUGUST 2026 
-3 Gal Vorbak Warpborn Possessed kitbashed with TBD bitz [ETL pledge]  [12ish hours]
-7 Ravaged Star female Warpborn Chaos Marines  [ETL pledge]   [19ish hours]
Total Number of Warpborn Models & Points Completed: 48ish models & 750ish points

 

SEPTEMBER 2026
-3 Ravaged Star female Warpborn Chaos Marines  [ETL pledge?}   [8ish hours]  
-Operation Warp Moon, upgrade 10 already painted Warpborn models from green and black to yellow and black: 1 Defiler, 1 MoE, 1 DArk Disciple, & 7 Possessed Marines [17ish hours]
Total Number of Warpborn Models & Points Completed: 60ish models & 1,430ish points

 

OCTOBER 2026
-Metal Queen, Ravaged Star Warpborn Maulerfiend [15ish hours]
-Start Brtual Legend, Ravaged Star Warpborn Maulerfiend [15ish hours]
Total Number of Warpborn Models & Points Completed: 62ish models & 1,690ish points

 

NOVEMBER 2026
-No Omnissiah & The Emancipators, 4 Warpborn Chaos Obliterators, kitbashed from Mutilators  [20ish hours]
Total Number of Warpborn Models & Points Completed: 66ish models & 2,010ish points

 

DECEMBER 2026
-Slaver's Bane, 5 Warpborn Raiders, using my GW Legionary models [20ish hours]
Total Number of Warpborn Models & Points Completed: 71ish models & 2,120ish points

 

-OPERATION KAI completed in early December of 2026

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And I started on another project. I am dubbing "Operation Unrealistic." This project involves upgrading a bunch of my old Night Lords models and painting up maybe 6 or 7 new Night Lords models. The goal is to have them ready to go in time for the mid July 40K Narrative event at this year's Tacoma Open.

 

 

Operation Unrealistic

Spoiler

 

MARCH 2026
-Assemble, flock, and prime the Rapture, 6 Night Lords Noise Marines [COMPLETED]
-Assemble and flock 10 Night Lords Raiders, give 2 of them back banners [5ish hours]
-Upgrade and flock 16 Night Lords Raptors [6ish hours]
-Assemble and flock 4 new Night Lords Raptors [4ish hours]
-Upgrade Duvalier & Nightgaunt, counts-as Harkon and Dark Apostle [1 hour]
-Assemble and flock Hazzar the Child Skinner, House Nightfall Biologist, counts-as Fabius Bile [1 hour]
-Assemble and flock Crutian of Midnight, Chaos Lord with Daemon Hammer and plasma pistol [1 hour]
-Upgrade 7ish members of the Raiders Chosen Squad [2ish hours]
-Upgrade 6 Chaos Bikers with new bases [1 hour]
Total Number of Night Lords Models and Points Completed: 0ish models and 0ish points

 

APRIL 2026
-Upgrade 4ish or so members of the Ravagers Chosen Squad [2ish hours]
-Upgrade 1 Legionary with a new heavy chainaxe and 2 Cultists with new banners [1 hour]
-Upgrade Dragonne, Murcielago, & 1 Warp Talon by giving them new banners with chains [1 hour]
-Upgrade Oscar with a new base, some new guns, a new back banner, and a new base [1 hour]
-Purchase, assemble, & paint a new Night Lords Obliterator [5 hours]
-Paint up Duvalier & Nightgaunt [1 hour]
-Paint up 5 Night Lords Raiders [6 hours]
-Paint upgrades on the Buzzards Possessed Squad [3ish hours]
Total Number of Night Lords Models and Points Completed: 19ish models and 670ish points
 

MAY 2026
-Paint upgrades on the Reavers Chosen Squad and the Harbingers Chosen Squad [5ish hours]
-Paint upgrades on 1 Legionary and 2 Cultists [2 hours]
-Paint upgrades on Murcielago and Dragonne [4 hours]
-Paint upgrades on 6 Night Lords Chaos Bikers [2 hours]
-Paint upgrades on a Night Lords Warp Talon [1 hour]
-Paint upgrades on 16 Night Lords Raptors [8 hours]
Total Number of Night Lords Models and Points Completed: 39ish models and 1,760ish points
 

JUNE 2026
-Upgrade The Rapture, 6 Night Lords Noise Marines [7ish hours]

-Paint up 5 Night Lords Raiders [6ish hours]
Wait til June 16th.....then as ETL pledges.....
-Paint up Hazzar the Child Skinner [3ish hours]
-Paint up 4 Night Lords Raptors [12ish hours]
Total Number of Night Lords Models and Points Completed: 50ish models and 2,000ish points
 

JULY 2026
-Paint up Crutian of Midnight [3ish hours]
Total Number of Night Lords Models and Points Completed: 56ish models and 2,200ish points
 

 

 

 

 

 

My previous post included a batch of Noise Marines I assembled. Now I'm upgrading a batch of 10 old bolter troopers into infiltrating Raiders

 

 

House Nightfall Raiders

Spoiler

 

The old CSM Legionaries with bolters

 

 

Since I painted up this squad in 2003-2004, over the past 2 decades no opponent has complained about these models' the illegal base sizes. Quite the contrary as my opponent's response to these troopers is often along the lines of "I love the poses."

 

 

Shadowmaster, Raider with Reaver's Blade, bolter, and bolt pistol

 

 

Dusk, Raider with bolter, he still needs his Reaver's Blade and bolt pistol

 

 

Painkin, Raider with Reaver's Blade, bolter, and bolt pistol

 

 

Gustav, Raider Aspiring Champion with powerfist and meltagun. I still need to give him a bolt pistol.

The data sheet as it currently reads allows you to give 1 Raider for every 5 both a meltagun and a powerfist. GW might change that in the future. But it would be easy enough to change this model if GW does change the datasheet.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Enjoy the photos!

 

 

House Nightfall, "In midnight clad"

The Warpborn "Remember Kai"

Edited March 7 by Tallarn Commander

[Dr_Ruminahui]

Congrats on finishing your warpborn project -the black and yellow is very fetching.  Good luck with the new one updating your nightlords.

[Tallarn Commander]

Thank you Dr. Ruminahui!

 

My hobbying proceeds apace on "Operation Unrealistic," my plan to get my Night Lords ready for the Tacoma Narrative Event this July.

 

 

Here are some WIP Photos

 

Bikers, Raptors, etc getting flocked

 

 

 

 

Over 20 Raptors get upgrades

Spoiler

 

Hellcaster gets a new axe (counts as heavy melee weapon)

Last weekend I brought a squad of Raptors to a tournament. I really enjoyed having 5 heavy melee weapons per squad!

 

 

Being Night Lords, we also need some nice flayed, tattered flesh

 

Night Drinker's new skin decoration

 

 

Night Drinker with new Skaven halberd (counts-as heavy melee weapon)

 

 

Ave Mort with greataxe (heavy melee weapon)

 

 

And 4 new Raptors are being added to the Raptorkin Host. Here are photos of 3 of them.

 

 

Goragon with plasma gun

The head is from Statuesque Miniatures.

 

 

Veil Walker with plasma gun

 

 

Macabre Harvest, Raptor Champion with powerfist and plasma pistol

Macabre Harvest has a base, legs, and torso (from Baharroth the Eldar Aspect Warrior), a right arm from a Legioanary, a left army from a Possessed (I think), a jump pack from a Horus Heresy Night Raptor, and I'm not sure what Chaos kit his head is from.

 

 

 

 

 

'

NSFW female Raptors

Spoiler

 

Bleak Sister gets a new chainglaive and banner

 

 

Blood Mary gets a new plasma pistol and powerfist

 

 

Red Queen gets a new greataxe

 

 

These are Harpies from Raging Heroes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

6 Chaos Bikers Have been rebased, flocked, and primed

Spoiler

 

Doooom Rider gets a new chain (counts as power fist)

 

 

Navir gets rebased

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chosen upgrades

Spoiler

 

Insidious Power, Furious Abyss, and Ravenblade get combi-weapons

 

Their old Chosen combi-weapons were tucked back in the small of their backs. So I had a dickens of a time figuring out who could shoot combi-weapons. Now their combi-weapons are easy to spot.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Obliterators

Spoiler

I have not used Oblits since 3rd Edition. So I dusted off good old Oscar the Obliterator and upgraded him for 10th Edition.

 

Oscar the Obliterator

 

 

I'll buy a 2nd old metal Obliterator on E-Bay next month

 

 

Chaos Lord Duvalier Nightfall

Spoiler

 

Duvalier is going to become a counts-as Haarken Worldclaimer.

 

 

He lost his old base, head, jumppack, and right arm

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Infiltrating Raiders

Spoiler

 

The Crows

 

 

The Vultures

 

 

 

Dusk with banner

 

 

Spite with banner

 

 

 

 

 

 

Simon sits on a bunch of Raptors

Does this mean he is a loyalist kitty?

 

 

 

Enjoy the photos!

[Dr_Ruminahui]

Great to see your progress on your project - I've got to update my metal raptors as well, to include the new options that come out of the kill team box.

 

I don't think Simon is loyalist - from my experience, cats tend to support chaos.  Rather, he's probably just indifferent to the suffering of those below him - or he thinks your raptors are eggs, and is sitting on them to help them hatch. 

[Tallarn Commander]

Dr. Ruminahui, I think you will enjoy working on your metal Raptors. The sculpts are superb. Yes, Simon is definitely pro-Chaos.

 

 

Well everyone, it was ten years ago today that I started this Chaos blog on Bolter & Chainsword. 

 

In that time a lot has happened. I've changed careers, moved across country, made some new friends, managed to get out of debt, and lost some loved ones. On the 40K side, I've gotten in many wonderful games of 40K, participated in some great leagues and tournaments, and painted up about 543  new miniatures. In terms of hobbying skills, I'd like to think I've improved a bit over the past decade. I think the biggest areas in which I improved were: adding oil paints as basecoats, kitbashing, using chipping methods to create weathering effects; and began using glazes to create more subtle highlights. I even managed to paint up all my owned models back in 2021, but by 2022 I was back with a pile of shame again.

 

In terms of hobbying, over the next ten years I'd like to paint up all my owned models again, figure out how to use an airbrush, improve my freehand abilities, and get better at painting faces.

 

 

To honor this ten-year anniversary I took this photo yesterday, which is a re-visiting of the first photo I posted on this blog so many years ago.

As you can see, last year I gave all 6 troopers new desert-style bases. I also upgraded the 3 troopers on the left, Infardi, Kalros, and Apocalypse, with new bits.

 

And over the course of the last 10 years these six troopers all got names. Giving most of my Chaos troopers names on their bases is another thing I did over the last 10 years. But I still need to give my Nurgle Chaos marines army names.

 

 

Another thing I've started doing over the last 10 years is write up back stories for each of my troopers. 

Spoiler

Here are some back stories for this batch of six Nostroman 9th infantry

 

Infardi

   Infardi means pilgrim in Low Gothic. Infardi was born on the shrine world of Hagia. He never knew his father but his mother, Sear, was a Chaos Cultist who was active in the Chaos preacher Pater Sin's anti-Imperium campaign. Sear managed to flee Hagia with Infardi in her womb when the planet was rocked by the explosion beneath the shrine to Saint Sabbat. The explosion caused the freighter she was on to immediately enter into the warp without its Gellar Field. The results were disastrous. Most of the crew and passengers were immediately killed by daemons, went insane, or both.
     But Sear was an ardent Follower of Chaos and the daemons sensed something special within her. They knew that in an infinite possible futures that the child in her womb would become a Daemon Prince of Chaos Undivided in most of those futures. And so the daemons took Sear further into the warp and Infardi was born.
     Now, hundreds of years later, Infardi and Sear have somehow joined the Nostroman 9th. She leads a fierce squad of Hell Riders and the young Infardi is a Corporal and third in command of Harrowmaster Zhukov's 3rd Squad. He is learning battlefield tactics and field craft and is an up and coming young non-commissioned officer in the 9th.
     Neither Sear nor her daemon protectors have told Infardi his destiny. But whenever Sear and Infardi are near a Chaos shrine he briefly acquires bizarre visions of his future.

 

Kalros

     Kalros was once a loyalist lieutenant serving in a Devils Squad in the Catachan XVIII, the swamp Rats. He was as gung ho as the rest of his Catachan comrades.
     But one day on the Death World Planet of Lampros V during a fire sweep, he was ordered to torch a village of women and children, even though they were allied to the Imperium. Kalros refused. He was scheduled to face a firing squad, but bribed his guard and escaped. He survived on his own in the jungles of Lampros V for a decade. One day he came across a Nostroman raiding party. While he had no love of Chaos, he hated the Imperium with a passion. He joined the Nostroman 9th as a mercenary.

 

Apocalypse

     Apocalypse is an expert vox officer. He is also quite proficient in maintaining firearms of all types. He has earned the nickname Apocalypse because, through his work as a gunsmith, the Traitor Guard bring Apocalypse to Imperium-held worlds.

 

Ghalhax

       Galkhax's lungs were scorched by an Imperium toxic bombing campaign on his home world. He is forced to wear a rebreather apparatus at all times. Consequently, he is slightly bitter.

 

Jericho

    Jericho was once a carpet vendor on the Imperial desert world of Mecca. One day he came upon a brass lamp. A Tzeentchian daemon, Kira, had been trapped inside the lamp for a thousand and one nights. Over the course of many adventures involving hexes, flying carpets, elephant chases, and many scimitar duels, Jericho managed to free Kira. The two became lovers and Kira began teaching Jericho Tzeentchiam magic.
     Sadly the Inquisition caught wind of the magic. They were not amused. They hunted down the pair of Tzeentch worshippers and set up an ambuscade. In the ensuing conflict, Kira was somehow trapped back inside the lamp, the lamp was now held by Inquisitor Abdul Alhazred, and Jericho was escaping offworld via Mecca's spaceport.
     Jericho managed to fall in with the Nostroman 9th. He is now a pioneer and combat engineer in 10th Squad. He is biding his time. He knows that through Tzeentch all things are possible. He will someday find the lamp and free his daemon lover.
     Unknown to Jericho, Tzeentch has told House Nightfall's daemonica faction about Jericho's plight. They are very much interested in aiding the carpet salesman-turned mage-turned combat engineer.

 

Vraksian

     Vraksian (named after his planet of origin, no one knows his true name) was present at the famous Siege of Vraks. He was a line trooper in the Traitor Disciples of Xaphan unit. He served in a pioneer unit specializung in minelaying. During the siege the retractor pioneers woukd dig tunnels beneath loyalist lines and set off large explosions. Sometimes loyalist Krieg Engineer and rebel Vraksian pioneers would encounter each other in the tunnels. In the dark the two sides would fiercely fight with shotguns, entrenching tools, and daggers.
      When the Vraksian rebels finally lost the war after 18 years, Vraks and some of his fellow pioneers managed to escape the planet by means of a Warp Rift. Vraksian wandererer the verse for a time serving as ships crew on freighters or as a mercenary. He stumbled across House Nightfall's forces one day. They admired his pioneer experience and offered Vraksian a job in 10th Squad, Midnight Comany, Nostroman 9th Regiment.

   

 

 

 

 

 

Over the weekend I finished painting up 3 more models for my home-brew warband the Warpborn

Spoiler

 

Kor Phaeron, Possessed, member of Forward Unto Dawn Squad

Following the melding with his daemon, Kor Phaeron remembered little except for a deep sense of oppression at the hands of his Dark Mechanicum enslavers. With each kill, a tiny bit of his memory returns. He yearns to remember.

 

 

 

Zhan, member of the 5th Column Cultist/Traitor Guard Squad

 

    Zhan was once a seaweed gatherer on the planet of Kai-Zhan. He was pressed into Imperial service and forced to become a Skitarii, a warrior fighting for the Adeptus Mechanicus. He was not all happy with his plight although he did rather like his new bionic augmentation such as his metal arms and his new night-vision eyes. He was also glad he no longer had to touch or smell kelp.
      When a Rogue techpriest Centurion escaped with a treasure trove of dark tech, Zhan went with him. The two managed to make their way to the moon of Kai and joined the Dark Mechanicum.
     But it seemed to Zhan that he had shrugged off one oppressor only to gain another. The Dark Mechanicum was just as oppressive as its loyalist counterpart had been. And so when Zhan heard whispers of Talos' rebel slave movement he immediately joined as a 5th Column. Zhan was now a mid-ranking leader within the Dark tech guard's forces. Due to his rank Zhan was able to funnel much equipment to Talos' forces. Zhan also convinced more than a few Dark Skitarii to join with Talos.
     When the day of the revolt came, Zhan's sabotage efforts were crucial. His sabotage and 5th Column tech guard troopers destroyed an entire company of Dark Mechanicum Dunestriders and Maulerfiends.
     Now Zhan is a member of the 5th Column Cultist and Traitor Guard Squad. And he and his fellow Cultists are largely ignored and left to their own devices by Talis and his Chaos Marines. Zhan finally knows freedom

 

 

Orzrex, member of the 5th Column, Cultist/Traitor Guard Squad

     Orzrex was once a servitor on the Imperial Navy vessel Ieon Duke. Due to a mindwipe procedure orzrex had no memory of its human past. It simply lived to swabbthe decks of the great cruiser and to maintain the macrocannon batteries.
     But one day a Warpborn raiding party boarded the Iron Duke during a Space battle. The party destroyed the macro cannon battery and captured a handful of ships crew, including Orzrex.
     The Warpborn, abhorrent slavery in all forms, reversed the mindwipes on all 79 of the caltured servitors. 78 of the servitors immediately committed suicide when they learned what had befallen them. But Orzrex was filled with a sense of intense anger. He grabbed a pistol and cutlass and demanded to return to the Iron Duke with the next Warpborn raiding party so he could exact his revenge. The Warpborn acceded to Orzrex's demand and the rest is history. Orzrex is now a valuable member of the 5th Column Squad of Chaos Cultists and Traitor Guard.

 

 

And earlier this week I gave the Warpborn's warlord, Talos Slaughtercall, a magnetized Chirurugeon backpack in case I use him as a counts-as Fabius Bile.

 

 

I now have 17 completed Warpborn models

 

 

 

 

 

I also recently assembled two new characters for my Night Lords.

 

 

Crutian of Midnight on left and Hazzar the Child Skinner on right

 

 

Crutian of Midnight will be a Chaos Lord with daemon hammer and plasma pistol

 

 

Hazzar the Child Skinner will be an Apothecary, counts-as Fabius Bile

 

 

 

Enjoy the photos! We'll see what the next ten years brings.

 

 

Warpborn, "Damn the Dark Mechanicum!"

Night Lords, "In midnight clad."

[Tallarn Commander]

Hello everyone, I hope this blog posts finds you doing well.

 

Last month I took a Chaos Marines army to a local tournament. I took a blended force of my House Nightfall Night Lords and my Khornate Blood Wolves. I chose the Pactbound Zealots detachment, it's still one of my favorite detachments. The event took place in Kent, Washington at a wonderful gaming store that I've been frequenting for years, Wizards Keep Games. They moved a couple of years ago and their new spot is much nicer and bigger than the old spot. Although the new spot does not have a pub next door. You win some, you lose some. 

 

Here is my list, both in short and long form.

 

 

Night Wolves List, Short Version

Spoiler

Being an unholy alliance of Night Lords and Blood Wolves Chaos Marines, a Chaos Space Marines Pactbound Zealots Detachment lead by the vile Blood Wolves Chaos Lord Svane Vulfbad and the heartless House Nightfall Chaos Lord with Jump Pack Travor Ironclaw

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
+ FACTION KEYWORD: Chaos - Chaos Space Marines
+ DETACHMENT: Pactbound Zealots (Marks of Chaos)
+ TOTAL ARMY POINTS: 2000pts
+
+ WARLORD: Char1: Chaos Lord
+ ENHANCEMENT: Talisman of Burning Blood (on Char1: Chaos Lord)
+ NUMBER OF UNITS: 16
+ SECONDARY: - Bring It Down: (7x2) - Assassination: 3 Characters
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++


CHARACTERS
☆ Svane Vulfvad, Chaos Lord, warlord, Mark of Khooooorne!,  Enhancement: Talisman of Burning Blood (105 pts)
☆ Travor Ironclaw, Chaos Lord with Jump Pack, Enhancement: Intoxicating Elixir, Mark of Slaaaaanesh! (95 pts)
☆ Lady Esmerelda Hoth, Chaos Warpsmith, Enhancement: Mark of Slaaaaanesh! (70 pts)

BATTLE LINE
● Sevatar's Sinners and the Baba Yagas, 10x Cultist Mob, Mark of Tzeeeeench! (50 pts)
● BloodTongue and the Harbingers, 5 Legionaries, Mark of Khooooorne! (90 pts)

DEDICATED TRANSPORTS
● Murcielago, Chaos Rhino, Mark of Khoooooorne! (75 pts)
● Tentaculus, Chaos Rhino, Mark of Chaos Undivided (75 pts)

OTHER DATA SHEETS
♤ The Company of Eight and the Ravens, 10 Chosen, Mark of Chaos Undivided (250 pts)
♤ Blood Howl and the Buzzards, 10 Possessed, Mark of Slaaaasnesh! (240 pts)
◇ The Ghost Wolves and Bat to the Bone, 3 Chaos Bikers, Mark of Slaaaaaanesh!  (70 pts)
◇ Bats Out of Hell, 10x Raptors (210 pts)
□ FierFracture, Chaos Predator Destructor, Mark of Nuuuuurgle! (140 pts)
□ Ragnarok, Chaos Predator Destructor, Mark of Nuuuuurgle! (140 pts)
□ Reaver, Chaos Predator Annihilator, Mark of Nuuuuurgle! (135 pts)
□ Wirewolf, Chaos Maulerfiend, Mark of Khoooooorne (130 pts)
□ Mary, Chaos Maulerfiend, Mark of Slaaaaanesh! (130 pts)

Total=1,995 points

 

 

 

Night Wolves List, Excessively Long Version

Spoiler

This army consists of two Chaos Marine warbands. The Blood Wolves have hired the mercenaries of the House Nightfall's Night Lords.

Here is some backstory for each warband and each unit....

BLOOD WOLVES ORIGINS
     The Blood Wolves are a warband of Khorne-worshipping Chaos Space Marines. They were once Space Wolves. Then one fateful day they fell from the Emperor's Grace and followed Wolf Lord Svane Vulfbad when he and his Great Company mutinied.  Svane and his followers proclaimed themselves to Khorne; stole a small fleet of Battle Barges, Cobras, and Strike Cruisers; and fled to the Cliedes System.
     It was in the Cliedes System that the Loyalist lackey Harald Deathwolf found and fought the Blood Wolves. But Svane and his Heretic Astartes had been blessed by the Blood God and they managed to escape into the Warp. Since that day they have wandered the verse. The Blood Wolves seek nothing more than to shed blood in His name.



NIGHT LORDS ORIGINS
    Long ago there was a noble family, the house of Nightfall. They lived in an age of peace and stability established by their world's ruler. Their ruler was Konrad Curze, the fair and just lord of the garden planet Nostramo. And then one day, a corrupt and weak emperor sent an assassin to slay the Lord Curze. The vile assassin succeeded. The emperor then destroyed the paradise that was Nostramo. House Nightfall managed to escape. But since that day they have never forgotten. Vengeance upon the emperor will be theirs!

House Nightfall is a mercenary and merchant house, sort of like a Chaotic Rogue Trader family. It is made up of descendants of those who fled Nostramo before it was destroyed. The House's Council of Eight owns and operates over a dozen star systems, a score of void ships, 3 warbands of Night Lords Chaos Marines, a free company of Chaos Knights, and 9 regiments of Renegades and Heretics Chaos Militia and Traitor Guard.




CHARACTERS

Svane Vulfbad, Blood Wolves Chaos Lord
     Svane Vulfbad was a young pup on Fenris when he was stalked one evening by a ferocious Ice Troll. He was able to use the light of Fenris' moon, Valdrmani, to escape. Since then Svane had felt a close connection to moons and to their symbolism and power.
     Svane was born into the Fire Breather tribe and named to honor the tribe's leader Sven Bloodhowl. The young Svane proved particularly adept at hunting and tracking. One night, under a crescent moon, Svane battled a giant Remhoraz on Fenris' ice fields. Both Svane and the Remhoraz fell during this duel. But the lucky Fenrisian was selected by a Chooser of the Slain. He then survived tests and ordeals too numerous to count. Eventually Svane succeeded and became a Space Wolves Neophyte serving in a Blood Claw Pack.
     Svane served honorably for many centuries in the ranks of Blood Claws, Grey Hunters, and Wolf Guard. He performed hundreds of heroic deeds and the Skalds told countless sagas about Vulfbane. He eventually became leader of the Blood Wolves Great Company.
      But one night while leading his company on campaign beneath a full moon in the Ghoul Stars, Svane Vulfbad heard the call. From its mighty Throne of Skulls Khorne sensed a kindred spirit and it reached out to Svane Vulfbad. Boundless rage filled Svane's soul. He became aware of the hypocrisy at the Empire's core. When Vulfbad awoke from his trance he uttered these words, "I murdered thousands for the Emperor and He gave me nothing except His damning silence. Now His lapdogs yap for every life I take, while the gods promise me the galaxy."
     Svane and his entire great company immediately declared themselves for Chaos and rebelled. A cadre of loyalist Space Wolves pursued them. But, after a handful of running skirmishes, Svane and his Blood Wolves escaped into the Warp.



Travor Ironclaw, Night Lords Jump Pack Lord
     It is an understatement to say life in an Imperial prison is miserable. It is hell. The capricious guards, the random torture sessions from Inquisitors, rape and beatings at the hands of fellow inmates, and worst of all, the disgusting bland vat-grown gruel that inmates are fed. This is what Inmate Number [Redacted] real name of Travor, had to face every day.
     Travor was born and raised on the hive world of Necromunda. Like most of his peers he was a criminal in a gang running extortion rackets, smuggling contraband, and doing hits on rival gang members. One day Travor and the other members of his Orlock gang were caught up in a sweep. A small army of Arbites police officers had a quota to meet. So the Arbites entered the Underhives and arrested all suspected gingers, including Travor, regardless of whether they had committed a crime.
     The young criminal found himself on a prison ship bound for God knows where. When Travor found himself on Imperial Prison Planet 647 in the Segmentum Pacificus he felt some relief because, in the Imperium, there are some fates worse then a prison planet.
     For 32 years Travor endured a living hell. During the day he worked in the prison's mines and manufactorums. During the night he and his fellow Orlocks fought constant wars against other inmates. It was a struggle to survive.
      One day salvation arrived. It arrived in the form of a seven foot tall figure. The figure was clad in midnight armor and had red glowing eyes. It held a vicious sword of whirring chains in one hand and in the other hand it held the dripping head of the hated Chief Warden Ignatus.
     The mysterious figure told Travor and the other inmates they were from something called House Nightfall. An offer was made. The inmates could help the mysterious figure kill the remaining guards and then join House Nightfall in the stars. Or the inmates could remain in their cells and wait for the wardens and Arbites to return.
      For Travor and most of the inmates this was not a difficult choice. They rioted and killed anyone in the prison who was not an inmate. The inmates then settled old scores and killed each other in a bloodbath. In the end only a handful of inmates survived. Mostly Travor and his fellow Orlocks and their allied Eschers.
      The convicts entered a small fleet of battered shuttles and took to the stars as probationary members of House Nightfall. Travor thinks that was almost a millenia ago now. Although time is not a constant when the warp is concerned, so it could  have been only a hundred years ago.
      At any rate Travor has many memories of his life since joining House Travor. Working as a machinist in Nightfall's arms manufactourums, where even a lowly janitor is well paid and cared for thanks to the Unionist Faction. Aiding the pro-daemon faction of House Nightfall by sneaking onto Imperial planets with fellow Cultists and summoning daemons from the warp. Serving as a soldier in the ranks of one of House Nightfall's Traitor Guard Regiments, the Nostroman 9th. Travor was eventually awarded his powerfist for acts of courage and sacrifice and he changed his name to Ironclaw. Along the way he fell in love with a fellow soldier Seera, raised a family with her, and became a colonel.
      When Ironclaw witnessed a hated Adeptes of the Space Wolves crush Seera's skull he realized his life had changed. In one-on-one combat he defeated the Adeptes, who he now wears as a tabard, and was offered the opportunity of a lifetime. He was allowed to begin the Mercantile Rituals of Blood which would transform him into a Chaos Space Marine.
     Ironclaw served with honor as a Legionary, Chaos Biker, and then as Atramentar. With the aid of the Unionist and Daemon Factions within House Nightfall he was promoted to the rank of Chaos Lord. He now soars the skies upon his jetpack and commands House Nightfall's 3rd Battalion. He is still amazed that a lowly convict could attain such glories.


Lady Esmerelda Hoth, House Nightfall Warpsmith
   Lady Esmerelda Hoth is an ambassador dispatched from the Dark Mechanicum to aid House Nightfall. The two Chaos factions have enjoyed a long and fruitful alliance: the Warpsmiths provide daemonic technology and House Nightfall provides mercenary fighting prowess. Hoth has teamed her daemon engine "monster menagerie" up with House Nightfall because she received a vision from the Dark Omnissiah. In the vision she joined with the Night Lords to consecrate Imperium-held worlds in blood.
     She secretly is aiding the "Black Nebula" faction within House Nightfall's Council of Eight. Esmerelda hopes that her efforts will destabilize House Nightfall's easternmost star systems. Systems which are coveted by Esmerelda's Dark Mechanicum superiors. Although lately she is begun questioning this mission and she may even ally with House Nightfall as a double agent.


BATTLE LINE

Sevatar's Sinners, House Nightfall Cultists and The Baba Yagas, Blood Wolves Cultists

     The 88th Blood Pact are troopers on loan to The Blood Wolves from the infamous Blood Pact Traitor Guard Regiment. Urlock Gaur leads the Blood Pact and each Blood Pacter swears fealt to Gaur in an unholy bloodletting ritual. Urlock Gaur and Svane Vulfbad have exchanged small detachments. The Blood Pact gains the melee brutality of the Blood Wolves' Legionaries and the Blood Wolves gain the massed infantry and tanks of the Blood Pact.
   The Squad's Aspiring Champion, Bloodbitch, comes from a Slavic world. She has named her squad "The Baba Yagas,"  after an old Slavic wives' tale. The Baba Yagas sometimes serve as scouts for the Blood Wolves.
     Blood Bitch was imprisoned on a Chaos Penal World working the forges for the Dark Mechanicum. Her life was a living hell, but she coped by organizing a "fight club." Then one day Urlock Gaur's Blood Pact forces raided the Penal world for supplies and manpower. Blood Bitch found herself freed. What's more, Urlock Gaur was impressed at how she had trained an entire cadre of prisoners in hand-to-hand melee. After a brief blood-letting ritual in which she impaled her hand on Urlovk Gaur's armor's spikes, she was promoted to Chieftain of a squad in the 88th Blood Pact Regiment. A role at which she has excelled. Blood for the Blood God indeed!

      The Nostroman 9th's rank and file Traitor Guard infantry are a diverse lot. Some fight for coin, some for Chaos, some fight against the fascist Imperium, and some fight for the sake of fighting. These combat veterans are willing to put their lives on the line as long as they receive their due from the Regiment's Paymaster.
The leader of each squad is quite a character:
     Sergeant Sevatar is a brilliant and cruel warrior. He styles himself after his namesake, the infamous Jago Sevatarion, also called Sevatar. Sevatarion was one of Nighthaunter's lieutenants and fought alongside Conrad Curze before and during the Horus Heresy. Sevatar the Cultist secretly hopes to someday be permitted to take House Nightfall's Mercantile Trial of Blood, the process by which a mortal can become an Astartes.


● BloodTongue and the Harbingers, 5 Legionaries

    Aspiring Champion Gormenghast is a philosopher warrior, a rarity among Khorne worshippers. As a Space Wolf he read widely, devouring the works of Aquinas, Logar, and Aristotle, among others.
     But one fateful day on an Imperial ecclesiarchy world he stumbled across one of the Eight Books of Khorne. Not knowing the tome was a Chaos artifact he took it. Back on the Strike Cruiser he began reading the book. Its contents revealed a great deal to the loyalist marine. He learned the elements of the perfect murder, he learned the inner peace brought about by intense anger, and he learned the eight pillars of the Khorne faith. Gormenghast remained loyal to the All Father but the seeds of doubt were sown.
     When Svane Vulfbad began speaking of the Emperor's hypocrisy, Gormenghast understood what his Lord meant more than most Blood Wolves. Gormenghast eagerly advocated for rebelling and, as a result, after the revolt, Svane promoted the philosopher warrior to Squad Champion in charge of Squad Bloodtongue.

    House Nightfall's Chaos Legionaries are a motley collection of mercenaries, murderers, and maniacs. They have long furthered the interests of House Nightfall and are well paid in slaves, armor, and weaponry. During combat they skulk around the battlefield, avoiding a fair fight. They grab objectives, pepper the enemy with bolt shots, and then pounce where they are least expected, flaying the enemy alive with chainswords. They excel in terror tactics, slipping behind enemy lines to slit throats and terrorize the foe.
    Hatred Scoursoul is a relatively recent member of House Nightfall. He was born into a powerful family of Rogue traders and lived the life of a swashbuckling explorer. But his first love was always archaeology. When his parents were killed during a trade deal gone awry, Hatred inherited a small fleet of Explorator vessels and their crews. His passion lay in unearthing and examining ancient artifacts, xenon or otherwise. He soon set to work trading, exploring, digging, and swashbuckling throughout the verse. The Ordos Hereticus became suspicious of Hatred's activities, but never had enough evidence to convince House Scourscowl's political allies that Hatred was Corrupted.
     It was on a dig on the 3rd moon of Oros Prime that he found a shard of the Black Rune of Damnation. Fascinated, he took the object back to his ship and studied it. He soon realized its full potential. The shard granted superhuman abilities to the bearer, but at the cost of their soul. Hatred willingly trapped his soul within the black artifact and gained rapid reflexes, superb strength, and other abilities. The Rune also whispered insights to Hatred, informing him of the best trade deals and the best archeologiacal dig sites.
     Somehow the Ordo Hereticus faction of the Inquisition soon got wind of Rogue Trader Hatred's soul-trapping Black Rune of Damnation. They were not amused. An Inquisitor Javeert began chasing Hatred and his retinue through the verse. After numerous near-escapes from Javeert, Hatred turned to House Nightfall for salvation. House Nightfall agreed to protect Hatred if he surrendered the Black Rune of Damnation, his Explorator vessels, and their crew to him. In exchange House Nightfall would kill Javeert and erase all evidence of Hatred's existence from the Inquisition's databanks. Hatred begrudgingly agreed to the deal. House Nightfall's covert operatives succeeded in eliminating Javeert and erasing Hatred from their files. Hatred was saved!
     As a recent House member, Hatred Scourscowl has had to work twice as hard as everyone else. Lately Aspiring Champion Hatred's bravery, luck, and tactical acumen have impressed House Nightfall's leadership. They have awarded him with temporary command of thevHarbingers Legionaries Squad.


DEDICATED TRANSPORTS

● Murcielago, Chaos Rhino
     House Nightfall's Warpsmith Cadre suspects that Murcielago is tainted. Her walls sometimes seep blood and odd cries emanate from within during the darkest of hours. Tarot readings of Murcielago's machine spirit indicate that these are auspicious signs. Although some say the Warpsmiths are not to be trusted.

● Tentaculus, Chaos Rhino
     Since Tebtaculus' crew worships Khorne, the Chaos Rhino is just as likely to careen into the foe, skewering them upon one of many spikes attached to the hull, as it is likely to just serve as a transport vehicle.

OTHER DATASHEETS

♤ The Company of Eight and the Ravens, 10 Chosen
     Aspiring Champion Krassek leads the Company of Eight Chosen Squad. He is a hunter's hunter. As a feral tribal warrior on Fenris he could track and kill the deadliest of native beasts, from the great Fenrisian Wolf to the Brutal Frost Mammoths. Krassek would patiently stalk his prey through ice tundra and snow-swept mountain. And then he would finally strike with unmatched zeal.
     When his tribal chief told Krassek he must begin the ordeals to become an Adeptes he was sad. He knew he would miss the hunt. But he also knew he had a duty to his tribe and to the All-Father.
    And so Krassek underwent the trials and eventually became a Space Wolf. As a Space Wolf he joined a particularly devout warrior cult. And so the eventual transition from Space Wolf to Blood Wolf was not difficult fir him.
     He eventually surrounded himself with others who were big game hunters. On and off the battlefield, they specialize in stalking, killing, and making totems of their prey. And as a squad leader he is sometimes allowed a small vessel and navigator and released from warband duties for a year and a day. During these sabbatical he takes up tye hunt once more. He travels to the nearby Death World and stalks the most vicious creatures he can find.

● Icon: Unit can re-roll Dark Pact tests
    Champion Ravenblade leads House Nightfall's Chosen Squad. In a legion consisting of murderous criminals, the Chosen are seen as particularly heinous scalawags. Over the years they have scrounged up rare armor and melee weapons. Some are equipped with boarding shields to ward off blows and powerful chainglaives that can easily cut a dreadnought's leg in half.
    Champion Ravenblade maintains House Nightfall's Aviary of Doom. It is he who maintains the House's murder of Rooks, Ravens, and Crows. The birds specialize in flaying the skin from a torture victims over the course of many days. Starting, of course, by slowly pecking out the victim's eyes.


♤ Blood Howl and the Buzzards, 10 Possessed
Each member of Blood Howl has undergone a terrible ritual. This ritual intertwined their souls with 8 Khornate daemon souls. Hell unleashed eightfold!

     Most Night Lords do not worship the Chaos Gods, at least not openly. The Sons of Curze see Chaos as merely a tool, a means to achieve an end.
But some Night Lords do go rogue and begin openly worshipping the Dark Gods. When this happens they are given a choice. They can face the swift justice of an Atramentar's axe or they can join House Nightfall's Second Claw
     The Buzzards are Possessed who have each given their true name to a Chaos Daemon. Each of these fools is slowly losing control of his or her soul and being overtaken by an entity from beyond space and time.
     While his Buzzards squad worships Slaanesh, Aspiring Champion Shadow prefers Tzeentch. True to form for Tzeentch, no one knows this but Shadow. Tzeentch grants Shadow the ability to see into others' souls. He can be heard muttering to himself, "Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men? The Shadow knows." The Shadow is, of course, quite insane.


◇ The Ghost Wolves and Bat to the Bone, 3 Chaos Bikers

    The Ghost Wolves have all sold their souls to Khorne. In exchange they have gained preternatural speed and strength as well as the ability to shoot bolts of fire. Their heads have melted away and nothing but blazing skulls wrapped in hellfire remain.
     Trailing brimstone in their wake, the Ghost Wolves act as the Blood Wolves recon and Raiding Force. They use their horrific speed to strike behind enemy lines and sever communication and control networks. They also pursue survivors after a battle so that even more blood can flow for the Blood God.

    The Chaos Bikers epitomize the Night Lords way of war. They prowl near the foe's flanks terrorizing the most vulnerable enemy units and avoiding a fair fight.

◇ Bats Out of Hell, 10x Raptors

     The Raptors scream down from the aethers, with chainswords aglow and eager to flay the enemies' skin. Each has joined the Chaos Raptor Cult and has now merged with his or her unholy jumppack.

     Raptor Aspiring Champion Ragnar was once a loyalist Space Wolf. And before that he was a mortal mariner sailing the frigid seas of Fenris. But he threw all that away when he had a vivid dream one night. On the dream, he learned the promise of Valhalla was but a lie and the Emperor was a senile corpse god.
     But Ragnar had no love for Chaos. And so he abandoned the Blackmanes company and wandered the verse. He worked for awhile as laborer on a Rogue Trader freighter, as a fisherman on the frigid seas of a backwater Moon, and as a mercenary.
     Ragnar was working as a mercenary for a Xenos species, the Jora, in the Ghoul Stars when he first encountered House Nightfall. House Nightfall had also been hired by the Jora. Ragnar worked alongside the Jora and House Nightfall for ten years. When his contract with the Jora expired he immediately signed up with House Nightfall. He initially served as a Legionary in the Harbingers Squad. His experience impresses his superiors and he was soon promoted to Raptor and then given command of his own Raptor Squad. Ragnar still has no love of Chaos, but House Nightfall's coin is good and the former Space Wolf often gets to battle the Emperor's lap dogs.


□ FierFracture, Chaos Predator Destructor
     FierFracture was once a venerated Imperial Fists battle tank. But one moonlit night the Blood Wolves caught the VII Legion Loyalists unawares in an ambush on the Planet T'olku. After Svane Vulfbad wounded Imperial Fist Captain Alaric Eshara, the bulk of the Imperial Fists managed to escape due to the Captain's rear guard sacrifice. But much of the Imperial Fists' equipment, including FierFracture, was captured by the Fallen Space Wolves. The Blood Wolves keep Captain Eshara alive and chained to back of the vehicle as a testament to Khorne.


□ Ragnarok, Chaos Predator Destructor
     Ragnarok: "Fenrir howls terribly before the doors to Hel. The wolf will break its bonds and run. I know much wisdom, I see deep in the future all the way to Ragnarok, a dark day for the gods.
     Brothers will fight and kill each other. Sister's children will defile kinship. It is harsh in the world. Whoredom rife. An axe age, a sword age, shields are riven, a wind age, a wolf age. Before the world goes headlong, no man will have mercy on another."
- excerpt from Voluspa,10th Century Norse poem


□ Reaver, Chaos Predator Annihilator
     Reaver and its crew have been fighting the Long War since the Horus Heresy. Lightning's Soulshatter Lascannons can pierce the toughest enemy armor at long range. In their free time the crew likes to craft dresses  and suits made of living human flesh.


□ Wirewolf, Chaos Maulerfiend
     "Talix trees, tall and slender, grew along the outsides of the avenue. At least two had been decapitated and remade into gibbets for the wirewolves. There was no point trying to avoid them. Landerson walked on, trying not to look up at the skeletal mannequins hanging limply from the axl-trees on their metal strings. They creaked, swinging slightly in the breeze."
-Excerpt from Traitor General, by Dan Abnett


□ Mary, Chaos Maulerfiend

     Mary aspires to be the first Night Lord to reach the enemy lines. She is a happy Daemon engine. She loves making new friends and giving them a big old hug. Sadly, her new friends usually do not survive her "hugs."

 

 

Photos of my army

Spoiler

 

The Night Wolves

 

 

Vehicles closeup shot

 

 

Chaos Bikers

Bikers and Rhinos are my most effective secondary scoring units. They have the cheapness and speed to get to where they can do actions and other jobs.

 

Possessed

One of my more choppy units, well more durable then choppy. But a good unit nonetheless.

 

 

Chaos Raptors, WiP

I gave this squad a quick basecoat last month. Now I'm going back and giving their upgrades proper basecoats, washes, and highlighting. 

 

This tournament  was the first time I used the new Raptor rules. They can now take 5 heavy melee weapons and 2 mutations in a 10-trooper squad. I'm loving them and will be bringing 25 Raptors to the big Tacoma event in July. Raptors now feel as choppy as they were back in 3rd/4th Edition. They have spent a long time in the wilderness, so they sure deserve the upgrade.

 

Cultists, an amalgamation of Blood Wolves red and Night Lords blue

 

 

 

Reaver, Chaos Predator Annihilator

 

FierFracture, the Chaos Predator Destructor

 

Ragnarok, Chaos Predator Destructor

 

 

As expected, my 2 Destructors way outperformed my Annihilator. 

 

I really need to get more autocannon tank turrets so that my blue hulls can go with my blue turrets, and so on.  I had to borrow some of my turrets from my Nostroman  9th Traitor Guard army.

 

 

Yet another army shot

 

 

 

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++GAME 1 VS. NECRONS+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++=

 

Game 1 pitted the forces of Chaos against the foul Necrons. My opponent was a sporting chap who had lots of big Necron, C'tan-ey thingies. I've known him over the years to be a very nice and fun opponent. Needless to say I killed very little and he easily tabled me. Well, I killed a lot, but he kept bringing it back. 

 

 

Board on Turn 2

 

You can see my Raptors clinging to the middle with my Possessed moving up. My Maulerfiends are hanging out with some giant Necron beastie on the right.

 

 

Wirewolf moves up to get into melee

 

 

Wirewolf and Mary bounce off of a big Necron, who then destroys both without breaking a sweat. I rolled rather poorly in melee.

 

 

Chosen take out a character

 

 

Chosen about to get gunned down by a Warrior blob

 

 

Possessed charge Warriors, who jump out of melee and then gun them all down

 

 

Predator Destructors lay down a solid base of fire on my left

 

 

My opponent's blue and metal color scheme was wonderful. Here's a very nice Necron model.

 

 

Flayed ones hung out on my opponent's expansion all game, racking up points

In a desperate move, here you can see my Cultists bouncing off of the Flayed Ones. But they did kill one of them.

 

 

A gorgeous Night Lords objective marker

 

It warmed the cockles of my heart that my opponent provided these gorgeous Night Lords objective markers for us to use.

 

In addition, my tape measure died at the beginning of the game. Not only did he loan me a tape measure, he let me keep it for the rest of the tournament. A true sportsman! 

 

I'd have to say my MVPs for the game would have to be my Predator Destructors. They had the Mark of Nurgle so they really enjoyed getting sustained on 5s.

 

 

++++++++++++++++++++++GAME 2 CONTINUED BELOW+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

 

 

Night lords, "Ave Dominus Nox"

Blood Wolves, "Remember Fenris"

 

 

Here are some photos and comments of my games.

 

 

 

 

[Dr_Ruminahui]

As always, love to read about your games.  You seem inordinantly blessed with chill and pleasant opponents - which may say as much about your own temperament as theirs.

 

If the C'tan is accurate the model the player used, it makes sense it ate your maulers, as that's the specifically anti-vehicle C'tan.  As well, if the character you took out is the new destroyer cult special character, kuddos on doing so - that guy is a beast (at least per his datasheet - haven't faced him on the table).

[Tallarn Commander]

Thanks Dr. Ruminahui.  As long as I get to play with my toy soldiers I'm happy.  

 

Yes, the Necrons are indeed a tough nut to crack. I have found focusing on one unit 'til its dead works best. I sort of forgot that during this game, and spread my forces too thin. My opponent said afterwards (and, come to think of it, during the game) that I should have basically ignored his Warriors and gone after other stuff. I dedicated 2 lords, a Raptor Squad, a Chosen Squad, and a Possessed Squad into his Warriors as well as tons of ranged shooting. He said he has too many tricks to keep 'em alive. I fell for the bait.

 

 

 

++++++++++++++++++GAME 2 OF THE MARCH 2026 WIZARDS KEEP TOURNAMENT: CSM VS. SPACE WOLVES+++++++++++++++++++++++++

 

Game 2 of the tournament pitted the Night Lords/Blood Wolves against the foul Space Wolves. Since my Blood Wolves are Space Wolves who have fallen to Chaos, this pairing seemed appropriate. The Space Wolves had come for revenge.

 

 

Game 2: The board during the bottom of Turn 1, grey loyalists on the left and red and blue rebels on the right

 

 

More Game 2 comments and photos

Spoiler

 

Legionaries steal objective from infiltrating Photos Space Wolves

Boy, Legionaries must be one of the more efficient trading pieces available to us. They excel at taking out small enemy squads on objectives for the low, low price of 90 points.

 

 

Chaos Bikers sacrifice themselves to steal objective and prevent further advances by the Wulfen Dreadnought

 

 

Wirewolf and Mary Shred Thunder Wolves

I really enjoyed using a pair of Maulerfiends. After the Tacoma Open in July I'll use my homebrew Warpborn CSM warband more. This warband will use a pair of Maulerfiends in tandem, sometimes backed up by a Warpsmith.

 

 

Scrum in the middle

The new Space Wolves Head Takers are no joke!

 

 

Space Wolves move up to support the scrum in the middle

 

 

Logan with Bears!

This awesome Space Wolf army featured Bear Riders and Logan had pet bears instead of wolves. I was suitably impressed.

 

 

In the end, the forces of the Heretics Astartes managed a win against the Space Wolves after many a fierce melee. My MVP would have to be my Chosen with an attached lord. Their mobility and melee lethality shined. But my squad of Raptor deep-striking into the enemy rear was also instrumental. A fun game!

 

 

 

 

++++++++++++++++++GAME 3 OF THE MARCH 2026 WIZARDS KEEP TOURNAMENT: CSM VS. EMPEROR'S CHILDREN+++++++++++++++++++++++++

 

 Game 3 found me pitted against a gorgeously painted Emperor's Children army. Since some of my forces were marked Slaanesh, perhaps his army took umbrage and thought they were the true Slaaneshi worshippers.

 

 

Game 3 board at deployment

 

 

More Game 3 comments and photos

Spoiler

 

Emperors Children Daemon Prince and Infractors

 

 

My right flank

 

 

 

Bats Out Of Hell Raptors and Wirewolf the Maulerfiend move up

 

 

Daemon Prince takes out Mary the Maulerfiend

 

 

Chaos Bikers pin Noise Marine Rhino in place

 

 

Chosen and Chaos Lord Svane treat Noise Marines with extreme prejudice

 

 

Lucius duels Night Lords Jump Pack Lord Travor Ironclaw

Travor somehow survives with 1 single wound

 

 

 

On my next turn Travor promptly flees the duel and does an action

 

 

Possessed eliminate Emperors Children Daemon Prince

 

 

Chosen hold objective

 

 

 

Tormentors screen out the enemy deployment zone

 

 

 

Cultists hold objective

 

 

The board during the endgame

 

 

 

Emperors Children target Warsmith Esmerelda

 

 

It was a fund and close battle. In the end, victor went to the true forces of Slaanesh, the Emperor's Children! What an enjoyable game. My enemy kept having to declare the number of enemy units he would kill which means he took the Coterie of the Conceited. And I really enjoyed watching EC at work. It's a fun and balanced army and the Coterie detachment has some interesting tricks.

 

Since I assembled and will soon paint up a squad of Night Lords Noise Marines, it was fun seeing Noise Marines at work. My opponent said the 2 Blastmasters do most of the work. The other 4 troopers are ablative armor that sometimes do a little damage. But it's a good unit.

 

My MVP for the match would have to be my Chosen. They took a lickin' and kept on tickin'. Honorable mentions go to my Possessed and to my Predator Destructors.

 

 

In the end, it was a very enjoyable tournament indeed. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And, on the hobbying front, a metal Obliterator showed up in the mail last week. Now I have all the models I need for the Tacoma Open except for a Chaos Vindicator, which is on order.

 

 

I shall dub thee Ozrk, Chaos Obliterator of Squad Onerous

I gave him a couple of new guns, a new head, a backplate (not visible here), and a tabard.

 

 

And a photo of what I'm working on right now: a handful of Warpborn and upgrading Raptors

 

 

Enjoy the photos!

 

 

The Night Lords, "Ave Dominus Nox"

The Warpborn, "Never forget what the Dark Mechanicum did to us"

The Blood Wolves, "For honor and for Khorne!"