I’ve finally decided to do a Chaos Dwarf army and accordingly I’ve decided to start a log here, rather than lurk forever in the shadows. I’ve always loved Chaos Dwarf but in my wargaming magpie syndrome I’ve never really got round to it. Well thanks to Titan Wargames and this site, I have got around to it. Sadly I’m not in anyway skilled at modelling or painting. What I do have are some WIP minis.
The general idea behind the army project is a slaver band operating in the southern wastes, the Blackhearts. They are lead by Balarash the Despoiler. The band operates from the Obsidian Firehold of Nar-Akkad which is far to the south of the Ziggurat due to the sorcerer of the Firehold’s transgressions. So far it’s a slow process, as I have an Ogre army on the go also and that studying and family life are priorities over hobbytime. Still the Blackhearts are 22 strong, 10 Heavy Infantry and 10 Royal Guard, with a sorcerer and general.
“It was a small goblin camp, Balarash thought. A hundred, or a little more mayhaps. Ripe for enslaving. The camp was comically close to the Firehold. They would be back in 6 nights, even if the goblins slowed them down. Balarash had expected a much longer expedition, potentially having to scour the swamp coasts. Such an easy target so close to the Firehold pleased him. The camp was a mess of shambolic tents, fires and general detritus. Light was creeping over the hills and mountains that surrounded the small valley in which the goblin camp and the Dwarves that were slowly encircling it. It didn’t take long for the camp to be completely surrounded. Balarash’s band of slavers, the Blackhearts, had scoured the wastes, the mountains and the valleys for years. They were tough and merciless.
The sentries had been easily dispatched by well placed crossbow bolts through the scrawny excuse for necks the wretched creatures possessed. Balarash had with him 27 skilled warriors, ready in position to strike the camp and take as many slaves as could be taken. He gave the signal with a thrust of his axe into the air and the Dwarves advanced into the camp from all angles, weapons and nets ready.
The attack was silent as the tents were methodically entered by a pair or trio of Dwarves. The goblins were either stuffed into strong well-made nets or had their throats slit. A small number tried to make a fight of it but the Dwarves were far too seasoned and skilled for the paltry goblin resistance to last more than minute. One goblin almost escaped, running as fast as he could away from the camp. A quick crossbow bolt to the head by Akhiramun saw to that. In the end 87 Goblins were taken as slaves that early morning. Modestly successful, thought Balarash. Some orcs would have improved things, but this rabble would do excellently on the plantations.”
That's a nice start, good choice going with the Titan Wargames miniatures.
Always good to see another army blog of metal mini's :cheers
Fuggit Khan
Thanks, really loving the weight of the metal minis. It's a blast from the past. I having to restrain myself from going wild and ordering a massive box of them. Looks like I'll have to speed up the old Space Marine clearout.
Neat start and good choice in the Titan Wargames miniatures. I particularly like the background. Best of luck, and remember washes are a painter’s friend.
I agree, nice start you have made. I have yet to put paint on any of my Titan Rank n File models.
and a good little added fluff / story
Abecedar
Neat start and good choice in the Titan Wargames miniatures. I particularly like the background. Best of luck, and remember washes are a painter's friend.
Admiral
Great fluff and troops! May their slavepens be ever full.
Roark
Thanks for all your kind words. I hope to post an update soon with the WIP Royal Guard, perhaps tonight studies permitting. The CDO community is great and very supportive. :cheers
So my fellow slavers, I had some pleasant real world distractions from my wargaming activities which have caused some delays in my project. First and most importantly my second child has been confirmed with two ultrasound scans. :hat off
As a married man with one child already it’s not exactly surprising that I am to be a father again, however it is just as distracting second time round. My wife is very tired so I am taking on more and more duties in the household and this has caused a delay. Further my work/placement becomes more demanding as I gain experience so I am doing more and more there. In a more wargaming vein, I have lined up a local opponent, with whom I am playing Kings of War on Saturday with my Ogre army (aka other nearly completed army). I am trying to base this army before Saturday so my evil Dwarves are taking a backseat.
For now.
I got a very interesting package in the post today. Normally my wargaming activities are completely centered in the anglosphere. Naturally there is a langauge barrier for me, in except the most basic of German. The two main companies for me personally are GW (for Chaos Dwarves, obviously) and Mantic (for Kings of War). They are based a couple of hours away from me in the UK so I gravitate in that world. However my package today was out of this sphere. It was pretty exciting.
LOOK AT THIS STAMP!!
Maybe it’s me, but getting post from Russia seems both exotic and somehow fitting for a Chaos Dwarf army (an eastern empire in a inhospitable area, technologically advanced etc). That aside the packaging is pretty snazzy and has a high level of quality. Obviously I have doctored out my personal details.
The actual miniatures themeselves were bought during a sale and are resin. They are crisp casts, with excellent detail. I love them. They are almost perfect Hobgoblins of old. The only problem I have is that I don’t have more. They are not assembled at all so I can’t comment on the finished product but I am impressed. Happily they also fit the Skulks in the Orc Kings of War list, so they are potentially a dual use unit. :idea It goes without saying that they are primarily slave master for the Dwarves of the Obsidian Firehold, but it’s nice to have options. As I got two boxes (of 10 minis) I have effectively doubled the body count of my Evil Dwarf army. Not bad at all.
Having said all that about focusing on Family and Ogres, I have put some paint to metal. Badly I might add, but practice makes perfect and every Dwarf painted is another step towards getting on a tabletop and taking slaves back to the Firehold. Priorities. The opponent mentioned in the previous post mentioned taking out his Elves. Imagine that. Victory over the Elves, and that sweet booty of taking some as slaves. :yar
The Captain
The Sorceror’s Apprentice (Even by my low standards, this chap is very much WIP and really needs some work on his flesh :()
Yup, stamps alone makes order from Russian Alternative worth it. :cheers
Nice start! You might want to experiment with highlights and washes. Washes are every painter’s friend. A few tips, in case it’s of any use: Don’t be afraid to apply stark highlights such as Mithril Silver to Boltgun Metal (whatever the equivalents are called nowadays), and then bind it all together with a Nuln Oil wash. Bronze, a just a lighter bronze/gold highlight to the very edges, followed by a brown wash, Agrax Earthshade. As for beards, how about drybrushing with a grey or dark grey, and then washing with Nuln Oil? For flesh, some quick drybrushing with Kommando Khaki, Bleached Bone or similar should work, followed by Reikland Fleshshade. For red, a dark red undercoat, such as Khorne Red, can be followed by Blood Red edges, and then bound together with Reikland Fleshshade since a red-brown wash is better for red cloth than just a red wash. For purple, try mix in some Bleached Bone, Space Wolves Grey or Skull White into the purple, drybrush the cloth and wash it with a purple wash.
These measures are simple and not that time-consuming. The first paint layer is time-consuming and tedious, washes and highlights can be quick and rewarding in comparison.
Also, how about basing the miniatures before undercoating them? I find it helps the sand stick on better, and makes painting as a whole a lot less messier since you can start with the base and work upward.
Anyway, best of luck with your second child and slaving for your wife. A life of servitude to your worldly overlord (married one) and otherwordldly overlord (Hashut) has just begun. :hat off
Yup, stamps alone makes order from Russian Alternative worth it. :cheers
Nice start! You might want to experiment with highlights and washes. Washes are every painter's friend. A few tips, in case it's of any use: Don't be afraid to apply stark highlights such as Mithril Silver to Boltgun Metal (whatever the equivalents are called nowadays), and then bind it all together with a Nuln Oil wash. Bronze, a just a lighter bronze/gold highlight to the very edges, followed by a brown wash, Agrax Earthshade. As for beards, how about drybrushing with a grey or dark grey, and then washing with Nuln Oil? For flesh, some quick drybrushing with Kommando Khaki, Bleached Bone or similar should work, followed by Reikland Fleshshade. For red, a dark red undercoat, such as Khorne Red, can be followed by Blood Red edges, and then bound together with Reikland Fleshshade since a red-brown wash is better for red cloth than just a red wash. For purple, try mix in some Bleached Bone, Space Wolves Grey or Skull White into the purple, drybrush the cloth and wash it with a purple wash.
These measures are simple and not that time-consuming. The first paint layer is time-consuming and tedious, washes and highlights can be quick and rewarding in comparison.
Also, how about basing the miniatures before undercoating them? I find it helps the sand stick on better, and makes painting as a whole a lot less messier since you can start with the base and work upward.
Anyway, best of luck with your second child and slaving for your wife. A life of servitude to your worldly overlord (married one) and otherwordldly overlord (Hashut) has just begun. :hat off
Admiral
Cheers! I do have plenty of washes and am.generally quite liberal with them. Highlighting on the other isn't part of my repertoire. The tips are well appreciated and I am going to apply them to this project. :hat off
The goblins look very good and also the Titan mini's.
A bit disappointed though as my first impression was that you had it posted to you as "Commander Panda"
Abecedar
That would be too cool, but cause problems if I had to pick them up at the post office.
The room was high roofed, with numerous scrolls and texts sat on steel shelves. A high backed chair sat in a corner facing the door, made of dark rich wood and inlaid with detailed runic script. The dwarf that sat in the chair had a thick black beard in curls, and intense eyes staring out into the room.
“Lord Karrzkal, forgive my intrusion, the Blackhearts have returned.” A Dwarf with an immense curled beard and only one hand spoke half in the doorway.
“And quickly, what was their load?” replied the Dwarf in the chair.
“85 goblins for no losses of our own.”
“Sufficient. I trust they are to work on our plantations.” Lord Karrzkal spoke with the implicit threat of violence where this not to be the case.
“Indeed, Lord.” The messenger bowed as he replied, conveying a submission to his master.
"Excellent. Have an underling fetch me some meat."
The one handed dwarf nodded and left. Lord Karrzkal remained in his chair, eyes glazed over as his mind sunk into deep malevolent thought. Plans unfolded in his mind, predictions of his opponents and actors in the game. It was game he played with his minions, like his pieces on a board arrayed against his enemies.
The Lords in the Black Ziggurat.
The foul and lowly creatures of the Badlands.
The Dark Gods.
The vile gourmand brutes.
Curse them all.
�?oMy lord?�?�
A small wretched goblin carried a platter of meat and was overseen by one of the cooks. The meat was finely roasted, flavoured with strong hotspice.
�?oBring it here you wretched creature.�?�
The contempt in the Lord�?Ts voice was strong but how could it not be so? Goblins were wretched creatures. The meat pleased the Lord.
�?oExcellent.�?�
The command was both a compliment and an instruction.
�?oMy lord.�?�
The chef Dwarf bowed and slapped the goblin as they left the room. The Lord did not stop his thought games as he ate. His domain was weak in the grand scheme of the board. He had a tower and mines. The caverns. A small area under the plough. A forge. It was enough to keep the Greenskins and Ogres at bay. A horde from the chaos wastes or a serious expedition from the Ziggurat would end it all.
He did hide as much of his strength as possible. The caverns were bigger each month, there was no ore in the rock. That didn�?Tt matter. The room in there would one day be filled with his clan, safe from attack. The fertility rites he had performed were successful as much as could be expected for his kind. They weren’t some filthy low breed like Orcs, that soon as shat as increased in number. No, quality had a timescale all it�?Ts own.
Scouts and captured slaves has spoken of the Blackrod Orcs in the western edges of his lands, that they were growing strong again. He had been thinking on this for days now. The forces at his disposal could not really engage such a mobile enemy without a major expedition. He could spare a few hardy warriors perhaps but it would be a band of twenty good dwarves at best. Lord Karrzkal couldn�?Tt solve this problem for the last two days. His meat finished he put down the tray on which it had been served. An idea formed in his mind as if crafted from the forge. Maybe he could kill two goblins with one axe. The Firebeard Clan was defeated in the last month, and would surely be hungry. Under the promise of some forged iron and meat perhaps he could do what needed to be done.
He unseated himself from his chair. He had work to do.
:hat
So I haven’t posted much but going back to Uni can do that for a man. I have now got my Titan Wargames Dwarves to a rough tabletop standard and I am (hopefully) going to take them for a spin against an Orc army as allies to my Ogres. Hence the above story.
I’ve managed to get some games of Kings of War in and been to a tournament. I have found a local opponent with a mancave set up with a 6 by 4 table and sweet scenery. He has a ‘normal’ dwarf army to so when I get more of my own we can have some sweet Dwarf on Dwarf action. Times are good.
In other news that needs to be hidden from the High Priestess of my house, I did order some Infernal Guard with Fireglaives. I have all these other fantasy armies to do, but I keep coming back to the Chaos Dwarves.
Balarash was not the kind of Dwarf that was prone to rampant emotions. Nevertheless, his grin was wide and had been so for hours. As a trusted lieutenant of the Sorcerer he was privy to some plans and information that most of kin were not. He had truly understood their role in the battle against the Blackrod tribe and everything had worked out just as planned. The Ogres and Orcs had decimated each other with the Orcs having the better of it. Not a single Ogre lived, and barely any the Orcs either. He�?Td managed to take some Orcs as slaves, and they�?Td even managed to slaughter a couple of their boars to roast on the march home. The golems the apprentice had summoned had routed several Orc attacks diverting their attention from his hardy band of warriors.
The march back to the Obsidian Firehold was a long one but having feasted on victory it would be a proud march. Balarash was pushing through the night to get some distance between the Dwarves and the Orcish survivors. He hadn�?Tt lost a dwarf and he wasn�?Tt going to risk it on an ambush in the night. The Sorcerer�?Ts apprentice was lighting their way with some demonically powered flameless torch. He periodically fed the device some Orcish blood, presumably to satiate the entrapped demon but such things interested Balarash not. The light the emanated from the arcane torch was just enough to guide them across the plains.
:hat off
So the Dwarves were a massive success in the battle against the Orcs! They lost their ‘Earth Elementals’ (I needed a solid unit so I used some Mantic Trolls to substitute in) but not one dwarf was lost. I lost a close fought battle overall but the Dwarves achieved their objectives.
Balarash was not the kind of Dwarf that was prone to rampant emotions. Nevertheless, his grin was wide and had been so for hours. As a trusted lieutenant of the Sorcerer he was privy to some plans and information that most of kin were not. He had truly understood their role in the battle against the Blackrod tribe and everything had worked out just as planned. The Ogres and Orcs had decimated each other with the Orcs having the better of it. Not a single Ogre lived, and barely any the Orcs either. He�?Td managed to take some Orcs as slaves, and they�?Td even managed to slaughter a couple of their boars to roast on the march home. The golems the apprentice had summoned had routed several Orc attacks diverting their attention from his hardy band of warriors.
The march back to the Obsidian Firehold was a long one but having feasted on victory it would be a proud march. Balarash was pushing through the night to get some distance between the Dwarves and the Orcish survivors. He hadn�?Tt lost a dwarf and he wasn�?Tt going to risk it on an ambush in the night. The Sorcerer�?Ts apprentice was lighting their way with some demonically powered flameless torch. He periodically fed the device some Orcish blood, presumably to satiate the entrapped demon but such things interested Balarash not. The light the emanated from the arcane torch was just enough to guide them across the plains.
:hat off
So the Dwarves were a massive success in the battle against the Orcs! An excellent 2k games of Kings of War was had. The Dwarven contingent lost their ‘Earth Elementals’ (I needed a solid unit so I used some Mantic Trolls to substitute in) but not one living dwarf was lost. I lost a close fought battle overall but the Dwarves achieved their objectives of holding the left flank and claimed two objectives (we played the Pillage scenario). I ran them as Ironguard, with one unit taking two-handed weapons, which reduces Defence to 5+ but adds Crushing Strength 1. My opponent was understandably fearful of these units. I need more!
I haven’t based the units yet, but I plan to get some blue crystals to add some pizazz to them and break up the colour scheme somewhat. I will go over them and give them some washes and basic highlights to finish them off. The Infernal Guard with Fireglaives will add some ranged attacks to the fledgling force as well as being some non-metal minis. I’ll look to bulk up the two regiments of Royal Guard and Heavy Infantry after that. At my current rate that will be around December…
