The Purging of the Lands of Sigmar: A Multistate Empire Plog

[Elfboy]

I'll try and keep it brief for and go into more detail as the plog goes on. Firstly, I've always been into the character of the Empire. A land of good men that is rife with devious politicking, religious fervour, scoundrels, villains and heroes. The idea of witch hunters had always attracted me, but after reading Matthias Thulman Witch Hunter Trilogy my mind was set. The centrepiece unit will (eventually) be a unit of Witch Hunter Templars (represented by Inner Circle Knights) led by an infamous Witch hunter (Templar Grand Master), a unit that will be full of stock characters!

I already have the army pretty much planned out, including all the unit themes but I'll describe all that at a later date. The only other thing to add is that one of the other aims with painting this army is to get an army that looks coherent despite being from a range of empire states. I also decided to go multistate as with my wood elves I am very used to sticking to more or less the same palette, so I'll have a lot more freedom here!

Here are some brief introductory pictures:
Count Olav's Grand Garrison of Gloriousness (name to be revised )

In the absence of the current Elector Count of Talabecland, the deluded and narcissistic Count Olav is manouevring himself into a position in which he might be nominated for the post (of which the chances are impossibly slim) by offering his services to this Expeditionary force. His reluctance to spend above the minimum on furnishing his military forces (preferring to flush away his finances on misguided political popularity campaigns and commissioning portraits of himself) has left his grand garrison looking disshevelled and incoherent, some uniforms being moth-eaten and faded while other look brand spanking new.


Flagellant unit filler, based on the artwork in the Army Book which will influence the modelling of this unit.


Black Guard, Templars of Morr

Based upon the zweihanders in the Witch Hunter trilogy. With regards to modelling I have to give a shout out to Lord Dan: I was unsure of how to make this unit look a bit morr (groan) interesting until I saw his mounted Sylvanian unit with skull helmets and masks, thanks Dan! Want to use BSB/General standard top as a statue of Morr unit filler. (rudimentary beginnings of a priest of Morr in the front row, he will be hooded and holding an hourglass and (probably) a lantern on a staff.

[Gargobot]

I trust one of these multistate units will be from Hochland, (regular) Hunters perhaps?
Looking at your WE I am psyched to see your take on the Empire.
*subscribed*

[Elfboy]

Cheers Gargobot, to be honest I hadn't considered a Hochland unit until you mentioned it. Due to the overwhelming sense of pressure you've put me under I might have to include the jaegerkorps unit described here, they sound interesting.
http://warhammeronline.wikia.com/wiki/Hochland

As for the rest of the army composition, it will have:

Arch Lector
Witch Hunter (Templar Grand Master)
Priest of Morr (Warrior Priest)
2 Light Wizards
BSB from Altdorf
Witch Hunter

40 Talabecland Halberdiers - Count Olav's Grand Garrison
w/Militia Detachments (20 regular, 10 Crossbowmen)

30 Swordsmen - Reikland Blackfeathers (crow imagery).
w/Handgunner Detachment - Reikland Hardhelms

21 Flagellants
28 Greatswords - Black Guard, Templars of Morr
10 Inner Circle Knights - Witch Hunter Templars
10 Handgunners - Hochland Greenhorns
5 Outriders w/Hochland Long Rifle (Von Augur's Mobile Missile Korps)
Helblaster and 2 Cannons - All from the Temple of Sigmar's Armoury.

[Monsterzonk]

But what about your Woodies...?

Still, Empire is a great army choice with loads of potential in terms of painting, converting and army composition. I'm really looking forward to seeing your take on them.

Cheers,
Monsterzonk

[Elfboy]

My wood elves are far away across the sea, back home. I'm in Spain at the moment so
they won't see action for at least another six months while I'm here.
Great excuse to start the Empire though, I had been holding back on this project for a while trying to get more of my wood elves done. But now I'm conducting this overseas affair safe in the knowledge that the treehuggers will never know!

[Tiny]

Hooray, more Greatswords with knight hats. Love the guys with the hourglass hats. Will have to steal that when I come to top up my unit.

The flaggie unit filler is a great idea too.

Keep up the good work.

[Grain Weevil]

Naughty Elfboy Your Elves will be disconsolate

Anyway... nice idea here, and Your Flagellant filler is going to be great.

Cheers!

[Duke Donald]

This looks and sounds promising already. Given how much I like your wood elves, I'm looking forward to following the progress of your Empire army.

[Elfboy]

@Tiny - Thanks, I read the hourglass was a symbol for Morr, was originally just going to use skulls but the hourglass seemed to work. Will you be updating your Bogenhafen any time soon, it's been a while? Those giant sheep might be get out of hand if you don't keep them in check
@Grain Weevil - I'll be back home for a week after New Years, so will show the elves a bit of love!
@Duke Donald - Thank you very much.

Just a few extra photos of the flagellants and Templars of Morr for a better look.




They will get a Dark Angels symbol on top of the banner.

[The Yak]

Love this Elfboy!

Knights of Morr = Cool as (rhymes with luck). They are pretty cool in the Witch hunter series and these are going to look sweet as Mary. The hour glass an the helmet is pure class, really suits the Gothic wakiness of the empire. If you plan on doing detachments for this unit how about a coffin lid shield bearing spearmen unit dedicated to Morr (possibly with black rose motif's on) and maybe some free company of bedraggled warriors who have lost their homes due to the undead? A few more hourglasses, skulls and scythes chucked in.

I am glad that you have taken up the empire. I have had to put all my stuff on hold due to a ridiculous work schedule but I can buzz of this now!

Good Luck

P.S: Did I mention that your unit of Flagellant's has my mouth watering (not that I eat them). The unit filler looks amazing!

[Mr. Ultra]

Great looking army!

[Hrokka `Eadsplitter]

This plog is so far amazing

Templars of Morr - looks about as badass as Earhardt himself.
That flaggie unitfiller is a really nice touch (Toss in a WP too ).
Overall, keep up the good work!
Cheers!

[Elfboy]

@The Yak - As soon as I came across the Templars of Morr in the Witch Hunter series I knew I had to include them in a witch hunter-esque army (and give me a thematic reason for including greatswords!). Not so sure about the spearmen idea, seems a little more Sylvania to me, but I love the idea of the militia, maybe I could have them as those who have become acolytes of Morr as a result of the tragedies that have befallen them?

Anyway just had a look back through your log and I have to say it's a shame you don't have time to work on them atm, hope things will open up for you soon.

@Mr Ultra - Thanks, though plenty more to go before it becomes an army!

@Hrokka 'Eadsplitter - Cheers, hope they end up looking as hard as Earhardt. Hadn't considered putting in a warrior priest but now you mention it the unit filler should definitely have one... In the artwork pose if I can manage it.

Here is the start of the Reikland Blackfeathers, so named because of the feathers adorning their hats (surprise ). This regiment adopted this emblem when a previous master swordsman was grieviously wounded in a beastman ambush. His surviving companions were unable to find their fallen leader such was the chaos that had ensued. However, a flock of circling crows appeared a likely lead, and soon their leader was found. The scavenging crows, an omen of death, had inadvertently ensured the survival of the master swordsman. Ever since it has been tradition among this Reikland regiment to wear a black feather as a token of good luck, and the crow has become a part of the unit's heraldry.
I will be using a lot of feathered heads from the greatswords in this unit.




The Reikland Hardhelms - Every Hardhelm knows that only a fool removes his helmet where missiles are involved: a rounded metal helmet could be the difference between life and death... even from stray bullets in training.


These two regiments, coming from province governed by the great Emperor Karl Franz himself, have been instilled with a certain arrogance and never miss an opportunity to ridicule the poorly equipped, "uncultured" Talabeclanders.

Hope you enjoy!

[Hrokka `Eadsplitter]

Now that's some work :P
Gotta say that those fluff pieces is what brings an army together
Keep up the good work, cheers!

[Indreth]

Totally interested! Hope to see more soon!

[Zywus]

It looks promising. Now get some paint on the lads!

[Hideous Loon]

Great kitbashing, especially on the Templars of Morr. Am expecting to see some paint on these gentlemen.

Oh, and you totally need to keep the name "Count Olav's Grand Garrison of Gloriousness". It's too stupidly badass to ignore. Please?

[Red Scorpion]

Really nice characterful force. I love the themes of the units - looking forward to seeing Morr of these. (/badpun)

[sasheep]

Cool idea for the army theme I love the unit filler, its based on one of my favorite bits of Empire art But I do feel sorry for your Woodies!

[StormCrow]

Really looking forward to how this progresses, if your wood elves are anything to go by! Loving the templars of Morr and the flagellant unit filler.