Immortal clearly giving very few fucks.

So Part 2 of my gamer’s tale finds us picking up where we left off with an exploration of the massive pile of Druchii I got off Owain a couple of weekends back. It should be noted at this point that the handover took place at a busy hardcore show in Leeds that Owain’s bands were playing. It was a good gig, the vibe was right, all the bands were great and there were a lot of good friends hanging around. Too bad I was not interested in any of that at all, I just wanted to get home and play with my new toys pew pew!

After having a good rummage through the stack of boxes and consulting a few old DE pictorial guides to identify some of the models, my haul breaks down like this:

Most Dark Elves

10 complete Cold One Knights plus parts for a couple more.

20 x Corsairs/ 10 x Crossbowmen

Shit ton of Spearmen and a grip of Black Guard

“Lads, I’ve got this great idea…”

Dark riders x 5, couple still in blister

Reaper Crossbows x2, Some magical broad on a horse and a chunk of Shades

An old school lead War Hydra. This thing is heavier than a box of iron dicks.

Saluting a future pain in my arse

There was also a Skaven Doomwheel a boxed metal Screaming Bell and a Skaven character model which will all get drafted into my other ongoing fantasy army/money pit.

Obviously there’s no way I can field all of that lot within the limited parameters of a 500 point skirmish force, but the sheer volume of figures does present me with a number of different unit choices and potential avenues to explore. I’d initially intended to have a fighter leading this rabble but the more I absorb the fluff and immerse myself in the background and distinguishing characteristics of the Druchii, the more I want to mess with magic. The Dark Elves are a magical and dickish race, and it would be foolish to ignore that malevolent strength of sorcery. I’m not in this thing to make my friends like me more or go home happy in the comfort that I played fair and we all had a good game. Fuck that noise, I’m here to win. So I can feel better than everyone else and crow about my victory and eat food for free. Humiliating conquest of my enemies achieved through black magic and superior firepower. What I’m saying is let me get that Chilli Chicken Masala and a family garlic naan right now sad sacks.

Sadly the only troop choices not represented in the stuff I got from Owain are Witch Elves and Harpies. This is a pity as I’d planned on building my narrative around the notion of my army being a nomadic Khaine death cult led by a high priestess and all that caper. Maybe I can still work that angle with a few changes and some ebay scores.

Next step is determining a suitable colour scheme. Full transparancy now kids, I’m not a skilled painter like some of the other lads in the crew. Sure, I can churn out a few Space Wolves to a decent table top standard (as long as no one is looking too closely) but right now that’s about my limit. Fantasy miniatures require a different approach to Sci-Fi or futuristic models. For the most part your armies are more grounded in reality in terms of colouration and use of materials, textures and fabrics etc, which means for your rank and file you’ll probably want to make things look a little more earthy and realistic. The highlights are not going be as easy or obvious to pull off as they would be on a Space Marine or what have you. Naturally this presents a ham fisted dolt like myself with a bit of a problem. I’m just going to have to make it up as I go along and pester the other lads for tips.

Second issue is the actual choice of colours. To be honest, I am OVER purple and black Dark Elf armies. I realise that’s a bit like complaining that Ultramarines are too blue but I’m aiming for a colour scheme that draws influence from the Drow from D&D and that lad out of Bros from Hellboy 2. Probably sounds a bit naff, but I want my guys to have a more rinsed out and world bleached pallete, creams and off whites contrasted with deep reds. One other thing I should mention, I’m trying to use only P3 paints for this project. I started picking them up a few months ago and even though my use of them has been limited at this juncture, I really like how smoothly they go on and the muted colour tones really appeal to me. I’m sure GW have equivalents for all these colours and I understand they are manufactured at the same place but I get more paint for my pound with P3 (18ml as opposed to GW’s 12ml) and also, after this thing with Chapterhouse Studios I’m trying to give GW as little of my money as possible these days, but that’s a rant for another day.

Next installment in the ongoing chronicle of my march to victory will inevitably feature me losing my rag over my inability to paint models and kicking stuff round my garden in an impotent rage. Until then here’s some more awesome black metal from Immortal.