Jaakko and Slargash - Wrap-up

 Jaakko and Slargash! What is best in life?

To crush your enemies, see them driven before you

and to hear the lamentations of the opposing player. 

The rollercoaster ride they call Old World Army Challenge is finally coming to a halt. I really didn't realise what I was getting into, but I'm really glad I did take part. Staying on a project consistently has not always been my strong suite (I used to struggle finishing a single team, gang or a warband), but luckily I have found out that being accountable to someone does the trick. There were some difficult times during the spring but you (yes, you reading this) and the OWAC community kept me pushing forward.

And so my childhood dream army managed to materialise from the lead pile:

Slargash and the Mad Spell twins

Chaos warriors including Helwud and a full command strenghtened by the army standard. The unit standard bearer is actually a conversion I made from a Warhammer 40k fan sculpt (#dressawilly by the Still Tower).

Marauders - I painted two more and did a partial repaint on some old models (not shown in the picture) and the unit size will set into 16 models.

I painted two more ranks to this unit this month to make it 20 thugs. I still have a handful of them and might paint another unit or bulk this one at some point.

Chaos hounds must be my favourite thing on the list. I kept hunting for more models during the challenge and there's further eight in the post while writing this post.

Minotaurs - In reality Lord Duherst and Ox-Roar are used as character models and they both have a small unit to accompany them.

Cavalry - The thug horse are now lead by Jaek and are in desperate need of more models. I hope to bulk this unit at some point. In the initial pledge I also had a unit of 5 marauder horse with hand weapons and 10 marauder horse with spears. I was inspired more by other models in the end of the challenge and most of them are still untouched. I painted some to show you the style I will paint them to, however:

 

 

I was not supposed to have any trolls. I ran into the marsh troll model that is featured in the chaos army list in Warhammer Armies and here we are. I have a definite soft spot for the art in that book and I'm weak. (Grog Stuntycrusher was presented in April, but he was actually finished during May.)

The war altar accompanied by three cultists. The secret powergamer in me is really glad I painted this one.

The rest - a chaotic host, mercenary giants, blood-greed tokens and a small daemon to be summoned.

Army list according to WHFB 3 ed (not counting miniatures painted after the previous post):

- Slargash the Defiler, lvl 20 sorcerer: 240 pts

- Quel'lequeck Mad Spell x2, lvl 10 sorcerers: 170 pts

- Chaos warriors x 18, full command + chaos champion + army standard: 1679 pts + banner

- Chaos marauders x11, standard: 468 pts

- Chaos thugs x11, full command + marauder leader: 143 pts

- Chaos hounds x18, handler x3: 459 pts

- Minotaur x9: 360 pts

- Thug horse x6, full command + chaos champion on a chaos steed: 285 pts

- Troll x4 + discipline master: 330 pts

- Chaos war altar x1, cultist altar guard x3: 90 pts

- Jabberwock: 200 pts

- Hydra: 200 pts

- Gorgon: 110 pts

- Giant x3: 750 pts

- Daemon: 0 pts

- Blood-greed tokens: 0 pts

Total: 5484 pts, 101 models (adjusted model count: 127 models)

Some of the shields. I had the idea that followers of chaos paint their own shields and so ended up with a lot of variation. The thugs have generally more simple and crude shields and warriors (touched by chaos) are more into art (and I can blame the thugs for poor results!). Marauders have metal shields with verdigris. A few of these are from this month.

Seems that my gnomes have some avenging to do

What next? I hope that the future will include more OWACs. The plan is to finish this army in the following months and, if I have the opportunity, I would definitely enter with something else. I have an all old citadel squat army gathering dust and painting it next has been in my mind. However, after painting the orc banner for my marauders I have been toying with the idea of collecting an orc horde. On the other hand, Bretonnia would also be cool - or maybe halflings. I think we will just have to wait and see!

My eternal gratitude belongs to our Benevolent Overlord Iannick and moderator Byron who made this happen! Without the challenge Slargash would definitely still be gathering dust in his bare undercoats.

Congratulations to all participants! It has been a pleasure to follow your projects grow.