Ian's Undead - introduction post - OWAC VII

Life is pleasant, Death is peaceful. It's the transition that's troublesome.

    - Isaac Asimov

I'm Ian from Montreal, Canada. The 7th edition of The Old World Army Challenge will be my third participation. I did a small Goblin army for OWAC V and 4 Mordheim Warbands for the special edition of OWAC VI where specialty games were allowed. 

I had a few options for the 2024 challenge, having accumulate a pretty nice pile of shame over the last 5 years (when I got back into the hobby after a 30 years hiatus) : Chaos Dwarfs, Undead, more Goblins, Dogs of War… I decided to go with Undead, having already painted a nice little army which the challenge will permit me to growth and improve.

Due to personal reasons, I am presently switching every week between my house and an apartment. It will be quite a challenge to bring my painting stuff from one place to the other to achieve my goals… It’s part of the reasons I opted for the Undead as there’s a lot of skeletons and they’re pretty quick to paint.

Here's the army I would like to paint in the next six months. I’m not aiming for anything effective or competitive, the sole purpose being having fun by reducing my pile of undead shame while achieving each month objective. Army list and points are mostly based on the 4th edition Undead army book.

If everything goes according to plans, here’s every month objective. I am sure it will change though, depending on my mood and time available:

January

20 Skeletons with spear and shield – 200 points (4th)

2 Undead chariots with scythed wheels, 1 crew with bow– 156 points (4th)

10 Dire wolves – just extra work as they are not in 3rd/4th edition

3 Vampire bats – just extra work as they are not in 3rd/4th edition

February

20 Skeletons with hand weapon – 160 points (4th)

20 Ghouls – 160 points (4th)

March

6 Skeleton horsemen, light armour, shield, lance – 168 points (4th)

April

9 Skeletons horsemen, light armour, shield, lance – 252 points (4th)

May

1 Vampire lord on skeleton steed, heavy armour –  380 points (4th)

 

June - Wildcard month

1 Black Coach – Extra work as it's not in 3rd/4th edition

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Here's the complete army list, without any magic items/weapons, banners...:

20 Skeletons with spear and shield – 200 points 

20 Skeletons with hand weapon – 160 points

2 Undead chariots with scythed wheels, 1 crew with bow– 156 points 

10 Dire wolves 

3 Vampire bats 

20 Ghouls – 160 points

15 Skeleton horsemen, light armour, shield, lance – 420 points

1 Vampire lord on skeleton steed, heavy armour –  380 points

1 Black Coach 

Total : 1476 points (not counting Dire Wolves, Vampire Bats and Black Coach)

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OWAC V

OWAC VI

Lissanne's Undead- We are the Dead (558pts)

First up this month, another unit of skeletons, and another bit of terrain in back, which takes care of the mandatory points.  They have different shields than the other painted unit.  Skeletons are cool!  More skeletons are more cool!

Then, I found the mystery bag in my figurine room.  Surprise! A bag o' undead horses and a carrion, plus some others

Immediately, I got distracted and painted the carrion.  Here it is.

And then I painted 2 of those horses.  Alas, what I haven't found is most of the undead riders.  If I can find them (or cobble them up), more will be painted.  So 2 death riders on Ral Partha undead horses.

Back to my personal goals: One, to finish the unpainted Karr-Kell zombies by challenge end  This month we have a death rider and 3 zombies
Death Rider viking

Zombie Sword Swallower

Zombie Night Watch (where I tried for a bit of lighting effect)

And a zombie Chainsaw Goblin

And my second goal to finish the WQ Catacombs of Terror minis by challenge end   This month I painted the two tomb guardians, who in this army are Level 15 heros to lead skeleton units. I tried something with the bases that wasn't worth the time, but looks nice.  Carden is in the red, Charlotte Greenlaw in the green.

Plus a little cutie skull bomb thrower I found, I'll make him an L5 hero [Nicodemus]to command the 3rd skeleton unit.  Skeletons and zombies seem to need to be directed in WF.

And for good measure, 16 WQ bats.  I tried something with the bases that didn't work at all, and will have to rethink it.   (I plan on doing a wraith host, so I don't think both will count, but they are only 2pts each)  I'll subtract their points from the wraith host later on.

The forces of Dirge rising up in earnest and spreading pestilence, plague & fear throughout the land...
20 Skeleton Unit (20 shields, 10 spears) 230 pts
2 Tomb Guardians (Hero 15)                 85 pts each (170 pts)
Carrion                                                   45pts
3 Death Riders  light armor                   23pts  (69 pts)
3 Zombies                                              12 pts
16 bats                                                   2pt each- (32pts)
Total this month                       ............558pts

And the whole army after 3 months- [already 1000pts and playable, I think.]
I also found and painted the bolt thrower for my undead rhino plague cart! Hooray!

Next month- yet more skeletons, continuing my personal goals, plus other extras!