PanzerKaput’s Slow Descent Into Madness and The Age Of Sigmar Spearhead

A year ago I finished my first Warhammer AoS Spearhead, Nighthaunts, as a quick project to get me hobby mojo back and to learn have to use Citadel Contrast Paints, as I thought they are not real paints and a but of a gimmick.

Well I discovers that Contrast Paints as so good, they blend, act of washes, shades, and base paints too. In short I love them.

I also discovered that the game of Spearhead was really good, fast, fun and love that fact I don’t need to build a list its just was the faction Spearhead is, I have the setup, set up the board and terrain and within 5 mins you are rolling dice and playing the game. It also played out in about 1 and 1/2 hours, and ideal evening quick, pickup game.

But for me the one of the best thing about Spearhead is because is it a small model count to paint, it means I can try many different factions and get a flavour of them without the need of a whole army.

It is also a great gateway for the whole of Warhammer Age of Sigmar in general, and I have got my toes deep into AoS now, thanks to a slow grow that’s happening at Leicester Phat Cats, playing with my Stormcasts Eternals, The Sons of the Gladius.

I have carried on playing and collecting Spearheads and in the last year I have managed to completely finish 16 different Spearheads, which as comes as a surprise to me. I love the community, the game and the lore and at the moment I have painting my 17th Spearhead, finishing my 2K Stormcasts, and about to turn my energies on to a second 2K list but this time for the Blades of Khorne, Blood for the Blood God or rather Plastic for the Plastic God, lol.

What following a huge dump of Spearhead goodness painted by me, and I hope you like them.

Spearheads completed

VIGILANT BROTHERHOOD

YNDRASTA’S SPEARHEAD

CASTELITE COMPANY

STARSCALE WARHOST

HEARTFLAYER TROUPE

BITTERBARK COPSE

SKYHAMMER TASK FORCE

GNAWFEAST CLAWPACK

WARPSPARK CLAWPACK

BLOODWIND LEGION

BLEAK HOST

BLOODCRAVE HUNT

SLASHER HOST

CARRION RETAINERS

SWAMPSKULKA GANG

TYRANT’S BELLOW

I think I have a problem, lol

The Crimson Court exists for the thrill of the hunt. They travelled to Beastgrave almost by chance, but the variety of intriguing prey has held their attention ever since.

Prince Duvalle claims to be a scion of the famous von Carstein dynasty; whatever the truth of this boast, so far no one has so far dared to challenge it. He is a sadistic and skilled warlock and a talented warrior.

Vellas von Faine is a consummate swordsmaster. She prides herself on being the equal of any other two duellists, and those who face her often claim they faced more than one fighter.

Though the great vampiric bloodlines maintain wildly different traditions of war, there is one thing they all have in common: the love of the hunt. Even those who adopt the airs and graces of noble courts struggle to keep the
blood-craving beasts within them contained behind their gilded veneers. Such is the power of the Soulblight Curse that the vampiric nobility that revel in its blessings will often strike out on Bloodcrave Hunts to chase down foes to replenish their feeding supplies — 0r, oftentimes, just to enjoy indulging their fell urges.

Each hunt is led by a Vampire Lord, who directs both members of their court and ranks of their skeletal servants alike to do their bidding. No backline leaders are these, as they would much rather revel in the carnage of battle, slashing apart enemies with their ornate weapons or taking great gulps of blood. Though they fight violently, they use this vital life stuff to heal their own injuries as they go. An elite guard of mounted Blood Knights attends their lord, charging through enemy lines to skewer them with sword and lance. Many will bring along Vargheists to aid in the hunt, for these grotesque creatures were once members of their court as well, though having fallen to the urges of their curse, they are now good for little more than chasing and killing. Should their masters not take care of the enemy, Deathrattle Skeletons will be raised to clean up straggling foot soldiers or overwhelm their foes with sheer numbers. With their lord nearby, they can get up and resume fighting countless times after being destroyed.

This Spearhead army consists of the following units:
GENERAL
1 Vampire Lord
UNITS
10 Deathrattle Skeletons
10 Deathrattle Skeletons
5 Blood Knights
3 Vargheists

Carry on with my Vampire collection and also be used as Vampire lords too I added Cado Ezechiar – The Hollow King, following reading the Hallow King and Karlina von Carstein, as I love the figure as it summed up Soulblights to me.

A tragic and terrifying wanderer, Cado Ezechiar has lost everything – and outlived the memory of the age that made him. A vampire who accepted the Soulblight curse as his people and kingdom fell to Chaos, Ezechiar travels the Realm of Death and beyond, seeking retribution. He is the Hollow King, haunted by the souls of those he failed, consumed by an insatiable bloody hunger, and driven by a burning need for atonement. Dour and cold, Cado is a man of iron control and ruthless justice, ever-balancing his mortal morality against a thirst for vengeance that would recolour the world in blood.

Cado Ezerchiar, a vengeful vampire vagabond and star of Black Library fiction – including his own full-length novel, The Hollow King. A ruthless noble afflicted by the Soulblight curse, Cado carries a greatsword empowered by ancient silver runes, its imposing size offset by his inhuman strength. Surveying the battlefield with a vampiric snarl atop a twisted grave-tree, the Hollow King’s flowing locks and timeworn cloak whip in an ominous wind, making him stand out from the crowd – inevitable, for an avenger of such infamy.

Karlina von Carstein is a Vampire Lord – one of the undead nobility of the night, whose dark powers have only deepened over the long centuries. Each is a warrior to be feared, while their command of necromancy sees them raise up fresh, reanimated warriors with but a pulse of will.

Karlina von Carstein is a Soulblight vampire who exudes all the otherworldly charisma and power of her kind, clad in ostentatious fluted armour and a flowing cloak that sweeps behind her. She can be built with an ornate bat-like helmet, or a bare head with hair in an imposing horned style. Karlina wields a dynastic war-relic in the form of a thorn-wrapped sabre, and carries an engraved chalice – ready to be filled with blood.

Elder vampires often continue to grow in power as the years tick by, their arcane and martial might growing steadily even as the paragons of mortal races wither and die. Many take up the mantle of a Vampire Lord, commanding legions of undead servants and scores of lesser Soulblight vampires in grand campaigns of conquest across the Mortal Realms. Such is the contempt they have for mortal life, that a Vampire Lord will gladly pause in the middle of battle to drain a worthy foe of their blood before continuing the slaughter of their comrades.

Quintessential leaders for a Soulblight Gravelords warband, Vampire Lords are everything one afflicted by the Soulblight curse aspires to be. Capable of smashing aside entire units of lesser soldiers just as easily as they weave the deathly magics of Shyish, the true power of these consummate warriors lies in their command of the shambling hordes that march with them. By unshackling the bestial rage that drives their unnatural thirst for blood, nearby mobs of skeletons and zombies find themselves invigorated to unseen heights of violence.

Gorath von Marusi though as skilled spellcaster, Gorath prefers to use his immense physical strength on the hunt. He serves as the enforcer of Duvalle’s will, keeping the more high-spirited members of the Court in line.

Vargheists are the darkness in a Vampire’s soul made manifest. They are towering winged humanoids, each several times the size of a man. Though the Vargheists were once noble Vampires, they have since devolved into ravening predators desperate for the taste of blood.

I have painted these using only contrast paints and washes and they have come out rather nicely. These are lovely models and really shows the beastly nature of the Soulblighs.

I got the Warcry boxset as I wanted the scenery in it for Spearhead, now they are releasing it in the next Spearhead Realm pack, and I wanted the Vampires in the set too, I love vampire minis along with Witch Hunters, lol. The plan is to step into the full game of AoS which the Soulblights as the force and this gave me the reason to get them guys.

The Crimson Court is a warband of Soulblight vampires. The Court fancy themselves an aristocratic band of hunters, and should they manage to contain their bloodthirst they almost manage to resemble one, and the first one I have painted is Ennias Curse-born. Of all the members of the Crimson Court, Ennias is the most affected by the Soulblight curse. His form has been twisted into that of a beast, and he attacks with his claws as often as with his weapon.

This is my second unit for my Soulblight Gravelords and they are actually Vampires. I love these minis and it is the first time that I tried proper edge highlighting on a model and I have to admit it is worth the effort. I am very pleased with the way the banner turned out.

Some vampires dedicate their eternal lives to the mastery of one pursuit, and those determined to become peerless warriors invariably end up among the ranks of the Blood Knights. Atop their hulking undead nightmare mounts and clad in thick plate armour, these martial experts are unstoppable on the charge and take a supreme satisfaction in trampling lesser mortal soldiers beneath them.

As elite knights riding at the head of the Soulblight Gravelords’ armies, Blood Knights have perfected the art of barreling straight through formations of enemy troops, spearing and slashing as they go. Their armour and powerful physiques make them durable fighters in melee combat, and thanks to the Soulblight curse they are even able to restore their vitality once the blood starts flowing.