From GregB: Warmaster Empire Knights (48 points)

Two units of Empire Knights for GW's "Warmaster"

Since I let the Warmaster genie out of the bottle, I can't seem to put it back.  These figures have been neglected, unpainted and unloved for more than seven years, and since I started working on them again a few week ago, I want to make the effort count.  Here are two more units for my Empire army in Warmaster, both units of Empire Knights.

This unit is sporting colours from the Empire province of Hochland

I tried to use bright colours to create a contrast a "pop" on some of the features

While I am often wary of, and frustrated by, painting horses, I still love using cavalry in a game.  The heavier, the better, and in GW's Warhammer Fantasy setting, the Knights of the Empire are at the pinnacle of fun.  The Empire Knights are fantasy cavalry at its finest, at least for me - not fancy, flighty horses or silly magicians, but men and big horses covered in enough armour and barding to bring down a panzer division.

These gold coloured Knights are inspired by the "Knight of the Blazing Sun" from the Warhammer Fantasy setting

These sculpts are just total home runs - some of GW's finest work

In reality, armour imposes burdens on warrior and mount that can limit its use...but in the fantasy setting, we can just bin most of those worries, and the malleability of the Warhammer Fantasy Old World as a setting offers limitless possibilities.  Obscure Knightly orders? Sure. Elite guards for the Elector Count or the Emperor? Sure. Collection of well-financed, bad-ass nobles? Sure.  All together in the same force? Why not?

A closer shot of some of the Hochland lads

Some fellows in the gold armour for comparison

I know history offers some amazing examples of very heavy cavalry (man, I wish I could figure out either Byzantines or Persians so I could paint Kataphracts) but the Empire Knights in Warhammer Fantasy really fit the bill for fun heavy cavalry on the table.

Some serious armoured power for the Empire army!

As before, I find GW just absolutely hit it out of the park with these little metal sculpts.  They have tons of character, beautiful barding and large plumes of feathers - dramatic, flashy and bad-ass.  I painted two of these units this past week, but these are so nice, I could paint ten more before I got tired of them...so of course I've been scouring Ebay for more...

Obligatory overall photo - the force is getting pretty serious now!

In the Warmaster game the Knights are the Empire player's hammer, an integral part of the force.  While the halberdiers, crossbowmen and artillery will hopefully hold the line, the Knights must charge home at the right time and deliver a blow for the forces of their Elector Count.  It will take some time to get some enemies painted, but I look forward to these fellows getting the opportunity to do just that.

This submission includes 24 mounted 10mm figures, so that should put another 48 points on the pile, the drive to 1,000 continues.  I have more Warmaster stuff in the pending pile, but I think some more 30k stuff beckons...see you next week!

Paul & Alan: Great stuff Greg - the bright colours look brilliant! Wonderful to see some old school Warmaster come out of the box and that army shot is a cracker. 48 points well earned!